The Demon of Konoha

XIII

The journey back to Konoha had an unnatural silence to it. The leaves still rustled and the wind still whistled. The birds still chirped and their feet thudded on the branches. All the noises that should be heard in the journey back were heard and yet the strange silence permeated all of it.

Kakashi had been surprised when he opened the door a while after he sent Sakura to find the girl carrying Naruto on her back, both with tear marks on their cheeks. Sakura had just said that she had found him sleeping in a nearby cave and it had taken a while to find him. Kakashi had noticed something different about Sakura. When she brought him to bed she didn't just set him down on the futon. She took off the blanket and gently placed him on it, carefully laying his head on the pillow. She had tucked him in as well and finished by cupping and rubbing Naruto's cheek. Kakashi knew something must have happened between them, further proved by the fact that Sakura had stopped pining after Sasuke and stealing a few glances of the blonde. She had also spoken less timidly, but was not abrasive. And now as they return to their home, Sakura always looks at Naruto who had Kubikiribocho strapped onto his back.

When they arrived at the gates, Izumo and Kotetsu stood up from their small post and greeted them. Their eyes had widened at the sight of one of the Seven Swords of the Mist on Naruto's back. As they walked toward the Hokage Residence the squad turned many a shinobi eye. They had taken down the Demon and the Demon Brothers of the Mist, with their own demon claiming the cursed sword. They soon made it to the Hokage Residence where they were met by Hiruzen.

"So tell me what happened after your defeat of Zabuza Momochi and his accomplice," the Hokage said once they were fully in the room.

"Notably? Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura have become proficient in tree-walking. Naruto is also now adept at using storage seal matrices. That and he has eliminated the shipping magnate Gato who I have found connected to drug deals within Tazuna's village with a high possibility that he has a larger system in place. We believe that Gato had paid the Wave Daimyo off as well," Kakashi explained.

"Alright. I shall send some to clean up what's left. This will leave a sizable dent in the economy. We can get away with it claiming he directly interfered with a mission given to Konoha, but the vacuum will upset the economies of the Wave and the Water and up to us and even Suna, but what's done is done. Hopefully a better person can fill the vacuum," Hiruzen sighed. He brought up four large bags, "Here's your payment along with the bounties of the Demon Brothers and the Demon of the Mist. Now Naruto, if you can hand over the sword, you can be on your way."

"No. I've claimed the sword. Team 7 are the ones who defeated the owner of Kubikiribocho and the rest of the team has no problem with me keeping it, so I'll keep it. If you really want the sword to be used, give me a kenjutsu sensei," Naruto countered.

"Fine, I guess you're right. I'll see if I can get Hayate Gekko and Yugao Uzuki, the kenjutsu couple, to teach you. They're the best in the village, so behave," Hiruzen offered.

"Hai. Can you send an Anbu over to my place whenever you can? I want to buy something."

"Sure."

The four grabbed their respective bags and headed home. Naruto ran to his cabin and deposited the money neatly within a chest under the floorboards beneath his bed and put Kubikiribocho on top. With his utilities, shelter, and food taken care of by the village, he had racked up quite the amount of money. There was always at least one Anbu in the measly quarter of the village he lived in to protect him and watch over the nearby crops, but Naruto's reputation was often the first line of security. He decided to pass the time doing killers, waiting for an Anbu agent to show up.

An hour later an Anbu agent in a raven mask arrived at the small cabin to see the blonde doing killers with the speed and agility of a chuunin. He noticed the blonde notice him and the blonde stopped and walked over to the man.

"Naruto-san, it is my understanding you wished to purchase something?" the agent inquired.

"Yeah. Tell me, how much would a shinobi-appropriate get up my size cost?"

"Including undergarments I would estimate seven thousand ryo for a week's worth."

"And tools like kunai, shuriken, and wire?"

"All are a fifty ryo each"

"Wait a moment," Naruto quickly said before running back to his cabin and bringing back a wad of cash. "Here's ten-thousand ryo. Get me appropriate mission clothes, I don't care what they look like. Just two conditions: must contain at least a trace of orange and have a tailor stitch the red swirl on the backs of the shirts. Also get me a good set of kunai, shuriken, and wire and a guide on storage seals and return seals," Naruto said, handing the agent the cash.

"Hai, Naruto-san," and the agent left in a swirl of leaves.