RNP Chapter 40 Belonging
Chapter 40 Belonging
...This scene is really exciting. To be honest, this is the first time that Uchiha Gen has seen a dead head up close, especially one that has been cut off.
Noticing someone watching him, Kakuzu turned to look at Uchiha Gen, and frowned upon seeing that he was wearing a mask. He glanced at the bounty poster, but there was no matching person listed. Somewhat disappointed, he took the money and prepared to leave, then casually accepted the target Uchiha Gen had just set his sights on, since it was closer and more convenient.
Uchiha Gen didn't say much about it; he could just find another one. However, upon closer inspection, he discovered that all the high-bounty hunters who were closest had been caught by Kakuzu.
The rest are guys who live far away, have little money, and are good at hiding.
"..."
After contemplating life for a moment, Uchiha Gen made a decision: Why bother with robbing when you can complete missions? Wouldn't it be better to just rob someone after Kakuzu finishes all his missions?
Hmm—Xiao shouldn't be short of funds, right? After all, it's just a drop in the ocean compared to the 6 billion explosive tags to come. Let's just leave it at that.
At the Konoha training grounds, the entire Team 7 was present. Because of Naruto, and considering that they were practically of the same clan, Karin was also entrusted to Kakashi's care. So, they were all here to watch Sasuke and Naruto's duel.
This sparring session was initiated by Sasuke, and Naruto readily agreed without much thought. On the training ground, Naruto chuckled, looking confident of victory. "Sasuke, whoever loses has to treat everyone to barbecue. No cheating allowed!" The reason it wasn't ramen was because everyone wanted a change of pace, and after some protests, it was successfully changed to barbecue.
"Hmph, it's not certain who will win or lose in this bottom-of-the-barrel competition!" Sasuke revealed a confident smile, a stark contrast to his previous attitude of "don't mess with me."
Sakura immediately became a fangirl, her eyes sparkling with hearts. "Sasuke is so handsome~"
Karin nodded in agreement, her cheeks flushing slightly, though not as dramatically as Sakura's.
Seeing this, Naruto pursed his lips, imagining himself kicking Sasuke away, Sakura praising him for being cool, and Karin admiring him. His mood instantly improved, and he got into a fighting stance, ready to show off his skills in front of Sakura.
However, while the idea was appealing, reality was harsh; just two minutes later, Naruto was quickly kicked away by Sasuke…
Just as Naruto was about to rush forward, Kakashi stopped him, saying, "Naruto, that's enough. Sasuke already showed mercy. If this were a battlefield, you would already be dead."
"But...but..." Naruto couldn't come up with a solution after stammering for a while. Just yesterday, he had defeated Sasuke once. How could Sasuke have become so strong overnight?
Sasuke, on the other hand, looked cool and stretched out his hand in the "reconciliation seal" gesture after the battle.
Naruto, puffing out his cheeks, reluctantly formed the "Reconciliation Seal" under Kakashi's guidance. Sakura, on the other hand, looked on as if to say, "Sasuke is definitely the strongest."
Naruto clenched his fist, feeling indignant: Damn it, I clearly beat Sasuke once before, but Sakura wasn't there at the time. Thinking of this, Naruto was immediately enveloped in an aura of despair.
Kakashi then asked Sasuke, "If I'm not mistaken, you just activated the three-tomoe Sharingan, right?"
Sasuke nodded.
"Did something happen?"
"It's alright, it'll probably open naturally."
Kakashi "..."
Karin looked at Sasuke's red eyes, which resembled her own, and suddenly became curious. She raised her hand and asked, "Kakashi-sensei, are three-tomoe eyes very strong?"
"Ah, that's true. However, the three-tomoe jade is usually activated after experiencing some important changes. As for strength, let's put it this way: once the three-tomoe jade is activated, Sasuke's level can quickly reach the level of a Jonin with more practice."
"!" Naruto was immediately shocked. "Kakashi-sensei, are you serious? A Jonin?!"
"Hmm." That's why Kakashi felt that Sasuke had encountered something, but since Sasuke himself wouldn't say, there was nothing he could do.
Karin stared blankly at Sasuke upon hearing this. So strong! A Jonin at this age? Is this the genius of the Uchiha clan?
"Naruto~ Do you remember what you said?" Sakura asked with a smile.
"..." Naruto resignedly pulled out his frog wallet. The barbecue was really ridiculously expensive, and the thought of how shriveled it looked made his heart bleed.
Seeing Naruto's pained expression, Karin thought for a moment and said seriously, "How about I pay for Naruto? It's on me today!"
Upon hearing this, Naruto jumped up in a panic. "How can I do that? A bet is a bet. Here's the money." He then shoved his wallet into Kakashi's hand. Karin had already suffered enough in Kusagakure. As her older brother, how could he let her pay for it?
However, the next moment Kakashi counted the money in his wallet and ruthlessly said, "There are 5 of us here, and there's only a little over 2000 ryo in this wallet. If we're eating barbecue, we'll have to each eat just one piece."
"It's okay, Kakashi-sensei. I'll pay for the extra part. Reikawa-nii-san left me 10 ryo for living expenses, so there's nothing to worry about." Karin had come to accept them after these days and was happy to be able to help in any way she could, hoping to quickly integrate into the group.
"..." Naruto really wanted to say no, but this was just too much!! Coupled with the blow of his recent defeat, he looked even more dejected.
Seeing this, Karin couldn't help but laugh. "This isn't free. You can pay me back when you have the money."
Hearing this, Naruto perked up. "Don't worry, I'll definitely pay you back."
Seeing Naruto like this, Karin's gaze softened. He was like a little sun, always so positive no matter what happened. Coming to Konoha felt like a dream, as if she had truly escaped a nightmare. Thinking of this, she subconsciously hid her hands behind her back.
Sakura, who had been paying close attention, keenly noticed her movements. She wanted to say something, but then kept quiet. She'd wait a little longer; if everything went smoothly tomorrow, she could begin treating Karin's teeth marks.
Previously, Reikawa Uzumaki wanted Tsunade to help remove the teeth marks, but Karin fell asleep due to exhaustion when she first returned. Later, because she was a little shy, she kept putting it off until now.
Even after they finished eating the barbecue and it was time to disperse, Karin still seemed a little reluctant to leave, while Sasuke stopped Naruto, feeling that there were some things he should tell Naruto so he could make his own decision.
After walking a short distance with Sasuke, Naruto patted his round belly and said cheerfully, "Sasuke, this should be enough for us, right? Is there anything I can help you with?"
Sasuke said calmly, "Naruto, I think I know who your parents are..."