Naruto lay sprawled on the bed, one arm tucked beneath his head, eyes unfocused as his thoughts drifted lazily across the ceiling.
Tsunade...
The image of her lying comfortably in the hot spring with her large beautiful breasts floating over the water was saved in his mind. And even if he was trying his best, he was unable to focus on anything else.
'Damn, I had made the mistake...' he thought wryly. 'I shouldn't have just settled with a kiss back then... man, I lost a great chance back then... now that I think about it, taking her with MeI Terumi side by side would have been just... amazing.'
His fingers tapped lightly against the mattress as his thoughts wandered, mixing strategy with faint curiosity.
He took a few deep breaths and tried to focus on the main reason he had come with Jiraya. As for how to take Tsunade, he would have all the time in his life for that.
And despite his desires, he was also intrigued.
Tsunade wasn't just a solution to Konoha's problem as she was also a storm waiting to be stirred.
"Troublesome," He murmured under his breath.
Creeeak!
Just then, the sound of the door sliding open sliced cleanly through the quiet.
Naruto's eyes snapped open.
In an instant, his body reacted on instinct alone as his muscles tensed, senses sharpened. The shadows beneath his skin stirring like coiled serpents. He shot upright, breath steady, gaze locked on the entrance.
A tall, white-haired figure slipped inside, closing the door behind him with a soft sound.
Thud!
Naruto froze and clicked his tongue. "…Tch."
Jiraiya stood there, shoulders relaxed, lips curled into a pleased, lazy grin. His posture was loose, almost careless, and the faint clink of glass echoed from somewhere in his pocket as he shifted his weight. There was no mistaking it that the man looked satisfied.
Naruto wrinkled his nose immediately.
"So," he drawled, sitting up fully now, "you're back."
Jiraiya chuckled, his voice a little hoarse. "Miss me already?"
"You must've enjoyed yourself at some bar." Naruto snorted and waved a hand pointedly. "But you should've at least washed first. The thick smell of alcohol and cheap cologne on you is very displeasing."
Jiraiya groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oi, don't exaggerate."
"I'm not," Naruto shot back flatly. "You smell like you rolled around on a tavern floor."
Jiraiya laughed, low and rough. "You don't know anything yet. One day, you'll understand."
Naruto scoffed. "Hopefully not."
The banter hung lightly in the air, familiar and easy. Then Naruto's expression shifted just a little. His tone became casual, but his eyes sharpened.
"So," He asked, "did you find anything about the person we're looking for?"
Jiraiya straightened immediately. His chest puffed out, chin lifting as pride replaced the drunken looseness.
"Of course I did." He grinned broadly. "Just who do you think I am? I'm the Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku. Finding people and gathering information is a piece of cake for me."
"Yeah… by getting drunk in any bar and getting handsy with some women." Naruto chuckled, and smirked faintly. "Maybe next time, I should try it too."
Twitch
Jiraiya's face betrayed him for half a second. Without warning, he stepped forward and planted a hand on Naruto's head.
"Hey—!"
"What do you know?" Jiraiya said gruffly, messing up his hair. "You're still a child."
He snorted. "And don't even think about doing that. Kushina would skin you alive."
Naruto burst out laughing, shoulders shaking. "Yeah, yeah. I know."
Jiraiya pulled his hand back, sighing as he dropped onto the nearby chair.
The room settled again, quieter now.
After a moment, Naruto spoke up. "By the way… I heard some rumors around town too."
"You did?" Jiraiya blinked, surprised. But then he frowned. "You went out?"
Naruto rolled his eyes. "What, did you expect me to rot here from boredom?"
He shrugged. "I used a transformation jutsu and went out to eat and look around."
Jiraiya stared at him, then sighed slowly.
"…Sorry," He muttered, patting Naruto's head more gently. "I kind of forgot."
"It's fine," Naruto replied lightly.
But Jiraiya's gaze lingered, pride flickering beneath the surface. "Good thinking, using a transformation. That was smart."
Naruto smirked faintly.
'Old habits from another life die hard,' He thought.
As a reincarnated soul, caution came naturally. And with shadows responding to his will, slipping through a town unnoticed was effortless.
Outside, the distant hum of the town continued, full of soft laughter, footsteps, the faint clatter of dishes.
Inside the room, two figures stood at the edge of something important.
Jiraiya glanced toward the window, expression thoughtful now. "Looks like tomorrow's going to be interesting."
Naruto's blue eyes gleamed faintly in the dim light.
"Yeah," He replied calmly. "Very interesting."
Jiraya stretched his arms high above his head, joints popping with a faint crrk, before letting them fall loosely to his sides. He slumped deeper into the chair with a tired groan, the wood giving a soft creeeak under his weight. One leg crossed over the other as he glanced toward Naruto, eyes half-lidded but sharp beneath the laziness.
"So," Jiraya drawled, voice rough from drink and smoke, "since you went out to look around the town… did you find something interesting?"
Naruto, seated across from him near the window, let out a quiet chuckle. The dim lantern light painted his features in warm gold as he leaned back, folding his arms behind his head. Outside, the distant hum of nightlife filtered in.
"Yeah," Naruto said, grinning as he nodded. "Quite a bit, actually."
Jiraya straightened slightly, sensing the shift in tone.
"The news about the attack on Konoha," Naruto continued, his grin fading just a touch, "it's already spread all over the place."
Jiraya's brows knit together. "Tch... Figures."
"But that's not all," Naruto added, his voice lowering. "What surprised me was that Konoha wasn't the only one attacked."
The room seemed to grow heavier.
"According to the merchants," Naruto went on, eyes drifting to the flickering lantern flame, "similar attacks happened in other lands too. They all happened at different locations, but the patterns are the same. And…"
He paused, exhaling slowly through his nose. "A few high-ranking officials were killed... Assassinated by those terrorists."
Thud!
Jiraya's hand landed on the table, hard enough to make the cups rattle. His usual carefree expression vanished, replaced by something dark and sharp.
"Akatsuki…" He muttered, the name tasting bitter on his tongue.
Naruto watched him carefully, sensing the tension rolling off the older man like heat from a forge.
"I knew they were dangerous," Jiraya said slowly, jaw tightening, "but attacking on this scale…"
He shook his head, blond hair swaying. "This isn't some petty operation. They're moving openly now."
Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He thought. 'Of course, they are...the world's gears need someone to turn them faster.'
"As for Tsunade," Naruto continued, deliberately shifting the topic, "I heard something interesting too."
Jiraya's eyes snapped back to him. "Go on."
"One of the merchants," Naruto said, lips quirking slightly, "claimed he heard about the Legendary Sucker. Apparently, someone spotted her in a gambling district in a town not too far from here."
'There it was...'
He saw a flicker of familiarity, almost fondness, crossing Jiraya's face as the Legendary Sanin let out a low chuckle. "Hah… sounds like her."
Naruto smirked. "That's what I thought."
Jiraya leaned back again, chair groaning softly.
"I've heard the same," He said, waving a hand. "And unlike rumors, this one's basically a guarantee. Knowing her personality…"
A grin tugged at his lips. "She wouldn't be anywhere else."
For a brief moment, the tension eased. The room felt warmer, lighter.
"Still," Naruto thought quietly, 'so much chaos… and she's out there gambling... what a weird woman.'
The image almost made him smile.
Jiraya exhaled, rolling his shoulders.
"Let's sleep well," He said at last, tone firm but calm. "Tomorrow, we leave and continue our search."
Naruto nodded, stifling a yawn as fatigue finally caught up to him. "Yeah… sounds good."
He stood, stretching with a soft mmngh, while Jiraya extinguished the lantern. The flame hissed as it died, plunging the room into darkness broken only by moonlight spilling through the window.
Naruto lay back on his bed, the mattress giving a quiet whump beneath him. As he stared at the ceiling, his thoughts drifted to somewhere else.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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