A Prize with a Catch

10 advanced chapters on my Patreon: Fiction Haven

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The mission Sarutobi gave me was to locate and capture Aoi. Kakashi told me that he was ready to jump in to stop me from killing Aoi, but I didn't. I felt slightly offended that he had thought I would easily forget my mission but didn't complain. I did almost kill Aoi out of spite.

The next step in our mission was to carry Aoi back to Konoha. However, we had to report the situation to the Daimyō first. Aoi was one of the Ninjas hired by the Wagarashi Family. We couldn't just leave with him without any explanation. Therefore, we went to meet the Daimyō, not bothering to disguise ourselves anymore.

The talk was a quick affair. Kakashi's fearsome reputation discouraged the Daimyō from dragging the matters. As much as we didn't want to cause unnecessary conflict with the Land of Tea, we wouldn't mind even if a conflict occurred. Konoha was the strongest Hidden Village in the world and the Land of Fire had a lot of resources to spend.

"Are the two of you going to return now?"

"Yes. It is a little early, but we have no reason to dilly-dally."

"That is unfortunate. I was planning to have my men show you around the country."

Kakashi turned to me at the Daimyō's statement. I waved my hand dismissively. I wasn't that interested in exploring the land. It sure had unique buildings and charms, but everywhere in this world had those. I was already numbed to those two aspects.

"What about a souvenir? Will our country's best tea be enough for you?"

"I am not a tea person, but my student will appreciate it very much."

The green-haired, plump, middle-aged man turned to me and smiled. He looked like a merchant who had just struck a good deal.

"Would you like it, Naruto-san?"

"I would appreciate it, Daimyō-sama."

He laughed. I couldn't quite get the reason he was trying very hard to be chummy with us. I could somehow tell that he was not being deceitful, but he had an underlying purpose. I wagered it was more than making a good impression.

After receiving three dozen tea packages of the Land of Tea's finest, Kakashi and I left the Daimyō's office with Aoi. The treasure's stealer had his Chakra sealed. I did the sealing with Fūinjutsu. I had pointed out to Kakashi that it was better to destroy Aoi's Chakra network, but he said that it would make Aoi unqualified for being punished as a Ninja. I didn't know you lost your status as a Ninja as long as you lost your Chakra.

The stupid bloke woke up when we were halfway to Konoha. It was around midnight and we were having roasted beef. I was an amazing cook. The smell of the heavenly dish I made might have woken him.

"Where am… I?" he mumbled before a look of realization flashed across his face as he looked around. "Fuck…" Yeah, I would also say that if I found myself in his situation. "Is Konoha going to have its revenge for what I did to their Shinobi? Keuk. For a bunch of people who preach about how Shinobi must have compassion, aren't you a little cruel?"

"Are you hungry?" I asked curiously while munching on my steak.

"Fuck you!" he snarled.

"Sheesh. You need to cool down." I shook my head and stood up. Walking toward him, I presented him with a few slices of steak. "Here are some if you are hungry."

Aoi scowled. He couldn't eat it, after all. How could he? His hands were tied. I put the steak in front of him. He would be able to eat the stake if he bent forward and took it with his mouth like an animal. I walked back and sat across from Kakashi. He looked at me with a weird look before shaking his head.

"I know you like what I did. Don't pretend to be a saint," I chided.

"I didn't say anything, though," Kakashi countered.

Before long, we heard a thud. We didn't need to check to know what happened. A smirk crept up my face. Aoi was, indeed, hungry. That was very naïve of him. He shouldn't have accepted food from strangers, especially ones who had tried to kill him.

We continued moving at dawn. The first thing I noticed was that Aoi had a red face and Kakashi had a gloomy aura as he looked at Aoi.

"You are a man. You know it is normal!"

Kakashi didn't say anything. He quietly hefted Aoi onto his shoulder and glared at me with heat. I tilted my head in confusion. I knew it was my fault, but I wouldn't admit that I put an aphrodisiac in Aoi's steak for shits and giggles. We resumed our travel. Kakashi could only last for six hours until he eventually let his clone do the carrying.

Kakashi was pale at this point. He looked like someone who had gone through a traumatic event. I curiously looked at Aoi and found a damp patch on his pants. I nodded my head in understanding. I would have been traumatized too if I were Kakashi.

"If you need to talk, I will listen," I said sincerely, putting my hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "Who knows the bastard is a perverted bastard? It's crazy, man." I glared at Aoi who was trying to look unfazed but was crying inside.

Kakashi gave me a seething glare before trapping me under his arm. He ground his knuckle against my head and called me a stupid blond. I didn't fight back. I barely felt anything since he was doing it for the sake of it. Kakashi was a good lad—useless to me, but a good lad, nonetheless.

We reached Konoha twelve hours later. It was already eight in the evening, but the Hokage's office was still alight. We entered the building and went straight to the office. We didn't need to knock as the door opened by itself. Sarutobi was sitting on his chair, caressing his beard as he looked at me.

"Kakashi, bring Aoi to the T&I Department. Naruto-kun will do the reporting," he said the moment we stood in front of his desk.

"Understood, Hokage-sama!"

With a Shunshin, Kakashi disappeared from the room.

"May I?"

Sarutobi extended his hand, prompting me to take out Raijin no Ken from the Storage Seal under my wrist. He inspected it as soon as I handed it to him. He channeled his Chakra into it, causing the lightning blade to materialize. The lightning was still yellow, but it felt stronger than the one Aoi had produced.

"Report, Naruto-kun."

At his command, I retold what I experienced, including Kakashi's lack of participation. Sarutobi revealed that Kakashi was indeed commanded to observe and only intervene when things went awry. With an awkward smile, he told me that he only expected me to locate Aoi and not capture him. He praised me for my capability, but I easily shrugged it off.

"Since you passed the test, I will give you your deserved promotion, Naruto-kun." Sarutobi took out a Chūnin flak jacket and put it on the table. "Now, as for the payment, since this is a B-Rank mission, I will give you 500,000 ryo plus 400,000 ryo of incentive for bringing back Raijin no Ken." He leaned on his chair and intertwined his fingers. "However, you might also have Raijin no Ken for yourself."

"What is the catch?" I quirked an eyebrow.

"You are quick to catch on to things, aren't you, Naruto-kun?" Sarutobi smiled. He leaned forward and continued, "I want you to pretend to be Genin until the end of the Chūnin exam."

"Why?"

"Jiraiya told me that Orochimaru is cooking up something. He has established a Hidden Village and there is a high chance he might do something at the Chūnin Exam."

"You seem to have a high trust in me for revealing that information," I remarked, noting the lack of reaction from Sarutobi. "Do you want me to investigate the team that Orochimaru will send to the Chūnin Exam without garnering attention?"

"No. I want you to protect Sasuke-kun during the exam."

In the end, I was given a babysitting mission. Well, given what would happen to Sasuke at the Chūnin exam, I didn't blame Sarutobi's worry. However, the development didn't sit well with me. I was sure Sarutobi didn't know anything about the invasion in the Anime. I didn't doubt Jiraiya's network, but I believed he wouldn't figure out Orochimaru's plot until it was too late.

"You prize the Uchiha very much, don't you," I idly remarked. Sarutobi opened his mouth, but I raised my hand thus stopping him. "I might face Orochimaru, so I want more than Raijin no Ken. I want another promotion at the end of the mission."

"The best I can give you is the promotion to Tokubetsu Jōnin," Sarutobi agreed.

"Deal."

Sarutobi smiled as he handed me Raijin no Ken and the scroll of my reward.

"There are books and a few C-Rank Jutsu scrolls inside. I heard you have been bugging Kakashi about it."

"Thank you."

I received my reward with a respectful bow. Sarutobi told me he was expecting me to submit my written report before dismissing me. I bowed once again before remembering that I wanted to give him something. I took out two packages of the tea that I got from the Land of Tea's Daimyō. They were nothing to me, but Sarutobi looked like he was going to cry upon receiving them.

A sucker for tea, I see.

"Let's talk about your parents over this tea tomorrow."

Ah, there is also that. I almost forgot.

"I can't wait to inherit the money."

Sarutobi chuckled as I got out of the room.

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Honorary Mention:

Daoist Mufasa

Faisal Salih

Florin Durbaca

Friday

Jamaul Pryor

Luck George