Naruto: Naruto's Uchiha girlfriend is too arrogant

Chapter 517 The Preparation of a Surprise

Today's reunion came to a close amidst starkly different atmospheres on both sides.

On Satsuki's side, the atmosphere was as tense as if he were being interrogated.

"You're saying they're just friends?" Satsuki sat in the chair, her gaze sharp enough to pierce through one's soul. "Kankuro, are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure!" Kankuro sat opposite him, his back ramrod straight, his expression stiff as if he were wearing a mask. "Naruto is Gaara's first friend, everyone in Sunagakure knows that! They are indeed very important to each other, but that's just... just the kind of importance between friends!"

As he spoke, he tried to make his voice sound calm and composed, but the fine beads of sweat constantly appearing on his forehead betrayed him.

Zuoyue stared at him, her eyes showing no sign of relaxation.

She had already asked a lot of questions—what is Gaara's attitude when he mentions Naruto? What is Gaara's reaction before Naruto's visit? What will Gaara do when he receives Naruto's letter? Does Gaara do anything strange? Gaara… Kankuro answered every question perfectly.

It's so watertight.

Extremely conservative and cautious, every answer was like a pre-rehearsed script, without a single flaw or extraneous information.

Such a person is either a well-trained spy or has something to hide.

Kankuro was clearly not a well-trained spy.

Looking at his sweaty appearance and his shifty eyes, which prevented him from looking directly at her, Zuo Yue had already come to a conclusion—this guy must be hiding something from her.

And it's something very important; it might even be some secret about Gaara and Naruto.

But she couldn't get the answer out of him; this guy's mouth was much tighter than she had imagined.

"……never mind."

Satsuki stood up, giving Kankuro one last look. Kankuro couldn't help but shiver. "That's enough for today."

She turned and left, leaving Kankuro slumped in his chair, panting heavily.

On Gaara's side, the atmosphere was completely different.

Everything went incredibly smoothly.

"No problem, I'll give you as much as you want!"

Naruto took the small sand crystal, examined it in his hand, and then channeled his chakra into it.

At first, the sand crystal only glowed faintly, like a lit lamp wick. But soon, a strange change occurred—points of light appeared inside the transparent sphere.

Those lights were not ordinary chakra lights; they flickered and flowed, eventually forming a small image inside the sand crystal.

starry sky.

Countless tiny bright spots are scattered on the deep blue background, like a universe sealed in glass.

Naruto was stunned for a moment.

The chakra of the starry sky had completely merged with his body. Sometimes he couldn't understand the principles behind this power, or how it would manifest itself.

But he knew that this kind of thing might be a bit... too fantastical for ordinary people.

He looked up at Gaara.

However, Gaara's face showed no confusion or worry, only an almost overflowing joy.

His eyes were fixed on the tiny crystal, on the flowing starry sky within it, which shone with an astonishing brightness.

"Thank you, Naruto, that's enough."

The time for parting finally came.

"Then I'm leaving. I'll come back to see you soon."

Naruto waved at Gaara. Satsuki stood beside him, his eyes still subtly glancing at Gaara.

"Um."

Gaara nodded without saying anything more.

He simply stood there, watching the two figures disappear from his sight in an instant.

Then, he turned and went back into the room. The moment he closed the door, the calm on his face finally crumbled.

In the room, a figure sat quietly on the edge of the bed.

She was a puppet in the shape of a young girl, with long golden hair carefully styled into two pigtails. She wore a bright orange tracksuit, the style and color of which were exactly the same as the one Naruto usually wore.

"Naruko Uzumaki".

The puppet, created by Kankuro and Granny Chiyo, moved almost like a real person.

She sat there quietly with her eyes closed, without breathing, without a heartbeat, without any sign of life.

But she is so similar, so similar to the person in Gaara's heart.

Gaara walked up to her and stopped.

His hands were trembling slightly as he carefully held the sand crystal containing Naruto's chakra in his palm. It was still warm, carrying the lingering warmth of Naruto.

He took a deep breath, and then slowly placed the sand crystal close to the puppet's body.

Naruto's chakra flowed from the sand crystals and slowly poured into the puppet's drive array.

The puppet's eyes slowly opened.

------

"Naruto... what's wrong?"

At his home in Konoha, Uchiha Satsuki sat on the sofa, watching the busy figures in the kitchen, a feeling of displeasure slowly brewing in his heart.

Just now, she and Naruto were snuggling together affectionately.

That warmth of skin against skin, that intimacy of breath mingling, was something she could never get enough of. Even though she had enjoyed this moment countless times, even though she had spent almost every day like this since their honeymoon, Zuo Yue's desire in this area would never be satisfied.

She wanted more, she always wanted more.

But now, Naruto has left her side.

"Sorry, Satsuki, just a moment."

Naruto spoke without turning his head, his hands moving swiftly to prepare the ingredients. The dough flew in his palms, the broth simmered in the pot, and the aroma quickly filled the entire kitchen.

"Gaara didn't eat much tonight, I'll take it over and be right back."

Satsuki fell silent.

The scene from dinner tonight flashed before her eyes again—the red-haired man sitting at the table, nitpicking the ramen she made, and every word he uttered was a comparison between her and Naruto.

In the end, he barely ate any food before putting down his chopsticks, hungry as he did so.

As Naruto cooked noodles, he was lost in thought, a slight smile unconsciously creeping onto his lips.

As he prepared the ramen, he pondered tonight's events. Gaara's awkward attitude, his obsession with his cooking, and the things he'd said while stargazing...

Naruto felt he had figured things out.

Gaara is truly very dependent on himself.

That kind of dependence is the dependence between friends, but it's more than just ordinary friendship. After all, for someone who had been lonely for more than a decade, Naruto was the first person to enter his heart, the first person to let him know what "bonds" are, and the first person to make him feel that life had meaning.

So he misses Naruto's cooking, not because it tastes particularly special, but because it was Naruto who made it.

So when he saw Satsuki, he felt lost, not because he disliked Satsuki, but because that position originally belonged to him—not the position of a lover, but the position of "the most important person".

Naruto recalled the first time he met Gaara during the Chunin Exams. That boy, radiating murderous intent, was like a wild beast trapped in a cage, filled with hostility towards everyone.

Look at him now.

The Kazekage of Sunagakure, a leader revered by thousands, is calm, composed, rational, and unhurried.

But in front of Naruto, he still shows that childlike expression.

She might throw a tantrum over a meal, her eyes would light up at a sand crystal that stores chakra, and she would cautiously ask, "Come and cook for me next time."

Even though he's already the Kazekage, even though he's powerful enough to protect the entire village, in front of Naruto, he's still the Gaara who was saved back then.

Thinking of this, Naruto couldn't help but laugh.

He suddenly wanted to see what kind of expression Gaara would have if he suddenly appeared in front of him now, holding a steaming bowl of ramen.

They'll be very happy.

It's decided, I'm going to give Gaara a surprise.

Naruto quickened his pace, quickly packing the ramen into a food box, preparing to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport directly there.

Just then, he felt a gaze fall upon him.

He turned around and saw Zuoyue standing behind him, staring at him intently.

There was no anger or questioning in those dark eyes, just a quiet gaze that made him feel inexplicably guilty.

"Satsuki, don't worry." Naruto gave a slightly embarrassed smile. "I'll be back soon, I'm just bringing some food."

He paused, then, remembering how clingy Zuoyue usually was, quickly added, "Don't worry, I absolutely won't neglect Zuoyue. I'll prove it to you in one night when I get back!"

After saying that, he felt a little ashamed and his face turned slightly red.

Seeing his expression, Satsuki couldn't help but sigh. "...Seriously, Naruto is too sensitive."

She stood up, walked over to Naruto, and reached out to straighten his collar. "I trust Naruto; you don't need to make such promises."

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and a smile appeared on his face.

However, Satsuki silently added in her mind.

"But I don't believe that panda had any good intentions."

She looked at Naruto and spoke calmly, "Let me come along. I'll go with Naruto."