Above the clouds, the two changed into various poses for photos.
The clone, leveraging its role as photographer, showered the main body with benefits: "Come on, hug tighter, yes, good..."
"Eh... this... like this...?" Hinata's arms wrapped around Naruto's neck, her body leaning forward, calves lifted, her weight almost entirely on Naruto. Her small face was flushed. This pose was too close...
Naruto shot the clone an approving glance. Sure enough, a man understands his own kind. No question, he'd give it extra drumsticks tonight.
Feeling the pressure on his chest, Naruto's mind raced. Suddenly, his body stiffened. He instantly felt like he'd hit a snag.
My Gekko Box was actually stolen?!
No, it was snatched. The clone guarding the box was destroyed. Thankfully, he had sent the pets away before leaving, otherwise the Uzumaki family's heirloom would have been wiped out.
Sensing Naruto's sudden stillness, Hinata asked, "What's wrong?"
Naruto waved his hand. "Nothing, the wind's strong up here, a bit cold."
It was just a box that could only count, nothing as important as a date with Hinata. If it was lost, then it was lost; he'd just snatch it back.
Hinata knew Naruto was lying. Although Naruto was an excellent actor, his eyes would unconsciously flicker slightly from side to side whenever he lied, very subtly, but it couldn't escape her vision. She said, "It is a bit cold. Why don't we go back first?"
"Alright, where do you want to go?"
"Aren't you going to do something, Naruto-kun?"
"No need, I'll leave it to a clone."
"Then... let's find a place with a piano. I've recently learned a new piece."
Naruto was greatly surprised, asking doubtfully, "When did you learn piano?"
Although young ladies from prominent families knew many things, they didn't know everything. Ninjas already had extensive training time; learning too much would be overwhelming for anyone.
Hinata tilted her head and leaned against his shoulder, playfully saying, "After that fireworks show."
The best way to integrate into someone's life, Hinata had read in a novel, was to have similar hobbies. Naruto's hobbies were only two: his clay sculpting and music. Sculpting could be represented by his attire, but Naruto's music, she truly didn't understand. So she could only express herself in her own way.
She hoped Naruto-kun would like it.
Picking Hinata up again, Naruto activated the teleportation.
After he left, the bricks beneath their feet reverted to their original forms. Two of them teleported to the location of the Gekko Box to pursue the enemies, another went to the rooftop of the Kabukicho district where Jiraiya was.
The rest chose to jump off the clouds and commit suicide. To be used as stepping stones—it was too humiliating to live, might as well die.
"I'll count to three, and we jump together. You take pictures of the jump and show them to the main body. We have backbone too."
"Alright, enough talk. Let's go."
Inside the Kabukicho district, having obtained Jiraiya's room number through money, the clone, disguised as a passerby, silently recited, "Form is emptiness," then thought, I'm just a clone, why am I afraid of this? It walked up to Jiraiya's door with its head held high and chest puffed out.
Knock, knock, knock...
"Who is it?" Jiraiya's lewd voice came from inside. "Is that Hanako?"
I'm here for a vice raid, you idiot.
The clone yelled, "Open up! Warmth delivery!"
Jiraiya instantly understood. Only one person could speak in that tone. He put down his sake cup and waved for the geisha to hide.
"Why are you here?"
The clone surveyed the room's furnishings, then leaned against the table, blocking the cup with its body. Its hands rubbed behind its back, and it said with a look of disdain, "The Gekko Box was stolen."
"Who did it?" Jiraiya asked, his tone unhurried. Having known more about it, he no longer felt the box could endanger the world. This thing now could only count; it couldn't even harm a child.
"Cloud ninjas."
"Then you want...?"
"To get it back, of course."
"Do I need to...?"
"No, I just wanted to let you know."
"Very good. Don't overdo it." Jiraiya said with satisfaction. This kid, though annoying, was truly obedient. After the last Grass Village incident, he had told him to notify him if anything happened, and he did as he said.
"I..."
Jiraiya delivered a flying kick that instantly killed the clone. He felt a wave of cold dread. The clone's words shouldn't have any effect, right? And he had interrupted it, it hadn't finished speaking.
Having figured this out, Jiraiya waved his hand. "Come out, everyone."
A flock of beautiful women emerged and surrounded him.
Jiraiya picked up his sake cup and took a sip, silently mourning for the Cloud ninjas. Why did you have to provoke him?
Just as he was about to get a "facewash," a familiar sensation rushed up his throat. "Wah..."
This time, the geisha wasn't as temperamental as the last. She patted his back gently and softly said, "You're getting 'milk sickness' again?"
She had heard the older geisha next door talk about it and thought it was a joke. She never expected it to be true.
Again? Jiraiya quickly caught the key detail, looking at the tiny floating particles in his sake cup. He immediately understood what it was, his stomach cramping with anger. That brat!
With that burst of anger, the churning in his stomach intensified. "Wah..."
The geisha absentmindedly patted his back. Once could be explained as an accident, but twice? No, she needed to remind others well later. Next time they encountered him, they had to be careful not to get vomited on.
From then on, the news of the Sannin Jiraiya's 'milk sickness' slowly spread in a certain circle.
Meanwhile, at the Myōboku Mountain piano, the young man in the suit leaned by the piano, his hand moving with the music, listening intently. The girl in the kimono sat at the piano, playing even more earnestly.
After finishing the piece, Hinata's hands did not leave the keys. She was a little flustered, her eyes downcast, and she softly asked, "Naruto-kun, was it pleasant to listen to?"
It was perfectly fine when I practiced, why do I make mistakes when playing in front of him?
"It was very beautiful."
Hinata's eyes brightened. "Then, Naruto-kun, do you know its meaning?"
"I do." Naruto looked up at the sky. This was the piece Kahyo played when he looked for Kakashi. It conveyed a sense of longing and a wish for a safe return.
Taking her small hands, Naruto said solemnly, "Once I'm done with the Cloud Village, I'll..."
"Naruto-kun is going to fight the Cloud Village?" Hinata interrupted in surprise. Having been kidnapped as a child, she knew a bit about the Hidden Cloud Village. It was a village whose strength was not inferior to Konoha, and even stronger due to its wild combat style, always ready to start a war at the slightest disagreement.
"Worried I can't beat them?" Naruto teased. He remembered Hinata being kidnapped as a child. He was holed up at home then and didn't encounter it. Now that he had the chance, it was a good time to get revenge.
Hinata shook her head. In her heart, Naruto was the strongest. Especially his fearless attitude, no matter who his opponent was, captivated her.
No matter who the opponent is, he will never be the one to fall. She firmly believed this.
Clearly, she hadn't seen the part where Naruto was flattened by Orochimaru.
"Then, Naruto-kun, please be careful."
"Those guys are all weaklings. Come, I'll teach you a segment. Learn from me." Naruto sat next to Hinata and began to play the classic four-finger arpeggio from Secret.
He had watched that video hundreds of times and knew it well.
The cheerful tune could wash away some of Hinata's worries, but it couldn't change Elder Fukasaku's aching heart. He didn't even care that Hinata had been brought to Myōboku Mountain. He just sat on a stone pillar, clutching his chest, watching the clones lining up by the oil pond.
His heart ached.
In the evening, after sending Hinata off, Naruto returned to the spot where his clone had been intercepted. A clone was ultimately just a clone; it ultimately failed to catch up.
Touching the claw marks on the ground, he felt that the Cloud Village might be crazy. Just to snatch a box, they mobilized a Tailed Beast and eight jonin squads?
Are you guys here to snatch a box, or are you trying to kill Jiraiya and snatch the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki while you're at it?
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