Chapter 440 I’ve Made Slightly More Progress Than Shikamaru

Glancing around to make sure no one was listening, Naruto leaned in and made a gesture that all men would understand. Seeing this, Choji's face immediately turned red.

"Don't say stuff like that!" Choji protested, clearly embarrassed.

"Come on, just tell me, yes or no?"

"No." Choji mumbled, reverting to his awkward self, avoiding the topic and looking away.

"Choji, that's not fair. We agreed to share everything openly, but now you're holding back." Naruto pretended to be angry.

"Keep this up, and next time, don't come to me for advice. Just go ask Shikamaru instead."

"No, no, no!" Choji was immediately panicked, "There's no way I could ask Shikamaru for this! He probably hasn't done anything like that either, and besides, he's been so busy lately."

"That's not right. How can you be sure that I have experience?" Naruto was puzzled and scratched his head, "You didn't even ask me."

"You're so secretive, I didn't need to ask." Choji muttered under his breath.

"… Choji, that's a bit much." Naruto replied, acting offended, "What do you mean by 'so secretive'? What's that supposed to mean?"

"… Sorry." Choji thought he had actually upset Naruto.

"You know me. I'm not secretive at all," Naruto protested.

Choji: "…"

After beating around the bush for quite a while, Choji finally got to the point. The real issue was simple: When it came to intimate acts like kissing, his fiancée seemed somewhat resistant.

"Naruto, do you think she's actually unhappy with me?" Choji asked, troubled.

"That's unlikely." Naruto waved his hand and said, "You two are about to get married. If she was unhappy, she wouldn't be refusing to kiss you."

"It's probably just a technical issue. You don't need to be too anxious. If the other party can accept you, it proves that she won't deliberately hold back over something like this."

Marriages among large clans are essentially backed by the clan's reputation and trust.

Those dramatic runaway weddings you see in TV dramas? They don't happen in real life. If someone doesn't want to get married, they would voice it early, apologize humbly in person, and make sure the other family is shown enough respect.

There's no way someone would keep silent until the wedding and embarrass their parents and entire family like an idiot. If that really happened, the two families would inevitably become mortal enemies.

For smaller families, it might not matter as much, as they could just move elsewhere. But for noble families with roots spanning decades or even centuries, if a younger member pulled off such a disgraceful stunt, their legs might literally get broken in the aftermath.

"Actually, it's not just about kissing," Choji said a little embarrassedly, "I've made slightly more progress than Shikamaru... that's all."

Hearing this, Naruto's expression shifted dramatically as he jumped to his feet, "You sly dog! You were trying to trick me!"

"Wait, Naruto, calm down." Choji waved his chubby hands, trying to soothe him. He blinked his eyes and said, "I was just afraid you'd spread it around. I'm sorry, okay?"

"Spread it around? Do I seem like that kind of person?" Naruto thumped his chest with pride.

"You totally are." Choji responded bluntly after a brief pause, "Last time, you..."

"Cough, cough. That was ancient history." Naruto was a little embarrassed, then waved his hand and said seriously, "We're grown up now, not like we were back then."

A moment later...

"Hahahaha!!!" Naruto laughed unrestrainedly, glancing at Choji, only to burst out laughing again.

"Is it really that funny?" Choji was a bit displeased. He is starting to regret sharing this with his friend. He shifted uncomfortably and said, "Stop laughing already!"

"It's not my fault… it's just that you were too nervous."

Despite his laughter, Naruto gave some serious advice afterward, along with a few obscure tips that helped rekindle Choji's Will of Fire.

In the afternoon, after the two parted ways, Naruto wandered home alone. When he reached a secluded spot, he suddenly stopped, frowned and muttered to himself, "It's over. Was it because I'm exceptionally gifted, or is it that Tayuya's body is too sensitive?"

Back then, he didn't feel much during their interactions… Tayuya was too quick. At the time, he saw it more as completing a task and didn't give it much thought. However, now that he reflected on it, he felt something was off.

However, it wasn't something he could easily verify, so after a moment of confusion, he pushed the thought out of his mind.

He wasn't desperate for such things, and unless necessary, he didn't really care. At that time, Tayuya was waiting for his answer, and she had given her own answer as well.

After countless experiences together, next time they met, they would never part again.

After wandering around for a while, Naruto bought some food and two bottles of good sake before heading to a familiar alley. The moment he arrived, Kurama, who had been waiting for a long time, had bright eyes, showing that he hadn't forgotten his desires.

"Cough, I just remembered you haven't eaten yet, so I brought you something." Naruto said casually, handing the food to Kurama, looking completely unfazed.

Even though just recently, he had righteously imposed a month-long alcohol ban on Kurama, he shamelessly broke the promise now, showcasing the refined art of being a rogue.

"Thanks." Kurama said, rubbing its paws together and eagerly accepting the food and sake, "By the way... about that month-long alcohol ban... can we…?"

"What alcohol ban?" Naruto responded with a look of complete innocence.

Kurama: "…"

While he was thrilled, he couldn't help but mentally give Naruto a middle finger for being so shameless, 'This guy had truly forgotten all moral principles in the face of temptation!'

'But on second thought, if this bastard had any moral bottom line, I wouldn't have been tricked by him in the first place.'

Despite the man and the dog each had their own ulterior motives, both got what they wanted in the end.

Kurama held the gift in his mouth and successfully lured Hinata out with a romantic trick. Looking at Hinata standing in the night wind with her head down and feeling uneasy, and Naruto with a smile on his face, Kurama curled his lips in disdain. After muttering, 'foolish humans' in his heart, he immediately left since his work here was done, not showing his achievements and fame.

With the pesky third wheel gone, Naruto smiled even more brightly.

"Let's go." He said.

"Okay." Hinata responded softly. She looked gentle as ever, gazing at Naruto with eyes full of tenderness.

Under the moonlight, the two walked side by side in the darkness. The rustling of their footsteps on the ground echoed loudly in the quiet night.

As Hinata grew older, she became more and more reserved.

Hand in hand, they walked along a dimly lit path. Only a few scattered street lamps illuminated the way, just enough to make out the road ahead.

"How's your preparation for the Jonin Exams going?" Naruto asked, breaking the silence.

"It's going well. It was a bit tough at first." Hinata answered softly, speaking in detail, as if trying to share everything that had happened during the time he wasn't around.

Naruto knew very well that Hinata was just introverted, not that she didn't want to talk.

Some people, when standing before the person they love, may have towering emotions inside, but what comes out are simple words, everyday matters.

She spoke with such care, and Naruto, with equal patience, slowed his steps on purpose. He knew what kind of company Hinata needed, and he was willing to provide it, even if it meant being a bit shameless.

The moment Hinata looked up, she caught sight of his slightly indifferent profile, and her heart suddenly beat faster. Warmth spread from her hand, flowing throughout her entire body.