Naruto: The Prince of Lust-Chapter 305

Additionally, no Kage is allowed to simply walk into another country’s hidden village whenever they like. Rasa would’ve had to give prior notice when he’d arrive so Konoha can prepare for him. Jiraiya assumed in transit would be the best opportunity to ambush the Kage, because a brilliantly placed trap has the capacity to take down anyone not expecting it. It’s why Karin’s sensing ability was so crucial. She’d be able to sense them without being sensed herself and alert Jiraiya.

An adamant Rasa continued, "as much as you’d like me to accept those four were somehow connected to Orochimaru, you lack any evidence to do so. Next time capture one."

Unfazed, Jiraiya returned, "believe what you like, Kazekage. You’re an astute and practical man, so I understand if you don’t want to admit to wrongdoing, but, we don’t need you to. We already know the truth."

Clearly annoyed by the renowned sage, Rasa nearly snarls as he demanded to know, "and precisely how is this boy involved?"

"For starters, his name is Uzumaki Naruto and he’s essentially engaged to your daughter," Jiraiya answered with an abundance of blushing amusement.

Naruto thought he looked angry before, Rasa was positively glaring as he warned the blond, "you’re playing a very dangerous game, Uzumaki."

Despite Rasa’s stern countenance, his Godfather’s casual presence—and his talk with Hinata—allowed Naruto to feel more like himself. Comfortably, he quirks his brow in confusion before asking, "how? You’re the ones invading us today."

Pausing a beat, Rasa then retorted, "and if that were true, you’re allowing it."

"Only to prove to you we are more than allies; we’re friends," Naruto responded, gaining more and more conviction by the second, even wondering why he was so nervous, to begin with.

"I fail to see how you-"

"Gaara," Naruto cuts him off.

Rasa’s nostrils flare as he hotly contested, "don’t you dare interrupt me!"

"I get it," Naruto interrupted again. He knows it’s not a smart move with someone like this—and he’s seen plenty of angry people in his time to know the look—however, at the moment, he only needed to say his piece. "You’re the Kazekage and I respect that, really—I’m going to be Hokage myself someday—which is why I know this is more important than that. You’re Gaara’s father and he’s the key to all of this, which is why you’re going to lose today." Rasa’s silence enables Naruto to continue proclaiming, "for all his life you guys treated him like he’s broken or a weapon, or both. You’re family yet Temari and Kankurō are scared of him, and you tried to kill him-"

"What right do you have to meddle in our affairs?"

"I’m his friend!" Though he feels it in his heart, it’s not quite reality, forcing him to add, "even if he doesn’t know it yet."

"We could’ve told Hokage-sama about your plans with Sound," Jiraiya inserted. "We could’ve let Orochimaru and his men kill you and your bodyguards but we didn’t."

"How do I know this isn’t a trick of the Sandaime," Rasa voiced in a slightly calmer voice. "This could very well be a manipulative trap."

"I’m the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails Demon Fox," Naruto honestly admitted to the Sand leader, making him blink widely in surprise. "So I know Gaara is the Jinchūriki of the One-Tail and we’re even more alike than that. It’s illegal to discuss what’s in me with anyone but I wouldn’t have told you if I was trying to trick you."

"You have my word on everything I hold dear," Jiraiya begins with a slight but respectful bow that Naruto then imitated. "Naruto and I are the only ones who know about your plans with Orochimaru."

Rasa is silently pensive, observing their respectful bows before abruptly contending, "despite your unproven accusation, I’m obliged to ask why?"

"Like I said, because we’re friends," Naruto returned turning his attention to the Kage once again. "Even if you can’t, I can see it just beyond today. We’re doing all this to prove it to you."

"How?"

"By beating Gaara and fighting back," Naruto answered. "It’s the best way for Konoha and Suna to understand each other; through our fists," he added, raising his unyielding fist.

"...I see." Turning to Jiraiya, Rasa inquired, "this is the wager you wanted me to hear." After Jiraiya nods, Rasa returned his attention to Naruto and pointed out, "shouldn’t it be easier for you as the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails to defeat Gaara-"

"I won’t be using the Kyūbi’s power against Gaara," Naruto assured the stern Kage. "My own strength’s more than enough."

Cynically, Rasa probes, "and if Gaara transforms? Will your strength be enough to handle the monstrous might of the One-Tail?"

"Yup," Naruto confidently affirmed. "Even if he transforms, I won’t use the Kyūbi’s chakra against him. I’ll stop Gaara no matter what he does to me, just like Konoha will stop this invasion no matter what you and Sound do to us."

Still staring angrily, Rasa paused before asking, "...And after?"

"That’s a diplomatic bridge we’ll cross when our villages are, hopefully, more enlightened," Jiraiya proposed.

"So give us everything you got," Naruto demanded of the strong and stern leader. "We can take it."

Gazing at the arena and the Hokage Monument in the far distance, Rasa turned to Naruto and explained, "no matter what happens today, I will alert your Hokage of your prior knowledge and most reckless gamble."

"Pfffft, I’m not doing anything I’m ashamed of," the blond nimbly announced. "You can be in the room when I tell him myself."

"If there were such an invasion, how will your naive foolishness explain to your Hokage all the Konoha deaths you’ve allowed in order to prove this ’friendship’ to me?" Rasa squares his shoulders as he antagonistically verbalized, "with every death tallied today, your culpability increases as well. It would make you a disgrace to your Hitai-ate, your village, and your leader."

"Hey, now," Jiraiya called, standing next to Naruto, reminding the Kage of his presence. "Let’s not forget whose invasion this belongs to in the first place, Kazekage-dono. This is unorthodox, sure. It takes a lot of guts to think way outside the box here, but it’s for your benefit; it’s for all our benefit."

"It’s fine," Naruto told Jiraiya. "He’s right. I’m from Konoha and these are my people I’m risking. Walking around the village, everywhere I looked people were doing something for themselves, for someone they love, or for the good of the village; living life like they expect to see into tomorrow. I spent a lot of time thinking about how I might be taking their tomorrows away, all to prove something to you and Suna. It wasn’t an easy thing to carry and I agonized over it."

Without the girls for two days, Naruto had ample time to think about all of his decisions and plans when he wasn’t talking with Naru-nii. Their plans certainly felt necessary, but weren’t without risks, and worst yet, he couldn’t take those risks on all by himself. He could do his best to mitigate the threat to others but if he wasn’t perfect, then someone would die, and if someone died, that would be on him. He wasn’t sure he could accept being the cause of that but he wasn’t alone. Hinata believes in him, Naru-nii believes in him, and Jiraiya believes in him enough to help.

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