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Chapter 58: The Unyielding Mind
🕑 Added 2024-06-28 09:46:12 +0000 UTCEvening.
Konoha Shopping District.
After school, Shishou strolled down the busy street with Ino and Hinata, casually browsing and shopping.
"Hinata, what do you think of this?" Ino asked, holding up a rabbit plush toy from a small trinket stall.
Ino, despite considering Shishou as a benefactor, was always mindful when spending his money. She never purchased expensive items, preferring small, cute things instead. She enjoyed the process of shopping more than the items themselves. Moreover, she always brought Shishou a bento as a thank you the next day, even though he told her it wasn't necessary. This made Shishou appreciate her even more. Besides, the bento made by Ino's mother, Yamanaka Inoichi's wife, was delicious.
Thinking about the bento made Shishou's mouth water, causing a mischievous thought to arise. He quickly suppressed it, reminded of his budding feelings for Ino.
"It's really cute," Hinata said, touching the rabbit plush and affirming Ino's choice.
"Isn't that Naruto?" Shishou spotted Naruto in the distance, carrying some items and looking rather annoyed.
"What's he up to?" Shishou wondered. He noticed the presence of hidden ANBU members tailing Naruto, which puzzled him.
"Why is the ANBU following Naruto again?" Shishou mused, deciding it was best to keep his relationship with Naruto strong to avoid suspicion.
"Naruto, what's up?" Shishou called out, approaching his friend.
"Ah, it's that old man Hokage again, making me move into his house. It's such a pain," Naruto grumbled, putting down his belongings in frustration. Naruto had a decent relationship with the Third Hokage, often referring to him as the old man, but he didn't enjoy living in his house. The restrictions there stifled his mischievous nature, making him uncomfortable.
Due to Shishou's influence, Naruto had formed strong bonds with Shikamaru, Kiba, and Shino, often spending time with them, which made him less lonely than in the original series. Freedom to do as he pleased was what Naruto cherished most now.
Seeing Naruto's displeasure, Shishou had a good idea of what had happened. It was likely due to recent events, particularly the attack on Kirigakure by the masked man controlling the Three-Tails, that the Third Hokage had become concerned about Naruto's safety and decided to keep him close.
"The Third Hokage is just looking out for you," Shishou said, trying to comfort his friend. He hoped Naruto would stay under the Hokage's protection since Jiraiya wasn't around, and Shishou himself couldn't always be there.
"Who asked him to look out for me," Naruto retorted, still defiant.
"Naruto, why does the Hokage want you to stay at his place?" Ino asked curiously, having joined Shishou and Naruto with Hinata.
"I don't really know," Naruto admitted, scratching his head.
"Ino, let's help Naruto move his stuff," Shishou suggested, trying to change the subject.
"But I wanted to keep shopping," Ino protested.
"We can shop later," Hinata gently coaxed, supporting Shishou's suggestion.
"Hinata, you always side with Shishou. I can't believe I misjudged you," Ino said dramatically, causing Hinata to blush and freeze in place.
"I...I just think..." Hinata stammered, glancing shyly at Shishou.
Ino giggled at Hinata's reaction. "I'm just teasing, Hinata. You're too easy."
While Ino and Hinata were engrossed in their banter, Shishou and Naruto quietly picked up the items and walked away.
"Hey, wait for us!" Ino shouted, realizing they had started moving without them.
Soon, Naruto led Shishou, Ino, and Hinata to the Third Hokage's residence. They placed down Naruto's belongings and prepared to leave.
"We'll be heading out now," Shishou said, not wanting to intrude further into the Hokage's domain.
"Thanks, guys," Naruto said, waving as they departed.
As the trio resumed their shopping trip, Shishou couldn't shake off the feeling that something significant was brewing in Konoha. His thoughts wandered back to his own training.
The next day.
Fire Country Capital.
Ninja Black Market.
Shishou visited the information broker again, checking for any news on the whereabouts of Kumogakure's Turtle Island and Tsunade. Unfortunately, he received negative answers on both fronts.
"Sigh," Shishou sighed, heading back to his estate in Fire Source City. Instead of meeting with Mikoto and the others, he decided to focus on his training.
Shishou possessed four main skills: Wood Release, Flying Thunder God, Mangekyō Sharingan, and Phosphorescent Insects. The insects required minimal effort, as they thrived on feeding and breeding in his nurturing space. Wood Release techniques were already mastered to the limit of his current knowledge. His Mangekyō Sharingan was powerful, but without a skilled genjutsu master to teach him, he couldn't fully utilize its potential.
Therefore, Shishou concentrated on refining his Flying Thunder God technique and developing his sensory abilities. He needed to sense the environment around his Flying Thunder God markers to avoid teleporting into enemy traps. Unlike the Second and Fourth Hokage, who could sense across vast distances, Shishou's sensory skills were still in their infancy.
Training hard was the only way to bridge this gap and ensure his safety in future battles.
