Heavy Rain (3/3)

Late spring. Torrential rain.

The gray sky was like a giant bladder, pouring all the rain it had accumulated throughout spring over Konoha.

This was the eleventh day Naruto had personally trained Hinata and Ino.

Over those eleven days, he had earned 121 Mom Coins. Added to the 66 he already had, that made 187 in total, enough for eighteen draws.

Perhaps the Rasengan had drained all his luck. Naruto finally got to experience what it meant to go eighteen draws without anything above D-rank. The rewards were either Explosive Tags, money, or other consumables with little use.

And today's weather was as dark as Naruto's expression.

The downpour had not stopped from noon until afternoon. Naruto looked at the still-gloomy sky and shook his head.

It was fine. He only needed thirty more draws to reach the guaranteed reward. At eleven Mom Coins a day, it would take just over twenty days at most. If he found new mothers during those twenty-odd days, or changed his current mothers further, it could be even faster.

What would the guaranteed reward be?

He was really looking forward to it!

"Looks like we can't train in weather like this. Let's hurry home!"

Because of the torrential rain, both the Hyuga and Yamanaka families had sent people to pick up their young ladies. When the Hyuga branch family ninja saw Naruto, he immediately pulled Hinata far away and warned her not to get close to that child. (This happened in the anime; it wasn't made up.)

The person sent by the Yamanaka family was none other than clan head Inoichi Yamanaka himself. Without saying a word, he took Ino and left, glaring at Naruto the entire time.

Even when Ino personally asked him to give Naruto a ride with their umbrella, Inoichi Yamanaka ignored her.

Naruto could understand Inoichi Yamanaka.

Putting himself in the man's shoes, if his own daughter publicly called another boy Dad, Naruto honestly would not be able to keep a pleasant expression either.

But...

Hadn't he already called Ino Mom in return? Wasn't that fair?

All he could say was that old man Inoichi Yamanaka was still too petty.

Served him right that both his wife and daughter had become Naruto Uzumaki's mothers.

"Bye, Dad!"

Dragged away by Inoichi Yamanaka, Ino Yamanaka waved at Naruto with misty eyes.

Lino Yamanaka looked at Inoichi Yamanaka's iron-dark face, covered her mouth as she chuckled, then gave Naruto an apologetic look.

Naruto returned it with, "Goodbye, Mom Lino. Goodbye, Mom Ino. Goodbye, Mr. Yamanaka!"

Inoichi Yamanaka's face darkened even further. He shot Naruto a glare, then quickened his pace.

After running his mouth, Naruto still had to solve the actual problem.

What was he supposed to do in such heavy rain?

"Kiba, don't you always say your sister treats you well? Then why didn't she come pick you up in this rain?" Shino Aburame asked curiously, pushing up his sunglasses.

"Don't even mention it. I have no idea what's been wrong with my sister lately. She's gotten way too brutal. She keeps saying everything is somehow my fault, then beats me up." Kiba Inuzuka looked miserable. "My sister isn't nice at all anymore."

"But I brought an umbrella. Did you bring one, Shino? Want me to walk you home?"

"Thank you."

Unfortunately, their umbrella was too small. Even the two of them sharing it would get their shoulders soaked. Otherwise, Naruto would definitely have squeezed in.

Sigh!

Were there any other targets?

Naruto's gaze fell on Sasuke Uchiha in the distance. Surprisingly, Sasuke Uchiha had come to school today. He was there to challenge Naruto Uzumaki, with the agreed time set for next semester's entrance exam.

They were about to become second-years!

The black-haired boy stood alone in the rain, holding a large umbrella. Seeming to sense Naruto's gaze, he looked over as well.

"Hmph!"

Sasuke Uchiha snorted. "Naruto Uzumaki, don't even think about borrowing my umbrella. You will pay for the stupidity of leaving home without one."

Sasuke Uchiha was delighted to see Naruto Uzumaki in a predicament.

That bastard was the hateful person who had taken his mother away. Before he took his mother back, he would never reconcile with Naruto Uzumaki.

Damned Naruto Uzumaki, get ready to turn into a drowned rat in the rain!

Just as Naruto was wondering whether he should go over and snatch Sasuke Uchiha's umbrella, he saw someone approaching. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly as he said in an affected tone,

"Sasuke, it's fine. I'm already used to this kind of thing."

"After all..."

"Children without homes always have to learn how to stand in the rain."

That sounded pretty cool.

Damned Naruto Uzumaki, even he made getting rained on sound so arrogant!

Sasuke Uchiha silently committed the line to memory, though he remained calm on the surface. He curled his lips slightly and continued taunting Naruto.

"Heh, stop talking nonsense. Even if you beg me, I won't share an umbrella with you. Just wait obediently to become a drowned rat."

The moment he finished speaking, an umbrella covered Naruto completely.

"I'm sorry, but my Naruto doesn't need to beg anyone for anything."

Mikoto Uchiha picked Naruto up with one arm and held the umbrella with the other, walking away through the rain without looking back.

Mm.

She left...

She did not say a single extra word to Sasuke Uchiha, because what that brat had just said to Naruto sounded so deserving of a beating to Mikoto Uchiha!

Naruto lay over Mikoto Uchiha's shoulder, wrapping both arms around her neck, then called out loudly,

"Mom is the best! You actually came to pick me up."

"How could Mom let you walk home in such heavy rain?"

Mikoto Uchiha replied.

In the rain.

Sasuke Uchiha watched their warm, departing figures, his face flushing red.

"Naruto Uzumaki, just wait! On the day of the entrance exam, I'll stomp you beneath my feet and take Mom back!"

The foolish boy believed that winning a fight would let him reclaim his mother. Fuming, he left the Ninja Academy alone.

Elsewhere, Hinata Hyuga finally relaxed when she saw that Naruto had someone to pick him up. She no longer resisted the Hyuga clansman's tugging and followed him back to the clan compound in peace.

However, she still solemnly told the clansman who had come for her today, "You won't need to pick me up anymore. I don't need someone who won't listen."

[Ding!]

[An unexpected development has occurred!]

[The original life trajectory of A-rank mother "Hinata Hyuga" has changed. Because a clansman nearly made her watch Naruto Uzumaki get drenched in the rain, she will no longer readily show her weakness before her clansmen. This gentle girl has begun to reveal her strong side.]

[Obtained an additional 50 Mom Coins!]

Naruto was a little stunned when he heard the system prompt.

Because he had done nothing this time, yet Hinata had completed her transformation on her own under these circumstances.

Was that a good thing?

Naruto felt that it probably was!

When he got home, the rain was still pouring heavily. Naruto did not rush to draw prizes. Instead, under Mikoto Uchiha's puzzled gaze, he picked up the umbrella he had just put away.

"Naruto, where are you going?"

"Mom Yugao isn't home yet. What if she gets soaked in such heavy rain? I have to go find her!"

Outside the door, Uzuki Yugao, who had just rushed back, suddenly froze when she heard that.

Then she heard the two people inside continue talking.

"Do you know where she is? The village is so big. How will you find her?"

"I don't know. I only know that I don't want Mom Yugao to get rained on."

There was a trace of anxiety in Naruto's voice.

Uzuki Yugao clenched her fists and murmured, "Silly child!"

The door opened.

Uzuki Yugao happened to run into Naruto Uzumaki as he was about to rush out. She took a deep breath and, without giving him a chance to protest, pulled him into her arms.

"I brought an umbrella. I didn't get wet."

Rumble—!

By evening, the rain had stopped and the sky had cleared.

In a corner of Konoha, Shimura Danzō met an Uchiha clansman renowned as a genius within the Root he commanded.

Shisui Uchiha.

"I'll be taking your Sharingan!"

PS: I was suddenly made to work overtime and didn't get home until midnight, but I still pushed through and finished the bonus update.

I'm exhausted, but I want to say this.

(If I don't write just because I'm tired, then what's the difference between that and being dead!)

Dear handsome, dashing, and suave readers, this humble author begs for your votes~!

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