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NBB Chapter 139: Too Bold for His Own Good
🕑 Added 2025-08-09 23:47:59 +0000 UTCRecalling the chakra ratio for Ice Release?
The merging process didn’t consume much chakra?
Even for Jiraiya and Kakashi, hearing that made the corners of their mouths twitch. As for Hiruzen—his eyes went wide.
Bloodline Limit fusion—
Was it really that simple?
The shinobi world was vast, with countless people, yet bloodline clans and shinobi with kekkei genkai were so few.
Everything about that fact proved just how difficult bloodline limits were to attain.
This brat…
Too reckless. Far, far too reckless!
“Very good—you’ve done an excellent job!”
Though he was roaring inside and even shot fierce side glances at Jiraiya and Kakashi, Sarutobi Hiruzen turned back to Kitagawa Gen with a broad smile.
“But it was far too reckless. The fusion of bloodline limits is an extremely dangerous matter, and you must be absolutely clear on that."
"I want you to go to Tsunade for a check-up—you are Konoha’s future, and you must not have anything happen to you."
"I also hope you take some time to settle down and truly master what you’ve learned, rather than swallowing it whole without digesting it. Do you understand?”
“Oh, I understand, Hokage-sama.”
Kitagawa Gen nodded. He could tell the difference between praise and reprimand, and after thinking for a moment, he smiled.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”
“Mm.”
Hiruzen nodded, then, seeing Jiraiya and Kakashi about to leave as well, quickly spoke.
“You two stay for now—I have something to discuss with you.”
“…”
Jiraiya and Kakashi exchanged a look, each seeing the words we’re doomed in the other’s eyes.
By then, Kitagawa Gen had already patted his backside and turned to leave.
...
“It really is a nice day today.”
Hearing Hiruzen upstairs launching into a tirade—something about Jiraiya and Kakashi’s lax discipline—Gen blinked.
“Maybe I should find a chance to try out my Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion.”
He had the ability now; he needed to test it at least once, or else he couldn’t be sure how effective it was.
“Gen!”
Just then, Naruto and Sasuke suddenly came running over, snapping him out of his thoughts.
“What are you two doing here? Weren’t you training?”
“We were worried about you! You suddenly got taken away, and we thought something might’ve happened,” Naruto shouted, while he and Sasuke both gave Gen a careful once-over.
“You’re okay, right?”
“What could possibly be wrong with me?”
Gen chuckled, shaking his head. This kid Naruto really did care about him.
“Relax, I’m fine. In fact, I even got some good news.”
“Eh? Good news?”
Both Sasuke and Naruto’s eyes widened. Gen stroked his chin in an exaggerated manner.
“The Hokage told me to get ready to participate in this year’s jōnin evaluation.”
“Jō—jōnin?! You?”
“That’s right—just like the Pervy Sage. And as a jōnin, I’d be able to oversee genin and chūnin exams.”
“…”
“So, when the time comes, it’s very possible I’ll be the one evaluating you two. Well? Excited? Isn’t that good news?”
“…”
Good news?
Excited?
Naruto and Sasuke both fell silent. Their spines suddenly felt cold, and Naruto even felt the urge to cry.
In this guy’s hands… did they really have a future?
“You said you wouldn’t be overseeing my exam, didn’t you?”
“Did I?”
“You did! You definitely did! I even treated you to ramen!”
“How I remember it, ever since I became a shinobi, you’ve hardly treated me to anything.”
On the main street of Konohagakure, Naruto’s face was lit with excitement—clearly worked up by Kitagawa Gen.
Sasuke, meanwhile, wore an expression of pure resignation, his mind preoccupied with whether he could even graduate smoothly.
He wasn’t like Naruto; he understood very well just how terrifying someone like Kitagawa Gen was—someone who had only just graduated from the Academy and was now about to become a jōnin.
Though the thought left him deeply frustrated, there wasn’t any real jealousy in him.
Maybe it was because they’d gotten used to each other?
But the moment he thought about that guy’s nasty personality—if Gen really ended up as the jōnin overseeing his graduation exam—panic knotted in his chest.
If he got held back, how was he supposed to get revenge on Uchiha Itachi?!
“Gen-senpai, are you really going to be our examiner?”
Sasuke asked cautiously, while Naruto still looked as agitated as ever.
“Damn it, I treated you!”
“Treated me, my ass—you clearly took my money, remember?”
Gen shot Naruto an annoyed look before turning to Sasuke.
“Anyway, that’s something you should ask the Hokage. How would I know who’ll be assigned to me? But now that I think about it… I am curious about one thing.”
“W-what?”
“You’re this lacking in confidence—are you sure you’re even up to it?”
“…”
“Relax, relax. Have some faith. Even if I do end up with you, the genin graduation exam is easy.”
“…”
Easy, with you around? Yeah, right.
Sasuke didn’t dare say it out loud, but he couldn’t help recalling Gen’s notorious reputation in the Academy—especially the story where he hospitalized his teammate and still graduated himself. There was no way someone like that and “easy” could be put in the same sentence.
“That’s why you should be begging the Hokage about this kind of thing.”
Gen raised an eyebrow, his face breaking into a wicked grin.
“And Naruto here already knows a way—remember that jutsu I told you about last time? The one you could use to get the Hokage to personally evaluate you?”
“Huh?”
Naruto froze for a moment, then his eyes lit up.
He’d thought about it before but had never had the chance to try. Now that it had come up again, he couldn’t help feeling excited.
“And you know, the stronger your opponent, the more effective this jutsu is.”
Gen’s smile widened.
“Just look at that Pervy Sage—he didn’t even stand a chance against it.”
“Now that you mention it… Yeah! Alright, it’s decided!”
Naruto’s eyes gleamed brighter and brighter until he finally made up his mind, while Sasuke just looked completely lost.
“What are you two talking about?”
“Nothing, nothing—heheh.”
Naruto grinned mischievously, then quickly changed the subject.
“Hey, Gen—since you’re about to become a jōnin, what’s your dream for the future?”
“You little…”
Sasuke shot Naruto a glare, but the question seemed to catch Gen off guard.
“My dream, huh?”
Dreams… they felt like something far off, yet somehow, also close enough to touch.
That question wasn’t a big deal for him—after all, his goal was his dream.
And that was to fully develop his bloodline and live his life the way he wanted.
He didn’t see any conflict between the two. Even if there was, he could just grab them both and say: I want it all!
As an Ōtsutsuki still growing, if he didn’t even have the guts to say “I want it all,” then what the hell was the point?
“My dream’s pretty simple—keep getting stronger and live the kind of life I want.”
Kitagawa Gen laced his hands behind his head, speaking in a leisurely tone.
“Maybe I’ll even open a shop, call it a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ place. I’ve already got a sword, and my hair’s white, so why not?”
“What’s a ‘jack-of-all-trades’? And what’s that got to do with a sword and white hair?”
Naruto and Sasuke looked completely lost, unable to make sense of the reference. Gen ignored them and kept going.
“Do a little business here and there to make some money, marry a beautiful wife, and stop introducing myself as thirty-three and still single.”
“…”
“Best case, I find some four-eyes to help me run the place—especially if I can get him to work for free. But the one I know… doesn’t seem all that reliable.”
“…”
“Yeah, I guess that’s about it.”
“…”
Sasuke’s eyes grew even more vacant. He understood every word Gen had said, but when strung together like that, they made no sense to him at all.
Naruto scratched his ear, feeling like something about this whole speech was off—and he’d caught onto one particular detail.
“Huh? Your goal’s that low? Weren’t you going to…”
He trailed off awkwardly, remembering how Gen had once said something like, ‘The empty throne in the heavens won’t stay vacant forever. From now on, it will be mine.’
Naruto didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication had been “aiming for Hokage.” So why the sudden change?
“What?”
This time it was Gen’s turn to look confused.
“What are you talking about?”
“N-no, nothing!”
Naruto denied it at once, grinning slyly like a fox with a secret.
“I support your dream! I’ll definitely support it! From now on, I’ll come buy something from your place every day!”
“Idiot…”
Sasuke pressed a hand to his forehead, unable to follow Naruto’s fool-headed train of thought.
And from the looks of it, Naruto wasn’t planning to explain himself anyway. So Sasuke simply turned to Gen.
“Well… it’s still early. Can you keep training us?”
“What? Have him train us?”
Naruto almost had a stress reaction right there. Last time, that upside-down run around the entire village nearly killed him.
“Are you kidding me?”
“Training, huh? Let’s skip that for now—gotta balance work and rest. How about we have a get-together tonight instead?”
Gen stroked his chin. A small gathering didn’t sound bad.
Even though there were two years between them, their ages weren’t that far apart—and thanks to Naruto, they’d all gotten along pretty well.
Especially on his birthday—he’d completely forgotten about it, but they’d remembered and brought him gifts.
That was something he hadn’t forgotten, so getting everyone together sounded like a good idea. They were friends, after all.
