"This must be close to Kusagakure, right?" Naruto suddenly asked.
His real mission was to enter Kusagakure. Ending up in Hōzuki Castle had been a mistake caused by the Box of Ultimate Bliss trail.
But first things first: he needed to visit Kusagakure before opening the box.
Mui and the box wouldn't go anywhere.
As a former jōnin of Kusagakure, Wuwei naturally knew its location.
"Not far—less than five hundred ri," he replied, a trace of curiosity crossing his face at Naruto's question.
"Good," Naruto said bluntly. "Send someone to take me there."
"Understood."
Mui summoned a few prison guards. The one assigned to escort Naruto was a thirty-year-old named Suzuki Jirō—his chakra level comparable to an elite chunin. In a powerful village like Konoha, he'd be cannon fodder at best. But here in Hōzuki Castle, he ranked captain-level; in Kusagakure, he could easily be a jōnin.
Unbeknownst to Naruto, Jirō wasn't just a guide—he was keeping an eye on him. Naruto didn't mind.
Jirō confidently chatted about Kusagakure's customs and structure, but Naruto paid no attention. He focused solely on the footsteps behind them.
Just a little mouse.
With his chakra sense, Naruto could sniff out anyone—even if they were hiding ten kilometers underground.
"Sir, we're just ahead—Kusagakure should be in sight," Jirō said, pointing toward a distant complex that looked eerily similar to Hōzuki Castle.
Naruto nodded. Then, without warning, he turned and addressed the empty space behind them:
"Hey, friend following us—want to show yourself?"
Jirō froze, rumbled through his belt for a kunai, alert and scanning for hidden ninjas. But there was no one to be found.
A sly chuckle escaped Naruto's lips, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished. A series of sonic booms followed, sand and gravel erupting around.
When Jirō opened his eyes, Naruto suddenly appeared—carrying a young woman over his shoulder.
Yes—he was carrying her. Naruto had grown tall, almost adult-sized, and the velocity and force of his movements were intimidating.
What scary power and speed… Jirō swallowed hard. Seeing the woman clearly, he yelled:
"Ryūzetsu—so it's you!"
"Lord Mui has spared you many times."
"Are you still unwilling to die?"
"You dared tail his honored guest."
Though scolding her, Jirō's words were laced with concern.
The girl was tanned, with delicate features. A green headscarf framed her white short hair, longer on the right side to cover one eye. Most striking were her triple-ringed pale violet pupils.
If she had six rings, she'd rival "lashes."
From Jirō's own words, her name was Ryūzetsu, an ANBU-level shinobi from Kusagakure who once had a connection with Mui's son, Muko. She could share life-force via her jutsu, the Dragon's Life Rebirth.
She had appeared in one of the theatrical flashbacks—stealing a kiss from Naruto—and attempted to assassinate Mui in vengeance for Muku. It seemed she had infiltrated Hōzuki Castle months ago, making multiple failed attacks.
But that was nearly impossible—Mui controlled the castle.
---
"Let me go! Let me go!" Ryuzetsu struggled, trying to grab Naruto's collar. But with her strength, she was nothing but a trapped kitten in his grasp.
She flipped her wrist, bringing out a sleek kunai and lunging at Naruto.
"Use your eyes for those who need them," Naruto responded calmly.
Ryuzetsu hesitated.
Before she could react further, Naruto launched an immense force, hurling her into a tree. Wood splintered; blood spilled from her mouth. The kunai flew out of her hand somewhere.
Naruto showed no mercy—especially toward someone who dared attack him.
"I don't care what you want," he said coldly, voice dripping with intent. "You'd better stay far away while I still haven't changed my mind. Or… don't say I didn't warn you."
Under that resolve, Ryūzetsu went limp, trembling.
Even Kurama, ruthless beast, couldn't handle Naruto's serious aura. Certainly not Ryuzetsu.
---
"Wait!" she called weakly as Naruto turned to leave.
"Kusagakure despises Mui. I advise—don't align with him. The village won't forgive it."
"Kusagakure?" Naruto sneered and bent to meet her gaze. "Are you threatening me?"
Without ceremony, he encased her in a pale white sphere of light.
Then… she vanished.
---
"How… extraordinary," Naruto murmured, not turning back as he walked away.
"Please ignore that crazy woman," Jirō stammered and hurried to keep pace with Naruto, fearful of angering him. "Lord Mui is a former jōnin of Kusagakure—closely linked to their ANBU. They wouldn't dare offend him."
"Hm," Naruto replied indifferently. He had no interest in Kusagakure's inner politics.
Not every village warranted his time or involvement.
Kusagakure wasn't one of them.
---
"So… why are you heading to Kusagakure, sir?" Jirō asked carefully.
"To find someone," Naruto answered curtly.
He disinterested Jirō into silence.
---
The two ninjas moved swiftly across the plains and reached the gates of Kusagakure.
Compared to bustling Konoha, Kusagakure looked far more modest:
Buildings of varying heights and crooked streets—nothing remarkable except the central tower that matched Hōzuki Castle's fortress-like style.
If Konoha was a small town, Kusagakure was a mere village—less impressive even than the Uchiha encampment near Konoha's border.
---
"Who goes there?"
A group of Kusagakure ninjas wearing grass-headband shinobi encircled Naruto and Jirō.
At the same time—less than 100 ri away—a figure in a Red Cloud cloak faced off against another masked man with eerie green eyes.
"I am Kakuzu—S-rank missing-nin of Takigakure."
"First meeting—"
"I am… Pain."
Author's Note:
Suzuki Jirō is an original character (OC) created for this story. He's a warden under Mui in Hōzuki Castle, acting as both escort and observer. While not part of Naruto canon, he plays a small but key role in connecting Naruto's journey with the hidden politics of Kusagakure.
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