"You're really something, huh~"
"All grown up and still hogging a kiddie ride?"
Don't you realize you're practically the same age as that ancient ancestor over there?
And on top of that…
"Fine, play the kiddie ride if you want. But fighting over it with a child? Have you no shame as a beast?"
Rasa looked at Shukaku—sulking in his black cauldron—with an utterly speechless expression. That pudgy, round face, those beady little eyes… just looking at it made his hands itch.
"What, now you're pouting?"
"Rasa, brat, I—"
"Who're you calling 'brat'? And who do you think you are, calling yourself my elder?!"
"Kazekage-sama, it's not that I'm upset," Shukaku quickly backpedaled the moment Rasa started rolling up his sleeves. "It's just… I finally got a break! old man Ebizo personally approved it, and after working non-stop for so long, can't I have a little fun?"
He didn't even get paid. What's so wrong with enjoying a kiddie ride?
"You're saying it makes you happy to steal a ride from a kid?"
Rasa shot him a sideways glance, full of contempt.
Aren't you afraid of becoming a laughingstock among the other Tailed Beasts?
"Heh heh~"
Even Shukaku seemed a little embarrassed now. He reached out his chubby paw from the pot and scratched his head awkwardly.
"I don't know why… I just really don't like that little brat. Didn't want to let him play."
"Really?"
More like you're obsessed.
Rasa didn't buy it. He squinted at the tanuki suspiciously until the latter averted his eyes, clearly guilty.
Typical. Always making excuses.
Rasa sighed.
"Well, I guess it makes sense that you'd dislike him."
"???"
"Your best buddy—the Nine-Tails—is sealed inside that kid."
"Bullshit! Who's that loud-mouthed bastard supposed to be my—wait, what?!"
Shukaku, who had just been flaring up in rage, suddenly froze.
"You're saying… he's a Jinchūriki?"
"The Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki. The Fourth Hokage's son. He has Uzumaki blood. His name's Naruto Uzumaki."
Rasa nodded, then glanced over to see Shukaku's fat little face twist into a wicked smirk.
He immediately narrowed his eyes in warning.
"Don't even think about it. The people from Konoha won't sit around if the Nine-Tails starts to rampage. If anything happens, do you really want to be sealed in a toilet?"
Why had he given Danzō a heads-up and let his own son carry Shukaku around the village?
Because having two tailed beasts in the same place was asking for trouble.
If Shukaku and the Nine-Tails ended up fighting in Sunagakure, the village would be in ruins.
He looked down at Gaara, who was dutifully hugging the black cauldron.
"Keep a close eye on him. If he acts up, flush him down the toilet immediately."
"Okay, Dad!" Gaara nodded adorably. Then he tilted his head, troubled. "But Shukaku's really big… What if he doesn't fit?"
"…"
Shukaku's face twitched at the father-son duo's blatant threats.
"…Got it. I won't cause trouble."
Geez!
It wasn't like he couldn't read the room.
With a huff of irritation, he grumbled, "That stupid fox… I could smack it dead with one tail. I'm not even interested."
"You only have one tail."
"…"
You just wait. You just—
Whatever! I'm above this!
Thud.
Shukaku directly shrank into its black cauldron, shutting itself inside.
...
Meanwhile…
Danzō stood with arms crossed, staring at the kiddie ride in front of him. The lights on the ride flashed red and blue in alternating intervals, and a sultry, singsong voice called out repeatedly:
"Hey there, handsome~ Come play with me~"
He frowned.
So this was the "good stuff" the Kazekage had wanted to show him?
Another ridiculous toy.
But it clearly had a good profit margin. In just a few moments, several kids had wanted to play, only to back away nervously when they saw it was already occupied.
He glanced ahead at Kakashi and the blond child being guarded behind him—Naruto.
Danzō figured that before they left the village, Hiruzen must have secretly instructed that double-agent to watch over the Jinchūriki.
After all, he himself had been explicitly forbidden from going near the boy.
It was part of the pact he and Hiruzen had made.
Danzō stared coldly at Naruto for a few seconds, then turned away.
"Keep an eye on him."
"Yes, Danzō-sama."
Kakashi responded calmly. He continued standing by Naruto's side, making no sudden movements. Only after Danzō's footsteps had faded into the distance did Kakashi's expression return to its usual laziness. Hands in his pockets, he squinted ahead.
Kazekage… Danzō… What are they scheming? Does the Hokage know?
He looked down at Naruto, who was still frozen in place, staring after Danzō's retreating back.
Smack!
Kakashi gave the kid a light tap on the head.
"What are you staring at?"
"Ow! That hurt!" Naruto rubbed his head and looked up. "Kakashi-sensei, do you know that old guy?"
"Nope." Kakashi replied immediately, rolling his visible eye. "Anyway, are we done? If not, let's head back and rest."
The Leaf delegation—including civilians and shinobi—had all been temporarily housed in an unfinished luxury hotel: the Sunagakure Sail Hotel.
Though not fully completed, that only applied to the upper floors. The levels they were staying in were already lavishly decorated—gold-plated doorknobs, faucets, ashtrays, even elevators that moved up and down like magic.
Truly worthy of the 'Gold Panner Gift Pack' origin.
Gold was abundant here.
And they were staying for free. Normally, this place would've cost a fortune per night.
Kakashi yawned, arms behind his head.
"It's getting late. Time to rest."
"But we just got here!" Naruto pouted. He glanced back at the kiddie ride still beckoning him.
His eyes lit up.
"I wanna play! I'm gonna play! Kakashi-sensei, are you coming too?"
"…"
Absolutely not.
Meanwhile…
Somewhere in the deserts of the Land of Wind—
"Tsunade-sama, wait up~!"
Shizune chased after her master in a panic, cradling Tonton in her arms.
"And Tonton, hush! If you get lost out here, we can't just post a mission to find you, y'know!"
This was the desert, after all.
"We don't have the cash to hire a ninja village for a recovery mission."
"Puyo! Puyo!"
"I know you're hot, but there's nothing we can do."
Shizune fanned herself miserably and looked around the nighttime sands.
"We should be getting close to Sunagakure, right?"
"Almost there." Tsunade walked on unbothered, her sharp gaze scanning the dunes ahead.
"Just a little further."
"Tsunade-sama… Do you think the 100 million prize is real? I mean, it's Sunagakure—"
"Hmph! If I traveled all the way out here and don't see that money with my own eyes… well, I'm not someone who gets conned so easily."
"But Tsunade-sama… you only get the million if you win first place…"
"I'm entering the race. Of course I'm winning first place."
Who else would dare challenge her?
Tsunade patted her chest, full of confidence.
"That 100 million? It's already mine."
"…R-Really?"
So why do I feel so uneasy inside?
Please… don't let this be another gambling scam…
Shizune silently prayed.