Trees Chapter 293 Konoha's Shika Arcade

"That… auntie..."

"What did you want me for earlier?"

After walking out of the Hokage Tower, Naruto followed Tsunade aimlessly down the street and casually asked.

"Let me catch my breath first."

Tsunade pulled her wrinkles and continued to scan the streets for any trace of her grandfather.

She was in a very bad mood right now.

After stepping down as Hokage, she was already displeased about having to earn money for the village.

On top of that, the profits from her recent livestreams had been undercut by Kumogakure.

And just now, she’d even argued with her grand-uncle...

The fact that she hadn’t split the Hokage Tower in half was a testament to her self-restraint.

Tsunade walked ahead in silence for a while before finally speaking up.

"Naruto, today's livestreaming industry of the Shinobi World is divided into three major factions..."

"How do you think Konoha should break through this situation?"

Naruto: “???”

‘What the hell?!’

‘What was Tsunade even talking about?’

When Naruto heard the topic Tsunade brought up, his face twisted as if he were constipated.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that Tsunade’s words sounded oddly familiar.

‘Was she trying to have a heart-to-heart with him about who the true heroes of the Shinobi World were?’

"Why aren’t you saying anything?"

Tsunade suddenly stopped and turned to look at the yellow-haired man behind her in confusion.

"Was there... something wrong with what I just said?"

Tsunade was a little confused. She couldn't understand why Naruto made that shit-eating expression.

As far as she could tell, there was nothing wrong with her words.

Right now, across the Shinobi World’s chakra network, the livestreaming industry was just taking off.

Only three major players were doing particularly well.

Their Konoha was currently the most dominant, while the Akatsuki was another strong contender, as their leader Pain’s popularity was on par with Konoha’s Sannin.

And then...

They were the group of Shinobi from Kumogakure who were shouting strange slogans.

"No... it’s nothing."

Naruto pursed his lips, not knowing what to say for a moment.

When he thought about it, there is indeed nothing wrong with Tsunade’s words.

"Do you know the game that was released recently?"

"Just get someone to livestream it."

When the topic of livestreaming came up, Naruto suddenly remembered that no one had yet tapped into this new niche.

While he wasn’t sure how many people across the ninja world were playing ‘Naruto’, Naruto was certain the game would explode in popularity.

If nothing else, the three Biju inside him were already hopelessly addicted, so much so that he wanted to ask Sasori to install an anti-addiction system.

"That Shinobi fighting game?"

Tsunade looked utterly baffled and had no idea what was so fun about that kind of thing.

‘Livestreaming something like that...’

‘Would anyone even watch it?’

And from what she’d heard, the game only had a handful of characters, and it is not interesting at all.

"Yeah."

"I remember Temari opened an arcade in Konoha a few days ago..."

Seeing Tsunade’s skepticism, Naruto grabbed her and dragged her toward the arcade Temari was running.

After wandering around Konoha for a while, they finally found the so-called ‘arcade’ Naruto had mentioned.

Shikamaru was sitting at the entrance, with his legs crossed, supporting his chin with one hand, and eating sunflower seeds with the other.

The sheer aura of laziness radiating off this guy was even stronger than Kakashi’s.

"Welcome."

"Please come in, sir."

Shikamaru was cracking sunflower seeds, his eyes completely dull and lifeless. He didn't even notice Naruto and Tsunade standing at the door.

"Shika Arcade?"

Naruto glanced up at the sign, then glanced down at Shikamaru.

He couldn’t help but marvel at how shamelessly sweet Shikamaru and Temari were being.

‘Was this disgustingly cutesy name...’

‘Really appropriate for a store’s name?’

"Are there really that many people?"

However, Tsunade's focus is different from Naruto's.

In just the short time they’d been standing there, she’d seen a steady stream of people entering, ranging from six-year-old kids to sixty-year-old old men.

She even saw a certain Anbu’s member who was off-duty...

"Of course."

"Auntie, don’t underestimate how addictive games can be!"

Naruto raised his head and shouted, his voice so loud that it instantly attracted the attention of the Konoha’s villagers on the street.

Everyone turned their heads to look, and when they found out it was the yellow-haired delinquent from Konoha, they immediately ran away in fear.

As for Shikamaru at the entrance...

Naruto's sudden shout startled him so badly that he shuddered, sending the sunflower seeds in his arms scattering all over the ground.

When he finally focused his eyes and recognized the familiar troublemaker, Shikamaru just slumped back into his chair.

"Naruto, why are you here too?"

Shikamaru mumbled at first, but upon noticing Tsunade standing nearby, he immediately straightened up and greeted her properly.

"Godaime-sama."

"Mhm."

"Carry on with your work."

Tsunade waved her hand, motioning him to sit down and not to bother with formalities.

However, Naruto was full of confusion.

‘What did Shikamaru just say?’

‘I came too?’

"Is Sasuke inside?"

Naruto asked uncertainly, pointing into the store.

"Ah…”

Shikamaru yawned, raised his hands and stretched, "Yeah, he’s been holed up in there for days."

Naruto: “???”

‘What the hell is going on with that idiot?!’

Before, he thought Sasuke would be the type to get hopelessly addicted to livestreaming, ‘But why the hell is this guy was wasting his time on video games?!’

Learning that Sasuke was inside, Naruto casually tossed a bag of sunflower seeds to Shikamaru as compensation.

"NA! RA! SHI! KA! MA! RU!"

"Didn’t I tell you not to eat sunflower seeds at the entrance?!"

However, the moment Shikamaru took the sunflower seeds from Naruto, Temari rushed out of the store aggressively, grabbing him by the ear and yanking him up.

“It hurts, it hurts!”

"Naruto gave me these sunflower seeds!"

Shikamaru’s eyes were practically watering from the pain.

Besides...

The sunflower seeds all over the floor were because that yellow-haired guy's shout frightened him so much that his hands were shaking.

Upon hearing this, Temari turned her head to look to the side. After discovering that it was her own Cult Leader, she quickly let go and bowed deeply to Naruto.

"Cult Leader Naruto!"

"Don’t mind me, I’m just here to look around."

Naruto waved his hands, fearing that Temari would suddenly perform the Mechanicus ritual on him right there on the street.

"O-Of course!”

Temari swallowed the prayer she’d been about to recite.

Upon learning that her Cult Leader Naruto was going to come into her store to play, Temari raised her leg and kicked Shikamaru, who was standing next to her.

"What are you standing around for!?"

"Go get some fruit plates and snacks for the Cult Leader!"

Shikamaru's eyes turned red after being kicked suddenly. He covered the place where he was kicked and looked at his girlfriend with a wronged look on his face.

"Still staring?! Hurry up!"

"… Oh."

Shikamaru responded meekly, then glanced at Naruto beside him, and simply hooked his shoulder and walked into the store together.

"Naruto..."

"We've known each other for so many years..."

"Can you do me a favor?"

Shikamaru asked softly as he hooked his arm around Naruto's shoulder.

"Just say it directly."

"And stop clinging to me."

Naruto shook off Shikamaru’s arm, his expression very serious.

To be honest, he doesn't really like other people getting all touchy-feely with him.

"It’s just..."

"It’s just..."

Shikamaru’s eyes darted around and his movements were hesitant. In the end, he continued talking only after Naruto yelled at him.

"Naruto, can you hook me up with a position in the Cult Mechanicus?"

"It'd be better if I can have a higher position than Temari’s."

Naruto: “???”