Naruto: I Can Upgrade My Techniques Infinitely

"You completed the mission well, although you did overshoot the timeframe a bit."

In the Hokage's office of Konoha, Nara Kazuki stood before Minato Namikaze, who was buried in a mountain of paperwork. There were stacks upon stacks—Kazuki had no idea where it all came from.

"So… can our team take a break now?" Kazuki rubbed his hands together expectantly. He'd made a clean 10,000 ryō flipping local specialty goods on the mission. Not much—especially since he had to split it with Shisui and Itachi. Otherwise, it would've been 30,000.

"You can take three days off. But…" Minato coughed softly. Kazuki immediately caught the real message: Here comes the catch.

"But Elder Shimura Danzō mentioned there might be something brewing in Amegakure." Minato glanced at Kazuki, and the meaning was obvious.

That old mutt Danzō's trying to send us to Amegakure? Has he lost his mind? Kazuki cursed silently.

That place was still a deathtrap—more dangerous than anywhere else in the shinobi world.

The Five Kage probably couldn't even handle the current occupants of Amegakure—the Akatsuki. And while Nagato was likely still building the organization quietly, anyone showing up at their door would be walking into the range of the Rain Tiger at Will Technique. That wasn't just some harmless drizzle.

"I'll make sure to assign you a different mission beforehand," Minato added, which eased Kazuki's nerves. He really didn't want to set foot in that cursed place. One wrong move and Black Zetsu might decide he was worth keeping.

Kazuki knew. Black Zetsu was like a cosmic voyeur, always skulking around the shinobi world. The worst part? He was practically undetectable. Finding him was next to impossible.

"Be careful these next few days. I have a feeling Elder Danzō might have… alternative plans for you three." Minato gave Kazuki a knowing look.

Kazuki figured Danzō was more interested in Shisui and Itachi—probably trying to recruit them into Root and turn them into puppets. He himself was just extra baggage.

After bidding farewell to Minato, Kazuki left the Hokage Tower and filled in Shisui and Itachi on their upcoming break.

"Kazuki."

Back home, Kakashi showed up at his door.

"What's up? You inviting me to dinner?" Kazuki opened the door and gave him a grin.

Kakashi was looking more and more like his anime counterpart—just missing the Icha Icha Paradise book in hand. Kazuki had already gifted him one, but Kakashi probably hadn't worked up the courage to read it in public yet.

"Might Guy heard you were back and said we should all have dinner together," Kakashi said, helplessly.

Kazuki was surprised, but he agreed.

Guy rarely treated anyone to dinner. He barely had money. Most of his funds went straight into training and meals for himself. Kazuki knew how tight his finances were, so whenever they ate out with Guy, they either split the bill or Kazuki and Kakashi covered it—though Guy never liked letting them pay.

He had too much pride.

So the fact that Guy wanted to treat them? Kazuki wasn't going to miss that.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Kazuki was even more shocked.

"Wait, the Akimichi clan's barbecue house? Are you sure Guy's paying, and not you?" Kazuki eyed Kakashi suspiciously.

The Akimichi restaurant was amazing, but pricey. Kazuki didn't come here often for that reason.

"He's been hyped all morning. I have no idea what's going on," Kakashi admitted.

Kazuki raised an eyebrow, then followed Kakashi inside.

In a private booth, they found Guy already seated—he had ordered a lot of food. All kinds of meat, and even the Akimichi clan's legendary delicacy—the Snowflake Beef. Renowned as the most delicious, and most expensive, dish on the menu.

"Guy, you…" Kazuki stared, stunned.

Even Kakashi rubbed his eyes.

Kakashi knew Guy's dining habits well. He only bought the cheapest meats—high in volume, low in cost. He'd wait for price drops at butcher stalls before buying. Always frugal. But now…

"You win the lottery or something?" Kazuki asked bluntly.

Kakashi rolled his eyes, but it was a reasonable guess.

Konoha did have a lottery system, but everyone knew the odds. Getting a real jackpot win? Almost mythical. Businesses liked to keep those prizes "in-house," handing them off to employees or relatives.

"Yeah, I won 500,000 ryō!" Guy grinned from ear to ear.

Kazuki and Kakashi both froze. Then slowly, they gave him a synchronized thumbs-up.

Guy was actually cracked.

No wonder he was treating them today.

With that mystery solved, Kazuki and Kakashi relaxed and just enjoyed the meal, basking in the rare good fortune of their friend.

But as they ate, Kazuki noticed something was… off. Guy was acting strange. Fidgety.

He studied him for a moment, then asked casually, "Guy, you've got something you want to say?"

"I… I met a girl recently…" Guy's face flushed red.

Kazuki blinked, chewing a mouthful of beef.

Kakashi, mid-bite, froze—his chopsticks suspended, the meat halfway to his mouth.

Both of them stared at Guy like he'd grown a second head.

"You… like her?" Kazuki's tone was weird. Confused, skeptical, wary.

He was trying to remember—did Might Guy ever have a girlfriend in the anime? No mention of a wife. In Boruto, there's no sign he ever got married. Lee did, sure, but Guy?

"I wanted to ask her where she got her weighted training gear… but I was too embarrassed…" Guy said shyly, face turning crimson.

"Tch." Kazuki rolled his eyes.

Of course.

Of course it was you, Might Guy.

A man whose brain ran on youth and training alone.

Kakashi just shook his head and finally put the meat in his mouth, chewing slowly.

And Kazuki sighed inwardly.

Here he was thinking he might need to attend Guy's wedding early.

But now?

Guy might just stay single forever.