And this was Akali's method!
Anyone familiar with the Shinobi World knows that Naruto's Sexy Technique could instantly floor Iruka, Kakashi, and the Third Hokage, and could even stun Otsutsuki Kaguya herself.
Naruto's Sexy Technique could rightfully be called the definitive meta of the Shinobi World.
With an effect so defying the heavens, if only a small handful of people like Iruka, Kakashi, and the Third Hokage ever got to experience it, wouldn't Naruko's peerless beauty go to complete waste?
Therefore, using the promise of learning a new ninjutsu as bait, Akali lured Naruto to a secluded little grove on a fine, sunny afternoon and shot a photo set titled "Fox Tracks in the Woods."
Then, she turned around and submitted these photos to a magazine publisher, making a hefty profit. With that money, she entered a lucky draw, won a Shadow Clone Technique, and taught it to Naruto—truly a win-win situation...
"Oh, you mean that thing!"
Recovering from her past memories, Akali asked with a puzzled look, "Is there a problem?"
"Is there a problem?" Clutching the magazine in her hands, Naruto gritted his teeth. "Of course there's a problem!"
"Akali, what did you tell me back then?"
Naruto clenched his fists.
What Akali had told him at the time was that she had a Jonin relative who was practically a fiend for beauty and had a penchant specifically for pictures of pretty girls.
Akali happened to be paying this relative a visit soon, and if she could bring something to please him, the fellow might be in such a good mood that he'd teach her a few ninjutsu.
At the same time, Akali promised that any ninjutsu she learned from that relative, she would unconditionally teach to Naruto.
All he had to do was use the Transformation Technique to pose for some photos in exchange for ninjutsu. Even with Naruto's brain, he knew this was an incredible deal, so he gave it a try.
And just like that, Akali actually managed to get him a ninjutsu called the Shadow Clone Technique!
Thanks to the Shadow Clone Technique, Naruto would never forget the look of shock on Iruka's face during the earlier transformation baseline exam.
So he had been planning to keep following up, heading to the bookstore to study reference materials and perfect the Grand Way of the Sexy Technique.
Yet who would have thought that his Grand Way of the Sexy Technique didn't need any perfecting—it had already achieved enlightenment!
Because the hottest-selling borderline magazine lately featured none other than him after using the Sexy Technique!
In fact, if the bookstore owner hadn't happened to own three copies—one for preaching, one for reading, and one for collection—and shown him the preaching copy, Naruto wouldn't even have known he'd been sold out by Akali!
Although the photos he shot with Akali that day were artistic and fully covered, there was still a world of difference between agreeing to let only one person see them and letting a whole crowd see them.
The mere thought of his transformed self's pictures being used by countless people every day to jerk off sent a wave of inescapable, inerasable chill rising from the depths of his being.
At the same time, a surge of rage over being deceived rushed straight to his head!
Of all things, Naruto despised deception the most!
[Ding! Emotion value from Naruto +999!]
Under Akali's surprised gaze, Naruto's breathing grew somewhat heavy, and wisps of ominous chakra leaked from his lower abdomen.
"You're this mad..." Looking at Naruto, Akali was initially surprised.
Yet, considering Naruto's personality, she quickly understood the reason.
Therefore, Akali did not panic; she had prepared for this exact scenario in advance.
"Sorry, Naruto, I lied to you!" Akali said straight out.
"There was never any Jonin who was a fiend for beauty. Even if there was one, he isn't in the village right now, and the man in the village who could be called a fiend isn't perverted enough to go to those lengths."
"The photos I took of you were meant for this right from the start!"
"What?!" Naruto froze.
He had expected Akali to offer a long-winded defense, not for her to admit it so cleanly and decisively.
So a question popped into Naruto's mind.
"Why?" Naruto asked.
Since there was no such Jonin, it meant Akali had come up with the ninjutsu herself.
If Akali had created the ninjutsu herself purely to humiliate him, there were probably plenty of people who would line up to beg Akali to humiliate them mercilessly.
"To make money, of course!"
Akali replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
She pointed at the borderline magazine in Naruto's hand. "Do you know how much a set of pictures like this is worth?"
"Twenty thousand ryo!" Before Naruto could answer, Akali answered her own question.
"Twenty thousand ryo! Even a top-tier B-rank mission only pays fifteen thousand ryo, and twenty thousand is enough to commission an A-rank mission!"
"An A-rank mission—that's the domain of Jonin. Ninjas like Mizuki-sensei never execute an A-rank mission in their entire lives."
"Yet just this single set of photos brought in twenty thousand ryo! Naruto, do you have any idea what that means?"
Akali stepped forward, looking intently at Naruto with blazing eyes.
"This..."
Naruto was stunned by the price Akali mentioned.
[Ding! Emotion value from Naruto +999!]
Of course Naruto knew what twenty thousand meant.
To put it simply, as a war orphan, his living expenses usually came from the village's subsidies, amounting to about twenty-five thousand a year.
Twenty thousand ryo was a full eight months of living expenses for him!
"Really that much?" Naruto still found it a bit hard to believe.
Perhaps without even realizing it himself, his attention had already shifted from Akali tricking him into modeling to sell pictures over to the money.
And that was precisely the effect Akali wanted!
Akali pressed her advantage: "Definitely! Don't underestimate my photography skills!"
"Oh right, while we're on the subject, take these too!"
Akali fished out a small stack of bills and handed them to Naruto.
Naruto took them and casually counted: there were 10 bills, each worth a certain denomination, making the total...
"Ten thousand ryo!"
Naruto trembled all over, nearly dropping the money, having never held such a massive fortune in his hands before!
Fortunately, Naruto used his other hand to catch it in time, keeping the hard-earned cash from flying away.
Yet Naruto still didn't quite understand: "Why give this to me?"
"This is your cut. After all, you participated too, even though I tricked you into it!" Akali replied naturally.
Then, seeming to think of something, she looked at Naruto with a hint of suspicion: "You don't think it's too little, do you?"
"Taking photos requires skill and composition, and I was the one who negotiated with the magazine publisher too. I only took fifty percent for myself, which is already very fair!"
"Naruto, don't be too greedy, you're a ninja!" Akali admonished.
"No, no, no, that's not what I mean! I just didn't expect..."
Naruto scratched his head with a goofy smile.
He had exchanged a ninjutsu for modeling; he got the ninjutsu while Akali got the money, but because Akali hadn't clearly explained the specifics beforehand, it counted as a deception where the goods didn't match the description.
It was just like Tazuna paying only for a C-rank mission while making Team 7 fight A-rank threats.
Yet not only had she given him the ninjutsu, but she had also split the earnings fifty-fifty with him—that wasn't deception at all!
This was a proper foster mother!
To put it mildly, sending money and ninjutsu—Naruto had been all alone for so many years and had never met anyone as kind as Akali!
What deception?
That was just his foster mother hiding the truth out of kindness to save him from embarrassment!
Naruto's attitude toward Akali underwent a subtle shift.
Even though Akali had tricked him into cross-dressing for photos and used the Transformation Technique to mimic his appearance to tease Hinata...
She was actually a pretty decent person!