As Natsuhi deepens, lively Temple Fair and festivals are held in Konoha Village every few days.
Naruto pondered that he and his fiancée spent their days either clashing in intense ninjutsu and Taijutsu training grounds, fighting, or occasionally handling unexpected missions...
For two people in the prime of their youth, this seems a bit too "hardcore" and lacks romance.
Therefore, starting last summer, Naruto decided that whenever Konoha held Temple Fair, especially on nights with fireworks displays, he would invite Satsuki to go with him. This was a way for the two of them to have some relaxing and enjoyable time alone amidst their busy training and responsibilities.
After finishing his work, another week passed, Naruto chose a day marked on the calendar as "Festival Fireworks Night" and extended an invitation to Satsuki.
As night Temple Fair, the lanterns are lit.
The torii gate at the entrance was warmly illuminated by lanterns, and the air was filled with the enticing aromas of Takoyaki, candied apples, yakisoba, and various snacks.
The vendors lined both sides of the street, shouting their wares enthusiastically. The stalls selling goldfish scooping, shooting games, and masks were crowded with excited children and groups of young people.
Naruto arrived at the agreed-upon entrance early to wait. He had changed into a simple dark blue yukata; the fabric was of good quality and accentuated his tall and straight figure. His short, golden hair stood out prominently under the lights.
Although several years have passed since his identity was made public, and the public's enthusiasm has gradually turned into rationality and normalized respect, his presence here still attracts a lot of attention and murmurs.
"Look! It's our hero brother!" A child being led by their parents excitedly pointed at Naruto and shouted.
Naruto turned around at the sound, smiled at the child and his family, and nodded gently.
" Young Master Naruto! Are you here to visit the Temple Fair too? Would you like to join us?" A small group of young people who looked like Chunin or Genin spotted Naruto and enthusiastically surrounded him, inviting him over.
"Thank you for your kindness, but thank you, it's alright." Naruto politely waved his hand. "I already have plans."
"Hey? Don't be so polite, Young Master Naruto! It's more fun with more people! Look at us over here..." One of the more lively Ninja tried to continue persuading him.
"Hey, don't cause trouble for them!" His companion quickly pulled him back, whispering a reminder, "Have you forgotten that Naruto already has 'that'? He must have come with Lady Satsuki!"
"... Tch, alright then... let's play together again next time, Young Master Naruto! Have a great time tonight!"
"Yeah, you too." Naruto watched them leave.
Such conversations are not uncommon now, but they are much better than the almost fanatical blockades of the past. Naruto is finally able to live a relatively normal life in the village, without having to constantly be on guard against sudden crowds.
" Naruto, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
A familiar, cool yet gentle voice came from his side. Naruto turned around and saw Uchiha Satsuki, dressed in an elegant black yukata, running quickly towards him.
"No, I just arrived a little while ago," Naruto replied naturally, his gaze falling on Satsuki. "This outfit... suits you very well."
He was telling the truth. In the past, whenever they went out to play, Satsuki would always arrive early to wait for him, so Naruto would always leave early, hoping to arrive before her. Today, he finally "seized the opportunity," which was a first for him.
Satsuki had clearly dressed up carefully for tonight's events. Her long black hair was loosely tied back with a simple yet elegant hairpin, and a few strands of hair fell naturally beside her cheeks, outlining her delicate facial features.
Over the years, she shed her last vestiges of girlish naiveté and blossomed into an increasingly graceful and elegant young woman, her exquisite features exuding the cool and aloof beauty unique to the Uchiha Clan.
The well-fitting yukata subtly outlined her already well-developed figure, and her overall demeanor was calm and gentle, bearing a resemblance to her mother Mikoto Uchiha, in her youth.
Looking at Satsuki like this, Naruto felt a surge of pride.
The environment in which one grows up can indeed profoundly change a person. Growing up with the companionship and love of her family, without experiencing hatred and pain, Satsuki, who is physically and mentally healthy and has clear goals, shines with a brilliance completely different from that dark timeline.
Of course, Naruto was also aware that this "gentleness" shown only to him and a very few close people was different from Mikoto's gentle kindness towards most people. Satsuki's tenderness and patience were "privileges" with a clear target.
"Well then, let's go. I think I saw a stall selling tomato candy over there." Naruto naturally took Satsuki's hand and pointed in one direction of the Temple Fair.
"Mm," Satsuki nodded, looking up at him, her tone now carrying a familiar warmth and dependence that he could express fluently, "You have to treat me."
After spending these past few years together, Satsuki has shed some of her awkwardness and reserve, and is now able to naturally display this almost coquettish intimacy in front of others.
Although the combined flavors of all the snacks at the Temple Fair probably couldn't compare to any of Naruto's home-cooked dishes, occasionally immersing oneself in this lively, bustling atmosphere and savoring the simple yet vibrant food was a delightful experience.
The two strolled side by side through the bustling crowd, their hands soon overflowing with various snacks: fragrant grilled squid skewers, steaming hot fried noodles; candied apples and tomato candies, chocolate bananas...
"Look, there are takoyaki here." Naruto stopped in front of a steaming stall that made an enticing sizzling sound. " Satsuki, do you want some?"
Satsuki glanced at the half-eaten tomato candy in her hand, then at the other bags Naruto was carrying, and hesitated for a moment. "You've already... bought quite a lot, haven't you? But... we can buy one set and share it between the two of us."
So the two of them brought out a small box of hot takoyaki and shared them one by one with two small bamboo skewers.
After filling their stomachs, the "second half" of the Temple Fair turned to various amusement stalls. Throwing beanbags to knock over piles of jars, using fragile paper nets to scoop up nimble goldfish from the pond... these are all classic Temple Fair activities.
Cheating in these games is incredibly easy—throwing balloons? Forget about my Shuriken throwing technique.
Catching goldfish? Simply attach chakra to the paper net for reinforcement, and you can easily catch the slippery fish. Although there is a sign on the stall that says "Chakra use is prohibited," it is more of a reminder to ordinary Ninja. For strong ninjas like Naruto and Sasuke, if they really wanted to cheat, the stall owner wouldn't even notice.
But in order to truly enjoy the simple pleasures of these ordinary games, the two made a pact: from the moment they stepped out of their homes to their return home, they would never use any ninjutsu or chakra techniques.
Like the most ordinary tourists, they felt regret for every mistake and cheered for the occasional success, immersing themselves in this rare moment of relaxation.
While browsing through a toy stall, I found a group of excited children gathered there, enthusiastically discussing and vying to buy the newly released < Shinobi Chronicles Collectible Cards >.
"Oh! It's Naruto- sama!" The sharp-eyed stall owner immediately recognized Naruto and greeted him warmly, "Look, the new batch of cards just went on sale today! Want to try your luck with a pack? It's on me!"
"No need, thank you. I already... received it in advance." As the spokesperson, the sample cards for the latest series had already been sent to Naruto.
"Oh dear! Look at my memory!" The stall owner slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing, "You're the spokesperson, you must have received the samples long ago! Sorry, sorry. But, if you see anything else you like on the stall, feel free to take it, it's on me!"
Naruto didn't respond, his gaze sweeping over the goods on the stall, but his expression became a little strange. The stall was filled with all sorts of masks and dolls, besides the Summoning Beast shapes like Toad, Katsuyu, and snakes, there was even... a mask printed with his own chibi smiling face.
Looking at his familiar yet somewhat distorted cartoonish self, Naruto felt a strange mix of emotions, including a strange sense of dread.
"Ah! It's true! It's exactly the same as the one printed on the card!" The children who were picking out cards also spotted Naruto and became excited, crowding together and whispering among themselves, pushing and shoving each other to go up and say hello.
Finally, a slightly bolder-looking little boy mustered his courage, took out a small card, and walked up to Naruto, his face flushed. His voice trembled slightly with nervousness.
"Um... Naruto- nii-san... excuse me... could you... sign your name on this?"
Naruto looked down and saw that the little boy was handing him a rather rare card from the latest series—[ Eye of the Stars Uzumaki Naruto ].
On the card, his right eye is depicted as a " Star Eye." The developer has not revealed any specific information about the Dojutsu, only vaguely describing it as " Uzumaki Naruto's unique mysterious Dojutsu."
"Of course." Naruto naturally took the card and the pen the boy handed him, and smoothly signed his name in the blank space on the card. Over the years, he had become quite adept at handling fans' autograph requests.
"Oh my god... thank you! Thank you so much! I'm so sorry... I'm just too excited..."
The little boy took the signed card, his hands trembling slightly, his face turning even redder, and his eyes shining with admiration.
His friends behind him looked on with envy and whispered among themselves.
"Damn it... that guy Xiao Hong, he's so lucky..."
"That's great! I wish I had that card too, then I could get an autograph too..."
"Um... you're the best! You're the greatest Ninja!"
Naruto handed the pen back, looking at the child with gentle eyes. "Really? I'm so glad you see me that way."
He slowly leaned down, bringing his gaze to his level. "Thank you. It's because of friends like you who have always trusted me that I've always strived to do my best."
Just then, Uchiha Satsuki, who had finished shopping at the toy stall next to him and whose main purchases included a newly released, exquisitely crafted Naruto chibi plushie and a wall hanging with Naruto's handsome profile, turned around and saw a little boy with a flushed face looking up at Naruto, who was leaning down and smiling, with eyes that sparkled like stars.
"Alright, Naruto."
Satsuki stepped forward and naturally took Naruto's arm. "We should go. The fireworks festival is about to start. I've already reserved the best viewing spots, we need to go."
Then, under the surprised yet somewhat reluctant gazes of the children, Satsuki, holding Naruto, turned and merged into the crowd.
Naruto didn't resist. He just turned around, smiled, waved to the children, said "Goodbye," and let Satsuki lead him away from the noisy stalls, towards a place where he could look up at the night sky.