Konoha: Naruto's abnormal life choices

"Mom, Naruto doesn't know anything and always talks without thinking. I'm really getting tired of him."

She didn't know why she felt that way.

Just when it was confirmed that nothing romantic was happening between her and Naruto, Ino actually felt… disappointed.

She gave it some thought. If it had been true, maybe it wouldn't have been so bad. People would gossip for a few years, sure, but eventually, their lives might've grown sweeter—especially if a child were involved.

Only Naruto had no idea she was thinking like this. If he did, he'd definitely scold her:

"You're still a child yourself—thinking about raising a child? Are you trying to make your life harder?"

At that moment, Naruto had an expression of disappointment mixed with relief.

"So holding hands doesn't make you pregnant? Then why did that storybook I read say that holding hands can make you pregnant?"

"Tsk~!" Ino looked at him in disbelief. "What kind of children's book were you reading? How can you not know such basic stuff?"

Naruto blinked, clearly confused, and stared at her. "Wait, so you knew, Ino? Then why didn't you tell me earlier? I made a fool of myself!"

"How was I supposed to know you'd suddenly say something like that?" Ino frowned. "And why should I teach you? Who even are you to me?"

"Aren't we on good terms? What's the big deal about you teaching me?"

"It's not like we're that close."

"Huh? That's not what you were saying last night—"

Hearing Naruto bring up the previous night so bluntly, Ino panicked. She was terrified he'd say something that could be misunderstood again. She quickly clamped a hand over his mouth, muffling his words into a muffled "MmmMmm".

She leaned close and whispered sharply, "It took a lot of effort to clear up that misunderstanding. Can you not make it worse?"

"Hehe."

Watching the two kids bicker, Yamanaka Rino covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. Then she walked over and gently pulled them apart.

"Ino, don't blame Naruto. It's normal for boys to mature later than girls."

Ino huffed angrily, still sulking. Deep down, she thought, Naruto tricked me. We'd agreed on what to do, but he suddenly changed plans. This is all his fault.

Rino took her daughter's wrist and leaned in to whisper something to her. Unlike her strong-willed daughter, Rino carried the graceful, gentle air of an orchid in bloom. The contrast between the mother's elegance and the daughter's fiery temperament couldn't have been more obvious.

It was clear Ino had taken after her father.

Rino turned to Naruto, her expression warm and polite.

"Naruto-kun, thank you for looking after Ino." Her smile and the soft lift of her brow gave off a comforting, refined charm.

Naruto straightened up immediately, like a kid standing at attention during a school award ceremony.

"Madam, you're too kind. It's my duty to take care of a beautiful girl. Especially when her mother is just as stunning—as lovely as a flower, as graceful as a fairy, as radiant as a goddess."

At first, when Naruto called her beautiful, Ino's heart skipped a beat. But the next second, he shifted focus to her mother, pouring out compliments like water from a faucet.

Beautiful? That was all she got? Meanwhile, her mother got a full-blown poetry recital?

Ino pouted, but her mother just pulled her back with a light squeeze of her hand.

No matter a woman's age, being praised—especially sincerely by a sweet boy—was always a delightful feeling. It was enough to make her feel young again.

Rino's smile blossomed like springtime, dimples forming at the corners of her lips. She glanced over at Shizune, who stood off to the side looking increasingly exasperated.

The contrast made Rino feel even more pleased.

"Naruto-kun, you flatter me." She waved modestly, but her glance flicked toward Shizune again.

What she didn't know was that Shizune was actually at a loss for words.

These compliments… they're way too familiar.

When they had returned to Konoha together, Naruto had said the exact same lines to Lady Tsunade every single day.

He didn't even bother changing the wording?!

And sure enough, Shizune predicted what was coming next…

"Madam, just from this one meeting, you've already become the goddess of my dreams."

Naruto stepped forward, seized both of Rino's hands in his, and looked at her with blazing sincerity.

"Please marry me!"

Sasuke: "…"

Ino: "…"

Shizune: "…"

Yamanaka Rino stood frozen for a few seconds, subconsciously nodding—then suddenly snapped out of it, flustered.

"Naruto-kun, you really are a little troublemaker, haha."

Just like that, the goodwill Naruto had built up disappeared like mist in the sun.

Not that it mattered to him.

What mattered was that the goal had been achieved.

[Ding! Congratulations, host! Option 4 complete. Reward (3% Nine-Tails control) issued successfully.]

While Naruto celebrated internally, Ino's irritation skyrocketed.

She glared daggers at him, grabbed her mother's hand, and snapped,

"You're such a jerk. I'm never playing with you again!"

She dragged Rino out, pausing only long enough for her mom to awkwardly wave to the others in the office.

"Bye!"

Naruto grinned cheerfully and waved. "Madam, see you next time!"

Ino picked up the pace, pulling her mom along.

Stupid Naruto. I hate you. Even if you wanted to charm my mom, did you have to do it like that? Are you trying to make me explode?!

Jerk!

I seriously, seriously don't want to talk to you ever again!

Naruto's smile faded only after Ino and her mother had fully disappeared.

He could still feel that powerful energy humming through his body. A sharp glint passed through his eyes.

Shizune reminded Naruto that if everything was settled, he and Sasuke should head out first.

Tensions with the Land of Lightning had been escalating lately, and she had too much on her plate to keep chatting.

"Got it!" Naruto nodded, and the two boys left the Hokage's office together.

Once they were outside, Sasuke broke the silence.

"Naruto, I didn't think you were into older women like Mrs. Yamanaka. That's a pretty weird kink."

"You just don't understand the appeal of maturity," Naruto replied calmly, brushing it off like a seasoned adult.

Sasuke scoffed. "What's so great about being older? Make-Out Paradise says the best are girls the same age as you."

"Each stage of life has its own beauty," Naruto said thoughtfully. "Sure, girls our age are nice, but women between sixteen and thirty-five have their own unique charm. If you don't get that, I won't help you rebuild the Uchiha clan."

"???"

Sasuke froze and took a few steps back, eyes wide with horror.

"Please don't say creepy things like that! I'll revive the Uchiha clan by myself, thanks!"

"What?!" Naruto blinked, confused—then realized what Sasuke had misunderstood.

Damn it, I meant with your wife—not with me, you idiot!

Stupid Sasuke!!

The afternoon sun blazed through the windows, turning the room into an oven.

After only two or three hours of sleep, Uchiha Izumi was awakened by the heat. Her head throbbed slightly from the short rest.

She slowly sat up, letting her chakra flow through her body and clear the fog from her mind.

Looking down, she noticed the money and letter Naruto had left.

"Take a boat to the Land of Lightning?!"

The letter told her to take the money and head to the ferry near the Land of Waves, on Konoha's eastern border. From there, she was to travel to the Land of Lightning and wait for Naruto.

She didn't understand why he was sending her there, but that didn't matter.

What mattered was that he had arranged it.

And it was a servant's duty to follow her master's orders.

But before she left… she needed to do one last thing.

She had to prove that—even from afar—she would never betray him.

About an hour later, Naruto and Sasuke parted ways after grabbing a bite at Ichiraku Ramen.

As Naruto walked down the hill toward his small apartment building, he suddenly felt someone rush him. His body reacted instinctively, hand flying toward his weapon pouch—only to realize the attacker wasn't hostile.

"Naruto, why didn't you wait for me to wake up?"

It was the graceful Uchiha Izumi, standing in front of him.

Naruto relaxed and grinned. "You looked like you were sleeping really well, so I didn't want to wake you."

He paused. "Wait… why'd you change clothes again?"

Izumi had swapped out her usual outfit for a sleek black trench coat, and her ninja sandals were replaced with the leather shoes Naruto had gifted her. From the glimpse of her calves, she was wearing white stockings.

Izumi didn't answer. Instead, she clasped her hands behind her back and tilted her head, her eyes glinting with mischief.

"Can I come to your place?"

"Sure, why not?"

Naruto grabbed her wrist and led her to his front door.

As soon as they stepped inside, Izumi shut the door behind them—hard.

Naruto turned, just about to ask her what was going on, when he saw her unbuttoning the trench coat.

Underneath, she wore a white blouse, a pleated skirt, and those stockings. Her legs looked strong but soft, and her form curved gracefully.

She stepped toward him, locked eyes, and bent slightly forward.

The shirt stretched tight across her chest. Her long hair brushed Naruto's shoulders. Her lips—painted a soft red—trembled as she spoke.

"Master, just give me a moment. I want to prove to you that I'll never betray you."

She actually called me "Master"?!!

Only now did Naruto notice she was wearing lipstick, and that her cheeks were flushed with shame and excitement.

Naruto swallowed hard.

"Go ahead. I'm helpless against you anyway… woooooo~"

"Hu~" Izumi inhaled sharply and threw herself into Naruto's arms.

—

That night, as the village lay in silence, a tired-looking Uchiha Izumi appeared at the Konoha gates.

She knocked out the guard in a swift, silent move—then slipped out of the village without a sound.