Chapter 176: "Assist"
"What's wrong, Naruto? Your face has looked terrible since earlier." Sakura's voice was full of concern. She had just happened to encounter Naruto on the street looking anxious as if searching for something, and because she was really worried, she had followed him all the way here.
Naruto had originally wanted to ask Sakura to help search for Satsuki together, but on second thought, with Satsuki's current "abnormal" condition and extremely unstable emotions, if the two girls met and something uncontrollable happened, or if Sakura saw Satsuki's strange side... Naruto felt it was better not to explain the situation for now.
He had originally thought that according to Satsuki's habits, when in a bad mood, the most likely place she'd come would be this training ground where they spent the most time together. But scanning the empty field, he didn't see that familiar black-haired figure... Naruto pondered silently.
Maybe... use Gold Experience's life sensing ability to search the area? If she wasn't here, he'd have to go look around the Uchiha compound...
Just as Naruto was concentrating and preparing to quietly activate his ability, a more fundamental problem suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Even if I find Satsuki... what exactly should I say?
Actually, when Satsuki had finally gotten angry enough to activate her Sharingan, called him an idiot, and fled with Body Flicker, after Naruto's initial shock, his heart had inexplicably felt relieved.
It was good that she wasn't sick.
It was good that she wasn't under genjutsu.
It was good that Uncle Fugaku and Aunt Mikoto were fine too.
After ruling out all the worst possibilities, the conclusion seemed to point toward a domain that was more complex for Naruto but also relatively "safe"—Satsuki was just emotionally off?
But... girls' thoughts...
Just thinking about trying to understand this gave Naruto a headache. The strange behaviors Satsuki had shown today... what exactly was she trying to express? And how should he respond to neither upset her nor help her return to normal?
Wait... maybe I can get some reference!
Naruto suddenly turned his gaze toward the concerned-looking Sakura beside him, urgently asking, "Sakura! Um... can I ask you a few questions? About... girls!"
"Eh? Sure, of course." Sakura was stunned by Naruto's sudden random question, but she readily agreed. However, seeing Naruto's urgent and anxious expression—he hadn't even shown this kind of look when facing Momochi Zabuza—she found it increasingly strange.
This was really the first time seeing Naruto show such an obviously flustered and unstable side.
She softened her tone and suggested, "But don't rush first, take it slowly. Why don't we sit down and rest for a bit? You look like you need to calm down."
Naruto paused, then slowly nodded. The two walked to that rough wooden bench beside the training ground and sat down.
And the position they chose... happened to be just a few meters in front of the tree Satsuki had transformed into using the Transformation Technique.
Thus, for Satsuki hiding in the tree, the following conversation reached her "ears" clearly.
Seeing Naruto so anxious and upset because of her, Satsuki's heart filled with guilt. But hearing Naruto suddenly turn to Sakura with questions, a trace of confusion and... inexplicable wariness rose in her heart.
What could Naruto possibly want to ask Sakura? And about girls?
Also, weren't they sitting a bit too close?
Though Naruto and Sakura were just sitting side by side on the same chair with a very safe distance between them that would never result in accidental physical contact, from Satsuki's perspective—filtered through strong possessiveness—this distance was already enough to make her heart bubble with jealousy.
"Um... this is about a friend of mine."
Naruto's eyes were somewhat shifty as he tried to activate the "imaginary friend" skill to hide the truth. He could tell that Sakura admired Satsuki somewhat, and he didn't want Satsuki's "abnormality" today to cause Sakura to develop strange misunderstandings about her.
A friend? Sakura's mind immediately flashed through Naruto's few regular companions—Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji, Inuzuka Kiba... who else? Seemed like just those three.
"How to put it," Naruto struggled to organize his words, steeling himself to continue the fabrication, "my friend recently encountered some very confusing things. A girl did some... um... very strange things to him."
"Very strange?!" Hearing this phrase full of suggestive implications, Sakura immediately covered her mouth in surprise, her cheeks involuntarily flushing.
"Not that kind!" Seeing Sakura's expression, Naruto knew she'd misunderstood and quickly waved his hands. "Literally strange! Extremely strange!"
Thus, Naruto haltingly described in as much detail as possible, but using "my friend" as the subject throughout, the various encounters "his friend" had experienced today—including that shocking-tasting bento, those cringe-worthy exaggerated praise poems, the "Little Sun" nickname, and so on.
However, listening to Naruto's description, Sakura's brow furrowed slightly as her mind began rapid analysis.
Naruto's friend... Shikamaru? Lazy guy, not interested in women. Choji? Only cares about food. Kiba? Only cares about Akamaru...
Sakura instantly understood—this definitely wasn't about any friend of Naruto's, this was about Naruto himself!
In other words... Naruto was being harassed by a girl?
Sakura felt she'd guessed correctly, but... only half right! Because in her deeply rooted perception, Satsuki absolutely, absolutely could never do such things! Satsuki was so cool, so excellent, so perfect!
So that's how it is... A new deduction that made her instantly alert formed: there was some bold and strange girl who'd appeared from nowhere and started pursuing Naruto?!
In Sakura's eyes, Naruto actually belonged to the quite handsome category—golden hair, blue eyes, sunny, with strong and reliable abilities, plus his cooking was especially delicious... Previously it was because of rumors that kept everyone away, but now it seemed that after the rumors' influence weakened, Naruto's charm could no longer be hidden?
And... Naruto wasn't like Satsuki, who could coldly reject suitors directly. He definitely didn't know how to handle this kind of thing.
Perfect! Sakura's face showed a "leave it to me" smile with a hint of protectiveness. In that case, I'll help get rid of Satsuki's potential rival!
Just then, Naruto finally asked that core question: "So Sakura... if you encounter this kind of thing, what should you say to that girl to neither hurt her feelings nor make her stop acting like this?"
Completely unaware she was adding fuel to the fire, Sakura opened her mouth with a "kind" smile and full confidence, giving what she thought was the most direct, most effective answer that would best help "Satsuki" clear obstacles:
"Isn't that simple? Just tell her directly—'Don't bother me with such disgusting things, you annoying pest! Stay away from me!'—wouldn't that work? I guarantee she'll never dare harass you again!"
"...What?!" Naruto stared in disbelief, as if seeing Sakura for the first time, looking at this teammate who was smiling while saying such cruel words, his brain completely crashing.
And behind them, those eyes originally just nervously watching from within the tree bark patterns had now completely transformed into the ice-cold gaze one would give the dead, locked deadly onto the back of Haruno Sakura's head.
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