HPDBC Chapter 44 Bluffing
Chapter 44 Bluffing
Naruto pushed open the door in a daze, forgetting to turn on the lights, and slumped down on the edge of the bed in the dark.
So...did I really...unconsciously...?
He lay back on the bed, his mind replaying the image of Zuo Yue's fleeing figure and the words that had slipped out, "I'll never get tired of it."
If we set aside the fact that he is a "fox spirit"...
Naruto buried his burning face in the pillow. To be honest, having a girl like Sasuke as a girlfriend was an incredible blessing.
Beneath her delicate features lies a soft heart. Despite being the eldest daughter of the Uchiha clan, she is willing to train with him, the "demon fox everyone hates." She appears arrogant, but in reality, she values relationships more than anyone else...
This kind of setup would definitely make her a female protagonist in a light novel.
Something's definitely wrong with me!
Naruto sat up abruptly as a terrifying thought suddenly surfaced in his mind. He had only wanted to increase Satsuki's favorability to earn system points, but now... it seemed like he had been won over by that girl instead?
System... what exactly are Satsuki's feelings for me right now?
【Ding! 】
The question was raised in my mind, and the system immediately responded.
[Zuoyue's Bond Level 6: The other person sees you as someone they'll spend their life with, with a 100% success rate for confessing your feelings. You hold a special position that no one can replace.]
[Current Relationship: Absolute trust + deep emotional dependence, accompanied by intense possessiveness.]
"..."
Naruto stood there stunned for a full ten seconds before collapsing back onto the bed. His body trembled slightly, whether from shock or some other emotion, it was hard to tell.
So... I can really abduct the Uchiha clan's daughter now?
Naruto rubbed his forehead, deciding to temporarily put those complicated thoughts aside. There were more important things to deal with right now: the system lottery.
Speaking of which... Itachi Uchiha in the original work was supposed to be a hardcore brother-complex character... In this timeline... could he become a hardcore sister-complex character?
The thought of possibly being targeted by that eccentric, filial son sent a chill down Naruto's spine. He forced himself to concentrate.
With a thought, the system interface unfolded before their eyes. On the screen, the number "2900" radiated an alluring glow.
You can do two 10-pulls... I only need 100 more points to do three pulls.
What a pity, but oh well, one shouldn't be too greedy.
My finger tapped the "Ten-Draw" button. A familiar light exploded before my eyes, and ten cards were arranged in a fan shape.
"Chakra... Explosive tags... Flying Thunder God Kunai (several)..."
Naruto counted his rewards, and his eyes lit up when he saw "500 grams of chakra metal." His previous disdain completely vanished.
This needs to be carefully kept...
However, as Naruto flipped over the cards one by one, his expression gradually fell. Most of them were ordinary items, until the last one.
"Basic physical skill enhancement... and it's only a rare-level reward..."
He scratched his head. Looks like he wasn't having a very lucky night.
Naruto clicked the button for his second ten-pull without any expression, and the card-flipping animation flashed quickly before his eyes. The first few cards were still just ordinary items.
"Sealing Technique Talent Enhancement... Ten Soldier Pills... Chakra..."
Nothing special.
Just as Naruto had mentally prepared himself for all the "blue sky and white clouds" (a metaphor for a bright and clear day), the last card suddenly burst out with a dazzling purple light!
"epic!!"
Naruto sprang out of bed, all sleepiness gone. Great! Looks like Lady Luck hasn't completely abandoned me after all!
He eagerly looked at the card that emitted an alluring purple light, and the words on the card gradually became clear.
[Congratulations on obtaining: Top-tier Intimidation]
[Item Description: When actively released, it unleashes extreme killing intent and mental intimidation. In its fully unleashed state, it can cause the target creature to experience the hallucination of "death imminent" directly at the level of all five senses. Some sensitive individuals may experience temporary physiological incontinence.]
Naruto stared at the purple card on the system interface, paused for a moment, and then his eyes gradually brightened.
Wait... this skill... Naruto initially thought he had drawn something flashy but impractical, but upon closer inspection...
The reason why the pseudonym "Menma" was able to cause such a huge uproar in the ninja world was precisely because of its terrifying power that could crush even "Kage" level powerhouses. However, this power was ultimately granted by the trial card and was not his true strength.
There's still a long way to go before you can truly stand alone against the entire ninja world...
Although I mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique...
But a terrifying being who claims to "become war itself" can't possibly rely on space-time ninjutsu to traverse back and forth just to deal with a mere soldier, can he? What if the Five Great Nations see through "Menma's" facade and realize he's just a paper tiger bluffing...?
This intimidation skill... is like a godsend!
He looked at the system interface again, his finger lightly tracing the purple card. Although it couldn't directly improve his raw strength, it was exactly the "prestige enhancement" he needed right now.
This seemingly "bluffing" skill might be more valuable than a direct power boost. Because "looking strong" can really save you a lot of trouble.
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The next afternoon, Naruto arrived at the place he had agreed to meet with Satsuki on time. After the unexpected misunderstanding the night before, he found himself having no desire to explain at all, and their relationship seemed to have undergone a subtle change as a result.
After that, the whole afternoon passed quietly during training, and nothing happened!
Naruto could sense that his mindset was different from before, but it was too early to say anything now. Besides, Satsuki was, after all, the eldest daughter of the Uchiha clan, and even though his affection for her was almost at its maximum, it would still be too embarrassing for her to bring up such a shameful matter. And so, although an indescribable, subtle atmosphere filled the air, everything ultimately remained as usual.
In the days that followed, neither of them mentioned the misunderstanding from that night again. Satsuki's initial resentment at Naruto's ignoring of the incident gradually faded with time.
Because her mother gently told her that they were both too young and that some feelings needed time to develop.
And so, time passed day by day, as calmly and naturally as a flowing stream. The flowers by the training ground bloomed and withered, and the two men's ninjutsu improved day by day. The unspoken misunderstanding lay quietly in a corner of their memories.
When their eyes occasionally meet, Satsuki will immediately turn her face away to straighten her perfectly neat collar, while Naruto will suddenly become unusually interested in the clouds in the sky.
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(Getting ready for the big jump! New book, please give it a good review. The author is extremely grateful.)