Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 232 Meeting

[Great news! Kakashi returned to Konoha and left shortly after, heading towards the Land of Waves!]

"…Izuna-kun, what kind of good news is this?!"

"Are you really that unwilling to believe that Tsuna will give Kakashi a break?"

"Then she should at least give me a day off!"

"Alright, enough teasing, let's get back to the point. Since you're here in Konoha, they haven't planted any of our own people. The intelligence was all gathered by Hashirama, so they couldn't reach the more core levels. However, judging from Kakashi's speed, we can be sure he came with a mission. Any thoughts? Busy as ever~"

"...I think I know what kind of mission he took. By the way, do we have people in the Land of Snow?"

"Huh? That's quite a leap in logic. Let me think... Oh, that country is rather special; it's covered in snow year-round, the temperature is extremely low, and it's quite isolated. Impure bodies would easily freeze there, so we haven't sent anyone yet. We plan to select a few to go after the children grow up. So, the mission is related to the Snow Country?"

〖Um.〗

Tobirama said there's his mark there, so I'll go check it out first.

"Wait a minute, this is such an exaggeration..."

Never underestimate any opponent. Even local bullies can sometimes hold their own; it's always safer to gather intelligence first.

"Then you should be careful; the Land of Snow isn't very suitable for Fire Release techniques."

"A mere snowstorm? How could it possibly stop my Uchiha's secret technique! Don't underestimate me, you brat!"

Regarding the Land of Snow and Ms. Fujikaze Yukie, it's not fair to blame Naruto for selective amnesia. He was indeed too busy, focusing all his energy on planning the revolutionary route, and his world tour mostly revolved around the territory expanded by Hikaru, so he didn't venture into the sea much. Therefore, only after meeting her did he have a tiny bit of impression of the past, but he could only remember the Land of Snow, and had forgotten the specifics.

The atmosphere in the mediation room was a bit tense.

"I am so sorry, I did something stupid in my panic. We accept the compensation and punishment, but please, please don't detain Ms. Yuki! The crew is leaving in three days, and Ms. Yuki absolutely cannot miss that ship because of detention!"

The man named Asama Santayu was so anxious he couldn't sit still, wishing he could take all the blame. But Yukie's attitude was quite unappreciative; she sat coldly to the side the whole time, readily admitting her guilt but offering only perfunctory apologies.

"Arrest me, I was the one who started it."

"Don't be so nervous. First-time offenders are usually not detained, they just need to take a safety course before they can leave." Bai, who was stationed at the police station, took on the task of explaining this to these special guests. Mainly because his appearance was more gentle and deceptive, unlike Zabuza, whose serrated shark teeth made him look unapproachable.

Jinlun sat by his side, offering friendly company, while Naruto stayed for only a short time before leaving after confirming that the situation wouldn't affect the ninjas. He wasn't so idle as to play two roles in one place; he didn't rest after leaving, immediately going to the head of the intelligence department to request information.

In short, after learning that the detention would only last two days, Ms. Yuki's attitude of admitting her mistake finally improved a little. This shows that the three-hour lesson that Bai attended was indeed very useful, although they left so quickly, as if a ghost was chasing them.

“You have a great assistant,” Jinlun said.

Zabuza's lips curled up. "He's not only my assistant, but also my family."

"That would be wonderful."

Having finally managed to carve out a day off, Zabuza was now completely ruined, and he really couldn't find a second vacation. Kinlun simply refused all company and went out alone.

The Land of Waves is a small island; a ninja could explore it in a day on foot. But Naruto preferred to take his time. If it didn't affect the shops' business, he could sit in a small shop all day, ordering a pot of hot tea, just to observe the people coming and going. Unfortunately, the commercial street might not be available at this time, so Naruto changed his route and went to the port, finding a scenic spot on the pier.

Today might not be his lucky day.

On the second-to-last day of the festival, Sasuke suddenly said he was taking him to see someone, along with Karin and Suigetsu, whom he hadn't seen for days. Naruto had a bad feeling; although he followed, his heart was constantly in his throat. When they crossed the shopping street and stepped onto the arched bridge leading to the other side of the island, he knew his premonition had come true. The group quickly arrived at the rooftop of the port building and surrounded the Golden Wheel, which overlooked the sea and ships.

"What brings you all here?" Jinlun asked, not even on guard, his expression relaxed and friendly.

However, Suigetsu and Karin went on high alert. Those of them who had a special connection with nature could clearly sense the chakra emanating from Kinrin. The closer they got, the clearer the suffocating power became.

"This is our third meeting, Mr. Kinlun." Sasuke's opening remarks were surprisingly polite. "If you haven't forgotten what happened in the Land of Earth, I suppose I can inquire about the mother and child's current situation."

Naruto looked around, unsure whether he should speak up. Playing two roles in one situation is really awkward! Especially having to ask and answer his own questions!

Jinlun's smile was flawless; even his inner grumbling wouldn't affect his acting. "Of course, Sasuke-kun. You all contributed to saving Shiratori, so there's no reason not to tell you. They're out of danger and living in Hui's controlled area. Shiratori is learning wood carving, and Ms. Seyou is recovering well, having given birth to a baby girl naturally..."

"Wait, wait, wait! Is Shiratori that boy's name? Seyou is his mother? How could his mother have a baby so quickly?!" Karin suddenly shouted, stopping them. Having spent so much time with Orochimaru, she knew just how cruel this world was to ninjas with special bloodlines. Being sold from a young age and subjected to inhumane training were commonplace; some even treated them like livestock! That child, could it be...?

“Ms. Shiyou was quite far along in her pregnancy when she was rescued. She was very weak at the time, and a hasty induction of labor could have caused her further harm. We consulted with them before finally deciding to let the baby be born. Rest assured, Hui has assigned the best doctors to protect her both before and after delivery.”

Naruto felt that if he remained silent any longer, he would arouse suspicion, so he quickly took advantage of the relaxed awkward atmosphere and interjected, "Um, can someone explain this to me? Is there anything special about that mother and daughter?"

Sasuke's gaze towards him was so complex. Was it helplessness, relief, or some other, more indescribable emotion?

"Their surname is Whirlpool, which might be related to you."

Naruto was stunned for a moment. He didn't know Sasuke's reason for saving people at that time. He just thought it was because the young man was trying to uphold the justice in his heart. But it turned out to be this reason?

“Your verbal explanation isn’t convincing enough. I need to know their location and confirm it with my own eyes.” Sasuke finished speaking, then turned away, his expression once again one of aloof indifference.

Jinlun looked at Naruto, and Naruto looked at his clone. The real body and the clone were indeed in sync; Jinlun quickly responded.

“If it’s about finding relatives, I should offer my help. However, I need to ask Ms. Shiyou’s opinion first before giving a reply, is that alright?”

“That’s possible, but where will we go to find you next time?” Karin asked.

"Don't worry, the reply won't be long, and we'll have the results tomorrow."