Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 45 Moving Forward in the Dark

Let's go back to the day Class 7 was officially established.

"Now that we've set our short-term goals, it's time to think about how to repel the ninjas invading our small country."

"There's also the issue of integrating the transit department. Although it's actually managed by the transit department, it's still separate on the surface."

"Will the integration of land, sea, and air be too much of a commotion?"

"Only in this way can we have leverage to negotiate with the daimyo."

"Should we send evacuation teams to smaller countries to provide support first?"

"This round trip will take quite a while, and we can't leave those renovated villages unattended. We can't let Tobirama be worked to death."

"Perhaps... we can take advantage of the principle that the ninjas of the five great nations do not easily engage in battle."

"...Wouldn't that risk starting a war?"

"It shouldn't be that bad. Right now, only the Land of Water and the Land of Rock have taken action. The Land of Water has been exhausted like that, they wouldn't dare to fight even if they had a hundred lives."

"The fact that Onoki is still in power in the Land of Rock shows that he really has no successor. How can they dare to wage war casually? Even for some foreign missions, they hire Akatsuki to handle them."

"Then why are the village's ninjas being used this time?"

"I bet Onoki never imagined that the Land of Bullets' strength could defeat their ninjas."

Should we choose the nearest ninja village?

"No, I think this is a good opportunity. Konoha can take this chance to win over the goodwill of the people of those small countries. After these people take over the torch, they will have a natural affinity for Konoha."

"...Should we start laying the groundwork now...? That's not impossible, but that would put even more pressure on Naruto. If Konoha isn't fully under our control when 'Hikari' launches a major offensive against the old forces, things will definitely get messy."

"I expect this situation to continue in the future, which is also a great opportunity for Naruto to build up his network and reputation."

"Huh? How did we get to the point where we're talking about me?"

"What? You think there are many opportunities to openly confront the ninjas of the five great nations, especially when they are in the wrong? Focus on the crucial point of internal affairs in small countries, and let them see who their people support. That should be enough to get rid of them."

"Tobirama, is the attack gender really that different..."

"They probably won't give up so easily. If they can't stop the Konoha ninjas from coming, then assassinating the client is a common tactic."

"Which of our clients can be killed?"

"...Um, the one in the Land of Waves?"

"Dongfeng Shipping of the Transport Department has discovered a child who looks very much like the Hidden Mist Prodigy. The ship he boarded will arrive in the Land of Waves soon."

"That kid definitely wasn't acting alone; the person leading the group is probably Mei Terumi. Zabuza's luck is really bad."

"Have we got information on Kado's movements? We must address the root cause as soon as possible, otherwise the trouble with the Water Mist won't stop."

"Zhishui is already on its way."

"Have Zabuza issue a mercenary mission to Konoha, set the level to C, and make sure Naruto accepts this request. The other teams should also send people quickly to recruit Konoha ninjas who can accept B-rank missions."

"So we don't need to worry about Category C?"

"This period is the peak season for ninja escort missions, and we already have too many C-rank missions to handle."

"No, didn't any of you even ask for my opinion?"

"As the leader, you should take the lead. Hurry up and get Mei Terumi sorted out so that the other groups can have something to refer to."

"...Me, hit Mei Terumi? Are you guys serious?"

"I've never seen you get serious in all these years, it's time to show off a bit. Wouldn't it be great if your first battle in the ninja world was against such a worthy opponent?"

"Mei Terumi is the only candidate for the next Mizukage. Others wouldn't send you."

"But there are still three people on my team!"

"Isn't there Zabuza? He's quite strong too, and that child from the Minazuki clan also has a lot of potential."

"By the way, shouldn't the children at our base go out and see the world too?"

"...Yes, I really need to think about it carefully."

"Let's discuss this during the general meeting later. Parents always have the right to speak."

A group of people chattered away, quickly drowning out Naruto's topic with a few words, completely oblivious to the fact that Naruto couldn't complete such a difficult task. What could Naruto do? All that showing off usually comes at a price, and he couldn't refuse an opportunity to build a good relationship with the future Five Kage.

Knowing full well that the order came directly from the Daimyo of the Land of Water, what could he possibly use to persuade Mei Terumi to give up? Persuade? Conquer? It seems the only solution is to address the problem at its source.

What are you worried about?

Naruto blinked, his gaze shifting from the ceiling to Sasuke's face. The dim light of the night made him look exceptionally gentle. He'd noticed before; Sasuke really did resemble Aunt Mikoto. Thankfully, he didn't look like Uncle Fugaku. Naruto couldn't even imagine what Sasuke with his heavy chin would look like.

Is it that obvious?

"Hmph. You're not like usual; you're always spacing out."

Accommodation in the Land of Waves was in high demand, and Naruto and Sasuke were assigned to the same room. This inn was quite old and had been receiving guests from the mainland for many years, but it had clearly been renovated once, and its floor-to-ceiling windows facing the sea stood out from the other buildings on the island.

Unable to sleep, Naruto pulled Sasuke to sit by the window, gazing at the sea in the moonlight. However, the moon was only a crescent tonight, hardly enough to illuminate the entire ocean. The brightest light they could see was the harbor's lights.

"Sasuke, what do you think of this place?"

Sasuke had never seen the sea before, but he wasn't mesmerized by it. Instead, he turned to look at Naruto, who was gazing out the window.

“It’s beautiful,” Sasuke blurted out, then added, “The scenery is beautiful, and the people are very welcoming.”

"Did you know that island nations usually build casinos and arcades at the same time after building a port? Islands don't have the productivity of the mainland and can't provide material benefits. These two things don't require much resource investment, but they will cause suffering to ordinary people and women who lack self-control." Just when Sasuke thought Naruto was about to say something romantic, this guy, as always, said something shocking.

A casino, as the name suggests, is a kind of arcade... well, it's not surprising that Naruto knows about it, since he himself saw it in a book Naruto had found. However, this place doesn't seem to have any similar facilities. Is it underground?

"But it's very clean here, there's nothing here, everyone is working hard to create the future with their own hands." Naruto smiled, his heartfelt joy possessing a magical power that made Sasuke's heart beat a little faster.

"Their future is sure to be bright, don't you think, Sasuke?"

"Ah."

Now, it's Sasuke's turn to look at the sea. He's a little confused about his own recurring awkward thoughts, yet he still instinctively wants to get closer to Naruto. Naruto loves this place, so he'll definitely do everything in his power to protect it.

Sure enough, he still needed to keep a close eye on this super idiot who was so careless with him during the battle!