Chapter 386: Keeping Secrets
Hearing Naruto offer to act as his personal "battery" for a day, Sasuke hesitated.
Without Itachi to push him to awaken his Sharingan through dramatic confrontation, Sasuke had little chance to unlock it on his own.
To make matters worse, his young age and limited physical strength left him with a small chakra reserve.
After a few uses of Chidori, he'd already be drained, unable to practice effectively.
But with Naruto's "portable power source" Kurama, everything changed. With the fox's seemingly endless chakra, Sasuke could use Chidori a hundred times in one day. Not because Kurama had limits, but because Sasuke's body did—Chidori consumed more than just chakra; it took a toll on both the mind and body.
Naruto's offer was tempting, but Sasuke wasn't ready to give in so easily.
"Don't think you can trick me into teaching you our Uchiha family's secret techniques so easily, Naruto!"
"I know exactly what you're after—you just want to show off in front of Sakura, don't you?"
"I still refuse."
This time, Sasuke turned slightly away from Naruto, his eyes shifting to the side so he could gauge Naruto's reaction out of the corner of his eye.
Naruto remained calm, raising two fingers confidently.
"Two days."
"The Uchiha-style shuriken technique requires a very advanced skill level. Even to teach you the basics would take two full days..."
"Three days," Naruto interrupted, holding up three fingers.
That was enough to make Sasuke, already wavering, falter further.
"Five days!"
"Deal!" Naruto grinned.
Sasuke glanced at the distant, adoring gaze of Sakura.
Of course, his agreement wasn't because he wanted extra training or because Naruto's dedication moved him. No, it was because of their deep friendship—or so Sasuke told himself.
Watching this scene unfold from the shadows, Haneda couldn't help but twitch in exasperation.
Naruto renting out Kurama's chakra like a battery? Did Kurama have no sense of pride?
And why wasn't there a middleman profiting off this exchange?
For a being that had lived for centuries, Kurama seemed a bit too gullible.
And Sasuke… were you seriously so eager to hand over your future wife?
Then again, Haneda thought about it. Sasuke had never shown much interest in Sakura growing up, whereas Naruto had always been vocal about his feelings for her.
With a sigh, Haneda let it go.
Throwing a kunai, he landed it squarely between Naruto and Sasuke.
In a flash of brilliance, Haneda appeared with the Flying Thunder God Technique, striking a dramatic pose.
Even without revealing his face, the Hokage cloak emblazoned with "Fifth Hokage" on his back made his identity unmistakable.
The girls who had been silently admiring Sasuke turned their attention to the much cooler and more dazzling Haneda.
The training ground instantly transformed into a fan meet-up, filled with squeals and cheers.
Amidst the commotion, Naruto furrowed his brow, a black line practically forming on his forehead.
"Haneda-ojisan, why do you smell like alcohol?"
"Were you drinking with Kakashi-ojisan and completely forgot about me and Sasuke?"
"..." Haneda awkwardly scratched the back of his head and mumbled,
"Give me some face, Naruto. Not in public…"
"Oh, and by the way, shouldn't you be addressing me by my title? Lord Hokage, what brings you to the school today for an inspection?" Naruto retorted, giving Haneda no leeway.
Clearly, Naruto hadn't forgotten how Haneda usually cooked dinner. Yesterday, Haneda hadn't come home or informed anyone, leaving Naruto to wait all evening.
If Haku hadn't come home from her shift at the police force, Naruto would've ended up mooching off Sasuke or eating out.
Naruto had assumed Haneda was swamped with work, given how diligent he'd been lately.
But no—he'd been out drinking with Kakashi!
"..." Haneda was speechless.
How does he still remember the times I teased him?
Clearing his throat, Haneda put on a serious face and said,
"I have something important to discuss with you. This isn't the place for it."
Seeing Haneda suddenly turn serious, Naruto quieted down and obediently followed him.
Sasuke hesitated, debating whether to follow, when Haneda called back,
"Sasuke, you come too."
The three of them walked together to a secluded area.
The spot Haneda chose was a simulated forest environment, an outdoor training zone constructed by Yamato.
Since no classes were scheduled here today, it was empty, making it the perfect location for a private conversation.
Haneda explained,
"I've discussed a significant matter with Elder Shikaku—Shikamaru's father. It concerns a major secret about Konoha, and I'll need your cooperation and discretion."
"What kind of secret?!" Naruto immediately perked up, excited at the prospect of being involved in something so important.
Sasuke, though equally intrigued, maintained his reserved demeanor and stayed quiet.
Haneda continued at a measured pace,
"I'm planning to fake an illness—pretending to have a terminal disease. The goal is to make the ninja world believe I'm dying, even though I'm perfectly fine."
"Naruto, Sasuke, as people close to me, you're likely targets for ninja from other villages trying to extract information. I need you both to keep this secret."
Sasuke responded confidently,
"Haneda-ojisan, I won't say a word. Besides, I doubt anyone could beat me in a fight to get anything out of me."
Naruto puffed out his chest.
"Same here! No way I'd spill the beans!"
Haneda cast a skeptical look at Naruto.
While he trusted Sasuke completely, Naruto… was a different story. There was a real chance he might accidentally let something slip.
Haneda sighed.
"Sasuke, I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about Naruto. You're his older brother figure—keep an eye on him and remind him to stay quiet."
Hearing this, Sasuke smirked smugly.
"Did you hear that, Naruto? Even Haneda-ojisan thinks you're a blabbermouth."
"Hey! You're only a few months older than me, Sasuke! And I'm not a blabbermouth—I can keep secrets!" Naruto protested.
"Sure, sure," Sasuke replied with a dismissive chuckle.
Seeing that the mood was light enough, Haneda activated his Rinnegan, locking eyes with Sasuke.
Sasuke's pupils shifted, taking on the mysterious ripple pattern of the Rinnegan.
"Haneda-ojisan, what did you do to Sasuke?!" Naruto exclaimed, sensing something was off about his friend.
"Relax. It's just a precaution to protect him," Haneda explained.
He had placed a Shinra Tensei sealing technique on Sasuke, ensuring that anyone who tried to harm or interrogate him would face immediate consequences.
Naruto, however, didn't need such measures. With Kurama inside him, he had more than enough protection to hold out until help arrived.
"What just happened?" Sasuke asked, shaking his head slightly.
Looking at Haneda's Rinnegan, Sasuke realized it was the same as the eyes of Pain, the leader of the Akatsuki.
The sight stirred a strange mix of emotions within him—a sense of closeness, yet also an inexplicable anger.
Naruto, meanwhile, pointed and laughed.
"See, Sasuke? Haneda-ojisan is way more worried about you than me!"
"That's because I don't need it!" Naruto added smugly.
Haneda turned his gaze toward Naruto and, in the next instant, pulled him into the mental space of Kurama's seal.
Sasuke snorted and shook his head in amusement, but Naruto, oblivious, had no idea what was happening in the real world.
...…