Chapter 381: A Few Years Later
Time flies. Approximately two years passed in focused training and peaceful daily life.
The distance to that critical juncture in Naruto's memory—the Akatsuki organization formally surfacing, beginning large-scale Tailed Beast capture operations—drew ever closer.
However, current Naruto had long since transformed beyond recognition. Those powers that in the "original" timeline during that period required painstaking tempering to master, he'd already completely grasped—even far exceeding expectations.
Perfect Sage Mode. Kurama had also long since held nothing back, a mutually understanding powerful battle companion and power source.
Since accidentally discovering during Sage Mode training [Star Eye]'s peculiar interference and transformation ability toward natural energy, Naruto began consciously excavating this brand new power never obtained in the "original," unique to this world, attempting to develop it to deeper layers.
As for Uchiha Satsuki, her progress likewise drew attention. Under Naruto's [Star Eye] ability assistance plus her own unrelenting efforts, she used merely over one month successfully mastering stable Sage Mode, similarly achieving zero frog transformation characteristics.
However, the following training direction left Satsuki confused, even... dissatisfied.
According to Fukasaku Sage's guidance, her next step required "doing nothing."
Literal meaning—doing nothing.
Simply cross-legged sitting at Mount Myoboku's specific quiet cultivation location, completely emptying body and mind, like genuine stone or vegetation, quietly staying. The only rigid requirement: completely motionless.
Fukasaku Sage's explanation was that only through this "stillness" and "emptiness" could one maximally reduce personal presence, letting body and perception completely merge into surrounding environment. Natural energy would more naturally, more efficiently view her body as "nature's part," thus when needed, she could more rapidly enter Sage Mode.
"This is for emergency situations."
"What if someday Naruto isn't beside you, you can't immediately obtain his [Star Eye] assistance? Relying on specific conditions to enter Sage Mode—in actual combat this becomes a weakness. You need to master independent, rapid activation ability."
Satsuki understood the reasoning, but what made her heart somewhat uncomfortable was this training direction's underlying premise seemingly defaulted to her future possibly "leaving Naruto's side."
Fukasaku Sage somewhat strangely noticed Satsuki toward this arrangement seemingly carried some... resistance emotion, but Satsuki ultimately still suppressed her inner displeasure, obediently beginning this long, temperament-grinding "quiet cultivation."
On another front, under Naruto's suggestion, Haruno Sakura also proactively visited that person whom Fifth Hokage Jiraiya with reasons like "the village needs top medical power" and "old friends should return to help," "morally coerced" back to Konoha—Tsunade.
After Tsunade returned to the village, though carrying titles like Elder Advisor and such, her overall state still maintained some "semi-slacking" leisure. Most time either soaking in casinos losing money or whiling away time at taverns.
However, regarding accepting students to teach Medical Ninjutsu, she didn't clearly refuse. Just according to Jiraiya's understanding of this old friend, even if Tsunade agreed teaching, it'd probably be "teaching is teaching, whether she takes it seriously is completely another matter."
She'd most likely toss students a pile of abstruse medical texts, a pile of complex chakra control exercises, then go busy with her own "major affairs."
How much students could learn, ultimately how far they could walk, basically entirely depended on personal comprehension, perseverance and self-discipline.
Whether Sakura could truly stand out under Tsunade's "free-range style" teaching, mastering medical secrets and superhuman strength, depended on whether she herself could seize this hard-won opportunity and how much sweat she invested.
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"Already released how many editions... these guys really found the wealth code."
About-to-turn-seventeen Uzumaki Naruto sat before his room's desk, hands flipping through the profit-sharing agreement signed several years ago, plus the just-delivered-by-ninja-cat package bearing "Bandai Commerce Association" logo.
Inside were unreleased "Geki Nintai Collection Cards" latest series samples. This was collaborating partners' custom before each release—always first sending one set to Naruto for review and collection.
He casually opened one independently plastic-sealed card pack, extracting one card.
The card surface craftsmanship proved quite exquisite, gleaming with unique textured luster. Appearing before his eyes was a long-haired, countenance calm and dignified shinobi portrait. Below marked with eye-catching font:
[SSR First Hokage Senju Hashirama]
Below were several lines of small text introduction: "Konoha Hidden Village founder, pacified Warring States chaos, revered as 'God of Shinobi' great pioneer."
This world's light industry and entertainment industry development degree sometimes truly exceeded his expectations. Though long accustomed to televisions, radios and such, this systematic "collectible card game" business model's rise and popularity still made him feel somewhat surreal.
Approximately one year ago, "Geki Nintai Collection Cards" first edition burst onto the scene. That shrewd commerce association head directly came knocking, with practically astronomical endorsement fees and profit-sharing ratios, convincing Naruto to authorize using his image, even designing his card as extremely rare "hidden edition."
Result—this card set instantly swept the entire shinobi world, especially triggering fanatic collecting waves among younger generations. Sales counts exploded.
Merely first year's profit-sharing income already made Naruto's personal assets plus [Ember] organization's coffers inflate to astounding numbers, second only to back when "disposing" of merchant Gato and receiving most of his estate.
Regarding other famous shinobi's portrait rights issues... supposedly the commerce association dispatched what could be called a "diplomatic dream team" negotiation squad, carrying utterly sincere licensing fees and comprehensive promotion plans, surprisingly truly convincing Five Great Shinobi Villages' leadership one by one, obtaining legal authorization.
Naruto also didn't know how exactly they accomplished this.
He extracted another card from the pack.
[Fifth Kazekage Gaara]
The card surface showed Gaara wearing Kazekage robes, expression composed. The introduction read: "Wind Country's youngest Kazekage in history, shinobi controlling sand's power. Close relationship with Fifth Hokage's student Uzumaki Naruto. Previously defeated and brought back rogue ninja Sasori of the Red Sand, uncovering Third Kazekage's disappearance mystery. With this distinguished achievement ascended to Kazekage position."
Gaara indeed like the original timeline became Fifth Kazekage, even due to certain "opportunities," his ascension timing proved earlier than Naruto's memory.
When Gaara began actively executing high-difficulty missions to accumulate Kazekage prestige, Naruto secretly helped with a "small favor."
Sasori of the Red Sand's puppet core had always been stored as war spoils in [Ember] organization, serving no purpose. Thus, Naruto arranged one "coincidence," letting Gaara during one border mission "accidentally" discover Sasori's cleverly disguised, dormant-state core, successfully escorting it back to Sunagakure.
This move earned Gaara Sunagakure leadership Elder Chiyo's support, also paving the critical path for him ascending to Kazekage position.
Currently, Naruto and Gaara's friendship remained solid, frequently meeting via Flying Thunder God.
Only one point made Naruto feel somewhat strange: every time he visited Sunagakure, entering Gaara's simple Kazekage office side room, rest room, or Gaara's home bedroom, Gaara always appeared inexplicably nervous, seemingly desperately concealing certain room items, even subconsciously using his body to block some cabinet or bookshelf.
Probably adolescent boys all have some personal "secrets"...
Naruto thoughtfully considered this way, never attempting to explore or inquire, giving his friend full privacy space.
He continued flipping through newly opened cards. Collected shinobi proved varied and diverse.
[Copy Ninja Hatake Kakashi]
[Yellow Flash Namikaze Minato]
[Fifth Hokage Jiraiya]
[Legendary Sannin Jiraiya]... even subdivided into different period or title versions.
Worth mentioning—after Kakashi was included in cards, Might Guy once enthusiastically personally ran to Bandai Commerce Association headquarters, patting his chest declaring as "Kakashi's eternal rival and close friend," he completely qualified to also become collectible card character!
However, supposedly the commerce association's market evaluation personnel—perhaps from worry about "tight bodysuit watermelon head" image's appeal among young audiences—tactfully refused Guy-sensei's enthusiastic self-recommendation.
Finally, Naruto found from the card pile those bearing his and Satsuki's images.
[Hidden Edition Konoha's Hero Uzumaki Naruto]
[SR Uchiha's Last Descendant Uchiha Satsuki]
As series spokesperson, Naruto's card every time was the rarest "hidden edition." While Satsuki, with her Uchiha Clan identity, outstanding ability, plus... some publicly known relationship, was also included.
Naruto looked at his card's introduction text. Content proved far more detailed than other cards.
[Uzumaki Naruto]
Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato's son, Fifth Hokage Jiraiya's direct student. Konoha Hidden Village's most supremely talented, fastest-growing young shinobi in history. Previously experienced misunderstanding and lonely childhood due to hidden parentage, yet chose inheriting his father's will, stepping forward during Konoha's crisis, single-handedly confronting powerful enemies, saving the village from collapse's edge—undisputed contemporary Konoha hero.
Satsuki's card back introduction proved relatively concise, highlighting key points.
[Uchiha Satsuki]
Uchiha Clan's currently surviving last bloodline, talented kunoichi inheriting that clan's shinobi-world-famous Kekkei Genkai—Sharingan. Outstanding ability.
[Simultaneously, also formally recognized by both families' elders and publicly announced—Konoha Hero Uzumaki Naruto's fiancée.]