Chapter 163:
Wavewind Hotel.
Today, the Wavewind Hotel was closed to the public.
Footsteps echoed through the halls, mingling with the noise of chattering and the occasional clatter of dishes.
"Seriously, why did Master make me come to this boring party? And this outfit—ugh, it's so uncomfortable," grumbled a vibrant, pink-haired young woman as she munched on the food laid out on the table.
"Haruno Sakura. Apprentice of the Fifth Hokage, Lady Tsunade."
Sakura wiped her mouth and looked toward the approaching man. "Wavewind Naruto, CEO of the Wavewind Corporation."
"Nice to meet you."
"Same here."
From Sakura, Naruto felt a strange sense of familiarity. Being near her brought him a rare feeling of calm—something he hadn't felt in a long time.
"Those two look like they're really hitting it off, sis," said Hanabi, glancing at her sister Hinata, whose face was filled with sorrow. "Want me to help you?"
"N-No need, Hanabi." Hinata's voice trembled as she stared at Naruto, who was happily chatting with Sakura.
Although she had seen Naruto smiling often in tabloid photos, this was the first time she had ever seen him smile so genuinely—so happily.
"This is exactly why you've never been able to move your relationship with Wavewind Naruto forward. Staying childhood friends just isn't enough, sis."
Despite being the younger sister, Hanabi was lecturing Hinata like an adult scolding a child.
"I-I get it…"
At that moment, the elevator chimed with a ding.
The elevator doors slowly opened. A nervous-looking waiter stepped out first, followed by a group of men in clown masks led by the Clown himself.
Uchiha Sasuke, wielding a shotgun-style Scientific Ninja Tool, fired a round into the ceiling to draw attention.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Sasuke said as he strolled forward, stopping in front of a little girl. His Sharingan, with three tomoe spinning, locked onto her as she clutched at her parent's clothes in fear. "And little ones… good evening."
"Clown! What are you trying to do!?"
An elite jonin from the Yamanaka Clan couldn't hold back and shouted.
"I just want to lure out that dear little fox of mine," the Clown said as he opened his jacket, revealing it was lined with explosive tags. "I know you all want to kill me, but I wouldn't move too hastily. After all, the lives of you VIPs are worth far more than mine."
"Kakashi, cover me."
"Understood, sir."
Kakashi's figure subtly shifted to shield Naruto from view.
Behind him, Naruto remotely activated the Nine-Tails Car, which carried the Nine-Tails Armor, guiding it to the hotel via autopilot.
"So, you're the Clown?"
While others hesitated to approach the walking bomb, Sakura was the first to step forward.
"Wow, a beautiful lady." The Clown approached her, spitting into his palm to slick back his hair. "What can I do for you?"
Despite standing face-to-face with a man whose appearance was utterly terrifying, Sakura showed no fear. Instead, her expression was one of eager curiosity.
"I find you... fascinating."
Sasuke sensed something familiar in the gleam of excitement in Sakura's eyes.
Yes, it was the same feeling he experienced every time he committed a crime.
Sasuke loved that feeling—he was addicted to it.
"You're beautiful. No one turns down a beautiful lady. Since you're curious about me, would you like to hear my story?"
"Of course," Sakura nodded.
She had recently been studying the human mind and mental disorders under Tsunade's guidance, which naturally piqued her interest in someone as abnormal as the Clown.
"Like anyone else, I had a family—a father, a mother, and an older brother. But one day, right in front of me, my brother killed both our parents. Then he grabbed my head like this and made me look into his eyes." As he spoke, the Clown mimicked the scene, grabbing Sakura's head and forcing her to meet his gaze. "He said, 'Why the long face? Why! So gloomy! You should smile more.' Then, he took a shuriken and carved a smile into my cheeks. See? Now I'm always smiling."
The Clown let out a shrill laugh.
Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass rang out.
No one knew what had happened—or noticed that someone had vanished from the scene—except the one person whose eyes had never left Naruto.
"Let's see if you're still smiling in a minute."
Fox Spirit Hero burst through the broken glass, landing a powerful kick that sent the Clown flying away from Sakura.
It was the long-awaited showdown between Fox Spirit Hero and the Clown.
"Well, well, Fox Spirit Hero, you finally showed up." The Clown staggered to his feet, grinning. "See? Even after that kick, I'm still smiling."
His henchmen rushed Fox Spirit Hero, but he dispatched each one with a single punch.
"You're finished, Clown!"
"Me? Finished? No, no, no. You're the one who's finished, Fox Spirit Hero!"
Even when cornered, the Clown kept on laughing.
Suddenly, a jonin from the Akimichi Clan appeared behind Fox Spirit Hero. Using the Expansion Jutsu, his massive fist sent Fox Spirit Hero flying.
"How's that feel, Fox Spirit Hero?"
Fox Spirit Hero slowly got back on his feet, shaking his head to clear it.
"Nine-Tails Armor… upgrade."
A sinister aura began to emanate from Fox Spirit Hero's body.
"You're scaring me, Fox Spirit Hero. Alright, alright, I surrender… just kidding!"
The Clown had originally planned to kill Fox Spirit Hero. But ever since their first encounter—after witnessing the ominous power of the Nine-Tails Armor—he had changed his strategy.
He decided he would drive Fox Spirit Hero insane, just like his brother once did to him.
"You know, Fox Spirit Hero, I paid a visit to Jarlock of the Jar Gang—you know who I mean. At first, I invited him to this party, but he turned me down. As an apology, he told me a story." The Clown stood face-to-face with Fox Spirit Hero as he continued, "There were two little boys who both saw their parents die before their eyes. One became a villain, and the other became a hero. Isn't that fascinating, Fox Spirit Hero?"
The Clown giggled maniacally.
(Support me and read ahead on Patreøn: patreøn.com/craxxtranslations.
3 new chapters are released daily—thank you for your support!
Powerstone Event: For every 50 powerstones, 1 chapter will be unlocked.)