Before the team split up, Sasuke suggested that his house was quite large.
Naruto turned his head, pretending not to hear.
Then, Sasuke offered to spend the night at Naruto's house.
Naruto decisively refused.
This Sasuke is up to no good. Haven't you seen Sakura's face change next to him?
I'll stay far away from him in the future.
Having rejected Sasuke's request to stay over, Naruto went home alone.
Night, training space.
Naruto + "Card Master Naruto" + Kurama were playing cards.
"A single 3."
Card Master Naruto was the landlord. He glanced at his two opponents and tossed out a small 3.
"Bomb!" Kurama instantly slammed down four 2s.
Mimicking Naruto's past swagger, Kurama said cockily, "Naruto, I've only got one card left."
It looked smug, its eyes almost disappearing into its increasingly round face.
Ever since it started playing Dou Di Zhu (Fight the Landlord) with Naruto, it had been losing consistently, rarely winning.
But this time, it was about to win!
Seeing Kurama's last remaining card, the main body Naruto, as a fellow farmer, immediately applauded, providing ample emotional support.
"Kurama, you're playing too well!"
The Card Master personality was truly a card master, specializing in card games, able to flick paper playing cards with the force of steel shuriken.
He wasn't in a hurry to play. He exchanged a glance with Naruto's main body, and the two winked at each other in unspoken understanding.
Afterward, Card Master Naruto began to gently persuade.
"Kurama, we've been playing together since I was 3. Now I'm 12, so that's 9 years."
"9 years, 3,285 nights, 25,000 hours."
"25,000 hours, although it's just a small part of your life, Kurama, for me, you almost take up my entire life."
After delivering this heartfelt speech, Card Master Naruto stared at Kurama, speaking with genuine emotion: "We should be very, very good friends now, right?"
"Of course!" Kurama only had to think for a moment to know.
Although it had been inside others' stomachs before, those people rarely saw it or spoke more than a few words to it.
Even when they saw its true fox form, they either used its power or tried to control it.
Only Naruto gave it freedom, gave it fried chicken, gave it sweet drinks, and always kept it company.
Moreover, 9 years! Counting the face-to-face time, Naruto was second only to the Sage of Six Paths.
The two were already the best of friends.
"Alright, Kurama, let's make another bet."
"Bet what?" Kurama was puzzled. Aren't we already betting?
"Let's add a wager. If I lose, you can make any request, and my main body can fulfill it. If you lose, you let me hug and rua you for two hours!"
"How about it? Do you dare?"
What bad intentions could Naruto have?
He just wants to pet fluffy Kurama, that's all.
It was chubby now, perfect for rua-ing.
Rua for two hours?
Hearing this, Kurama began to ponder if there was some trap involved.
Although their relationship was very good, you want to rua me, Kurama? Don't I, Kurama, have any dignity?
But...
Unlimited cola, fried chicken family buckets, it wanted all of them.
And the recently released games, manga, and novels, especially the games, it really wanted to play two-player Contra with Naruto!
If not, Super Mario Bros. would do too.
Besides, it, Kurama, might not necessarily lose.
It sensed the cards in Naruto's main body's hand.
That's right, the small joker marked with chakra is still in Naruto's main body's hand.
Then it looked at the cards in the clone Naruto's hand.
A full 17 cards.
17 cards? You think you can instantly beat me?
I'll let you rua my tail on the spot!
"I'm in!" Kurama joined the high-stakes gamble.
"Excellent, Royal Bomb! Airplane~~~ Done!" Card Master Naruto instantly threw out a card that shouldn't have been in his hand, followed by a 15-card airplane, winning the game.
Kurama was dumbfounded.
This isn't right.
Seeing Kurama's round face make such a bewildered expression, the main body Naruto almost couldn't hold back his laughter.
Hahaha, Kurama, do you understand the value of a God of Gamblers?
You can make whatever you want happen.
This is the God of Gamblers!
Moreover, with two Gods of Gamblers serving you, a novice, your luck, Kurama, won't be small.
Hurry up and say thank thank you.
Kurama pulled open the main body Naruto's cards. The card marked with chakra was no longer a small joker, but a tiny pauper.
It's over!
Kurama looked utterly crestfallen.
It had a vague feeling that it might have been tricked by the two of them working together.
Kurama looked at the main body Naruto. "Naruto—"
But Naruto completely ignored its explanation and simply pounced on it.
"Kurama! You smell so good!" Naruto hugged Kurama and rubbed against it hard. It was so soft and fluffy, felt amazing, a million times better than a stuffed animal.
Eek!
Helplessly, Kurama could only groan in disgust at Naruto, while its eyes scanned its surroundings.
No one should have seen this, right?
If anyone saw it, it, Kurama, the head of the Tailed Beasts, would lose so much face.
However, it didn't resist either.
A bet is a bet. It's definitely not because I, Kurama, really like Naruto.
Yes, that's right.
Two hours, please pass quickly!
In a flash, it was the next day.
Under the large chestnut tree.
"Naruto~"
From a distance, Naruto saw a prettily dressed Sakura waving at him.
Standing beside her was Sasuke.
Sasuke was dressed the same as yesterday.
Naruto even suspected if this guy had ordered seven identical sets of the same outfit.
"Sakura. Sasuke." Naruto greeted them feebly.
He hadn't planned to go out and play, but Sakura wanted to ask Sasuke out, and Sasuke only asked if Naruto was coming.
So, Sakura invited him out again.
He, Naruto, didn't want to be a third wheel!
But today, he had no choice.
However, this bizarre love triangle was a bit strange.
"Hm."
Sasuke nodded as a greeting.
Sakura, behind him, winked at Naruto when Sasuke wasn't looking.
Naruto understood.
Today was about creating an opportunity for the two of them. He could find a chance to slip away later.
"Sasuke-kun, would you like some chestnuts?" Sakura asked eagerly. This was a rare day off, and today she wanted to make further progress, to win Sasuke over before Ino did!
But fate often had other plans.
"Sasuke-kun!" A joyful shout suddenly came from a distance.
Looking in the direction of the voice, Naruto saw Team 10: Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino.
"Are you guys off too?" Naruto greeted his two friends warmly, having reunited with them.
The three hadn't seen each other for over half a month. He remembered their last meeting was... well, last time.
"What a drag~"
Having finally stopped collecting garbage, Shikamaru had planned to lie at home and watch the clouds during his break, but he was dragged out by his teammates.
He was thoroughly annoyed.
"Hey, want some chips, Naruto?" Choji offered Naruto some chips.
Naruto looked at the sky. It's only a little past 9 AM.
It was nowhere near mealtime.
But to be considerate of his friend's feelings, he still took one.
The three of them were relatively harmonious. On the other side, an argument was about to break out!
"Ino-pig! Let go of Sasuke!"
"Forehead-girl! You're the one who should stay away from Sasuke!"
Sakura and Ino glared at each other, looking like they were about to fight.
"Women, huh~!" Shikamaru, Naruto, and Choji sighed deeply.
Sasuke: Irrelevant.