In Konoha, This Naruto Has Decided To Take It Easy

Chapter 181 Well, It’s Still Her

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Although Ino said it was okay for her not to attend the New Year's Festival, Naruto couldn't take her words at face value.

Some things just require the right attitude, and you don't really have to go through with them. If Ino skipped the New Year's Festival, it would only complicate matters further, unnecessarily so.

After swiftly finishing his morning routine and preparing breakfast, Naruto noticed that Kurama was still curled up on the couch cushion, not bothering to sleep in his own room. All Biju seemed to be like that, indifferent to the mundane.

Naruto had no idea how Kurama ended up in such a sorry state, ‘Drunk, maybe?’

With breakfast ready, Naruto opened the door, walked over to Ino's side, and poked her cheek. It felt soft, but she didn't wake up.

He then applied more force, and Ino finally reacted, frowning but still not opening her eyes.

Naruto frowned as well, thinking to himself, ‘Still no response?’

So, he continued poking. This time, Ino finally opened her eyes, which filled with murderous intent.

"Go to hell! Stop poking!"

"You’re awake?" Naruto withdrew his hand, pretending nothing had happened.

"I woke up on the first poke! How could I not wake up with you poking me so hard?" Ino said angrily, "Couldn't you just leave and let me wake up on my own?"

"But the breakfast will get cold." Naruto said with a shrug.

"Ah!! You're so annoying! Idiot! Pervert! Foot fetishist!" Ino yelled as she threw off the covers and started putting on her winter clothes.

Without another glance at Naruto, she stormed into the bathroom in her slippers to wash up. Naruto didn't mind and lazily returned to the kitchen.

By the time Ino came out of the bathroom, Naruto had just set breakfast on the table.

"After finish eating, let's head out early, don't miss that... whatever it is." Naruto mumbled.

"Are you trying to chase me away?" Ino narrowed her eyes.

"What do you mean by chasing you away? You mentioned the New Year's festival, and all the members of the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans have to attend." Naruto rolled his eyes, "Anyway, you should still have time once you finish eating."

"Got it." Ino lowered her head, sounding slightly displeased.

"If you really don't want to go, that's fine. I wasn't exactly keen on going either." Naruto explained, "It's so boring stay at home alone. It's better to go with someone else."

"No way! I'll leave as soon as I finish eating." Ino said with a look of disgust.

"Tsk, so heartless."

…

A few days had passed since the New Year.

Naruto, who had been lying at home for days, suddenly remembered something important, ‘Damn it, I had completely forgotten what Tsunade had told me.’

He hurried over to the Hokage’s Office, and as he pushed the door open, he saw a familiar face standing next to Tsunade's desk, causing him to freeze on the spot.

Sakura turned around and smiled naturally.

"Naruto, long time no see."

"Uh, long time no see." Naruto scratched his face. After training with Jiraiya for a whole winter, he indeed hadn't had much contact with other people for a long time.

He squinted, looking at Sakura's smile, and wondered if the Pink Sakura was back?

Just as he was lost in thought, Sakura, with her back to Tsunade, suddenly licked her lips. Seeing this, Naruto took a sharp breath, immediately realizing what was going on.

‘Well, it's still her.’

Tsunade didn't lift her head throughout. Naruto was the only person who never knocked before entering the Hokage's Office. Tsunade didn't even need to guess who it was, and she had no desire to look up.

"What’s this? You still remember to show up?" Tsunade's voice echoed in the office. It was obvious that she was angry.

It wasn't Tsunade's fault for being upset. Naruto was supposed to go to the Hokage's Office after the New Year's Festival, but he had ghosted her for four or five days without any updates, even after she had sent someone to remind him.

Anyone would want to throttle someone who stood them up like that.

Naruto felt a bit guilty, but it wasn't entirely his fault. Yugao had shown up, but instead of using the door, she knocked on the window, waking him up. Naruto had responded groggily while half asleep.

But once he woke up, he forgot all about it. That went on for a few days, leading to the current situation.

"Tsunade-sama, I'm sorry!" Naruto quickly admitted his mistake and apologized sincerely, "It's all my fault for delaying your plans."

In fact, he also knew very well that Tsunade didn't have any actual plans and often slacked off at work. But in order to sound respectful, he still had to flatter her against his will.

"Huh? Didn't you say you wanted to learn Summoning Technique?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow, "I gave you the chance, but you didn't make any use of it! Do you want to die, Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Ask yourself honestly, how many times have I needed you for something, and how many times have you been on time?" Tsunade's face was gloomy, "You didn't learn anything else from Kakashi, but you definitely picked up his habit of never being on time."

"Well done, Uzumaki Naruto, really well done!"

"Um… Tsunade-sama, I didn't do it on purpose." Naruto's face twitched slightly and he started to feel nervous.

"Not on purpose?" Tsunade waved her hand, gesturing for Naruto to come over.

He hesitated but obediently walked over, only to have Tsunade grab his face and start pinching and twisting it like clay. She kneaded his face for a while until her anger subsided.

"Alright, now where were we?" Tsunade asked.

"Ow~!" Naruto clutched his swollen face and said incoherently, "Learn Summoning Technique."

Speaking of this, Tsunade rubbed her forehead, as if making a final confirmation.

"You really want to contract Katsuyu?"

"Yeah!" Naruto nodded vigorously.

"You're going to learn Senjutsu with Jiraiya eventually, so why not just sign a summoning contract with the toads of Mount Myoboku?" Tsunade asked with some confusion.

"Well…maybe it's because I don't like toads." Naruto said, making up an excuse.

"What nonsense! Training is not about likes or dislikes. If every Shinobi acted as whimsically as you, they would've all died out by now." Tsunade scolded.

"Yes, yes, Tsunade-sama, you’re absolutely right." Naruto stood there, letting her words go in one ear and out the other.

Seeing his nonchalant attitude, Tsunade became even more irritated, and waved her hand dismissively.

"Alright, it's settled. Don't regret it later! There's no time today, so come back tomorrow afternoon at 4."

"Got it!" Naruto, relieved, turned and dashed out of the office.

But before he could walk far, someone called out to him from behind. Naruto stopped abruptly and turned around to find Sakura jogging towards him with a mission clipboard in her hand.