Naruto 311

Cover
Number 311: Nickname
Side caption: My first break in so long, and it's long-term recovery spent atop this bed.... Oh well. (Notice what's in my right hand <3)
(Title of book) "Icha Icha Tactics"

Pg. 01
Sai: The fastest way to have others understand you is to...
Sai: First, lessen the distance between the other person's heart and mine.
Sai: For example, when addressing each other, the use of "-san" and "-kun"
(Title of book) "Methods of Improving Person-to-Person Relations"
Sai: Maintains a manner with the other person such that the distance between you will not change.
(Title of book) "Communication"

Pg. 02
(Title of book) "How to become friends with others"
Sai: First, I need to stick with addressing others with just their names...
Sai: I wonder how to decide what to use for nicknames or pet names....
Sai: Nicknames... are used for those who are special to you... A name given those with whom you are intimate
Sai: I see...
(Title of books) "Green Herbs and Red Herbs", "Green Mushrooms and Sun Grass, (other medicinal books)"
Sakura: Aha, found it...

Pg. 03
Sakura: Huh...?
Sakura: Isn't that Sai?
Sakura: Did you come here to look for art books?
Sai: Sakura-san...
Sakura: Ehh... doing some reading?
Sai: Well... yeah, a bit...

Pg. 04
(Title of book) "Methods of Improving Person-to-Person Relations"
Sakura: Even Sai is concerned with human matters, huh.
Sakura: Ah, that's right...!
Sakura: After this, Naruto and I are going to go pay a visit to Kakashi-sensei, so...
Sakura: Won't you come with us?
Sai: Kakashi...sensei...
Sakura: You're part of Team Kakashi, too, so... it'd be good for you to meet him in person, right?

Pg. 05
Naruto: *emoez*
(flashback) Sasuke: Revenge is everything to me. As long as I can realize my revenge, it doesn't matter what else happens to me. Whatever else happens in this world... isn't of concern to me.
(flashback) Sasuke: If by submitting my body to Orochimaru, he is able to achieve the power needed to complete my goals...

Pg. 06
(flashback) Sasuke: Then this life of mine... and everything it's worth... is his to have.
Naruto (thought): Sasuke... (Stop obsessing over him, you damn fool =_=)
Sakura: Naruto!
Naruto: Ah- (Good Naruto, you look kinda cool!)

Pg. 07
Naruto: Why, if it isn't Sai... he's coming too?
Sakura: I met him by chance, at the library.
Naruto: Aw ma~an... now we can't walk together on a date, like I planned!
Sakura: If you have that kind of time to waste, you'd be better off studying ninjutsu!
Naruto: I'm not gonna study...
Naruto: You two can go do painful stuff like that...
Sakura: You shouldn't just train your body... it sure wouldn't hurt to drill a little into your brain, you know.
Sakura: But you're really just a complete IDIOT, aren't you.

Pg. 08
Sai (thought): As I thought, Sakura-san doesn't use any suffixes when addressing Naruto-kun...
Naruto: Sakura-chyaa~n... That's going too far...('ttebayo)
Sai: N-Naruto... Sakura...
Sai: Would it be all right if I join the conversation as well?
Sai: Ah, I mean-
Sai: I read in a book... about how to open one's heart to others, or something...

Pg. 09
Sai: And the book said something about addressing others by name... or even using nicknames or pet names...
Sai: By doing so, it said I could increase our affinity and we could become better friends
Naruto: Hehe, Sai...
Naruto: Even you care about things like that, huh?
Sakura: So, just now, at the library-
Sai: ...Yeah.

Pg. 10
Sai: And... I considered using nicknames or pet names for the two of you, but...
Sai: I thought it'd go better if I just started out with calling you by just your names.
Sakura (thought): Sai is so earnest about us, and is putting so much thought into everything that... somehow...
Naruto: You don't need to worry about something like that, it comes naturally! ('ttebayo)
Sakura: You can use pet names or nicknames by deriving them from that person's particular traits or characteristics.
Sakura: Take Naruto, for example...
Sakura: "Stupid Naruto!" or, "Naruto the Dumbass!" both work pretty well, riiiight?
Naruto: Sakura-cha~n, that's too much of a leap, don't you think...? ('ttebayo)
Sai (thought): I see... a person's characteristics...
Sakura (thought): Seeing Sai like this.... it's so different from the Sai we first met

Pg. 11
Sai: Thanks, I think I've got it...
Sai: U G L Y.
Sakura: WHAT THE HELL!? (SHANNARO~)
Naruto: SAI-! That's getting me killed here!! ('ttebayo)
Sai: ...Eh? What is?

Pg. 12
Kakashi: Is that right... You guys brought me a new team member?
Kakashi: Sai, was it? Nice to meet you.
Sai: Yes, sir.
Kakashi: Hey, Sakura, come over here for a sec.
Kakashi: Those two look a bit beat up, did they get in a fight with each other? Getting in a fight this soon, I'm guessing Naruto started it?

Pg. 13
Sakura: N-no, it's really nothing... Everyone's getting along fine!
Kakashi: Ah...Is that right. Well, if that's how it is, then, that's great!
Sakura: Ahahahaha!
Sai (thought): Even in the "Root" division, I heard rumors about him... Hatake Kakashi.
Sai (thought): Without a doubt, he's learned about me as well.
Sakura: Naruto...
Naruto: Right...
Naruto: Kakashi-sensei... About our current mission...

Pg. 14
Kakashi: I've already heard it all from Yamato... about Sasuke, too...
Naruto: We're already running out of time ('ttebayo)... If it keeps going on like this, it won't be much time before he...
Naruto: Anyway, right now, I don't have enough power to bring Sasuke back... Sasuke's gotten pretty strong...

Pg. 15
Kakashi: Well, in that case...
Kakashi: You'll just have to get stronger than him, right?
Sakura: I saw just how much Sasuke-kun's grown with my own eyes, and his speed-
Sakura: It wasn't normal...
Sakura: I heard from Tsunade-sama... During his training, there's a possibility that he might have learned forbidden jutsu, or used special drugs...
Sakura: Especially with that Kabuto guy being there...
Sakura: With someone who uses human experimentation, a book like this won't be able to prepare us for what he's got up his sleeve, but...
(Book title) "Drugs and their effects"
Kakashi: So, you'll just have to rise above them in this area as well. We have no choice but to become radically stronger, right?

Pg. 16
Sakura: But how are we supposed to do that?
Kakashi: Did you think I was just lying here without thinking?
Kakashi: I had been racking my brain the whole time... and... I came upon an idea.
Kakashi: However, this method requires that Naruto be up to it...
Kakashi: That is to say... it is something that can only be completed by Naruto himself.
Kakashi: In doing this training, Naruto...
Kakashi: You could possibly even, in a sense, surpass me.