Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 227 The Last Day

Brainwashing is impossible; it's always Naruto's last resort. Even against an opponent he could never befriend, he'd rather send them to the Pure Land than waste the chance to permanently activate Kotoamatsukami. After getting his eyes, Shisui never used that ability again. None of them knew how long the recharge period for Kotoamatsukami was, so they preferred to save that opportunity for the most crucial moment. As for when that moment would be? Who knows?

Considering the gender issue, Naruto contacted a hotel and asked them to add wooden partitions to mark out the space for the large bed, and also added a small bed for Suigetsu. After repeatedly assuring the hotel owner, he added a layer of chakra-made earthen wall behind the wooden partitions, which they would completely remove on the day they left.

This wall is no ordinary wall; it's not just pure Earth Release, but a modified Lava Release. Naruto is an expert at using elemental chakra to create more robust materials, a skill he can master effortlessly. An ordinary fist can't break through this material's defenses; you'd need Sakura's monstrous strength to even make a small hole in it.

After all that, the day was almost over. They had lunch at the hotel buffet, and wanted to try something different for dinner, so they decided to go out and soak up the festive atmosphere.

Always trust the Uchiha's aesthetic sense. Having broadened their horizons, Uchiha designers created architecture that combines practicality and beauty. The once uneven streets have been completely transformed; the unified style makes the street much more pleasing to the eye, and the clever zoning transitions are refreshing. The designers captured the two main themes of flowers and the sea; the commercial street evokes the vibrant spring, while walking towards the sea gradually transitions to the boundless energy of summer.

Sasuke looked at the potted plants scattered along the roadside and felt that the pruning method looked vaguely familiar. However, he had never studied these things in detail. He relied entirely on the plants' own creativity when it came to growing flowers, so he simply assumed that people all over the world had the same perception of beauty and didn't think much of it.

"There are quite a few dishes from the Land of Fire. Shouldn't we make more local specialties?"

This is a very normal question, but... think back to the days of scarcity. Even a meat broth with salt was a delicious meal. People who didn't know where their next meal would come from had no time to think about how to make the ingredients more delicious. People from all over the world hope that their culture can be spread to the whole world, but the real differences cannot be bridged. A normal person should not be able to accept eating hastily prepared dried fish for every meal.

"A specialty dish must taste good. Unfortunately, there's really nothing particularly special to offer here. The rice, however, is somewhat unique; you could try the red rice porridge."

Shuiyue listened to advice and ate it. After finishing a bowl, she thought there was something wrong with her tongue and asked, "Is this stuff salted?"

"This is seawater rice, a new variety. It tastes amazing, doesn't it?"

"Why didn't you say so earlier! I can't eat that much salt!" Shuiyue jumped up, sweating profusely in front of everyone, and ran to the toilet faucet, leaving a water stain on the floor.

Naruto and Karin burst out laughing simultaneously, nearly tumbling to the ground. The Hozuki clan's peculiar constitution is just that; a little extra salt wouldn't cause him any problems, just drinking more water would solve it. Actually, Suigetsu's resistance had increased considerably as he grew up, but it was only revealed once when Konoha sent them supplies containing smoked meat.

Naruto was pulled by Sasuke to sit still, and rubbing his eyes, he said, "The companion you brought is too much fun. Does that mean he can't go to the sea park? He can't even touch a drop of seawater."

"Whatever, let him play or not, it's up to him." Sasuke already felt that the extra people were an eyesore. He now equally disliked anyone who was distracting Naruto, but he also felt that he hadn't seen Naruto laugh heartily in a long time. He was in a dilemma.

"Aren't you living together as companions? Don't be so cold."

Sasuke stopped worrying and started frowning. He quickly explained, "The base is very large and there are many of them. I haven't seen them much usually."

"We've been on missions together for so long, it's so cold to you, Sasuke-kun~" Karin pretended to shed tears.

Although Sasuke was telling the truth, that mission in the Land of Earth really did last a long time! There were so many dangerous situations during it; they practically went through life and death together. Karin deeply remembered Sasuke's heroic rescue of her in that dangerous situation. Even setting aside the life-saving debt, Sasuke had a handsome face, standing out from the other oddballs in the base. What's wrong with a young girl's heart fluttering a little?

This was Naruto's first time witnessing the interaction of the "Hawk Team." They had all matured considerably since growing up, and remained quite restrained even with him, an outsider, present. Even a blind man could see how many people liked Sasuke, yet that guy, surrounded by admirers, managed to remain completely untouched until they returned to the village and Sakura took the initiative to pursue him, finally making him realize his feelings.

Sakura should be on duty in this area at this time, right? Why hasn't anyone come over yet?

Even as they parted, the scene he had imagined never unfolded. Naruto, while puzzled, also inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief and immediately used the Flying Thunder God Technique to take Sasuke to his residence. It was actually quite close to the sea, but not facing the open ocean; on a clear day, one could see the mainland coastline. There were no floor-to-ceiling windows, but a small balcony offered a nice view of the sea through its openwork railing. The place wasn't large, but it had everything one needed; the small stove by the entrance actually added a touch of homey warmth to the house.

"I brought a folding bed, and I also have blankets and other things. Should I put it in the bedroom or the living room?"

"Room."

Naruto pulled out a bed from a large collection of spatial scrolls. Despite the slight difference in height, Sasuke didn't hesitate to push the two beds together, glancing at Naruto several times as he did so. Naruto didn't object and even enthusiastically helped him make the mattress and sheets. Once everything was ready, he gave Naruto a thumbs-up with great delight.

Sasuke felt a tiny bit of guilt, but it was fleeting. His other half was a clueless idiot, and it would be terrible if he were to be tricked. With him by his side, wasn't it much safer?

Let him play the fool for now. Once he has completed his revenge and ended the tragic fate of the Uchiha clan, he can return to Naruto's side openly and wait for the moment when this fool comes to his senses.