After washing the bed sheets—scrubbing out the stubborn damp spots with a mix of soap, determination, and a few muttered curses—Naruto hung them on the line outside to dry in the warm afternoon breeze.
The scent of laundry soap mingled with the faint smell of rain from earlier, and he felt oddly satisfied seeing the white fabric flapping gently like flags.
He didn't stop there. The room was still a mess from last night: pillows knocked to the floor, a half-empty water glass on the nightstand, Sakura's forgotten hair tie glinting on the windowsill.
He straightened everything with quick, efficient movements—fluffing pillows, wiping down surfaces, folding the blanket she'd kicked off in the heat of things. By the time he finished, the small apartment looked almost respectable again. Almost.
A sharp knock at the door interrupted him mid-sweep.
Naruto opened it to find Kakashi leaning casually against the frame, mask in place as always, one eye crinkled in that familiar half-smile. Behind him stood Yamato, arms crossed, expression more serious, though a faint twitch of amusement pulled at his mouth.
"Yo," Kakashi greeted, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. Yamato followed, glancing around like he was checking for traps. "Heard you took down another Akatsuki member. "
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. "Yeah… it was rough, but we got through it."
Kakashi tilted his head, silver hair catching the light. "I can't believe you beat another Akatsuki member. Are you sure you're the same Naruto from three years ago? The one who could barely hold a Rasengan for more than a few seconds without it exploding in his face?"
Naruto laughed—loud, genuine, the sound bouncing off the walls. "I don't think I would've won if I didn't master Sage Mode. So I've gotta give credit to Pervy Sage and the folks at Mount Myōboku. I didn't do it all by myself."
Kakashi and Yamato exchanged a quick glance—silent, meaningful, the kind only long-time partners could pull off.
"You quite literally did," Kakashi deadpanned, voice dry as desert sand. "You went toe-to-toe with them, took down six bodies, and walked away with the village still standing. That's not 'team effort.' That's you being a monster."
Yamato nodded once, arms still crossed. "The toads helped with intel and backup, sure. But the finishing blows? Those were yours."
Naruto waved a hand dismissively, cheeks tinting pink. "Come on, guys. I'm just trying to stay humble."
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed in mock suspicion. "Humble. Right. That's why you're smirking like you just pulled off the greatest prank in Konoha history."
They lingered for a while longer—talking strategy, sharing a few laughs over old missions, Kakashi dropping cryptic hints about upcoming intel from the ANBU, Yamato quietly observing like he was cataloging Naruto's every word.
Naruto kept the humble act up the whole time: deflecting praise, crediting others, playing it off like he was just lucky. It visibly frustrated the two jōnin—the way Kakashi's eye crinkled tighter with every "nah, it was the toads" and "I just got stronger thanks to everyone else."
Eventually, they left—Kakashi with a lazy wave and a "Don't die before the next mission, idiot," Yamato with a curt nod and a quiet "Take care of yourself."
The door clicked shut.
Naruto exhaled, the easy grin fading as he dropped onto the worn couch. The apartment felt quieter now, sunlight slanting through the window in long golden bars across the floor. He leaned back, arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling cracks he'd never bothered to fix.
His mind shifted gears—away from last night's heat, away from breakfast banter and stolen kisses—to something colder, heavier.
Danzo.
Before everything escalated—before Pain, before the summit—he'd promised himself:
'I'll deal with him myself. Not Sasuke. Not some revenge-fueled suicide run. Me.'
He closed his eyes, replaying the intel he'd pieced together over the months: Danzo's Root operatives, the stolen Sharingan arm hidden under bandages, the way the old man had manipulated the village from the shadows for years.
The Gokage Summit was coming—neutral ground, high security, perfect chaos if things went south.
'Yeah… I might have to handle him during the summit,' he thought, jaw tightening. ' One night. Clean. Itachi-style. No witnesses, no loose ends. Slip in, take him out, slip out. Make it look like an enemy strike or an internal betrayal—whatever sticks.'
A faint flicker of Kurama's chakra stirred in the back of his mind—amused, almost approving. ' Finally thinking like a predator, kid About time.'
Naruto's lips curved into a small, dangerous smile.
He opened his eyes, gaze steady on the window where the sheets still fluttered outside.
A few days of freedom left.
Then the Cloud delegation would arrive—Samui and her team, all business and sharp edges.
And after *that*… Danzo.
He cracked his knuckles, the sound sharp in the quiet room.
Time to start planning.
.....
A day passed—quiet, almost too quiet after the whirlwind of the previous night. Naruto spent most of it training lightly in the woods outside the village, letting the Sage chakra flow through him while his mind turned over plans for Danzo, the summit, and the inevitable fallout from Sasuke's choices. By late afternoon, word came: the Cloud delegation had arrived.
He was in the Hokage Tower when they showed up—lounging in one of the side rooms with Konan, the two of them sharing a surprisingly calm conversation over tea.
She'd been staying low-profile since Pain's defeat, quietly observing the village's recovery under Tsunade's watch. Naruto had taken to checking in on her.
A knock at the door interrupted them. An ANBU agent's muffled voice: "The Raikage's representatives are here."
Naruto set his cup down, gave Konan a small nod—"Duty calls"—and headed for the main office. Konan watched him go, a faint, knowing smile on her lips.
When he stepped into Tsunade's office, the Cloud team was already there: Samui standing tall and composed in her white top and shorts, blonde hair tied back, expression cool and professional. Beside her, Karui—fiery red hair, arms crossed, looking ready to fight at a moment's notice. And Omoi, lollipop stick bobbing in his mouth, eyes half-lidded like he was lost in some internal daydream.
Tsunade sat behind her massive desk, arms folded, Shizune hovering nearby with a stack of scrolls. The air felt thick with diplomatic tension.
Samui spoke first, voice steady and measured. "We are here with a message from the Raikage. Regarding a fellow Leaf ninja named Sasuke Uchiha."
Tsunade's eyes widened, just for a fraction of a second. "Sasuke? What about him?"
Before anyone could answer, the door opened again. Naruto slipped in quietly—hands in his pockets, expression neutral—and walked past the group to stand beside Tsunade's desk. He leaned casually against the edge, arms crossed, like he'd just wandered in for a casual chat.
All eyes turned to him.
Tsunade cleared her throat. "Don't mind him. Please continue."
Samui didn't miss a beat. "He evaded our borders, attacked our ninja, and abducted our Lord Raikage's brother—Killer Bee, the current Jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails."
Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling slowly through her fingers. The weight of the accusation hung heavy.
Samui continued, unflinching. "We've come to request permission to pursue him personally. To apprehend him as a criminal under Cloud jurisdiction."
Tsunade's gaze shifted to Naruto. "Naruto? What do you think?"
He met her eyes, then looked at the Cloud team—calm, almost detached.
"Do whatever you want," he said evenly. "He must pay for his own crimes. Sasuke has nothing to do with our village at the moment. So he's all yours."
Tsunade blinked once, then turned back to Samui. "Well… you heard the guy."
Naruto wasn't done. He tilted his head slightly, voice still casual. "I'm sure your Jinchūriki is still alive. If I remember correctly, he's the Eight-Tails, right?"
They nodded—Samui's expression unchanging, Karui's eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Then he must have escaped somehow," Naruto continued. "Plus, if they did capture him, they'd need to keep him alive to extract the tailed beast. No point killing the host right away."
Karui's brow furrowed. "How do you know all this? Are you some sort of Akatsuki expert?"
Naruto smiled—small, knowing, a little mischievous. "You could say that."
He turned to Samui then, catching her gaze directly. And winked.
Samui's cheeks flushed the faintest pink—barely noticeable, but there. She cleared her throat, composure snapping back into place. "Well… that's all we came here for. Thank you for your time."
Naruto pushed off the desk. "I'll walk you out."
Tsunade watched him go, a long sigh escaping her once the door closed behind them.
' Having Naruto really makes things easier,' she thought, rubbing her temple. ' Kid's grown up in ways I never expected.'
Outside the tower, the late-afternoon sun cast long shadows across the Hokage Rock. Naruto turned to the group with an easy grin.
"I'll show you guys around the village," he said. "Would be rude if you just left without a tour."
Samui raised an elegant brow, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "Well… if you insist. I've always wanted to visit the Leaf."
Omoi pulled the lollipop from his mouth, staring off into the distance. "I always wanted to see the Leaf's beautiful girls," he muttered, mostly to himself. "I often wondered what would happen if they all liked me and started chasing me. Would I be forced to stay in the Leaf forever? That'd be troublesome… or maybe awesome…"
Karui sighed heavily, elbowing him in the ribs. "Ignore him. He's a very cautious person."
Naruto laughed—bright, genuine, cutting through the lingering tension. "No worries. Come on—ramen first, then the sights."
The tour began.
They started at Ichiraku's—Naruto insisting it was "mandatory" for any first-time visitor. Teuchi greeted him like family, sliding bowls across the counter with extra pork slices.
Samui ate neatly, methodically; Karui attacked hers with competitive energy; Omoi slurped thoughtfully, muttering about "what if the noodles were poisoned… nah, too spicy for that."
From there, they wandered the streets: past the Academy (Naruto pointing out the swing he used to sit on as a kid), up toward the memorial stone (he paused longer than usual, gaze distant), then along the market stalls where vendors called out greetings and kids ran past in orange shirts.
Naruto kept the mood light—joking with Karui about her hair matching the sunset, asking Samui quiet questions about Cloud customs that made her open up just a fraction. Omoi trailed behind, lost in his own head, occasionally blurting out random "what if" scenarios that made everyone groan.
As the sun dipped lower, painting the village in oranges and pinks, Naruto glanced sideways at Samui. "So… you gonna tell the Raikage we're cooperating?"
She met his eyes—cool blue on steady gray. "I'll tell him exactly what happened. And what you said."
Naruto nodded once. "Good enough."
The group paused at the village gates as the sky turned violet. Samui turned to him, voice low. "Thanks for the tour. It was… nicer than expected."
He grinned. "Anytime. Safe travels."
They left—Samui giving one last glance over her shoulder, Karui dragging Omoi by the collar as he stared at the Hokage faces like they might come alive.
Naruto watched until they vanished down the road. Then he exhaled, smile fading.
' Time to get ready!'
TO BE CONTINUED