Naruto: Naruto's Uchiha girlfriend is too arrogant

Chapter 511 Number of People

"That's strange... what could be causing this?"

In the Hokage's office, Jiraiya sat behind his desk, staring intently at the report from Konoha Hospital, lost in deep thought.

The report contained a statistic that baffled him: in the past month, the number of confirmed pregnancies in Konoha Village had increased by nearly 100% compared to usual.

It has doubled.

For any ninja village, population growth is certainly a good thing, especially now that the peaceful environment is becoming more and more stable and the survival rate of newborns is getting higher and higher. More people mean more labor force, more ninja reserves, and a more prosperous future.

But this growth rate is a bit too exaggerated.

Doubled? Just because of peace?

Jiraiya scratched his somewhat disheveled white hair, turned to the next page of the report, and tried to find more clues.

However, the content on the next page did not answer his questions; instead, it made him frown even more.

Not just Konoha Village.

According to intelligence gathered by the Anbu, the other four major ninja villages—Sunagakure, Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure—are experiencing the same situation. The number of pregnancies has increased several times over, with a growth rate similar to that of Konoha.

The entire ninja world is simultaneously experiencing this bizarre birth boom.

Jiraiya put down the report, leaned back in his chair, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

He had traveled the ninja world for decades, witnessing all sorts of bizarre events and experiencing various wars and conspiracies, but this phenomenon of a simultaneous birth boom across the entire ninja world was truly a first for him.

Could it be that... the dead saw that the whole world was at peace, so they all lined up to be reincarnated?

When the thought popped into his head, Jiraiya couldn't help but chuckle. Was he kidding? Did that mythical afterlife really exist?

The thought lingered in Jiraiya's mind for a moment, then he dismissed it.

Forget it, why think so much? You'll never know the truth about something like this no matter how much you think about it. Besides, this phenomenon is beneficial to the village. Population growth, a promising future—what's wrong with that?

Jiraiya scratched his head, tossed the report aside, and picked up another document.

I still have a lot of work to do today.

He glanced at the sun outside the window and silently set himself a small goal—to try to work only three hours of overtime today, as he hadn't slept more than six hours a day for several days in a row.

If this continues, he, the Fifth Hokage, might become the first Hokage in history to die at his desk due to overwork.

Thinking of this, another thing popped into Jiraiya's mind.

Oh, right, the old man's birthday banquet is coming up soon.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, that old guy's birthday is coming up soon. As his disciple, and as the Fifth Hokage, he should at least prepare a decent gift for him.

But what should I buy?

What does the old man like?

Jiraiya thought for a long time, but found that he couldn't come up with an answer.

That old man has lived for so many years, what hasn't he seen? What hasn't he owned? Giving an ordinary gift seems insincere, while giving something too expensive seems distant...

"well……"

Jiraiya sighed deeply, threw his pen on the table, and slumped into his chair.

When will this kind of life ever end?

------

On the border of the Land of Fire, in an inconspicuous little village.

Hyuga Neji sat in a simple eatery, a plate of freshly cooked glutinous rice balls in front of him, steam rising and carrying a sweet and sticky aroma.

He had been traveling for several days, covered in dust, with a little dirt on the hem of his white clothes, but his white eyes remained as clear as ever.

"Here you are, sorry to keep you waiting, please enjoy your meal."

The elderly shop owner placed the last few dumplings on a plate, gave a kind smile, and then turned and went back behind the counter.

Neji nodded slightly in thanks, picked up the bamboo skewer, and began to eat slowly.

He had been planning this trip out of the village since he was three years old.

He was too young then, too young to even attend ninja school, too young to even accept his father's death in a daze. But he remembered that day, remembered the person who pulled him out of the darkness, remembered the figure wearing a fox mask.

From that moment on, the idea was buried in his heart.

Waiting for myself to grow up. Waiting for myself to become stronger. Waiting for myself to finally take that step.

Now, he can finally achieve his goal: join the [Ember] organization.

This had always been his dream, and his long-held ambition. To become that person's companion, to stand by his side, to serve him, to use his abilities to do something for him—just thinking about this possibility filled Neji with an exciting surge of joy.

It was a feeling that welled up from the bottom of my heart, making my whole body feel warm.

As for his previous statement to his teammates about "going to find his father"? Well, that was indeed a lie.

Father must have been doing well all these years. That man wouldn't mistreat anyone who follows him. And Father can stay by that man's side forever, always offering his abilities to him... Thinking of this, Neji's eyes darkened slightly for a moment.

He was a little jealous. He lowered his head and silently ate the meatballs, suppressing that inappropriate emotion.

After finishing the last dumpling, Neji put down the bamboo skewer and took something out of his backpack.

It was a fox mask.

It looks ordinary, like the kind you'd see anywhere at a festival. But if you look closely, you'll notice a faint wisp of chakra swirling around the mask, carrying an ominous sign.

The problem isn't with the mask itself.

It is the person who bound it that gave it this quality.

Neji held the mask in his hands, his fingertips gently tracing its smooth surface. His movements were so light, as if he were caressing the most precious thing in the world.

Those white eyes held an overwhelmingly tender emotion at that moment.

Master Menma... I'll be able to see you again soon.

The thought lingered in his mind, and Neji's cheeks flushed slightly. After a while, he carefully put away the mask, wrapped it neatly in a cloth, and returned it to his backpack.

Neji stood up, preparing to leave.

"Um, please wait a moment."

An old voice came from behind.

Neji turned around and saw the elderly shopkeeper come out from behind the counter with a worried look on his face.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Neji asked, somewhat puzzled. He had already paid, so there shouldn't be anything else to negotiate.

"Um, sir ninja," the old shopkeeper approached him, lowering his voice, "are you preparing to cross the border?"

Neji raised an eyebrow slightly. "...Yes."

"If that's the case, please be careful on the road."

"careful?"

Neji's gaze sharpened. He had gathered considerable intelligence during his travels, but hadn't heard of any bandits or mountain brigands. Could there be some dangerous figure in the vicinity?

"Yes, over there at the border..." The old shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words, "There are strange people there."

"A strange person?"

"He...is doing something extremely rebellious. If you encounter him...please do not believe his nonsense."