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"Human Talking"

Human Thoughts

Jutsus

"Tailed Beast/Summoning animal Talking"

Tailed Beast/Summoning animal Thoughts

CHAPTER 23

Start of The Dark Times

It has been 3 years since Naruto and Jiraiya came back from Sand village after successfully helping Sand village to have their own Guardian. Now Naruto is 8 years old and Tsunade is making preparations for their journey to Leaf village, so that Naruto can enter in the Ninja Academy. Currently Naruto was outside in the playground playing with Eevee, whereas Shizune and Tsunade are packing the stuff that they would need for the journey.

"Eevee... Catch..." Naruto shouted while throwing a frisbee as far as he could. The blond boy saw his companion move like it was possessed by lightning and jump 30 feet from the ground to catch the frisbee in mid air and then land. Eevee ran back to Naruto and dropped the frisbee to jump on him, tackling the boy to the ground and started licking the boy.

"Eevee... That tickles..." Naruto said in between his laughs.

"Do we have everything we need..?" Tsunade asked looking at their traveling luggage.

Shizune went through the check list once more and after few seconds she replied, "Yes Lady Tsunade... Everything is packed."

"Alright then... Let's seal the luggage in a scroll..." Tsunade said as she opened a sealing scroll on the ground and started sealing all 25 travel bags which had their things in the scroll one by one. After she was finished with sealing each and everything, she closed the scroll.

"Knowing small sealing techniques is well worth it.." Shizune said chuckling.

"Yeah it is..." Tsunade agreed inwardly thanking her late cousin Kushina for teaching her some sealing techniques.

"We're all set to start our journey tomor..." Shizune was not able to finish as there was small puff of smoke suddenly in front of them.

"Satori..?" Tsunade recognized the one that just arrived after the smoke had dissipated. She seemed a little surprised by seeing her sensei's summon monkey here.

"Greetings Lady Tsunade..." Satori greeted respectfully first before continuing again, "Sarutobi-san wanted me to deliver some news to you."

"What is it...?" Tsunade questioned.

"Sannin Jiraiya and Jounin Kakashi Hatake will be arriving here by tonight to escort you three safely during your travel to The Leaf Village."

"We don't need an escort... Besides, I already told sensei that we don't need any security 10 days ago, then why is he..." Tsunade was interrupted before she can finish by Satori who said, "It's not Sarutobi-san's decision..."

Tsunade just blinked and questioned, "What..?"

"It's not Sarutobi-san's decision..." Satori said again and gave a small pause for both ladies to digest that information and then continued, "It was the decision of The Fire Daimyo... He sent an order for The Leaf Village to send two of their strongest shinobi to guard Tsunade Senju and The Senju Clan Heir." Satori made sure to emphasize the words 'The Senju Clan Heir'.

Tsunade rose an eye brow at this new information and Shizune asked, "Why...?"

"You may not know this, but most villages are indirectly afraid of The Senju Clan Heir as almost every shinobi nation already knew who his father is. So when the news of The Senju Clan Heir coming back to Leaf Village reached The Fire Daimyo, he actually ordered a division of his samurai along with Kakashi and Jiraiya to escort you safely to Leaf Village. But Sarutobi-san convinced him that there's no need of samurai as both Sannin Jiraiya and Jounin Kakashi Hatake will be more than enough to make sure you three are safe." Satori replied. Tsunade and Shizune were silent for few moments trying to digest this new information.

"Hiring an S ranked Sannin and a high A ranked Jounin for our safety, huh...?" Tsunade said breaking the silence, more to herself than the other two occupants in the room. She took out a booklet from her sleeves and asked, "What's the mission pay..?" She was about to sign it, but was interrupted when Satori said, "Its already paid."

"Huh..?" was the intelligent reply from Shizune as Tsunade just rose an eye brow.

"The mission expenses including the travelling expenses are already paid by The Fire Daimyo to The Leaf Village." Satori replied.

"Why is The Fire Daimyo interested in my son this much..?" the suspicion was clear in Tsunade's words.

"I don't know Lady Tsunade... But my task here is done..." Satori said and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Only 8 years old and my son is already creating ripples in the shinobi world..." Tsunade said chuckling to herself in which Shizune also joined as both master and apprentice duo gazed outside to see Naruto playing with Eevee.