Chapter 344: Scheming
Naruto was completely dumbfounded. What was this guy even saying? Was such a reason necessary to cover things up?
"Naruto, is what he said true?"
On the other side, after hearing this unexpected answer, Satsuki first fell silent momentarily, complex emotions flashing through her eyes—first relief like a weight lifted, immediately replaced by new doubts.
She cast a verification-seeking gaze toward Naruto, voice carrying careful probing.
Simultaneously, Sasuke used extremely concealed eye signals toward Boruto—don't speak carelessly.
No helping it... must cover this up now. Naruto forced himself to show a smile as natural as possible. "Yes, right... very incredible, isn't it?"
That heart-palpitating terrible emotion in Satsuki's eyes indeed dissipated, but was replaced by scrutinizing skepticism.
She continued staring at Sasuke afterward, awaiting whether he could provide more powerful evidence to verify this bizarre claim.
"Naruko also has blonde hair and blue eyes," Sasuke unhurriedly continued weaving lies. "However, the hairstyle is very long twin tails."
He even raised his hand, gesturing at both sides of his shoulders indicating the braids' length. "I can describe more specifically, but..." His gaze turned toward Naruto. "I don't want to transform into that appearance—let this world's Naruto do it."
Sasuke slowly spoke these words, tone carrying peculiar composure. Not knowing why, an inexplicable impulse to laugh surged deep within.
"Me?!" Naruto blurted out, voice full of shock. He hadn't expected Sasuke was serious? Was lying necessary to this extent? Naruto pondered, attempting to find room for refusal.
"After all, strictly speaking that's another self," Sasuke's tone became subtle. "Nothing shameful about it." He stepped forward. "Come on, I can describe bit by bit."
At this point, Sasuke's mouth corners finally couldn't help slightly twitching.
Naruto's heart filled with resistance. He really didn't want to cooperate with this increasingly absurd lie. However, when he looked up toward Satsuki, he discovered she wasn't showing any intention to refuse.
On the contrary, Satsuki was staring intently at him, those black eyes revealing a kind of... anticipation?
---
"Yes, about right," Sasuke examined the "Naruko" before him with professional scrutinizing posture. "However, you can't see clearly with eyes closed like this—is such a reaction necessary? The figure still needs adjusting."
Sasuke currently looked completely unafraid of making things worse, continuing serious analysis. Under everyone's gaze, to continue this lie, the blonde blue-eyed youth's figure gradually transformed. Appearing in his place was a girl with brilliant golden long twin tails, azure eyes, and... exceptionally well-developed figure.
"Sasuke..." A female voice came from "Naruko's" mouth, but tone carried obvious suppression. "The matters of this world weren't my doing, right? I was also very surprised back then."
This cute voice formed sharp contrast with Naruto's usual voice. However, Sasuke merely raised an eyebrow, continuing to act without changing expression. "Surprised? I don't understand what you're saying." He made a confused expression. "I've calmly accepted another self—are you still feeling shame about such things?"
Sasuke's heart actually felt quite subtle. Previously seeing this image of Naruto always involved revealing clothing, coquettishly using Sexy Jutsu. Now instead showing such shyness—this was truly his first time witnessing it.
"Still lacking some," Sasuke stepped forward closer. "I said the development situation is better than now. Also, Naruko isn't as timid as you."
"...I understand." "Naruko" took a deep breath, seemingly adjusting her state.
"Mm... pfft."
"Why are you laughing?"
"I'm not laughing." Sasuke rapidly recovered expressionlessness, using the calmest voice to deny.
"You're not laughing?"
"Then you must have heard wrong." Sasuke turned his face away, but subtle twitching at his mouth corners still betrayed him.
Standing aside, Satsuki at this moment seemed to have completely believed this explanation. Because the image Sasuke described was truly too specifically detailed—from the braids' weaving method to clothing style preferences, even some habitual small movements—completely unlike something temporarily fabricated.
This was also Satsuki's first time seeing Naruto in such form...
Her right hand quietly reached toward her waist's ninja tool pouch, fingers lightly opening the side pocket's clasp. The instant "Naruko" turned away from shyness, not daring to directly look at anyone, Satsuki swiftly retrieved her carried compact camera, fingers rapidly and covertly continuously pressing the shutter button.
Satsuki's eyes tightly locked onto the viewfinder, pupils reflecting that golden twin-tailed figure.
So cute... just like a doll...
Satsuki forcibly held back the impulse to rush forward intimately. Honestly, an extremely strong twisted thought surged within.
Wanting to keep this image forever by her side, imprison her, carefully tend to her, then... the thought thoroughly erasing her memories, making her only depend on herself, only look at herself.
Other extreme thoughts of eliminating all other existences flashed through her mind. Her breathing grew slightly rapid. Fingers gripping the camera turned pale from force.
Standing expressionlessly aside, Boruto's heart currently felt somewhat speechless. Though he roughly understood why they needed to deceive this world's "master"—afraid she'd become jealous, right?
But in the end, wasn't this just a clothing-doesn't-disappear version of Sexy Jutsu? Was this world's Dad's reaction necessarily this big?
After once again adjusting transformation details, also perfecting the figure, "Naruko" whispered in a volume only the two could hear: "Sasuke, your personality really has changed considerably over these years."
"Yes," Sasuke merely calmly responded, ignoring the sarcasm within. "This is all your credit."
His expression remained indifferent, but a trace of warmth flashed through his eyes.
"...Should be about enough, right?" Naruto—or rather Naruto in "Naruko" state—said with difficulty. At this moment, inexplicable guilt surged in his heart—though this world's differences weren't his doing, he began vaguely experiencing the absurdity and embarrassment Sasuke had previously undergone.
"...Wait a bit more."
Satsuki softly stopped Naruto's movement. Her gaze still firmly locked onto the "Naruko" before her eyes. After hesitating momentarily, she seemed to feel this degree of contact shouldn't be too transgressive, extending her finger to pinch "Naruko's" cheek.
Just then—
"—Sorry! No time to continue now!"
Suddenly, "Naruko's" expression drastically changed, azure eyes instantly filling with panic. Almost simultaneously, white smoke "poof" rose. The golden twin-tailed girl's image rapidly dissipated. Naruto recovered his original appearance.
No time to explain, Naruto violently pulled out a Flying Thunder God kunai from his ninja tool pouch. Before everyone could react, he only hastily left one sentence, his figure "whoosh" vanishing from his position.
"Urashiki has appeared inside Konoha!"
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