Chapter 146 Opening the Door to a New World

"What? Don't talk nonsense!"

Jiraiya was startled, his white hair, originally tied in a braid, bristled like a hedgehog. He quickly turned his head and, seeing that the other party was a yellow-haired youth and not a Konoha enforcement Ninja, he slightly relaxed, revealing a face full of "regret": "Kid, you've disturbed my inspiration for gathering material, do you know that—

"Gathering material?"

"Is peeking at others bathing considered gathering material?"

Naruto's gaze swept over the Make-Out Paradise in Jiraiya's hand.

What else could it be but Kakashi Hatake's favorite dirty book?

Jiraiya flipped to the ground, dusted off his clothes, and suddenly summoned a toad from Mount Myōboku. Standing atop the giant, fiery toad's head, he struck an exaggerated pose: "A good question! I am the Sage Hermit of the Mount Myōboku Toads, known as—Lord Jiraiya!"

Naruto wore a look of disdain: "—Who asked for your name?! And your name is too long!"

"Let's just call you Perverted Sage."

"Perverted Sage?"

"Brat, how dare you speak to one of the Legendary Sannin like that!"

"Wait—"

Jiraiya suddenly leaned close to Naruto, staring at his forehead protector and the whisker marks on his cheeks, deep in thought: "So that's it… You're that Nine-Tailed brat."

Naruto nodded and said, "That's me, but I'm not a brat."

"Stop peeking into the women's bath, or I'll tell Hokage Grandpa."

After speaking, Naruto, carrying his bag, prepared to go home and make curry rice.

Normally, errands like buying groceries were handled by a Shadow Clone.

He also rarely detoured through the hot spring street.

One can only say that fate works in mysterious ways.

It was precisely because of a series of coincidences that Naruto encountered Jiraiya, who was returning home from his travels.

"Hey, kid, are you just leaving like that?" Jiraiya was stunned.

"Otherwise, Perverted Sage?"

"??"

Jiraiya always felt something was off.

It seemed like something was supposed to happen.

"The Chunin Exams main event is in one month. Don't you want to become stronger, don't you want to further master the Nine-Tailed's power?"

Jiraiya quickly asked.

"I want to become stronger, but Perverted Sage, you can't teach me anything."

"As for mastering the Nine-Tailed's power, I promised Kurama that I would give him freedom."

"Wait, what do you mean—?"

Jiraiya was instantly stunned.

The amount of information in Naruto's few words was a bit much.

"What do you mean I have nothing to teach you!"

"Kid, do you even know the value of the word 'Sage'? Do you know that I am one of the Legendary Sannin!"

"How many people want to become my disciple but can't find a way."

"Also, don't listen to the Nine-Tailed's incitement and break the seal to release him. He was sealed by your parents—the Fourth Hokage—at a heavy cost!"

Naruto waved his hand without looking back: "See you tomorrow at Training Ground 41 in the back mountain."

Under the setting sun, Jiraiya's silhouette was stretched long.

He watched with his own eyes as Naruto disappeared at the end of the hot spring street, muttering to himself: "Will the Great Toad Sage's prophecy come true for this child?"

Back home, Naruto began to busy himself making curry rice.

Hinata and Karin were also not idle, helping Naruto in the kitchen.

Ino Yamanaka wanted to help, but the kitchen wasn't big enough, and too many people would only cause trouble.

And with her cooking skills, which only produced dark cuisine.

Naruto still advised her to sit quietly by the side and learn.

After eating their fill, Naruto, as usual, walked Hinata and Ino Yamanaka home.

Karin had no home in Konoha Village, so she was temporarily staying at Naruto's house.

Naruto tidied up his original training room and let Karin use it as her bedroom.

Night.

Naruto sat on the rooftop, gazing up at the dazzling starry sky, contemplating something.

"I now have the money from Gato, the great philanthropist, enough to rival a nation, but unfortunately, it's not easy to spend it lavishly."

"It's too troublesome to buy property outside Konoha Village or even the Land of Fire."

"How can I spend money as I please?"

"As more and more people gather, the current house is definitely too small and can't accommodate everyone."

"However, with the housing prices in Konoha Village, becoming a Jonin would probably mean half a lifetime of mortgage payments."

"Should I eliminate Danzo now?"

Naruto thought of many things.

In reality, looking at Konoha Village, there was no Ninja more powerful than Naruto.

As for outside Konoha Village, currently, there are only a few who have truly reached Kage-level strength.

If the Ōtsutsuki and Six Paths-level don't appear, who can contend with Naruto?

"Six Paths-level, Six Paths-level…"

"If I don't become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, don't have Ōtsutsuki bloodline, and don't receive the Six Paths Sage's gift of Six Paths Yin Power and Six Paths Yang Power, how can I reach the Six Paths-level realm?"

In his contemplation, Naruto flipped his hand and pulled out a key.

It was made of black iron, with a strange and ancient design.

It was completely different from the Underground City key that opened the Goblin Slayer World.

"Black Iron-level Underground City…"

"If I open it, it should be a world even lower level than the Goblin Slayer World, right?"

"Let's go take a look, maybe there will be some surprises."

Naruto had never opened the Black Iron-level Underground City key he had obtained from the Goblin Slayer World.

After the Chunin Exams concluded, Naruto finally remembered this Black Iron-level Underground City key.

Because the Goblin Slayer World was targeted by so-called divine players, he temporarily hadn't gone to the Goblin Slayer World.

This caused his level to stagnate during this period.

It was time to open a new Underground City.

Naruto stood up, patted the dust off his pants, climbed off the rooftop, and returned to his room.

Leaving a Shadow Clone sleeping on the bed, Naruto inserted the dark key into the void.

As he twisted it, the void air seemed to sense and hear the feedback of the lock cylinder, and then ripples of space spread out in circles.

Unlike the green vortex of the Goblin Slayer World.

The Black Iron-level Underground City key opened a gray vortex.

Naruto stepped into the vortex.

The scene suddenly changed!

The surrounding environment turned into a village shrouded in night.

[Flower Pillar's Demise]

[Source World: Demon Slayer]

[Recommended Level: 15-25]

[Introduction: At the age of 17 (four years before the main story), Kanae Kochou unexpectedly encountered the current Upper Moon Two, Douma, during a demon extermination mission. She fought him throughout the night and was severely wounded, but was not eaten by him due to the arrival of dawn.]

[Main Quest: Butterfly Dance]

[Quest Content: Save Kanae Kochou, prevent her demise, and kill Upper Moon Two Douma.]

[Quest Reward: 2000 Experience Points, Flower Breathing, 500 Exchange Tickets]

"Oh, so this is the world of Demon Slayer."

"Flower Pillar's Demise, it seems that Douma and Kanae Kochou will appear in this Underground City instance later."

Naruto looked at the pop-up window in front of him.

In the quiet night, a scream suddenly echoed.

At this moment.

A faint, fragrant breeze drifted by, and a beautiful girl with long black hair, pink-purple eyes, wearing a colorful butterfly-patterned haori, and purple butterfly hair clips with reddish-purple edges on both sides of her hair, brushed past Naruto.