"If you don't share someone's pain, you can never understand them." – Nagato
~~~
Naruto entered the small village that was definitely not as big as the 5 Nations. I'll be able to cover more ground. Naruto started roaming around.
His hood over his head, he began going into each shop and buying anything within value. Not this... not this either.... could this be useful? Nah. Naruto was having a hard time choosing the many options in just one store.
That's it! I'll just buy food! Why couldn't have I thought about that earlier?! Naruto ran out of the current store and went into the one next door.
He found the exact thing he was looking for. Ramen! Ramen! Such a delicacy. Naruto looked from his left and to his right and to the ceiling and floor.
Naruto smirked as in a flash, Naruto sealed as much ramen he could before anyone could blink. Mission accomplished Naruto deflated his smirk. Naruto then went to another aisle that contained the things called, "vegetables".
I'll just get a few. Naruto sealed in around 10 vegetables in another seal. I am an actual mastermind. Naruto happily walked out.
It was now time to eat.
Naruto walked towards a ramen stand that was just asking for his money. He looked at the advertisements and saw they were serving miso chashu ramen.
"Hey! Can I have a 2 bowls of miso chashu!?" There was a trace of nostalgia eating from a ramen stand.
I wonder they're doing... Naruto shook his head from the thought. No, I can't think of Konoha. I no longer hold their ideals. The owner brought the ramen to him.
The heat was unwavering. Naruto quickly drank the whole ramen in seconds. "Thanks for the food!" Naruto was already done eating. But before Naruto left the stand, he picked up on a conversation that shocked him to his very core.
"Hey, have you heard?" Asked a civilian.
"Have I heard what?" A civilian asked in confusion.
"Kumo, and Iwa have declared war on Konoha. Many people will be caught in the crossfire. Our daimyo will be giving resources to Konoha if they can protect our village if something goes wrong during the festival." The civilian responded.
Well... shit. Naruto picked the wrong day to come to the Tea Country. He mentally cursed himself with his impeccable timing.
~~~
I'll have to avoid them during my stay. Naruto was now on top of a nearby apartment. He started seeing people gather around and stand in the sidelines.
"It's Konoha-nins!" Whispers were now spreading around like a wildfire. Can my day get any worse? Naruto saw the people they were talking about.
Kakashi... Asuma... Shikamaru... Ino... Choji... Sakura... and last but not least, Sasuki. Naruto must say. He was having a fun time looking down upon them.
His eyes landed on each snd every one of them. They're going to be some tough people to avoid. Naruto must admit. If they were to fight here and now, Naruto would most certainly lose.
But I will never admit my defeat. Naruto walked away and went to the opposite side. He must plan his many steps.
~~~
It was the next day and Naruto has been doing good avoiding them. He was in a motels that was decently pricey. Naruto purposely ignored super pricey motels since Team 7 and Team 10 were more likely to settle in the luxury.
It was now time to keep on moving.
Naruto stepped right out of the motel and moved onward. His eyes looking from place to place. His movement ever so silent. Naruto couldn't look tense. If his old pals were to spot him with much suspicion, they will see the tension he was holding.
Calm down...
Naruto slowly lowered his tension to a minimum. By the time Naruto was done roaming around, it was time for the festival.
~~~
Team 7 and 10 were observing the area for any suspicious behavior. So far nothing was abnormal. "You hear that?" Choji asked.
They were hearing music. It was slow and peaceful. "It's just music..." Shikamaru says with a yawn. "Very calming music!" Ino smacks him in the head.
"Let's just go and watch." Sakura went forward and went off. Sasuki sighed, "Her going away is just her way of getting us to follow her and ultimately go with her."
"But~ we were going to follow anyway..." Shikamaru said with such lazy eyes.
~~~
Naruto followed the never-ending tune. He was wary of getting spotted in such an open area. His heart was beating at a fast rate. I need a disguise... His eyes landed on many shops.
Found one! There was a store that contained...
Wigs!
I need something mainstream; something that won't let me stand out too much. Naruto picked the obvious choice and got a generic black wig. This is though he could've just done a transformation.
I look like a true Uchiha! Naruto grinned. His disguise was now in place. Such a pity, though. His old blond hair washed away for a cool little while.
Naruto walked outside and saw himself blending in the crowd. Naruto walked and walked until he was at the middle of the town. Music rocked around everyone's ears. Naruto stoically scanned the crowd for anything.
There.
Naruto saw the Leaf-nin in all their glory. He slightly clenched his fist, but he soon unclenched his fist. Naruto looked at the new technology that the small town managed to acquire.
He was impressed. Not even Uzu had this. But~ we are talking about destroyed land. Naruto suddenly saw a kunai in a random civilian's pocket.
He was hiding it pretty good... for a person like him. Naruto walked over to him and tapped his shoulder. "Huh?" He turned around with tension around his body. The person was looking at him now.
"Sorry, do you know where the weaponry stores are?" Naruto saw a bead of sweat fall.
"Ahhh... over there." The person pointed to a random location.
"Thank you" Naruto waved his hand good-bye and subtly flashed his eyes red. As Naruto walked, he smirked. The person fell for his trap. He's not a regular of this place just from his response. Naruto thought.
Naruto went to another spot to avoid suspiciousness. Naruto passed the Leaf-nin with complete silence. Naruto just wanted the festival to be over.
Such a pain.
He wanted to go back to Uzu and rest. Going outside the island itself will always somehow become a hustle for Naruto. But a sudden explosion washed over everyone.
"Ahhhhh!!!" People started screeching and screaming in all sorts of directions. Everyone was in a panic now. It looks like people are in trouble. Naruto just yawned and then started to pretend he was in a panic also.
"We're all going to die!" Someone yelled from behind. Naruto looked forward and saw people going out of the town. Such idiots... even though I'm an idiot. Naruto thought.
Naruto started to head towards a tree from outside of the town. Naruto jumped on one of the branches and started spreading his sense throughout the town.
I'm lucky that this town is small.
The Daimyo of the Tea was currently in trouble and needed help. It also looks like that the Leaf-nins were currently fighting some jonin-leveled ninjas.
Heh? When did they get this strong? Naruto took this time to go towards the Daimyo in a hurry to help him. Naruto then started to shunshin towards him.
~~~
"You're dead, old man!" A man with a sword stood in front of him. His eyes gleamed with a murderous intent. "S-stay away!" The Daimyo tried running away.
"Trying to running away, huh?" The Daimyo tripped over some wire strings that were placed. "Your final moments are here." The person stood in front of the cowering Daimyo.
"Take this!" The person motioned his katana for a stab. But he suddenly stopped as he stood frozen. Whaaa? He was stabbed! Naruto stood behind him in utter silence. "In front of the strongest, you can only grovel in fear." Naruto smirked as he saw the person move.
He swiftly dodged a hit from his opponent's katana. Naruto quickly charged towards the assailant. I don't know much about the way of the swords and such.
Naruto will have to be careful. He couldn't activate his sharingan because of reasons. Naruto dodged a swing from the katana. He then jumped from a sweep that the opponent performed. Naruto pushed the person back with a kick.
"You're strong... but not stronger than me!" The person appeared to be faster than before.
He's channeling chakra to his feet to become exponentially faster. Naruto did the same. He pulled out a kunai from his holster and threw it towards him.
Redirection...
Bringing out another kunai, Naruto threw it to his other kunai with faster speeds. They both intersected and one flew to the left and one to the right.
"You missed." The person laughed and took a few steps forward. "You're ignorant" Naruto responded. Naruto suddenly pulled the kunais like an 'X'.
Wire strings... The kunais were pulled back and hit the person's back. "Agghh!" The person grunted as he kneeled down. Naruto smirked as he saw this.
Naruto walked towards him. "Like I said. In front of the strongest, you can only grovel and kneel." Naruto took the fallen katana and summoned 2 shadow clones.
"Pin him down." The clones nodded and followed Naruto's orders. Blade was positioned on his opponent's head.
"I'll make this quick and painless." The man struggled to break free. It was his last moments. "I'll curse you to hell!" With nothing more to say, Naruto stabbed through his brain. The clones 'poofed' away.
The once bright and clean blade was tainted red.
"You can keep your blade." Naruto dropped the blade and got his kunais. Naruto threw one kunai to the wires that were binding the Daimyo's feet.
Naruto looked towards him and waved. "Next time" Naruto took off his wig and went off back to Uzu, not knowing a few strands of blond hair was left from the blade swiftly cutting his hair from before.
Naruto could sense the Leaf-nins going towards the Daimyo. Naruto successfully pulled it off without sending a Rasengan to his opponent's face.
~~~
The Konoha team arrived at the scene. They looked at the mess of the battle. Whoever did this was quick. The amount of destroyed area is close to none. Kakashi thought as he observed.
But they left some clues. "You should have seen it! A ninja came by and mercilessly killed the assailant that was after me!" Sasuki raised her eyes.
"How did they look like?" Sasuki asked him.
"Ummm. . . hard to say. . . but, I do remember that he had 3 whiskers on each side of his cheek. He was also wearing a black wig. His real hair was as bright as the sun." They all widened their eyes.
"Which direction did he go?!" Sasuki asked once again. "He went to straight into the woods. From the direction that he was going, it looks like he was going straight to the gate." The Daimyo responded.
"But... the only thing straight from the gate is pure water." Sasuki gritted her teeth. "There's something beyond the pure water." Kakashi said as the others looked towards him.
"An island that once was inhabited the Uzumaki Clan: Uzushiogakure."
~~~
Naruto brought out his boat. It splashed on the water. Naruto quickly started the engine. They're close. Naruto zoomed away as the others closed in on the shore. Naruto turned around as the others reached the shore.
Naruto smirked as he waved a smug goodbye. Naruto knew they could obviously just run on the water and run towards him, but they obviously don't have the chakra capacity to do so.
Naruto brought his tongue out as he grew a huge satisfaction from deep within. Naruto sat on the boat as the boat carried him away.
~~~
That little... fucker. Sasuki cursed in her mind as she saw Naruto get carried away with his boat. "Look at this." Shikamaru said as they saw a note. It was left from Naruto himself.
"What does it say?" Asked Sakura. Everyone gathered around and read the note.
Dear . . . ,
You guys know where I am. I am waiting for your arrival.
~~~
There you have it. The end of this chapter. I'll provide another chapter later.