152: Chapter 152 Entertainment StreetYunyin and Mabuyi reported to Ai on the Chamber of Commerce's telegram warning.
"Is someone trying to harm Killer Bee?"
His eyes were wide with anger, and his fists were clenched so tightly they cracked.
"Brother, calm down."
Kirabi, sitting on the sofa, wasn't rhyming either.He had just come from the sanatorium, and his eye sockets were still a bit sunken.
"Since the Chamber of Commerce specifically reminded us, we will just have to be more careful."
Ai growled, "I'm furious!Which bastard is after my brother again?"
He stood up, his massive frame almost touching the ceiling."Send the order!Triple, no, five times the size of Killer Bee's guard!The Barrier Squad will turn Killer Bee's quarters into an iron barrel!"
——
Outside the Hidden Cloud Village, Obito crouched in the shadow of a rocky outcrop.
Looking down at the mansion in the distance, surrounded by layers of barriers and ninjas.
At least twelve Jonin were on full alert, forming a 360-degree perimeter, with two people in each group providing support.
Thin thunderclouds swirled above the courtyard; these were the unique warning barriers of the Hidden Cloud Village, and any ninja who dared to enter would be struck by lightning.
Further away, three mobile squads patrolled along fixed routes, at intervals of no more than three minutes.
"How the hell do we even begin?"
Obito felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
The medicine Orochimaru gives requires close contact to implant, ideally when the target is unprepared or weakened.
With the current situation, let alone getting close to Killer Bee, even being within a hundred meters of the house could result in immediate detection.
Should we force our way in?
Obito assessed his condition: Kamui was still usable, but it was weaker than before, with longer intervals between uses and shorter durations.
Even if you manage to break through this defense head-on, you will definitely not be able to escape.
I was having second thoughts.
"waste."
Sasuke's disdainful, sneering face immediately popped into my mind.
Obito's face distorted beneath the mask.
Go back?Tell Orochimaru and Sasuke that you have no way to proceed?
And then he heard that Sasuke bastard mock him for being useless again?
No.
Absolutely not.
He shook his head and continued to focus on monitoring the heavily guarded mansion.
There must be a way.there must be.
——
The Land of Waves, the dock.
Naruto stared blankly at the ostentatiously decorated merchant ship before him.
The ship was painted a flashy bright purple, with a golden moon-shaped sculpture at the bow, and even a small fountain on the deck spraying water mixed with fluorescent powder.
"The people of the Moon Kingdom know how to enjoy life."
He smacked his lips.
Hei Tu, standing beside me, was dressed in a more practical outfit that allowed for easy movement, but the cut was still fitted, making her look tall and beautiful.
Hearing this, he curled his lip and said, "That's how nouveau riche are; they're afraid others won't know they're rich."
Samui stood on Naruto's other side, holding an itinerary in her hand."President, the representatives from the Land of the Moon have booked a private room at the Kingetsuro in Tanabata.They want to purchase a batch of chakra entertainment equipment this time."
"Entertainment equipment?" Naruto asked, puzzled.
"Yes."
Samui flipped through the manual.
"The nobles of the Moon Kingdom have recently been holding chakra-themed banquets and hope that we can provide ninjutsu tools that can produce light and shadow effects, temperature-controlled insulated plates, and.chakra-charged special effects Go pieces."
Hei Tu was dumbfounded: "What do these people want?"
"To make money."
"Ninjutsu isn't just for killing people.Let's go, let's relax in Tanabata Street and maybe meet our big spender."
The three boarded a merchant ship and sailed towards Tanbata Street.
——
It was evening, and the streetlights were newly lit.
The entire street was illuminated by various lanterns, making it as bright as day, with casinos, theaters, hot spring hotels, and upscale restaurants vying for attention.
The air was filled with the luxurious aroma of spices, wine, and cosmetics.
Although Kurotsuchi was born into the Tsuchikage family, Iwagakure valued simplicity and pragmatism, and she had never seen such a decadent and extravagant scene before.
His eyes couldn't help but dart left and right, his mouth slightly agape when he saw street performers doing various magic tricks, and he curiously tiptoed to peek when he saw a courtesan parading through the streets.
Naruto found her reaction quite amusing.
"Is this your first time here?"
"...Um."
Kurotsuchi snapped out of his daze, somewhat embarrassed, "There's no such place as Iwagakure."
"If you like it, we can look around some more later."
Kurotsuchi's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously looked at Naruto, only to see that his gaze had already turned to the Golden Moon Tower in front of him, his profile clearly defined under the lamplight.
She quickly looked away, inwardly cursing herself for being so spineless.
The private room at Jin Yue Lou.
The representative of the Moon Kingdom was a chubby middle-aged man wearing a robe embroidered with gold thread and eight gemstone rings on his ten fingers.
Upon seeing Naruto, he immediately greeted him warmly.
"President Naruto!It's an honor to meet you!I am Tsukimi, the royal butler of the Moon Kingdom!"
Naruto shook hands politely: "Mr.Tsukimi, you're too kind.Let's get straight to business."
With a wave of her hand, Tsukimi summoned platters of delicious food, and the maids brought out the dishes."Let's eat and talk!"
During the meal, Yue Jianlai praised the samples provided by the Chamber of Commerce.
"The Light and Shadow Bead—when you throw it onto the ceiling during a banquet, wow!A sky full of twinkling stars appears!All those noble ladies and young women are mesmerized!"
"And this insulated plate—even without any flame, the steak is still sizzling hot after being left on the table for a while!Brilliant!"
He rubbed his hands together, his eyes shining: "President Naruto, do you think.we could develop something even more exciting?"
Naruto put down his glass: "For example?"
"For example.a device for experiencing ninjutsu!"
Tsukimi lowered her voice, "The kind that doesn't hurt anyone!Let those noble lords experience being a ninja, let them use Fire Release to shoot a pillar of fire, or Water Release to create a fountain or something."
Hei Tu rolled his eyes as he listened from the side.
Naruto chuckled and agreed, "It's technically feasible, but it's quite expensive."
"Money is no problem!" Tsukimi patted her chest."The nobles of the Moon Kingdom are so rich they have nothing but money!"
The negotiations went very smoothly.
Naruto proposed several solutions.Tsukimi was full of praise and immediately signed the order form.
"To celebrate our collaboration," Tsukimi said, her face beaming, "I've booked the entire Dream House tonight, and I humbly request that you grace us with your presence, President!"
"Dream House?" Naruto looked at Samui.
Sam explained in a low voice, "The newest upscale entertainment venue in Tanabata Street has performances, hot springs, and.other services."
Naruto understood and initially wanted to refuse, but after glancing at the curious and excited Kurotsuchi beside him, he changed his mind.
Dream House truly lives up to its reputation as the signature shop of Tanabata Street.
Upon entering, you are greeted by a ten-meter-high hall where voluptuous women warmly welcome guests.Guests stroll among the crowds, and soothing, melodious music fills the air.
Tsukimi was clearly a regular, as she led everyone to the VIP lounge on the second floor, which offered a superb view of the theater stage below.
"Tonight is a special performance by the Night Fairies," Yuejian introduced."Their aerial acrobatic act is absolutely amazing!"
Sure enough, once the performance began, several beautiful women dressed in white gauze performed various thrilling stunts ten meters in the air without any ninjutsu assistance, relying solely on ropes and their tacit understanding.
Aerial flips, tosses and catches, contortion.her graceful movements drew gasps from the audience with every breathtaking moment.
Heitu was so engrossed in watching that he unconsciously leaned forward.
Naruto leaned back on the soft sofa, but his gaze lingered more on Kurotsuchi.
The lights were dim, and the occasional streaks of stage light swept across her profile, illuminating her focused expression and slightly parted lips.
She's kind of cute.
At the climax of the performance, the two beauties jumped from the highest point at the same time, grabbed each other's hands in mid-air, and landed gracefully.
The audience erupted in applause and cheers.
Kurotsuchi couldn't help but wave her little hand, turning around to say something to Naruto, only to find him looking at her.
"What's wrong?" she asked instinctively.
"nothing."
Naruto smiled, naturally reached out, put his arm around her shoulder, and pulled her closer to him."Be careful not to fall."
Black soil's body was taut.
In this position, she was almost leaning against Naruto's chest, and could clearly feel the warmth of his arm.
As the changing lights and shadows swept across the stage, she slightly raised her head, looking at Naruto's chin so close to hers, and at his eyes that remained clear even in the darkness.
She should push him away.
This is the enemy's embrace, the mission objective's embrace.
But.the private room was very noisy, with applause, music, and cheers all mixed together, yet she suddenly felt so quiet that she could hear her own heartbeat.
Naruto simply placed his hand lightly on her shoulder, without making any other movements.
"President." she said timidly.
"Um?"
Naruto responded, turning his gaze back to the stage, unaware that anything was amiss.
Hei Tu bit his lip.
Never mind.it'll only be a little while.
It's necessary for the mission anyway.so getting close to the target is understandable.
She found reasons for herself, quickly relaxed her body, and let herself lean against those strong arms.
The performance on stage continued, but she could no longer make out the figures flitting about.
All senses were focused on Naruto, on the body heat emanating from his side.
This is a very unfamiliar feeling.
In Iwagakure, she was the granddaughter of the Tsuchikage and a standout among the younger generation.Everyone treated her with utmost respect, but no one had ever treated her so casually and intimately.
No, it's not affection.
Heitu corrected himself in his mind.
That bastard was just teasing her, like teasing a funny pet.
Even so, this warmth feels so real.
It was so real that it made her a little flustered.
After the performance, Tsukimi suggested that they go and experience the newly opened hot spring.
Naruto declined, saying he wanted to go for a walk on the street by himself.
Yuejian stopped insisting and went off to enjoy herself with her entourage.
When I left Jin Yue Lou, it was already pitch black.
The liveliness of Tanabata Street has not diminished at all; on the contrary, it has become even more ambiguous and mysterious.
Samui went to arrange the return boat, while Naruto and Kurotsuchi walked slowly along the riverbank.
Kurotsuchi walked half a step to Naruto's side.The lingering intimacy in the private room had faded, but a warm touch seemed to remain on her shoulder.
She stole a glance at Naruto; he walked leisurely, his profile appearing even softer in the glow of the river lanterns.
"President,"
She finally couldn't help but ask, "President, do those people in the Land of the Moon really only use chakra tools for pleasure?"
Naruto glanced at her: "What else?"
"I think…" Kurotsuchi said carefully, "In Tanabata, desires are amplified too much.Once chakra tools are combined with this place…"
"You've thought quite deeply about this."
Naruto stopped and turned to face her."The technological risks you mentioned do exist, but the Land of the Moon wouldn't dare.Tanabata Street is so prosperous in the Land of Fire, do you really think it's just because it makes money?"
Heitu suddenly realized.
By the way, Tanabata Street is a major source of income for the Land of Fire, and also a hub for intelligence.
The actions of other forces here have probably been closely watched by Konoha.
"Then.what about Apocalypse Academy?"
She asked, almost as if possessed, "You built the academy just to break the ninja village's monopoly?There's no other purpose?"
As soon as the question left his mouth, Heitu regretted it.
This question is too straightforward.
Naruto was quiet for a while, the light of the river lanterns dancing in his eyes.
"Kurotsuchi, if you were born into a small ninja clan, with both your parents being Chunin, you would have great talent, but in Konoha, you would at most become an ordinary Jonin."
"If you were born in the Land of Rain, a war orphan, you would have no choice but to join a mercenary organization to survive, risking your life for money, and never knowing when you would die in some unknown mission."
"If you were born in Kirigakure, your bloodline limit is not an honor but a curse.You will be ostracized, monitored, and may even be assassinated by someone you don't know."
He took a small step forward with each sentence he spoke.
Hei Tu unconsciously took small steps back until his back touched the trunk of a willow tree by the river.
NarutoStanding in front of her, the two were very close, close enough that she could see herself reflected in his eyes, her expression awkward.
"Apocalypse Academy, give these people another possibility."
He reached out and gently tidied the strands of hair near Heitu's ear.
"President." Her lips moved, but she didn't know what to say.
Just then, Naruto suddenly frowned.
He turned around abruptly, shielding Heitu behind him, and quickly scanned the dark alley on the opposite bank of the river.
"What's wrong?" Heitu also became alert.
Naruto did not answer, but deep within his soul, the soul fluctuations of Aburame Torune resonated.
"Chairman, the extreme representative of the Konoha Elder Council has located your position and dispatched eight assassins carrying a large number of explosive tags and sealing scrolls, who may launch an attack on you."
Naruto's eyes turned cold as he grabbed Kurotsuchi's hand.
"Come with me, quickly."
"Huh?"
Before Kurotsuchi could react, Naruto grabbed her and ran in the opposite direction from the crowd.
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