The killing intent, though not directed at him, still made him shiver. This was a drawback of having a strong sensory perception—it also made it easier to sense strange and unsettling things.
Fortunately, Inoichi Yamanaka, having experienced so much, was not easily frightened.
However, his perception of the killing intent caused him to look at Natsuro with a changed expression. What had Natsuro done after graduating early?
Inoichi had initially harbored some dissatisfaction with Natsuro, as his daughter had been deeply infatuated with him. Yet he had disappeared a year ago.
During this time, Ino had noticeably lost her enthusiasm and spoken less, but her training had become more intense.
Inoichi noticed all of this and felt pained, understanding his own discontent with Natsuro. Even if he had missions, he should at least come to see Ino when returning back.
He recalled that his daughter had even asked him to find out where Natsuro was. He had promised but was unable to locate him.
Inoichi even learned from the Third Hokage that Natsuro was alive and sent gifts home, yet he couldn't find him. This was itself a message—Inoichi guessed he must of be in the Anbu.
But since his clearance didn't allow him to investigate the Anbu, he never found Natsuro. He still remembered the look of disappointment in Ino's eyes.
Thinking of this, he felt a surge of anger.
He hadn't expected to run into Natsuro at the Hokage's office.
But, when he actually saw him, and felt the intense bloodlust and killing intent emanating from him, he fell silent.
Perhaps it was for the best that Natsuro stayed away from Ino?
"Yes, it's me, Uncle Inoichi. Long time no see," Natsuro said with a slight smile.
"Yes, long time no see... Are you heading home?" Inoichi asked.
"Yeah, I've completed my mission, so of course I'm heading home," Natsuro responded, his tone carrying some complexity and depth.
Inoichi understood; Natsuro had probably left the Anbu. If he had been returning home regularly, he would have been easier to track down…
"Not going to see Ino?" Inoichi sighed and asked, his tone softening. It seemed that Natsuro might have his reasons; seeing his current state, Inoichi felt less inclined to blame him.
"..." Natsuro fell silent, then smiled bitterly. He pointed to himself and said, "Uncle Inoichi, you should be able to tell that my current state isn't really suitable for being close to Ino, right?"
Inoichi fell silent too, but he also felt relieved. As long as Natsuro was aware of his condition and didn't let it bind him completely, there was hope he could overcome it. Also, Inoichi understood that Natsuro's reason for not returning home was likely to avoid affecting his family with his unstable state.
Realizing this, Inoichi's anger subsided. If Natsuro was still considering his family and Ino, it spoke well of him. What more could he hold against him?
"Go home quickly. It's been a long time, and spending time with family will be beneficial for your current state. Also, remember to check on our Ino; she has missed you a lot," Inoichi's tone softened.
"Mm." Natsuro nodded. He knew this well, but he also wondered if his return would be beneficial or harmful to his loved ones. He wouldn't want to transfer his negative emotions to those he cared about.
Now that he had left the Anbu and was confident his killing intent would no longer increase, he had no more reasons to avoid returning home.
After saying goodbye to Inoichi, Natsuro continued toward his home.
Inoichi watched his retreating figure and smiled. If Ino and Natsuro could end up together, it might be quite good. Inoichi understood Natsuro's concerns, and he whispered to himself, "But Ino also wants to become a ninja!"
Inoichi then turned and walked back to the Hokage's office.
...
As Natsuro walked along, he felt a rare sense of relaxation. He didn't have to keep his senses constantly alert anymore; a normal level of awareness was sufficient for daily life.
Just walking slowly like this brought him a sense of satisfaction that had been missing for the past year and a half.
During that time, Natsuro had killed many, but he had never killed for the sake of killing. Instead, he had mastered all his abilities through combat.
Rescue missions were the same. They involved enemies, which is why he had overridden the Third Hokage's advice and participated. Training alone wasn't enough; practical combat experience was essential.
Now, with his shortcomings in this area finally addressed, the cost was his current state.
Natsuro felt it was worth it. He was confident he could eventually overcome this state, and even if it took time, gaining such rich combat experience was valuable.
The key was that as long as he didn't continue killing, his current state wouldn't have much impact on him. His strong mental state, combined with the Void State technique, meant that as long as he avoided further killing, the appearance of his state was just that—an appearance.
With his practical combat experience largely complete, what was next?
Natsuro knew he needed to continue to settle and accumulate energy. But how to do that? Continue training? In ninjutsu? Swordsmanship? Or perhaps... Sage Mode?
While he pondered, he didn't notice a familiar figure approaching, whose short blonde hair confirmed their identity.
It wasn't surprising that Natsuro didn't recognize Naruto. His sensory perception was focused on chakra, and Naruto wasn't using any jutsu or chakra at the moment. Natsuro could sense a chakra presence but was currently too distracted by his thoughts to figure out who it was, it didn't help that he was currently in a bustling village, trying to sense someone's presence through movement was currently quite challenging for him.
Naruto, running through the streets in joy after passing the exam, was eager to show everyone that he, Naruto Uzumaki, had become a ninja. He wanted to run around the village with his headband, making sure everyone knew his achievement!
Unexpectedly, he saw a familiar figure—black short hair and a familiar walk. It was his first friend, whom he hadn't seen in over a year.
Joy surged through Naruto's mind as he hurried to tell Natsuro about his success. But soon, his steps faltered.
Naruto's eyes widened in shock as he saw Natsuro's back. The suffocating, cold, and terrifying aura emanating from him made it difficult for Naruto to move or even think about approaching. He felt an overwhelming urge to escape.
But why? This was his... first friend.
Naruto was confused and disoriented. The joy of passing the exam was completely overshadowed by the fear. He knelt on the ground, gasping for breath, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"Is that the monster? Didn't he pass the exam already? What happened?" Mizuki, who was shopping, noticed Naruto's dazed state and felt a mix of disgust and curiosity.
Remembering Naruto's earlier joy, Mizuki wondered why he seemed so troubled now. However, Mizuki quickly began to think of how he might exploit this situation. He was still pondering how to obtain the Forbidden Scroll. Perhaps he could use Naruto's current state to his advantage.
Mizuki followed Naruto, planning to kill him and frame him for stealing the scroll if he was discovered. After all, Naruto was just another "monster," like Natsuro, whom Mizuki despised for his indifferent attitude.
Mizuki's anger towards Natsuro had festered. Despite his efforts to approach them, it had been fruitless, and the disdainful gaze of Natsuro had fueled his resentment. He wanted to get his hands on the scroll and prove himself, regardless of Natsuro's status.
As Mizuki's smile twisted into a more sinister expression, he followed Naruto, his smile slowly turning back to a facade of warmth.
...
Unaware that Naruto had been frightened by his killing intent, Natsuro was simply focused on returning home. His current state of mind was not intentionally directed at anyone but was rather a general presence.
Naruto's sensory abilities weren't strong, but he had a vague sense of others' intentions due to the Nine-Tails' influence, which made him perceive a level of malice beyond normal. His first encounter with such intense killing intent left him terrified.
Quickly, he reached his home's front door, feeling somewhat lost about whether to knock. It was likely that Shinai was still at work.
He took out the key he hadn't used in a long time and inserted it into the lock.
To his surprise, the door was not locked, indicating that she was home.
Natsuro's hesitation grew. After such a long time, he wasn't sure how to face his mother. Would she be angry? He had promised to return frequently.
Taking a deep breath, Natsuro pushed open the door and saw Shinai, busy cooking meat.
The sound of the door opening caught Shinai's attention. She turned to see Natsuro standing in the doorway.
At that moment, her eyes widened in shock. The meat she was cooking fell into the hot coals with a sizzle.
"Mom, I'm back," Natsuro said, smiling as he saw Shinai's reaction. He didn't see any anger in her eyes, and he felt a sense of relief, as if a burden had been lifted.
Shinai didn't speak. She walked over to Natsuro and began to examine him, making sure he was intact.
Natsuro stood still, allowing her to check.
Once Shinai was sure that Natsuro was fully returned and unharmed, tears welled up in her eyes, and she smiled.
Seeing her expression, Natsuro, despite his own reasons, couldn't help but feel guilty.
"I'm sorry for making you worry..."
Shinai didn't express any blame. She looked at Natsuro with a soft gaze.
"It's just good to have you back, to be safely home."
"Ah, Mrs. Shinai, what about the meat..."
Just then, a voice interrupted the reunion, causing Natsuro to freeze in surprise...
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Currently on Chapter 151: The True Sage