"Eat as much as you want! It's my treat today!" After devouring three large bowls of tonkotsu ramen, Naruto looked at his companions and noticed they were a bit reserved. He quickly encouraged them with enthusiasm.
Sasuke and Sakura had only eaten one bowl each, and Shikamaru and Ino did the same.
Hinata had just half a bowl, her face flushed red.
Only Chōji's bowl stack was piled up high. Kiba was still in the hospital, Shino had declined the invite, and Team Guy had already gone off to train.
As for Karin, it seemed she had a bunch of registration procedures to go through, and had been taken away by a coughing jonin. Guess he'd have to invite her next time.
Something that went against "typical Naruto logic" was that Naruto wasn't actually short on money, setting aside the fact that Jiraiya later took it to find girls, at the beginning of the story his apartment was quite modern, and he even had a private training room.
"You think everyone's a glutton like you?" Sakura teased. "By the way, how did the Chunin Exams end up like this?"
Shikamaru drank the last of his soup and explained, "Suna and Orochimaru launched an attack on us. Luckily, we won."
"I want another bowl!" Chōji was completely immersed in the joy of eating.
"But what about our exam? Can we still be promoted to chunin? Are we really going to have to go back to the Ninja Academy?"
"That might not be a bad thing," Shikamaru scratched his head and frowned. "With the new system, normal graduation already makes you a chunin. Senior students still have to handle village missions. Really, it just means genin are limited to activities within the village. And even if we do go back to the Ninja Academy, it would have to wait until the new campus is built."
"Wow, you know so much," Sakura said in admiration.
"Maybe we won't be promoted this time," Ino rested her chin on her hand, thinking. "Naruto's really impressive now."
"Hehe, it's because I have an amazing teacher!" Naruto proudly adjusted his forehead protector and beamed. "He was actually my dad's teacher back in the day."
"Who's Naruto's father?" Sakura asked curiously. Everyone looked at him, clearly interested.
"Gramps said it's still a secret for now."
"Aww, how mysterious." Sakura pouted, not satisfied. "Don't tell me it's some big shot."
Hinata had mustered up great courage to even accept the dinner invitation. She didn't dare join in the boasting and banter, only sneaking glances at Naruto.
Sasuke, feeling overshadowed, didn't talk much. His feelings were complicated, in a cliché way, you could say he was torn between worrying that Naruto was suffering, and being jealous that he was living the good life.
Whatever. Time to train ten times harder. An Uchiha had to rely on himself.
After everyone left, Naruto was about to head home to study that "balloon" jutsu when he noticed someone was still following him.
"Huh? Hinata? What's up?" He turned around with a grin, scratching his head.
"Th-thank you, Naruto, for today," Hinata said, blushing and unable to meet his overly bright smile.
"No problem! We're all friends!"
"Mm… I'll head back now. I want to visit Neji-niisan. We owe him a lot too."
Naruto thought to himself, Hinata sure is polite.
She went back, and had to eat more later. Half a bowl really was barely anything.
---
Somewhere in a cave, Black Zetsu shouted at the mysterious killer.
"Obito! Obito! Bad news, we've been exposed!"
The news of Konoha's major reforms and the Chunin Exam incident involving Suna had reached the distant Land of Rain. Even the new edition of the Konoha Jonin Handbook had been acquired by Black Zetsu.
This "Manual for Dealing with Evil Organizationswas" truly... evil. It completely targeted them.
The abilities of the Akatsuki members had been fully exposed, even Obito's powers were detailed. Fortunately, his true identity hadn't been revealed, otherwise, the disguise of Madara wouldn't hold up anymore.
If they had used Obito's real identity from the start… it would have been nearly impossible to get Pain to follow his lead. Same for Kisame, that situation could spiral out of control too.
"There must be a mole," Obito muttered as he flipped through the stolen handbook.
"Is it Itachi? Only his intel was written very vaguely," Black Zetsu guessed. He had long suspected that Itachi was harboring ulterior motives.
"No. Itachi couldn't have known everyone's intel, this even includes specific details about Pain."
"There are only two people in the organization who know all of this."
"You don't mean..."
"That's right, it's Pain himself!" Obito deduced.
"What?!" Black Zetsu was shocked.
Obito nodded in confirmation. "Only someone in the position of leader could know this much. And only he would know some of my abilities. Seems like all these years, he's been secretly observing me."
"That makes sense," Black Zetsu nodded hesitantly.
"Looks like he's making his move. He's probably trying to test me," Obito continued. "He's never trusted us, and I don't trust him either."
Black Zetsu tried to argue that something was off, if Pain was the one leaking intel, why would he include information about himself?
"By the way," Obito added, "why does it say you're desperate for familial affection? Aren't you supposed to be a manifestation of Madara's will?"
"Haha! Looks like Pain has some misunderstandings about me! Now that our intel is exposed, we need to be cautious. Should we try testing his attitude?"
---
In Ame, rain flowed down the towering steel structures, the tops of the towers vanishing into the mist and rain, cold and desolate.
Inside one of the towers, Nagato's body was supported by a complex mechanical apparatus. His pale face looked even more haggard under the dim lighting, and his Rinnegan eyes held doubt and confusion.
"How did the intel get so thoroughly exposed? I don't even know all the other members' secrets."
Konan stood nearby, holding a scroll in her hand. Paper slips fluttered gently around her.
"It must be Madara. I've suspected he was plotting something from the beginning."
Her gaze fell on Nagato's weakened body, and a flicker of complex emotion crossed her eyes. "In light of this, should we change our plan?"
Nagato thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No. Even if our intel is exposed, they are no match for gods. Pain is invincible. Move up the plan to capture the tailed beasts."
"But the intel on the other members has been exposed…"
"It doesn't matter. They were just a bunch of missing-nin to begin with," Nagato said coldly. "Prepare the Magic Lantern Body Technique. Summon everyone. The tailed beast capture plan begins now."
"Understood," Konan nodded.
Since Nagato had already made his decision, even if she had doubts, she wouldn't go against him.