Chapter 38

[Naruto P.O.V.]

Sasuke and Itachi just left.

I sent a message to Haku. He appeared in front of me.

"I will be going out of the village for some business. Do you want to come with me?"

"Of course master. I'm always happy to be by your side."

"Go pack your stuff. We will be gone for one week. I'll be waiting for you at the west gate."

"Yes, master."

[1 hour later]

Haku and I are running through the forest hopping on trees.

"If I may ask master, what is this business?"

"I'm looking for someone."

"It must be an incredible person for you to personally go out to seek them."

"Well, she does have an incredible rack."

"Did you say something, master?"

"It's nothing. You'll see who it is when we arrive."

We arrived at our destination in the evening. It is a small village with a lot of gambling and alcohol.

"Let's go eat something."

We walked into a restaurant and I could smell a strong alcohol smell. I walked towards that smell and I sat opposite to a blond woman.

"May we sit here?"

"Go away."

"I'll pay for tonight."

"Hahaha, you should have said that earlier. Bring me 4 more bottles."

'A normal person would have died a thousand times with her drinking habit.'

"Can we get your special and some juice."

"Aw, two little kids are drinking juice."

I just ignored her.

"So what are you two beautiful ladies called."

"Ha, don't try your luck with me brat." said Tsunade

"I wasn't talking to you, you old hag. I'm talking to the two beautiful ladies beside you."

"You brat! Are you blind or something? Do I look like an old woman?"

"If you stopped using that anti-aging jutsu you would look like one."

"Who are you?"

"It's only proper manners to introduce yourself first."

"Tsunade Senju."

"Naruto Uzumaki."

"Are you trying to fool me? He is the Hokage. A Hokage wouldn't leave his village if there isn't anything important."

"You are important."

"Are you trying to get me back to the village? If so you better forget it."

"How about this. You can have Haku here for 1 night if you come back to the village."

"What!"

"If there was a handsome man I might have considered it, but I'm not into women."

"Who said he is a woman? Haku is 100% male."

Tsunade, Shizune and Tonton all couldn't believe their ears.

"Don't lie to me. There is no way she is anything but a woman."

"Master is right, I am a boy."

"You must have really lost your touch if you couldn't see through it. Or are you trying to make me think that you will be no use to me?"

"So you didn't become Hokage by luck."

"I don't rely on luck."

I took one of her bottles and completely downed it.

"This stuff really tastes bad."

"It's not made for little kids."

"I guess so."

Our food arrived and I started eating.

"I've heard why you left and to be honest, I think it's pathetic."

"Don't talk to lady Tsunade like that!"

"Oink Oink!"

"Let him finish."

"I can understand that it must be hard for you to lose two people close to you, but you knew that death is normal in the Shinobi world. Especially in war. And as the best medic in the world, you should have seen a lot of death in your life."

I cut my finger and let my blood drip down in front of her. She started shaking crazily.

"Stop this!" screamed Shizune

"How can it be that you're so afraid of blood when you've been working with it for your entire life."

"You wouldn't understand! You have never lost someone close to you."

"You're right, but that is because I'm strong. You are weak and you will never change if you don't do anything about it. If you follow me I can make you strong. I can make you strong enough to face your past head-on and protect everyone you love in the future."

She looked at me hesitantly.

"I'm not interested."

"I see, so does that mean that you don't want to become stronger to protect the two beside you?"

She looked at Shizune and Tonton.

"I bet you have never truly appreciated the two of them. I heard they have always been by your side while you were gambling and drinking. Do you ever think about how by following you they are waisting there life?"

She had a surprised look on her face.

"You're right. I've never thought about them and only done what I liked."

"Lady Tsunade, we are fine with just following you. If it wasn't for you I would already be dead."

"No, Shizune. He is right, you're just wasting your life by staying with me."

"You know, if you just came back to the village I can guarantee that she will live a fulfilling life. And as a bonus, I will give you a chance to meet your brother and lover for one last time."

"Don't lie to me! How is that even possible?"

"I'm not talking about bringing them back to life. You will only be able to talk to them for a little bit. I will give you some time to think about it. We will stay here for 1 week. If you haven't made your choice by then, I won't help you even if you beg me."

Haku and I walked out of the restaurant after paying.

"I'm not an expert, but I don't think that is how you pick up girls."

"I'm not picking up girls, I'm picking up subordinates. Gender doesn't define how I handle subordinates."

"But if it was a guy you would have thrown him in a cage and make him submit."

"Yeah and if they make smart jokes like that I will put them back in the cage."

"I'm sorry master. Please have mercy."

"Calm down I'm just joking."

"I didn't find it funny."

'How can someone look and act like a girl but still be a boy?'

"Come with me."

I took him inside a clothing shop.

After an hour we left.

"Master how could you do this to me."

"Staying with you challenges my straightness and I can't have that."

I gave him a makeover and he looks more like a boy now. He is wearing black Shinobi sandals with black cargo pants and a tight white t-shirt. It's basic but it does the trick.

"Let's go to the barber."

"Master please anything but that!"

"It's an order!"

"Yes sir."

After another hour at the barber, his makeover was finally done. His hair was cut a little shorter than 12-year-old Naruto. His hair went to the right and it was a little spiky.

"My beautiful hair is gone!"

He ran his hands through his hair and the moonlight is shining directly on him. Adding that to the tight white t-shirt that shows all his muscles, my mind started imagining stupid things.

'How is he challenging my straightness even more while he isn't a trap anymore? I really made a stupid decision.'

"Go and find me a place to sleep."

"Yes sir."

I took out a picture of Hinata from my pocket.

'You are the only one I love. You are the only one I love. You are the only one I love. You are the only one I love. You are the only one I love. You are the only one I love.'

I repeated it a hundred more times before my thoughts finally turned back to normal.

'That was close. I need to be more careful around him in the future.'

Haku sent me a message. He has found a place.

I arrived at the room. Haku let me in.

"Do you like the room, master?"

I ignored him and went to sleep.