"Everyone~ listen up!"
The original Naruto planted his hands on his hips and shouted, "Our target is a white-haired, pervy old guy who likes hanging around women's bathhouses and is always sneaking around!"
"His name is Jiraiya, also known as the Pervy Sage! Now, spread out and search! Whoever finds him gets Ichiraku Ramen on me—with double roast pork!"
Yes, Shadow Clones could eat.
That really was a thing.
"Yeah!" × 200
Two hundred Narutos cheered in unison, instantly scattering and charging toward every corner of Konoha.
Rumble!
"Holy shit! Is it an earthquake?!" a terrified passerby cried.
Then everyone noticed, to their surprise, that Naruto was everywhere.
"Oh, that Demon Fox brat is pulling pranks again."
"Didn't everyone say he'd grown up and stopped making trouble?"
"Whatever. The patrol will deal with it anyway. Let's just get on with our day."
"True."
The people of Konoha were already used to it.
This kid had been playing pranks for years.
They were used to it.
Visitors from other villages, however, were curious.
What exactly was this blond brat looking for?!
They quietly took notice. Who knew? It might be some secret of Konoha.
Still, they really did stumble onto something by sheer luck.
They discovered Jiraiya.
Well, when he appeared in the Forest of Death, plenty of people probably hadn't known he was one of the Sannin.
And so, with Narutos everywhere,
they cast a net in every direction,
searching for traces of Jiraiya.
Qingwu clicked his tongue too. "That Naruto just rushed off without even asking me where Jiraiya was?!" But then he smiled.
That was just Naruto's personality.
The number-one unpredictable ninja.
Hundreds of Narutos.
"Where is he?!"
Some ducked into alleys and peered over walls.
"Get lost, you little brat!"
Some ran to bathhouse entrances and stood