The inky cloak of night had descended upon the land, enveloping the small, unassuming inn that stood near the border separating the Land of Fire from the unknown territories beyond.
Within its humble walls, in a sparsely furnished room, lay Naruto Uzumaki. But the blonde Jinchuriki of Konoha was nowhere to be seen.
In his place rested a young traveler, his once sun-kissed spikes now a more subdued, short crop of black hair. Simple, practical attire of a well-worn traveler concealed the White Tee that usually betrayed his presence.
This was Naruto, changed apperance with the Transformation Jutsu.
Meanwhile, miles away, within the familiar confines of his cramped Konoha apartment, another Naruto slept soundly. This one, a perfect replica from chakra and will, his shadow clone, unknowingly played its crucial part in the unfolding deception.
It breathed, it shifted in the worn futon, it exuded the faint aura of the original, a silent testament to Naruto's calculated departure.
Stretched out on the inn's firm bed, the real Naruto stared up at the darkened ceiling, his mind a whirl of his independence and carefully laid plans.
"Tomorrow," he murmured into the stillness, his voice a low, unfamiliar timbre, "tomorrow, I will finally be beyond the reach of that old man's gaze, beyond the suffocating familiarity of the Leaf village."
A small, almost imperceptible smile flickered across his lips. "And this shadow clone… a perfect alibi. No open defection, no immediate branding as a missing-nin. Clever, even if I do say so myself."
"And once you are beyond this 'reach', as you so dramatically put it, what then?" Kurama's deep voice echoed within the confines of Naruto's consciousness, a familiar rumble in the quietude of his thoughts.
"First, a matter of money. There are whispers, even in Konoha's dimly lit corners, of certain individuals. Called Missing-nin, their faces etched in the unforgiving pages of the bingo book, their heads carrying hefty prices. They are the low-hanging fruit, the initial target on my path." Naruto replied.
He take out the worn, leather-bound bingo book, its pages filled with the stark portraits and chilling details of wanted criminals.
He flipped through the entries, firstly his eyes scanning for those whose last known whereabouts placed them conveniently close to the Land of Fire's borders.
Finally, an entry caught his attention. A missing-nin from a Land of Grass nation: the Land of Woods (Kigakure).
* Name: Daiki Amari
* Age: 18
* Appearance: Black hair, fair skin, slim physique, 175cm tall
* Strength: Chunin of Kusagakure
* Techniques: Fire Release user, known to possess techniques up to A-rank
* Crime: Betrayal, the brutal slaying of both his teammates during a classified mission
* Last Seen: Within the dense forest the Land of Woods
* Bounty: 2,500,000 ryo
Naruto's brow furrowed slightly as he mentally absorbed the details. "Land of Woods?… was there ever such a small nation? And surprisingly close to land of fire. Well, the geography lesson can wait. What truly matters is that enticing bounty."
"Two and a half million ryo. Not a king's ransom, but a significant start.
Though, for a Chunin level… that price seems little low," he mused internally.
"But then again, it all hinges on the shinobi's actual capabilities. This Daiki Amari might be a glass cannon, all flashy Fire Release with little substance."
Then a flicker of recognition sparked in his mind.
Land of Grass… wasn't that where Karin was? I vaguely recall from anime that she was in kusagakure as child and she possessed the Uzumaki clan's unique sensory ability, the Kagura Mind's Eye.
"That's it", he decided, his inner voice hardening with purpose. "I'll take this Daiki out. Collect the bounty. And then… a detour. A visit to the Land of Grass is in order."
Karin's abilities intrigued him, he also wants to learn it as he is also an Uzumaki. With that Mind's Eye, he could locate anyone within a vast radius.
Though his perception skill is also good but Kagura's mind eye is even greater technique.
Even Zetsu's insidious camouflage and hiding abilities might not work against such perception.
"And her healing… though Kurama's presence and my Uzumaki lineage grant me remarkable healing ability myself, but such an ability could prove invaluable in the long run."
With his immediate plans solidified, a sense of anticipation mingled with weariness settled over him, then he went to sleep.
He allowed himself to succumb to its embrace, the image of the bingo book entry and the distant Land of Grass lingering in his thoughts.
——
The following morning dawned, painting the eastern sky in hues of soft orange and pale gold.
Naruto, still cloaked in his traveler's disguise, paid for his meager lodging and stepped out into the awakening world.
He set his course away from the Land of Fire, his steps purposeful as he moved towards the direction indicated on the map he carried. The Body Flicker Jutsu blurring his movements as he navigated the winding paths.
Why is it so hard to read maps in this world? he complained inwardly. Well, I never knew how to read a map in my past life either. We had GPS.
As he continued his pace towards the Land of Woods, a question nagged at him.
"Just who is responsible for updating this bingo book? If they pinpointed Daiki Amari's location with such specificity – 'Within the dense forest the Land of Woods' – their intelligence network must be remarkably efficient."
His journey continued, the landscape gradually changes. The familiar of the Land of Fire slowly gave way to a slightly different ecosystem, hinting at the proximity of another nation.
By mid-afternoon, his stomach rumbled. He spotted a small, unassuming dango shop on the outskirts, seemingly in the invisible line between the two countries.
He ordered a generous skewer of the sweet dumplings and settled down at a weathered wooden table. "Hmm, these are truly delicious, Mr. Owner," he commented, savoring the sticky sweetness.
The elderly shopkeeper beamed, his face crinkling with warmth. "Thank you, kind traveler. May your journey be safe." Naruto ordered another skewer.
As he ate, his mental conversation with Kurama resumed. "Kurama, I've been pondering something. What are your thoughts on the Ryumyaku?"
Kurama asked, a flicker of curiosity "The planet's underground natural energy pathways, Dragon veins? What about them?"
Naruto elaborated, his thoughts delving into the fundamental forces of their world. "I mean in terms of sheer chakra quantity and capacity. Who holds more? Juubi, the Ten-Tails… or the dragon veins, those vast reservoirs of natural energy that my father, Minato, sealed away within the Land of Wind?"
Kurama fell silent for a moment. Then, a mental shout of protest erupted. "Why are you comparing those stagnant earth currents to the Ten-Tails? And why not compare them to me?"
Naruto's mental shrug was almost palpable. "Because, Kurama, even you have to admit, the Ten-Tails possessed a far greater chakra reserve than you ever have."
He stated it with the casual certainty of a fundamental truth.
Their mental conversation continued, while Naruto finished his dango, paid the smiling shopkeeper, and resumed his journey towards the Land of Woods.
As twilight painted the sky in shades of purple and grey, he finally reached a small village within the borders of this unfamiliar nation.
He found a modest inn and secured a room for the night. Alone in the quiet of his chamber, he pondered the name of the land.
"Land of Woods… I truly don't recall any such prominent nation in the ninja world from anime." His initial impressions of the village were unremarkable, resembling any other small settlement.
"What is it about this place that warrants the name 'Land of Woods'? Perhaps," he mused, "the surrounding countryside held vast, untamed forests that may not immediately apparent within the village itself."
The following morning, with the first rays of dawn filtering through his window, Naruto set out once more, following the directions gleaned from the bingo book regarding Daiki Amari's last known location: a forest on the western edge of the Land of Woods.
The journey took him through increasingly dense woodland, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves.
Finally reaching the designated area, Naruto employed the Body Flicker Jutsu, his disguised form a fleeting shadow as he rapidly surveyed the dense forest.
It wasn't long before his senses, that aren't honed by years of training but the subtle influence of Kurama, detected a sign of chakra.
A faint wisp of smoke rising through the dense canopy. He focused his senses, pinpointing the source. A cave.
Moving with practiced stealth, Naruto approached the cave entrance. The air around it carried the faint scent of woodsmoke.
He peered inside, his eyes adjusting to the dim interior. There, seated beside a crackling fire, was a lone figure.
Naruto silently slipped further into the cave, his movements as not fluid but soundless as a predator stalking its prey.
He observed the man for a moment, taking in his appearance, confirming the details from the bingo book.
Then, a flicker of surprise crossed Naruto's face at the seemingly careless act before him. He stepped fully into the cave, his voice cutting through the quiet.
"Why are you using fire in here?" he questioned, his tone flat. "It's the height of summer, you oblivious piece of shit."
The man by the fire startled, his head snapping up. His eyes widened as he took in the unexpected presence of the young figure.
"Who are you?" he demanded, his hand instinctively moving towards something hidden beneath his cloak.
In response, Naruto calmly take out the worn bingo book again, flipping it open to Daiki Amari's entry.
He held it up, the stark portrait, once again comparing it's features to the stupid man in front of him, who using fire in summer.
"You," Naruto stated, smirking, "are going to be my first official kill. Try not to disappoint me."