TIA

The Country of Life

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Toriko.

"The Gourmet World?"

Tsuande invited Naruto, Sakura and their new visitor, Jiro to the Hokage Tower where the elderly figures talk about each other. "Have you ever thought about what is beyond the Elemental Nations, Tsuande-dono?" Jiro asked with Naruto on standby to allow him to explain while Sakura was also to hear what her boyfriend's sensei (Yes I had Hinata and Sakura both of Naruto's girlfriends because Naruto charmed them and the village into making an expectation this time and it is not in the nature of a boy like Naruto to push his luck).

"At random times, mostly at the beach when Sensei took us when we were vacationing from training and missions; yet I always thought there was only one land and we are standing in it." Tsuande answered while Jiro was not disappointed, like he was expecting something similar. "When you do cast your eyes away from the continent, what do you always see?" "A fog." Tsuande replied bluntly but it was what Jiro wanted to hear when he smiled as well as Naruto which led to Sakura confused.

"That fog was actually thin line acting like a borderline separating this continent and the one where humans live from the Gourmet World which is made up of the entire world." Jiro started, "It is also unlike anything in the Human world, where humans have managed to settle and build civilization, in many and deadly ways. All I can tell you is that the easiest way to survive in the Gourmet World is to have someone who has survived himself as a companion. That is how your Chunin Naruto-kun survived that hell." Jiro smirked as well as Naruto while Tsuande and Sakura were either shocked at the danger of the Gourmet World or glad that Naruto managed to live. Yet what they said next really sparked something big in their hearts.

XXXXX

"Jiro-jiji, since Tsuande-sama is known for her medical skills and I am having my girls learn her stuff so can we take them with Setsu-baa-chan to Life Country?" Naruto asked the old man sitting next to him which confused the women present. They then noticed that he had a smiled on his face and patted his grandson on the back, "That is a smart idea and I was supposed to see her again sometime soon too."

"Excuse me..." Tsuande said to grab Naruto and Jiro's attention, "What is Life Country and who is Setsu?" Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously while Sakura was indifferent, 'Sensei barely changes...' "Sorry about that Tsuande-sama, Life Country is known at the land where Jiro comes from for their bizarre but effective medical techniques so I thought you will enjoy it too." Naruto explained when a Chunin barged in, "Hokage-sama! The guards reported a jellyfish floating in the air!"

Naruto and Jiro looked at each other and nodded, "Come on Tsuande-sama, there is someone for you to meet." Tsuande and Sakura didn't say a word and just followed the Chunin to the front gate of the village to see indeed a huge jellyfish floating in midair. One of its legs suddenly moved and revealed steps on one of its sides and formed a stairwell. Before anyone can get near, Naruto halted them and looked at the top to see a short and elderly woman walking down. Naruto smiled as he knew her, "Hello Setsu-baa-chan." The old lady looked and smiled at Naruto, "Naruto-kun, youngsters keep getting bigger aren't they?" Naruto chuckled and turned behind his back, "Setsu-baa-chan, the beautiful girls are our leader, Tsuande-sama and one of my students, Sakura Haruno." The girls blushed under being called 'beautiful' and Setsu chuckled at how her grandson can make women many times his age flush. "Is this everyone that is coming?" Sakura heard that question and wondered if she was the only one going since Tsuande was supposed to stay as Hokage when a crowd was coming, it was Naruto's students!

"Hey Sensei! We heard something about a jellyfish and an olllll~..." Kiba started when he trailed off seeing the jellyfish up close like the rest are. Naruto laughed at his student's expressions, "Sorry for the drama guys since this creature can never be found here in the Human World. It is called a Limousine Jellyfish." Everyone nodded and Naruto went on, "As you can see it resembles a jellyfish but it can also hover in the air and withstand extreme conditions making travel barley a problem. So come on!" Setsu nodded and went back up the stairs with Naruto walking behind; the ninjas couldn't stand still and raced after their teacher and his grandmother up the stairs.

It felt soft to the touch yet it was warm and smooth inside as they noticed that ladders and room were formed inside as well. They went on after Naruto when they climbed into a room with a banquet inside; they were really hungry since it was lunch time so they dove in while Naruto and Setsu prepare for the journey. They then noticed that the jellyfish started to move and when they looked out the window, the arms moved back into place and the creature lifted higher above the ground. "Hey Guys!" The Genin heard their sensei's voice, "If you are looking outside, we are ready to head to Life Country! The liftoff is rough but the rest is smooth sailing!" The Genin couldn't even think when the jellyfish took off in a blink of the eye. They couldn't even hear each other scream as they hang on for dear life until the Jellyfish seemed to slow down until it was going at a comfortable pace. Naruto then walked down,

"Alright guys, here is the deal." Everyone was too distorted to talk yet so they nodded and tried to listen, "That murder speed was to get us across the sea dividing the two continents in the Human World and now it is a few hours at this normal speed to the Country of Life. Now all you have to do is collect your bearings, everyone has this on their first trip, and come up for a little meal." Naruto went back up and after a hour or two, the ninjas slowly but surely gathered their bearings and looked outside to see a world unlike anything they ever saw back home; towers out of metal and concrete, trains, cars, streets out of cement, nothing you will find in the land ruled by federal lords and protected by ninjas.

The ninjas then saw what they never thought they would see, a town that has a huge tree in the center over shadowing it but the walls around was saggy, and there was a forest of pine shaped trees around it, like the town was in a clearing. "Hey Guys, how was it?" Naruto came down from upstairs, "We have just arrived at Life Country." Everyone was in awe at the foreign town until they noticed red and blue spots in flocks heading towards them.

"What are those!?" Sakura was freaking out when Naruto placed his hand on her shoulder, successfully calming her down, when the spots revealed to be butterflies, "They wouldn't harm us; that is the opposite of their nature. They are called Therapy Butterflies; they have special antennas that allow them to detect wounds and they land on them. This is how doctors can tell the status of their next patients because it works like this; blue butterflies land near cuts, scraps or swallow stabs while red butterflies go for the more fatal wounds and both colors go for the patients one feet from death's door. It is that simple, understand?" After Naruto finished his lecture, the ninjas noticed that none of the red ones landed on them, only a few blue ones and they absently nodded. The Limousine Jellyfish landed at the entrance labeled 'Life' and the Ninjas walked through it; it looked like it was recovering from a war done by atomic weapons and the people are more injured then healed.

"Sensei?" Hinata asked her boyfriend, "If this is the Country of Healing, then what happened to the inhabitants?" Naruto smiled and chuckled, "That is what I asked when I first visited this place years ago, the injured people only live here to be healed; the inhabitants are otherwise fine. Then Lee spotted a building named 'Acupuncture' and was curious when Naruto spoke up again, "You can explore the place if you want and the only fee is to get here so don't hold back. This is for the rest of you guys, I am going to where we all should meet up again; the huge tree in the middle and all roads lead there. Enjoy!" Naruto took off leaving his students remember his speed.

XXXXX

At the acupuncture shop, Lee, Neji, Shino, Kiba and yes they got Shikamaru in there too were asking what to do.

"All you have to do is lie on the cacti in the layout as seen and sleep on it. As you sleep, the needles will puncture the proper points to relieve stress and stiffness." The doctor in charge of the shop explained and the ninjas looked at the customers before who are already enjoying the procedure so they went to the available tables. By the time they left, they were moaning in pleasure and moving their loosen limbs.

They then saw a sign saying 'Onsen Sharks' and were curious about it so they climbed the stairs to see sharks flat like boards with steaming water that filled the huge indents on their backs. The boys were startled by the creature and then noticed that Tsuande, Sakura, Hinata, and Tenten relaxing with fish nibbling at random places on their bodies.

"Hello boys, care to join us?" The boys looked at each other and shrugged and went to second shark that was a good distance from the first. There they learned that the fish are called 'Doctor Fish' and they normally live in the water that is warmed by the Onsen Sharks and they only feed on the dried and dead skin flakes on living creatures. It was no surprise that the girls wanted one; they hate to show dry and wrinkly skin in public.

When they were done and dressed, they were joined by the girls and they looked for the others and found more sharks like the Onsen Sharks and they saw Choji, Sasuke and Ino the latter two were cuddling while Choji looked away while enjoying the water. Then they saw fish that appear similar to horse fish.

"Hello and good day. Interested in our 'Diet Shark's?" The group looked to a herder of these creatures, "They are good for customers worried about their weight because within the warm water are 'Diet Fish'; they harmlessly piece the skin of humans to eat extra body fat." The ninjas knew that Ino still worried about her weight even though Sasuke already admitted that wasn't needed but who is to deny that of a good woman? Not me or Sasuke.

After everyone was relaxed, they realized that they never talked about where to meet with Naruto until they saw him in a restaurant waving at them. They hurried to find more tables while Hinata and Sakura took the two seats left with a man they never knew in the fourth one. "How was the Onsen Sharks?" They all replied positive remarks about it and Naruto smiled when they all were smudged in a cloud of smoke. "Yosaku-senpai! Knock that off!"

The man in question had dark tanned skin covered in body hairs; he wearied a bandanna over his forehead and wore a cloak clan in dried blood. He was smoking through a couple of sticks that were made up the compounds of cigars which will explain the smoke. "If there are rules, Naruto-kun..." He said while ruffing up the said ninja's spiky blonde hair, "I was born to break them!" The others couldn't believe their eyes.

End of Chapter 11

*Hey guys, this is MircThomas19! I have seen that people still like this story so i thought i would take a break and go back to working on it when i realized something. I was already finished with this chapter but forgot it when I started on my other stories! Jokes aside, i am starting to finally getting somewhere with this story so i thought i will try it out. I can promise that it will be done soon because my summer is counting down and my next college semester is a big one on my mind. I will try my best to balance ideas to keep making more chapters and have a nice day!*