"All she needs is a strong and talented ninja to become her capable husband," Sasuke remarked as he entered the kitchen.
Naruto replied, "I appreciate that you acknowledge that I'm the only ninja in the room fit for her."
"Sasuke," Kakashi said with a touch of firmness as he appeared outside the kitchen and gave the Uchiha a look that told him to drop the subject now. Sasuke swallowed his next words and said nothing further.
"I'll have everything prepared in a while. So please wait patiently," Honoka requested.
(An hour later)
Everyone was sitting around the table after Honoka was finished preparing everything. Honoka stood by the table between Inari and Naruto. Inari just stared at all of it with wide eyes and a watering mouth. "Wow! You made all this by yourself Honoka-san?"
"Oh, it's just a little something," Honoka said with just the slightest grin on her satisfied face, "please enjoy the meal that's been prepared for all of you."
"I think I speak for both myself and my family when I say we appreciate all the effort you obviously put into preparing this meal for us. When my wife was alive, she also took pride in being able to cook a good meal for all of us," Tazuna expressed to her.
"Hey guys can we eat?" Inari's mouth appeared to be salivating.
"Son, don't you want to thank Honoka-san for making all this delicious food for us first?" Tsunami reminded.
"Huh? Oh yeah, right!" Inari sent her a bashful smile and offered a low bow. "Thanks Honoka-san! Now can I eat?"
Laughing, Honoka nodded. "Please do. All of you please enjoy this meal."
And enjoy the mean they did. The meal was as delicious as they saw it to be. For Naruto, having Honoka living with him back in Konoha was going to be great if that also meant he didn't have to cook for himself anymore.
(Later that night)
Sakura was walking through the house, making sure everyone was safe and unharmed. All of the doors were locked, and everyone was fast asleep. She went into the living room to find both Honoka and Naruto sleeping on the sofa with Naruto resting his head on her shoulder and his right arm around her waist, while her left arm was wrapped around him. Honoka had her head tilted to the left, resting it on Naruto's head.
"They really became attached to each other," Sakura noted as she found the blanket sheet Naruto used the previous night and unraveled it to cover both of them with it. Seeing that her work with them was done, Sakura left the living room and continued with her patrol.
(The following morning)
The sun shone right onto Naruto's eyes, and it took a few minutes for him to blink away the tiredness in his body. He turned and looked to find that Honoka and everyone else was gone.
Damn! I overslept! Naruto realized before jumping out of sofa, running to the bathroom upstairs, quickly cleaning himself up, and running back to get dressed. Just as he was putting his orange jacket on, he heard a shout from downstairs.
"Get away from my child!"
That was Tsunami-san! What's going on downstairs? Naruto thought, sensing trouble. He sneaked out the window and clung to the wall using his chakra. Making his way to the door, which was broken to pieces, he looked in and saw two gruff thugs, evidently low-level samurai, taking Tsunami hostage and leaving a crying Inari. Quickly hiding, Naruto watched as the two samurai came out, leading a tied up Tsunami away.
A moment later, Inari remembered Naruto's words to him:
"Kaiza fought to protect those he loved and cherished as his precious people, and your grandfather is doing the same…If you truly want to make your grandfather and Kaiza proud of you, then I suggest you find someone or something precious to you, and fight to protect them."
Naruto-niichan is right! Mom is someone worth protecting and fighting for, and grandpa is fighting in his own way! Dad did the same for us and this village because he felt we were worth protecting and fighting for, Inari thought before he ran out the door.
"You bullies let go of my mom!" Inari shouted, catching up to them not far from the wooden bridge that connected their house to the island of Nami no Kuni.
"That stupid kid is coming our way," said one of the thug samurai as he pulled out his sword, ready to end Inari's life. Teleporting and appearing a short distance between Inari and the samurai thugs, Naruto took out two of his kunai.
"Release Tsunami-san or suffer my wrath!" Naruto warned.
"What? You're one of those shinobi brats Tazuna hired!" one of the samurais exclaimed.
"Let's kill him and be done with," the other said. His partner looked at Tsunami and threatened, "If you so much as move an inch, we'll kill your little brat in front of you!"
They then rushed at Naruto, who led them away from Tsunami. Inari, seizing the opportunity, ran to his mother as fast as he could.
"Mom! I'll save you!" Inari said as he untied her.
"Inari…" Tsunami said, then hugged the boy as soon as he untied her.
(Meanwhile)
Getting them where he wanted, Naruto, being a good distance from Tsunami and Inari, grinned as the two samurai rushed at him.
"Feel my wrath!" Naruto shouted as the samurais rushed at him. Before Naruto could do anything, chakra chains appeared from the ground and raced after the two thugs, restraining them.
"What the fu-Gggggggrrrrrrhhhh!" the first thug cried as both he and his partner were stabbed with kunai in their throats. Naruto turned to see Honoka and two of her kage bunshin next to her.
"That takes care of the bandits," Honoka said confidently before dispelling her chains and dropping the dead bodies. "That Kage Bunshin no Jutsu really comes in handy little bro."
"That's why it's one of my favorite jutsu! Did you check up on Tsunami and Inari?" Naruto asked. As if on cue, Inari and Tsunami ran over to the two Uzumaki, being careful not to step in the blood pool from the two dead samurais.
"Naruto-kun! Honoka-san! Are you both alright?" Tsunami asked.
"We're fine, thanks. If those two attacked here, maybe their partners will attack the bridge. Honoka-neechan, would it be too much to ask you to watch over Tsunami and Inari while I go catch up with the rest of my team?" Naruto inquired.
"Just be careful and come back in one piece," Honoka replied.
"Not a problem," Naruto assured as he turned and ran from the area. Needing to speed things up, Naruto resorted to using his Kaze Sokudo Chikara (Wind Speed Force) to get there more quickly.
He only hoped he wasn't too late.
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