Night fell.
Konoha's shopping street was still crowded.
"Hey, look, what's that?"
"A pig-headed man?"
"Wow, he's got a great body!"
"Kyoko, go talk to him!"
Every passerby's gaze locked onto a single figure.
He wore an enormous boar-head mask that wrapped his entire head.
His upper body was bare, revealing a sturdy, muscular teen frame; baggy trousers covered his legs.
It was Naruto.
"I give up."
He'd left a Shadow Clone at home while his real self sneaked out in disguise.
After more than three hours of strolling he still hadn't found anyone to shake down for protection money.
He had spotted familiar faces, though—
Might Guy, Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi…and that was just the guy who could almost kick the story to its finale.
Even Kurenai was a genuine Elite Jonin—way out of his league to mess with.
"Tch…what time is it, anyway?"
"Where are the Rookie Twelve? Konohamaru? Someone throw me a bone—don't tell me they've all gone home to sleep?"
Ahead stood Ichiraku Ramen.
Naruto caught sight of another familiar figure.
Disheveled silver hair, forehead protector tilted, left eye hidden, listlessly reading an adult novel.
"Huh?"
Kakashi sensed something and looked up, but saw nothing unusual.
"Was it my imagination?"
Just then Ayame set down a huge bowl: "Kakashi-sensei, your order's ready!"
"Ah, thanks."
He pulled a pair of chopsticks from the holder and mused silently.
"Tomorrow's the Chunin Exams…hope those brats stay safe…"
…To keep his distance from Kakashi,
Naruto wandered on and, without noticing, entered a small grove.
"Calling it a night, then?"
Just as he thought his protection-money plan would end in failure,
A faint sound reached his ears.
Only his heightened senses picked it up.
Several hundred meters away, atop a cedar.
A sandy-blond girl sat on a thick branch, gazing blankly at the sky.
A Sunagakure forehead protector hung at her neck.
A giant folding fan leaned beside her.
Purple form-fitting clothes outlined a budding figure.
"Haa…"
Tonight Temari had stepped out for some air.
At twelve she'd graduated the Ninja Academy,
But because of Sunagakure's plan to crush Konoha she was only now, at fifteen, taking her first Chunin Exams.
With tomorrow's exam about to start and war looming,
Even the usually bold, more-mature-than-her-age girl felt uneasy.
"Will everything…go smoothly?"
She toyed with the ribbon of her forehead protector, eyes on Konoha's distant lights.
The cool breeze stirred her four ponytails like four restless golden snakes.
"How pathetic."
She muttered the insult at herself.
"Gaara's carrying such a heavy burden and still enduring it alone."
"And here I am, his big sister, ready to chicken out—how disgraceful."
Temari drew a deep breath.
At last she made up her mind.
She pushed off the branch, ready to leap back to the inn.
Right then—
"Hello, I'm Konoha's forest ranger. Climbing trees is prohibited; violators must pay a fine."
A nasal, deliberately lowered voice spoke from behind her.
Temari's heart lurched.
Though nominally a Genin she already possessed Chunin-level strength.
Yet someone had slipped within arm's reach without her noticing.
An elite Konoha squad?
Temari snatched her Giant Folding Fan on reflex.
She spun mid-air, slashing a wind blade straight toward the voice.
Crack!
The wind blade sheared through a branch as thick as a bowl, hitting only an after-image.
"My, my, such temper. Are all Suna girls this fierce?"
The voice sounded again, three meters to her left.
In the moonlight a figure in a huge boar mask leaned against the trunk.
Bare-chested, teen-height but absurdly muscled.
Temari landed, fan levelled, staring…When had he moved?
She hadn't tracked him at all.
"Who are you?"
"Can't understand words, dummy?" the boar-masked boy scratched his head. "I'm the ranger who catches bad girls climbing trees at night."
He glanced at the branch she'd just chopped.
"Add destruction of property—surrender quietly and I'll go easy on you."
Temari hesitated two seconds.
The boy's age and skill demanded caution.
"Fine, I'll pay the fine."
She couldn't afford trouble tonight.
Even if it meant being robbed.
Damn sneaky Konoha Ninja.
She asked coldly, "How much?"
The Boar-headed Youth pondered.
"Tree-climbing: two hundred million; damaging the tree: three hundred million. Total: five hundred million ryo."
"Five hundred million?"
"Yep…or, give me a kiss and the fine's waived."
Temari's knuckles whitened on the fan; veins throbbed.
Without a word she snapped the fan fully open.
Wind Release: Kamaitachi.
That was her answer.
"Creep—die!"
Chakra coated the Giant Folding Fan.
Steel-slicing wind blades shot at the boar-masked boy.
This time Temari saw clearly.
Just before impact a puff of smoke—
Substitution!
The youth was replaced by a log shredded to splinters.
"Konoha substitution…so he's a Leaf Ninja."
At the same time a sliver of worry pricked her.
"Did Konoha suspect something and send someone to probe?"
No time to think.
The boar-headed boy reappeared, hands forming seals.
Body Flicker Technique!
If the Flying Thunder God Technique is a blink, the basic Body Flicker is a sprint.
Different in essence,
But at the principle level they share common ground.
When Naruto honed his Chakra control to the limit through simulation training,
His mastery of Body Flicker changed qualitatively.
Temari had seen others use Body Flicker.
Never this fast.
In an instant the boar-masked youth stood before her.
Before she could block he seized her wrists.
"You're under arrest."