In Konoha, This Naruto Has Decided To Take It Easy

Naruto stood on a high place, dodging a bolt of lightning that fell from the sky. He gasped and stared at the direction where Sasuke left.

With a loud bang, the window was opened from the outside.

"The opportunity is here!" Naruto shut the window and spoke before even turning around.

"…What opportunity?" Yugito, who was still on the couch, was confused. She looked at Naruto, who was soaked all over, and sat up directly from the couch.

"…Are you not going to change clothes first?"

"Of course! I'll tell you later." Naruto ran back to the room, changed his wet clothes, and emerged a moment later, "Didn't you ask me last time when you could return to Kumogakure?"

"Yeah… and you told me it wasn't the right time yet and asked me to wait a little longer."

"Exactly. But now you don't have to wait anymore. In the next two days, you can return." He went into the bathroom holding his wet clothes, tossed them aside, then came back out before continuing.

"There are quite a few 'guests' coming to Kumogakure this time. I'd bet the Kumogakure's Anbu are already on alert."

"Guests? Who?" Yugito suddenly tensed up and asked worriedly.

"No many… just Uchiha Sasuke." Naruto waved his hand and answered casually, "Oh, and also… a certain cheap bastard sneaked in too."

White Zetsu had heard all sorts of people describe him in various ways, such as white ghost, monster, freak, but never had anyone called him a cheap bastard.

"Uchiha Sasuke? What is he doing in Kumogakure?" Yugito felt dizzy after hearing this and habitually ignored the nonsense that came after it.

"What else could he be here for? Of course he's here for Killer B. Unless you think he came to donate his gene?" Naruto rolled his eyes.

Yugito: "..."

She was starting to think this guy was genuinely shameless.

He indeed had the self-control to restrain himself. But instead of dealing with his urges properly, he had apparently decided to redirect them, by talking absolute nonsense.

And lately, his words had been getting filthier by the day.

Honestly, she had a lot of complaints about it. But when she thought her current circumstances, living under someone else's roof and being tyrannized by him, she decided to swallow her anger.

Anyway, this person never actually did anything over the line, and the occasional teasing or a careless touch here and there were tolerable for her.

Besides, once she became the Raikage, things would change.

As this thought surfaced in her mind, Yugito suddenly felt a chill.

'Why did I instinctively believe that this blond idiot would actually push me onto the Raikage's position? This was all too… bizarre.'

When she realized how much her mindset had shifted, Yugito felt a bit conflicted. But she didn't dwell on it for too long, and started comforting herself, 'If I wouldn't do it, someone else would.'

"You stay home. When the rain stops, I need to head out again." Naruto said, rubbing his half-dry, half-wet hair.

"Where are you going?"

Yugito swallowed her saliva She had been waiting for news for a long time, and now that it had finally arrived, she felt restless and wanted to join in on the action.

But she was too embarrassed to say so outright, and it would be very embarrassing if she was rejected. Besides, she wanted to be more reserved and didn't want to seem too...

"Don't worry about it, I'll tell you when I get back." Naruto said smugly, exuding the confidence of someone on a lucky streak.

After Naruto left, Yugito curled up on the couch, frowning as she analyzed the situation carefully.

'Uchiha Sasuke? That blond idiot had originally disguised himself as Uchiha Sasuke to wreak havoc in Kumogakure. Kumogakure probably hadn't figured out who the real culprit was yet.'

'But that's actually normal. After all, no one would have thought that Konoha's Kyubi's Jinchuriki would travel all the way to Kumogakure just to cause trouble. It's completely ridiculous.'

After thinking for a while, Yugito still couldn't figure out Naruto's true purpose. Frustrated, she flopped onto the couch with a thud and stared blankly at the ceiling.

She is no longer at risk of being burned as a scapegoat, but she felt even more lost. As her identity was still that of someone being kidnapped by 'Uchiha Sasuke', she couldn't reveal herself yet.

All she could do was bide her time, lying low and waiting for the right opportunity.

Now that an opportunity had come, even though she was itching to act, she could only stay put and wait for news.

As she continued her chaotic train of thought, a terrifying realization hit Yugito, 'That bastard had already taken down both Samui and Mabui. Didn't that mean…'

'If he really did clear my name and place me by the Raikage's side as he claimed, wouldn't that mean the Raikage would be surrounded by traitors? This… this seemed a little too…'

She swallowed hard, feeling a sudden wave of guilt.

After the heavy rain stopped, at the Raikage Building.

Inside the Raikage's secretary office, Mabui was working on a document with her head down. Suddenly, she looked up and glanced around.

She frowned and said, "Come out. I can sense you're here."

"That sharp, huh?" Naruto suddenly appeared in front of Mabui upside down, startling her.

"What do you want?" She asked irritably.

"Can't I drop by for no reason? What's with that resentful tone?" Naruto said with a grin, "It seems like you don't welcome me, but it's not like I'm some kind of cheating third party or something."

"That's not what I meant!" Mabui snapped, clearly annoyed, "If you have something to say, just say it. There's no need to pretend. It makes me sick."

After days of struggle, Mabui had gone through a series of emotional stages, from anger to despair, then back to anger, before finally reaching a state of reluctant acceptance. Realizing she had no way out, she had ultimately given in.

"Alright, I'll get straight to the point…" Naruto was about to speak when he suddenly heard footsteps outside the office.

Mabui's expression changed instantly. She knew that heavy footstep all too well.

'Damn! Why now, of all times?!'

'This shameless bastard is still here. If he runs away directly, he will be discovered and I will be implicated.'

'What should I do? What should I do?'

"Raikage?" Naruto mouthed silently.

"Come here!" Mabui mouthed back urgently, but without making a sound, looking visibly distressed.

"I won't." Naruto mouthed back and a teasing smile appeared on his face.

"Come. Here!"

Mabui's eyes widened in panic. The thought of her years of hard work going down the drain and her entire life being ruined was making her lose her mind.

But she couldn't betray Naruto, and there was no way she could do anything to sell him out. In her desperation, she stopped thinking altogether and stood up.

In just a few strides, she reached Naruto, grabbed him, and shoved him under her desk. Using the large office desk as cover, as long as the Raikage didn't step forward, he wouldn't be exposed.

Based on Mabui's understanding of Yondaime Raikage, the other party would not get that close. Although Yondaime Raikage looks rough on the outside, he is actually a very gentle person on the inside.

He values brotherhood, trusts people around him, and respects his subordinates.

Naruto, now unexpectedly squatting under the desk, found himself staring at a pair of black-stocking-clad legs in front of him in a daze.

At the same time, he heard a knock on the door.

With as much composure as she could muster, Mabui said, "Come in."

With a click, the door swung open.

Then, Yondaime Raikage's thunderous voice boomed through the office.

"Mabui, the Anbu seems to have discovered something. Looks like a rat has sneaked in. Find someone to look into it."

"Y-yes, Raikage-sama." Mabui immediately straightened her back and stood at attention.

"Huh? What's wrong with you?"

"I-I'm fine, Raikage-sama. I'll arrange for someone to investigate right away." Mabui responded decisively, though her clenched jaw betrayed her inner turmoil.

'This shameless man was so dishonest that he actually touched my ankles in front of Raikage-sama, trying to make my react.'

'What was he thinking?! What good would exposing me even do for him? Is he insane?!'