When Naruto said he was leaving the village, Hinata turned toward him.
Her Byakugan eyes were filled with reluctance.
But what surprised everyone the most—was Sasuke's reaction.
He stood up abruptly, eyes sharp and focused on Naruto.
"Naruto! Where are you going? Take me with you! Konoha's such a boring place—if I stay here any longer, I'll never break through my limits. I'd rather follow you..."
Over the past two years, Sasuke had been training under Naruto and had clearly benefited.
His strength far exceeded what it had been in the original timeline.
His Sharingan had reached two tomoe, and his overall ability was already nearing elite jōnin level.
However, Naruto rejected him outright—just as bluntly as always.
"What use would you be? You're too weak right now. If you come with me, you'd only be a burden. Go improve your strength first."
Sasuke's face flushed bright red at that.
But since it was Naruto who said it, he couldn't argue.
No matter how much he hated to admit it, the fact that Naruto was far stronger than him was undeniable.
Still, Naruto offered him a path: "Kakashi-sensei is strong. You can learn a lot from him. Beat him first—then come talk to me."
"Kakashi?" Sasuke thought of that unreliable, white-haired, droopy-eyed man.
'If it's just that guy, with my talent, beating him shouldn't take too long.'
Though Sasuke was timid before Naruto, just thinking his next challenge was Kakashi made him feel confident again.
After finishing their barbecue, Naruto walked out of the restaurant.
Behind him came Chōji's familiar, hearty voice.
"Naruto, wait up."
Naruto paused and turned around.
Chōji walked over and handed him a small transparent box.
"This is our clan's secret medicine. If you run into danger out there, take them in order—green to red."
Naruto took the box.
Through the clear case, he could see three differently colored pills lying inside.
Chōji began explaining their effects.
"The green one is the Spinach Pill—it gives you incredible strength."
"The yellow one is the Curry Pill—it lets you freely control the size of any part of your body."
"The red one is the Pepper Pill—it gives you a massive burst of chakra, forming butterfly wings on your back."
"But be careful. The Pepper Pill has serious side effects. If you don't finish the fight before it wears off..."
Naruto patted Chōji on the shoulder with a grin.
Of the three pills, it wasn't the Pepper Pill's explosive power that caught Naruto's eye.
It was the Curry Pill in the middle.
Being able to freely control the size of any part of your body—that was a pretty great ability.
The first time he watched Naruto, he never imagined that the "butterfly" in Ino-Shika-Chō referred to the Akimichi Clan's bulky forms.
"Thanks, Chōji." Naruto thanked him and turned to leave.
But then a thought struck him.
"There's only one Curry Pill... that's not nearly enough!"
Turning back, he slung his arm around Chōji's shoulder with a smile.
"So, uh... Chōji, do you have more Curry Pills? I'll buy all you've got."
Chōji scratched his head. "Naruto, what do you need that many Curry Pills for?"
Naruto chuckled, naturally not revealing the true reason.
In the end, Naruto walked away with a whole bottle of Curry Pills from Chōji.
He gave it a shake—there were at least a hundred inside.
Before leaving, Naruto reminded him again.
"Chōji, stockpile more Curry Pills. I'll probably be buying more later."And with that, he left fully satisfied.
Chōji stared at Naruto's back until it disappeared from view, still baffled as to why Naruto wanted so many Curry Pills.
Back at the Academy, Chōji had often been mocked as a "fat pig" because of his eating habits and weight.
He still clearly remembered how Naruto had taken down the bullies in mere seconds back then.
As Naruto walked down the street, a small tail trailed behind him.
He didn't even need to look—he knew it was Hinata.
Over the past few years, Hinata had taken Naruto's advice and never restrained her appetite.
With proper nutrition, her body had matured faster than in the original timeline. The "signs" were already showing.
Add to that her long hair, and she looked both cute and... alluring.
Naruto stopped walking, and Hinata caught up.
She had just remembered that Naruto was leaving the village—and that she might not see him for a long time.
Acting on impulse, she had followed him.
But now that she had caught up, she didn't know what to say or do.
Seeing her flushed, anxious expression, Naruto couldn't help but reach out and gently ruffle her hair.
That single touch turned her face bright red.
"Come on, Hinata. I'll walk you home." Naruto withdrew his hand and broke the silence.
As the warmth on her head faded, Hinata felt a little disappointed.
She nodded obediently and gave a soft "Mm."
The two walked side by side through the village, heading toward the Hyūga Clan compound.
"Naruto-kun... will you be gone for a long time this time?" Hinata asked softly.
Naruto thought for a moment. "Probably. There's a lot I need to handle. By the time I get back... you might already be all grown up."
"That long...?" Hinata lowered her head in disappointment, knowing she wouldn't see Naruto for a while.
As they chatted, they soon arrived at the Hyūga Clan grounds.
Hinata mustered her courage and looked up at him."Naruto-kun... please be safe. I... I'll wait for you to come back."
Naruto raised a brow and smiled lightly.
"Yeah. I will."
The next day—at the main gate of Konoha.
Naruto looked out past the village walls, emotions swirling in his chest.
It had been over twelve years since he transmigrated to this world.
Twelve years, trapped inside this tiny Hidden Leaf Village.
He had endured endless hatred and scorn.
But today—he was finally going to taste freedom.
As he stepped toward the gate with steady footsteps, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.
"Collection quest activated: Collect the blood of twelve Kekkei Genkai-wielding shinobi.Current progress: 0/12."
The system's announcement made Naruto pause slightly.
Collect twelve Kekkei Genkai?
He raised his right hand, formed a sword seal, and condensed a chakra scalpel, slicing his left index finger.
Before the blood could even start dripping, the wound began healing at a visible rate.
With Naruto's current physique, even if he cut himself, the wound would heal before he could make it to the hospital.
Thankfully, he could suppress his regeneration and lower his cell activity—otherwise he wouldn't even be able to get his appendix removed.
He struggled to squeeze out a single drop of blood for the system to absorb.
The wound then healed instantly.
Current progress: 2/12
He had both Uzumaki and Senju bloodlines in his body—two Kekkei Genkai down just like that.
Naruto turned back to look into the village.
Should he collect the Kekkei Genkai still inside Konoha first?
Or head out and search elsewhere?