Chapter 86 - 16

Chapter 16: Many Wives, Much Fortune! Orochimaru's Probe!Anko descended from the sky and landed in front of Naruto.She was holding a Kunai, but her expression was complex."Anko..." Orochimaru laughed, "You really still can't bear to part with these children.""They are just students." Anko gritted her teeth, "And you promised it was only a test.""I was indeed only testing them." Orochimaruspread his hands, "However, the results of the test satisfied me greatly. This child..."He looked at Naruto, "Has the value to be 'cultivated'."He turned around, his body beginning to merge into the shadows: "Tell Kushina that her son is very interesting. Perhaps one day, we will officially cooperate. After all... I am also very interested in the 'future'."As Orochimaru disappeared, those snakes also burrowed back into the ground one after another.The forest returned to calm, but everyone remained tense.Anko turned around, looked at Naruto, and opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she only said: "It's fine now. What just happened... was a special test from the school. You all performed very well."But Naruto knew it wasn't.Shikamaru and the others also knew it wasn't.On the way back to the camp, Shikamaru asked in a low voice: "Naruto, that person just now... do you know him?""Not really," Naruto shook his head, "But I have an idea of who he is.""Who?""One of the Sannin, the Cold Orochimaru."Shikamaru gasped.Kiba and Choji also turned pale.Only Shino pushed up his sunglasses: "Data supplement: Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin, specializes in snake-based Ninjutsu, left Konoha many years ago, whereabouts unknown. Danger level: Extremely high.""Then why did he come to test you?" Kiba asked.Naruto was silent.He couldn't talk about the ivy project and the Five Kage Summit yet."Maybe it's because I'm the Fourth Hokage's son. After all, my goal is to become the new Hokage, and he might want to see if I have that potential."He found a reasonable excuse.Returning to his team's camp, the girls were already frantic.Seeing Naruto return, Hinata rushed over and hugged him: "Naruto-kun! Are you okay! I, I was so worried..."Izumi checked if Naruto was injured: "What exactly happened? Teacher Kurenai only said there was an emergency and told us to stay here and not move."Sakura, Ino, and Tenten also gathered around.Naruto briefly explained the situation, naturally omitting Orochimaru's name and true intentions, only saying it was a "special examiner from the school.""That's too much!" Ino stomped her foot, "Who scares people like that!"Tenten frowned: "Was that examiner really using snakes? My dad said that very few Ninja use snakes..."Izumi's Sharingan rotated slightly.She looked at Naruto, seemingly having sensed something, but she didn't pursue it further.That night, no one slept well.The next morning, Anko announced that the field training had ended early.On the way back to the Village, she walked specifically by Naruto's side."Um..." she said in a low voice, "About yesterday, you didn't seem surprised at all! Don't you want to ask anything?"Naruto looked up at her."You all already discussed it beforehand, what else is there for me to ask."Anko's expression was complex, filled with guilt and struggle.Then she looked into the distance, "Lord Orochimaru... was once my teacher. He taught me Ninjutsu and also taught me to see the other side of the world. But some paths, once you walk them, there is no turning back."She crouched down, meeting Naruto's eyes: "Naruto, there are many people around you who cherish you. Don't let them down, and don't... become someone like my teacher. Being strong is important, but what's more important is knowing why you are strong."After finishing, she stood up and walked to the front of the group, returning to that boisterous manner: "Hurry up, you brats! We still have to write training reports when we get back!"...After returning to the Village, Naruto went straight home.Minato and Kushina were both waiting for him."I heard you encountered a'special test'?" Minatoasked.Naruto nodded: "It was Orochimaru."Kushina's expression turned cold: "He really did come after all. But it seems he didn't have any malicious intent?""He said he just wanted to see what I was made of," Naruto reported truthfully, "He also said he was 'very satisfied' with me and might want to cooperate in the future."Minato and Kushina exchanged a look."What do you think, Naruto?" Minato asked.Naruto thought for a moment: "He is very dangerous, but he is not an enemy... at least not right now. Moreover, he seems to know many things.""Smart," Kushina patted her son's head, "Orochimaru is the most knowledgeable among the Sannin; he knows many ancient secrets. His leaving Konoha, rather than calling it betrayal, it would be better to say he went to seek some kind of 'truth'. And we... might need his knowledge."She paused: "But you don't need to worry about these things yet. You worked hard today; Mom will make your favorite miso soup."At dinner, the family of three sat around the dining table.Kushina kept putting food on Naruto's plate, and Minato talked about interesting things at the Hokage Building today, as if nothing had happened during the day.But Naruto knew that some things had already changed.Orochimaru's appearance meant that his identity as the "Child of Prophecy" was being discovered by more and more people.And danger would also follow one after another.Before going to bed, Naruto stood in front of the window, watching the twinkling stars in the night sky.Naruto, oh Naruto, he said to himself in his heart, you originally only wanted to live peacefully, but now it seems this path is destined not to be peaceful.However...He looked at the nightstand, where a photo was placed.It was a group photo of him with Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, and Shino before the last field training.In the photo, Kiba had his arm around his neck making a funny face, Choji was eating chips, Shikamaru looked reluctant, Shino was pushing up his sunglasses, and he was smiling brightly in the middle.Also under the pillow, the amulet Hinata secretly slipped him; on the desk, the plant specimen Sakura gave him; hanging on the wall, the target Tenten used when teaching him to throw shuriken; and in the closet, the jacket Izumi gave him, embroidered with the Uchiha fan pattern.And Ino's... Temari's...