Chapter 382: Divine Technique Development
Since Naruto's true identity was thoroughly made public, accompanying "romantic fortune," or rather, troubles increased exponentially.
Illustrious family background, top-tier mentorship, outstanding ability, gentle temperament plus appearance also inheriting his father's... these conditions stacking together made him instantly become the ideal target in countless eyes.
Not merely young kunoichi and ordinary girls within Konoha Village—even some nobles specially dispatched people to Konoha, overtly or covertly inquiring about marriage alliance possibilities.
To thoroughly dispel these unnecessary notions, also to put Satsuki at ease, that "childhood betrothal" orally agreed upon many years ago was formally publicly confirmed, announced through quite official channels to the outside world.
Effect was immediate. Though still a few die-hards or purely appearance-attracted fanatic fans existed, large-scale, purposeful "pursuit" behaviors indeed sharply decreased.
To avoid giving anyone false hope, also to accommodate Satsuki's increasingly obvious possessiveness, Naruto almost bound the vast majority of his day together with Satsuki—whether joint training, dining, or handling village affairs.
Uchiha Mikoto even thoughtfully completely furnished the clan head residence's guest room into Naruto's exclusive room, facilitating his frequent stays.
But Naruto also thought of his mother Kushina living alone at Minato's old residence. Thus he formed a habit—wherever he ended activities each day, he'd spend the night there. Flying Thunder God Technique proved truly too convenient.
Carefully organizing newly received cards, placing them in the desk drawer, Naruto stood up. He prepared going out for another daily training session—one of his day's few moments not inseparably together with Satsuki.
He first formed seals, splitting out two Shadow Clones. Immediately after, his right eye pupil transformed into [Star Eye].
As ocular power activated, two pitch-black portals—[Yomotsu Hirasaka]—opened within the room. Beyond the gates was unfathomable void.
Two Shadow Clones unhesitatingly stepped into different portals respectively. The gate apertures also closed accordingly.
Subsequently, Naruto's main body sensed some distant coordinate, using Flying Thunder God Technique.
Golden light flashed. His figure also vanished from the room without trace.
---
Approximately twenty minutes later.
"Naruto, are you here? Mother asked me to bring you the yukata for trying on at the temple fair..."
Already blooming beautifully, seventeen-year-old Uchiha Satsuki, hands holding one neatly folded exquisite yukata, gently pushed open Naruto's room door.
The room was empty—no familiar figure present.
"...Out again?"
Satsuki didn't feel surprised. Naruto occasionally had his own arrangements—possibly going to Ichiraku Ramen, or possibly using Flying Thunder God to instantly visit Sunagakure for small gatherings with Gaara.
As long as he didn't disappear without warning for entire days, Satsuki usually could control quite well that lurking controlling desire, giving him reasonable personal space.
She walked into the room, gaze falling on the desk. She remembered today ninja cats delivered a package—seemed like that collaborating commerce association's new products.
She walked to the desk, quite naturally pulling open that unlocked drawer—inside indeed neatly stacked new series cards.
Satsuki thought, since Naruto wasn't here, looking herself had no problem. After he returned she'd ask him for the one she wanted.
She picked up cards one by one to examine, face maintaining that calm, waveless expression, until fingertips touched that special card whose texture even seemed slightly different.
"Found it."
A trace of genuine, gentle smile finally bloomed on her face. She extracted that card, carefully examining.
[Konoha's Hero Uzumaki Naruto]
Returning other cards to their original place, uniquely carefully gripping this hidden edition in hand, Satsuki left Naruto's room.
She didn't directly return to report to her mother, but with light steps returned to her own bedroom. Backhanding the door closed, she walked bedside, bending to drag from deep under the bed one small metal box with combination lock.
Click.
Skillfully inputting the password, the lid popped open.
First appearing before her eyes was a thick stack of carefully selected, varied-angle photographs—all previously taken of Naruto through various "legitimate reasons" or covert opportunities.
She gently picked up the topmost several to look, corner-of-mouth arc deepening, then carefully moving them aside.
Below the photos—unmistakably one specialized card album with darkly patterned cover.
She took it out, placing on her lap, slowly opening.
The album's inner pages, carefully arranged by release time. Every page's transparent card slot embedded one precious card.
[Ninja Academy Student Uzumaki Naruto]
[Konoha's Future Uzumaki Naruto]
[Fourth Hokage's Son Uzumaki Naruto]
[Genin Uzumaki Naruto]
[Nine-Tails Chakra Mode Uzumaki Naruto]
[Konoha Crush Battle Uzumaki Naruto]
[Jonin Uzumaki Naruto]
[Summer Limited Edition Uzumaki Naruto]
...
Uniform color—all Uzumaki Naruto.
Different periods, different attire, different expressions, different titles... but the core forever only that one person. These commerce association officially produced, finely printed cards, together with her privately collected photos, became members of Uchiha Satsuki's treasured "collection."
Satsuki contentedly carefully inserted today's newly obtained [Konoha's Hero Uzumaki Naruto] into the album's newest page's reserved slot.
Then, she hugged the album, leaning against the bedside, gaze gently flipping page by page, mouth corners continuously holding unreserved sweet smile.
---
"Leader, the other party's proposed conditions are extremely clear and straightforward. We merely need to give formal portrait authorization permission. Moreover, they guarantee before cards officially release, all design drafts will be submitted for our review and approval—absolutely won't appear any behavior smearing the organization or your personal image."
"Please definitely consider this. For our [Ember], this absolutely benefits without any harm!"
Naruto in "Menma" identity at the organization's covert base felt somewhat headache-inducing. Usually laconic Kakuzu currently acted completely contrary, becoming exceptionally "talkative," tone filled with rare urgency and persuasion.
What made Naruto feel even more surprised was Bandai—those people actually found even [Ember] organization, coming knocking seeking cooperation.
Menma held in hand one contract draft. Listed atop were detailed cooperation terms—core remained portrait rights authorization, while the offered price proved practically astronomical.
No wonder even Kakuzu struggled maintaining calm. After all, this practically equaled "nod and sign, wealth rolling in."
Sent together with the contract was one already-designed sample card, beautifully printed.
The card front carried extremely impactful imagery:
[Ember Menma]
Background was profound dark tones. Center—one figure wearing fox mask, draped in black robes stood proudly, one hand held in offering, palm manifesting spiraling Rasengan.
Behind him were nine differently postured shadows—surprisingly "Nine Masked Beasts"?
[Ember organization's founder and leader. With one person's power intimidating the Five Great Nations, making even the Five Kage not dare lightly provoke—legendary-level existence. Ability unfathomably deep, suspected surpassing the Five Kage. His past, objectives, true identity... everything shrouded in mist, unknown.]
"Selling cards involving 'terrorist organization' leaders... they're truly not afraid of inviting trouble?"
Menma's heart flashed a trace of absurdity, but he was too lazy to deeply investigate the commerce association's marketing strategy.
"Mm." Menma moved his gaze from the card, looking toward the eagerly awaiting Kakuzu. "This matter, handle according to their conditions. Specific negotiations and subsequent matters—full authority delegated to you."
"Yes! Leader! Please rest assured, I will definitely handle this matter properly, absolutely won't let the organization suffer the slightest loss. Benefits will also definitely be maximized!"
Kakuzu forcibly suppressed excitement almost overflowing, carefully receiving the contract draft from Menma's hands, swiftly yet respectfully exiting the room.
After Kakuzu left, Menma looked at the card printing another version of himself in hand, still putting it into his inner pocket.
Compared to these commercial cooperations, he currently had more important matters requiring handling.
He rose, passing through heavily guarded passages, arriving at [Ember]'s underground base's deepmost chamber. Here isolated inside and outside, covered with multiple barrier layers—his location for conducting certain special experiments and training.
Similar attempts, he'd already privately conducted multiple times. Today, he decided thoroughly implementing the long-planned matter.
Beneath the mask, his right eye's black-base golden pupil [Star Eye] quietly brightened, circulating profound yet strange radiance.
"[Seigetsushin Senri]."
Speaking the ocular technique's name—not for self-energization, but activating this ability's deeper-layer application.
Immediately after, he retrieved one storage scroll carved full of sealing runes. After unsealing, he summoned items stored within.
Those were one pair preserved abnormally well—even after leaving the original body multiple years, still emitting clear Yin Release chakra fluctuations—Mangekyo Sharingan.
After two years' repeated practice and deep excavation of [Star Eye] ability, Naruto finally believed he could accomplish the following step.
Under ocular technique's sustained effect, that pair of Mangekyo Sharingan began uncontrollably slightly trembling. The eyeball surfaces seemingly rippled with water-wave-like disturbances.
Finally, one point of azure micro-light brightened within one Mangekyo's pupil depths.
Immediately after, one blue paper crane slowly floated out from that Mangekyo Sharingan's "interior."
Menma extended his hand. That blue energy paper crane like returning to nest lightly landed on his palm, subsequently soundlessly merging into his body.
"...Next time wanting to perform this technique requires at least ten years' interval to recover?"
Menma quietly murmured, sensing newly added power within his body. "However, once is already sufficient. This was originally the only needed time in the plan."
He organized his black robes and mask, confirming his state showed no issues, then left the secret chamber.
Ultimately, Menma arrived at the base depths' confinement area, stopping before one door reinforced by high-strength alloy and multiple sealing technique barriers.
Beyond the door, layer upon layer of Eight Trigrams Sealing technique-formed energy cocoon firmly imprisoning, sunk in slumber—Orochimaru.
***
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