"Mom, I'm going out," Natsuro called into the house.
"Okay, be safe," Shinai replied, watching Natsuro's figure with a look of curiosity.
Recently, Natsuro had started calling her this, and while it wasn't particularly important, what mattered was that he seemed to be much livelier.
He had been so mature and composed as a child, as if he understood everything, like a little adult.
Now, however, he seemed to have suddenly lost some of that composure. Not only was he more lively, but he had also become somewhat lazier at home. Yet he appeared more relaxed as well. Why was that?
Shinai smiled; it was nice to see that Natsuro seemed happy recently.
Moreover, she felt a different kind of satisfaction as a mother, and she was enjoying it.
As for Natsuro's sudden changes, it wasn't difficult to understand, he was simply releasing instincts he had long suppressed.
Before, when his strength was insufficient, he had to restrain his desires and impulses to achieve his goals step by step and showcase his talents.
But now that he had grown stronger, he had gotten used to that way of life and thought perhaps it suited him better in this world. Yet now…
Natsuro understood that while it was good to hold back at appropriate times, constantly suppressing one's instincts and desires was definitely not right.
So what was he like in his past life?
He was a bit lazy. Although he worked, he preferred to slack off and longed for a comfortable job that paid well without too much effort, not wanting to get rich; he just wanted to drift through life.
Unfortunately, he never found such a job in his past life, but it did reveal something about Natsuro's character.
However, he did feel some changes. Although the bad aspects still existed, they seemed to have diminished significantly after being restrained for so long.
Another noticeable change, likely most evident to Ino, was that she could clearly feel he had suddenly become more flirtatious. He had been so honest and passive before, but now he was not only more proactive but also expressed his feelings for her in strange ways.
Yet Ino didn't mind; in fact, she felt a bit happy. Didn't this mean her charm had increased in Natsuro's eyes?
Natsuro felt that this was unavoidable.
After all, the things he did while learning transformation jutsu revealed he was a bit of a pervert, although he usually didn't show it too obviously.
But since Ino was his fiancée, and there were no risks in this world, so…
Honestly, if he weren't worried about affecting Ino's strength, Natsuro would want her to spend some time developing transformation jutsu that wouldn't revert under pressure.
Then they could… As Natsuro thought, his expression remained unchanged.
This was outside; if he got too carried away, it would ruin his reputation.
At that moment, Natsuro had a purpose for coming out. He found himself standing in front of a bathhouse, and more importantly, he was looking at the women's bathing area.
Natsuro had no intention of peeking. Why would he do that? He could just go home and let Ino transform for him to see without any trouble.
He was actually drawn here because he sensed a Flying Thunder God mark nearby.
Upon arriving at the bathing area, he confirmed his suspicions about its owner.
In the next moment, Natsuro disappeared from his spot and reappeared behind a man with messy white hair.
"Someone's peeping!"
Natsuro's voice floated into the bathhouse with the wind, and Jiraiya paused. Although Natsuro had intentionally avoided him while using the wind, he clearly sensed something.
Jiraiya turned to see Natsuro smirking, but before he could say anything, the boy vanished, leaving him in despair.
"Ah, there's a pervert!"
Hearing the commotion inside, Natsuro smiled. After all, such incidents were child's play for Jiraiya. They happened every few days, and he had no psychological barriers about it.
...
"You little rascal, you've turned bad and set me up," Jiraiya growled after escaping from the pursuers and joining Natsuro.
"It's been a while, Jiraiya-sensei. Are you satisfied with this welcome gift?" Natsuro smiled.
"Very satisfied," Jiraiya replied, continuing to speak in a mock-serious tone.
"Regardless, peeping isn't good,"Natsuro pointed out.
"That wasn't peeping; it was research! For art! For creation!" Jiraiya retorted.
"Hey, I don't see much difference. Why don't you go tell them it's for research? If it really is, I'm sure they wouldn't mind." Natsuro teased.
"…" Jiraiya fell silent. If he were to say that to them, he would surely get beaten up.
"Natsuro, you've changed." Jiraiya gazed at Natsuro's smile for a long while before saying with a hint of nostalgia.
"People always change, and maybe this is the real me," Natsuro replied.
"Hmm, that's good too." Jiraiya looked at Natsuro, his eyes filled with appreciation.
As a ninja who had spent years gathering information, how could he not know about Konoha's Little White Fang? He could guess that Little Konoha's White Fang was none other than Natsuro.
When he first found out, Jiraiya was somewhat dissatisfied with the Third Hokage, thinking that his good disciple had been entrusted to the Third, only for him to end up like this? This notoriety was not light.
However, now seeing Natsuro, Jiraiya felt he might have wronged the old man. It seemed that Natsuro had not become as cold and paranoid as he had imagined, but rather… a bit cheeky?
"Jiraiya-sensei, it's been a long time." This time, Natsuro spoke earnestly.
Jiraiya was taken aback before breaking into a smile, replying, "Yes, little Natsuro, it's really been a long time."
Later, Natsuro talked a lot with Jiraiya, sharing his experiences from the past few years. Jiraiya couldn't help but marvel at how exciting Natsuro's life had been; he had originally just wanted him to train in the Anbu, but it seemed like he was on the verge of making a name for himself.
After that, Natsuro mentioned Orochimaru, which made Jiraiya's expression grow serious.
Jiraiya revealed that he had actually returned to Konoha while tracking Orochimaru's whereabouts.
"Jiraiya-sensei, you should pay more attention to the Third Hokage. I feel he might be a bit overconfident," Natsuro complained, recounting his conversation with the Third and how he had been rebutted.
"Haha, you little brat dare to say the old man is overconfident? Don't worry, I know the old man's strength. He could take on all three of us Sannin without falling behind!" Jiraiya laughed heartily, fully trusting in his mentor.
Natsuro sighed and said, "Jiraiya-sensei, how long ago was that?"
Jiraiya paused, thinking it had indeed been a long time.
"The Third Hokage is 69 years old this year and has been in the Hokage position all this time. He has too much to deal with, so his physical condition may have declined more than you realize, Jiraiya-sensei. You must know the effects of a declining physique, right? That's a comprehensive decrease in strength. And Orochimaru hasn't been idle either; he must have made some progress over the years. With the balance of power shifting, the Third Hokage is actually quite dangerous," Natsuro explained. Jiraiya and Kakashi had confidence in the Third, but they hadn't considered his age. If he weren't the Hokage, he could take more breaks, and perhaps he could have preserved his strength better. However, the Third's tendency to micromanage even small tasks made him appear older than his two advisors.
Jiraiya was taken aback. His impression of the old man was still based on when he left the village. Even when he returned briefly to take Natsuro as his apprentice, he hadn't stayed long enough to notice any changes in the Third's strength.
Now, with Natsuro saying this, it did seem plausible. Jiraiya thought about the Third's face; the old man had indeed aged significantly.
Jiraiya's expression grew more serious.
"So, Jiraiya-sensei, you should keep a close eye on the Third Hokage," Natsuro said, finally relieved that Jiraiya was willing to listen after noticing his change in expression.
"I understand. I'll pay more attention to the old man," Jiraiya nodded gravely, his face showing a hint of worry. He certainly didn't want to see the Third in any trouble.
Even though the Third had done many things that disappointed him, he was still his mentor!
"Then I can rest easy. By the way, Jiraiya-sensei, what are you up to now? You're not just stealing… material, right?" Natsuro said, noticing Jiraiya's look and changing how he addressed him.
"Of course not! Little Natsuro, you should know about Naruto, right?" Jiraiya asked knowingly. He felt that the relationship between Natsuro and Naruto was not simple; that Wild Gale Palm jutsu was definitely something Natsuro had used before.
Jiraiya had also confirmed that Naruto's ninjutsu talent wasn't that great, so he must have been taught by Natsuro.
Natsuro naturally didn't deny this and shared what he had been doing with Naruto; there was nothing to hide.
"Oh, I see. Has the seal already been activated?" Jiraiya asked in surprise. He had planned to wait until he could take Naruto out before doing that, but after considering Natsuro's approach, it seemed indeed better and safer than he had thought.
As for leaving a Flying Thunder God mark, Jiraiya didn't mind too much; he understood Natsuro's character, and since Naruto himself didn't care, why should he?
"So, do I now have another junior brother?" Natsuro asked.
"Yeah, I guess so," Jiraiya nodded.
Actually, there wasn't really a term like "senior brother" among ninjas like there was among ordinary warriors. Even if they weren't disciples taken at the same time, they might not become close throughout their lives. But just saying it this way made it understandable.
"What about you, little Natsuro? What are your plans?" Jiraiya asked.
Then Natsuro's response made Jiraiya's eyes widen.
"As for me, I think I should take some time to rest because I feel like I'm about to break through."
Yes, recently, he had kept his training at a minimal level, all to sense that feeling. He gradually found that feeling, realizing that his breakthrough was just around the corner.
Jiraiya looked at his disciple, whose strength had already surprised him, and now...
Then Jiraiya revealed a look of relief. If that were the case, Natsuro's strength would soon surpass his!
Truly, an astonishing talent!
"By the way, Natsuro," Jiraiya suddenly said awkwardly.
"What is it?" Natsuro felt an ominous sense.
"Um, could you follow me while I go gather materials? If we get discovered, you can use the Flying Thunder God to take me away..." Jiraiya said, scratching his head awkwardly.
Instantly, Natsuro's expression darkened, and he disappeared with a Flying Thunder God technique, leaving Jiraiya in the wind, flustered. If he disagreed, why run away like that? After a moment of complaining, Jiraiya shook his head and smiled.
As for Natsuro, he didn't feel out of place; just before the third round of the exam, although he still hadn't fully integrated into this world, he had erased that last trace of unshakable killing intent.
What followed was the breakthrough Natsuro had anticipated!
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Currently on Chapter 184 - The Monster
Sneak Peak: Next Chapter Title - Breakthrough