Author's Note:

Hey everyone! I've got some amazing news to share! My 12th-grade results are out, and guess what? I got an A! Hahaha, I'm over the moon right now! My overall score is 86%—definitely not the highest, but honestly, it's a huge achievement for me.

Now, it's time to buckle down and get ready for Medical College/University! Wish me luck on the next step of this journey.

Also, I published a story of Naruto in Warring State Era as Nanashi Uchiha. Nanashi has one of the finest stories in the game series, do check it out.

Alright, without any further ado, let's dive into the new chapter!

Crow, Shark and and an Android

Naruto sat cross-legged in the middle of the inn room, her face emotionless as she stared at the ceiling. Pervy Sage had disappeared on some… business… again. Apparently, he'd found a woman who might have information about Tsunade. But what kind of woman made him drag her along, and couldn't talk in front of Naruto? The only thing Naruto could think was that Jiraiya was probably on his way to leaving the inn broke and empty-pocketed after blowing all his money in some seedy whorehouse. Typical.

Naruto sighed—well, if a sigh could be robotic and devoid of any real emotion—before sinking deeper into her thoughts. The idea of going on this mission with Jiraiya was supposed to be exciting, but…why did they need an old woman like Tsunade for the Hokage's position when they had someone as amazing as herself, Naruto Uzumaki? She wasn't just good-looking—though that was an undeniable fact—she was also stronger than the Old Man Sandaime, she'd beaten Oro-something, Zabuza, Gaara, Haku, Pervy Sage (well, maybe not in an actual fight…yet), and definitely the good-for-nothing Kakashi-sensei. Dattebayo.

And yet, everyone said she wasn't mature enough. Mature, shmat-ure! Didn't she fight two zombie Hokages and win?! What more proof did they need? It's like they were intentionally ignoring her greatness.

Her mind wandered back to the scene at the village before they left. Sakura-chan was seething when she found out Naruto got promoted straight to Jounin. And Sasuke, well, he looked like someone had stolen all his birthday presents and then lit them on fire. He even demanded a rematch, which Naruto found hilarious considering he was still a Genin. Her junior! Hah! Kakashi-sensei? He was happy, but in that weird, lazy way of his—like he was only excited because now he had an excuse to nap. At least Iruka-sensei was cool. He'd treated her to ramen. Now that was a reward she could get behind. Dattebayo.

Just as Naruto began to consider whether she could fit in another bowl of ramen before Jiraiya got back, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Pervy Sage?" she mumbled as she stood up, half expecting to find him with some ridiculous story about why he was late.

She opened the door, but instead of the spiky-haired perv, she was greeted by two men in black cloaks adorned with red clouds. One of them had what looked like a massive sword wrapped in bandages slung over his shoulder, while the other had dark, cold eyes and an air of familiarity. That second one...he looked suspiciously like the Bastard— Sasuke. Weird.

Naruto blinked a few times, her expression robotic as usual. "State your business," she said flatly. "I am a very busy person. Dattebayo." She wasn't really, but it sounded cool.

The one with the sword—who, upon closer inspection, looked a lot like a blue shark wearing clothes—grinned toothily. "She talks, too," he muttered, clearly amused.

The other, the more handsome and well-mannered one, took a step forward. "Are you the…great Naruto Uzumaki?" he asked, his voice smooth like he was reading poetry at a fancy gathering. "The undefeatable shinobi? The White Flash of the Leaf?"

Naruto blinked again. Was this guy a fan? Did she have a fanbase now? Followers?! Maybe even a cult dedicated to her awesomeness? Her eyes gleamed with newfound hope, though her face remained just as robotic.

"Why, indeed, I am the great Naruto Uzumaki." She struck what she believed to be a cool, dramatic pose, her frilly black dress fluttering a little in the breeze. She mentally noted how stylish she looked right now.

The smart one bowed his head in respect. "We come from a secret organization known as the Akatsuki. Our goal is world peace. We wish to cleanse the world from darkness. And for that, we recruit powerful individuals such as yourself."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully, pretending like she understood all the complicated words he was using. "I see," she said, crossing her arms. "I suppose you want me as your leader, huh? Makes sense. I mean, who wouldn't want me to lead their secret world-peace gang?" She was already picturing herself on a throne made of ramen bowls, leading the charge into some grand battle.

The shark-man let out a loud, booming laugh. "No, brat—uh, I mean, miss—we already have a leader. We'd like you to join as a…janitor, maybe?"

The well-spoken one quickly interjected, "As an advisor. A powerful figurehead for our cause."

Naruto raised an eyebrow—or at least tried to, her face barely twitching. "An advisor, huh?" she muttered. It wasn't exactly 'leader,' but it still sounded important.

But then, a thought struck her. "Wait a sec." She leaned forward, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Do I get free ramen coupons?"

The polite one remained stoic, but replied elegantly. "If you come to our village, where the headquarters is, you can have as much ramen as you desire."

"For free?!" Naruto's voice rose slightly with excitement.

"For free," he confirmed with a nod.

Naruto's mind raced. Free ramen for life? That was a deal of a lifetime! All she had to do was join this mysterious group of cool, cloak-wearing guys? This was probably the best offer she'd ever received. She didn't need to think about it for more than a second.

"Ooh, that's really tempting," she said, already imagining herself drowning in endless bowls of miso ramen. "So, where do I sign?"

And just like that, Naruto Uzumaki, the strange, robotic girl with glowing sapphire eyes, had no idea she was about to make the most questionable decision of her life—all in the name of free ramen.

Û~Û

Sasuke was tearing through the forest like his life depended on it—which, to be fair, it kinda did. Branches whipped at his face, leaves crunched beneath his feet, and his lungs burned, but he didn't slow down. Not even for a second. His pulse was hammering in his ears, pounding in rhythm with his thoughts.

Naruto.

Of course, she'd gotten herself caught up in this mess. It wasn't even a question. If trouble was a magnet, then Naruto was the giant metal refrigerator door it was clinging to. The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he got. This was supposed to be his moment. He was going to face Itachi, finally get some answers, and maybe—just maybe—get a little revenge.

But now Naruto was involved.

Somewhere between a sigh and a snarl slipped from his lips as he skidded to a stop in front of the inn. There, standing right in front of him like the universe was playing a sick joke, was Itachi. And his sharky sidekick, Kisame. Oh, and—wait. Was that…?

"Naruto?" Sasuke squinted. What was she doing?

Naruto was just... strolling behind them. Like they were on a nice afternoon walk through Konoha. She had that eerie, stiff, robotic look, too—like someone had just flipped her "off" switch and forgotten to turn her back on.

His eyes narrowed. "What the hell is going on here?!" His voice cracked louder than he intended. Embarrassing.

Before he had time to think, the Chidori lit up in his hand with a sharp, crackling hiss. He was gonna wipe that smug look off Itachi's face once and for all. "ITACHI!" He charged, lightning surging from his fingertips, aimed straight for his brother's chest.

But before his Chidori could even make contact, Itachi turned, caught Sasuke's wrist with one hand like it was nothing, and looked down at him with the same cold, deadpan expression that haunted Sasuke's nightmares. "Foolish little brother," he muttered, his tone so calm it was infuriating.

The next few seconds were a blur of pain. Itachi's strikes were impossibly fast and precise—a punch to the gut, a knee to the ribs, and a swift kick that sent Sasuke crashing to the ground. His Chidori fizzled out pitifully, leaving him sprawled in the dirt, coughing like a dying cat.

Through the pain, Sasuke struggled to lift his head and focused on Naruto, still standing there like an emotionless mannequin. "I know you're still in there!" he shouted, desperation leaking into his voice. "Fight it, damn it!"

Naruto blinked slowly, like someone who had just woken up from a nap and wasn't entirely sure where they were. "Huh?" she said in her usual, eerily robotic tone. "I am here."

Sasuke blinked, trying to process. "Wait…you're not mindfucked by him?"

Naruto made a face that somehow looked both deadpan and disgusted. "Ew. Whatever that means. I am me. Dattebayo."

Sasuke's brain stuttered. "Then…what the hell are you doing?! They're here to kidnap you!"

Naruto looked from Sasuke to Itachi and Kisame, then back to Sasuke. "Nah, they offered me free ramen. Only good people like ramen."

At this, the blue shark guy, Kisame, let out a hearty, gurgly laugh. "Kid, I think your friend's got a screw loose. Maybe more than one."

Itachi, ever the statue of calm, turned slightly to face Naruto. "We just want peace," he said in his emotionless monotone.

Naruto cocked her head like an innocent child—an innocent, robotic child—and looked at Sasuke, then back at the duo. "But if you're not bad guys," she said slowly, "then why did you beat the Bastard?"

Kisame laughed. "Who's the Bastard?"

Naruto gave him a flat look. "The good for nothing teammate of mine, obviously. Dattebayo." She looked at Itachi. "So?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed just a fraction. She may have been stupid, but her instincts weren't completely broken. "Peace often requires… sacrifices," he replied cryptically.

Naruto raised an eyebrow—or at least, she tried. "I understand that beating his ass can be tempting—believe me—but you went overboard. Dattebayo."

Kisame chuckled, clearly amused, and took a step forward. "So, are you coming with us or not?"

Naruto glanced down at Sasuke, who was still groaning on the ground, his pride as battered as his body. She showed them Gama-Chan, her once malnourished wallet was now looking like an Akimichi clan infant. "I'm a Jounin now. I have enough money to buy my own ramen. Dattebayo." She waved a hand dismissively. "Now, shoo. I have a Bastard to tend to."

Kisame chuckled, resting his massive sword on his shoulder. "Sounds about right to me. So, kid, you are not coming with us, does this mean I gotta chop this guy into bite-sized pieces?"

Naruto didn't even flinch. Instead, she gave Gama-Chan a little shake. It bulged with cash. "I'm a Jounin now. I can buy my own ramen. I don't need you or your fish face, dattebayo. Leave us."

Kisame's grin faltered. His grip tightened on his sword, and he took a step forward, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "You know, I'm getting real tired of you, brat. Maybe I'll just cut off this idiot's legs to shut you up."

Before Itachi could stop him, Kisame started to lift his sword, only to freeze as Naruto conjured a glowing golden Rasengan in her hand in a slow but menacing motion. Her face was blank, but the Rasengan spun with enough intensity to make the air around them hum. Her short hair moved in a rhythmic way, making her look even more scary. She tilted her head, looking almost bored, as she said flatly, "How about I make some fish paste instead?"

Itachi immediately grabbed Kisame's arm, pulling him back. For some reason, Naruto seemed oddly protective of Sasuke. That was... unexpected. According to their intel, Naruto Uzumaki was on par with Pain. Therefore, he didn't stand a chance against her in combat. That's why all these acts were for. However, if she was unwilling to cooperate... "We're leaving," Itachi said calmly, though his eyes lingered on Naruto for just a second longer. "Sorry, O Great Shinobi. Please forgive my companion and me. We were foolish to test your patience. But please, do consider our offer. " He bowed slightly before disappearing in a blur of black cloak and red clouds, dragging a disgruntled Kisame with him.

Sasuke lay on the ground, still trying to process what had just happened. He groaned, his ribs screaming in protest as he pushed himself up. "What… just… happened? Why did Itachi back down?"

Naruto casually flipped her bob-cut hair, trying to strike what she thought was a 'cool' pose. "Oh, you mean the smart one?" She gave a barely visible smile, clearly pleased with herself. "He knows my position is far beyond his. You should show me more respect, Bastard." Naruto stood there, her hands on her hips, her face as smug as someone who had just successfully negotiated world peace. "He knows my power," she said, flipping her short hair in a way that was probably supposed to be dramatic, but just looked awkward. "I'm a big deal now, Bastard. You should start showing me more respect."

Sasuke was about to fire back some snide comment when Naruto's skirt fluttered above his head, giving him a full, humble view of her legs, thighs, and, unfortunately, her frilly underwear. His mouth went dry, his mind going completely blank.

Just then, Jiraiya barged in, an unconscious woman slung over his shoulder. He took one look at Naruto, who was standing over Sasuke, giving him a not-so-modest view beneath her skirt, and smirked. "Well, well, it looks like my student's finally hit puberty!" he said with a laugh.

Naruto blinked slowly before glancing down at Sasuke, who was practically turning into a tomato. Her eyes widened slightly, and in one robotic, emotionless motion, she slammed her foot down on his face. "Perverts don't get such majestic views for free. Dattebayo."

There was a sickening crack as Sasuke's nose broke beneath her foot. Fortunately for him, Naruto wasn't wearing any footwear. Unfortunately, that didn't make the pain any less.

Sasuke groaned, clutching his face, as Naruto stood over him, still as robotic and creepy as ever. His mind was full of images of toads printed frilly panties crushing on his face. She turned to Jiraiya. "Did you find any clues about Tsunade?"

Jiraiya grinned. "We've got a long road ahead, Naruto. But hey, at least you're keeping things…interesting."

Naruto just blinked, completely unfazed. "I am always interesting. Dattebayo."

Sasuke, still on the ground, groaned. "Someone… kill me now."

Author Note: That was fun! I hope you liked this chapter. The next chapter is coming soon! So stay tuned.

Till next time!