One of the unsung benefits of working yourself to exhaustion is the peaceful sleep it gives you. One second you’re worrying about this and that and then boom…out like a light. I thought maybe I would have had bad dreams or would be uncomfortable while sleeping on some wooden boxes after years of enjoying a nice, Fujitsu-enhanced bed, but nope.
It was because of the deep sleep I was in, that I didn’t realize I had a guest paying me a visit until he was directly over me. Snapping my eyes open before I even consciously knew why, I saw a man with spiky white hair looking down at me. He had a strong build to him with a blue shirt and brown pants and jacket silhouetted by the dawns light.
“Good morning sensei. Welcome to my home, please come in. Can I fix you some breakfast?” I said as I got up from my improvised bedding which was just wooden boxes and my rolled-up carpet acting as a pillow. The older man looked at me and made a show of turning around and stared at the paw-shaped crater that used to be my apartment.
“My apartment building is currently undergoing some renovations. Going for a less is more approach. It’s all the rage nowadays. The whole village is doing it.”
“Always the comedian huh? I hope you didn’t make these kinds of jokes when you where stationed in the Sand.”
“No, I was much less tactful. Speaking of, they have declared war and are about to attack us any second now.”
“You and Fugaku couldn’t be more different if you tried. Sometimes I feel like I promoted you to Chunin too fast.”
“Yes but then you would have been stuck with me and my bad jokes longer. Plus back then the Legendary white fang of the Leaf was stuck on babysitting duty. Time you spend’t teaching us how to not die, you could have spend on terrorizing the enemies of the Village. ”
“Hmm, well I’m glad you aren’t dead yet. I came here because Hiruzen wanted to talk with you. He’s still at the Sarutobi compound. Your flying carpet still works?”
“It does, but could you do me a favor first?”
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***
“Alright, and that’s the last of it,” I said dropping my crates off in the Hatake clan storage room. The room was mostly empty except for some old boxes of clothes in the corner but now had a small hill of my stuff in the smack dab middle of the room. I could have packed it better but this was only temporary, I would move it later.
“You done?” Sakumo said laying on my flying carpet, not even offering to help.
“Yes, all my and a few other people's earthly possessions are now under your care and protection. Do you feel that you are capable and worthy of being the guardian of such worldly treasures?”
“Will you knock it off? When the Hokage asks to see you, it’s best not to keep him waiting.” Sakumo lectured as I had the carpet move towards the Sarutobi compound. Before it got too high up, I leaped on and took a seat next to the lounging man.
“Well now that I have a bit of a break from hospital duties, Care on filling me in on the current events?”
“Minato and Kushina are dead,” Sakumo said and waited a moment to let the news sink in. A few seconds went by but we didn’t have time to linger too long. “The circumstances around their deaths are a S-Class secret so I can’t fill you in but this next part involves you a little. Nashi Uzumaki, the young woman you picked up from the Grass Village. She just became a lot more important overnight.”
It took me a moment to follow along. After the war, I was given a little bit of freedom to pick and choose my missions and got an opportunity I was waiting for. One day an A-Level mission came up that I was uniquely suited for. The village hidden in the Grass had their shinobi bouncing back from injuries much faster than they had any right to and without any noticeable side effects.
Thanks to the mummy-like bandages I always had wrapped around my body as well as my face I was able to hide the joy at finally managing to get a lead on Karin. I had kept my ear to the ground in the past but could never get a clue to her whereabouts. I had to stop myself from leaping into the air and clicking my heels together.
Sneaking into the Grass village was so easy I had half a mind to think it was some sort of elaborate trap meant for me. It was not. With a simple disguise and paperwork that could handle above-average scrutiny, I practically stumbled upon the young Uzumaki woman. The only problem was that it wasn’t Karin but her mother. Karin hadn’t been born yet and with my actions would likely never be.
I was so taken aback I wanted to retreat and come up with some kind of plan but I had an opportunity and still riding the high from my accomplishments from the war, I took a chance. Moving quickly I forged some documents and with the attitude of a halfway important shinobi who was put upon with a task that he believed was beneath him, I made my move.
Barging in I started giving orders. Flashed some paperwork, threw some insults, and asked leading questions and within 15 minutes I had more than a few glares pointed my way but also a frazzled-looking woman I discovered was named Nashi Uzumaki standing in front of me packed and ready to travel. By the time the Grass Village discovered my trickery, I was already inside the fire country.
I told Nashi after we crossed the border what was going on and at first, she was scared, Seeing I had just kidnapped her but after a while, she simmered down and when we got to the Leaf village Kushina stuck to the woman like glue.
At the time I just patted myself on the back on a job well done but now thinking about it, Naruto has “Family” inside the village. He isn’t alone. As if hearing my thoughts Sakumo spoke “Nashi Uzumaki is the legal guardian of the new nine-tails jinchuriki.”