Naruto Chapter 343
Spoilers, because I don't know how to do real cuts yet. D:

Snippet from a confirmed translation from Mangahelpers.com:


場面変わって一楽。サイ・ナルト・サクラの三人でラーメン食べてる
ナルト「あちっ!」
ナルト「やっぱ左手じゃ食いづれーってばよ・・」右手に包帯をしている
The scene changes to the Ichiraku. Three people- Sai, Naruto, and Sakura- are eating ramen.
Naruto- "Ah~ ouch!"
Naruto- "I guess I have to use my left hand to eat then." His right hand is wrapped in bandages.

それを見ているサクラの回想。どこかの病院。ベッドでナルトの腕を治療している
Seeing that, Sakura thinks back to when they were in the hospital. Naruto's arm was recieving medical treatment while he was in bed.

サクラ「何か所も骨折してる・・体が術にもちこたえれてない」
　　　「この新術はここぞって時だけ!多用しちゃダメだからね!」
Sakura- "That's a bone fracture you have in there. Your body can't endure the technique."
"This new technique should only be for this time! Use it anymore and you're done for!"

ナルト「へへ・・大丈夫サクラちゃんが治してくれれば」
Naruto- "Hehe...I'm alright as long as you heal me, Sakura-chan."

サクラ「そういう事言ってんじゃないの!」
　　　「医療忍術で何でもすぐに完治するわけじゃないんだから」
Sakura- "That's not what I'm saying! It's just that medical ninjutsu can't completely heal everything."

ナルト「・・」「でも・・オレってばこういうの何か嬉しいんだ」
　　　「サクラちゃんと一緒にサスケに近づいてる気がすっから」
Naruto- "..."
"But...doing something like this makes me happy."
"And that's because together with Sakura-chan, it feels as if we're getting closer to Sasuke."

はっとするサクラ。ナルトは笑う。席を近づけ「はい　あーん」とするが
そこに笑いのオチがあり、その後カカシが登場
Sakura is taken aback. Naruto laughs/smiles.
Taking a seat closer, she goes, "Right. Now say 'aa'". (as in, "eat," not "let me take your temperature.")

-fangirl moment-

Yes I know some people can also interpret this as NaruSasu, but bear with me here.

Yeah, Sai is so obviously left out here, but oh well. xD Sasuke is now regaining quite a bit of respect from some of his haters, although it seems the major hype about this chapter /isn't/ "omg Sasuke DOESN'T lurve Orochi," rather, "omg, how could he kill 1000 ninja?! Not all those Ninjas exist etc etc..."

Perhaps they'll have a better understanding when the scanlations come out and we don't have to get all our info from translated summaries. Personally, I think it's another turning point for Sasuke's character (although a lot of people had expected it...), which would mean his entire intention death threat to Naruto was a red herring made by Kishimoto.

All well. At least there's no illogical explanation for a sudden character jump. o___O