A huge thanks to these wonderful people, who beta'd this chapter!

u/4933284/The-Erudite

u/10492725/Blackright709

Regular speech: "Pizza, mozzarella~"
Thoughts: 'Pizza, mozzarella~'
Summon's, higher beings regular speech: "Rella, rella rella~"
Summon's, higher beings thoughts: 'Rella, rella, rella-lee~'
Locations: Somewhere in the vast desert…
Techniques: Kawarimi!
'Document, quotation'.
Italics can be used for certain kinds of emphasis or snide comments.
Bold can be used for forceful yelling/shouting/screaming.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or JJBA.

Chapter X

"I've been waiting for you."

As the client said that, the two genin tensed. Sasuke slowly reached for his kunai.

Narrowing his eyes, Naruto asked the man.

"What do you mean by that?"

That seemed to puzzle the client, as he gave a questioning look to the blond. Fully turning to the pair, the brush still in hand, the man answered.

"The paper rolls?" he said. "You boys are the ones that got the mission I've ordered, aren't you?"

Exchanging a confused look, the two seemed to calm down a bit. Naruto swiped the sweat from his brow in relief, but Sasuke still kept his hand around the kunai.

"You're our client…" realising that he didn't know the mans name, the blond started searching for the paper with the mission details. "Uhhh, Mister…"

"Murashi," the man said, standing up from his chair. "My name is Hanesu Murashi. And you two are from the recently graduated batch of genin, correct?"

"Y-Yes, Murashi-san. I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and this is-"

"Uchiha Sasuke," the boy introduced himself in a cold tone, still staring with a penetrating gaze at Hanesu.

"Ahh, the Last of the Uchiha, I've heard a lot about you," the man said with an uncomfortably sweet smile, slowly approaching the two. "The boy who lived, who was spared the wrath of the fallen prodigy of the clan."

Barely containing his rage, Sasuke clenched his wrist so hard, it turned blood red in color. Seeing that his teammate's temper began to flare, Naruto stepped in between the two, pointing the thick scroll at Hanesu.

"Here's your paper rolls, Murashi-san."

Not giving the said scroll a look, Hanesu levelled his gaze at the boy holding it. Still adorning the same sickly sweet smile, he continued. "Hmm, what was your name again… Naruto-kun, wasn't it?"

Not waiting for an answer, he grabbed the scroll, absent-mindedly twisting it around in his hand. "I still remember the day you led half the chunin in the village on a wild goose chase."

Sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, Naruto laughed awkwardly. "Well, if they really were chunin, it's kinda their fault that an Academy student managed to outsmart them!"

Staring at the blond for what seemed like an hour, Hanesu then laughed heartily, swiping a lone tear from his eye. "Well said, Naruto-kun, well said."

As the tense atmosphere has deflated, Naruto somewhat relaxed,

Recovering from all the laughing, Hanesu suddenly remembered something. "Oh, where are my manners! Please, come to the kitchen, I'll treat you two to a cup of tea."

Befuddled at the sudden hospitality, Naruto quickly retorted. "No-no, there's no need, Murashi-san, we're really don't…"

"Nonsense! I've insulted your friend and basically assaulted you two at my doorstep!" the man shook his head, throwing the scroll behind him absent-mindedly. "That is unbecoming of me, wouldn't you say? Now, let me treat you for a quick delivery, and believe me when I say that my tea is exactly that – a treat!" with that the man went to the kitchen with an aura of enthusiasm, his kimono flailing behind him.

'Good grief, what an erratic man…' thought Naruto with a sigh. As he was about to take a step into the room, Hanesu suddenly shouted from the kitchen on the left.

"And don't forget to take your shoes off! It would be a shame if you two were to soil my carpet."

Halting his leg in mid-air, Naruto sweat dropped. 'T-That was close…'

Sasuke, who stood deep in thought beside Naruto, stared menacingly in the direction of Hanesu.

As he sat to take off his sandals, he noticed his teammate's glare. "Sasuke, you're OK? I know what he said was harsh, but-"

The Uchiha then suddenly interrupted him. "There's something suspicious about him."

Throwing a quick glance at the doorway that led into the kitchen, Naruto quickly stood back up, whispering at the Uchiha. "Come on! If he's a crazy asshole, it doesn't mean that he's some kind of a criminal! We've just reached a middle ground with the man, don't you drive it all into shit because of a hunch!"

Shaking his head, Sasuke pointed at the room around them. "It's not a hunch. Doesn't it all seem strange to you?" Not receiving anything from the blond, Sasuke continued. "Everything's neatly put, arranged with only convenience in mind."

Looking intensely at his teammate, Naruto put the pieces together, then jolted with realisation. "You imply that he's some kind of a spy or a nukenin? You're pulling it out of your ass, Sasuke! Why would he rent one of the most expensive flats in the middle of the village? That's the same as sending his address directly to the Anbu!"

"That's hiding in plain sight," Sasuke tapped at his temple. "You, of all people, should know what it means."

"Hmm, it's true that my awesome tracksuit allows me to hide surprisingly easy…" considering Sasuke's argument, he then shook his head. "No, it doesn't mean anything. You're just imagining things because he was an ass to you."

"And why'd he order chakra-laced paper? That seems to much for an art project."

The genin's arguing was suddenly cut short with a shout from the kitchen. "Are you two coming or what? The tea's ready."

Sharing a startled look with Sasuke, Naruto then answered Hanesu. "We'll be right there, Murashi-san!"

"Oh, stop it with the '–san' already! I'm only twenty years old, you can call me '–sempai'."

"Alright, Hanesu-sempai!" sighing, Naruto turned to his teammate. "Don't you pull something crazy!"

Replying with a 'Hn', Sasuke followed Naruto into the kitchen after they've took off their sandals, walking by a table with neatly laid scrolls on a stand, the newest addition somehow laying there as well.

Earlier that day…

Although shinobi could travel at high speeds through the forests, Jiraya often opted for a slow walk, to take his time and enjoy the pleasant weather. Who in their right state of mind would dare to attack one of the Sannin anyway? Musing that the number was quite low, he turned to look what laid further down the road. As it was three days since he entered the Land of Fire from the north, even at his slow pace he should be almost there. Alas, he saw nothing but bare ground of the road he was on, that clearly showed the tracks of the many civilians that must have came through here on their way to the Hidden Leaf, a stray caravan wheel blending in the mural of numerous feet.

Twenty uneventful minutes later, he finally laid his gaze upon the threshold of the Leaf – the Great Konoha Gates, the village's symbol proudly displayed on the forefront of the arch. Approaching the guards' post, the inhabitants of which he certainly knew to be the same pair of chunin as before, Jiraya went to greet them.

"Izumo, come on, we must take that assignment, or else we'll certainly miss all the fuss on the Chunin Exams!"

"What do you want to see exactly? How measly genin beat themselves to death? Not the most of entertaining sights, I must say," Izumo answered, rubbing the back of his neck.

At that, Kotetsu smirked. "You say that, but you know that the Uchiha kid and that branch Hyuuga from the last year are far from measly. Besides, there must be someone interesting from the other villages coming as well, and not necessarily children: Kabuto, for example, has been going on these exams for, like, four years it seems!"

At that, Izumo laughed. "If any of the participants are even close in a hindsight to Kabuto, the whole thing will be boring as hell." Sighing, he shifted in his seat. "By the way, four-eyes still going this year?"

Izumo nodded in response. "Yeah. You know, I just sometimes wonder what the guy wants to do with his career, wasting opportunities like that…"

That was the moment when Jiraya decided to intervene in the two's conversation, wearing an amused grin. "That's rich coming from the eternal guards of the Leaf, wouldn't you say?"

The startled chunin then quickly jumped on their feet, sticking their chests out. "J-Jiraya-sama!"

"We didn't know that you were coming!"

Stopping their babbling with a raised hand, the white-haired sannin decided to cut to the chase. "Don't bother, lads. Just tell me how's the village been holding up without the strongest of the Sannin, and when the Old Man is free from the tortures of the council."

Sharing a look with his friend, Kotetsu turned to answer the man."Well, nothing of the ordinary happened really."

"We watch people come and go every day, and it seems that it'll be another boring summer." Izumo continued.

Nodding at the two's report, he turned to look at the forests of Land of Fire. "At least it's boring somewhere… And the Old Man?"

"U-Uh, let me take a look at the schedule…" quickly ruffling through the papers on his desk, Izumo found a tablet with their leader's timetable for the day. "Hokage-sama will be free in two hours, Jiraya-sama."

"Well, gotta take a breather from the road anyway. See you later, folks."

Leaving the guards behind, Jiraya went to the old bar he used to go with his team after each mission. Suppressing the resurging memories, the sannin sighed, longing for a drink that would soften his burden. Not that he hoped that alcohol would solve his problems – his own teammate went down that road, and she's not anywhere close to inner peace, quite the opposite, actually. Bad habit or not – one glass of the Leaf's finest to relax the nerves wouldn't hurt.

"Damn, it's really good, Hanesu-sempai!"

The trio sat at the round table, tentatively sipping at their hot tea.

Hanesu chuckled at Naruto's praise, flipping the pages of his sketchbook absent-mindedly. "That's because it's from the Land of Tea. While I was on my mission there, three years ago, the Wagarashi family was suffering from wildfires, which inflicted a horrible crisis on the nearest towns. After their own efforts turned to be futile to put the fires down, they've sent an emergency plea of help, and as their trading allies, we had to oblige. Instead of accepting the paycheque, which wasn't that big either way, I was the only one of my fellow comrades who chose a lifetime supply of whatever tea I want."

Naruto went to say something, but Sasuke interrupted. "So you are a former shinobi, then?"

Narrowing his gaze at the boy's rudeness, the man answered with a nod. "That is correct."

"Why did you leave the forces, then?"

At that, Hanesu sighed, turning his gaze away from the two boys. "It's a dreadful story, I don't know if you'd want to hear it."

Seeing the other side of a seemingly rude man, Sasuke felt a little empathy for him. "You've lost someone?"

"Thankfully not. Although I was brought up an orphan, my teammates, whom I considered my family, are still alive, last I've heard."

Sharing a look with his teammate, Naruto turned to ask the man. "Why don't you see them anymore, if they're alive?"

"I've never said that I don't see them."

"No, but you said that you 'considered' them a family, what happened?"

Sighing, Hanesu forced a sad chuckle. "You are quite shrewd, Naruto-kun. Fine, I'll tell you my story."

Downing the last of his tea, he put the cup down. "When I served as a shinobi of the Leaf, our village was still experiencing the aftermaths of the Kyūbi attack." At that, Naruto tensed, which only Sasuke managed to notice.

"Our village was weakening in the time of peace, our shinobi weren't striving to improve, to be better. I, being a young chunin at the age of fourteen, wanted nothing but to serve my country, so much so that my teammates would often find me reading scrolls on our simple escort missions, or spending the night in the training grounds. "

Hanesu sighed before continuing.

"That continued up until my seventeenth birthday, when I was being considered for a promotion, and as such, went with jonin on a couple of their missions. Having been fed up with being a delivery boy, I wanted to serve my country to the full extent of my ability."

"What happened then?"

"When I was being introduced to the jonin unit, I expected to meet the elite of our village, the people who carried the Leaf on their shoulders. But instead, I saw bastards who gambled on people's lives, who took missions to attain wealth, not to serve their village! I was so disgusted by this, I decided to retire from the shinobi force."

"And what have you been up to since then?" Naruto inquired curiously.

Hanesu stroked his chin in thought. "Since I was a child, I was always good in calligraphy. I was considered into the fuinjutsu corps, but the project was shut down. So, after I left the forces, I decided to find solace in drawing. Actually, I have been trying for a while now to draw something that would get published." Hanesu was thrilled that someone was interested in his hobby.

"What have you been working on, some pictures for children?" Sasuke said with a scoff.

Grinding his teeth, Hanesu slammed his fist on the table. "It's called manga, and it's art! Let me show you an example, Uchiha-san."

Producing a pen from his sleeve, Hanesu flipped to a new page in his sketchbook and began furiously drawing something.

Glaring at Sasuke, who tried to look innocent, Naruto turned to the older man. "Hanesu-sempai, please forgive my teammate's rudeness, we'll le-"

"No need for that, Naruto-kun. Even though he might not have meant it, I still have to educate him on the subject of art, because he clearly understands none of it."

As Sasuke scoffed at Hanesu's veiled insult, Naruto sighed with exasperation, laying his head in his palms. 'Good grief, why it always have to be like this...'

"You won't impress me with useless drawings, Murashi-san." Sasuke spat with scorn.

Smirking at the boy, Hanesu retorted, not raising his gaze from the sketchbook. "Maybe you won't be impressed, but your teammate certainly will be."

At that, both Sasuke and Naruto raised an eyebrow, interested at what the man was drawing.

Suddenly, Hanesu stopped drawing, only to make one last stroke with the pen, placing it down afterwards. Looking at the genin's anticipation, he showed his drawing to the two.

What they laid their yes upon was a small comic with two panels. In the first panel, a caricature version of Sasuke posed with his Sharingan activated.

"I am the most powerful shinobi ever! None shall escape these eyes!"

Then, in the following panel, someone poked his eyes, which made him roll around on the ground in pain, crying like a baby.

"Nooo, nooo, my eyes, my beautiful eyes!"

Naruto tried to hold in laughter, trowing a narrow glance at a grumpy Uchiha. "Well, this... this is...AHAHAHAH! This is brilliant!"

As his blond teammate was wallowing in laughter, Sasuke managed to hold his spiteful comment, instead scoffing at Hanesu. "Hn, pathetic. That's why you're not a shinobi."

"Oh, don't get me wrong, Uchiha-san, I wasn't trying to ridicule you, that just what always happens to an Uchiha in his lifetime."

Seeing as it flared Sasuke's temper, Hanesu added. "Well, happened. Now they're all gone of course, save you and your prodigious brother."

Suddenly, Sasuke sprang from his seat, throwing a punch at a speed most wouldn't be able to see.

But not the retired chunin, who merely swiped a page on his sketchbook.

"Sasuke, no!" Naruto moved to intercept his hotheaded teammate. 'Damn, I wont make it in time, I have to use-'

The blond's train of thought stopped dead in its tracks, as colourful snakes with scales shaped as hearts, appeared from the sketchbook, binding the Uchiha. Then, yet another snake appeared, biting him in the neck and injecting something into his bloodstream. And just like that, the last of the Uchiha fell unconscious.

Barely containing the anger and fear for his teammate, Naruto shouted at the man. "W-What the hell did you do to him, bastard?!"

Standing up from the table, Hanesu merely scoffed, staring into the window. "Today's shinobi are truly weak, it seems."

"Hey! Don't you ignore me, what did you do to Sasuke?!"

"Why do you think he lost? Was it because he didn't expect me to retort, or that he wasn't fast enough?" not waiting for an answer, Hanesu continued. "Whether or not a shinobi wins is determined with nothing but his will. If he's doubtful, unbalanced - he will fail. But once a shinobi sets his sight on something he truly wants to achieve, he is truly a force to be reckoned with."

After a few minutes of silence, Hanesu added. "Get your friend and get out of my apartment. I've seen enough of your generation. If the Last of the Uchiha is so pitiful, what can one say about the rest of you?"

"No."

"Come again?" the man said, befuddled at the bold response.

Clenching his fists, Naruto launched at his opponent, throwing away the table with the sketchbook on it. "I won't run away! We are not as weak as you think we are! I'll show you what determination really means!"

"Ho, you continue to surprise me, Naruto-kun." he said with a smirk on his face, which then turned into a stone-cold mask that not betrayed any emotion. "But it's futile."

As he said that, Hanesu swiped at Naruto with his pen, sprinkling him with ink.

"W-What the hell..." was all Naruto could say, before red vines appeared from the ink spots on his jacket, binding him completely.

'I-I can't move!' finding that his efforts to free himself was fruitless, he turned to his ace in the hole 'I have to use it...'

"The Wor-" as he went to activate his kekkei genkai, he noticed that it made no effect. "I cant use my chakra anymore?!"

"It appears that you didn't manage to disprove me at all, Naruto-kun." taunting the boy once more, he sighed, dreading what he has to resort to. 'This kid clearly has potential. It seems I cant bring out his spirit without resorting to this...'

Stumbling with his foot on a lone kunai, he eyed it curiously, before picking it up. "Huh, your broody teammate must have lost it when he tried to attack me. Well, I must return him his weapon, it seems!"

With that, he feigned a stab at the Uchiha. Not even halfway through the motion, he was stopped by a scream.

"STOP IT!"

This caught Hanesu's attention. "Why should I? The Uchiha is clearly a nuisance to this village. His ambitions are weak, he isn't driven enough. Why exactly shouldn't I kill this boy and save the world another nukenin?"

Naruto then looked dead in his eye, calm as a rock. "Kill me instead."

"Hmm, I respect you, Naruto-kun. You're unlike most I've seen."

"And I don't respect your manipulations."

Then, the kunai that Hanesu held in hand transformed into Naruto's clone, that had tightly grabbed the man's arm. Grabbing the collar of Hanesu's kimono, he gave him the strongest headbutt he could muster, breaking the man's nose and sending Hanesu flying into the counter. The clone then swiftly dispelled.

"W-When did you?" he said, holding his bloodied nose.

Now it was Naruto's turn to smirk, as he retorted. "I thought I would have to use the clone on Sasuke, so I've put the transformed kunai in his pouch while he weren't looking."

Shakily rising to his feet, Hanesu forced a muffled laugh. "That is really smart of you Naruto-kun. I think I should say that I've been wrong about this generation. In fact, you've proven me wrong."

Pressing a towel to his face, he leaned on the counter, holding a Kai sign."But you should leave all the same, to avoid serious trouble. From the law's point of view, you attacked me in my house."

And at the moment's notice, the chunin's creations dispelled into the air, freeing the genin. "Alright, we'll leave. But, just to be sure, we're cool?"

Once again adorning a smile, Hanesu nodded. "As long as you stay the same, Uzumaki Naruto."

Throwing the still unconscious Uchiha on his back, Naruto left the apartment block behind, going to the Hokage Tower by roofs. 'Good grief, what a strange man, what a strange day.'

「Physical Graffiti」

Destructive power - E - B: the power of the summoned creatures depends on the size of the creature and the detail of the sketch.

Speed - E - B: the speed of the summoned creatures depends on the detail of the sketch, maximum speed does not exceed 60 km/h.

Range - A: the sketched animals don't need to be in close proximity to their user, and will pursue their target until they are dispelled.

Durability - B: the sketches are as tough as steel.

Precision - C: the sketched animals follow simple tasks that the user had in mind at the moment of creating the sketch, not obeying any further orders

Development potential - A: huge variety of various animals that can be sketched, and the tasks that they can be ordered to accomplish.

Next day...

"Urgh, this is the worst!" Naruto shouted from the top of the Hokage monument.

When Naruto arrived with Sasuke to the Hokage tower, it turned out that the Third has somehow witnessed the whole ordeal. The blond have somewhat relaxed after that, knowing that the Old Man would be on his side in this. However, Hiruzen just repeated what Hanesu said, and reprimanded the two genin on their behaviour, especially Sasuke. Naruto knew better than to talk back, so he received the punishment in guilty silence, which was a prohibition on any shinobi-related activity for several days.

For Naruto, it meant no trainings, no missions, not even a single scroll with a cool technique. At first, Naruto thought that he would get away with studying at home, away from anyone's eyes. However, when he tried to open a book on shinobi tactics, not only he couldn't pry it open, he was zapped with a low-ranked Raiton technique. It turned out, that all the books that went through the shinobi library had a security seal, that could allow or disallow someone to view its contents.

Not having any sort of knowledge about fuinjutsu other that it can fit objects into a scroll, Naruto wasn't about to try and temper even with a plain security seal, remembering his encounter with In The House.

And that what led the genin for a walk into the streets of the Leaf. After sizing the many streets from the Yondaime's head, he decided to try and find something for him to do. But try as hard as he might, his idea of interest mainly encompassed training, sparring, and eating ramen. He went as far as to call Sasuke or Sakura out for a walk, but the former chose to spend his time brooding into the wall in his home, and the latter was against spending time just with the blond, no matter how hard she tried to justify why she couldn't go. And neither Iruka, who was busy at the Academy, nor Kakashi, who was strangely nowhere to be found, would help him out in his misery. Even the so-called 'Konohomaru corps.' were nowhere to be found, the kid's grandfather certainly having something to do with it.

As he turned to the nearest park, he mused that sitting still under the sun would do good to calm himself down. What he didn't expect to see, was Hanesu Murashi, dressed in a plain white shirt and navy-blue pants, complemented by open-toed sandals of the same colour, sitting under the tree and drawing something in his sketchbook.

Naruto's first reflex was, of course, to attack the man who brought down this horror of boredom on him. But considering the kind of problems that would ensue, he turned on his heel to avoid interacting with him altogether.

"I'm sorry if I ruined this beautiful park for you, Naruto-kun."

Turning back around, the blond stared at the older man. "Is that really the only thing that you should be apologising for, Hanesu-sempai?"

Chuckling a bit, Hanesu got up on his feet and left the comfortable shade of the tree. "I could say the same to you. But instead, I'd say that we're pretty even. You and your friend attacked me, I merely incapacitated you. Although it was wrong of me to threaten the young Uchiha's life, for which I am sorry, it was you who said 'Are we cool?', isn't it?"

Grumpily sighing, Naruto turned looked away from the man. "I guess so."

"But it seems no matter what arguments I present in my defence, none would help you through the detention, am I right?"

Not receiving an answer, Hanesu continued. "That's why I decided that I should make it up to you. Say, do you like ramen, perhaps?"

"You have no idea."

Putting his sixth bowl down, Naruto sighed with pleasure, swiping the broth that is left on his mouth.

"That really hit the spot. Thanks, Teuchi-ojisan, Ayame-neechan!"

Adorning prideful smiles, the father-daughter duo replied in unison."Anything for our best client!"

Turning to face his companion, Naruto noticed that Hanesu looked rather grim.

"Hey, are you ok, Hanesu-sempai? You sure you don't have indigestion or something?"

Slowly turning his stony gaze at the genin, Hanesu replied. "Its not my stomach who will suffer, it's my wallet! I don't rake in money, you know!"

"If that's so, you shouldn't have invited me to eat ramen!"

"When someone offers to treat you to a meal, it's not an excuse to impoverish him!"

"T-That's not even a word, stupid!"

"It is, you dumbbell!"

Having been fed with the two's argument, a man with long mane of grey hair interrupted them. "Hey boys, can't you keep quiet for a minute? I'm tryin' to eat here!"

"Excuse me-" Hanesu retorted, before the realisation of who he is dawned on him.

"You-you are... JIRAYA-SAMAAA!" with that he launched himself at the larger man, tightly hugging him.

"Jiraya-sama! I've read and reread all your books several times! You are truly a masterful author and I strive to be just like you!"

Feeling estranged, Naruto forced out a meek question. "Uhhh, who are you again, old man?"

Beating the man himself, Hanesu answered his younger friend. "Don't be foolish, Naruto-kun! It's Jiraya-sama of the Sannin!"

Stopping Hanesu's excited babbling, Jiraya stood from his stool. "No need to introduce me, young man, I can certainly do it myself."

Walking away from the stall and into the street, he coughed into his fist. Then, suddenly, a smoke screen covered him in a flash, obscuring him from Naruto and Hanesu.

"Know me as the Mountain Toad, the spirit sage who acquires immortality, also commonly called the Great Toad Sage!" with that, the smoke dissipated, revealing Jiraya in a kabuki pose, standing on a giant, colourful toad.

Awkwardly scratching his head, Hanesu drawled out sheepishly. "I didn't know that Jiraya-sama was so big on theatrics..."

Staring blankly at the man's theatrical pose, Naruto said, unimpressed. "Even for me it's too much..."

Sighing with exasperation, Jiraya called off the toad summon. "Ungrateful kids, can my awesome introduction not be ruined for once?"

Sharing a look, Naruto and Hanesu started laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation, leaving Jiraya dumbfounded. Raising a brow at that, Jiraya once more sighed, looking into the bright blue sky.

'It always starts out like this...'
= = = To be continued... = = =

I'll be the roundabout
The words will make you out 'n' out
I spend the day your way
Call it morning driving through the sound and
In and out the valley...