Crimson and Golden Leaves

by Paridise

Years of suffering has led a young blond down the path of pain. Uzumaki Naruto, a citizen of Konoha, sadness and hate follows his every footstep. This changes however. A lost family member, Uzumaki Kotaro, cousin to Naruto comes and unites with him. Becoming brothers and enduring each other's hardships together, they will furfill their destinies and become Legends. AU/CD Story.

18. Chapter 18 - Wise Sage, Wise Cracks (P2)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto the anime or manga. This story is based off the world of Naruto. All rights go to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 18 – Wise Sage, Wise Cracks (Part 2)

Gamariki read over the message once more. "Naruto-chan. Jira-chan is totally serious darling. I wish you the best of luck! Ta-ta," the camp toad said. Gamariki puffed away back to Mt. Myōboku, the toad's homeland.

Naruto was speechless. Shocked to the core by the actions of Jiraiya, he was in a state where he couldn't do anything.

After a few moments, Naruto returned to his senses. "I'm going to kill the bastard," he swore. Naruto's voice was deadly serious. Being this annoyed was a new territory for Naruto, he had to commend Jiraiya for it. Not by much though, but it showed that Jiraiya was really something else compared to the average ninja.

"Alright. Being tied up isn't going to help anyone. Looks like I'll have to perform the Rope Escape Jutsu. How did it go again? Cross your fingers together and send chakra to your hands and feet!" Naruto said. He performed the actions he recalled.

The tied knot around his wrists suddenly ripped. The technique worked.

Naruto sighed a breath of mighty relief. He then dragged himself across the dry ground to the letter and single kunai left by Gamariki.

Naruto grabbed the kunai and reversed gripped the blade. Slashing the rope apart around his ankles, Naruto freed himself from his restrictions.

Seeing that he was finally free, Naruto decided to investigate their base camp. Looking around for any sign of Jiraiya or his possessions, Naruto had no luck. His new Sensei actually took all his stuff and ran away. The shenanigans truly astounded Naruto.

"What a bastard!" Naruto muttered under his breath.

Naruto dusted himself off after he noticed how dirty his clothes were. He deduced that he must have been rolling around all night on the dirt ground. Jiraiya must have stolen his sleeping bag from right under his nose. Naruto, despite being annoyed, was impressed Jiraiya managed to take it without him waking up.

Naruto grunted after he looked all around their now former camp. "It really is gone huh," he said.

Naruto ran his hands in his hair and tried to think of his new plan. "So… This is a test. All I have to do is find this 'Forgotten Village of Fire and Earth'. If we go by the name, it's forgotten. Shit… This means I have to find out from some old guy where this place is," Naruto said.

Naruto rubbed his face after grunting heavily. "Why couldn't I have had a normal Sensei? Nii-chan or Kakashi-sensei would have been so much better right now. Sasuke… I'm really jealous of you, for real this time," he said.

Naruto was in a real pickle at the moment. He had no idea where he actually was. Naruto was not familiar with the rural geography outside of Konoha. Sure, he has seen maps of the Mainland, but he didn't bother to learn all the town names or the country's various regions.

Naruto was also without his wallet, Gama-chan. All his travel money was in there. Seeing that he had to go and meet Jiraiya in less than five days, he simply couldn't work and get the money for a hotel or a nice meal. He would now need to either steal money or the food itself. Something he shouldn't do unless it was a mission to pickpocket someone specifically. Naruto thought he had morals but now he has to throw them out of the window.

It also didn't help that Naruto needed a change of clothes. He slept in the clothes he trained in the night before. It wasn't necessarily the worst problem on Naruto's list, but he has grown accustomed to wearing clean and fresh clothes on a new day.

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Things are really stacked against me. This isn't fair," he said.

"There are many missions that are beyond dangerous and cannot be avoided. The ability to show courage to teammates when needed, and the ability to get through a bad situation. That is what we look for in a Chūnin, a squad leader."

The words of Ibiki passed through Naruto's mind. Ibiki's words made Naruto frown. It then transformed into a grin. Exhilaration flowed into his blood, Naruto cracked his knuckles in anticipation for what's to come.

"I'll win this game you carefully laid out Ero-sennin. No one will get the best of me when it comes to cheap tricks and pranks. After all, I am the Prankster King. I will one-up you soon enough. And you won't be the only one to suffer the consequences hehe," Naruto declared.

---

Jagged Wild Forest

As soon as the message was read, Naruto moved out of his former base camp and moved North, to the Capital of the Land of Fire, the Hanging Gardens.

Jumping from branch to branch, Naruto noticed that the trees around him were huge. It was growing in wild directions.

It made sense however, Senju Hashirama, the First Hokage, was responsible for this obstacle course. A request from the Daimyō from his time asked for many forests to be grown to surround the farmed fields of the Capital. Hashirama, the great man that he was, did it in a heartbeat.

Jiraiya told Naruto that there was a major wood shortage at one point after major redevelopment in the Capital. Since the economy was at a poor state and it was early spring at the time, it made sense that Senju Hashirama was called into service for his unique bloodline limit, the Wood Release.

Naruto stopped and took a closer look on some of the trees. They resembled trees that were growing for centuries. Yet, he knew the First Hokage was only alive Eighty or Ninety years ago when he did this for the Daimyō and the Capital City. The artificial forest didn't exactly reap much benefits for the Capital. Animals such as Dire wolves and Leopards have come in and made sections of the vast forest into their homes.

The Dire Wolves stay in the rocky and forested hills whilst the Leopards reside in the Jagged Wild's basin. Both terrains are different, with their own individual climates. However, since both are so close to each other, the two hunter animals eat from the same platter.

Even the waters in the Jagged Wild Forest weren't safe. Crocodiles made their nests along the banks of the river and lakes in the vast and dense forest.

Naruto knew this forest was a danger zone. The workers of the Capital are too scared to come in and chop down the trees, even with guards, it was simply too much trouble.

The only reason they tolerate the dangers is because both animals are expensive on the market. Their pelts go for high prices all across the Mainland. For this reason, brave hunters have traversed into the Jagged Wild Forest to make their break. Most don't return.

It greatly reminded him of the Forest of Death back in Konoha. However, Naruto would rather deal with vicious man-eating animals than Orochimaru again.

Naruto has been traversing through the deadly forest for some time now. It really shocked him how big it was. Full of life and fresh air, he could understand why an animal would love to live here forever.

Naruto shook his head violently and focused on the task at hand. Crouching down, he upped his speed and jumped from tree to tree with more pace compared to before. Naruto wasn't travelling at top speed though, Jiraiya had taken all of his food and possessions. Naruto didn't want to burn a ton of energy and then feel famished to the point of not wanting to move at all.

Time passed, and it seemed for Naruto that the forest wasn't changing. That his eyes were tricking him for fun. Or that he could be in a genjutsu. Naruto doubted the latter. He's gotten pretty good at noticing strange occurrences with his senses. He was confident he would be able to determine if he was in one or not.

Naruto grunted and decided to keep going forward.

Thankfully, the trees began to thin out. More light came through in between the trees. More and more grass was growing around. Naruto jumped to the treetops, breathing a sigh of relief, his eyes saw the outline of the city skyline. The Capital of the Land of Fire, The Hanging Gardens, showed off its glory.

Colossal walls that stood tall, forty metres tall in fact. In the far distance, Naruto saw the Core. The Daimyō's palace could be easily seen. A tall tower with multiple levels, with smaller towers and buildings coming out of the main. It was enclosed by its own wall.

Naruto thought it was some defence. It made sense since the Capital is a location of major crossroads in terms of trade routes and resources. Because of this, this made the city the largest in the Mainland. It also made the Land of Fire a major player in the World Economy.

Naruto didn't know or care too much about that right now. He could learn all that when he became the Hokage.

Naruto looked up to the sky and saw the sun was high up. "Must be around noon. I better get inside and find out where this 'Village' is before the day is over," Naruto said.

Rumble!

Naruto covered his belly with his hands and groaned heavily. "Jeez, I'm so hungry. I need food. Haven't ate since last night. Damn you Ero-sennin! I will get you back for this," Naruto swore.

Naruto cracked his neck and fingers. "There's no point waiting around. I better get a move on!"

Naruto jumped from the trees and ran ahead, running towards the Imperial Gate, the entrance to the Southern District of the Capital.

---

Ivory Market Plaza

"Hm… Where to go? Where should I go?" Naruto muttered under his breath.

Naruto was walking through the cramped streets of the Southern District. The most populous and multi-cultural of the districts. He was currently in the Ivory Market Plaza. The centre point of trade in the city. Naruto knew that the name is named after the rare material was because the market lays on white and yellow brick flooring which was designed with intricate patterns.

There were many shops ranging from blacksmiths, cobblers and florists. Naruto was in one of, if not the largest of markets in the Mainland. Anything you wanted, it could be found in this very large space.

There was only two things Naruto needed and he had no clue where to find it or even get a good hold of it. Information about the mysterious "Village" his wonderful Sensei, Jiraiya, has gone to. And money.

Naruto kept his eyes peeled all around him, but he wasn't sure on what to do next. He had no contacts in the Capital City. The place was humongous. Konoha couldn't even compare to it.

"I'd say the first thing to do is to get some food and a cold drink… But how am I supposed to get those?" Naruto wondered.

Naruto sighed as he only had one answer. "Looks like I'm going to 'borrow' some money," he said.

Naruto walked through the streets once again. Looking from the left and then to the right, he was trying to spot and find a weak target. Someone who would splash a lot of cash and wouldn't notice some of it went missing.

"Pickpocketing… A staple of any skilled ninja. To take an item, which could be a mission objective, without the target noticing the action. Ero-sennin, is this one of my trials to see if I'm good enough to be a Chūnin?" Naruto said. His voice was serious. His hunger and sanity were on the line.

Naruto walked towards the Old Town of the Plaza. There was an antique store nearby.

"Oh my! That looks wonderful! I must have it," a plump woman said loudly.

Naruto focused on the woman. The plump lady had black hair with a hint of grey in her roots. She wore expensive clothing and had one gold ring on her left hand. A wedding band.

Naruto watched her actions closely. If he could say anything conclusive, it was that she was probably from the Western District. Naruto wondered why someone of high-status would be here. However, it shouldn't have surprised him at all, it was human nature to want a good bargain. That's one thing all people have in common.

The merchant who owned the store came out with a huge smile. He could smell the money already. Now he just needed to close the deal.

"Ah Madame, how can I be of service to you?" the merchant asked.

Naruto ignored their conversation for now. He moved his eyes to what she was looking at.

Naruto had to admit that what she loved surprised him. A vintage Samurai suit. One that was made at least a century ago as it had the Fire Daimyō's insignia from two generations ago engraved on the shoulder pad. The current Daimyō's grandfather. The Samurai must have belonged in his personal guard.

The suit was worth a fortune. Naruto had no idea on the value of antiques or collectables but a Samurai suit of the Royal Guard, in pristine condition, was probably worth more money than what he had in his bank account.

Naruto moved closer to the pair. He rested on a supporting beam of a nearby stall and watched the two carefully. The woman was giving a deposit and signing a contract. Naruto knew she would hire movers to get that hulking suit of armour back to her home.

"That's it! I'm sure your husband is going to love the present," the merchant said with a smile. Making a large sale would make anybody happy.

The plump woman smiled as well. "He better like it! Hohoho," she said with a mighty laugh. "I will come back tomorrow around the same time."

The merchant waved a goodbye and went back to his store.

The plump woman kept her purse loosely by her side. An easy steal for anyone who has any skill.

"Target locked on. Let's go," Naruto said. He moved from his spot, walking in the path of the plump woman.

Naruto deftly moved his hand towards the woman's purse. Going in smoothly, he grabbed as much as he could. Feeling his heartbeat go high, Naruto took it out and stashed the cash into his pocket. The dense crowd of people around them made things easier. The noise was simply too loud to hear her money rattle.

Naruto accidently bumped shoulders with the woman as soon as he put the money away. She was quite the wide woman.

"Watch where you're going you impudent brat before I call the guards on you!" the now angry plump woman shouted.

Naruto bowed his head. "Sorry Ma'am, I didn't mean to. An honest mistake. Hope you have a good day," Naruto said with grace.

The woman snorted through her nose and went off her way. Strutting loudly with every step, her arrogance was annoying Naruto. She clearly thought she was of a higher status than him.

'Déjà vu,' Naruto thought with a sigh.

"What a bitch," Naruto muttered under his breath once he saw that the woman has vanished from his view.

Naruto moved his way out of the busy plaza. He saw an empty alleyway. Turning to the right, he jumped to the space, there he began to start to count his cash.

"One, two, three… Five Thousand ryó. Damn, how much money did that woman carry? Does she not know thieves are around?" Naruto said. "Let's keep this safe in my pocket and buy something quick!"

Naruto went back out of the plaza and went to the food stalls. There he was sure to find something good to eat on.

Once he arrived, all Naruto saw was raw produce. Cuts of pork and beef hung off hooks on the stalls. Baskets and more baskets of fruit and vegetables were shown off to the public to buy. It all looked good, it was a good season and the early harvest was a great time to buy food, but Naruto wanted to buy a hot meal, not a raw dish.

Naruto saw a fishmonger who was slicing salmon fish. Making sure it was all ready to sell. Naruto went up to the bald man. "Yo Ossan! Is there any good places for ramen around here?" Naruto asked, even mimicking the actions for eating the noodles with chopsticks.

The man squinted his eyes at Naruto before wedging his deba knife into his worktop. The man showed a prime piece of salmon fillet. "Kid… Why not buy some of this fresh fish instead of that greasy ramen. It's the catch of the day. Caught in the Great Hawk River just this morning. Filleted by yours truly. I'll sale you four for the price of five," the man said enthusiastically.

Naruto shook his head and laughed. "I'm sure my Nii-chan would buy it but not me."

The fishmonger laughed and slapped the table. "You're killing me here," his face turned to a deadly cold one, "seriously," he said. His expression then changed to a more light-hearted one. "Why not buy some for your older brother then?" he asked.

Naruto chuckled nervously. "He's not with me at the moment. It would just go to waste. I'm sure that would get you even madder. So, do you know any ramen places?" Naruto asked again.

The fishmonger sighed. "Go to the bridge that links the Southern and Northern District. Go down Wasabi street and there should be a ramen bar there. It's called Takara Ramen. It's probably the best ramen in the Capital but it's a bit on the expensive side if you ask me," he said. The fish monger proceeded to get another salmon fish and started to descale it.

Naruto bit his lip. He wasn't a fan of spending money. He knew that nobody was. "How much is for a bowl?" he asked.

"Without any toppings, seven hundred ryō. With all the toppings, one and a half thousand ryō," the fishmonger said.

Naruto gasped. "Shit, that's expensive ttebayo. I can only afford a few bowls if I wanted a lot. Alright, thanks Ossan!" Naruto said as he ran towards his new destination.

"Get out of here kid."

Naruto weaved through the heavy crowd of people. He rushed it, moving fast and jumping over obstacles, Naruto needed to get some grub.

It didn't take Naruto long to get to the bridge that linked the Southern and Northern districts. It was humongous. Spanning all across the flowing water. It was honestly a great feat of engineering. The bridge was wide so many civilians and guardsman can travel from one district to the other without hassle.

Halfway on the bridge, there was a tall watchtower. Naruto deduced it must be one of the major guard posts in the Capital. His focused eyes showed him that there were many archers posted all around the top.

The archers were one of the reasons Naruto hasn't been on the rooftops at all in his time in the Capital. The archers will see him and report him. Only shinobi on missions have the authority to traverse on the rooftops without any trouble. Or be a ninja guardian. Naruto was neither of these things.

Naruto moved his way along the river until he saw the sign post for Wasabi street. Turning right, Naruto entered a sloped street that was also packed with people. A crowded human sea. Naruto sighed and moved his way through the people with a frown. It was getting irritating for him.

Naruto eventually saw the tell-tale signs of a ramen establishment. The smell of pork, chicken and fish broth in the air. The sound of splashing water. The flaps covering the entrance of the restaurant.

"Here we go, sorry Teuchi-ossan, I'm going to try something new," Naruto said as he entered the ramen restaurant, Takara Ramen.

Naruto found it quite different from his usual place, Ichiraku Ramen, since nearly every seat was taken. Naruto quickly made his way to a lonely stool. Taking his spot, he was given a slip of paper and a pencil.

Looking at the paper, it was covered with text and blanked-out boxes. Naruto read through it, it was all the toppings and options available for his ramen bowl. "Oh? A custom bowl… Sounds interesting!" he said.

Naruto ticked every option possible for one bowl. The total was going to be the top price, one and a half thousand ryō. Naruto was crossing his fingers that this better be the best damn bowl of ramen he ever had in his life.

The slip of paper was taken by an old man in a chefs outfit. He had a braded beard and a short ponytail. Wrinkles and grey hair showed his wisdom. Naruto was watching the man call out different orders and ingredients to his sous chefs while making his bowl. Having the head chef make his bowl made Naruto very excited.

Naruto was getting hot. He took off his forehead protector and had put it into his pocket for safekeeping. Just as soon as it was in his pocket, his bowl was served.

"Please enjoy the meal!" the head chef said. His hands were clasped together, and he did a small head bow.

Naruto mirrored the action. "I will. Thank you for the meal!" Naruto said. He took a pair of wooden chopsticks and started to eat the meal slowly. It was the most expensive bowl of ramen he has paid for.

Naruto took a few noodles with a slice of pork belly. Eating it, he tasted the incredible flavours explode in his mouth.

Thanking the plump woman that he stole money off, Naruto slurped more and more in delight.

"Did you hear about the man who can make diamonds?"

Naruto slowed down his eating once those words were said. He looked out of the corner of his left eye and saw two middle-aged men talking. They both were dressed in a normal set of clothes. Naruto couldn't tell which district they belonged to if they even lived in the Capital.

The other man drank his sake and then placed his cup. "Make diamonds? You must be kidding!?"

"Nope. I heard something like that he is a foreign ninja that can make diamonds from his chakra. Pretty neat right? Imagine if we can make a business deal with him. We can make millions, if not billions!" the first man said.

The second man sighed heavily. "Where is he from?" he asked.

"I think the Land of Earth. It must mean he's from Iwagakure," the first man said.

The second man grunted. "Konoha and Iwa have a lot of tension between them. There's no way we can make a business deal with that. The best thing we could do is make sure that if this guy can actually make diamonds, that we make them listed as counterfeit. Then our own businesses won't suffer."

"I suppose. It reminds me of that rumour a few years back of another person, a woman I think, that can create crystals from her chakra. Though, they would never sell for a high price, it can still make some dough."

Naruto was listening carefully to every word. The prospects sounded dangerous. A man that can create diamonds and a woman that can create crystals just from their chakras sounded insane. 'Must be some bloodline limit bullshit!' Naruto thought.

Naruto ate some more of his noodles as the two men beside him changed topic.

"So, the Konoha Chūnin exams are in less than a month. Are you going to them?" the first man that was beside Naruto asked.

The second man nodded. "I am but I'm at the back seating unfortunately. Hopefully there will be other business men with the nobles and I can make some deals. Yourself?" he asked.

The first man nodded. "Of course. Those fights are always exciting. Though, the last one I went to was a few years back, and it was a disappointment. Did you see the line-up for this year!?"

"Tell me about it. Most of these Genin come from prestigious clans. And they're all so young. Meaning, they're all extremely talented, or the whole bunch are pieces of crap hahaha."

"What match are you excited for the most?" the man beside Naruto asked his friend.

The other smiled. "Uchiha Sasuke versus Sabaku no Gaara. An Uchiha prodigy versus Suna's trump card. That just gets my blood pumping. And what about you?"

"The first round. Uzumaki Naruto versus Rock Lee. Have you seen their statistics? Both of them are crazy! Don't get me wrong about round four. That sounds like it'll be a cracker. But I can't help but remember that name. Uzumaki Naruto, I'm sure I heard the family name before… I don't care honestly. I know the whole day is going to be great. I just want to know who to put my bet on to win the whole thing," the first man said.

Naruto grinned after he heard those words. It was making him even more pumped for the finals. He didn't know who the hell the man he was sitting beside was but he liked him a lot already.

The second man drank another sake cup. "Why not go to Fortune-teller Suki? She could give you a vision or something on who will win the thing?" he said.

The first man grunted. "Like I would go that ugly witch. She's nothing but a coot. I heard that she used to be called Fortune-teller Baba at her old town. I bet she thought New place, new me… Or something like that."

The second man laughed from his friend's words. "Hahaha. You're on fire today friend. If you want to see her, she's near the Royal East Shipping Company trying to get the fortunes of the sailors and workers there."

The two men got off their stools. The first man stretched his arms up in the air. "I'm not going there. If you want a fortune, go yourself. And I'm not going to the Eastern District, I don't want to get stabbed to death. And I wouldn't be suprised if the woman was a con artist. Come on, let's get out of here."

Naruto watched the two men leave the restaurant after they left money on the counter. Naruto decided to finish off his meal. Wiping his mouth clean, Naruto was deeply satisfied.

The head chef came back to Naruto. He smiled deeply when he saw the empty bowl. "How did you like it?" he asked.

Naruto turned his eyes to the man. "I give it a nine out of ten," he said nonchalantly.

The head chef gasped. "Why? You must have a reason."

Naruto nodded. "The broth was just a bit too salty. It overpowered the pork and the naruto cakes," he told him.

The chef turned around and took a spoon from the open kitchen. He took a scoop of the broth in the pot. His eyes widened. "It is just a bit too salty. Something hard to detect and taste. Young man, how could you tell?" he asked.

Naruto grinned. "Well, you could call me a ramen enthusiast. Ossan, let me tell you straight, there's a place you should try out that will blow your mind."

---

Eastern District, Royal East Shipping Company

"Where is Fortune-teller Suki? Or Fortune-teller Baba? It doesn't matter what her name is. If she can find that damn Ero-sennin, everything will be A-Okay!" Naruto said as he walked close to the water.

After telling the head ramen chef, Odin Ki, at the Takara Ramen restaurant to visit Teuchi of Ichiraku Ramen in Konoha. Naruto left after paying so he could find and visit the obscure fortune-teller. Naruto's plan was to see if this woman could help him figure out where this mysterious 'Forgotten village of Fire and Earth' was. Naruto had no clue. He wouldn't even know where to look for it in the first place.

Naruto could see the difference between the Southern and Eastern Districts easily. It was identical to when he moved from his one-bedroom apartment to the Uzumaki Residence in the Western Sector of Konoha.

The streets were dirtier. The buildings weren't kept up to maintenance. The smell of urine, faeces and fish blood was present all around for him to smell. Naruto has smelled worse in his past. The memoires of Gatō's base of operations' sewage pipe made Naruto shiver and flinch on the spot. Nothing would ever compare to the decomposing smell of that day.

Naruto also made sure to look at the people he passed when he was walking towards the Royal East Shipping Company. The majority of the men were working in vests and ragged shorts. Their leather sandals were in terrible condition. Blisters were sure to come at the end of the day for most of them.

Naruto saw that the women wore dresses that went down to their knees. Their sleeves ended just at their elbows. It was summer, and it was blistering hot. Naruto wasn't surprised that most people showed their skin. He was the same as his blue shinobi shirt had its sleeves rolled up.

The children were running around with barely a thing on them. Most of the boys were shirtless as they sprayed river water onto each other in their water fights. They were having a lot of fun.

The only sad thing that Naruto found as he observed the Eastern District was that there were a lot more beggars laying around on the corners and in the alleyways. Some even walked through the streets, begging as they went along.

Naruto felt bad for the state they were in. When he was a child, sometimes he was in a pinch when he spent a bit too much pocket money that he got from the Hokage, Hiruzen.

However, there were a few reasons on why he didn't give any of them money. The advantage of having an older brother who excels in medical anatomy and medical practice was that Naruto learnt and understood the side effects of recreational drugs.

A number of beggars he saw had muscle twitches and tics. Their pupils were also dilated so much that Naruto couldn't even see their irises. He saw that their skin was also a deathly pale. The men and women's hair were also dry, there was a clear lack of colour.

They needed help, not his money. For now, Naruto ignored it. He couldn't do anything for the people.

As soon as Naruto got to the main port, a large red brick tower showed itself. It was an amazingly large complex of buildings that ran through the whole main port. They handled all the large cargo that needed to go to the sea.

Naruto learnt a bit of geography on the Capital as he walked and talked with the people. The Great Hawk River flows all through the Land of Fire and joins up with the sea. It is one of the six Great Rivers found in the Mainland. The other five are found in the other Elemental Nations and the last in the Land of Honey.

The largest river was found in the Land of Lightning, feeding the vast jungle land that covers the great country. The smallest river was found in the Land of Wind. The desert climate that the country is known for makes the river more drained. It was still a majestic river, yet it was the runt compared to the others.

The Royal East Shipping Company is the best place if you need a lot of cargo to go to another location. The company is also known to deal with caravans, but it mainly focuses on sea trade routes with its cargo ships.

Sea trade routes have become a lot safer since the emergence of hidden villages and the uprising of the Four Kings. Caravans were more likely to get raided with those dangers. The only danger on the sea now were the pirates and sea monsters, but the latter usually kept to themselves.

Ding-Ding! Ding-Ding! Ding-Ding!

Naruto looked around for the ringing noise. If he had any luck, which was a metric ton of it, it would be the fortune-teller he has been searching for.

"Fortune, fortune! Get your fortune read for only a thousand ryō," an elderly voice said.

Naruto combed through the small crowd and saw a lonely woman sitting on a wooden portable stool. There was a large bag beside her filled with junk.

Naruto had to take a step back after he saw a good look of her face. The old woman was damn right ugly. He saw the fat nose with a large wart on the right side. Wrinkles so long and wide you could hide your family in them. Naruto tried to find her eyes, but her face was so squished together that it was nay impossible.

Naruto was just glad that she wore a hat. A black pointy hat to add. It didn't help with the bad name she held of being a witch. Underneath the hat, Naruto saw strands of ashen grey hair. Another sign that the lady in front of him was a relic.

Naruto had to muster up the courage. He wasn't sure what the hell he was getting himself into. "Oi, are you Fortune-teller Baba?" Naruto asked.

The old woman growled underneath her hat. "It's Fortune-teller Suki now brat. Get it right or get outta here!"

Naruto sighed. "Sorry. I want a fortune please," he asked.

Fortune-teller Suki puts out her open hand. "Gimme the money and I'll do the magic," she said.

Naruto grunted and dished out a thousand ryō and placed it on the woman's hand. The instant the money landed on her palm, her hand retracted with speed that impressed Naruto.

Fortune-teller Suki looked at the cash and then smiled. "Rihehe. Everything is set," she said.

'That's the strangest laugh I've ever heard,' Naruto though as he crouched down to her level. The woman was extremely short, even shorter than he was.

Fortune-teller Suki pulled out a crystal ball that rested on a pillow. "Tell me your name boy."

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"And what is it you seek my boy Naruto. A lover? A treasure? I can help you find it. Tell me now."

Naruto scratched his cheek. "I am looking for Jiraiya, a member of the Legendary Sannin. He should be at a place called the 'Forgotten village of Fire and Earth'."

Fortune-teller Suki waved her hands around the crystal ball and mumbled non-sensical words. Naruto was getting worried for his own safety. The crystal ball on the pillow started to glow green. A blue swirl appeared in the ball and rotated slowly.

Naruto was getting scared. 'This is some weird stuff here!'

"Jiraiya… Forgotten Village. Tell me spirits… tell me where they are," Fortune-teller Suki said. She suddenly flinched. Her whole body spasmed.

"What!? What is it!?" Naruto asked.

"Quiet boy! The spirits are communicating with me!" she said with a hiss.

Naruto did what she said, he shut his mouth and stopped talking.

Fortune-teller Suki began to move in a wavy motion. "ARGH!" she suddenly screamed out. The people around looked at her with confused eyes. Ignoring her promptly. After all, she was rumoured to be the nutjob of the Capital.

Fortune-teller Suki calmed down and slumped her shoulders. "Ashes… All I saw were ashes. A great doom came and turned everything to ash. Shells of ashes…"

Naruto listened to the words. The message greatly confused him. He then tilted his head. "And? How is that supposed to help?" he asked.

Fortune-teller Suki sighed. "My visions are a magical gift. I can only give you of what I saw."

Naruto growled. "But all you saw was… 'Ashes'. How is that supposed to help me find my Sensei!?" Naruto berated her.

The Fortune-teller got up from her spot and started to walk away. "My message from the heavens will help you in one way or another you shitty child. Now, leave me alone," she said.

Naruto watched the woman vanish from his sight. There was no use going after her. "Damn woman stole my money," he said. Naruto was annoyed. Ashes was the only clue he got but it lead to absolutely nowhere.

Naruto looked up to the sky and saw that the sun was coming closer to evening. It was summer time so there was plenty left in the day. Naruto turned his head to the clocktower that was built into the Royal East Shipping Company. It read that it was quarter to six.

"Shit… It's getting late. What should I do next?" Naruto wondered.

Already checking out the Southern and Eastern Districts of the Capital, Naruto had only had a few options left to choose from.

Cracking his neck, Naruto thought he would go towards the source of power in this city. "Let's go the Western District."

---

Western District, Outside the Core Shell

"What do you mean you won't let me in?"

"Brats aren't allowed in the Royal palace. If you don't have a pass slip or an invitation from the Daimyō himself, you're not getting past us and up these steps!"

Outside the Core Shell, Naruto was arguing with a Royal Samurai guard. Naruto, being the smart ninja that he was, thought that the Daimyō or one of his advisors would know where the forgotten village Jiraiya was hiding in.

"But I need help and-"

The Samurai cut Naruto off by unsheathing his katanna blade that was holstered on his hip. "Don't make us resort to violence. Now scamper!" the Samurai threatened.

Naruto scoffed and turned heel. "Fine I'll go! Bunch of bastards," Naruto said as he went on his way.

Naruto was getting worried. The time now was past seven o'clock. Most shops are already closed, waiting for the next day. The only places that are still open would be the bars and pubs.

Naruto has learnt that there are key differences between these establishments. A bar would generally house people in their twenties or thirties and only serve alcohol and appetizers. Pubs on the other hand serve full-on meals and alcohol for any age past legal. Pubs also are more relaxed, a place to hang out and chill. Compared to that, bars there is more dancing with strange music.

Both places are great for information gathering, as they both house a wide spectrum of people from all different backgrounds, all with their own gossip to share.

The only problem was that Naruto was underage and is not permitted in these places. If he had someone old enough, he would be allowed in but still not be able to consume alcohol. Not that he cared, sake tasted like crap to him. He has been told that he has to mature to appreciate the taste, but Naruto believed that his older brother was only pulling his tail on that one.

"I'll suppose I'll transform into someone else," Naruto said quietly.

Naruto stuffed his hands down his pockets as he went on his way through the streets. The Western District was a sight to behold, especially since Naruto just came from the poorer Eastern District. All the buildings were high, at least four stories high. The walls were kept clean and all of them had fresh licks of paint. Naruto saw his reflection in the windows, which obviously meant that they're cleaned on the regular.

CRASH!

Naruto fell back and landed on his bum. He wasn't watching where he was going. "Ouch… Must have hit a pole," Naruto muttered under his breath with some bite. This was only adding to his action-packed of a terrible day.

"Watch where you're going brat! Yuuto-san, what should we do with him?"

Naruto looked up while rubbing his forehead. A tower of a man was standing over him. He could have been seven feet tall. A large Warhammer was resting on his back, the actual hammerhead was the size of a young child. It radiated a silver glow.

"I don't know. You can leave him or kill him. I honestly don't care," a man with light blonde hair said.

Naruto saw that he had a sword holstered on his hip. The man wore a mix of armour and regal clothing. It was a strange mix to Naruto, but it worked somehow. His most striking piece of clothing would be the waist cape. Black on the border and a moss green as the base.

The tall man narrowed his eyes onto Naruto, making the latter nervous. Naruto couldn't tell how old the man was. His large beard made him look like he was in his thirties, maybe even forties. However, the skin on the man was wrinkle clear and radiated healthiness.

Naruto didn't like the look of the tall man in front of him. He had enough muscles for more than one man, maybe more than enough for a bull.

Naruto turned his eyes to the man with light blonde hair in the nice clothing. His face was sharp featured. A strong jawline was present. Naruto saw the man was clean-shaven. It made it much easier to determine the age. He could guess the man was easily in his twenties.

Sensing the potential danger, Naruto jumped from his spot and somersaulted backwards. Landing on his feet and skidding a short length after, Naruto was now at a safe distance away from the two men.

The man with the sword focused on Naruto before a smile grew on his face. "Oh my! Would you look at that. We have an acrobat in the house. What are you kid, a ninja or something?" he asked.

Naruto resisted the urge to answer. He also resisted pulling out his only kunai, he didn't want them to know he was a ninja.

The tall man took out his Warhammer, letting the hammerhead crash into the street, the brickwork cracked open. Naruto became more defensive after the man showed his menacing actions.

"I would suggest answering the question brat. I hate it when people don't talk," he said with a threatening voice.

Naruto sighed. He put his hand into his pocket to take out his forehead protector. It seemed that he forgot to put it back on since leaving the ramen restaurant. Naruto was hoping that showing the proof of being a Konoha ninja will scare them away.

Naruto heard footsteps coming behind him. His hand gripped onto his forehead protector but he didn't take it out. "What the hell are you two doing?" the voice asked harshly. Naruto knew it was a woman's voice. And she sounded damn right pissed.

The two men flinched slightly before the tall muscular man had put back his weapon. The man with the light blonde hair moved his way to the source of the new voice.

"This kid got in Toroi-san's way. That's why we're so late," the man said.

Naruto still didn't move. His eyes were glued on the man in front of him named Toroi, a potential foe that uses a Warhammer.

The woman scoffed. "You stopped because a child got in your way. That's pathetic," she said with a hiss. It seemed that the excuse only made the woman even angrier.

Naruto took out his forehead protector and tied it around his head.

"Yuuto-san. You were right. The kid is a Konoha ninja," Toroi said as he walked past Naruto.

"A ninja?" the woman said with some surprise. "Hey kid, can you turn around for me please?" she asked. Naruto was shocked on the dramatic change of her voice. Her voice now was sweet, gentle and welcoming. A total opposite from before.

Naruto did what she asked and turned around. Naruto looked from the top of her head to the bottom of her toes. She was at least a head and a bit taller than him. Naruto's blue eyes stared into the woman's dark blue eyes.

The woman smiled at Naruto. "Has the cat caught your tongue?" she asked with a sarcastic tone. She flicked her ponytail back; her white hair reflected the evening sunshine. Her cloak blew with the gentle breeze.

Naruto groaned quietly. "No," he replied promptly.

The woman giggled from Naruto's words, making the two men around her confused.

"Boss," Toroi said, "We should just leave the kid and get back to the base."

Yuuto yawned in agreement. "Toroi-san is right for once. You had a busy day today. We shouldn't waste time on a random ninja."

The woman grunted loudly. Naruto didn't expect such a noise to come from a beautiful woman. She emitted a deadly aura that made the two men flinch. "Can't you two see I'm enjoying myself," she said.

The woman started to walk towards Naruto until she stood in front of him. Naruto was confused by her actions.

She crossed her arms under her chest and bent slightly forward, looking at Naruto with a cheeky smile. "You're cute. You remind me of someone I know," she said.

Naruto blushed from the compliment. It was nice to know that the ladies appreciated him. This woman was much nicer in every imaginable way compared to the woman that he stole money from earlier or fortune-teller Suki. "Thanks Nee-chan. That's nice of you to say," he replied.

The woman giggled more and ruffled Naruto's hair. "You know what, I like you already. What's your name?" she asked. Curiosity was dripping off her every word.

Naruto looked up to her eyes. "Uzumaki Naruto. What's yours Nee-chan?" he asked.

The woman's eyes widened after Naruto said his name. She started to mumble under her breath. "What's he doing here?" Naruto heard.

"Are you alright Nee-chan?" Naruto asked. There was worry in his voice.

The woman snapped back into her usual self. Turning her head back to Naruto, she smiled and nodded. "I'm fine. You can call me Niko. Or you can keep calling me Nee-chan if you want, I don't really care," Niko said with a smile.

Naruto grinned and nodded enthusiastically.

"Eh… Boss, what are we supposed to do?" Toroi asked.

Yuuto cracked his back and looked at the nearby clocktower. "It's getting late," he said.

Niko sighed. "You two can have the rest of the day off. I don't need you now." Her words were blunt.

The two men nodded and went on their way. Going off in separate directions once they arrived at a crossroads.

Once Niko saw that they were gone, she turned her head back to Naruto with a grin on her face. A wonderful sight to behold. "Why are you going around the big city by yourself, Naruto?" she asked.

Naruto scratched the back of his head and giggled. "I'm looking for my Sensei," he told her.

Niko tilted her head. "Your Sensei? Is there anyway I can help?"

Naruto tapped on his chin. "I don't know. Ero-sennin basically has been playing a big trick on me."

Niko hummed. She then nodded her head, making her pony-tail bob around. "Why don't we go get something to eat and talk about it? I'm starving," she said.

Naruto was hesitant. He had only just met the woman. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Niko nodded her head again. "Yeah come on! It'll be fun," she said, trying to encourage him.

Naruto twitched his fingers before releasing his built-up tension. "Fine. You lead the way," Naruto said. "I have no idea where anything is."

"I could tell. The streets can be dangerous at night. Even in the Western District. Keep close to me and I'll keep you safe," Niko said.

Naruto scoffed slightly. "I'm a ninja of Konoha. I can take care of myself."

Niko laughed hard. "Of course, you can. Now, let's go to a place that can do one of the best steaks you ever had," she said excitedly.

Naruto smiled and walked beside her. "Does this place also do ramen?" he asked.

Niko went to her thoughts. "I don't have a clue. And I own the place haha! If not, I might order you some or something else," she said.

Naruto grinned with excitement. "You sure are nice for a girl," Naruto said.

Niko laughed again. "You don't know what I might do with you at the end of the day. For all you know, I could kill you when you're stuffing your mouth with food."

Naruto whistled. "That's mean Niko-nee. You wouldn't do that to me, right?"

Niko giggled. "No. Of course not. I'm not that cruel… Oh look, we're here," she said as she rested her hands on her hips. She then rested her weight on her right hip.

Naruto looked at the bustling restaurant. It was packed with the rich and probably famous. Naruto looked at the menu that was displayed on the outside of the front door.

Naruto gasped after just reading the appetizers. "What!? Two and a half thousand ryō just for some chowder!" he said with shock.

Niko stared at Naruto with a puzzling gaze. "What's wrong with that? It's made up of clams and other fresh ingredients," she said.

Naruto shook his head and crossed his arms. "Chowder is not even that nice. I could get like... ten bowls of ramen for that price," Naruto retorted.

Niko ruffled Naruto's hair again. "Can you not afford it?" she asked with squinted eyes and a sly grin.

Naruto pouted his lips. "I can afford it… Just not anything after it."

Niko hummed. "Don't worry about it. I got you covered."

'What is with this woman? Why is she being so nice to me?' Naruto wondered.

The two entered the restaurant. Niko removed her cloak and held it in her hands. Naruto saw that she was wearing a black halter top and tight black trousers. They seemed to be made from the same material as Naruto's shinobi trousers, yet these were tailored to her size perfectly. If it was the same material, then there's no problem with flexibility as the material is one of the most stretchable in the world.

As the two waited for the manager to come and guide them to their table, Naruto heard the annoyed tap coming from the woman beside him. He looked at her feet to see her wearing high heeled sandals. They didn't give here much height. The heel could only have been an inch or two. Though the sound of the constant tapping was getting on Naruto's nerves.

Finally, after waiting for what seemed like an eternity, an astute man appeared with some swagger. He looked at Niko and smiled. Naruto saw it was forced, a second nature reaction. It made sense to Naruto, Niko did say she owned the place, so that means she's the boss.

"Heart-"

Niko growled loudly. Naruto saw her eyes change from care-free to murderous in a mere instant.

"Don't say that when I have a guest with me," Niko said as she shuffled slightly to reveal Naruto.

The manager turned his eye to Naruto. He looked unimpressed. "My fair lady… This young boy is your guest?" he asked.

Niko growled again and tilted her head. "Yeah so what? He's my lovely guest. Now, get me a table on the roof. And I want two chowders quick."

The man quickly moved and took two menus with him. "Anything else my lady?"

"Yeah, a bottle of sake for two," Niko said as she walked forward.

Naruto followed her every footstep. "I don't drink sake Niko-nee."

Niko laughed as soon as she heard what he said. "Who said I was going to share it with you! Come on Naruto. Up to the roof gardens," she said with excitement.

Naruto and Niko went and stood inside a small room. Metal guard rails came and enclosed the space. It suddenly started to go up.

"What is this?" Naruto asked. This was all a new experience for him.

Niko rested on the wall. "This is an elevator. We just call it the lift. It can move people from one floor to another without using the stairs."

Naruto eyes sparkled. "That's so cool. But why don't people just go up the stairs?" he asked.

Niko shrugged her shoulders. "Some people are just lazy. And some are extremely fat."

Naruto laughed from the deadpanned response.

The elevator stopped. Naruto and Niko walked out and were greeted with cherry blossoms and a whole family of flowers.

"Woah… So pretty," Naruto said. He looked closely and saw all the vibrant colours blending with the evening sun. It was worthy enough to be painted on a canvas. "This is what he was talking about… The rooftop gardens."

Niko walked ahead with confidence. Naruto followed her lead. As they walked, there were rich men and women dining in the garden. It seemed that Naruto was in a popular restaurant.

Niko lead him to a secluded spot by the corner. A single table under a wooden gazebo. There were potted plants and wall flowers growing all around. They were alone, just him and her.

Naruto saw Niko take a seat, she motioned her fingers to show that he should sit as well. Naruto didn't want to make the woman mad. Not just because he liked her already. But it was because he sensed unimaginable strength within her.

Naruto wouldn't be able to determine how strong she is, he never saw her fight, however the sensation of her aura made his skin crawl. The power was something else. There have been only a handful of experiences that he could compare it to.

The first to came into his mind was his brother's presence. Then the Hokage's, the Kyūbi's and Spades'. He was sure there must be a reason to her power, but he wasn't going to pry information off her. Naruto wanted to stay on her good side.

As Naruto made himself comfortable after he sat down, two bowls came. They were laid in front of him. Naruto looked up to see the rude manager from before.

"Please enjoy the meal, my lady and… the gentleman," the astute manager said before hurrying off.

Niko sighed as she watched the manager vanish from her sight. "Please excuse my manager. He's an asshole but the man knows his stuff when working in the restaurant. I would fire his ass if I can find someone that can work as well as he can but not be a total dick."

Naruto laughed weakly. "It's fine. I've been through worse," he said. Naruto moved his face to the chowder and gave it a good sniff. "That… actually smells nice."

Niko laughed and took up her spoon. "It is. Eat some," she said as she didn't stop herself getting a bite. She hummed in satisfaction after the flavour blew up in her mouth.

Naruto saw her reaction and got interested. He took his spoon and dipped it in the soup. Taking a scoop, he placed the spoon in his mouth and ate the chowder. The flavour was unbelievable. Amazing in fact. The creaminess was insane, and Naruto loved it.

"If people didn't know any better, they would think we were going on a date," Niko said as she watched Naruto.

Naruto choked on his food and started to beat his chest, hoping it would help him. Eventually, he was able to get the food down. His eyes glared at Niko was laughing hysterically at him. "Niko-nee, that wasn't funny. You must be like triple my age!"

Niko's face turned dark. Her white bangs covered her eyes. Naruto's heartbeat raised from the scary image in front of him. "Oi, I'm only twenty-four. Twenty-five in November. I'm still a part of the youth."

After some time, Niko calmed down and looked at Naruto's face before laughing to herself. "But from that blush on your face, you must think I'm beautiful. Now that we're sitting down, I want to ask you a few questions."

Naruto took a bite of his meal. After swallowing, he focused his eyes on the mysterious and helpful woman in front of him. "Fire away."

Niko smiled. "Good. You said you were looking for your Sensei. Has he disappeared?"

Naruto shook his head. "No. Ero-sennin wanted to put me through some 'trials' to see if I'm fit to be a Chūnin. I bet he just doesn't want to teach me," Naruto ranted.

Niko focused on the words. "Chūnin? Those exams are coming close, are you prepared at all for them?" she asked further.

Naruto leaned back and scratched his cheek. "I don't know. Everyone is a tough opponent. I just wish I had Kakashi-sensei to teach me. Not Ero-sennin."

Niko laughed lightly. "You mean the famous Hatake Kakashi?" she asked. Naruto nodded. "Wow, to have Kakashi of the Sharingan as your Sensei. You're a lucky kid Naruto. And I keep hearing you say Ero-sennin… But who is that if you don't mind me asking?"

Naruto's eyes widened. "I forgot. You wouldn't know. Sorry about that. Yeah, Ero-sennin is my nickname for Jiraiya, a member of the Sannin. I don't know if you know but he's a super pervert. Admitted that to me with a straight face. He writes these books which is filled with smut. He rather be looking at women's boobs than teach me," Naruto said.

Niko tapped on the table with her index finger. "You could say that with every man. Thinking about sex is human nature after all. They try to cut that out when you are training to be a ninja, right?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes at Niko. "How'd you know about that?"

Niko whistled before answering. "I know a lot of things. There are certain 'practices' to other professions that are similar to the teachings on how to be a shinobi," she said.

"Are you a ninja?" Naruto asked. The question came straight of his mouth, there was no thought process. He was now scared to death that Niko would get angry at him.

Niko pushed her lips together and shook her head. "I don't want to talk about that. But I will tell you that my services are not part of a hidden village."

Naruto sighed a breath of relief. "Really? Well… Ero-sennin left me and took everything I owned apart from the clothes I'm in and one kunai. I didn't know what to do so I went to the Capital through that forest, it was quite the trip."

Niko nodded her head in agreement. "Workers can't cut down the wood since the wolves and leopards will kill them. I'm impressed that you got through without a single scratch."

Naruto scratched the back of his head. He was getting compliments left, right and centre from Niko. And he was absolutely loving it.

"Thanks. I got into the city and borrowed some money off some woman. Then I got a nice lunch. Then I went to this crazy old woman who didn't help at all."

Niko focused her eyes on Naruto. "Crazy old woman? You mean that fortune-teller!? Why'd you go to her?" she asked. Niko was laughing between her words.

Naruto sighed. "I heard these men talk about betting when I had my lunch. They mentioned her and her fortunes. I just thought she could give me some hint or idea where Ero-sennin was. But nope! All she said was things about ashes and shells of ashes."

"Ashes huh?" Niko said. "That's a strange one."

Naruto nodded in agreement. "I know right. He said he'll be waiting for me in the 'Forgotten Village of Fire and Earth' but I never heard of a place like that," Naruto said. His eyes were staring at the famous Core where the Daimyō lives.

Niko thought about what Naruto said. "Oh?"

Naruto turned his head to see her. "Oh what?" he asked.

Niko took out a scroll out of one of her pouches and rolled it out onto the table. It revealed the map of the Mainland. A basic world map with the country borders and their capitals. Nothing more.

Niko pointed her finger at a mountain range that existed between the territories of the Land of Earth and Fire. Between these two large countries was the Land of Tall Grass, where the village Kusagakure is located in. The mountain range spans through these countries.

"There used to be a town here. A pretty big one as well. It got destroyed during the Warring States Period," Niko said.

Naruto became interested. "What happened to it? Did a clan destroy it?" he asked.

Niko shook her head. "No. A volcano did."

"A volcano?"

Niko nodded. "It was thought to be dormant. But after a curse was laid upon the village from a woman who was burned at the stake for being thought of being a witch or necromancer or something bad. She foresaw a great doom. Four hours after her death, the volcano erupted, and its lava covered the forest, fields and the town area. It was so rapid that most died from the ashes rather than the lava itself. It is rumoured that some of the town's people are preserved today by the thick coating of ashes. Maybe that is what she meant by shells of ashes," Niko said.

Naruto's face turned sad. "That's awful."

Niko had a grim smile. "Most of the town in still buried in ash. They say about four or six metres of it. This happened over a century ago, but I bet most things are still in good condition if you were to dig it up," she said.

"Why haven't they done anything to it?" Naruto asked.

Niko rolled up the map after she marked a dot on the mountain ranges. "There are a few reasons. It was just a big town. There wasn't anything valuable in it. It's in the Land of Fire, but the Daimyō doesn't want to excavate it and do repairs, that costs money. Finally, unless you know about the history of the Warring States period, there's no way you would know about that town. It's not marked on maps anymore."

Naruto was stunned. He smiled happily. "You're amazing Nee-chan!" he said.

Niko smiled and gave Naruto the map scroll. "I knew that already. Keep that and travel North West when you leave Warden's North Gate. If you go to the mountains at the border, you should be able to find Jiraiya," she said.

The two finished their meals. A waiter came and took the bowls away. It was just Naruto and Niko again.

"How long should it take me to get there?" Naruto asked.

Niko looked up to the moon. "I don't know how fast you are. But a run of the mill ninja could get there in four days. Five days maximum, three days minimum."

Naruto exhaled heavily. "That is cutting it close. I have to meet him in less than four days from now, or I won't get some things that will help me for the final fights."

Niko grunted. "I don't like the sound of that. But… I can see some of the benefits. You were using stealth skills to get what you needed, and you did information gathering. That's important for any ninja, not just cool and powerful jutsu. Sometimes, showing off can bite you in the ass. Makes the people around you want to use you in bad ways," she said. Her last few words were filled with deep sadness.

Naruto saw the change in her eyes. Niko must have had a bad memory or even memories.

"I suppose…" Naruto wanted to change the subject. The conversation was taking a nosedive. "I better leave. Here, take this," he said.

Niko watched as Naruto took out two and a half thousand ryō from his pocket and placing it on the table. "Don't worry, I have you covered," she said.

Naruto shook his head. "I learnt to always pay my debts. I rather not feel guilty after you paid for my meal ttebayo."

Niko smiled and took the money. "Where'd you learn that? Must have been from a wise old man maybe?"

Naruto scoffed. "He's not old at all, but he is wise. Anyway, I think I'll go and leave for that place. I need to get there before the deadline."

The manager came back quickly and whispered into Niko's ears. Naruto was trying his best to listen. He didn't need to soon after.

Niko laughed. "She's here! The Legendary Sucker? Lucky for her that she doesn't owe me money, but it's nice to know the woman has a fine taste in dining," she said.

The manager left after giving the message and left the two alone once again.

Niko chuckled as she put away her money. "Naruto," she called out. Naruto stopped and looked back to the woman who took away his evening. "Good luck. I take it orange is your favourite colour, yeah?" she asked.

Naruto smiled and gave her a thumbs up. "Sure is."

Niko smiled as well. "Hopefully we will meet sometime soon. You're an interesting boy. Uzumaki Naruto."

"Yeah, let's meet again Niko-neechan. I'll treat you to ramen. I gotta go!" Naruto said before he jumped off the building and ran towards the Northern District's gate, the Warden's North gate.

Niko watched the boy vanish. She then laughed to herself. "Hm. I definitely know who I'm going to bet on now. Now I really want to see him."

---

Close Borders of the Lands of Earth and Fire, Mount Yari of the Hida Mountain Range

Deep within the continent of the Mainland, between the borders of the Lands of Earth and Fire laid a once prosperous town. Now only a shell of its former self, after the brimstone and ashes from the destruction of mother nature, the town is now in ruins. The people have moved on and left forever, sealing its fate of being abandoned.

Naruto was walking slowly through some of the cobbled streets that were partially affected by the volcanic attack. Naruto was having a hard time finding Jiraiya. It was possible that he was in the wrong place.

Naruto walked through the street and an open space greeted him. There was a small mound with a shrine and a red Torii. A small line of white smoke was in the air.

Naruto watched as the smoke dispersed itself into the air. Following his intuition, he walked towards the source of the smoke, hoping that it will lead to good fortune.

Naruto's eyes widened as a long white hair showed itself in a scruffy ponytail. "I finally found you Ero-sennin."

Jiraiya puffed out more smoke. He didn't bother turning around. "Well done Naruto."

Naruto's jaw nearly hit the floor. He was expecting something grander than just a standard well done. His blood boiled. "How could you put me through that! Ero-sennin, I'm going to kill you!" Naruto said. He walked closer to the legendary pervert while rolling his sleeves. He was serious, he didn't care if he would die, he needed to pound some sense into him.

Jiraiya turned around and puts up his hand. Naruto stopped in his path.

"What?" Naruto asked heatedly.

Jiraiya took a long cylindrical shaped object that was wrapped in paper. Next, he brought a long wooden box and placed the two objects in front of Naruto. "I come bearing gifts," he said with a wry smile.

Naruto's anger vanished into thin air and excitement took over. "So, these are the things that will help me in the Chūnin exams?" he said.

Jiraiya nodded. "They could. We just to see how well you learn in the next few days. I'm going to train you to the ground," he said with some enthusiasm.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Like you should have been doing from the start?"

Jiraiya sighed. "After I hear about your story on how you got here, you will realise what you did and how a Chūnin should act when in a difficult environment. You coming here at all before the deadline shows that you can perform problematic missions without even knowing my true location. That is a skill that all good ninja should have," Jiraiya lamented.

Naruto scoffed. "I bet you just wanted to peek on women instead of training me," he said.

Jiraiya laughed lightly. "Well that's true no matter what you say."

Naruto looked at the objects with interest. "Which one should I open first?" he asked.

Jiraiya handed him the wrapped up cylindrical object. The length of it was much taller than Naruto. He unwrapped it and saw a staff that was an inch in diameter. Made from a solid metal, a metal that was different from regular steel. It was beautifully crafted.

"What's this? A staff," Naruto said as he inspected the amazing craftsman ship. He let one end rest on the ground and straightened it up. It stood at an adults height. "Woah… It's big."

Jiraiya smiled. "It's one metre, and eighty-two centimetres in length. One-inch in diameter. Made from chakra absorbing steel. Formed for perfect balance, its weight is distributed to near perfection. After being heated, it was quenched in oil and then work-hardened. It is a tough and strong weapon. One worthy for any master martial artist or shinobi," Jiraiya said.

Naruto stared at the weapon with sparkly eyes. "And this is for me?" he asked.

Jiraiya nodded. "Yes. But it will be useless if we don't do some basic training with it. Sensei is a master at bōjutsu, hopefully after the Chūnin exams, he will give you private lessons. He gave me a few scrolls that he wrote himself to help you," he said. "With the staff being made from chakra absorbing steel, you can perform your jutsu in new ways. Maybe even make new jutsu to fit your weapon and style of fighting."

Naruto played with his new staff. Moving it in circles. It was difficult to handle. He never practiced with such a long weapon before. The only experience he has in weapons is his kunai and a wooden short sword he uses when practising with Kotaro.

Jiraiya coughed into his hand. "Before you go off with your new toy. There's also this gift from your brother," Jiraiya said. He fingers tapped the lid of a black wooden box.

Naruto's eyes turned to the box immediately. Laying his new staff to the floor beside the shrine, Naruto knelt in front of the box. Untying the red knot that kept it sealed and then grabbing the edges with the tip of his fingers, Naruto lifted the lid of the box up.

"What is this…"

Jiraiya peeked his head over to see what was inside. He watched Naruto pick up a blade. "That's a Wakizashi blade. It's different from your standard katana. You can see from the length of the blade. I bet it's around fourteen inches," he told Naruto.

Naruto gripped the short blade and swung it around. It moved through the air so quickly, no resistance whatsoever. The hilt of the blade was comfortable, almost natural to Naruto's hand. A blade that could have been tailor-made for him.

The blade had a dark steel base with a lighter and more silver coloured cutting edge. The blade was deadly. Every swing Naruto made with it, sharp whispers were made in the air from the short sword.

Naruto took the sheath out of the box and sheathed his new weapon away. A loud noise was made when the short sword was inserted.

"Is there a name?" Naruto asked.

Jiraiya took out a slip of paper that was in the box and unfolded it. "This was written by your brother. Hm… He said that it is an Uzumaki blade forged during the time of his own swords. The blade's name is Silver. That's it, huh? How unimaginative. What's Kotaro's swords named? Ruby and Sapphire. Your little toothpick is named Silver. Next thing I know, there'll be one called Gold or Emerald," Jiraiya ranted.

Naruto scoffed. "Don't make fun of my new sword Ero-sennin. Don't worry, I'm still grateful for that staff you got me."

Jiraiya stood up and dusted his hands. "Well, I did write it in that letter. I kept my promise. Now that you have the tools to help you with your exams, we better go off a bit and start training. My time away from you allowed me to write three chapters for my new book and think of a harsh training routine for you."

Naruto grinned from the news. "Finally, I've been waiting for ages for proper training!" he said.

Jiraiya walked ahead and sighed. "When will you realise that your 'Trial' was also training?" he said.

Naruto started to follow him after gathering his stuff. "As soon as you tell me where my stuff is and where my sweet Gama-chan is!"

---

Konoha, One Day before the Chūnin exam finals

Konoha was in a state it hasn't been in for quite some time. For the last two days, the Daimyō, the minor lords and ladies with their guards and councillors were coming in. The village was packed to capacity when the excited business owners and merchants came in. The Konoha Chūnin exams has now become a festival, the main event of course being the fights.

Every hotel room was booked, and the bars were filled with drunk, enthusiastic men and women. To make as much money as possible, the Konoha civilian council decided to make small events and games. Drawing in the local villagers and the foreign visitors to splash their cash. A plan that was going swimmingly well.

Just outside the Main Gate to the Village, Naruto and Jiraiya walked into the bustling Konoha, amazed that it was so lively.

"This is like the Capital," Naruto droned out. "Why are they so happy?"

Jiraiya laughed and slapped Naruto's back. "Liven up Naruto. This only comes once every year or two. And everyone's having fun," he said with a smile. That smile turned into a lecherous grin when a group of gorgeous women passed by, not leaving much to the imagination with their clothing.

The day was extremely sunny. The heat was roasting, Naruto couldn't help but think he was in an outdoor oven.

Seeing that Jiraiya was on the verge of doing something stupid by the looks of his red cheeks, Naruto pinched the man's leg. Jiraiya jolted on the spot from the quick and intense pain.

"God damn! That hurt! You little brat, you couldn't let me enjoy myself," Jiraiya said with a large pout.

Naruto scoffed and walked ahead. "You said that after peeping in the Women's hot springs for over half an hour. Come on, I want to see Jiji now," he said.

Jiraiya sighed. "We still have all day. Why are you so mad right now?" he asked.

As the two walked through, Naruto turned his head to Jiraiya. "I'm mad because it's already three o'clock. We should have been here at morning at least. And, I haven't seen Nii-chan in ages. I miss him," he said.

Jiraiya hummed. "Fair enough. Let's go to Sensei then. Kotaro is probably with him," he said.

The pair went through more of the sea of people. The Hokage tower was getting closer and closer but it still seemed so far away.

"Jiraiya-sama!"

Naruto and Jiraiya stopped in their steps and turned to the right. Two adults who were middle aged came to them. A man and a woman. They seemed to be busy but cut time out of their schedule just to talk to Jiraiya.

"Koike-san and Oda-san. What can I do for you?" Jiraiya asked as he crossed his arms.

Naruto focused on the two in front of him. There looked like ordinary people but with they wore nicer clothing. The woman, Yuriko Koike, wore a dressing robe that covered most of her body. Naruto was shocked she could survive and not get some form of heat stroke.

The man was also ordinary looking man. He wore a robe shirt and pants, but the materials were of high quality. The man was Kishihiro Oda.

Both of these people made up of four that are in control of the Civilian council of Konoha.

Oda bowed his head to Jiraiya. "It's good to meet you again Jiraiya-sama," he said in a monotoned voice.

Naruto felt uncomfortable as the man's gaze turned to him. The eyes and body language was unwelcoming. Naruto knew the reason already.

Jiraiya nodded promptly. "I know. I see the village is doing well with the exams here," he pointed out.

Koike nodded with a smile. Naruto liked her better than the man, Oda. She seemed friendlier. 'These are the people Nii-chan had to talk to just when I left,' he thought.

"It is. We are still busy greeting guests and making sure the events go smoothly. We better go, but please enjoy your stay Jiraiya-sama, Uzumaki-san," she said as she walked.

Oda narrowed his eyes on Naruto before turning back to Jiraiya. "I wish a good fortune to you. Goodbye," he said as he followed the woman.

Jiraiya grunted. "That guy never gets any easier to deal with," he said.

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "He seems like an ass."

Jiraiya laughed and ruffled Naruto's hair. "I know, and he is. But the man is a genius when it comes to finance. He is an important part of Konoha. You don't have to like him, and you can get someone to replace him when you become the Hokage, but for now, stay on his good side."

Naruto nodded in agreement. Making enemies was not a fun thing to do.

Naruto and Jiraiya eventually reached the outside of the Hokage Tower. There was a surprise when they saw ninja from Kirigakure stationed outside the door.

"What's going on?" Naruto wondered.

"Beats me," Jiraiya answered.

"Naruto-kun!" a voice called out.

Naruto turned to his left and saw a girl come his way. She seemed familiar, but there were key differences.

"Woah, Naruto, you never told me you were a stud. How could you keep this from me?" Jiraiya said with a sly tone. He was overjoyed that his student had some ladies waiting for him back here in Konoha.

Naruto growled and lightly punched Jiraiya's leg. He then refocused on the girl coming towards his way. Deep dark brown eyes, black hair done in a ponytail, wearing a mixture of blue and black. A Kiri forehead protector tied around her forehead.

Naruto's jaw dropped to the floor. "Haku!?" he said with shock. 'She's even prettier now!'

Haku came up with a smile. She was overjoyed to see Naruto again. "I'm glad to see you. Your brother said you should have been back last week," she said with some worry. "I hope nothing bad happened."

Naruto sighed and glared at Jiraiya. The pervert chuckled awkwardly and moved back.

Naruto shook his head and looked up to Haku, the girl was still taller than him. "No, nothing happened. Just Ero-sennin there just had to give me too much stuff to do. We ran late because of him as well. But hey, I got stronger, so I'll forgive him," he said.

Haku smiled. "That's good to hear. I'm glad that you're safe," she admitted.

Naruto grinned. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Naruto! Jiraiya!" a familiar voice shouted.

Naruto looked beyond Haku's shoulder. His eyes widened, and his smile grew tenfold. "Nii-chan!" he shouted back happily. His eyes moved to another person walking with his brother. "And Zabuza?"

Zabuza grunted under his bandaged mask. "It's the blond brat again. I hear you're the first one up. You better win or else I'll have to gut you up," he said. "My money is on you to win the whole thing."

Naruto flinched a bit from the threat. He didn't expect it so soon.

Kotaro rubbed his face and sighed. "Zabuza. You can't threaten my little brother right in front of me," he said with shame. "But I'm glad you placed your money on him."

Zabuza shrugged his shoulders. "Who cares, the brat knows I'm not going to do anything to him," he said. "I've seen him fight. He sure as hell has gotten stronger. I can see it in his eyes. Good work kid."

Naruto smiled from the compliment, but then saw the Kubikiribōchō on Zabuza's back. The mighty blade still made him sweat from fear.

Kotaro moved and stood in front of Jiraiya. "You two were supposed to be here a week ago. What happened?" he asked. Naruto knew that he was pissed.

Jiraiya's expression turned serious but there was a smile on his face. "Training. And don't worry, Naruto is much stronger now," he said with total confidence.

Kotaro grunted before grinning like a madman. This surprised both Naruto and Jiraiya. "Alright! I want to see a damn good performance tomorrow. Naruto, did you get my gift?" he asked.

Naruto nodded. "She fits with me well. We're already a strong team."

Zabuza and Haku were confused from the cryptic talk. "What is this gift?" Zabuza decided to asked.

Kotaro smiled to the man. "You'll find out tomorrow for sure Zabuza. We're not the only ones with sharp attacks. Anyway, your tour of Konoha is over. Haku-chan, Zabuza, please wait until Mizukage-sama is finished with her meeting with Hokage-sama," Kotaro said politely. "I will guide you back to your hotel then."

Haku smiled at Kotaro. "Thank you, Kotaro-san!" she said.

"Your welcome as always Haku-chan!" Kotaro said with a sweet smile. His face soured, and it turned to Zabuza. Zabuza was still silent, making Kotaro narrow his eyes on the man.

Zabuza sighed and looked away. "Thank you… Crimson," he said.

Kotaro smiled. "That's some progress at least. Alright, now we just have to wait," he said while stretching his arms.

Jiraiya came over. "Kotaro. How is the situation with Sensei and the others?" Jiraiya asked.

Kotaro sighed and focused on Jiraiya. "Well, everyone in the Shinobi council is happy. The civilian council are working very hard in organising the whole event. They're actually doing a great job if I say so myself," he admitted.

Naruto popped his head over. "Nii-chan, what is this Civilian council?"

Kotaro turned his head to Naruto. "Oh yeah, you never had to deal with them before. They were a group made by the Yondaime Hokage right after the Third Great Shinobi war. The Hokage had a lot of duties to take care of quickly so he formed a group to aid in the economics of Konoha. You know with taxes and other stuff.

"Good thing that he did, after the Kyūbi attack, Jiji had to deal with a lot of shit. The council helped out greatly and brought Konoha back from the ashes before the other countries and their villages could do anything," Kotaro explained.

Naruto nodded as he listened. "Are they ninja?" he asked.

Kotaro shook his head. "No, they aren't. Just the representatives of the general population in Konoha. They handle the craftsman and traders that come and go through our village. If it weren't for them, our trade agreements with other villages, towns and countries would be much weaker."

Naruto tapped on his lip. "So, they have no power?"

Kotaro bobbed his head to the side. He then rested his hands on his hips. "That's not exactly true. They have a good influence on Konoha. But, the Hokage has the final say in things. They can't do anything to us. Don't worry, they're not all bad guys."

"If you say so," Naruto said with a grim tone.

Kotaro chuckled from his brother's words. "I do say so. Jiraiya, Jiji did say he needed to ask you a favour. He said it was 'time', I assume you know what he means."

Jiraiya groaned before nodding. "Yep. Seems like Sensei is getting sick of things now," he said. His words were filled with animosity. "A lot of work will have to be done to find her."

Kotaro hummed. "I have no idea what you're saying, but I'm sure I can help in any way I can if you want it."

Jiraiya smiled. "Thanks. I would appreciate that," he said.

Kotaro laughed. "I'll do it for Jiji. Don't think you're getting away with coming late and taking my time away from Naruto," he said with a hint of annoyance.

Jiraiya laughed awkwardly. He moved and walked between Naruto and Haku. "So, Naruto? When are you going to take your girl on a date?" Jiraiya asked with a lecherous smile.

Naruto went pale. He looked around to see Haku and Zabuza shocked from the question as well. His eyes turned to Kotaro who was holding in his laugh.

Knowing that the situation was bad, and he was in danger. Naruto decided to escape. "Haku! Let's go!" Naruto shouted while running off. Grabbing the girl's hand, he dragged Haku along with him.

Being surprised for the second time, Haku cutely yelped and went along with the dragging.

The three men watched the pair vanish in the crowd.

Zabuza sighed. "She doesn't know what's happening. The poor girl."

Kotaro looked at Zabuza with a dead-panned look. "Oh my god! You do have emotions!"

Zabuza narrowed his eyes on Kotaro. "So, what!?" he said. "I'm only human."

Kotaro smirked at him. "I thought you said we were all tools. And tools shouldn't have emotions," he said with a tilted head.

Zabuza exhaled and released the tension in his shoulders. "I was in a bad place Crimson. With my village being rebuilt now, and Haku and I recovering, I'm a changed man," he said. "But I'm not completely wrong. We're the swords and shields of our villages. I don't want to fight someone like you or Kakashi, I would have to go all out. I might die again, so I've been training hard. I will be Kiri's sword."

Jiraiya and Kotaro smiled. Jiraiya sighed and looked to the sky. "This is going to be swell. But, I have to ask, since we've been gone, has anything strange occurred?" Jiraiya asked.

Kotaro tapped his foot, resting his hands behind his head, he then looked to Jiraiya. "To be honest, nothing has happened. I must have been imagining it, but I felt something like a mini-earthquake like… two days ago. Other than that, everyone and everything is okay."

Jiraiya nodded with a hum. "That's good. Tomorrow will be a different story though. What are you going to do now since the brats have left us?" Jiraiya asked Zabuza.

Zabuza crossed his arms. "I'll stay with Crimson here and wait for Mizukage-sama and Ao. They can't be too much longer."

Kotaro nodded in agreement. "If I know any better, they're probably talking about their respective villages and how great they are. The old man is probably filling the room with his smoke I bet."

"Kotaro, how old are you?" Jiraiya asked.

Kotaro flinched slightly from the question. "Eh? I'm nineteen. Going on twenty soon. Why?" he asked. The question came out of nowhere. Even Zabuza was confused about it.

Jiraiya whistled before answering. "I was just wondering. It's the sort of age when a man goes after a woman, aren't I right?"

Kotaro shrugged his shoulders. "The way I see it, there's no rush. What's gotten into you to ask me this?"

Jiraiya put on a lecherous grin. "Oh, there's just this babe with some of the nicest pair of breasts I've ever seen. Not huge, but certainly not small, a handful they were. Saw her when I was at the hot springs before coming here. Actually, she reminded me of Tsunade when we were in our twenties. Same height, maybe just taller. Long hair done in some sort of tail. Her hair was white though, not blonde," Jiraiya said.

Kotaro frowned. "I don't want to hear you drool over an attractive woman. But white hair, I haven't met many with that. Only you. If you want to talk about women, find someone else Jiraiya."

Jiraiya whistled. "You're no fun. Anyway, I have to check something out. I'll see you tomorrow Kotaro. Nice meeting you Zabuza, it's always nice to meet someone famous," he said as he walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

Zabuza grunted. "That's the famous Jiraiya, huh? A bit underwhelming," he said.

Kotaro nodded in agreement. "But his dormant power is nothing to underestimate. He could easily be the Hokage right now and have a firm grip."

Zabuza hummed. "Do you think you could beat him?".

Kotaro laughed. "I don't know. I really don't know. I do want to fight him though. That's for certain."

---

Ichiraku Ramen

"Ayame-neechan, please stop asking questions!" Naruto hissed out. "And bring me my bowl!"

After successfully escaping from Jiraiya's questions, Naruto and Haku went to the only place that Naruto could think of to get a quick meal. However, he didn't expect to be bombarded with more of the same from before.

Ayame giggled and took two bowls from the kitchen. Teuchi already had them made as his daughter interrogated Naruto.

"How can I not ask questions!? You leave for a month and then come back out of nowhere with a gorgeous girl. Come on, it's my right to know," Ayame said while waving a ladle.

Naruto frowned. "No, it's not," he said bluntly.

Ayame's face darkened and she glared at Naruto. "I'm the closest thing to a sister to you. Feeding you ramen since you were a tiny toddler. You owe me so much," she said while cracking her knuckles.

Naruto pulled back from the counter. "Sorry Ayame-neechan. Ask away!" he said.

Ayame's face changed back to her usual smile. "Good. Now, Haku-chan, I like your clothes. They look good on you," she said.

Naruto turned his eyes to Haku to see what Ayame was talking about. Naruto saw that the clothes the Haku was wearing now was completely different compared to the clothes she wore in the Land of Waves.

Naruto saw that instead of the heavy garb that covered her from head to toe, Haku was wearing lighter clothing. She wore a shinobi shirt with the sleeves rolled up, which was covered by a blue Kirigakure style flak jacket. Below was a short battle skirt that ended above her knees, it was similar in colour to the flak jacket. Naruto also saw that she was wearing dark blue shinobi sandals on her feet. He liked the outfit a lot better than the last one. It was clearly a better fit. In his opinion at least.

Haku blushed from the compliment and played with her food. "Thank you. I have to admit that Mizukage-sama helped picked out these clothes for me. I don't have much of a fashion sense," she admitted.

Haku noticed that Naruto was looking at her. "Are you ok Naruto-kun?" she asked.

Naruto nodded. "I am. That flak jacket… Are you a Chūnin already?" he asked.

Haku nodded. "Zabuza-san had put in a good word for me when we got back to the village. I was immediately promoted and already started doing missions, mostly with Zabuza-san."

Naruto smiled. "I'm glad to hear!" he said before diving into his meal.

Haku started eating her own meal, at a much slower pace than Naruto. She assumed that Naruto missed the dish since he was raving about it so much on their way there.

Naruto finished his bowl and gave it to Ayame. She took her time, but eventually Haku finished her own bowl. Ayame smiled at her and took it.

Haku turned to Naruto. She had a question on her mind. "Do you think you will win the exams?" she asked.

If she had to say it herself, she wouldn't know if she could win with all the Genin there. Some of them were fierce warriors already. She knew first-hand how strong Sasuke was, and Naruto was strong as well, they would be tough fights.

Naruto grinned. "I do. I trained hard. I learnt new skills. I'm ready to show the village and the world my skills. Just you wait Haku."

Haku giggled from the confidence. It was oozing out of him. "Just to let you know, I'll be rooting for you," she said. "I want you to win."

Naruto smiled. "Looks like I have to win it now."

---

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