Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 346 Setting Off on a Trip

The application was approved in the blink of an eye, because if Naruto hadn't run fast enough, he might have been conscripted by the gloomy-faced Tsunade again.

"You only have one day, no more. The weather is bad this year, and I don't know if the Daimyo will send ninjas," Tsunade explained reluctantly.

"I know, I promise I won't go over time." Naruto waved his hand and jumped out of the window, thoughtfully closing it behind him.

He remembered that the Land of Demons was located in the south, so it certainly wouldn't be as cold as Konoha in the north, right? Who knew that his weakened constitution would cause him to be so sensitive to the cold? Maybe he should just put a few chakra seals on his body; this life was just too unbearable. However, he could only think about such things. Apart from the "Source Core" that had to be temporarily sealed, as long as it was within his tolerance, he would never allow himself to have any more power shackles placed on him.

He was truly prepared for battle at all times. The world had changed a lot, and even he himself dared not predict whether the future would remain unchanged. To this day, he still hadn't found the great hidden danger lurking in the shadows. As long as Otsutsuki Isshiki, Jigen, this dangerous figure who almost caused his and Sasuke's downfall and was ultimately defeated only with Kurama's sacrifice, was still alive, he could not let his guard down.

Thinking this, Naruto lightly landed in the bustling main street of Konoha. Since the temperature dropped below zero, he had basically been using the Flying Thunder God Technique to get in and out, except for necessary shopping, and hadn't ventured out at all. It had been a long time since he'd gone out, and he still had to pick out gifts for Shion and the others, so he didn't mind being seen bundled up like a bear.

Before he became a ninja, what would he have faced when he walked among people? He can't quite remember anymore. Maybe it's because he was too well-behaved in his life that people would at most ignore him and wouldn't always pay attention to him.

"Naruto-sama! Over here!" Before he could even think for a moment, a voice called out to him from the crowd. He looked up and saw a colleague in casual clothes.

Despite being corrected many times, the group of young people still particularly liked to call him "adult," and he had almost gotten used to it.

"Happy New Year, Kenta. You don't need to call me that normally, it's not like we're at work." Naruto waved and walked over.

"Haha, I'm used to it. After all, Naruto-sama is always so reliable." Kenta is a very cheerful person with a straightforward personality and a strong sense of justice.

At first, Kenta didn't like this newly arrived inspector very much, and would give him the cold shoulder whenever he saw him, regardless of the fact that he was a favorite of the Hokage. But after that spectacular operation to eradicate the cancer, he suddenly realized that there were so many bastards in his department, and it was Naruto, who had only been there for a short time, who caught them.

Naruto's name was listed at the very end of the list of achievements, but everyone knew who truly contributed.

Kenta is a straightforward person who dares to take responsibility for his actions. He apologized almost the very next day, and the relationship between the two sides gradually improved.

Actually, Naruto didn't have any romantic feelings for him. He liked energetic young people, and ninjas with such a strong sense of justice as Kenta were quite rare. He was never opposed to making friends with anyone who was willing to.

"You're here to watch a movie?" Naruto, too lazy to correct him further, looked up at the store in front of them. He had been so busy that he hadn't really been paying attention to the entertainment industry.

“It’s a holiday, so there needs to be a festive atmosphere. You two, come out and say hello to Lord Naruto. He’s usually so busy you’re never around.” Kenta stepped aside, revealing the people standing behind him. One was a young woman, who looked somewhat timid but still greeted him softly. The other was a little boy, half a head shorter than Naruto, who was staring at him suspiciously.

Naruto only had a brief moment of mental turmoil before quickly recognizing the relationship between the three people from their chakra, and said with a smile, "Oh~ You brought your girlfriend and younger brother to see a movie."

Kenta chuckled foolishly, then turned and lightly punched his younger brother, saying, "Hey kid, say hello already."

"It's okay, he's a very unique kid, just like you, Kenta."

Kenta chuckled awkwardly again at this. Seeing that his younger brother was completely uncooperative, he had no choice but to change the subject, saying, "Naruto... are you interested in movies? How about we go see one together?"

At this point, Kenta pulled three tickets from his pocket, with the words "The Princess of Wind and Cloud - Final Chapter" printed on them in large print.

Oh, so this movie is out. It's been so long since I've heard from Xiaoxue and director Ren Tai. They even went to the Land of Waves to gather material half a year ago. Has the script still not been finished after all this time?

"No, I've already seen this movie, it was pretty good."

"Huh? But it only came out today! I went through so much trouble to get a ticket..."

Naruto smiled without saying a word, simply waving his hand to wish them a happy holiday.

Is everyone ready?

To ensure he looked presentable, Naruto pulled out his most prized fur coat, complete with a thick black cloak. After all, they were representing Konoha in the Land of Demons, and they couldn't afford to appear unprofessional.

"Um..."

"It's been prepared for a long time!"

"I knew you could get the pass."

"I've been looking forward to the Shrine Maiden Festival for so long~"

"Should we still make it if we go today?"

"..."

Everyone answered in a flurry of voices, already habitually extending their hands to receive the Flying Thunder God Technique.

What is a shrine maiden festival? And what were they secretly doing behind his back?

Naruto was a little confused, but the Land of Demons hadn't reached the stage where Hikaru was fully in charge, so holding a festival certainly didn't require reporting to higher-ups, and he naturally didn't know about it.

However, it's nice to have a few pleasant surprises now and then.

The Land of Demons is a small country united by faith, where priestesses hold a revered position and bear equally heavy responsibilities. These responsibilities extend beyond dealing with evil spirits; they also include various annual rituals. These rituals are meant to bless the land through the priestesses' power and to maintain the people's trust in them.

Although Shion did not learn any techniques other than sealing techniques, her power would naturally be guided by the rituals during past festivals, creating unnatural wonders that would successfully spread blessings across the land of the demons.

Although the ceremony was complicated, Ziyuan had never felt pressured before. But this year, she was genuinely a little uneasy.

Naruto had said that after completely killing Moryo, she would become an ordinary person, without any special powers. After returning, the scriptures that had been sealed away from her were unlocked. She tried them out carefully and discovered that while she hadn't completely lost her powers, they had been weakened by at least 90%...

Will she be able to successfully complete the festival?