In Konoha, This Naruto Has Decided To Take It Easy

"I really don't know anything." There was fear of him deep in Yakumo's eyes, and her voice was trembling.

Genjutsu had no effect on him, and she couldn't beat him in a fight. What made it worse was that Naruto didn't just hit her… he really hit her in the face. The swelling wouldn't go down for days.

A slap from Naruto not only causes extreme pain, but also came with a magical sting.

"Mm-hmm." Naruto was busy training Ido and had little interest in Yakumo herself, barely even giving her a proper look.

It wasn't that she wasn't pretty. Now that she is older, Yakumo's pale face had a sickly hue with a hint of red. Her large eyes were misty and soft, and she had delicate, curved eyebrows.

It was just that the reward for option one is too good for him, so his mind was all on Ido. After all, Ido's Prophecy was better than even Izanagi.

If he missed out on this once-in-a-millennium system loophole, he'd probably slap himself awake in the middle of the night.

Therefore, in comparison, the black-stockinged, 18-year-old Yakumo seemed slightly less appealing.

"I'll come again next time." Naruto said casually, not caring about Yakumo's expression as he waved dismissively and walked away.

Plop, plop.

Yakumo clutched the hem of her clothes, tears of humiliation and fear spilling from the corners of her eyes, dripping onto the ground and wetting the soil beneath her feet.

She now regretted calling him a 'lackey' so confidently before. Now, she couldn't even keep up the tough act.

…

The next day.

Naruto opened his eyes to the sound of knocking.

He stepped on the floor with bare feet almost mechanically, opened the door with a click, and squinted sleepily as he made his way through the dimly lit living room to the entrance.

Sakura was standing outside the door, wearing a warm dress with black stockings. A gust of cold wind blew, and she flashed a sweet smile.

"Another day off?" Naruto, with his hair messy, raised an eyebrow.

"Nope." Sakura replied as she brushed past him, leaving behind a faint floral fragrance, "Didn't you mention you had something to do today? I'm on my way to work, so I thought I'd remind you not to forget."

"Thanks." Naruto, still in his pajamas, flopped down on the couch. His blonde hair covered his forehead, with his sharp features standing out.

The living room was dimly lit, as he hadn't bothered to pull the curtains open. There wasn't a sour smell lingering in the air, though. Instead, there was a faint woody scent, and the room had a quiet, shadowy feel.

Naruto casually turned on the table lamp on the corner of the couch. A soft, warm yellow light spread like threads, weaving through the space and casting a cozy glow over a third of the living room.

Though he looked slouched and idle, there was something intensely alive about him. It was as if the soul lounging on the couch was vibrant and full of heat, needing only a spark of light to ignite fully.

Sakura stood there watching for a moment. Her heart skipped a beat, and a sudden wave of nervousness washed over her. She felt like this man had secrets, ones that could never be told to anyone.

"Have you had breakfast?" Sakura asked as she pulled out a bento box, not waiting for Naruto's answer, "Eel rice?"

"Although it might seem strange to eat that in the morning, but I made it myself, so it shouldn't taste too bad. For some reason, I just really felt like eating it today."

"Sure." Naruto wasn't picky. He got up and headed to the bathroom to wash up.

This was one of the differences between Sakura and the others. If it were Hinata, she'd bring Naruto the breakfast he liked. If it were Ino, she'd come over and make it fresh on the spot.

Perhaps because of Dark Sakura's dominance over the body, Naruto could clearly sense where her life's focus lay. She was like a green sprout, full of a warm, vibrant love for everything.

Whether it was a sudden craving for eel rice or teasing him for fun, Sakura never hesitated. It was like the willow catkins floating in the breeze in early spring. When they landed on you, they were just a fleeting itch in life.

She did what she wanted to do, ate what she wanted to eat, and loved who she wanted to love.

For Sakura, life was finite. With a metaphorical ticking clock hanging over her head, she couldn't afford to ignore the itch in her heart. If she didn't scratch it now, there might not be a next time.

Who had time to wonder if eating eel rice for breakfast was weird? Or whether the person she liked would only love her?

To outsiders, having a dual personality seemed like an interesting experience, but to Dark Sakura herself, it was like living in a horror movie.

Once, she had secretly gone to a movie theater alone to watch a horror film with comedic elements. The movie started with the foolish heroine being possessed by a ghost.

The audience sat in silence, watching the screen in dim light. Only when the ghost who had stolen the heroine's body went from joyful to anxious to scared, eventually crying alone under a blanket, did they collectively burst into laughter.

Sakura, however, didn't laugh. The flickering light from the screen cast shadows on her face, giving her a particularly serious expression. She didn't understand what was so funny. In fact, she felt a sense of fear.

In her understanding, she was that ghost burdened with original sin, the one who had taken over the heroine's body. The difference between a human and a ghost, after all, was merely who held control over the body.

Once you have a body, you become human. And if you lose it, you turn into a ghost. After becoming human, naturally, you develop fears, like the fear of losing that body.

Sakura hadn't told Naruto about her movie experience. She didn't need to, as she already knew what his response would be. If she told someone else, they'd either look at her in confusion or offer some comforting words.

But Naruto would just lazily tell her, "Don't watch useless stuff."

"Actually, before I came over, I was worried you might find it weird. After all, who eats eel rice in the morning?" Sakura said as she brought over chopsticks from the kitchen and lowered her head to open the bento box.

"There's nothing weird about it. Just don't say anything when you catch me eating ice cream first thing in the morning."

"Oh, really?" Sakura believed him completely. If someone else had said that, it might have sounded like they were just comforting her. But since Naruto said it, she figured it was probably true.

The two of them dug into the eel rice, chatting casually as they ate. There was talk and laughter, and the atmosphere was as harmonious as ever. Recently, they'd been eating together often.

Ino, with her pride, wouldn't just drop by without a reason, and Hinata was too shy to come see Naruto alone anymore. Sakura didn't mind, so she took advantage of the situation.

Even though she was always the one cooking, she didn't feel tired because she enjoyed it too. She also changed up the menu each time, making something new.

For her, it was just a matter of cooking in a different place. And Naruto didn't mind not cooking. He didn't want to put in the effort or even go downstairs, so they had established this harmonious meal-sharing relationship.

Naruto always got a free meal, though occasionally he would bring Sakura something to eat from outside. But Sakura didn't care. Naruto had refused to let her buy the apartment next door, so she didn't have much use for her money anyway.

After finishing breakfast, Naruto stood at the sink in his slippers, washing dishes. He looked indifferent, but his actions were swift and efficient, and it didn't take him long to wash the dishes for two people.

Though he was lazy, he wasn't unwilling to do anything. Whenever Sakura cooked, he would take it upon himself to wash the dishes and clean up afterward.

In fact, he could have easily asked Sakura to do it, and she wouldn't have refused. But it never crossed his mind. Sincerity, he believed, was his trump card. He had never treated Sakura differently, even in small matters like dishwashing.