Naruto: The Otsutsuki Naruto

Naruto Uzumaki and Konan stepped into a secluded alley after crossing the street.

Although the alley was remote, it was secretly guarded by ninjas.

Konan raised her hand lightly, and the hidden guards retreated immediately.

Naruto, curious, asked, "Konan-nee, who exactly are you taking me to meet?"

Konan replied calmly, "She was once the princess of the Land of Rain. Betrayed by her subordinates, she lost both her parents. During her escape, I saved her and secretly sheltered her in Amegakure for many years..."

Naruto was surprised. "A princess? So her father must have been the ruler of the Land of Rain?"

[Note: Only the leaders of the Five Great Nations are referred to as "daimyō," while rulers of smaller nations are called "lords."]

Konan clarified, "To be precise, it was her mother."

Naruto was even more astonished. "A queen? I thought only the Land of Nadeshiko was governed by a queen. So the Land of Rain used to have one too?"

Konan explained, "The former queen was diligent and benevolent, earning even Hanzō's respect. However, her successor's advisors betrayed her. To avoid further calamity, the princess took her father's surname, 'Amamiya.'"

A Meeting with the Princess

"So, what's her name?" Naruto asked, feeling a sense of connection due to their similar circumstances.

Konan replied, "Amamiya Ruri. She's 17 years old."

Naruto was taken aback. "Seventeen? Isn't that a bit too young?"

After all, Naruto himself hadn't become Hokage until he was in his twenties.

Konan countered, "She may be young, but she grew up immersed in governance and inherited her mother's talents. If not for the upheaval, she would already be the next queen, capable of ruling a nation effortlessly—let alone managing a village."

Indeed, as the leader of a village, Naruto often found himself overwhelmed by administrative tasks, to the point of relying on shadow clones to cope. One could only imagine how challenging it would be to govern an entire country.

Entrusting a queen candidate with managing a village was akin to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut—overkill!

While Naruto no longer doubted her abilities, he did worry about whether Amamiya Ruri, with her noble background, might be arrogant and difficult to deal with.

Naruto prided himself on his patience, but he felt he'd already exhausted it all on Sasuke. He doubted he could tolerate another Sasuke-like personality, even if the person were a princess.

However, since Konan had recommended her, Naruto decided to keep his thoughts to himself.

He resolved internally: Fine, let's meet her first. If it doesn't work out, I'll politely decline and look for someone else.

When they slid open the door to the traditional Japanese room, a faint fragrance greeted them. A silver-haired, black-clad girl with delicate features rose to greet them. "Lady Konan!"

Konan introduced her, "Ruri, this is Naruto Uzumaki, the current leader of Amegakure. I don't need to say more, do I?"

Amamiya Ruri's beautiful eyes sparkled as she looked at Naruto. "Of course, I've already heard of Lord Naruto's heroic deeds!"

Naruto was puzzled. "Heroic deeds? When did that happen?"

Ruri smiled gently. "Wasn't it when the meteor was about to crash into the village, and you stepped in to stop it? Unfortunately, I was too far away to see your face then. Now that I finally get to meet you, it's truly an honor!"

As she spoke, Ruri made a move to bow deeply in formal gratitude.

Naruto quickly stepped forward to stop her. "No, no! You're a princess; there's no need for such a formal gesture!"

Ruri smiled faintly. "A princess? I'm just a displaced soul. If Lady Konan hadn't saved me three years ago and given me a place to stay, I wouldn't even be standing here today. This bow is something both you and Lady Konan fully deserve!"

With that, Ruri bowed deeply, her posture full of respect.

Naruto felt a pang of guilt. I can't believe I had preconceived notions about her just because she's a princess. What a mistake on my part...

After the formalities, Ruri knelt on a cushion, while Konan and Naruto sat opposite her.

After pouring tea for them, Ruri spoke earnestly. "Lord Naruto, I've heard from Lady Konan about your situation. You wish to focus on your ninja training without being distracted by administrative duties, so you're looking for someone to shoulder those responsibilities. Is that correct?"

Naruto nodded. "Exactly! Thank goodness you're here; you've solved a huge problem for me!"

He had already decided to entrust Amamiya Ruri with handling Amegakure's affairs.

Ruri, however, remained composed. "Lord Naruto, you're too kind. It's my honor to assist you. But could you tell me what your ideal vision for Amegakure is?"

Naruto took a sip of tea and said, "My ideal Amegakure can be summed up in eight words: prosperous citizens, strong ninjas, united internally, and formidable externally."

"Oh?" Ruri set down her teacup. "How prosperous? How strong?"

Naruto replied without hesitation, "The more prosperous and stronger, the better. But when I say 'prosperous,' I don't just mean material wealth. And when I say 'strong,' I don't just mean physical strength."

Ruri's interest was piqued. "Oh? What do you mean?"

Naruto spoke from the heart. "If prosperity is only material, it leads to spiritual poverty. If strength is only physical, it breeds instability. Many of the troubles in the ninja world stem from these two issues. That's why faith is essential. With faith, we can be prosperous without decadence and strong without arrogance. Only then can Amegakure unite as one and stand firm against external threats!"

Naruto thought to himself: Since Konan-nee has already told Ruri, she must know about the Ōtsutsuki threat from beyond this world.

Ruri respectfully responded, "I understand. I will make your vision a reality!"

In her mind, she added: Does Lord Naruto's words imply that he intends to make even the Five Great Nations bow before him? Beneath his calm exterior lies the heart of a king!

Naruto continued, "But since Amegakure is a small nation and village, being too conspicuous might attract unwanted attention. It's better to rise steadily and quietly."

Ruri's eyes sparkled. "I see. You've thought this through thoroughly!"

She thought to herself: So we must feign weakness while secretly growing stronger. Outwardly, we remain a small nation, but behind the scenes, we prepare for grand ambitions...

Naruto added, "Ruri, I'll entrust you with full authority over Amegakure. Unless it's a matter of utmost importance, you don't need to seek my approval or report to me."

Ruri's beautiful eyes widened slightly. "Is that... appropriate?"

Naruto reassured her, "You're someone Konan-nee recommended, so I trust you unconditionally!"

"Understood, Lord Naruto!"

Ruri thought to herself: Matters of utmost importance... In other words, I should only report back once the grand plan is accomplished!

Naruto stood up. "Amamiya Ruri, starting tomorrow, you're the acting leader of Amegakure!"

With this matter settled, Naruto felt a weight lifted off his shoulders and walked away with a spring in his step.

"A true man should act decisively!" he thought.

As Naruto's figure disappeared into the distance, Ruri's eyes gleamed with a wisdom and ambition far beyond her years.

"Then, let's start by making the Land of Rain belong to Lord Naruto!"

Swoosh!

Under the night sky on a desolate wasteland, Madara Uchiha emerged beside a Flying Thunder God kunai. Though covered in wounds, his proud demeanor remained unshaken.

"Hahaha! I almost died... That damned insect!!"

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