"Kiyosuke-sensei, what should we do next?" Hinata asked.
Kiyosuke sat beside Mei Terumi and said, "Don't overthink it. Tonight we'll rest in Kirigakure, then leave tomorrow."
"Okay."
"Alright, alright — first, let's eat." Mei Terumi clapped her hands, and the household servants brought out dishes with Kirigakure characteristics.
Seafood made up a large portion, though there was also some meat and vegetables, just fewer in number.
"Huh, where are Uncle and Aunt?"
This time Mei Terumi's father wasn't home, which made him a little unsettled.
Every time Mei Terumi's father saw him he seemed like he wanted to kill him with his eyes — it was hard at first, but Kiyosuke got used to it later.
"My father and mother went on a trip. They've worked all their lives; it's time they had a rest. I heard they're headed to the hot springs in the Land of Hot Water," Mei Terumi explained softly as she handed Kiyosuke a piece of assorted tempura.
The golden, crispy shell had a special flavor when bitten into — it tasted very good.
While enjoying the delicacies, Mei Terumi often asked Hinata and the others how Kiyosuke was doing in Konoha.
The three told the truth: no scandals with girls, but he liked to go out and fool around with Jiraiya.
Going out and fooling around was one thing.
What mattered was that he was fooling around with Jiraiya — the notorious old lecher of the shinobi world — and what that meant went without saying.
"My dear, I've heard of that Jiraiya — one of the Three Legendary Sannin, a famous senior. But please stay away from him." Mei Terumi's smile was charming, but it carried a sharp edge.
"Y-yes."
Kiyosuke bowed his head and quietly ate his rice.
Amazing — even Kiyosuke-sensei was afraid of her!
The three little ones' eyes lit up with little stars as they looked at Mei Terumi with admiration, making her a bit bashful.
"Oh my, Kiyosuke is just like that — if no one keeps him in check he'll run wild. Sorry for the spectacle."
"It's nothing, it's nothing." The three nodded.
Hinata said, "The Mizukage-sama is amazing. I want to be an independent and strong woman like you and Tsunade-sama."
"You're flattering me. Believe in yourself and you will be able to."
Kiyosuke nodded and said, "Yes, believe in yourself, Hinata. You'll definitely marry Naruto. That brat's just slow to react — I'll teach him when we get back."
"Marry— marry Naruto…"
Hinata's face flushed bright red, and then she fainted.
Mei Terumi, not having seen this before, was startled and asked,
"What's wrong with her?"
Kiyosuke waved his hand.
"It's fine. She's always been like this. She's liked Naruto for a long time but never dared confess. I believe she'll succeed."
"But that kind of personality is a bit of a disadvantage." Mei Terumi sighed and had a maid take Hinata to rest.
The others continued eating.
After they had their fill, Shino and Kiba were also sent to rest.
Kiyosuke and Mei Terumi sat in the courtyard, looking up at the moon; the moonlight was beautiful, and so were they.
Mei Terumi leaned against Kiyosuke, closed her eyes, and quietly enjoyed the moment.
"I really wish this could last forever," she whispered.
"It will. Don't rush."
Kiyosuke smiled and held her in his arms.
"Soon we'll be together."
"Mm."
She buried her head in her lover's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.
"Kiyosuke, I love you."
"I love you too, Mei."
The night was beautiful. The people were beautiful.
...
After a night of rest from their labors, Kiyosuke woke with narrowed eyes.
Clean, neatly folded clothes sat by the bedside.
He put them on and went to wash; Hinata and the others had also woken and sat together for breakfast.
"Good morning, Kiyosuke-sensei."
"Good morning."
Yawning, he asked, "Where's Mei?"
The maid said, "Mei-sama has already gone to work. She's been busy lately; she goes to work at this time every day."
"Alright, got it."
Everyone nodded, finished their meal, and set off.
They returned to the lake from yesterday but did not find Yakushi Kabuto; instead, they spotted two familiar faces.
Deidara and Uchiha Obito.
"Ohhh, senior — it's Asakawa Kiyosuke from Konoha. This guy is so scary; you have to protect yourself!"
Since the release of the otherworldly god, Obito had been playing the role of the cowardly, weak Tobi while wearing his old spiral mask again.
There were no problems at all; he didn't even need that spiral White Zetsu to help him.
"Shut up! Tobi, this guy's not easy to deal with, but leave it to me! Mm!" Deidara nodded.
He'd come here to capture the Three-Tails this time.
The Akatsuki organization was short-handed and needed people, so he had to step up — after all, there weren't many members left.
Looking over the current Akatsuki:
Uchiha Itachi: undercover!
Kisame Hoshigaki: undercover!
Uchiha Obito: traitor and undercover!
Zetsu: the mastermind behind the scenes!
Deidara: a talented young artist unaware of the truth.
Konan: lacks conviction!
Nagato: conned and stricken by late-stage middle-school second-year syndrome!
(T/N: An adolescent who exhibits delusions of grandeur, believing they possess special powers, hidden knowledge, or have a special destiny.)
Yeah — no matter how you think about it, the only one actually doing the work was... Deidara!
Because Pain suspected Obito's identity, he had slowed the pace of capturing tailed beasts.
He was still tracking the Six-Tails jinchūriki but was less urgent; before eliminating problems, he wouldn't openly declare war on the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Obito opened his arms and hugged Deidara, speaking in a tone so syrupy it made himself feel sick,
"You're so good to me!!!"
"Get away!"
Deidara immediately dodged.
The two performed their antics atop the clay dragon; Kiyosuke couldn't help but smack his forehead — Obito had let himself go.
"Watch out for the white clay bombs, Shino."
"Mm."
Dark clouds of insects drifted from Shino — in fact, they were Aburame clan parasitic insects that fed on chakra.
The bugs swarmed toward the clay dragon.
"So disgusting — bugs. I hate bugs, hm!" Tobi muttered to himself.
Last time he encountered Kiyosuke he had to flee; Sasori had been wiped out and didn't return, which had left him sad for a while.
He casually tossed out a pile of round, detonating clay.
Then the explosive clay became tiny spiders that detonated in midair.
They blew up a bunch of the insects.
The clay dragon beneath flapped its wings, whipping up a storm that prevented the parasitic insects from approaching.
"I don't have time for that guy now. The Three-Tails is in the lake. Tobi, hold on; I'm going to use my art to blow that big turtle out."
As he spoke, the clay dragon flew up.
Tobi's screams rang out.
"Wait — I'm not seated yet ahhh!!!"
The screams rose and fell — Obito was actually yelling.
Kiyosuke paid it no mind.
If Deidara and Obito had come here, it meant a tailed beast was nearby; he carefully sensed the area.
What the— it's right below here?
What a huge turtle!