The journey from Amegakure to Konoha this time was faster than ever before. Why?
Because of one very anxious Uchiha Itachi. Though he didn't say a word, anyone could feel the tension radiating from him.
It couldn't be helped. Konoha's current Hokage was Danzo, a man infamous for his greed and malice. Take the Uchiha coup, for example—Shisui had already offered to use Kotoamatsukami to control Uchiha Fugaku, the clan leader, but Danzo insisted on seizing Kotoamatsukami for himself.
This ultimately led to the annihilation of the entire Uchiha clan.
Now that Sasuke was in Danzo's hands, how could things possibly end well?
The group arrived at Konoha's gates. For Deidara, this was his second visit to the village in a short period. Of course, the same two gatekeepers were on duty: Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki.
"Hey! Look, is that the delegation from Amegakure?" Izumo squinted at the approaching group through the morning mist, which made it hard to see clearly.
"It must be! The only large-scale movement reported recently is theirs," Kotetsu confirmed. Though they were still bitter about the damage Amegakure had caused Konoha, they had to follow the orders of the new Hokage.
Soon, Koharu Utatane, Shikaku Nara, and a group of accompanying Konoha shinobi arrived to greet them. Koharu, though still the nominal Minister of Foreign Affairs, had far less power than she once did.
"We didn't expect you to arrive today. Apologies for any lack of preparation," Koharu said with a slight bow of apology.
"Not at all. It's our impatience that caused us to arrive ahead of schedule. The fault is ours," Zabuza responded.
Standing in the back, Deidara scratched his head. Was he stuck in a time loop? Why did this feel so much like the last time?
After the usual pleasantries, they were once again escorted to the same inn as before. Deidara couldn't help but feel restless. He decided he wanted to explore the village again.
"Haku, care to join me?" Deidara invited the ever-adorable Haku, who stood nearby.
Haku glanced at Zabuza, who remained motionless, and slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry, Deidara-sama."
"I am Zabuza-sama's tool. A tool must stay with its master."
"Then what about you, Kisame?" Deidara turned to Kisame.
The shark-like man stroked his chin and smirked mischievously. "I'm thinking of visiting places that minors aren't allowed. Based on your past behavior, Deidara, you should probably find somewhere else to amuse yourself."
What the hell!
Deidara had half a mind to stuff a clay bomb into Kisame's mouth.
"By the way, where's Itachi?" Deidara noticed that Itachi's usual spot was empty.
"Worried about his little brother. As soon as we checked into the inn, he left," Kisame replied with a grin.
"Honestly, he's always talking about wanting to kill his foolish little brother, but it's all lies!" Kisame complained, his tone carrying a hint of resentment.
"And to think I trusted him so much. Itachi-san, I've respected you, treated you well, and yet you've been lying to me all along!"
"Fine, I'll just go out alone," Deidara said, leaving the inn.
As he reached the entrance, a Konoha shinobi approached him immediately. "Sir, do you need anything?"
Oh, great, it's you again.
"Nothing much. I just want to take a stroll around Konoha. After all, it's the number one village in the ninja world. I'm sure it has a charm that Amegakure lacks."
"Of course!" The shinobi puffed out his chest with pride.
"Would you like us to arrange a guide for you?"
A guide? This script feels way too familiar. Readers better not accuse me of padding the word count.
"Sure, why not?"
"Do you have any preferences for the guide?"
"Yes, I'd prefer a cute girl," Deidara said with a knowing smile.
"Ha!" The shinobi forced an awkward laugh, unsure of how far this envoy intended to take his demands. If things went too far and caused backlash, it would be a disaster.
No, this had to be reported. If anything went wrong, he couldn't bear the responsibility.
"Please wait here, sir. I'll bring a guide for you shortly."
Koharu received the report, furrowed her brows, and after some thought, sent someone familiar.
Anko Mitarashi.
Soon, a female ninja dressed in a fishnet undershirt and a trench coat arrived.
"So, you're the one who needs a guide?"
"I'm Anko Mitarashi. Pleased to meet you." Though Anko was known for her bold personality, she maintained a respectful demeanor in front of the envoy.
Confirmed!
This really is a time loop!
"Hey! Don't you think it's rude to look at someone like that?" Anko snapped, noticing how the man across from her was scrutinizing her with an intense gaze.
"Haha! My apologies!"
"By the way, haven't we met before? Don't you feel a sense of familiarity when you look at me?" Deidara asked with a smile.
Anko rolled her eyes. What a lame pick-up line! That kind of approach hasn't been in style for ages.
Besides, she wasn't interested in men at all. No matter how much this envoy tried to charm her, it was like winking at a blind person.
"So, where in Konoha would you like to go, sir?" Anko asked.
"Ichiraku Ramen!"
Ichiraku Ramen again? Anko scratched her head. Could it really be that good? Its reputation had even reached foreign lands!
"Alright, follow me," Anko said, leading the way. Deidara leisurely followed behind, taking in the sights of Konoha as they walked.
Although Konoha had a new Hokage, the village itself hadn't changed much. After all, upheaval at the top rarely affected the lives of ordinary citizens.
The only noticeable difference was the occasional sight of shinobi patrolling the streets with police department insignias.
"What's the deal with those shinobi? Which department are they from?" Deidara asked, feigning curiosity. Though he had already gathered intelligence from Shimura Kiyoto, Hyūga Kanade, and Tsukigakure Rin, he wanted to observe firsthand.
Hearing the question, Anko's displeasure with the police department was evident. "That's Konoha's newly reformed police department. A bunch of meddlesome busybodies."
"They're always full from doing nothing, never taking missions outside the village to earn rewards. Instead, they stay here bullying their own people."
"Hmph!"
Anko was straightforward, but someone else might have been more tactful about airing such grievances to outsiders.
Deidara observed closely and noticed that the villagers didn't seem to have a favorable attitude toward the police department either. It made sense—what good could come from anything Shimura Kiyoto was involved in?
"Alright, we've arrived at Ichiraku Ramen!" Anko announced.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
Explore More Amazing Fanfiction on My Patreon!
Unlock 30+ Advance Chapters and Enjoy Exclusive Stories Early!
��patreon.com/GoldenLong