Chapter 229: A Long-Awaited Meeting
"Still no word from Uchiha Itachi? Any intel on the Akatsuki members...?"
After the formal meeting concluded, only Jiraiya and Tsunade remained in the Hokage's office.
Their relationship was something more than friendship, yet not quite love. Old bonds rekindled, their connection had only deepened now that they shared the same mission—to stabilize Konoha and eventually hand the reins to the next generation.
As Hokage, Jiraiya had given Tsunade considerable authority, letting her in on many classified matters—one of which was Uchiha Itachi's identity as an undercover operative within the Akatsuki.
Jiraiya sighed. "Danzo's Root was responsible for his assignments before, but now…"
His expression darkened, a trace of helplessness in his voice. "Last time Itachi entered the village, I didn't know he was working undercover… so I gave him a beating."
"That also means he might not know there are still people here who know his true identity. The old man and Danzo both died too suddenly. If Naruto hadn't pieced together some old notes left in the Third's journal, I wouldn't have found out either."
"An undercover agent with no one to report to, no chain of command... is he even still an agent? Or does he even think of himself as a shinobi of Konoha anymore?"
Jiraiya couldn't say.
"These damn leftover scraps the old man left behind… what a mess."
He ran his fingers through his thinning white hair in frustration. "And let's not even get started on Uchiha Sasuke. That kid alone is enough of a headache."
"He's got incredible talent. Pushed by the hatred of his clan's extermination, he never lets up. With Naruto chasing after him, he's constantly driven forward."
"Talent, drive, purpose, rivals—he has everything a shinobi needs to become a powerhouse. One day, his strength may rival even ours."
"And when he finds out the truth... how will we face him then?"
Jiraiya looked older than usual. New wrinkles creased his face, weighed down by both worry and time.
The safest approach would be to keep a close eye on Sasuke, just as the village had done before. They'd called it "protection"—but it was control, limiting his growth under the pretense of security.
But for Jiraiya—now the Fifth Hokage—that wasn't an option. Not out of ethics alone, but out of respect. He would never treat the kin of a fallen hero like that.
If he ever stooped to such hypocrisy, he would be no better than the Third—whom he once confronted in a fit of righteous fury after learning about Naruto's lonely childhood.
"Yeah... that's something the old man would do," he muttered bitterly.
Leaning against the window, Tsunade watched the crowd below from the shadows where the sunlight couldn't reach. Her tone was flat, but her frustration was real.
"And besides Sasuke, there's Naruto. If I hadn't stayed in Konoha as his master, he might've followed the Hyuga to the Land of Rain."
"One thing after another… Can't they cause less trouble for once? This is exactly why I hate coming back to the village. It's suffocating."
---
"I thought you'd follow me no matter what," Naruto said quietly, standing in the Hyuga clan's compound after returning from the Land of Rain. "Didn't expect you to stay behind in the village."
He watched the people moving about with luggage in tow—organized, peaceful. It wasn't a farewell of life and death, just a relocation. And yet, something about it felt hollow.
They wouldn't be from the same village anymore. Wouldn't fight for the same cause. That truth stung more than he'd anticipated.
"This is still the village my parents once protected," Naruto added after a pause. "Tsunade-sensei is here... and Jiraiya too."
Ryosuke gave him a look. "So, what—you've started to like the village?"
Naruto shook his head. "I wouldn't go that far. Not after everything it put me through."
"I guess I've just gotten used to it. I've lived here my whole life. The idea of moving to some unfamiliar place... it doesn't feel right."
He paused.
"But if I ever hit a wall—if I reach a point where my strength can't grow any further—I might leave. Look for a new path."
"And with who I am... if I went with the Hyuga, it'd strain their ties with Konoha even more."
"I don't want to put sensei in that kind of situation. Just thinking about it makes my chest feel heavy."
His answer was calm. Rational. Thought-out.
"…Congratulations," Ryosuke said, a quiet smile on his face. "You've grown up. I don't even need to give you advice anymore."
The speech Ryosuke had prepared in his mind? Completely unnecessary now.
"Uzumaki… Naruto?"
A familiar voice called out, uncertain and tentative.
Naruto turned, blinking in surprise. A girl with long, flowing hair walked toward him—calm, composed, her steps steady and self-assured.
"…Hinata?"
He stared at the girl in front of him. Her aura was noble, poised—completely unlike the shy, quiet girl he remembered clinging to Ryosuke's shadow.
"It's been a long time, Naruto-kun," she greeted him politely. "I think we haven't spoken since graduation?"
Although Naruto had visited the Hyuga compound several times, those visits were usually for Ryosuke. Hinata had become involved in clan affairs soon after, and the two of them rarely had the chance to interact.
"You've changed," Naruto said, confirming her identity with a faint smile. "You kind of remind me of Advisor Koharu."
He scratched his head. "I mean in terms of your... vibe. You look like you're about to hand me a mission scroll or something."
Hinata smiled gently. "And you've changed, too. You're nothing like the loudmouth from back in school."
Despite reuniting after so long, there was no dramatic reunion—just a quiet, respectful exchange.
They were never close to begin with. Even with Ryosuke connecting them, they'd barely spoken ten times.
"Father called us back urgently," Hinata said, glancing at Ryosuke. "It sounds like he has something important to announce."
The unspoken message was clear—this conversation might take a while.
"If you want to have dinner with Naruto, it'll have to be another day."
"I understand," Ryosuke replied, nodding. "You go on ahead."
But he didn't plan on going home just yet.
Hinata seemed to have expected that he wouldn't leave immediately. After politely greeting Naruto, she turned and walked away.
Watching her retreating figure, Naruto tilted his head.
"I don't know why, but... she feels kind of unfamiliar."
"After all, it's been a while. You two barely talked back in school, right?"
Ryosuke replied casually as he pulled out a small notebook and began jotting down his unfinished tasks.
"No, no, no, I don't mean us," Naruto said, waving his hand. "I mean... you two."
He turned to look at Ryosuke seriously.
"A normal couple shouldn't be that distant, right? She seemed really indifferent to you."
"When you were in school, you two looked like you had a good relationship. Don't tell me... your marriage's hit a rough patch? I heard couples go through that stage sometimes."
"As a man, you should be more accommodating to your wife, Ryosuke."
In response to Naruto's serious advice, Ryosuke paused and looked at him strangely.
"...You're single. Are you giving me relationship advice now?"
"Hey, hey, hey! Just because I don't have practical experience doesn't mean I don't know anything!" Naruto shot back. "I've read Jiraiya's Intimate Paradise more than a hundred times—didn't miss a single word!"
"Jiraiya-senpai?"
Ryosuke half-closed his eyes. "Didn't he stay single his entire life?"
He gave up arguing and said flatly, "Forget it. Hinata and I are fine. You don't need to worry about us. But... weren't you the one who used to scoff at this kind of stuff? What's with the sudden change of heart?"
He glanced at Naruto with a subtle look.
"Well... I guess I was just too young."
Naruto scratched his head, slightly embarrassed under Ryosuke's gaze. "Honestly, it was during the mission to the Land of Rain that I started noticing things I'd never paid attention to before."
"I mean, yeah, I've been on missions with a team before, but that was back when I was still a Genin."
"This time, I went out with a full squad. And during the mission, I got to observe a lot—things I never understood before. Like how they conduct reconnaissance before setting up camp, or how everyone cooperates during a battle. All of that. It really opened my eyes."
"Especially the Hyuga team. The way they moved as one when their captain gave an order—it hit me hard. It made me realize the strength of teamwork... and companionship."
Seeing Naruto's serious expression as he spoke, Ryosuke could already guess what he was feeling deep down.
So... I'm lonely.
Compared to having a family and a home, Naruto's life had been starkly different.
For most of his early years, Ryosuke had been his only real friend. And while Naruto had eventually found a goal to focus on—becoming stronger—it didn't erase the fact that people are social creatures. He was still young, after all.
When you see people around you, working together, laughing together, having someone to rely on… of course, you'd feel envious.
"I used to think that even if nobody liked me, I could still live just fine. That emotions would only hold me back."
Naruto sighed and continued with a wry smile, "I even thought your relationship with Hinata would become a burden, Ryosuke. Like it would stop you from growing stronger."
"But now... I realize I was wrong. Turns out I'm the first one to change."
"It's impossible to stay alone forever, especially in a world like this."
"To be honest... I'm jealous of you and Hinata. I really admire that you have someone to come home to. Someone to talk to. That's something I've started to look forward to."
"Looks like you've hit puberty, huh?"
Ryosuke smirked and went back to scribbling in his notebook. "When a man reaches a certain age, the testosterone kicks in and his body develops rapidly."
"Along with physical growth, there are also psychological shifts. You'll begin to desire emotional connection with the opposite sex... and eventually develop a mating urge—"
"STOP, STOP, STOP!"
Naruto practically leapt back, cutting him off in a panic.
"Hey! Could you not say something that explicit in such a calm tone?!"
These so-called "popular science facts" felt more like a battle anthem than an educational melody—blunt, direct, and just way too much.
Totally unlike the gentle symphonies and steamy buildup in Intimate Paradise.
"Forget it, I should get going."
Scowling at Ryosuke's smug grin, Naruto turned around in frustration.
But after taking a few steps, he stopped, turned back, and said seriously,
"Just promise me—make sure you contact me before you leave the village."
"I really mean it. Thank you, Ryosuke. If it weren't for you, I probably would've become someone's puppet by now."
"No matter what happens in the future, I owe you a proper dinner before I leave. It's the least I can do."
"I know, I know." Ryosuke didn't even look up as he replied. His notebook was now filled with detailed stats—personnel counts, supply numbers, logistics for the latest migration group.
Even though Naruto sounded deadly serious, Ryosuke didn't feel much of a sense of parting.
After all, even if they left Konoha, it wasn't like they couldn't come back whenever they wanted. At least, for now, the Hyuga clan had no intention of severing ties with Konoha.
And even if things did sour, with Ryosuke's current capabilities, slipping in and out of Konoha undetected would be child's play.
After finalizing the records, Ryosuke tucked the notebook away and prepared to go home.
But at that moment, a sudden thought crossed his mind—something that had been pushed aside.
The Akatsuki.
"I almost forgot..."
His brows furrowed slightly.
"When we eat, I should ask Naruto about his current relationship with the Nine-Tails."
If Akatsuki was planning to proceed with their plan—gathering all the Tailed Beasts and resurrecting the Divine Tree—they'd definitely target the Nine-Tails in Naruto.
As for the issue of the Jinchūriki's death following tailed beast extraction, Ryosuke could now solve that easily with his own methods.
But still... he had to consider Naruto's feelings.
If Naruto and the Nine-Tails had developed a strong bond, then he might need to find another way to replace the fox without hurting him.
For example, he could use the Impure World Reincarnation technique—summon Minato Namikaze, and offer up the other half of the Nine-Tails sealed within him as a substitute.
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