17 Chapter 17 Condition

Konoha.

Hokage Office.

"Protection, why would I need protection from someone around my age!"

"Granny Tsunade, I'm not the old Naruto anymore, I can protect myself now!"

Naruto was riled up as he complained with a somewhat dissatisfied look over his face, looking at Tsunade.

He has trained so much in these two years, yet he still needs to be protected by someone around his age.

Naruto doesn't like the feeling of being looked down so much.

"Calm down Naruto, if you are dissatisfied by my decision, then I can change it, but on one condition"

"Hehe~"

Tsunade had expected such a reaction from Naruto, so she had already thought everything and all it needed was for Naruto to jump right into the trap.

"What condition?"

Looking at Tsunade who was laughing mysteriously, Naruto felt something was wrong but with his brain he didn't think much and inquired with a puzzled look over his face.

Knock…

But before Tsunade could tell what the condition was, the door was knocked cutting her off.

"Come in."

Said Tsunade lightly as the door was pushed open and four figures entered the room.

Three of them Azuma had met earlier, the lazy eyed Shikamaru and the silver haired Kakashi and the pig holder Shizune.

The other was a girl with sandy blonde hair, wearing a black and red kimono with a large fan on her back, her arms across her chest.

"Huh, it's you, Kakashi Sensei and Shikamaru!"

Naruto looked back and was surprised seeing acquaintances as he quickly ran towards them with an excited look over his face.

"Oi~ Oi~ is that you Naruto?"

Asked Shikamaru with a somewhat surprised look over his face, as Naruto had grown beyond his expectations physically.

"Haha, Of course I'm, surprised right!"

Said Naruto hands behind his back flashing a smile, suddenly in a good mood.

"You sure have gotten tall, Naruto!"

Kakashi on the other hand was somewhat calm as Shizune had already told him that Naruto was back when she came to fetch him.

"You haven't changed a bit, Kakashi Sensei, oh and by the way I brought you a present!!"

"What!!"

Naruto took out a blue book from his ninja bag as a look shock appeared on the face of Kakashi.

"Hmm~ only a true fan knows this books worth"

Jiraiya behind had a smug look over his face as this was his finest work and such a reaction was normal for him.

"Okay, stop messing around, Kakashi, I have decided something that needs your consent as well"

Kakashi with trembling hands opened the book as light shone on his face but Tsunade suddenly spoke as Kakashi closed the book immediately hearing her words.

"Consent?"

Kakashi arrived before Tsunade, a puzzled look over his face, even Shikamaru and Temari looked at her curiously.

"I have decided to let Azuma tag along with your squad, you know about Akatsuki, and he can be our biggest assurance"

Tsunade pointed towards Azuma who stood at the corner quietly gaining the attention of everyone.

"Oi~, Azuma you were here as well, long time no see!!"

"Un."

Shikamaru greeted Azuma causally causing the latter to node at him, greeting him back.

"I have no problem!"

Looking at Azuma and remembering about what happened two months ago, Kakashi didn't have a second though as having someone like Azuma on the squad is the same as having a 100 level boss as a guardian in the novice village.

"But I have a problem, tell me the condition, Granny Tsunade!"

But Naruto refused to be protected by someone around his age as this was too embarrassing for him so he asked the condition.

"Hehe, the condition is simple, you have to defeat Azuma in a fight, if you can prove that you are stronger than him, he naturally won't tag along with you"

"Not only this, if you can defeat him, I'll promote you directly to Jonin, but if you lose you have no right to complain"

"Hehe~"

"So what do you think, are you up for the challenge?

Laughing a little, Tsunade looked at Naruto who stood stupefied in his place due to her words.

"Fighting Azuma…Lady Tsunade is really cruel!"

Shikamaru looked at Naruto with a look of pity in his eyes as he knew he was done for.

Sakura, Kakashi and Shizune had no different look from Shikamaru in their eyes as they knew Tsunade had dug a perfect trap for Naruto to fall in.

"Haha!! Don't go back on your words, Granny Tsunade!!"

"Azuma, right? let's fight immediately, I can't wait!!"

After being stunned for a moment, Naruto let out a loud laugh and after reminding Tsunade of her promise, he looked at Azuma with excitement in his eyes.

He would never let the chance to be promoted to a Jonin in one go to waste so he wanted to fight as soon as possible.

"You have just arrived, take a rest, the fight will begin during the night at Third Training Ground"

"And you too Sakura, I want to see your progress as well, you will fight Kakashi!!"

Naruto wanted to fight immediately, but Tsunade had some work needed to finish, so she delayed it till night.

Phew…

Sakura had a relieved expression on her face hearing the one she would fight is Kakashi as rather than fighting a monster like Azuma, she is willing to fight hundreds of Kakashi.

"Azuma fighting Naruto, interesting!!"

Shikamaru also had an interesting look over his face as he decided to sacrifice his precious sleep tonight

Azuma who was going to fight Naruto stood on the corner with a somewhat stunned look in his yellow hawk like eyes as no one really asked his opinion.

Read chapters ahead on P@treon.com/Navyking6666.

{AN:- This won't be a boring one punch fight, something interesting would happen during the fight and in the next chapter I'm going to let Azuma wear attire like Hawkeye, not the hat though, I know he is a shinobi but it makes easier to Imagine}