Master of Genjutsu

CH-26 Mission Planning

The Raikage and his group were all standing next to the border leading to the small strip of Oto land they had to cover before reaching their homeland of Lightning country. Naruto and the Konoha ninja stood looking at them as they were about to set out.

It had taken almost three days to reach here because of the sedate pace they had been traveling. Nothing had happened as they traveled, predictably because of the size and strength of their group, no one had tried to pick a fight and even bandits had seemingly strayed away from them.

Naruto smiled as Bee walked up to him, "I'll see ya later Bee." he said as he held his fist out for another bump, which Bee quickly tapped with his own fist.

"It's been fun but we've gotta run!" Bee rapped as he turned and left Naruto, Naruto shaking his head as the rest of the ninja groan at his rapping. They had all been subject to his rapping for the past two days and they were all, understandably, tired of it.

Samui and Kurenai were speaking a bit away from the group while the rest of the group just waited patiently, until Yugito walked up to Naruto, a hint of nervousness in her stance. Something Naruto picked up on as he smiled reassuredly while speaking, "Thanks for fighting with me Yugito-chan, and helping me. You were the reason we won." he admits.

Yugito blushes slightly and she smiles, "You were pretty good yourself Naruto, I just helped." she said, her eyes darted around, before she locked them on his own blue eyes, which held a hint of worry for her, "Thank you for helping me Naruto-kun, despite how I treated you at first." she said quickly before darting forward, laying a quick kiss on his cheek before turning and dashing away from the group with a furious blush.

Naruto blinked in confusion as Jiraiya grinned perversely, meanwhile, the Raikage and Bee both chuckled as they looked at their fellow ninja become so flustered over a kiss. Samui, having turned and seen the kiss with Kurenai moments before, glanced between Yugito and Naruto a few times before turning and following Yugito as did the rest of the Raikage's group while Naruto still stood in shock.

Yugao and Anko both sucked in their breath as they grinned at Naruto, the only person without a grin or a smile was Kurenai, who was staring intently at Naruto's face. Of course, this led to Naruto snapping out of his staring at the retreating Yugito's back to turn eyes full of apprehension with a small hint of fear towards Kurenai's stare, somehow knowing that what just happened, though beyond his control had somehow triggered something. Naruto stared back into her eyes for a full ten seconds, tension mounting in the air, before she turned away.

"I believe we need to get going Naruto-kun, Yugao-chan, Anko-chan. We have a mission we must complete." she said, the tone in her voice causing Naruto to slump slightly while Yugao and Anko looked on confusedly, though they both suspected something.

Jiraiya lost his grin, mumbling under his breath as he turned to leave himself, "Damn Gaki getting to go on a mission with three of the hottest kunoichi in the Leaf, why did Sarutobi-sensei send them with him! He should have sent them with me then we could have..." he lamented, to an immediate three sets of glares.

Naruto himself barely heard Jiraiya's laments as the man beat a hasty retreat from three sets of glares he wasn't sure he wanted anymore. Naruto's eyes were set on Kurenai's back, wondering if she was angry at him or if he had done something wrong. By the tone in her voice she didn't seem angry, yet she seemed tense, as if something had irritated her but she didn't want to let it show. He got barely any time to contemplate what he could do to get her to release what irritated her when Jiraiya addressed him.

"Naruto!" he barked at him, causing Naruto to break away from Kurenai's back to lock eyes with his official teacher. "Don't forget to continue your training while you can, I'll be gone for a little while checking my spy network." he said as he walked towards the foliage, "I'll test you when I get back so make sure you work hard, if you do well enough maybe I'll even teach you an A-rank jutsu." he tempted as he disappeared into the foliage, quickly being swallowed up by the thick brush and trees surrounding the area.