Time flies, and about two years pass by in focused practice and peaceful daily life.
It is getting closer and closer to the key node in Naruto's memory - the "Akatsuki" organization officially surfaced and began its large-scale capture of Tailed Beast.
However, today's Naruto is no longer what it used to be. He has mastered all the powers that required hard work to master during that period in the "original" timeline, and even far exceeded expectations.
The perfect Sage Mode and Kurama have no reservations for a long time. They are powerful comrades and sources of strength who are connected to each other.
Since accidentally discovering [Star Eye]'s unique ability to interfere and transform Nature Energy while practicing Sage Mode, Naruto has begun to consciously explore the new power unique to this world that was not obtained in this "original work" and tried to develop it to a deeper level.
As for Uchiha Satsuki, her progress is also eye-catching. With the assistance of Naruto [Star Eye] abilities and her own unremitting efforts, it only took her more than a month to successfully master the stable Sage Mode, and she was also able to achieve no frog-like characteristics.
However, the next direction of cultivation made Satsuki confused and even... dissatisfied.
According to Sage Fukasaku's guidance, what she needs to do next is "do nothing".
Literally, do nothing.
It is simply to sit cross-legged in the Mount Myōboku specific retreat place, completely relax your body and mind, and stay quietly like a real stone or grass. The only hard requirement is to stay motionless.
Sage Fukasaku's explanation is that only through this kind of "quietness" and "emptiness" can we minimize our sense of existence and completely integrate our body and perception into the surrounding environment. Nature Energy regards her body as "a part of nature" more naturally and efficiently, so that she can enter Sage Mode more quickly when needed.
"This is for emergencies,"
"What if one day, Naruto is not by your side and you cannot get his [Star Eye] assistance immediately? Relying on specific conditions to enter Sage Mode will become a weakness in actual combat. You need to master the ability to be independent and quick to start."
Satsuki understands the truth, but what makes her feel even more uncomfortable is that the underlying premise of this cultivation direction seems to be a tacit admission that she may "leave Naruto's side" in the future.
Sage Fukasaku was a little surprised to notice that Satsuki seemed to have some... resistance to this arrangement, but Satsuki finally suppressed his unhappiness and honestly began this long and grueling "retreat."
On the other hand, at the suggestion of Naruto, Sakura Haruno also took the initiative to visit Tsunade, who was "morally kidnapped" by Fifth Hokage Jiraiya and asked to return to Konoha on the grounds that "the village needs top medical power" and "it's time for old friends to come back to help."
After Tsunade returned to the village, although he held the title of Elder Advisor, the overall situation still maintained a certain "half-baked" leisure. Most of the time he was either spending time in the casino giving away money or spending time in izakayas.
However, she did not explicitly refuse the matter of accepting a disciple to teach Medical Ninjutsu. But according to Jiraiya's understanding of this old friend, even if Tsunade agreed to teach, I am afraid it would be "returning to the teaching, and not being interested in it is another matter entirely."
She will most likely throw a bunch of difficult medical books and a bunch of complicated chakra control exercises to her disciples, and then go about her own "big business".
How much a disciple can learn, and how far he can ultimately go, basically all depend on his own understanding, perseverance and self-discipline.
Whether Sakura can really stand out under Tsunade's "free-range" teaching and master the medical secrets and Monster Strength depends on whether she can seize this hard-won opportunity and how much sweat she puts in.
"How far has this come out... These guys have really found the password to wealth."
Uzumaki Naruto, who is about to turn seventeen, is sitting at the desk in his room, looking through the sharing agreements signed in the past few years, as well as the latest package with the logo "Wan Egg Trading Company" just delivered by Ninja Cat Express.
Inside are samples of the latest series of <Shinobi Chronicles Collectible Cards> that have not yet been officially released. This is the partner's practice before each release. They will always send a copy to Naruto for review and collection.
He casually opened an independent plastic package of cards and pulled out a card.
The craftsmanship of the card surface is quite exquisite, with a unique texture and luster. What comes into view is a portrait of Ninja with long hair and a calm and majestic face, marked in eye-catching fonts below.
[SSR First Hokage Hashirama Senju]
There are a few lines of introduction in small print below, "The founder of Hidden Leaf Village, who pacified the troubled times of the Warring States Period, is known as the great pioneer of 'God of Shinobi'."
The degree of development of the light industry and entertainment industry in this world sometimes exceeds his expectations. Although he has seen TV, radio, etc., the rise and popularity of this systematic "trading card" business model still makes him feel a bit surreal.
About a year ago, the first bomb of <Shinobi Chronicles Collectible Cards> came out. The shrewd person in charge of the Chamber of Commerce came directly to the door and persuaded Naruto to authorize the use of his image with sky-high endorsement fees and share ratios, and even designed his cards to be extremely rare "hidden models".
As a result, this set of cards became instantly popular throughout Ninja World, triggering a frenzied collection trend especially among the younger generation, and sales were explosive.
Just the share of income in the first year has already swelled Naruto's personal assets and the [Jin] organization's treasury to an astonishing figure, second only to the harvest when he "disposed" of businessman Gato and received most of his inheritance.
As for the issue of the image rights of other famous Ninja... It is said that the Chamber of Commerce sent a negotiation team that can be called a "diplomatic team". With a sincere licensing fee and a complete publicity plan, they actually convinced the senior executives of Five Great Shinobi Villages one by one and obtained legal authorization.
Naruto I don't know exactly how they did it.
He pulled out another card from the card pack.
[Fifth Kazekage Gaara]
On the card is Gaara wearing a Kazekage robe with a calm expression. The introduction reads, "Land of Wind is the youngest Kazekage in history, the powerful who controls the power of sand. Ninja. has a close relationship with Uzumaki Naruto, the disciple of Fifth Hokage. He once defeated and brought back the traitor Sasori of the Red Sand, solved the mystery of Third Kazekage's disappearance, and ascended to the position of Kazekage with his outstanding achievements."
Gaara did become Fifth Kazekage just like the original timeline. Even due to some "opportunities", the time when he came to power was earlier than Naruto remembered.
When Gaara began to actively perform difficult tasks in order to accumulate Kazekage's reputation, Naruto secretly helped him with a "little favor".
Sasori of the Red Sand's puppet core has been stored in the [Jin] organization as a trophy and has no use. Therefore, Naruto arranged a "coincidence" so that Gaara "accidentally" discovered the core of the scorpion that was cleverly disguised and fell into dormancy during a border mission, and successfully escorted it back to Sand Village.
This move allowed Gaara to gain the support of Sunagakure's senior executive Granny Chiyo, and also paved the key way for him to ascend to the position of Kazekage.
Today, the friendship between Naruto and Gaara is still strong, and they often meet through Flying Thunder God.
There is only one thing that makes Naruto feel a little strange: every time he visits Sand Village, he enters Gaara's simple Kazekage's Office side room and lounge., or when Gaara is in the room at home, Gaara always seems inexplicably nervous, seems to be trying his best to hide something in the room, and may even subconsciously cover a certain cabinet or bookshelf with his body.
Probably adolescent boys will have some 'secrets' of their own...
Naruto thought so thoughtfully, never tried to explore or ask, and gave his friend ample privacy.
He continued to look at the newly taken out cards, and the Ninja contained therein can be described as colorful Eight Gates.
[Copy Ninja Hatake Kakashi]
[Golden Flash Minato Namikaze]
[Fifth Hokage Jiraiya]
[The legendary Sannin Jiraiya]... It even breaks down the versions of different periods or titles.
It is worth mentioning that after Kakashi was included in the card, Might Guy enthusiastically visited the headquarters of Wan Egg Trading Company in person, patting his chest and saying that as "Kakashi's eternal rival and best friend", he is fully qualified to become one of the collectible card characters!
However, it is said that the market evaluators of the Chamber of Commerce politely rejected Might Guy's enthusiastic self-recommendation, perhaps out of concerns about the appeal of the "watermelon head in tights" image among younger audiences.
Finally, Naruto found the card with the image of himself and Satsuki printed on it from the card pile.
[Hidden model Hero of Konoha Uzumaki Naruto]
[SR Uchiha The last descendant Uchiha Satsuki]
As the spokesperson of the series, Naruto's cards are always the rarest "hidden cards". And Satsuki, with its identity as Uchiha Clan, outstanding strength and... some kind of public relationship, is also included.
Naruto looked at the introductory text on his card. The content was much more detailed than other cards.
[Uzumaki Naruto]
Fourth Hokage·Minato Namikaze's son, Fifth Hokage·Jiraiya's personal disciple. Hidden Leaf Village The most talented and fastest growing young in history Ninja. once experienced misunderstanding and loneliness in his childhood because of his secret life experience, but he chose to inherit his father's will, stood up when Konoha was in danger, fought against powerful enemies with his own power, and saved the village from the edge of collapse. He is a well-deserved Konoha hero of the contemporary era.
The introduction behind the Satsuki card is relatively concise and focused.
[Uchiha Satsuki]
The last existing bloodline of the Uchiha Clan is the talented woman Ninja who inherited the famous Ninja World of the clan Kekkei Genkai·Sharingan.
[At the same time, she is also the fiancée of Konoha hero·Uzumaki Naruto, who has been officially recognized by the elders of both parties and made public.]