bookbashuk Chapter 376 Cohabitation
Chapter 376 Cohabitation
In the days that followed, Naruto was forced to live a life of seclusion.
Uchiha Satsuki initially suggested that she go directly to the most fanatical ones and give them a good scolding to make them back down. But Naruto thought about it and shook his head in refusal.
...Most people meant well, though their methods were a bit excessive. Naruto seemed somewhat helpless. His good temper was one of the reasons why Sasuke couldn't handle him.
However, Satsuki immediately changed her mind and even began to secretly hope that this "enthusiasm" could last longer.
The reason is simple: as long as Naruto lives in his house, those ubiquitous fans will keep crowding the door asking for autographs, photos, and leaving behind a bunch of gifts that Naruto can't possibly use.
So, at Mikoto Uchiha's enthusiastic invitation, Naruto "temporarily" moved away from his new home and into the Uchiha clan's territory.
To be precise, they moved directly into a guest room at the Uchiha clan head's residence.
The new routine was thus established: on days when he didn't need to perform any tasks, he would be awakened by a timely knock on the door from Zuo Yue in the early morning.
Then, using the Flying Thunder God Technique, he brought his mother and Zacian from his home. He then prepared three meals a day for both families with Kushina and Mikoto.
After that, Naruto and Satsuki would either train in a secluded training ground within the Uchiha clan's territory, or use the Flying Thunder God Technique to find a remote mountain forest far from the village for more undisturbed sparring.
Satsuki's mood changed from an almost uncontrollable smile at the beginning to a more normal calm a month later.
But her initiative is impeccable, and her emotional value is off the charts. She agrees to almost every suggestion Naruto makes, being incredibly obedient. She even "naturally" comes to chat with Naruto every night.
But there was one thing that Naruto found strange: when he entered Satsuki's room, Satsuki, while not refusing him, always acted unusually "vigilant".
She would keep a close eye on Naruto's every move... a bit like a child who has done something wrong and is afraid of being discovered?
This was certainly not Naruto's imagination.
Before Naruto moved in, Satsuki had already done a thorough cleaning. The special computer that played Naruto's live feed 24/7, the life-size Naruto body pillow, the photos she'd secretly taken and carefully preserved, and the clothes she'd collected under various "legitimate" pretexts…
She hid everything that could be called "dangerous".
Even so, she remained on tenterhooks. What if she missed something? What if there was still a trace of "evidence" left in some corner that Naruto might accidentally discover? The mere thought of such a scenario was enough to cause her social death, making her stiffen with tension every time she faced Naruto, who had stepped into her territory.
The first month passed, and the enthusiasm from the outside world did not diminish. One night, Naruto really missed the taste of Ichiraku Ramen, so he took advantage of the moonlight and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to sneak to the vicinity of Ichiraku Ramen.
However, what he saw was a closed shop door and lights that had long been turned off.
The next day, after inquiring, they learned that after Naruto's identity was revealed, many of Ichiraku Ramen's regular customers excitedly talked about how this was "the shop most frequented by the son of a hero."
The kind-hearted Uncle Ichiraku was just telling the truth, admitting that Naruto had indeed been a regular here since he was very young, and that he had practically watched him grow up.
As a result, the number of people who came from far and wide just to see "the seat the hero once sat in" and taste "the ramen the hero loved to eat" surged instantly, forming long queues.
The huge flow of customers and the resulting attention overwhelmed Uncle Yi Le, who eventually collapsed from exhaustion and had to close the shop for a long time to recover.
In the second month, things changed somewhat. The number of gifts delivered to Naruto's new home was still enormous, but the frequency seemed to have stabilized, at least so Kushina no longer had to work like a porter, delivering batches of unused gifts to the village orphanage every day.
Meanwhile, a group of well-dressed, businessman-looking men began to visit. They weren't asking for autographs, but rather, carrying formal business proposals, they respectfully made a request Naruto had never considered: whether he would grant permission to use his likeness.
"I refuse! Can this kind of thing be bought with money? I don't do what I do to be worshipped!"
Naruto initially resisted instinctively, feeling that this behavior was like idol worship or something else entirely.
However, when he took a closer look at the amount and profit-sharing ratio listed on the draft contract, and the promise that every product would be reviewed by Naruto himself before its release, he realized that the contract was not only a formal contract but also a promise that every product would be approved by Naruto himself before its release.
Naruto originally wanted to righteously and sternly rebuke the other party, but they were giving him far too much.
For the sake of so-called "face," he gave up so many readily available resources. He still had a sizable organization under his command with considerable expenses. If Kakuzu knew that he had refused such a huge sum of money that could greatly enrich the organization's coffers and his personal treasury because he was "too embarrassed," what would happen?
He was afraid he would be so heartbroken that he would fall into a state of persistent depression. He couldn't let his subordinates down, Naruto told himself.
Besides, at worst, after receiving a share, you and the organization can do more practical things, or give back some of the profits to those in need in a more discreet way. That would be taking from "passion" and using it for "good deeds."
And so, several months passed quietly amidst the "guest life" in the Uchiha clan's territory and the growing "hero worship" craze in the outside world.
------
The morning sunlight streamed into the spacious Japanese-style dining room of the Uchiha clan head's residence. The air was filled with the warm aroma of food.
The dining table was laden with a sumptuous breakfast, the result of Naruto's collaboration with his two mothers.
Satsuki, his family of three, and Naruto and his mother sat together, enjoying a family-style breakfast.
"Naruto, what's this you prepared today... what's it called again?"
Kushina picked up a golden-brown, crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside strip of fried food and asked curiously. Lately, Naruto had been preparing all sorts of dishes she'd never seen before, almost every day. Breakfast alone included steamed buns, flower rolls, shumai, various noodle soups, and today's dish was yet another new creation.
"This is called 'youtiao' (fried dough stick). It goes well with soy milk or congee. Try it," Naruto replied with a smile, picking one up for himself.
"Of course I know that," Kushina said, taking a bite, her eyes brightening slightly, then adding with a touch of pride, "Not only in ninja talent, but even in cooking... Naruto's excellent skills are all thanks to my good genes!"
In Naruto's inner world, Minato Namikaze simply smiled and nodded, saying nothing—or rather, even if he did, no one would hear him.
"yes,"
Mikoto Uchiha smiled gently, her tone tinged with satisfaction and a hint of teasing, "It seems Satsuki's future life will definitely be very happy. However, in this aspect, Satsuki will probably find it difficult to be a 'completely qualified' wife; she'll have to work harder in other areas."
Naruto and Satsuki both lowered their heads in embarrassment at these words.
Fugaku Uchiha ate his meal silently, maintaining his composure and silence. Although later, his own daughter became the one who pursued him, he had to admit that this blond-haired man in front of him... really couldn't find any fault with him.
He has a good temper, is very capable, considerate and thoughtful, has a sunny and handsome appearance, and his cooking skills are superb. Most importantly, he is very devoted to his partner.
Fugaku knew very well that with Naruto's current soaring reputation and popularity in Konoha, countless young girls were enamored with him, and gifts and love letters were almost constant. But the boy had never paid any attention to any of those advances. He simply asked his mother to refuse them.
Not to mention his terrifyingly prominent background—son of the Fourth Hokage, direct disciple of the Fifth Hokage, and the undisputed next generation leader of Konoha… If he were to stubbornly insist on his father-in-law’s dignity, his wife and daughter would likely express their dissatisfaction with their eyes before Naruto could even react.
"Excuse me, is anyone home?"
Just then, there was a knock on the door, accompanied by a familiar voice that was cheerful but clearly a little tired.
"Oh, it's the Fifth Hokage." Uchiha Mikoto opened the door with a perfectly polite smile on her face. "What a rare guest! Please come in."
Standing outside the door was Jiraiya, clad in the white Hokage robes. Although he still maintained his carefree and smiling demeanor, a lingering weariness hung between his brows.
"I'm sorry to bother you at this hour." Jiraiya said as he casually stepped into the house, his gaze sweeping towards the dining room. "Naruto... he should be here, right?"
"Yes, you really are here to see Naruto." Mikoto stepped aside to lead the way, inviting him gently, "But since you're here, why don't you sit down and have some breakfast together? We're just about to start eating."
"...Then I'll have to trouble you." Jiraiya didn't stand on ceremony and followed Mikoto into the restaurant. He immediately saw Naruto sitting at the table and sighed helplessly before speaking.
"Naruto! Why are you still hiding here? It's been months, things should be calmer outside by now, do you really need to hide so well?"
"Well..."
Naruto's expression was somewhat subtle. What could he say? Could he say that he had actually tentatively suggested a few times that "it might be time to move back," but had been stopped by various reasons such as "it's not safe/inconvenient outside/it's better to stay a little longer"?
He changed the subject. "Jiraiya-sensei, is there something you need from me?"
Jiraiya pulled out an empty chair and sat down, taking the bowl and chopsticks that Mikoto handed him. "After you finish breakfast, come with me."
"Let's go somewhere? Where to?"
"Let's go to Mount Myoboku."
Jiraiya picked up a fried dough stick, took a bite, and his eyes lit up. But when it came to business, his tone became serious. "Do you remember what I told you before you became my apprentice? I still have one secret technique I haven't taught you. Now, you can start learning it formally."