Chapter 155 - 21

Chapter 21: He's so cute, he must be a boy, but I don't mindBefore Sasuke could figure it out, Naruto, who had been standing by the side, suddenly moved.[Ding! Detected the appearance of a key plot character, "Haku".][Triggered Ninja World Sharp Critique/Interaction options.][Option A: Expose the opponent as Zabuza's accomplice on the spot and mock their faked death technique for being too pathetic. Reward: Haku's hostility +100, Zabuza's awakening probability +50%.][Option B: Remain silent and watch the situation unfold. Reward: Title "Ninja Turtle" (Stamina +10, but prone to turning green at critical moments).][Option C: Ignore their identity, step forward to flirt, and question their gender. Reward: Fluctuations in Haku's Favorability/Shame levels.]Naruto looked at the figure standing on the treetop.Although they were wearing a mask, this figure, this temperament...The system truly does not deceive me.Ninja Turtle? Not even a dog would want that.Since it's the "family prosperity system," I must naturally implement the core policy of "as long as they look good, gender is not an issue.""Um..."Naruto suddenly spoke, breaking the somewhat serious atmosphere.He ignored Kakashi's alertness and Sasuke's confusion, stepping directly toward that tree."Shorty up there, come down."Haku, on the tree, was stunned for a moment.Shorty?Although he wasn't very old, he was considered a standard height among his peers."Is there something I can help you with?" Haku remained polite. "I need to take Zabuza's body away; those are the rules."After speaking, Haku prepared to use Body Flicker to jump down to the water and retrieve the body.Shua!A golden afterimage tore through the air without warning.Haku's movements froze mid-air.So fast!He couldn't see the movement trajectory at all.By the time Haku reacted, the blonde boy was already standing on the branch beside him. The distance between them was excessively close, almost nose-to-mask.Haku instinctively wanted to retreat, only to find that his path back had been completely locked down by the other's presence."You..."Just as Haku was about to speak, a hand reached out.Naruto naturally tilted up the chin of Haku's wave-patterned mask.There was no killing intent.Only a sense of aggression that made one's heart race and face flush."Your skin is quite fair."Naruto leaned in closer, his nostrils flaring slightly as if he were inspecting some high-grade ingredient."Tsk tsk tsk, this is the Hidden Mist Village's Hunter-nin Force?"Naruto's other hand leaned against the tree trunk, directly trapping Haku between himself and the tree.A standard tree-don.Below, Kakashi was dumbfounded.Sasuke and Sakura's jaws nearly hit the ground.What is he doing?That's an enemy! That's the mysterious Ninja who just insta-killed Zabuza!You're openly flirting with them on the battlefield?Haku was completely frozen.As Zabuza's tool, he was used to killing, used to indifference, and even used to death.But he had never encountered this kind of... rogue."Please... please show some respect," Haku's voice held a hint of panic. "I am a male."This was his most commonly used shield.Usually, once he said this, most people would show expressions of disgust or disappointment and back away.But Naruto was not "most people.""A male?"The smile on Naruto's face grew even wider. He looked Haku up and down, his gaze sweeping over the other's slender waist and long neck without reservation."What does being male or female have to do with anything?"Naruto leaned into Haku's ear, his warm breath brushing against the sensitive auricle."As long as you look good, isn't something like gender just a decoration?"Boom!It felt as if something had exploded in Haku's mind.Under the mask, his face instantly turned red down to the roots of his ears.What... what kind of scandalous words are these?"And besides."Naruto grabbed a lock of Haku's long hair and brought it to his nose to sniff."This scent on you... it's the fragrance of snow lotus mixed with high-end milk body wash, isn't it?""A Hunter-nin who rolls around in piles of corpses all day and is responsible for disposing of bodies—instead of the smell of death, you're actually fragrant?"Naruto let go of the hair, his fingers sliding down to clasp Haku's wrist.His fingertips pressed against the other's pulse."Let me see, why is your heart beating so fast?"Naruto smiled like a fox that had successfully stolen a chicken."Is it because you ran too fast just now, or because you're struck by my handsomeness?"Haku's heart was indeed beating very fast.So fast it felt like it was going to leap out of his throat.It wasn't because of attraction, but because of an unprecedented sense of shame.He was a tool!An emotionless tool!Why was he thrown into such disarray by a few words from this blonde boy?And...The hand Naruto used to clasp his wrist had fingertips that were faintly stroking the skin on the inside of his wrist. That electric numbness shot straight from his arm to his brain."Let go!"Haku could finally no longer maintain his composure.He jerked his hand back, his Chakra exploding as he propelled himself backward.If he stayed any longer, he felt he would faint from a lack of oxygen."I'm taking Zabuza's body!"Haku didn't even dare to look at Naruto again, hurriedly landing on the water and grabbing Zabuza's corpse.Shua!A gust of wind swirled.Haku disappeared instantly with Zabuza.No matter how you looked at it, that departing figure carried a hint of panicked flight.[Ding! Interaction successful!][Haku's Favorability System has been activated. Shame +50. Current status: Overwhelmed with shame and indignation.]Naruto stood on the branch, watching the direction Haku disappeared, and whistled happily."The feel was quite nice."He raised his hand and sniffed the lingering fragrance on his fingertips."Next time we meet, I definitely have to strip that mask off and maybe put him in some women's clothes."The trio below was completely petrified.Sakura's finger trembled as she pointed at Naruto: "Nar... Naruto, just now... that was a guy, right? That masked person said he was a guy, right?""Yeah."Naruto jumped down from the tree, acting as if it were perfectly natural."So what?""..."Sakura was speechless.She suddenly felt that in the future, the scope of people she needed to guard against Naruto might need to double.Kakashi looked in the direction Haku disappeared, his brow furrowed.Although Naruto's behavior was outrageous, he had also noticed something slightly off just now.There really was no scent of blood on that Hunter-nin.And the way the body was taken away was too gentle.Usually, Hunter-nin Forces dispose of the body on the spot and only take the head.Could it be...Just as Kakashi was about to look deeper into it, a sudden sharp pain hit his brain.The side effects of overusing the Sharingan had finally exploded.Plus, the Great Waterfall Technique from earlier had almost drained his Chakra."Oh no..."Kakashi's vision went black.He tried to maintain his Jonin dignity and coolly arrange the follow-up tasks."Everyone... let's head back to Mr. Tazuna's house first..."Before he could finish his sentence.Thump.Konoha's Number One Technician fell straight to the ground like a sack full of potatoes."Kakashi-sensei!"Sakura let out a scream and rushed over.Sasuke was also startled and quickly stepped forward to check.Only Naruto stood there, hands in his pockets, with a look of disdain."He's down already?"Naruto shook his head."I told you he had a kidney deficiency, but you guys didn't believe me."