Chapter 53: Mid-Autumn Festival Special (Part 1)
"The key to chakra control is careful calculation. Even the First Hokage, as powerful as he was, followed the principle of efficiency and conservation for every jutsu he released."
"After all, in a battle, no one wants to face the embarrassment of running out of chakra."
Jiraiya was lecturing his student, Naruto Uzumaki, on chakra control.
Sometimes, he really wanted to crack open his student's head to see what was inside. A simple concept, taught since the Academy, and he still hadn't grasped it until now.
For example, the first time Naruto heard the word "chakra," he'd asked Jiraiya what it was.
However, this had improved somewhat since Naruto returned from the Land of Whirlpools.
He had become very dedicated to his training, and his chakra control had taken a significant step up.
Even Jiraiya couldn't help but praise him, calling him "one of the top three most talented Uzumaki I've ever seen."
"But I feel like I have tons of chakra," Naruto retorted, unconvinced.
Since learning the Shadow Clone Jutsu, he could effortlessly create more clones than most people could in a lifetime.
Jiraiya, standing beside him, rapped him sharply on the head. "Brat! Just because you have a lot doesn't mean you can waste it!"
"But I've never run out!"
"You... you... never mind." Jiraiya choked back his words, looking up at the setting sun. "Tomorrow is the Moon Viewing Festival. I'm giving you a day off. No training tomorrow."
With that, he turned to head back to the village.
"Day off?" Naruto stopped forming hand seals, blinking curiously. The term "Moon Viewing Festival" seemed unfamiliar.
"Moon Viewing Festival? What's that? Never heard of it."
Jiraiya didn't look back, his voice fading as he walked away. "Idiot! Are you even from Konoha? You don't even know what the Moon Viewing Festival is?"
"It's the day we watch the moon on the fifteenth night."
"A day for families to sit together, admire the moon, eat moon-viewing dumplings, and pray for peace and reunion."
"And don't disturb me. I'm going to..."
His voice finally disappeared into the air.
The Moon Viewing Festival, a traditional holiday in the shinobi world.
Naruto didn't know when it started, but people would admire the moon and pray for blessings on the 15th of the eighth month.
Growing up alone, naturally, no one had told Naruto this.
His only knowledge of Konoha's holidays was the New Year. Back then, a box of mochi would magically appear in his house. Although it was never signed, every time he bit into the sweet rice cake, he could guess who sent it.
As for other holidays, his memories were only of an empty house and bustling crowds on the street. While others were reuniting with their families, he would sit on the swing, counting the stars until he fell asleep.
"Admire the moon, eat rice dumplings..." Naruto repeated the words. "Never heard of it. I'll go ask Shikamaru. He'll know."
Konoha Village.
Lights were just coming on. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio hadn't gone to the hospital today.
Because.
They.
Had.
Paid.
Off.
Their.
Debt.
Shikamaru chewed on a toothpick, hands behind his head, lazily scanning the crowd.
After the Land of Whirlpools mission, their Jonin sensei had been summoned by the Third Hokage and rarely appeared.
When they did appear, it was only for brief training matters.
According to what Asuma had quietly revealed, there seemed to be some friction with another faction, and they urgently needed combat power to back them up.
Naruto followed the sound of the lively crowd toward the center of the street. As he rounded the corner, he saw Shikamaru leaning against the doorframe of a dango shop, toothpick in mouth, hands behind his head, wearing his signature "what a drag" expression.
Choji stood next to him, staring at the tri-color dango in the shop and swallowing hard, clutching an empty paper bag. He'd clearly just finished his stash.
Ino was muttering to herself nearby. Although the debt was paid, their remaining money was tight. Feeding Choji was still a struggle.
"Shikamaru! Choji! Ino!" Naruto waved and shouted from afar, running over and nearly bumping into a passerby.
Hearing the voice, Shikamaru lifted an eyelid, glanced at him, and sighed. "Trouble's here."
"Hey! Shikamaru, do you know about the Moon Viewing Festival?"
"Moon Viewing Festival? Only an idiot would..." Ino retorted irritably, still worrying about money.
Halfway through her sentence, Choji tugged gently on her sleeve.
Ino blinked, suddenly realizing something. Her expression paused subtly.
She looked at Shikamaru. They exchanged a glance, reading the understanding in each other's eyes.
This guy... has no one to spend the festival with.
Ino's face turned bright red. "Sorry, I didn't mean you. I was just... thinking about something else and wasn't paying attention."
Naruto, seeing her rare flustered state, couldn't help but laugh, scratching his head. "Haha, it's okay! I really don't know anything about the Moon Viewing Festival. It was a silly question."
His gaze fell on the dango Choji was staring at. "Choji, you want tri-color dango again? My treat! I'm loaded right now."
Choji's eyes lit up instantly.
He was about to nod when Ino glared at him. He swallowed his words and whispered, "No thanks, Naruto. I... I'm not hungry."
Shikamaru spat the toothpick into a nearby bin and finally spoke. "The Moon Viewing Festival is tomorrow, the 15th of the eighth month. At night, families gather to watch the moon, eat dumplings, and sometimes set off small fireworks. There's a stage in the village square, and people perform."
"And? And?"
"And? Let me think. Something about gathering pampas grass?"
Shikamaru racked his brains for a while and finally came up with that.
"Shikamaru didn't tell you everything," Ino chimed in, interested now that Shikamaru had missed something. She began to educate Naruto.
As a girl, she was more attentive to details and more involved in household affairs than Shikamaru.
"Generally speaking, you're supposed to make a wish during the Moon Viewing Festival." She clasped her hands together, dramatically closing her eyes. "Like praying for your family's safety, or world peace."
Naruto's eyes went wide. He watched Ino clasp her hands and leaned in eagerly. "Make a wish? Does wishing on the moon really work?"
"Work?" Shikamaru suddenly perked up. "Naruto, wishing on the moon might actually be useful for you."
"Oh? Really?" Naruto immediately clasped his hands and shouted, "I wish..."
Naruto had barely gotten "I wish" out when Shikamaru gently tugged his wrist. Not hard, but enough to make him swallow the rest.
"Idiot. You can't shout a wish out loud."
"You have to keep it in your heart. If you say it, it won't come true."
"Really? But... I haven't decided what to wish for yet."