Chapter 22: The Blond

After a short while, Sandayu brought the two little ones to the shopping district, intending to buy Naruto a few sets of new clothes.

As a member of the male species, Naruto's process for shopping was always simple:

Step one: walk into the store and head straight for the men's section.

Step two: "I'll take that one the black or the white."

Step three: pay.

And then... he'd lose all say in the matter.

"This one won't do. Too flashy!"

"This one's out too. The style is ancient!"

"This one… is that a dishrag?"

Watching Koyuki Kazahana nitpick her way through the racks, Sandayu followed behind her, sweat pouring from his brow as he kept apologizing to the store clerk with awkward glances.

Naruto, on the other hand, wasn't bothered. Sure, shopping with a girl could be tiring, and Koyuki was definitely picky, but she was helping him pick out clothes, after all.

"Hey, Naruto! Try this one on!"

Koyuki suddenly stopped in front of a rack, pointing toward an outfit.

Naruto glanced at it and blinked.

High collar, short sleeves, open front…

In a word: pure white short robe, the kind that screamed "Boss Girl Aura."

"Layer it with a black undershirt. Pants too go with black. As for shoes… got any ninja sandals?"

"We do… but they're not standard issue."

"Doesn't matter. Put them on him!"

Koyuki snapped her fingers and pointed at Naruto. The clerk nodded rapidly, like a child snatcher ready to make his move, and yanked Naruto into the fitting room.

All he wanted now was to send this little lady off as quickly as possible.

Soon, Naruto emerged in his new outfit, and Koyuki's eyes lit up. Sandayu gave a soft gasp, eyes filled with admiration.

"You look great, Naruto!" Sandayu gave him a big thumbs up. "This really suits you! Look in the mirror if you don't believe me."

I already know what it looks like…

Naruto stepped in front of the mirror. The reflection showed a boy with golden hair and blue eyes, dressed in white and black.

"This is the one," he nodded. There was no question about it this outfit was cool.

They picked out two more casual sets before Koyuki finally let him off the hook.

"Oh, right. Naruto, want to learn an instrument?"

As they passed a music store, Sandayu asked casually, "As a singer, it's always good to have an instrument you can actually play."

"Guitar," Naruto replied without hesitation.

He walked into the shop and picked out a sturdy acoustic guitar.

Shadow clones could replicate weapons and tools carried by the original the items they produced were practically identical, save for durability. Techniques like Shadow Shuriken relied on this principle.

So long as the clones didn't use the guitar as a baseball bat, playing beginner-level songs shouldn't be a problem.

Naruto looked a little ridiculous as he walked out of the music store with the guitar slung over his back.

He was only five years old. Even with a steady diet of meat and the robust constitution of the Asura bloodline, he stood barely a meter twenty.

And the guitar even the small model was eighty centimeters long.

"Tiny tot," Koyuki teased mercilessly.

"You're not much taller than me," Naruto shot back, glancing at her. She was, at best, ten centimeters taller.

"Want me to carry it for you?" Sandayu chuckled, trying to ease the tension.

Naruto nodded in thanks and handed the guitar over.

He'd always thought guitarists looked cool carrying their instruments on their backs. But until he actually learned how to play, doing that just made him feel… awkward.

It was an irrational feeling, like any moment someone might jump out and say, "Play us a song!" only to sneer with disdain when he couldn't. "Why are you fronting if you can't even play?"

It was that kind of vibe.

An unexplainable, creeping embarrassment.

"What do you want for dinner?" Koyuki asked quietly as the three of them walked back to the inn.

"Anything?"

"Of course not. I can't afford anything expensive."

Koyuki turned away slightly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear in a rare display of shyness. "Well… let's call it a celebration for your first day on the job."

"A celebration, huh…"

Naruto thought for a moment, then smiled. "In that case, I should be treating you. How about some barbecue?"

Koyuki blinked. "BBQ?"

"Yeah… I'll show you what I can do. Come on!"

Naruto grinned, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the crowd.

Koyuki gasped softly, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. Her heart pounded, but instinctively, she tightened her grip on his hand and followed the boy as he ran through the busy street.

In that moment, both of them tacitly ignored the fact that Sandayu was trailing behind them, left frozen in place like a statue.

Watching the two of them run off, joyful and hand-in-hand, even someone as slow as Sandayu could tell something was off.

His little Princess Koyuki… might actually be getting stolen away by this blond brat.

But what about the Land of Snow?

And… it's only been two days!

Two days and things were already moving this fast?

Sandayu stood rooted in place, a mess of conflicting emotions.

But no one paid him any mind. Naruto held onto Koyuki's small, soft hand as they darted through the crowd.

"I… I can't run anymore!" Koyuki gasped, breathless. Just as the words left her mouth, her balance gave out. In a swift motion, Naruto scooped her into his arms.

With a whoosh, he leapt onto a tall utility pole and bounded across rooftops and poles along the roadside, heading straight for the farmer's market they'd passed earlier.

Koyuki shrank slightly in his arms, but her wide eyes never left his face that clean, handsome face as if trying to etch this moment into her heart.

Feeling her intense gaze, Naruto glanced down at her.

"Do I look good?"

"Mm…"

For once, Koyuki wasn't being tsundere. She nodded, cheeks burning red.

"Have you ever carried another girl like this?"

"No."

"Oh…" Her eyes turned dreamy, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

But then, as if something occurred to her, that joy slowly dimmed from her face.

"Don't ruin a happy moment by thinking about sad things," Naruto said.

Koyuki's face turned red again, flustered and annoyed. "How the heck are you always this perceptive?!"

Naruto chuckled. That was a gift from Kurama, after all.

The Nine-Tails always claimed to be the embodiment of hatred, able to sense malice but that wasn't the whole truth.

Kurama possessed an extraordinary sensory ability that went far beyond detecting chakra. He could read emotions with uncanny accuracy.

And having endured centuries of war, betrayal, and hatred, he had grown especially sensitive to dark feelings.

Unlike other tailed beasts, Kurama didn't need to fight to sense someone's true inner nature he could see through the deepest, darkest corners of the human heart.

In the original story, Kurama always sensed the darkness inside the Crown Prince, and even threw a tantrum when that darkness disappeared.

So naturally, Naruto who inherited Kurama's chakra also inherited this remarkable gift of perception.

So no…

Embodiment of Hatred ✗

Sassy Fox Spirit ✓

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NEXT CHAPTERS: Opening the Heart's Knot

is a warm and emotionally resonant chapter that takes a gentle break from the fast-paced action of earlier scenes. Set against the crackling firelight of a forest night, it paints a tender, almost cinematic portrait of growing trust and quiet intimacy between Naruto and Princess Koyuki (formerly known as Fujikaze Yukie).

Blending heartfelt dialogue with vivid sensory details like the scent of roasted lamb and the chill of dawn it captures a rare, peaceful moment in the lives of two characters shaped by conflict and duty. Naruto's down-to-earth wisdom, wrapped in humorous banter and culinary know-how, meets Koyuki's vulnerability as she begins to shed the weight of her past. Their dynamic shifts from playful teasing to quiet confessions, laying the groundwork for a deeper connection.

This chapter is not only emotionally rewarding but rich in cultural texture, making it a standout moment in the narrative one that invites readers to pause, breathe, and feel. A must-read for fans who enjoy character-driven storytelling with real emotional stakes.

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