******
After a quick lunch at Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto returned to the Hokage Tower and found Tsunade asleep at her desk.
Naruto walked up to the table and picked up a document to browse through. It was a supply requisition from ANBU.
His eyes widened in surprise:
"Wow, ANBU really has top-notch gear..."
Tsunade slowly opened her eyes to see Naruto waving from across the room.
She blinked:
"Kid? How long have you been sitting here?"
Naruto glanced down:
"Just got here. Orochimaru didn't tell her much. She's going through withdrawal symptoms from the Curse Mark—I guess you or Shizune managed to save her, right?"
Tsunade nodded:
"It was basically poisoning her system. Her heart stopped a few hours after she got here. It was touch-and-go for a while, but now she's too weak for frequent interrogations."
Naruto scratched his head:
"Can you keep her alive? Even though she's an Otogakure ninja, everything she told me makes me believe she'd rather stay here."
"How do you know she isn't lying to you, kid?"
Naruto rolled his eyes:
"I can tell when people are lying. Not only is she not lying to me, she told me everything I wanted to know. Plus, I like her attitude. A little thorn on a rose isn't always a bad thing."
Tsunade snorted:
"So you think she's alright then? You're starting to sound more and more like Jiraiya."
Naruto smiled.
"Once again, I'm not a pervert—I've just matured. It's fine to admire a pretty girl once in a while."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow:
"Sounds pretty much the same."
Tsunade calmed down and pulled out an envelope from her drawer, handing it to Naruto.
"Here, kid. This is your payment for that B-ranked mission."
Naruto accepted the envelope:
"Actually, I feel like I just talked to her a bit and lifted her spirits. Honestly, I was planning to visit her later this week anyway."
Tsunade raised her eyebrows:
"Why?"
Naruto shrugged and walked toward the window:
"I don't know. Being locked up really stinks. She's not a bad person; she just served the wrong man. That's no reason to hate her."
With that, Naruto jumped onto the windowsill and left.
Tsunade shook her head helplessly.
******
Naruto had fully recovered, and he knew there was no better place to train than Training Ground Forty-Four.
The Forest of Death was the closest thing to a real battlefield he could find.
While leaping through the trees during his training, Naruto felt a familiar [Killing Intent]. Then a shuriken zipped past his face, slicing his cheek. He wiped the blood from his cheek and sighed:
"Anko-chan, come out."
Anko stepped forward with a shuriken in hand, glaring fiercely at him:
"Don't call me Anko–chan, brat! I know you interrogated that female Sound ninja today, and you didn't even ask anything about the Curse Mark!"
As she shouted, Anko rushed forward to attack.
"Anko, calm down!"
Anko kicked him hard, sending him flying into a tree trunk.
"Why didn't you ask?"
"That damned snake left his cursed seal on me, yet removed hers!"
Naruto got to his feet.
"You're wondering why I never asked about your cursed seal, aren't you?"
"Yeah! Why didn't you ask? If she could remove it, then I could too—"
"Because she doesn't really understand sealing techniques well. Orochimaru might be a ninjutsu genius, but he's not all that skilled when it comes to sealing techniques. Why would he test the seal on you instead of using it himself?"
Anko closed her eyes tightly.
"So there really is no way to get rid of it..."
"That's not what I said..."
Anko suddenly lifted her head.
"You know how to do it?! Tell me—how?!"
"I don't know either. But I'm studying sealing techniques. Every seal can be broken—it just takes a different trick for each one. Has anyone ever used the 'Evil Sealing Method' on you?"
Anko blinked, confused, and Naruto sighed again.
"Well then, find Kakashi or someone else who can apply that seal to you. It helps—at least until I can finally remove your cursed seal, which might take years."
Naruto vanished using the Shifting Body Technique.
Later that afternoon, Naruto returned to the dorm and flopped onto the couch.
A sudden knock at the door startled him.
Naruto stood up and glared at the figure in the doorway.
"Jiraiya."
Jiraiya's expression was serious.
"Naruto, I need to talk to you. Can we go somewhere else?"
Naruto walked back inside and sank onto the couch.
"I just got back from the Forest of Death and I'm hungry and tired. Just say it here."
Jiraiya sighed, stepped into the room, and sat beside him on the couch.
Frowning, Jiraiya spoke.
"Orochimaru hasn't taken over Sasuke's body yet—he'll have to wait another three years before switching vessels."
Naruto nodded.
"So we've got three years to track him down."
Jiraiya smiled slightly.
"Ah, do you still remember that Itachi and his blue-haired companion? The organization they belong to, Akatsuki, has gone dormant—for now."
"Mm, if they're targeting me, I should warn Gaara too—he might be next on their list."
Jiraiya nodded.
"I was thinking about taking you out for some training—to get you ready for what's coming."
##Hokage Office##
Jiraiya said,
"At least he isn't as hostile toward me anymore. I think he's matured enough now to learn the truth about his family. Besides, he's already a chunin now. Isn't that the rank Minato always hoped he'd reach?"
Tsunade nodded.
"Are you sure?"
Jiraiya sighed, gazing out the window.
"I'll find a chance to tell him, probably before I leave."
As Jiraiya walked off, he didn't notice the figure crouched beneath the window.
Rubbing his head, Naruto stayed hidden until Jiraiya and Tsunade left the room.
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