Chapter 241: Separate Training
Early morning, at the back mountain Kakashi habitually used for training guidance—actually on a small clearing some distance from the main training grounds—Naruto was accompanying Satsuki as they waited.
The reason they weren't directly at the training site could probably be "credited" to those two overly enthusiastic, or rather noise-polluting, youthful master-student pair.
Since Kakashi would be late as usual, Naruto would first accompany Satsuki until Kakashi leisurely arrived.
Perhaps because this was the first time she'd be separated from Naruto for extended training, Satsuki seemed especially clingy.
After quietly enjoying the breakfast Naruto had carefully prepared, Naruto estimated the time, feeling Kakashi should arrive soon, and prepared to get up and leave.
Seeing Naruto about to go, Satsuki suddenly reached out, gently grasping Naruto's wrist, shaking it with a very small motion as she looked up, saying softly:
"Naruto... today, you... will come pick me up too, right?"
This was clearly something they'd already agreed upon, yet Satsuki's eyes transparently showed a trace of careful pleading, as if afraid he might forget.
Faced with this sudden, heart-piercing display of affection, Naruto responded almost without hesitation in his most affirmative tone:
"Yeah, of course. We promised."
Hearing this definite answer, Satsuki slightly lowered her head, the corners of her mouth forming a very small arc that clearly overflowed with happiness. Then she responded softly:
"...Mm. Then I'll wait for you."
Then, as if having made some resolution, Satsuki took a deep breath and suddenly looked up. Those jet-black eyes looked straight into Naruto's eyes, her tone becoming unusually serious as she said word by word:
"Naruto, I will... very, very seriously study."
She paused slightly, her voice unconsciously becoming lighter, carrying a trace of shy warmth: "...So, I will also... very, very much miss you."
Finally, before truly turning to leave, Satsuki very naturally took half a step forward, reached out her hand, and with gentle, careful movements helped Naruto adjust his slightly askew headband, letting Konoha's symbol sit properly centered above his brow.
"Your headband was a bit crooked," she explained softly.
After completing this, Satsuki finally looked up, giving him a shallow, gentle smile. Those eyes that always carried some coolness now seemed to hold the dawn's soft light.
"Alright. Then... see you tonight."
Finishing, Satsuki finally turned around, running with determined steps toward the training ground. Her figure soon disappeared into the morning mist and tree shadows between the forest.
Naruto, left alone in place, felt his cheeks somewhat uncontrollably warming slightly. He instinctively raised his hand, lightly touching the edge of the headband Satsuki had just adjusted.
What's with Satsuki today... why is she... so gentle?
Precisely because this formed such a huge contrast with her usual obvious "tsun," these inadvertently revealed, already quite adorable gestures were magnified countless times in Naruto's eyes, appearing extraordinarily moving and gently plucking his heartstrings.
On the other side, Satsuki arrived at the training ground, her face still carrying a faint blush that hadn't completely faded, clearly still feeling somewhat embarrassed about her proactive actions when parting with Naruto just now.
She deliberately ignored Might Guy and Rock Lee in the center of the field, passionately encouraging each other while conducting high-intensity physical training.
Kakashi, leaning against a nearby tree trunk reading, shifted his gaze from "Make-Out Paradise," glancing at the approaching Satsuki, greeting her in his characteristic lazy drawl:
"Yo, Satsuki, you're here. How was it? That strategy you figured out yourself—using 'following instinct' to increase your presence—did it make that Naruto guy pay more attention to you?"
"...Besides this, don't you have any other questions about training to ask, Kakashi?"
Though her ears still tinged with red, when turning toward Kakashi, Satsuki's tone quickly recovered its usual coolness.
However, Kakashi didn't plan to easily let this topic go. He closed his book, his tone carrying well-intentioned teasing:
"Well, don't be so shy. As your teacher, I very much support you two developing that kind of closer relationship."
Facing Kakashi's blunt teasing, Satsuki's mind involuntarily replayed Naruto's final dazed expression, followed by his slightly reddening cheeks. She turned her face away slightly, carrying a trace of uncertainty but still admitting in a low voice:
"Should be... more or less... somewhat effective, I suppose..."
---
Meanwhile, having forcibly suppressed the subtle restlessness caused by Satsuki's abnormal gentleness, Naruto also punctually arrived at the forest area he'd agreed upon with Jiraiya. However, looking around, he didn't discover Jiraiya's figure.
The appointed time had already arrived. Though Jiraiya was carefree, he usually wouldn't be late without reason... Naruto roughly guessed where his future teacher might have gone.
After a simple search, Naruto indeed found his target behind a dense shrub. He saw Jiraiya squatting there, body slightly leaning forward, mouth continuously releasing suppressed, infatuated snickering sounds.
"Hehe... looks so good... hehehehe... simply like being in heaven..."
Naruto helplessly sighed, following his focused line of sight toward a nearby creek. Sure enough, there was a small group of young women playing by the water. They wore cool swimsuits, and Jiraiya's gaze was firmly locked on them.
Well, though essentially still peeping behavior, it was similar in nature to watching swimsuit beauties at a public beach—at least not illegal, just indeed easy to make others uncomfortable... Naruto decided to patiently wait a while.
Finally, accompanied by the girls' conversation—"Ah, I'm tired from playing, so hungry, let's quickly return to the inn to eat!"—they successively left the creek area.
Only then did Jiraiya reluctantly slowly stand up, still unsatisfied as he patted grass bits from his knees. Turning around, he happened to meet Naruto's calm gaze that had been waiting long.
Realizing his drooling, sleazy appearance just now had likely been completely witnessed by this future disciple before him, Jiraiya's old face instantly became somewhat unbearable. He tactically coughed violently twice, trying to cover his embarrassment.
"Ahem... oh! Naruto, you're here! Perfect timing!" He quickly straightened his back, assuming a serious master posture as he stiffly changed the subject. "Then, without further delay, today I'll teach you a very, very powerful ninja technique!"
He absolutely didn't mention what he'd just been "observing," as if that moment's disgrace had never occurred.
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