Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Second Edit-12/5/17: I am going through this story for the second time to clean it up and make it higher quality. I won't be changing anything too significant, but I do believe there needs to be some modifications made.

If you are revisiting this story, then you may notice some slight additions/deletions from my original work on the matter, and I hope those are of better quality than the last. If you are a new reader, then welcome and I hope you enjoy this story!

As far as reviews go, I'm one of those writers who would love a review in every chapter as the reader goes along, but I will be grateful for whatever I can get. Please, at least review this piece once you have finished as it will help me gauge how my writing is and bring mutual benefits to all parties involved. Thank you!

Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Greetings & Goodbyes

"He often used to say there was only one Road; that it was like a great river: its springs were at every doorstep and every path was its tributary. 'It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door,' he used to say. 'You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no telling where you might be swept off to.'"

-Frodo Baggins, J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

Naruto felt the warmth of the sun on his face as he admired the mesmerizing shades of green before him. The lush trees danced gracefully with the soft breeze blowing in from the south. The crystal sky extended far into the distance, rimmed with a black outline. He observed the ominous, dark shadows in the horizon that told of rain and fateful findings. He was close, he thought. He would probably reach his destination by tomorrow evening, and then he would once again enjoy the comforts of civilization. Naruto stretched his arms to relieve the tense and tired muscles that were results from long travel. After his stretch, Naruto slowly continued his trek along the dirt path he had been following for well over a month now, his thoughts focusing on the events that had transpired in his village over a month ago.

He recalled stepping into the Hokage office that eventful morning when Kakashi had summoned him.

The Rokudaime Hokage had seemed to be exhausted then. Throughout the majority of that conversation, Naruto remembered wondering if he was going to be that tired when his time came.

"I have a mission for you," he announced as soon as Naruto had approached his desk.

"Huh? W—"

"It will be considered S-class but not because of difficulty. More due to how long it will take you." He shifted some papers and waited for the blond's response.

Normally, Naruto would have been ecstatic at the prospect of the word 'S-class', but at the time he was quite taken aback by the brevity of his situation. "Um, Kakashi-sensei—this is a little sudden, yeah?"

The dull glimmer in his mentor's eyes that day still left Naruto reeling. "Do you not think you're capable of such a mission?"

"Well, no. But you haven't even explain—"

"You'll be traveling across the Nations," Kakashi added with no semblance of concern for cutting the young man off. "It's about time for you to get ready to become Hokage. I certainly can't train you myself, so might as well let the world do it for the both of us."

Naruto didn't have time to dwell on the fact that Kakashi had basically promised him the title right then and there. "Do I really have to go that far?"

Kakashi looked up from his papers. "Are you underestimating the weight that comes with the position?"

"No—of course not, but—"

"Good, then there's no issue. Because as you understand, you were probably strong enough to become Hokage four years ago, but strength isn't the only indicator."

"I never said—" Naruto started. Even looking back, the blond still felt irritated at his old teacher's interruptions.

"You're inexperienced, Naruto. And young, very young. Your father was even older when he put on the hat, so this is going to be a long mission indeed."

Naruto frowned and folded his arms. "Where exactly will I go?"

Kakashi leaned into his chair. "The destination doesn't matter. Everyone will recognize you, anyways. You'll be welcomed anywhere. You just need to be open to what the world has to show you."

"OK. But you still haven't told me why—"

"It doesn't matter why, Naruto. I'm sure you'll figure it out yourself once the mission is complete." His eyes locked onto his former student. "And I do expect you to complete it."

Apprehension and annoyance was not a good combination, and Naruto recalled both at that moment. "This still sounds really vague."

"Hopefully, that will be the least of your problems," Kakashi added as he turned back to his papers. "You have much to learn, and I'm sure everything will sort itself out. It's not like another war will break out anytime soon."

"And what happens when I complete it?"

"If the mission is successful, then you become Hokage," said Kakashi.

Suddenly, all the apprehension in him disappeared. "Wait, really? Just like that?"

"Of course." Kakashi returned all his attention back to him. "That's why I hope you understand the importance of this mission. Now then, when can you be ready?"

The excitement in him was too much then. He wanted to start immediately. The irony of time being the ultimate obstacle to his goal was lost to him, and his impulses were taking over. "Today! No, wait, I'll need to pack up and say goodbye to everybody first…tomorrow?"

Kakashi chuckled. Naruto didn't realize how much he was going to miss that sound. "I think you can spare a few more days, yes? For the sake of the whole village, I think they'll need some time to cope with your departure. Go on and prepare; you got all the time in the world."

Naruto ran out of the office shortly after Kakashi had said that, an eager grin plastered on his face. Unbeknownst to the war hero, the Hokage kept the main reason for the mission to himself for now. He would tell him when he was ready.

The more Naruto thought about leaving as the day of his departure came closer, the more he became restless about actually leaving the village. He became detached from the village in many ways in recent years. He hadn't felt a challenge in years and while he enjoyed not having to worry about his loved ones getting hurt, he felt hollow.

Naruto wanted to have adventures again. He was a young man, full of potential and energy, and until he became the Hokage, he did not really see a reason to be in the village. Naruto greatly admired all his friends and felt physical pain when he knew he could do nothing for them, but they would be fine even if he left them for a while. He would find something during his adventures that would give him cause to feel a part of the life he wanted; he was sure of it.

The night before Naruto was to leave the village, he went to speak with his long-time friend, Sakura. Sasuke still had not returned even once since he had left to investigate the origins and knowledge about Kaguya, leaving the smitten, pink-haired kunoichi all alone. Naruto had given up his pursuit of trying to win her affections for him some time ago. It was not an easy decision for him to have made, but he knew it was crucial for him to protect his heart. The young woman loved his best friend with all her heart, and he had concluded the sooner he realized that the easier the transition would be for him.

Naruto found Sakura standing over her balcony that night, staring thoughtfully at the village lights below her. Naruto silently jumped up to the balcony where she was located and sat on the ledge next to her looking over the village.

Sakura gazed at him from the corner of her eye and smiled softly. Naruto didn't like the sorrow behind that smile. It was a sliver of melancholy thrust into the porcelain he had known so intimately. It made him feel powerless, as if nothing he could do would aid it. "I'm guessing this means you're leaving soon?" she asked.

Naruto looked down at the artificial lights that almost mirrored the stars shining above in the dark sky. He sighed slowly. His breath was low, and his words flowed into the open air. "Yeah. Tomorrow morning."

Sakura nodded and rested her head on the ledge in front of her. She had to say farewell to another person close to her, and he was aware that must have been terrible for her. Naruto knew he was taking the mission to help himself, but he secretly hoped he would come across Sasuke during his travels. If he did, he promised himself he would tell his friend to go back to Sakura. The girl had been waiting four years for her love already, and she couldn't wait much longer. Naruto had tried to be there for her as much as possible, but often he felt he was simply distracting her from it all. She deserved better.

Naruto's own love life after the war had been virtually non-existent. There were many women who were captivated by the handsome blond, but he had always politely refused their advances. At first, he had been completely clueless to all of them, considering his old habits, but he had grown substantially in the last couple years and had learned how to handle their affections appropriately. Somehow, this seemed to only increase the drive of the women's resolve and turned into almost a competition to see who would win over the war hero first.

Hinata Hyuuga had gotten closer than anyone else and had managed to score a few dates with the powerful fighter. She had eventually confessed her feelings to him, but in the end, her love was left unrequited. The reason for Naruto's refusals were not because of prudish intentions. At first, it was because of Sakura and his feelings for her, but eventually it was his uncertainty towards love that affected him. He hadn't met a woman yet that could entice him or make him want to pursue after her.

Whenever he was asked to explain what he meant, he found it to be rather difficult. His usual response would be: 'I just haven't found the right person yet.' It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the complete truth either because it wasn't the most accurate description of what he actually felt.

Naruto was pulled from his pensive thoughts when he heard Sakura sobbing next to him. His eyes widened with surprise at seeing her in such a broken state. It was at times like this Naruto felt like he didn't really know Sakura at all; she always seemed so distant and lost to him, as if his words would only be meant with emptiness. Naruto had concluded he just was not the man to do it. It had saddened him to decide that, but he knew it was for the best.

Despite all of this, Naruto put his arm around her, and she quickly embraced him. They had each other in that moment, and that felt like it was enough. When Sakura had stopped crying, she had looked up at him with ruddy, tired eyes. "Come back soon, OK?" Her whispers were dull and muffled under the pale stars.

Naruto smiled softly and brushed a hand against her tear-stained face gently. "OK," he whispered back. Naruto left a few minutes after that; that was the last time he had seen her.

The next day, Naruto said goodbye to everyone else. Every single person in Konoha had gathered at the village gates to express their gratitude for their hero and share their farewells to him. They showered him with gifts and praise as he passed all of them to reach the gate that day. Young women cried, and the men shouted with pride at knowing him. If there had been anything that would have given him pause to wonder if he should have left, it was the sight of all his friends in the state of reluctance. They all stood there next to the village gate with mixed expressions.

Shikamaru tried to act cool and disinterested about his leaving, but Naruto knew he was having a difficult time. Rock Lee was bawling uncontrollably that day until Naruto told him he would be much stronger when he returned, which had caused the taijutsu master to become overly driven for the next year or so.

Ino gave her regards to Naruto and didn't seem to be particularly bothered about his leaving, at least outwardly. Sai was strangely anxious about Naruto's journey, but with a few kind words from the young hero, he appeared to be in a better mood. Chōji gave Naruto a pat on the back and told him to come back stronger than ever.

Tenten said to make Neji proud and to remember who his friends were. Kiba gave him a thumbs-up and mentioned he would relinquish the title of Hokage to Naruto when he returned. Naruto grinned at that gesture from his friend. Yamato presented the basic pleasantries and fist-bumped Naruto. Konohamaru said he would be far stronger when Naruto returned and wanted to spar as soon as he got back.

When the awkward moment came to speak to Hinata, Naruto had brushed aside his negative feelings and wished her well. The gentle Hinata accepted his friendly words and bowed respectfully to her former-love. Tsunade, on the other hand, was a lot less subtle. She almost squeezed the life out of Naruto and begged him not to leave. Kakashi pried her off of him and even then, she was still noticeably upset.

Kakashi provided Naruto with a map of the surrounding nations and where he recommended he should go first—Amegakure had been quiet as of late. They hadn't heard from the shinobi in that area for quite some time, and he wanted Naruto to investigate the problem if there was one. He told Naruto that he had notified all of the other Kage about his mission, and that they would greatly welcome his company whenever he arrived. He handed Naruto a small scroll that stated his mission and approval to enter any Allied Nation and the surrounding nations with the Hokage's official signature. The Hokage ordered Naruto to send a report as often as possible during his mission via a messenger toad.

"Remember," Kakashi reminded him before he left, "there's no rush. Take your time with this. You can truly come back whenever you want; however, I expect you to be ready to be Hokage if you do." For the entirety of his journey, Naruto never forgot the staidness behind his master's words nor the intensity in his sable eyes. "If you come back and you're not ready, you can forget about becoming Hokage."

Naruto swallowed and felt his resolve burning. "You got it, Kakashi-sensei. I'll be ready."

Naruto remembered that day being sunny and bright—a perfect day to travel. Garbed in black traveling clothes and a brown hooded traveling cloak, Naruto took his first step past the village gate. Naruto strapped his large satchel around his shoulder; it was filled with money, rations, clothes, scrolls, and other necessary items. He waved to his friends when he began his peregrination, and the whole village had waved back and shouted their farewells to the hero until his figure disappeared beyond the western horizon.

That had been forty days ago, Naruto realized with cold discernment. He decided to take Kakashi's advice and took his time in reaching Amegakure. For an average shinobi that went max-speed, they could reach Ame from Konoha within three days. For Naruto—with the help of Kurama—he could probably reach the village in a few hours. Obviously, Naruto didn't want to move that fast, so he maintained a slow and steady pace every day.

He would walk for about eight hours a day then find a cozy meadow or tree to rest for the night. He passed the occasional inn or village every now and then, and he would usually stay there for a few days. Sometimes, if the village was particularly comfortable or friendly, he would stay for a number of days until he felt it was best to move on. Needless to say, every village was sad to see him leave.

Naruto was currently close to the western border of Hi no Kuni, and the country where Ame was located was near. Naruto could feel the density around him, and the humidity increased every step he took. He could feel his bandaged right prosthetic tighten slightly, something that usually occurred right before it rained. The rain clouds that had originally seemed so far away before, were now almost directly over him. Naruto pulled up his hood and smiled as it started to sprinkle on him. He had learned to appreciate the rain in recent years, especially because it reminded him of Nagato.

Even though Naruto had his hood up, some raindrops fell upon his face; clear, delicate beads dripped from his long bangs. He allowed his spiky, blonde hair grow out recently, and it was now slightly longer than his fathers had been. He had also grown substantially in height and physique. He maintained a lean yet muscular frame that had earned more than a few stares from the opposite gender.

The sun had left his vision about an hour ago, and the night was quickly approaching. The rain became a downpour within minutes, and Naruto scanned the area for some place to spend the night. It was early summer, so the rain wasn't freezing, but Naruto surmised he didn't want to be soaked to the bone all night.

He found a large, hollowed-out tree that was still dry on the inside off the side of the dirt path. He crouched down and huddled his body into it. The dead tree was warm and pleasant, and the blond had no trouble sleeping that night. Naruto drifted off to the sound of millions of raindrops bouncing against the leaves of the forest around him, and he couldn't conceive of a more peaceful melody to fall asleep to.

Amegakure was usually poorly categorized as a village, but the truth was it was more like a city than a small town. Konoha was far bigger, but it didn't contain the large metal buildings that Ame proudly possessed. It almost always rained in Ame, and all the water converged into the massive lake surrounding the village. The lake was the village's means of protection and provided a sense of isolation as well. Travelers and merchants wishing to reach Ame would usually take a ferry or boat to get across. In the past, travelers would have to go through a plethora of screenings and questions to visit the village, but nowadays it was much more lenient. There was a small docking facility on the outskirts of the lake that welcomed, screened, and shipped newcomers to Ame.

In the early morning hours, a hooded figure approached the Customs Building, and the shinobi on duty greeted him in a bored tone. "Welcome to Customs," the Ame-nin announced with disinterest. The hooded man unveiled himself and smiled at the ninja. Naruto's grin was broad, and his electric-blue eyes sparkled brilliantly in the morning rain. Naruto may have mellowed out excessively over the last couple of years, but he was still his cheery, positive self.

"Hello! I would like to visit Ame if that's all right."

The Ame-nin's eyes practically bugged out at seeing Naruto's face. Naruto shouldn't have been surprised, but he did help save the entire world and all of humanity, so it was easy for him to see why he was recognized so quickly all the time. The Ame-nin started stumbling over his words as he tried to address Naruto.

"Uzumaki-san!? Of course, you may be allowed to visit!" The ninja was unsure of where to put his hands all of a sudden and settled with saluting Naruto. Naruto gave him a curious expression but flashed him another smile.

"Great! I'll be going then!" Naruto's voice rang merrily as he strolled towards the surface of the lake. The shinobi peeked his head out the window with surprise.

"Where are you going? The dock is that way," the Ame-nin yelled as he pointed to the right of where Naruto was heading. Naruto just waved and hollered back.

"It's fine. I don't need a boat. I can walk." The shinobi just stared in marveled awe as he saw Naruto casually cruise on top of the water. Ninja had done it before, of course, but the way the hero carried himself provoked a sense of respect.

The Ame-nin slowly came to realize he may have met the strongest shinobi in the entire world and he didn't even go through the proper security checks with the hero. He should probably notify his officers about the meeting he just had, he thought to himself as he ran off in search of his captain.

Naruto didn't really recognize the fact he was walking on water when he did it. It had become second nature to him years ago and was as simple as walking on land. He could easily skate across the water if he wanted to but again—no rush. He loved taking his time now. After living most of his life always hurrying and never stopping to ponder, Naruto had learned to savor every precious moment he was given.

Naruto ventured farther out and when he was about halfway across the lake, a high-ranking Ame-nin slowly emerged from the murky liquid below. The war hero didn't falter at the sight of the random shinobi because he had sensed his presence ever since the ninja had plunged into the lake several minutes ago. He didn't detect any danger nor ill-intent from the officer, so there was no need to be on guard. When the officer broke the surface in front of him, Naruto bowed respectfully to the man. The mental voice of Sakura's ravings about his lack of etiquette was a great reminder to keep his manners in check.

"Good morning," Naruto stated cheerfully.

Over the last few years or so, Shikamaru had been helping Naruto with observing people's habits and subtle consistencies to get a read on their mental condition. He had followed his friend around the village and learned from facial expressions of people and how they carried themselves. Shikamaru told him that most individuals, including shinobi, gave away much more information through their body language, tone of voice, eye contact, hand movements, and posture than they ever did through their words.

The officer currently in front of him was stoic and slightly on edge. Naruto could tell the shinobi was confused and apprehensive about him being there. His face was stern and gave away nothing, but there was another feeling the officer was showcasing through the soft convulsions of his hands—fear. Naruto smiled as wide as possible, so he didn't increase the man's fright. He knew his smile was excellent at setting people at ease.

It seemed to work because the shaking halted when the officer spoke back. "Good morning, please state your name and business." The officer had a matter-of-fact tone with no faltering in his words. He clearly already knew his name, but Naruto decided to play along.

"Naruto Uzumaki," he stated. "I am presently on a mission by the Rokudaime Hokage. Please, read this." Naruto pulled the scroll Kakashi had given to him from an inside pocket in his cloak. The officer calmly grasped the scroll and quickly scanned its contents.

When he finished reading it, the Ame-nin handed it back to Naruto and cleared his throat. "Everything seems to be in order." The officer bowed. "We are honored to welcome the hero of the Fourth Shinobi World War, Naruto Uzumaki, to our peaceful village. Please, stay as long as you like."

Naruto bowed back again and rubbed the back of his neck modestly when he stood upright. "Thank you very much. If you don't mind, I have a quick question to ask before you." Naruto wasn't sure if he liked the slight emphasis in the officer's voice when he had said 'peaceful.'

"Of course." The officer appeared to be at ease, but there was a rigidness about him that spoke of darker secrets.

Naruto tried to make the matter seem minor to his interests. "Is everything well in your village? Konoha hasn't been receiving updates or reports from Ame in quite some time." Naruto's suspicions became definite when the man rolled gently back on his heels at the question. It was subtle, but it didn't escape his eye. The officer was nervous at answering him; Naruto was certain of that.

"Everything is superb, Uzumaki-san." Naruto noticed the gentle twitch of the man's hands at his subtle lie. This guy has really got to control his hands, Naruto thought to himself.

"It has been so serene and quiet here that we have had no need to report anything, whatsoever. I hope that is a formidable excuse, Uzumaki-san. If you would like, I will personally start writing a monthly update to Konoha. However, it will most assuredly be filled with uneventful instances and dull resource lists."

Naruto nodded and accepted the man's falsehood. He would need to investigate what was really going on himself. That was fine. He liked that more, anyways. He thanked the man and meandered around him with calm grace.

As Naruto was walking away, the officer said one last thing: "I hope you run into the other future Kage that is staying with us, too." Naruto paused for a second at the cryptic statement but then continued his sojourn towards Ame in silence.

For the rest of the way across the lake, Naruto contemplated the officer's words. Another future Kage? Did that mean there was a shinobi from one of the other nations on a similar mission as him? Naruto would have to find out. His thoughts stopped when he was a few yards from the end of the lake. Naruto looked down at the ripples forming around his feet. His master and godfather, Jiraiya, had fallen in this lake; that was what Fukasaku, the elder toad sage, had told him. Naruto still greatly missed his old master and smiled sadly down at the place where Jiraiya had been slain. He stopped to give a quick prayer on his behalf before he stepped out of the water and onto dry land.

Naruto had never visited Amegakure before and was utterly astounded by the giant skyscrapers that towered above him. He attempted to keep to the shadows as much as possible to not draw any more attention to his recognizable features. Blond hair would easily contrast with the stormy, dark colors of the city, so he kept his hood up. He could have performed a henge, but Naruto didn't want to alert any of the higher-level shinobi in the area.

Naruto carefully inspected all his surroundings and tried to assess the area as thoroughly as possible. The citizens he encountered seemed to be cheerful and calm for the most part. Shop owners yelled and joked off the side of the streets, and the village bustled merrily. Aside from the constant rain, it felt like any other village. He would need to stay here for a while longer to find the source of the anxiety the officer had possessed during Naruto's questioning.

After an hour of traversing through the village, Naruto noticed a small restaurant at the corner of one of the larger buildings. He decided on satiating his growing hunger and taking a much-needed break. Naruto stepped into the bar and dropped his hood. Luckily, there was hardly anyone attendant in the little restaurant this morning. Naruto observed a few strangers eating a late breakfast and a lone hooded figure sitting at the bar counter.

Naruto casually sat down at the bar, next to the hooded patron, and relaxed his tired leg muscles as he beckoned over a server. The server came over and took his order. Naruto asked for some tea and a steaming bowl of ramen. It had been much too long since he had enjoyed his favorite dish. He was beyond ecstatic when he saw that it was a choice on their front menu.

After the server wrote down his order and departed, Naruto looked to his left and observed the stranger next to him. He realized they were drinking some saké out of a small cup and widened his eyes marginally in disbelief.

"A little early for alcohol, isn't it?" Naruto inquired with a sardonic tone. The hooded figure must have noticed him for the first time because they shifted slightly and mumbled something. The light pitch of their voice told Naruto that it was a young woman underneath the cowl.

"Not if you can handle it," she retorted. The woman's chide carried a hint of aggression, but it was mostly comprised of effrontery. At that moment, the woman unveiled her hood and gazed up at Naruto with a playful glint in her eye. The glint quickly disappeared once pure surprise replaced it. Her mouth gaped open and her pink, pupil-less eyes widened greatly. "Naruto Uzumaki?"

Naruto looked at her quizzically. There was only person he had met in his past that had those mesmerizing eyes. She had grown her hair out since the last time he had seen her, and her Iwa headband had been discarded. "Kurotsuchi?" Naruto blinked in hesitation then smiled brightly. "Wow! It's been a while, huh?"

Kurotsuchi closed her mouth and felt her face get hot in embarrassment. She was talking to the hero of the Fourth Shinobi World War and had lost her well-known composure for a second. She was also amazed by how much Naruto had grown in the last four years. His face was more pronounced and masculine. The rest of his body had filled in as well, and he was nothing short of a strong, handsome man now. Kurotsuchi took a deep breath and tried to collect herself. She was not going to lose her pride by speaking to a pretty face, but she still wanted to have a little fun.

"It certainly has, Uzumaki. And why have I been blessed with your presence in Ame, this morning?" she asked calmly.

Naruto was unsure as to why, but he found the small smirk on Kurotsuchi's mouth to be quite delightful. He fastened his cerulean eyes to hers and attempted to mirror her expression. "I just happen to be passing by. And I believe I'm the one who has been truly blessed this lovely morning, young lady." Naruto was thoroughly enjoying himself, and he could tell Kurotsuchi was too. They were fighting a battle of wits, trying to obtain information that neither were willing to give up easily; it was a shinobi thing.

She didn't waver at his charm. "We're rather far from Konoha, aren't we? It's a little odd to see someone of your status skulking about." She kept her voice loose with a ring of ardor laced within.

"Yeah, it's odd, but I wouldn't call it 'skulking'. I prefer 'checking out'. Also, if I recall correctly, Iwa is only a few days away, too."

Kurotsuchi narrowed her eyes slightly but kept the smirk. Their nations were allies, and she knew there was no reason to be so cautious, but she was enamored by the wit of the man before her. If her memory was accurate, she was certain it was a recent development for him. She brought her hand up to her face and rested it on the side of her cheek, showing off her freshly-polished fingernails. "For a man that should have passed the Hokage, I wonder as to why you have left your village, hero…" She kept a precise flair to her inflection that she was rather proud of.

Naruto couldn't help but grin at that subtle jab she gave. He decided to be a bit more direct in his approach. Fishing for information was turning out to be much more enjoyable this time around for him. "Funny you should say that, considering you should be the Tsuchikage by now." He was hoping that would break her mask—but it didn't. Kurotsuchi's smirk merely got bigger.

Kurotsuchi didn't expect him to come back with a stronger retort. She wasn't sure if she should give him something to play with or to be more ambiguous. She settled on adding more to the conversation. "It just so happens that I'm on an S-ranked mission, hero. My grandfather is going to give me the title of the Yondaime Tsuchikage when I return."

She was startled when Naruto's smile vanished, and his eyebrows rose in awe. This peculiar man was demonstrating a formidable range of emotions, and Kurotsuchi was uncertain as to what she felt about that; she certainly didn't anticipate him to be that surprised.

Naruto had never participated in such playful banter before and was amazed at his own words, but now he was even more astounded. The sheer coincidence was baffling. "That's remarkable, Kurotsuchi! Kakashi assigned me the same mission." Naruto dropped his intentional charm and possessed nothing but pure amazement on his features. Kurotsuchi's facade seemed to fall as well at his proclamation. She blinked and remained silent for a few seconds.

After the pause, she smirked again. "Let me guess—the Hokage wanted you to investigate Amegakure's silence, too?"

Naruto caught on and grinned cheerfully. "Yes. I take it they haven't reported to Iwa either?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"They haven't." Her smirk was small, but it held such a heavy amount of pulchritude to it that Naruto was having difficulty focusing on his words.

"I see. You don't happen to have any leads?" Naruto's eyes were not so distracted to neglect the fact that the server had just placed his order of ramen in front of him.

Kurotsuchi stood up out of her chair and flashed another playful smile at him. Naruto would be lying if he said he didn't appreciate the sparkle in her rosy eyes. "I don't believe I do, I'm afraid. Now, if you'll excuse me." She turned to leave.

Naruto wanted to follow her. He told himself that such reasoning was because he wanted to know more about Ame's predicament; however, he was horrible at convincing himself of anything other than the truth. Instead, rather than part with his delectable ramen, he tried to appeal to her.

"Perhaps, you'd like to accompany me for a casual date, then?"

Kurotsuchi's eyes flashed innocence as she tilted her head at him. "Why, I thought we were already on one?" The smile she gave him should have melted his bones away. It would have if she had made use of her Lava Release. At that point, he would have welcomed such a reaction. "Maybe next time you'll be more aware of that fact. Goodbye, hero." With that, she was gone.

Naruto looked back at the spot where she had departed and couldn't seem to wipe the large grin off his face. He ate his anticipated meal in silence and then asked the server where the nearest inn was.

As Naruto was crossing the drowned street towards the small inn a few minutes later, he reflected on the gorgeous woman he just encountered as the heavy rain fell upon his strong frame. Naruto rarely talked like that, and it was slightly unsettling how he acted towards the Iwa kunoichi. He was not ashamed of his words, but he was wary of them. Naruto remembered Kurotsuchi had appeared to look like a boy with her hair and figure four years ago, but today she was very much a woman in his eyes. Her features had filled in, and Naruto recalled she was wearing red nail polish. Her beyond-shoulder-length haircut and her laughing, salmon-colored eyes enthralled the young blond. He liked the way she smirked and exchanged verbal sword-play with him. He wanted to speak with her more. During the war, he had seen her fight and knew a few basic details about her, but he knew even her grandfather better than her, and that fact perturbed him.

With these thoughts in mind, Naruto barely recalled walking up to the innkeeper, paying for a room, and climbing up the stairs to reach his temporary lodging. He finally noticed he was standing in front of his room and swayed his head to shake away his daze. He stepped into his room and closed the door. The accommodation was furnished with a small coffee table, a hardwood desk and chair, a twin-size bed; a small restroom, and a dresser. Naruto shook his somewhat-damp hair and fished a scroll from his satchel before dropping it to the ground gently. He threw his cloak aside and sat down at the hardwood desk.

Naruto opened the scroll, which was blank, and began writing a message to Kakashi. The scroll gave a general report of the last few days and spoke of small details concerning mundane yet meaningful events. In the last paragraph, Naruto mentioned his suspicions concerning Ame's status and how he would continue his investigations promptly. He also added the confrontation with Kurotsuchi and asked if the Hokage had known any information about her peculiar mission. He signed the scroll at the bottom and summoned a messenger toad to bring the message to Kakashi.

After the toad vanished in a poof of white smoke, Naruto leaned back in his chair and pondered more about the beautiful, young woman he had confronted that day. It was still midday, but Naruto felt surprisingly fatigued already. He rested his eyes for a moment and decided he would not mind seeing a certain pair of soft, pink eyes again in the near future.