Chapter 59: A Practical Demonstration of Absolutely Ridiculous Firepower
Conis had already made her decision.
Skypiea would join the World Government.
Not because she trusted the organization. Not because she particularly enjoyed the idea of handing over political authority to people who apparently considered slavery an acceptable recreational activity.
And certainly not because she believed the Celestial Dragons were misunderstood gentlemen who simply needed a hug.
No.
She had decided because the alternative was potentially catastrophic.
Sometimes survival required swallowing your pride, smiling at people you desperately wanted to kick in the teeth, and quietly preparing for the day when you could afford to stop smiling.
The Fish-Men understood that reality better than most.
Skypiea would have to learn it too.
But there was one little problem.
Conis had made her decision largely because she trusted Gaara.
And while trusting the quiet, red-haired sand manipulator was generally a good idea, the shinobi wanted her to understand exactly what she was putting her faith in.
Which was why, on a perfectly peaceful afternoon, Conis found herself aboard the Azure Gale, surrounded by six people who could collectively make the phrase natural disaster sound like an adorable nickname.
"All right," Naruto announced cheerfully. "Welcome to the most educational afternoon of your life!"
Conis smiled.
"Thank you, Naruto."
"By the end of today, you'll understand why our enemies tend to develop very healthy survival instincts."
Kakashi glanced up from his book.
"Or extremely unhealthy ones."
"Those are usually the interesting enemies."
"Naturally."
Gaara sighed.
Conis was beginning to notice that sighing was an extremely common reaction to Naruto.
Strangely, nobody seemed to dislike him for it.
Quite the opposite.
He had an infectious enthusiasm, an almost ridiculous confidence, and the peculiar ability to make people relax even while discussing matters that should reasonably cause nationwide panic.
And unlike his occasional behavior suggested, Naruto was far from foolish.
He understood their situation perfectly.
The problem wasn't that the shinobi lacked strength.
They had plenty.
Far more than most nations could reasonably hope to possess.
The problem was that they didn't know the limits of the people they might be fighting.
Take the Yonko, for example.
Four pirates who commanded enough military power and influence to make the World Government think twice before provoking them.
Exactly how powerful was a Yonko?
Nobody knew.
Not within their group, anyway.
Based on the information they'd gathered, they were operating under the assumption that someone bearing that title could potentially devastate Hashirama Senju even while he was using Sage Mode.
Which was saying something.
Hashirama was the kind of man who could create an entire forest because he was mildly inconvenienced by a lack of trees.
He was also the sort of person whose definition of holding back could still require a team of cartographers to update their maps afterward.
And then there were the Admirals.
One of them could literally transform into light.
Actual light.
The stuff responsible for allowing people to see things.
Considering the Yonko were powerful enough to remain major threats despite the existence of the Admirals, the shinobi had to assume that the strongest fighters in this world could contend with terrifying speeds.
Possibly even light-speed attacks.
That was not a pleasant assumption.
And Naruto, despite his occasionally spectacular disregard for common sense when entertainment was involved, understood the difference between confidence and stupidity.
They didn't have a Yonko to protect Skypiea.
They couldn't yet claim to be an equivalent political force.
And there was little point in advertising the existence of an entirely new civilization of winged people to the Celestial Dragons before they possessed enough power to discourage unwanted attention.
Fortunately, the plan had already been settled.
Conis would accompany them to meet Gan Fall the following day.
Their recommendation would be straightforward.
Join the World Government, avoid unnecessary confrontation, maintain as much internal independence as possible, and quietly strengthen Skypiea's defenses.
It wasn't surrender.
It was buying time.
And time, when handled correctly, could become a very dangerous weapon.
"Now," Kurenai said pleasantly, interrupting Naruto's attempt to explain why a Yonko-sized Rasengan would technically qualify as a diplomatic argument, "shall we begin?"
Conis looked around.
"Begin what?"
Naruto grinned.
"The practical demonstration!"
Kankuro cracked his knuckles.
"Finally!"
Gai's teeth flashed.
"THE FLAMES OF YOUTH BURN BRIGHTLY!"
Kakashi closed his book.
Gaara gave Conis a reassuring smile.
And Conis suddenly realized something important.
These people were enjoying themselves.
That was probably not a good sign.
The Art of Making Geography Optional
Kurenai began with a simple hand seal.
The world changed.
One moment, Conis was standing on the deck of the Azure Gale.
The next, she was standing on a vast circular platform overlooking an enormous ocean.
There were mountains in the distance.
Several islands floated on the horizon.
The sunlight reflected off the water with such astonishing realism that she could practically feel the warmth against her skin.
"Wh-what happened?!"
"Genjutsu," Kurenai explained. "An illusion. Your physical body is still aboard the ship, but your senses are experiencing this environment."
Conis blinked.
Then looked down.
The platform was transparent.
She could see the ocean hundreds of meters below.
"KYAAAA!"
She immediately grabbed Gaara's arm.
Naruto observed this with great interest.
Kankuro leaned toward him.
"Think she's getting comfortable with our little brother?"
Naruto smiled.
"At this rate, Gaara's going to have to learn how to dance."
Kankuro's expression turned thoughtful.
"Can sand dance?"
"Probably."
"Should we investigate?"
"Absolutely."
A thin tendril of sand rose behind both of them.
The conversation ended.
Kakashi, observing from the side, quietly marked another victory for Gaara's developing social skills.
Kurenai cleared her throat.
"The purpose of this demonstration isn't simply to show you how destructive we can be, Conis. We want you to understand what resources are available if Skypiea ever faces a genuine threat."
Conis nodded.
That made sense.
Much more sense than Naruto's earlier suggestion that they call the demonstration Things That Go Boom: An Educational Experience.
"First," Kurenai announced, "Kankuro."
The puppet master stepped forward like an actor finally receiving his moment in the spotlight.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
"There is one lady," Naruto pointed out.
Kankuro ignored him.
"BEHOLD! THE AZURE GALE!"
Above the ocean, an enormous flying vessel appeared.
Conis immediately recognized it.
Their ship.
Except seeing it from this perspective made its sheer scale and complexity much more apparent.
Kankuro spread his arms proudly.
"The Azure Gale is no longer an ordinary ship. It's an advanced aerial carrier equipped with sophisticated defensive systems, concealment technology, multiple offensive weapons, and enough engineering improvements to make traditional shipbuilders cry tears of envy."
"Or despair," Kakashi supplied.
"ENVY!"
"Of course."
Kankuro pointed toward the vessel.
"Defensive barrier!"
A shimmering dome expanded around the enormous ship.
"Advanced shielding capable of protecting large areas against powerful attacks."
An illusionary barrage of artillery shells suddenly rained down.
They struck the barrier.
Explosions illuminated the sky.
The shield held.
Conis's eyes widened.
"That's amazing!"
"Naturally!"
"And can it protect an entire village?"
"Depending on the area and the attack strength, yes. We'd need to plan the coverage, but protecting populated regions is absolutely possible."
Conis smiled.
That was useful.
Very useful.
"Next! Concealment!"
The Azure Gale disappeared.
Conis gasped.
"Where did it go?"
"Invisible!"
"Completely?"
"To ordinary observation, yes."
Naruto raised a hand.
"Kankuro, you forgot the most important feature."
Kankuro frowned.
"What?"
"The cup holders."
Silence.
"Naruto."
"What? You installed sixteen of them."
"Because YOU kept spilling drinks on the control panels!"
"And I've never been prouder of your commitment to improvement."
Kurenai coughed discreetly.
Kankuro took a long breath.
Then another.
Finally, he smiled.
The kind of smile usually seen on people preparing to demonstrate why their enemies had made extremely poor life choices.
"Now. Offensive capabilities."
The ship reappeared.
Its central weapon system began charging.
A distant mountain rose from the ocean.
Conis tilted her head.
"What are you—"
A brilliant beam of energy erupted from the ship.
The mountain vanished.
There was no dramatic crumbling.
No picturesque landslide.
Just a devastating explosion followed by the complete absence of a geographical feature that had existed approximately three seconds earlier.
Conis stared.
Kankuro folded his arms.
"Mountain-destroying capability under standard heavy bombardment. At full capacity, with sufficient charging time and energy, we can erase a small island."
Conis continued staring.
Naruto leaned toward Kakashi.
"She's taking it pretty well."
"Her soul may have briefly left her body."
"Understandable. Kankuro's presentations have that effect."
Conis eventually managed to speak.
"You... destroyed a mountain."
"Yes," Kankuro replied.
"With a ship."
"Yes."
"And it can destroy an island?"
"A small one, at maximum output."
She looked at the vessel.
Then at Kankuro.
Then at Gaara.
"Are you sure this is a ship?"
Gaara considered the question.
"Technically."
Conis made a tiny noise.
It sounded suspiciously like a prayer.
Kakashi was next.
His demonstration began with lightning.
Not the sort that appeared during thunderstorms, either.
This lightning wrapped around his body, crackling across his limbs as his speed increased dramatically.
Then he vanished.
Conis blinked.
Kakashi reappeared behind a distant target.
It collapsed.
He disappeared again.
Another target fell.
Then another.
Then another.
Within moments, dozens of enemies had been incapacitated.
Conis watched in astonishment.
"He's so fast!"
"Lightning-enhanced movement," Kurenai explained. "Combined with exceptional reflexes and combat experience."
Kakashi returned.
Then lifted his headband.
His Mangekyo Sharingan spun.
An enormous armored figure appeared in the distance.
"Kamui."
Space twisted.
The figure's head disappeared.
Conis went pale.
"W-where did it go?"
"Into another dimension," Kakashi explained. "It's a space-time technique. Conventional physical defenses can't block the spatial distortion itself."
Naruto scratched his chin.
"Still one of the most unfair abilities I've ever seen."
Kakashi looked amused.
"Coming from someone who can teleport instantly?"
"Hey, at least I usually need to get close enough to touch someone!"
"You can teleport."
"That's beside the point."
Kakashi's visible eye curved into a smile.
Conis stared at the headless target.
She was beginning to suspect that the shinobi's understanding of combat involved an alarming disregard for ordinary physical limitations.
Then Gai stepped forward.
"MY TURN!"
Oh, dear.
Conis had met Gai only recently, but there was something about the man's enthusiasm that suggested the universe itself occasionally asked him to lower his voice.
"SEVENTH GATE!"
Blue vapor erupted around him.
The atmosphere trembled.
Conis took an involuntary step backward.
Gai assumed his stance.
"HIIIIIRUDORAAAA!"
A tremendous blast of compressed air erupted from his fist.
It took the form of an enormous tiger.
The beast roared across the illusionary ocean before striking an island.
The resulting explosion was catastrophic.
The island was devastated.
The surrounding sea surged outward beneath a massive shock wave.
Conis stared.
Then slowly turned toward Gai.
"Was that... a punch?"
Gai smiled proudly.
"INDEED!"
"No weapon?"
"NONE!"
"No Devil Fruit?"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
"Just your fist?"
"THE POWER OF HARD WORK AND YOUTH!"
Conis looked at Naruto.
Naruto nodded gravely.
"He does push-ups too."
"Push-ups?"
"Lots of them."
Conis turned back toward Gai.
He was beaming.
She decided not to ask.
Some mysteries were better left undisturbed.
Especially mysteries that could punch islands into submission.
Gaara's demonstration was considerably quieter.
Which was fortunate, because Conis's nerves had been taking a beating.
He raised one hand.
The scenery shifted.
A large city appeared beneath them.
Then the ground began to shake.
Sand rose in enormous waves.
It swallowed streets, buildings, towers, and entire districts.
Within moments, the city vanished beneath an endless desert.
Conis gasped.
Gaara lowered his hand.
"That's what I can do offensively on a large scale."
Naruto folded his arms.
"He's being modest."
"Naruto."
"What? You are!"
Gaara ignored him.
The illusion changed.
Now, instead of attacking the city, he defended it.
A massive dome of sand enclosed the populated area.
Projectiles struck the barrier and broke apart.
Metallic particles gathered under the influence of his magnetic control.
Additional barriers formed.
Enemy weapons were intercepted.
Attacking forces found themselves trapped in shifting dunes.
The entire battlefield became Gaara's territory.
Conis watched with growing amazement.
Unlike the previous demonstrations, she could immediately imagine what this would mean for Skypiea.
A protective shield over Angel Island.
Barriers surrounding villages.
Enemy ships unable to approach without crossing enormous defenses.
Gaara looked toward her.
"My sand can destroy a city if necessary. But it can also protect one."
Conis smiled.
"That's wonderful."
Gaara nodded.
"I would rather use it for the latter."
For a moment, she simply looked at him.
Then she reached for his hand.
Kankuro immediately leaned toward Naruto.
"Twenty berries says they kiss before the week's over."
Naruto considered the odds.
"Too risky. Gaara might need three months just to figure out what holding hands means."
"I can hear both of you," Gaara said.
The brothers straightened.
"Wonderful weather!" Naruto announced.
"Lovely clouds!" Kankuro added.
Kakashi sighed.
Their survival instincts were improving.
Slowly.
Then came Naruto.
Which meant things were about to become considerably more complicated.
"All right!" the blond announced. "Let's start with something simple."
He tossed several tri-pronged kunai across the simulated battlefield.
One struck a tree.
Another embedded itself in a wall.
A third landed beside Conis.
Naruto vanished.
He appeared beside the first kunai.
Then the second.
Then the third.
And finally, directly in front of Conis.
"Hello!"
She jumped.
"AH!"
Naruto laughed.
"Flying Thunder God. Instantaneous teleportation between marked locations."
Conis blinked.
"You can really teleport?"
"Yup."
"Without traveling through the space between?"
"Exactly."
Kakashi nodded.
"An extremely useful ability for combat, evacuation, reconnaissance, and emergency response."
Naruto grinned.
"Also practical for avoiding Kurenai-sensei when she discovers who ate the last dessert."
Kurenai smiled.
"Naruto."
He immediately straightened.
"Purely hypothetical!"
"Of course."
Naruto moved toward an illusionary opponent.
He touched its shoulder.
A sealing formula spread across its body.
"Fuinjutsu. Touch-based sealing techniques."
The target collapsed.
"That one incapacitates."
He touched another target.
A different formula appeared.
"Teleportation marker."
He vanished and reappeared beside it.
Another target received a weight seal.
Its body immediately slammed into the ground.
"And that one makes moving extremely difficult."
He touched a fourth.
"Explosive seal."
The target detonated a moment later.
Conis stared.
"So... if you touch someone..."
"Depending on what seal I use, I can mark them, restrain them, increase their weight, or arrange a very unpleasant surprise."
"That's terrifying!"
Naruto shrugged.
"It's effective."
Kakashi nodded.
"Particularly because most opponents won't immediately understand what happened."
"But," Naruto continued, "I'm working on improving the technique further. Right now, teleportation relies on established markers. I'd like to eliminate that limitation."
Kurenai raised an eyebrow.
"Ambitious."
Naruto smiled.
"That's generally the idea."
Then he formed a familiar hand seal.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Smoke exploded across the battlefield.
When it cleared, hundreds of Narutos stood in neat formation.
Conis gasped.
"THERE ARE SO MANY!"
One clone stepped forward.
"Thank you! We work very hard at it!"
Another raised his hand.
"Technically, we are the hard work!"
A third folded his arms.
"Personally, I think the original gets too much credit."
Naruto turned toward him.
"You're literally me!"
"And yet somehow better looking."
Kankuro burst out laughing.
Conis stared at the hundreds of identical blond boys.
"Can they all fight?"
"Absolutely," Naruto answered. "They can coordinate attacks, gather information, perform different tasks simultaneously, and use most of my techniques."
Kakashi nodded.
"Imagine several hundred capable shinobi operating together with near-perfect coordination."
The clones spread across the simulated city.
Some formed defensive barriers using sealing techniques.
Others evacuated civilians.
Several transported wounded people to safety.
A group intercepted enemy soldiers.
Another organized supplies.
Conis watched in amazement.
Then Naruto entered Sage Mode.
His eyes changed.
Natural energy flowed through him.
His awareness expanded across the simulated environment.
"With Sage Mode, my sensory range becomes enormous," he explained. "I can detect distant disturbances and track living presences across vast areas. That makes surprise attacks considerably harder."
"And his offensive capabilities?" Conis asked.
Naruto grinned.
"Well..."
The illusion changed once more.
An enormous island appeared in the distance.
Naruto raised his hand.
Chakra gathered.
Wind howled.
Several clones joined him, helping form a devastating attack.
Then Kurenai projected the result of unleashing his full destructive power against the island.
The resulting explosion swallowed the entire landscape.
When the illusion cleared, the island was gone.
Conis stood motionless.
Naruto scratched his cheek.
"Obviously, we wouldn't do that anywhere near your people."
She nodded slowly.
"Obviously."
"Unless the island was evil."
"Naruto," Kakashi said.
"What? You never know."
Gaara sighed.
Kurenai ended the illusion before anyone could begin debating the morality of destroying evil islands.
The Difference Between Trust and Understanding
Conis found herself back aboard the Azure Gale.
The real world seemed strangely ordinary after everything she'd witnessed.
The sunlight.
The breeze.
The gentle movement of clouds.
It was almost difficult to believe that the people standing around her were capable of such extraordinary things.
For a while, she remained silent.
Then she took a deep breath.
"I understand now."
Naruto looked at her.
"Yeah?"
She nodded.
"When Gaara told me you could protect Skypiea, I believed him."
Gaara watched her quietly.
"Because I trust him," she continued. "And because I've seen how much he cares about people."
Her fingers tightened around his hand.
"But now..."
She looked toward Kankuro.
Toward Gai.
Kakashi.
Kurenai.
And finally Naruto.
"Now I understand what that protection actually means."
She smiled.
"You can defend our villages. Evacuate our people. Stop armies. Destroy enemy weapons before they reach us."
Naruto nodded.
"Exactly."
"And if something terrible happens, we're not entirely helpless."
"That's the important part," Kakashi replied.
Conis looked thoughtful.
"But you're still being cautious about the World Government."
"Of course," Naruto said. "Power isn't much use if you apply it without understanding the consequences."
Kakashi's visible eye curved.
A surprisingly sensible statement.
Not surprising because Naruto was incapable of being sensible.
Quite the opposite.
He was exceptionally intelligent when he wanted to be.
The problem was that he also considered making his friends laugh a perfectly reasonable use of his intelligence.
Which, to be fair, it was.
Naruto continued.
"We know what we can do. We don't know everything they can do. Until that changes, there's no reason to start a fight we don't need."
Conis nodded.
That made sense.
More importantly, it made her decision feel solid.
Not simply hopeful.
Not dependent on a promise made by someone she cared about.
Grounded in something real.
She had seen their abilities.
She understood their limitations.
And she understood why caution remained necessary.
"Then we'll proceed with the plan," she said.
"Tomorrow," Gaara agreed.
"I'll speak to Gan Fall about joining the World Government. We'll explain the risks, the benefits, and the importance of protecting our people without provoking unnecessary conflict."
She looked toward the sky.
"And we'll keep building our strength."
Naruto smiled.
"That's the spirit."
Conis turned back toward him.
"Thank you, Naruto."
"For what?"
"For showing me."
Naruto shrugged.
"No problem."
Then he grinned.
"Besides, it's not every day we get to demonstrate island-destroying techniques without actually destroying an island."
"An unfortunate restriction," Kankuro muttered.
Gaara looked at him.
"Brother."
"What?"
"No."
"I didn't even say anything!"
"You were thinking it."
Kankuro folded his arms.
"This family has serious trust issues."
Conis laughed.
And for the first time since learning about the Celestial Dragons, the laughter came without fear sitting heavily in her chest.
The danger was still there.
The World Government remained powerful.
The Celestial Dragons remained a horrifying possibility.
But she finally understood something important.
Enduring wasn't surrender.
Sometimes it was simply choosing the right moment to fight.
Night had finally settled over Skypiea.
The floating islands shimmered beneath an ocean of stars, their little houses glowing with lantern light. The White Sea stretched endlessly in every direction, occasionally disturbed by a passing cloud creature that had probably never considered the possibility of being turned into someone's dinner.
It was peaceful.
Beautiful.
Almost suspiciously perfect.
And somewhere aboard the Azure Gale, Naruto Uzumaki was attempting to break the laws of space-time.
Again.
Because apparently, the universe had nothing better to do than make his life difficult.
"Come on," Naruto muttered, sitting cross-legged on the observation deck. "You can't tell me it's impossible. I've already done half the work!"
Kurama, who had been watching Naruto's experiments for the better part of an hour, gave a long-suffering sigh.
You've been saying that for three weeks.
"And I've made progress!"
You teleported your sandal into a storage compartment.
"Exactly! Progress!"
You were trying to teleport yourself.
"Minor technical difficulty."
You spent twenty minutes looking for the sandal.
"And I found it!"
Kurama considered that.
Truly, the Fourth Hokage's legacy is in excellent hands.
Naruto grinned.
His father's FTG technique was a masterpiece of space-time ninjutsu. Instantaneous movement between marked locations, practically limitless tactical applications, and the ability to make an enemy regret every decision that had led them into the same battlefield.
Naruto loved it.
Unfortunately, he wasn't particularly fond of limitations.
The technique required established markers. Special kunai, sealing formulas, or other prepared anchors.
Excellent for combat.
Not quite so excellent when someone removed those markers or when the destination was somewhere he'd never been before.
Like, for example, an entirely different universe.
A tiny inconvenience.
One that currently separated Naruto and his friends from home.
And while their adventures in this world had been spectacularly entertaining, Naruto had absolutely no intention of spending the rest of his life being an interdimensional tourist.
He missed Konoha.
He missed familiar faces.
He missed Ichiraku Ramen.
Especially Ichiraku Ramen.
The food in this world was incredible, sure, but there was something deeply wrong about living in a universe where old man Teuchi didn't exist.
A culinary tragedy of unimaginable proportions.
More importantly, everyone aboard the Azure Gale had people waiting for them.
Families.
Friends.
Responsibilities.
And Naruto had made himself a promise.
They were going home.
Preferably with enough stories to make everyone back in Konoha question whether they'd accidentally wandered into one of Jiraiya's ridiculous novels.
But that didn't mean they couldn't enjoy themselves in the meantime.
Quite the opposite.
Naruto intended to see everything this ridiculous world had to offer.
Adventure, strange islands, bizarre creatures, interesting people, new foods, and hopefully a few spectacular fights.
And whenever they encountered people who needed help?
Well, helping people was practically a hobby.
A very expensive hobby, according to Shikamaru.
A potentially catastrophic hobby, according to Kakashi.
And a wonderful expression of youthful enthusiasm, according to Gai.
Naruto preferred Gai's interpretation.
He had even developed a perfectly reasonable philosophy regarding the whole situation.
Have fun. Help people. Get stronger. Find a way home.
Preferably in that order whenever nobody was in immediate danger.
Simple.
Elegant.
Shikamaru had described it as the strategic equivalent of writing an entire mission plan on a restaurant napkin.
Naruto considered that unfair.
Restaurant napkins were perfectly respectable writing materials.
Besides, he wasn't neglecting their actual research.
Tenten's dimensional sealing experiments had been making progress, and Naruto's increasing understanding of space-time manipulation was helping them explore possibilities that would once have seemed impossible.
They just needed to be careful.
Especially after the universe itself had apparently decided to issue Naruto a personal warning about reckless wormholes.
That had been an interesting conversation.
Not every day did reality itself tell someone to stop treating dimensional barriers like curtains.
Kurama had found the whole thing hilarious.
Naruto had found it incredibly rude.
Still, he understood the warning.
Experimenting with spatial coordinates was one thing.
Punching holes through the boundaries between universes without knowing where those holes led was another.
Even Naruto preferred not to accidentally connect Konoha to the stomach of some enormous cosmic monster.
Imagine explaining that to Tsunade.
"Sorry, Granny! I was trying to come home and accidentally invented interdimensional indigestion!"
Yeah.
Probably best avoided.
So he continued working carefully.
Studying how space-time coordinates interacted with chakra signatures, examining the principles behind dimensional anchors, and trying to develop a better understanding of how destinations could be identified without physical markers.
His Sage Mode was particularly useful.
Natural energy had always been more than a convenient power boost.
It connected him to the world around him.
He could sense its movements, disturbances, and subtle changes over enormous distances.
Naruto wanted that awareness to become as natural as breathing.
Something he could maintain without consciously concentrating on it.
And perhaps, with enough refinement, that same awareness might eventually help him recognize spatial distortions and dimensional boundaries.
It was a promising direction.
Not a guaranteed solution.
But promising.
And Naruto liked promising.
Promising meant there was something worth investigating.
He closed his eyes and settled back into meditation.
Natural energy flowed into his body.
Slowly.
Steadily.
The sounds of the ship faded into the background.
He could sense people moving below deck, distant creatures drifting among the clouds, and the faint presence of life scattered across Skypiea.
Then there was that other sensation.
The warning.
Still there.
Still unexplained.
Like an unpleasant smell in a room where nobody was willing to admit responsibility.
Naruto frowned.
Still bothering you? Kurama asked.
A little.
Any idea what it is?
Nope.
That doesn't worry you?
Of course it does.
Kurama paused.
You sound suspiciously cheerful.
Naruto smiled.
What would you prefer? That I spend the entire night pacing around and shouting about impending doom?
That would be entertaining.
For you.
Precisely.
Naruto chuckled.
The barrier he'd established around Skypiea remained active. Kakashi and Shikamaru knew about the warning, and the others were prepared.
Whatever was coming, they'd deal with it when they had enough information.
Until then, he had better things to do than spend every waking moment imagining disasters.
For example, figuring out whether one could make a giant cloud into a trampoline.
A scientific question of enormous importance.
Naruto finally released Sage Mode and stretched out on the deck.
The stars glittered overhead.
He folded his arms behind his head.
"Ahhh. Now this is living."
You say that whenever you're not doing paperwork.
"That's because it's true."
You're supposed to be responsible.
"I am responsible."
You once used a shadow clone to avoid a meeting.
"I attended the meeting."
Your clone attended the meeting.
"Exactly. Delegation."
Kurama gave up.
There was no point arguing with someone who could literally hold a meeting with himself and still somehow find it boring.
"Naruto?"
The blond turned his head.
Hinata stood near the entrance to the observation deck.
She was wearing one of the beautiful local dresses, its light fabric flowing gently in the night breeze. Her dark hair had been arranged into braids, giving her an almost storybook appearance beneath the moonlight.
She looked like a fairy princess.
A fairy princess who could turn someone's internal organs into a martial arts demonstration.
An extremely dangerous fairy princess.
Naruto blinked.
Then smiled.
"Whoa! Hinata, did you get promoted to royalty while I wasn't looking?"
Hinata stared at him.
"What?"
"Seriously! Look at you! You've got the whole princess thing going on!"
She glanced down at her dress.
Then laughed.
"Oh, this? Sakura and Ino helped me choose it."
"Ah. That explains everything."
"What does?"
"The shopping conspiracy."
Hinata giggled.
"Shopping conspiracy?"
"Of course! First they convince you to buy a dress. Next thing you know, they're carrying thirty bags and explaining why every single item was absolutely necessary."
Hinata covered her mouth.
"Actually..."
Naruto narrowed his eyes.
"Oh no."
"Ino did buy quite a few things."
"How many?"
"Well..."
"Hinata."
"She said the prices were very reasonable."
Naruto closed his eyes.
"That's what they all say."
Hinata burst out laughing.
He patted the deck beside him.
"Come on, Your Highness. Have a seat."
She rolled her eyes, smiling, and sat beside him.
"Please don't call me that."
"Certainly, Princess Hinata."
"Naruto!"
"Lady Hinata?"
She shook her head.
"Just Hinata."
"Very well, Just Hinata."
She laughed again.
A promising start to the evening.
They watched the stars for a moment before Naruto glanced at her hair.
"Did they do the braids too?"
Hinata nodded.
"One of the shopkeepers showed us how. Apparently, it's quite popular here."
"Huh. Looks nice."
"Thank you."
"Think they'd do mine?"
Hinata slowly turned toward him.
Naruto grinned.
"What? Imagine it! Me, with beautiful golden braids flowing in the wind!"
Hinata stared.
Then started giggling.
"Oh, Naruto..."
"What's so funny?"
"I'm just imagining it."
"And?"
She tried to compose herself.
Failed.
"I think Ino would insist on adding ribbons."
Naruto looked horrified.
"Ribbons?!"
Hinata nodded solemnly.
"Pink ones."
"That's cruel."
"With little flowers."
"That's an act of war."
She dissolved into laughter.
Naruto shook his head.
"People have no appreciation for masculine elegance anymore."
That only made her laugh harder.
"So," Naruto asked after a while, "what else happened today?"
Hinata smiled.
"We visited one of the cloud shops."
"Cloud shops?"
"Yes. They sell different types of cloud furniture."
Naruto sat up slightly.
"Hold on. You can buy clouds?"
"Apparently."
"Like... actual clouds?"
"Specially processed ones."
Naruto looked toward the White Sea.
Then back at Hinata.
"So you're telling me someone looked at the sky and thought, 'You know what this needs? A furniture business.'"
Hinata giggled.
"They're very comfortable."
"Did you buy one?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Where would we put it?"
Naruto considered that.
Then brightened.
"In Kankuro's room!"
Hinata blinked.
"Why Kankuro's room?"
"Because he keeps complaining that we don't appreciate his engineering. Imagine how happy he'll be when we replace his bed with an enormous fluffy cloud."
Hinata stared at him.
"...I don't think he'll be happy."
"Exactly! It'll be hilarious!"
"Naruto!"
"What? He needs more whimsy in his life."
Hinata shook her head, still smiling.
They continued talking.
About the unusual food sold in Skypiea's markets.
About the strange little creatures that lived among the clouds.
About the shops, the scenery, and the people they'd met.
Hinata mentioned that one of the children she'd spoken with had been fascinated by her Byakugan.
"He asked whether I could see through walls," she explained.
Naruto nodded.
"Reasonable question."
"So I told him yes."
"Also reasonable."
"Then he asked whether I could see through people's clothes."
Naruto went completely still.
Then his mouth opened.
Then—
"BAHAHAHAHA!"
Hinata covered her face.
"It wasn't funny!"
"IT'S HILARIOUS!"
"Naruto!"
"What did you tell him?!"
"I told him he shouldn't ask questions like that!"
Naruto was laughing so hard he nearly rolled off the deck.
Hinata grabbed his sleeve.
"Careful!"
"Sorry! Sorry!"
He took one look at her embarrassed expression.
And immediately started laughing again.
"That kid's got courage!"
"He's eight!"
"Exactly! Imagine the confidence!"
Hinata tried to glare at him.
Unfortunately, glaring while giggling was considerably less effective than she might have hoped.
Naruto finally managed to calm down.
"Okay, okay. No more laughing."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
A pause.
"Did he ask about X-ray vision too?"
"NARUTO!"
He burst out laughing again.
Eventually, the laughter settled into comfortable conversation.
Hinata stretched her legs out in front of her and looked toward the distant islands.
"Conis seemed much happier afterward."
Naruto nodded.
"Yeah. She's a good person."
"She really trusts Gaara."
"Well, that's understandable. He's pretty dependable."
Hinata smiled.
"He seems happier too."
Naruto looked thoughtful.
Then his expression became very serious.
"You're right. We need to report this."
Hinata blinked.
"Report what?"
"Gaara smiling."
"...What?"
"It's a matter of national importance."
Hinata stared.
Naruto continued solemnly.
"The Kazekage has smiled multiple times in a single day. This is unprecedented. The Sand Village must be informed immediately."
She started laughing.
"Naruto!"
"We should send a messenger hawk."
"No!"
"Official announcement. 'Citizens of Sunagakure, remain calm. Your Kazekage has developed facial expressions.'"
Hinata leaned forward, laughing.
Naruto wasn't finished.
"'Initial reports suggest a blonde angel may be responsible. Authorities are investigating.'"
"Stop!"
"'Kankuro has requested emergency funding for wedding decorations.'"
Hinata laughed so hard that she had to cover her face.
Naruto looked enormously pleased with himself.
Then she finally managed to speak.
"Poor Gaara!"
"Poor Gaara? The man's doing great!"
"You're going to embarrass him!"
"That's what friends are for."
Hinata shook her head.
"I don't think that's what friends are for."
"Then why does everyone keep embarrassing me?"
She gave him an innocent smile.
"Maybe because you're very easy to tease."
Naruto gasped.
"Betrayal! From you too!"
Hinata giggled.
He pointed dramatically toward the stars.
"First Ino! Then Sakura! Now Hinata! The conspiracy spreads!"
"Maybe you should be less dramatic."
Naruto turned back toward her.
"Hinata. I am the very picture of restraint."
She stared.
Then both started laughing.
A little later, Naruto pointed toward a distant cloud formation.
"Hey. What's that look like to you?"
Hinata followed his gaze.
A large cloud drifted lazily across the sky.
"Hmm. A rabbit?"
Naruto frowned.
"A rabbit?"
"Yes."
He studied it.
"Looks more like Kakashi-sensei's hair."
Hinata tilted her head.
Then laughed.
"Oh! I can see that!"
"See? That's clearly Kakashi. Look at the ridiculous shape!"
"Naruto!"
"And that smaller cloud behind it?"
Hinata examined it.
"A turtle?"
"Shikamaru trying to escape work."
She laughed again.
"How?"
"Look at it. It's barely moving."
"Clouds don't usually move very quickly."
"Exactly. Very suspicious."
Another cloud drifted past.
Hinata pointed.
"What about that one?"
Naruto narrowed his eyes.
"Hmm."
It had an enormous rounded body and two strange protrusions.
"That's obviously Gai-sensei."
Hinata stared.
"How?"
"Look at those eyebrows."
She laughed.
"They're clouds!"
"Very youthful clouds."
"Naruto!"
"And that one over there is Kankuro after someone touches his ship."
"Why?"
"Because it looks angry."
Hinata leaned against him, laughing.
And Naruto decided that cloud-watching was apparently a much more entertaining activity than he'd previously given it credit for.
Who knew meteorology could be so insulting?
The night grew quieter.
Hinata remained beside him, their shoulders occasionally brushing as they talked.
Neither seemed particularly concerned about it.
There was no need for grand declarations or awkward conversations.
They were enjoying themselves.
And that was enough.
At one point, Hinata mentioned that she'd tasted a local dessert made from pumpkin.
Naruto immediately became interested.
"Was it good?"
"Very."
"Better than ramen?"
She looked at him.
"Naruto."
"What?"
"Those are completely different foods."
"That's not an answer."
She laughed.
"Then no."
"Correct! You pass!"
"Pass what?"
"The ramen appreciation examination."
"There's an examination?"
"There is now."
Hinata shook her head.
"What's the next question?"
Naruto sat up straight.
"Excellent! Question two. If you have one bowl of ramen and I have no ramen, what is the appropriate response?"
Hinata pretended to think.
"Share?"
Naruto looked delighted.
"Perfect!"
"Or buy you another bowl?"
His eyes widened.
"Hinata..."
She tilted her head.
"Yes?"
"You might be the greatest person alive."
She burst out laughing.
Inside Naruto's mind, Kurama opened one eye.
The boy's romantic standards are apparently based on noodle distribution.
Then he closed it again.
Frankly, he'd seen stranger things.