"Uh, it''s fine," Naruto ims, pressing therge de forward, disrupting her train of thought and process of shame. "I''ve heard worse and I don''t think you''re a bad person, so will you hold it for me? It''s kinda heavy."


    "Of course," Tenten states, mentally chastising herself for not aiding him as much as she can. As Tenten takes Kubikiribōchō with one arm and rests the hunk of metal over her smaller, yet strong shoulder, she asserts, "we need to get you to the hospital!"


    "Naruto-sama," Haku calls. "If I can use your clones to bring him somewhere safe?"


    "Yeah," a dog-tired Naruto nods before telling one of his clones, "let Karin-chan know she can take Tenten-chan''s dad to the hospital, then make sure she gets home alright."


    As Haku, Zabuza, and the clones leave, an exuberant ōyashiro steps forward, addressing Naruto happily as, "Uzumaki-dono. A moment of your time before you tend to your wounds." Extending the other, much cleaner, chakra de, the weapons merchant artictes, "a gift."


    "Wait a minute," Tenten interjects, careful not to hit anyone with Kubikiribōchō over her shoulder. Staring angrily at her father''s merchant friend, she deres, "ōyashiro-san knows he needs to be more specific about the reason behind gifting, so all parties know there haven''t been any vitions."


    "Why, yes, of course," ōyashiro slowly agrees. "Konoha does havews like that, don''t they. My mistake." Turning to Naruto, the arms vendor states, "I freely offer Uzumaki Naruto-dono a gift, a single chakra de, as a show of good faith, without any special conditions or restrictions or obligations expected from him."


    As he looks on at the partner of his chakra de, a weary Naruto can''t think much more than knowing the politics of sales is confusing and turns to Tenten. The blond at least trusts that Tenten knows about these things and after her stiff nod, he to shrugs and takes the weapon, citing, "thanks. I''ll get you the ryo for the other one tomorrow."


    Nodding, ōyashiro states, "would you be opposed to speaking when next we meet?"


    ncing to the man''s expressionless bodyguard a moment before looking at the elder merchant, Naruto asks, "uh, what was your name again?"


    "Where are my manners," the merchant ims with a smile before bowing. "We haven''t been formally introduced. My name is ōyashiro Izumo, from ōyashiro''s Global Services. As a merchant n, we manage a far and widework of trading, rather sessfully, I might add, and it''s through my contact here in Konohagakure that I was able to learn of Kubikiribōchō''s avability."


    "Oh," Naruto slowly voices. "I guess we can talk…"


    Naruto''s eyes suddenly focus on the curvy blond bodyguard eying Kubikiribōchō on Tenten''s shoulder. For the briefest of moments, he has the impression she was going to steal it when another presence makes itself known from the shadows in the trees above. Naruto didn''t know who it was, but, the blond woman takes a step back when the merchant quickly bids Naruto and Tenten, "goodnight and be well, Uzumaki-dono."


    Chapter Discover:


    Turning to the blond woman insistently, she easily picks up the elderly man before leaping into the tree branches above. Watching them go, a nting Naruto felt ready to pass out then and there. He''s slept in the dangerous forest many times before and has no qualms about doing so now, however, Tenten pats him on the shoulder, telling him with a smile on her face and arge sword over her shoulder, "let me help you."


    Tenten takes out a scroll from her pouch and stores Kubikiribōchō within it then gives it to Naruto. As he stuffs it in his pouch next to his chakra des, Tenten turns her back to him, kneels, and offers her back for a piggyback ride.


    "You sure," Naruto asks.


    "Of course," Tenten calls out. "It''ll be faster this way." Straddling her hips with his one good arm around her neck, Tenten uses her chakra to bolster her muscles and leaps into the branches above before sprinting out of the forest of death.


    Disaster only struck the pair after they reached the field outside of the perimeter of Training Ground 44. Once in the middle of the cool, moonlit field, sprinting fluidly through the swaying tall grass, the clone Naruto sent to Kurenai''s house had dispelled, and aside from happily meeting a stunning green-eyed, tan-skinned, and silver-haired woman interested in Fūinjutsu in the library, the immensely sexy sight of Kurenai tongue-kissing him before seductively telling him, ''Naruto, I need you in me,'' while stroking his groin gave him an erection then and there.


    Despite his blood loss, his raging boner dug into Tenten''s lower back, who jolted at the feeling as Naruto instinctively tried to move his lower self away, causing them both to fall to the ground. After rolling and sliding to a stop, a dusted Tenten rushes over to make certain Naruto isn''t worse for wear only to notice therge tent popping from his crotch. Blushing madly, Tenten turns around as a modest Naruto tries turns away from her.


    Though a blushing Tenten made many octaves of sounds spill from her mouth, it couldn''t be described as words, to which Naruto asks, "uh, Tenten-chan? Why don''t you head over to the hospital, check on your dad, and I''ll just meet you there."


    "Uh, but, wait, no," Tenten starts to respond. "I can''t leave you like this-" And at the sight of him keeping his obvious arousal away from her, amends her statement. "I mean, injured! I can''t leave you injured. Not… uh, your-"


    "Thanks," Naruto interrupts in a high-pitched tone. "But I''ll be fine, I promise. I''ll be there before you know it."


    Slowly, she answers, "…Okay. And Naruto?"


    "Yeah," he voices, awkwardly looking over his shoulder.


    "Thank you," the grateful brte expresses, trying hard not to look below his neck. "For saving us."


    "Don''t worry about it," Naruto returns, waving his hand.


    "Please don''t brush what you did off," Tenten calls out, taking a step forward in spite of his obvious state. "I thought I was going to die, and… and we were horrible to you. You didn''t have to help us, but you did anyway, and I''ll always be grateful to you because of it."


    "Well, that''s nice of you… to say, I mean," he awkwardly says with a nervous chuckle. "I''m just d you''re okay." When she doesn''t move, he continues, "really, Tenten-chan. We''re Konoha shinobi. You would''ve done the same for me."


    With a stern nod, Tenten leaves Naruto. Though the mentally congested, horribly fevered, bloody, and dirty blond is still fiercely hurting, he''s no longer hemorrhaging freely and only feels throbbing pangs of extensive pain rather than throbbing pangs of extensive agony. Under the night''s whitish-blue moonlight, Naruto travels as best he can through themp-lit lights of Konoha''s dark streets but with his injuries, it does take more time than he''d like.


    Finally reaching Kurenai''s home, rather than press his chakra to the Fūin security tform, Naruto knocks on the door before using the wood barrier to ease himself to the floor. Pressing his back against the solid entrance to keep himself upright, looking out to the pleasant tranquility of the night and happy to finally be home, a content Naruto smiles with rxing joy.


    KURENAI


    Awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, Kurenai felt vulnerable, discarded, weak, tricked, and foolish. What was supposed to be an asion of celebration, did not end as she had hoped. Hot and frustrated, Kurenai turns in her bed as she counts down the positives that unfairly warped to negatives.


    All three of her students made it to the final test of the Chūnin exam, and yet, now she must stand aside while others continue their education. Her opportunity to be honest with Asuma went from one drink to three and no closer to telling him her feelings regarding them. Her groping tongue-kiss of Naruto''s clone, and expectation to see him soon, turned into over an hour of waiting and an absent bed-partner. Kurenai isn''t angry by the turn of events, just horny and frustrated. Evidently, the day is refusing to treat her kindly.


    Socially meeting Asuma at the crowded Jōnin bar, Elite Spirits, easily reminded Kurenai why she fell in love with him in the first ce. She reverted to all their old patterns with the ruggedly handsome man, and not only was it easy to go back to that and y along, but it was also aforting role, like an old favorite dress that still fits. Laughing with Asuma in their favorite booth in their bar, her insightfully imaginary brain used probability to navigate that future-line with him and it felt a bitcking… less impactful… less fateful.


    In her bed, tightening her warm legs together, Kurenai reasoned Asuma was no longer her only favorite dress. She''s gained a newfound adoration to an orange dress she hadn''t expect to love wearing rather often. Her newer, favorite dress, to put it aptly made the world and her influence in events muchrger. The power of sex, her beliefs, her team, her missions; her future-line with Naruto was everything a strong independent person could want.


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    /horizon2075??