It was in the early afternoon that Naruto decided to go out. He didn't bother changing clothes. Instead, he used a cheap cologne. He picked up his accordion and headed to the busier streets. There was a square with a small fountain in the marketplace.
Naruto put a small pouch for collecting coins near his foot and started playing music. He tried to keep them upbeat and cheery—something to lift the mood and for people to be able to dance with.
To him, plating music was not just a simple art. He was trying to gather an audience, and soon it was a success. He also started moving around, twirling with the beat of the music and bouncing with his steps.
Music could be used as a shinobi skill. The movements of the fingers and keeping the timing of the notes were beneficial when it came to fighting against shinobi. It helped with more fluid hand signs and their speed.
It also helped a lot with concentration and multitasking. There were so many helpful shinobi skills one could improve just by learning instruments. Of course, Naruto was capable of shadow clones, so he had to learn multiple.
He was subtly looking through the crowd. He tried to memorize the faces of the people that could be important. Merchants, business owners, and people with financial or social standing.
He played for a while. Finally, it was time for him to go, so he finished his song and bowed. There was a cheer from the people. He took his pouch and walked through the crowds gathering donations.
He spent a while longer going through street vendors and trying local foods. He had to act as ordinary as possible. He returned to the inn in the early evening to take a shower and change his clothes.
He found the scroll Torune left in his room. Part of the reason he went to the marketplace was to see Torune so he could follow him back to the hotel and leave him the scroll.
Of course, Torune could always leave a kikaichu on him to track him, but they weren't fully aware of the sensor's ability and couldn't risk it with Naruto's position. While it was okay for Torune to use small amounts of chakra around the city since it was unnoticeable, the amount of chakra needed for the tracking could be triggering high-level sensors.
Naruto doubted that the man's skill was so great, but it wasn't a risk he was willing to take. So they chose this method of communication. The scroll contained the name and locations of some bars.
They already knew most of the bars Machi frequented, but Naruto needed a place where he could perform as an artist. Thankfully Machi only preferred high-end establishments that offered other services as well.
There wasn't a way to accurately plan where he would go each night, so they just had to go by trial and error. Plus, not all establishments would accept a foreign performer. There were only two bars in the list that matched their needs, so Naruto decided to choose one that he passed across in his adventure around the city.
He used some time to prepare himself. He did his hair and wore some clothing to show a bit more skin. More cleavage. Of course, he didn't want to wear something too revealing and destroy the mystery.
He put on some makeup and cheap accessories to finish his look. Since he would have a higher chance of singing, he brought a lute instead of the accordion. He checked everything once more before leaving for the night.
The bar he chose was located north of the marketplace. It was a massive building without windows. The sign on top of the door said " Red Lotus" in golden letters. There was a bouncer in front of the door.
Naruto used every lesson in seduction he had to make himself look appealing. He went to the bouncer with slow steps swinging his hips as he walked slightly. He kept himself up with confidence—shoulders back and chest up. Chin high, and He kept his eyes half-lidded. The bouncer raised an eyebrow at him.
"Hello there, love. I have a business that I would like to discuss. I'm sure he will be very, very pleased." Naruto said as he bounced his chest a bit as if he was trying to present himself. The bouncer gave him a hard stare for a few moments.
They both knew what Naruto meant, so the bouncer sighed and told him to wait. He hated this kind of mission. He knew that seduction missions were necessary whether you were a male or female, but it was the nature of these missions that bothered him.
He respected those who took these missions and never saw them differently. Tenten and Sakura were two of his friends who experienced these missions. They didn't have the protection of a clan, so they had no choice in the matter.
Ino also took a few mild cases of seduction that only involved flirting with the target and using his family jutsu to extract information. Since she was an heiress, she couldn't take more active missions of this nature, but she was adamant about doing her part as a kunoichi.
It took a certain kind of strength to go through these missions, and it often times changed people. Despite all these facts, they were necessary for the survival of the village, so Naruto would gladly do his duty.
He didn't have to wait long before the bouncer came back with a short man in a suit. He introduced himself as the accountant and asked him to follow. Naruto obediently did so, giving the bouncer a wink.
They went through a few corridors to reach a big double door made of redwood. The accountant knocked on the door and opened the door. They went inside. The room was big and heavily furnished.
The village wasn't a rich one, so in order to give it a fancy vibe, it was filled to the brim with cheap decorations and furniture that looked expensive but was clearly made with cheap material.
There was a big desk in the middle of the room and two chairs in front of it. There were some books and documents in messy piles on the table. Of course, all that showed on Naruto's face was awe and wonderment. Naruto made his way to the front of the desk and bowed his head.
The boss was a man of average height. He was a bit overweight. He looked to be in his forties. He was wearing a grey suit with a dark shirt under it and a black tie. He had short black hair that was balding in the middle.
"So you are the girl who wanted to see me?" the man raised an eyebrow at him.
"Yes, of course. You see, I've got a business proposition." Naruto said as he folded one of his hands under his chest while the other one was under his chin.
"Go on. I'm listening." The man gestured with his hand for him to continue.
"I'm a traveling artist. I want to gain fame and fortune. My dream is to become a star in the capital. In order to do that, I need to first have some money since going to the capital for a job is expensive." Naruto said.
"And your proposition?" he asked. He was looking skeptical.
"I can play music, sing, dance, and perform a few tricks I learned here and there. If you allow me to work here while I stay in town, I'm sure we can come to an agreement. I can even perform for free tonight so that you can see my skills." Naruto said while playing with his hair with one hand.
"I'm sure we can agree on something if you give me a first-hand demonstration before giving you a stage." The man said, giving him a suggestive look.
Naruto was disgusted. There was a hungry look in the man's eyes. Naruto knew what it meant, so he just had to go with it. The accountant left the room quickly. He motioned for Naruto to come forward.
This wasn't the first time he did such things in either lifetime. While he was still physically young in this body, Danzo still saw it fit to train him for such events. It wasn't something he wished upon anyone.
Naruto made his way around the table as the man turned his chair towards him. Naruto kneeled right in front of him, taking hold of his belt.
Naruto spent the night performing, but the target didn't enter the facility. So when it was time for the bar to close, he took his share of the money from the accountant and left for the inn.
He took a long bath, trying to clean his body from the memory of the events. He knew that it wouldn't happen. He had to move on and continue with his mission, but it was easier said than done.
There were things in life that people couldn't just wish away. No matter how hard you tried to ignore it. But life moved on, and living in the past wouldn't change the events that had already happened.
Sometimes he wished he could just be a naïve boy. Spending his day with his friends and never having to worry about their deaths or the dark future. It was his job to protect them so he couldn't weaver.
He knew sleep wouldn't come to him. He always had trouble sleeping after the war started. That was why he often spent nights meditating. Tonight, however, he didn't feel like that either. His mind was too restless.
So he just spent his time staring at the ceiling, waiting for the time to pass.
The next few days were mostly uneventful. From the reports he got from Torune, he knew that their plan was on the right path. Fu was already in with the thugs, but his movement was limited since he didn't have a standing.
Torune was also gathering data. So far, he hadn't brought any attention to himself and was going around the city without any trouble. They suspected that he should visit the Red Lotus soon. Naruto was also ready for his next phase.
Naruto considered himself lucky because, finally, Machi visited that night. Naruto was singing tonight. He made sure to put up a performance. Machi was accompanied by a group of girls and his bodyguards.
Naruto made sure to put in the extra effort. He was playing the lute and singing a melody. He made sure to dance around the stage and gather attention. Of course, his job wasn't tough since the VIP table was right in front of the small stage.
He even went the extra mile. Dancing with a torch and fire while the other musicians were playing music. There was something about girls and dancing that always caught these kinds of men.
So when he finally left the stage to a backroom to clean up for the night, he wasn't surprised that one of Machi's bodyguards told him he was invited to the VIP table. Naruto followed him dutifully.
Machi reminded Naruto of Gato. While Machi was younger and maybe a bit better looking, there was the aura they both had that resembled each other. There were girls sitting on both sides of him wearing revealing dresses and latching on to him.
Naruto could feel a variety of emotions from the girls, and none of them were positive. Greed, disgust, and fear were the most prominent. While they were all verbally showering him with praises, they were looking for their own benefits.
Life of a woman was a hard one, and they all had to do what they could to survive. Naruto couldn't blame them. Machi made some room on his left side and motioned for him to sit next to him.
Naruto obliged. "What is a pretty girl like you doing in this kind of place?" he asked as he put a hand on Naruto's thigh, rubbing it.
"Well, you see…."