r18novel Chapter 209 From 0 to 0
Chapter 209 From 0 to 0
In short, Naruto had an incredibly fulfilling holiday.
Leaving aside the series of tasks before the holiday, he was truly wide awake from midnight to the second midnight on the first day of the holiday. Being woken up by New Year's greetings at midnight was a minor matter, and having two team-building events in one day wasn't a big deal, just a bit troublesome due to the overlapping times. Being bombarded with calls from Shisui-ge only required a little mental effort, and writing the proposal was even easier than he had imagined. Only two things truly gave him goosebumps: appeasing the resentful Sasuke and dealing with the abstract team that came to his door with gifts.
Compared to the latter, Sasuke's grumpy face seemed exceptionally kind, and he was actually quite easy to appease; he barely calmed down after seeing the gift Naruto brought.
"Don't you know where the money is kept?"
"what?"
Sasuke slammed the potted plant down on the bedside table and said angrily, "Don't you get tired of doing other work besides missions?"
At this moment, Naruto finally realized that even when Sasuke was angry, he was still more concerned about him. Did he think Sasuke was busy making money? For some reason, Naruto found it rather cute.
"My goal is to become Hokage, so of course I need to have a more comprehensive understanding of each department. What's better than infiltrating their ranks?" Naruto carefully tugged at Sasuke's sleeve, trying to explain, "Besides, in recent years, ninjas have often encountered situations where missions and ranks don't match, which is very dangerous for weaker ninjas. Granny Tsunade needs to place someone in that important department, and after thinking it over, I'm the only one who seems suitable."
"...Isn't Shikamaru quite clever? Let him go." Sasuke actually suggested a very reliable person, but unfortunately, now was not the right time.
"Shikamaru isn't a Jonin yet, so even if he went, he wouldn't get an important position. Granny Tsunade wants me to pull off a big heist at the beginning of the year so she can promote me and give me more opportunities to get involved in more important things."
He almost forgot, the ninja world is a place that values strength; being proficient in both martial arts and academics is the norm. If he were still in Konoha, he might be a Jonin by now, which would mean this guy who can't say no wouldn't have to do so much work, right? Wait, what is he thinking? Has he been out of his mind for so long since he saw that man? He only came out to prevent his past from affecting Naruto; this private meeting is already a blessing from heaven. How dare he have any more ideas?
Just then, a hand came into his view. He had held that hand more than once before, and most of the time it was warm to the touch. But now, why was it so cold?
Thinking Sasuke was still angry, Naruto continued to coax him, "I'm so sorry, Sasuke. I promise I won't forget you next time, and I'll spend every New Year with you. I was really overwhelmed with work this time, so please forgive me."
Is this what he wants to hear?
Sasuke chuckled in exasperation, grabbing Naruto's hands and shoving them into his arms. He knew he couldn't hold Naruto in place no matter how hard he tried, but Naruto only struggled a couple of times before giving up. What kind of idiot is this guy?! Doesn't he know how cold Konoha winters are? Wearing so little is one thing, but not even using chakra for protection? Is he trying to freeze to death in the snow in just a thin layer of clothing?
"Don't you know what clothes to wear in what season? If you don't know, then use your chakra! How long have you been waiting like this in the snow?"
Naruto shrank his neck and honestly said, "It won't be long, only about five minutes? This is Orochimaru's base. I've already tried my best to suppress my chakra to this extent. If I use any more chakra, it won't be able to be hidden anymore..."
"Use it directly next time, that guy won't dare to touch you." Sasuke said, completely disregarding Orochimaru's life or death.
Naruto breathed a sigh of relief after easily completing the "difficult" task of coaxing Sasuke, and rushed off to the next match without stopping.
The room was already filled with people, some even showing signs of a loud argument, but the thoughtful Uncle Fugaku, while still talking, brought out breakfast, which was still warm to the touch. The exquisite style was clearly Aunt Mikoto's doing. Naruto silently ate, seemingly oblivious to the noise around him. A plan couldn't be come up with in a day, and the scale of the envisioned project far exceeded their experience; this wasn't something the five of them could decide on. Naruto didn't join the verbal battle for the time being, sitting on the sidelines listening and jotting down several pages of inspiration. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to compile it now, because the base's New Year's party was about to begin, and even with a busy schedule, such relaxing activities were essential.
Naruto, as the Golden Wheel, gave an opening speech. After staying in the temporarily requisitioned hall for more than ten minutes, he made an excuse to go out. When he returned, he was already a clone who couldn't do anything. Meanwhile, his real body appeared in the toilet of Konoha's house. Amidst the chaos, he put on a new cotton-padded coat and then instantly appeared at the entrance of a barbecue restaurant.
As a user of the Flying Thunder God Technique, being late is unforgivable, so Naruto arrived just one minute before midnight, naturally earning him teasing from his companions. Eating with true friends is a relaxing experience, and even Granny Tsunade brought Shizune to join in the fun. Although they were in a private room, the adult and children's tables were separate. However, Naruto, who had hoped to sneak in, was caught at the adult table. A group of adults chatted about the latest gossip, which sounded interesting, but to Naruto, it was all just trouble.
What so-and-so has close ties with which clan? What so-and-so and so-and-so are actually teammates from the same year and team... The boys at their table listened intently, and when the meeting ended, Ino even envied him for being able to sit in the front row and enjoy the gossip. Meanwhile, Naruto maintained an awkward yet polite smile, his mental notebook practically smoking with notes.
So, can't we just compile all this information into a written report and give it to him directly? Why do we have to beat around the bush? What if he doesn't take it seriously? What if he overlooks something? Can't we be a little more meticulous in our work?
However, the world today is full of malice. Before he could even wash off the smell of barbecue, the door, which hadn't been knocked on for almost a year, rang. The person outside... sorry, forgive him for using his brain too much; it's impossible for him to match every chakra in Konoha to the person outside. But at least the person outside was definitely from Konoha, and they were carrying a tiny bit of malice.
Naruto hesitated for a long time before deciding whether to ignore the smell of barbecue and wash it off, or open the door despite the strong smell of cooking oil. But the door kept knocking persistently. Naruto sighed deeply and resignedly opened the door.