Naruto : The System Files

Chapter no.104 Sarutobi Clan

Naruto had exited the ramen stand, contentedly stuffed with his favorite food, and directed his steps toward the Sarutobi compound. His clone had gone off a bit earlier, informing him that Konohamaru was free during the afternoon. Apparently, Ichiro was there also and Naruto could not wait to see his older friend. The blond rubbed his hands.

The walk was leisurely, pleasant even, as the sun was shining high and warm yet the wind was blowing a cooly. Naruto ignored the sneers and the glares the passer-by were subjecting him to and enjoyed the rumors of Konoha's life. Sunday was a day of rest for most people but it did not mean the streets were any less busy. Sundays, especially in spring and summer, were the days the artisans would open the doors of their workshop wide to showcase some of their work, hoping to charm a possible customer enough for them to place an order.

Naruto was never allowed inside nor permitted to touch but he could still see the bright colors of painted potteries and smell the polished wood of pieces of furniture. He could hear hammers hitting metal against as many anvils, the smiths trying to convince farmers and ninjas alike that they forged the best tools and weapons.

For a second, the boy wondered if he would have to pay for his chokuto or if ANBU would fork out the money. Given his salary, he would not mind paying. And once he would have donned the proper, painted mask, the smiths would fold into four to please him.

It would be so different than having to negotiate endlessly for scraps. The boy shrugged the unpleasant memory away and continued his route toward the Sarutobi lands.

It took Naruto another half of an hour to cross Konoha back to the Tower, take the right turn, and end up in front of a red torii. The Sarutobi compound was not enclosed by walls, like the Uchiha, the Senju, or the Hyuuga compounds were, but by a simple fence that would not have stopped anything.

Not like walls could stop anyone in a village of ninja anyway.

The two kanjis for "Sarutobi", as well as the clan symbol, a vertical line supporting two horizontal, back to back crescents with all extremity but one ended by a circle, were engraved on a panel in the monumental door. Two massive bowls of granite were flanking each pillar, ashes still red from the flames they had contained during the night.

One black haired ninja in a very standard Konoha attire, his eyes underlined by kohl, threw Naruto a passing glance and a small smile and waved the boy in.

"Hello, Sarutobi-san." The blond bowed slightly. The Sarutobi clan had always been good to him, their patriarch first and foremost, and if all members weren't close to him, most were cordial or at least polite.

"Hello, brat." The guard answered jovially before he hunched toward Naruto, his hand shielding his mouth in a scheming gesture. "Mind telling me, what made you stop your pranks?" whispered the man with a smile.

"Hey, I am ninja now. Can't play those pranks anymore."

"Why? Because the hokage isn't going to pay for it."

"Something like that."

"Now get in, Konohamaru and Ichiro are waiting in the eastern wing."

Like many compounds within Konoha, the Sarutobi domain was covered by the forest. Unlike most clan grounds though, the Sarutobi's were huddled against the cliff side, which meant one had to go up a slope to reach the living quarters.

Visitors also had to be wary of the monkeys. They had a tendency to steal things off people without them noticing. How could someone lose their pants and not immediately take stock of it was still beyond Naruto but the blond had learned quite a few tricks from the mischievous animals.