Here you go, a new chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.
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Moments later, in Suna;
Naruto looked around him as he was being escorted towards the Kazekage's building. The scene around him would have been intriguing if not for the feeling of depression that he felt from Suna's residence.
As he walked, he felt the eyes of Suna's residents on him. Most looked at him with intrigue and wonder, seeing a person escorted by Anbu, but some of them, especially the Shinobi, looked at him with hate or complicated expressions as soon as they saw his headband.
Naruto raised an eyebrow at what he was sensing. Some allies we are, guess the reports are correct, especially after what he heard from the two chunin gate guards. He heard almost all of their conversations, with them having no idea that he stood nearby.
Looking around, Naruto took in the place where Reiko(Pakura) was born and served as a kunoichi before being betrayed by the current Kazekage. Naruto himself didn't like what he was seeing, even though he had problems with most of Konoha's population. He wouldn't want to live in Suna. It seemed barren and dull compared to Konoha or even Kumo. No wonder Reiko rarely ever talked about her time here.
Naruto gave his surroundings another look before looking to his right to a rooftop near the Kazekage's building, where he was being escorted. He felt a signature that intrigued him ever since he set foot in Suna.
Up on that roof, Naruto spotted a young child, around Mito's age, with red hair, which was duller in color than Naruto's own hair. He could see the kid sitting near the edge, looking down while hugging a worn-out teddy bear.
Naruto could feel sadness, confusion, and loneliness from the kid. But there was also a huge amount of malice and bijuu chakra emanating from the boy, which was what caught Naruto's attention earlier.
'Shukaku' Came Kurumi's voice from Naruto's mindscape.
'Who?' Naruto inquired, being unfamiliar with the name.
'It is Ichibi's name. That boy is Shukaku's Jinchuuriki.' Kurumi replied.
'Barely a Jinchuuriki. Do you feel how much Bijuu chakra is leaking from the young boy? What type of Seal is on his body? I feel like Shukaku is barely contained.' Naruto replied
'I can feel it. And knowing that tanuki (raccoon dog), he is surely making it harder for the boy.' Kurumi replied.
As Naruto finished his internal conversation with Kurumi, he saw the boy standing up and looked around slowly before locking eyes with Naruto from a distance. Naruto smiled at the boy, only to be saddened slightly by the boy's reaction. The boy's dull eyes widened at seeing Naruto smile at him. Naruto could feel the shock, the awkwardness, and the confusion from the boy at the act.
'Seems that Jinchuuriki are treated the same everywhere, no matter how old they are.' Naruto thought to himself as he looked away from the boy, since he and the Anbu escorting him had reached and entered the Kazekage's building.
On the roof of the building near the Kazekage tower;
"H….He smiled at m..me." The young Jinchuuriki muttered to himself while hugging his teddy bear closer as he saw Naruto disappear into the Kazekage's tower.
No one has ever smiled at him before, not his siblings, not his uncle, not even his father. His uncle had smiled at him before, but it seemed fake, forced. A four-year-old boy has seen enough to know that everyone in his village either fears, hates, or is disgusted by him. And here, a stranger has smiled genuinely at him.
'That is because he doesn't know who you are. The moment he knows who you are, he will be like everyone else.' A voice in his head said. A voice that had been with him as long as he remembered.
The little boy's mood gloomed at that, but a very small part was hopeful that this time it was different. He hoped that he would have someone who would treat him as other kids are treated.
In the Kazekage tower;
Knock, knock, knock
"Come in," Rasa said
"Kazekage-sama, we brought him." The same Anbu from earlier announced as he entered the council room
"Then let him in," Rasa said, gesturing with his hand to bring Naruto in as he stood up.
The Anbu bowed and left. A moment later, Naruto entered the room, followed by the Anbu members, making all eyes fall on him.
Naruto eyed everyone present in the room before his eyes locked with Rasa.
"Kazekage-dono." Naruto greeted with a respectful tone
"Naruto Uzumaki." Rasa said blankly before continuing, "What is a Shinobi of your status doing, gracing us with his presence without a word in advance?"
"Hokage-sama has seen the current tension between our villages and wanted to inquire about the cause. He sent me, his latest student, as a gesture of goodwill. I have a message here from him." Naruto said before taking out the sealed message scroll.
"What goodwill?" Chiyo muttered silently to herself while letting out a huff. Who sends a Jinchuuriki to an allied country as a sign of goodwill? Not only that, he was sent stealthily and had only been spotted at the entrance of the village.
Rasa eyed Naruto for a second before gesturing to one of his Anbu to get the message and bring it to him, which was done.
"He looks young." A councilman muttered, looking at Naruto
"He does look young, but he matches his description in the bingo book," a councilwoman muttered back.
Rasa looked at the scroll for a second before opening it and reading it. His face was blank as he read Hiruzen's message, but his brows furrowed ever so slightly. After finishing the message, Rasa closed it before looking back at Naruto.
"I will write a response for the Hokage after some discussions with my Advisors. For now, you are welcome to stay in the village. A response will be ready by tomorrow evening at most." Rasa said, to which Naruto nodded.
"Escort our guest to an inn," Rasa ordered the Anbu team, who silently followed Naruto out of the room before closing the door.
"What is it, Kazekage-sama?" a councilman said, to which Rasa remained silent as his eyes stayed on the locked door.
Whatever his response is, it will either escalate the situation or ease it.
To be continued.
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