CHAPTER 244 INTRUDERS
<span style="font-weight:400">The Kage summit was being held in the Land of Iron. Almost straight North from Konoha it would have been 3 days travel for regr ninjas simply running. But because the Hokage was going with, many nobles wanted to go as well. We were soon in a long train of carts and caravans as we made our way North.
<span style="font-weight:400">As a Chunin, I was expected to help protect everyone. Naruto was the lucky bastard in all this. Off to train in the Land of Frogs, he got a nice arc away from the hubbub as Sakura, Kakashi, and I patrolled around the caravan at all hours of the day.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">Team 8 was there as well, but Hinata hadn’t given me the time of day. I left her to it. I caught her looking at me now and then, but I had done enough talking. If she wanted to move past then she had to be the one to talk. Whether she wanted to end it or keep it going was up to her. I didn’t want her to end it, but I had other people to focus on.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">Mainly Mei Terumi, the Mizukage. I had left her a note over a year ago saying I had to take care of personal business. I had promised to get in touch, but never had the opportunity. After the Land of the Sea Turtles I had been running from one issue after another. I had to do my best to figure out what she wanted. I hoped to keep our rtionship going, but she was one of the strongest people in the world. Mei very well could try to kill me. But I had a quest, so I would see it through.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<b>Naruto Quest 12:</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<span style="font-weight:400">Help the Kage''s agree to an alliance.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<b>Rewards:</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<b>Smooth Tongue</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<span style="font-weight:400">I had thought I already had a smooth tongue, but I guessed not. Either way it was worth having. I doubted I would use my Bonus Challenger Slot on it, but this was a minor event in the scheme of things. Naruto was supposed to go, and I was pretty sure there was Sasuke drama. We would see if me having Danzo killed changed anything. I kind of doubted it though. Sasuke was so far up his own ass he fought everyone around him that was trying to help while he tried to pull his head out.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Anything?” Sakura asked as she ran up to me.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“For the 10,000th time, Sakura. I did not see anyone. No one attacked me. I am not an enemy clone. And this is the stupidest fucking job in the history of jobs,” I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Jeez, you sound like Naruto,” she said with a slight smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t say that,” I said pointing a finger at her. “Don’t ever say that.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Now I just want to say it more,” she said with augh.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t be cute, it’s not you,” I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“What? I can be cute,” she said defensively as we headed back toward the line.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“No you can’t. You’ve got to be all, Sasuke where are you? Sasukee warm me up at night? Sasuke, Sasuke-” She punched at me but I ducked down. Laughing as I moved further away. “That’s you.” <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s not me,” she grumbled, her fist in front of her. “I’ll have you know, there is much more to me than that.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Like what?” I asked, bored enough to talk to her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Like…I am Tsunade’s student,” she said.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh yes, if there is anyone that is good at pining over impossible men, it’s Tsunade,” I said, rolling my eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“What is that supposed to mean?” She asked, annoyed.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“I mean…” I let out a sigh. “I don’t know what I mean. Forget it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m serious, what are you talking about?” Sakura asked. <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">I studied her for a moment, but decided it wouldn’t hurt anything. “I mean the Hokage has a history of going after men that aren’t avable. There was one, he wanted to be Hokage. He died soon after they started dating or something. Orochimaru was another. But he was so obsessed with uncovering secrets he wouldn’t have cared if she threw herself at him naked.” <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s a mean thing to say about the Hokage,” Sakura said.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“I am telling it like it is,” I said. “Probably wouldn’t have said anything if you weren’t her student, so don’t go bbing.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“I wouldn’t,” she whispered.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good. Thedy-Hokage is the best one we could hope for. But don’t go asking her for love advice,” I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Who should I ask? You?” She asked with augh. <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hell no,” I said. “I’m the worst at those kinds of things.” <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Really? I heard you were quite thedies man,” Sakura teased.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh yeah? Who’s saying that?” I asked, finally intrigued.
<span style="font-weight:400">“People,” she said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hey, I answered your question.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fine, I’ve heard you’re quite handsy with your maids. People have seen you around town with them.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I have spent only a few days home since I got back from my long mission,” I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m just telling you what I heard. So what? It’s not true?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh no, it’s true. I’m very…acquainted with my maids. And a few other girls,” I said, shing her my best smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You can’t be serious,” she said, her face turning red from embarrassment.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You are dating your maids?” She asked, unable to process the information.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well I don’t think we’ve made it anything formal like that,” I said. “I mean we sleep in the same bed and have a boat load of sex an-“
<span style="font-weight:400">“Lla I don’t want to hear this,” she said quickly as she closed her ears and rushed to get away.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Reina is especially fiery,” I continued as we moved through the brush. “I thought I was a horndog. She’s just as bad. Before she let me go on this trip I had to-“
<span style="font-weight:400">I stopped as we came out to see 2 ninjas I didn’t recognize. That wasn’t unheard of but they were ck, and had headbands that had the symbol for the Vige Hidden in the Clouds. A female with dark ck hair, the guy next to her had straight white hair.
<span style="font-weight:400">“How can I help you?” I asked. The caravan shouldn’t have been too far away behind us. I was surprised that 2 ninjas from another vige had made it so far in.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Weston, I recognize you from when you were in the vige a little while ago,” the woman said. She had a katana at her side. Her nostrils ring I readied in case I had to defend myself. Ninjas from other viges usually didn’t meet one another as friends.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, and you’re Karui,” I said. She had been part of the Raikage’s entourage when I warned them about Akatsuki.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m doing this as a courtesy to you.” Her gaze turned to Sakura. “We heard you were involved with Sasuke Uchiha.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“He was a part of my team. Why, what’s wrong?” Sakura asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“The Uchiha kidnapped our trainer. Killer B,” the man said. Rage was apparent in his bodynguage and Spiritual Energy. I was ready to step in if things got ugly. I was starting to remember this part. “I want to know what you know of thest Uchiha.”
<span style="font-weight:400">It was weird to think of Sasuke as that. Like he was thest of the Mohicans or something. The rumor had spread that he killed his brother a little while ago. After killing Orochimaru the death of Itachi soon followed. Officially making Sasuke thest known Uchiha alive.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I don’t know anything,” Sakura said quickly. “We haven’t seen him in weeks. And before that. Not for years.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Killer B-” the man said, holding back anger.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Isn’t dead,” I said, cutting in. “Was Sasuke wearing a ck robe with red clouds when he took him?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“He was,” Karui said quickly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“If Akatsuki actually had Killer B. And that’s a big if. They would keep him alive for days to extract the tailed beast from him.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Really?!” The man asked. Hope in his voice.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. But from what I’ve heard of Killer B. Do you really think he was captured?” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What do you mean? I saw his body get taken.”
<span style="font-weight:400">I meant that I’d read the manga and Killer B was the only one smart enough to trick everyone into thinking he was dead. “I mean that Killer B, of any of the Jinchurikis, might have been able to give them the slip. He’s the Raikages brother, right? I warned the Raikage what Akatsuki was after him. Maybe Killer B used this chance to disappear.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why would he do that?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well I know if I had a secret organization after my head, I’d want to disappear. Also I’ve heard that he doesn’t like being a ninja. Doesn’t he sing or something?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“He has always talked about leaving to start his rapping career,” Karui said. The 2 ninjas shared a look. An idea shared between the 2 of them they turned and ran off. “Thanks!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You’re wee,” I said as they disappeared. I turned to Sakura.
<span style="font-weight:400">“How do you do that?” She asked, genuinely surprised.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Have all the answers? I swear, whenever someonees to you with a question you have some answer ready for them. Hell I went to you when Sasuke ran away.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I thought you said he was kidnapped,” I replied.
<span style="font-weight:400">“He wasn’t freakin kidnapped, we both know that,” she said with a sneer. “And look what he’s doing now. Is he really working for Akatsuki?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Probably,” I said. I could tell that the news hurt Sakura. “We could fool around. Make him jealous.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What?!” She yelled.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What? He’s obviously just doing this for attention. He’s trying to impress you. We start a rumor that you’ve moved on. He will probablye running.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“That wouldn’t happen…would it?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fuck no,” I said. “I can’t let people think I’m with a t chested broad like you. I like meat on my girl’s bones. Have you seen Reina? She’s got huge-“ I ducked down, dodging another punch.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s it. Yeah I’m starting to understand your fighting style,” I said as I dodged 3 more punches. “You release chakra at the point of impact but then keep it going.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“How do you know?” She asked, halting her advance.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I can see it. Why do you think I’ve been making you angry? It’s so I can get a better idea how to fight with chakra,” I said. “Throw a few more.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“No,” she said, turning around.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Even your butt is t. I thought you were strong. Shouldn’t you have like a muscr butt? I mean Hinata, there’s a woman.” I smiled wide as she turned around. Rage in her eyes it wasn’t long until I was dodging more hits. Watching her use chakra in her arms and fists it really was useful to understand how to better achieve that ultimate punch.
<span style="font-weight:400">I smacked her ass as I moved past her. “Maybe Sasuke has a thing for girls that can actually throw a punch.” She roared, attacking again. I smacked her hands away as she tried to hit me. So much chakra in her fists even I was getting scared.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What the hell are you 2 doing?!” Kakashi barked as hended between us.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Training,” I said quickly. He eyed Sakura who didn’t deny it.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well it’s time for another debriefing. We are getting close to the Land of Iron,” the tall man said.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sakura and I were soon walking behind him. Following him like the obedient students we were back to the grind. I was sure I could trick her into some more fighting. Sakura was easy to rile up.