Naruto and Karin's usual dango shop felt a bit more crowded than usual that afternoon.
The sweet aroma from the brown sugar syrup coating the chewy glutinous rice balls mingled with the fragrant scent of warm green tea, creating a comfortable atmosphere.
Naruto, his mouth full of dango, was enthusiastically retelling his fight against Neji to Karin, occasionally mimicking movements so excitedly that he almost bumped into other customers.
Karin, though occasionally rolling her eyes at Naruto's antics, couldn't suppress the amused smile that kept playing on her lips.
"And then, Karin-chan, I jumped like this, then HUP! A solid uppercut to his chin! He was KO'd instantly, dattebayo!"
Naruto exclaimed, demonstrating his punch so vigorously that some dango skewers on Karin's plate wobbled.
"Yes, yes, Naruto, I've heard that part three times already,"
Karin replied with a chuckle, readjusting her slightly askew glasses.
"You were indeed amazing. But aren't you tired of repeating it constantly?"
"Of course not! A victory that great must be celebrated and retold many times!" Naruto replied proudly.
Suddenly, a large shadow fell over their table.
The figure of Jiraiya, the legendary Pervy Sage, stood towering with a super wide and very, very naughty grin on his face.
His meaningful eyes darted from Naruto to Karin, then back again, as if observing something very interesting.
"Yo, Naruto! And... Sweet Red-haired Miss!"
Jiraiya greeted in his characteristic loud voice.
"Having a lovely date, I see?"
Naruto's and Karin's faces instantly turned beet red like boiled crabs.
"E-ERO-SENNIN! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"
Naruto snapped, almost choking on his dango.
"W-we just happened to be eating together! There's no dating involved!"
"Th-that's right!"
Karin chimed in, trying to hide her nervousness behind a slightly curt tone, though the blush on her cheeks couldn't lie.
"Don't talk nonsense, Pervy Old Man!"
Jiraiya just burst out laughing, his booming laughter making several other customers turn their heads.
"Hahaha! Your reactions are so cute! There, there, don't be so shy. I was just kidding."
He then patted Naruto's shoulder.
"But, Sweet Miss, with a heavy heart I must say, I need to 'borrow' this precious boyfriend of yours for a bit. We have an important mission to undertake."
"'Boyfriend' you say?!"
Naruto and Karin exclaimed again almost simultaneously, their faces turning even redder.
"Hihihi~ This Ero-sennin really knows how to make my prince and that Uzumaki girl flustered,"
Hana commented from within Naruto's seal, her voice sounding very amused.
"Look at their faces, like ripe tomatoes! So adorable!"
"What mission now, Ero-sennin?"
Naruto asked, trying to steer the conversation away from the embarrassing 'boyfriend' topic.
"Didn't we just finish with the invasion? Isn't there any time to rest for a bit?"
Jiraiya's expression turned slightly more serious, though his mischievous smile hadn't completely disappeared.
"This is a very important mission, Naruto. More important than your rest. This time we have a big task: we're going to pick up Tsunade so she'll return to Konoha and become the Fifth Hokage."
Naruto's eyes widened.
"Tsunade? And... Fifth Hokage?!"
This was big news.
Konoha indeed needed a new leader after the Third Hokage retired.
However, despite that, there was one other thing nagging at Naruto's mind.
Something that felt more urgent to him at the moment.
"Ero-sennin,"
Naruto said softly, his expression now serious,
"before we leave for that mission, could you let me do one thing first? I want... I want to say a few words to Gaara from the Sand Village. The Sand Village hasn't redeemed or taken him home yet, right?"
Jiraiya looked at Naruto with a raised eyebrow, slightly surprised by the unexpected request.
"Gaara? Of course, he hasn't been taken home. He's still being held under super tight security at the Anbu headquarters."
He paused for a moment, observing Naruto's determined expression.
"But... why do you suddenly want to see him, Naruto? After everything that's happened?"
When asked this question, Naruto fell silent for a moment.
His gaze drifted, recalling his fierce battle with Gaara, the thick aura of loneliness and hatred from that red-haired boy.
After a few moments, he answered with a slightly hesitant but sincere voice,
"I... I don't know exactly why, Ero-sennin. But... I think, that person... he's very similar to me. We're both Jinchuriki, both have felt what it's like to be alone and hated. So... I just want to talk to him for a bit. Maybe... maybe I can understand his feelings a little."
"Is that so."
Jiraiya nodded slowly, understanding Naruto's intentions more than the boy realized.
"No problem, Naruto. I can arrange it for you. But there's a condition, you have to be accompanied by an Anbu when you meet him later. This is for your safety and also standard procedure."
Of course, that sounded more like a mere formality.
Jiraiya knew that Gaara's chakra was currently completely sealed, and there was a special sealing squad guarding him twenty-four hours a day in an isolation cell.
So, the possibility of something going wrong or dangerous was very small.
"Okay, Ero-sennin! I agree!"
Naruto nodded firmly, feeling relieved his request was granted.
Overall, if it had to be said, the losses Konoha suffered in this invasion war were indeed not to be taken lightly, but also not as severe as feared.
Civilians had been successfully evacuated to underground shelters long before the main battle began, thanks to the Third Hokage's anticipation and swift orders.
And the Anbu, along with Chunin and Jonin not directly involved in the exam, had guarded various vital points in Konoha very well.
The captured Sand Ninjas were now imprisoned at the Anbu headquarters, jointly guarded by a special Sealing Squad, members of the Torture and Interrogation Department, as well as layers of security from the elite Anbu themselves.
Its security was truly impenetrable.
After fully understanding Naruto's thoughts and wishes, Jiraiya asked Kakashi – who happened to be giving a report at the Hokage's office – to take Naruto to the Anbu headquarters.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya himself would return to his inn to prepare various items and supplies needed for their long journey to find Tsunade.
Naruto and Kakashi walked in silence towards the Anbu headquarters, located in the most hidden and protected part of Konoha.
The air around the place felt cold and slightly suffocating, a stark contrast to the bustling atmosphere in the village center.
Just as they were about to enter the main gate of the Anbu headquarters, which looked so sturdy and intimidating, a figure suddenly appeared silently before them, as if emerging from the shadows.
The figure wore a cat-shaped porcelain mask and a long black Anbu cloak, making it impossible to know if they were male or female.
A cold and professional aura emanated from them.
The Anbu glanced briefly at Kakashi, then at Naruto, their gaze flat and unreadable behind the mask.
"Warrant," they said curtly, their voice muffled and emotionless.
Without an official warrant issued by the Hokage or other Anbu superiors, no one, not even a Jonin, could enter the Anbu headquarters.
That was the rule, without exception.
Kakashi, who was very familiar with this procedure, didn't stay silent or talk much.
He immediately reached into his Jonin vest pocket and tossed a small scroll – the warrant Jiraiya had prepared – towards the Anbu.
The Anbu caught it with very agile movements, quickly opened it and read it briefly.
Then, they silently formed some simple hand seals, apparently to verify the authenticity of the seal on the warrant.
After confirming there were no problems, they gave a faint nod to Kakashi and Naruto. "Pass."
After that, without uttering another word, the cat-masked Anbu figure disappeared from where they stood again, as quickly as they had appeared, as if melting back into the shadows.
Naruto looked at the spot where the Anbu had disappeared with great curiosity.
"Wow, Kakashi-sensei! So cool! Are all Anbu like that? So mysterious and... fast?"
"Almost all of them are like that, Naruto,"
Kakashi replied, guiding Naruto deeper into the dimly lit corridors of the Anbu headquarters.
"An Anbu's main tasks are basically always above A-rank, often even S-rank missions, where the danger and secrecy levels are very high. Therefore, their identities cannot be easily revealed or known by just anyone. And Konoha Ninja Regulations very clearly state that all ninjas, regardless of rank, must cooperate fully with Anbu if necessary."
Kakashi paused for a moment, looking at Naruto seriously.
"Listen carefully, Naruto. If you ever encounter Anbu in the middle of a mission, and the Anbu's mission turns out to conflict or contradict your own mission, you must support and prioritize the Anbu's mission unconditionally. If you don't cooperate or even try to obstruct, Anbu have the authority to attack you directly for the sake of their mission's smooth execution. They will not be punished for that action, and you will instead be charged with treason against the village."
Naruto swallowed.
Kakashi's explanation sounded very serious and a little frightening.
"Do you understand what I mean?"
Kakashi continued. Naruto scratched his un-itchy head, trying to digest all the new information.
"I... I understand, Kakashi-sensei. Anbu are... really not just anyone, huh."
"Exactly. Well, we're here," Kakashi said, stopping in front of a thick steel door guarded by two other Anbu with different masks.
Just as Kakashi and Naruto were talking softly, a small flickering light appeared from a distance in the pitch-dark underground corridor.
It looked like a dim candlelight, but it was barely noticeable and felt a little creepy.