Seeing the familiar figure that resembled Kisame, Naruto remained silent to avoid alerting him.
Mistaking someone else for Kisame was unlikely, as there were very few people in the Shinobi World carrying a massive bandaged sword. Since Samehada had no scabbard and covered in reverse scales, it could only be wrapped in cloth.
Naruto slowed his pace, waiting for Yugito, who is wearing in a green dress, to catch up sluggishly.
"Hiss! What's with that expression?"
"Nothing, why?" Yugito wore a cold expression, the kind that kept people at a distance. When she looked at Naruto, there was even a trace of disgust in her eyes.
Seeing this, Naruto was momentarily stunned. That expression was exactly like the one he'd seen on certain heroines in the manga he'd borrowed from Tsunade, when they disdainfully sat on someone's lap.
It was the kind of look that showed that they had no choice but to suppress their urge to kill the other party and endure it with disgust.
Seeing this made Naruto's heart tremble, and he swallowed involuntarily.
Fortunately, he quickly regained his composure. Shaking off the image of humiliation in his mind, he spoke seriously, "I just saw someone who had something I wanted."
"Who?"
"Hoshigaki Kisame." After saying that, Naruto added, "It should be him, but I don't know where he has gone now. Please help me find him."
"Got it." Yugito didn't say much and effortlessly weaved through the dense crowd before vanishing.
Naruto was amazed at what he saw, 'What an incredible ability to slip through the gaps.'
However, he didn't chase after her and instead headed in another direction.
"I need a room. Yes, just one." Naruto didn't have much money left, but he booked a rather expensive room in an inn that looked decent.
The Land of Fire had hotels, but in towns like this, traditional inns were more common. Their interiors resembled hotels, but the technology wasn't as advanced.
However, the Shinobi World had always maintained this mix of ancient and modern styles, and Naruto was already used to it.
Meanwhile, Yugito, relying on the agility granted by Nibi, effortlessly tracked the tall man in the black robe.
She stood sideways on a wall, hiding in a narrow, dim alley. Her eyes glowed faintly green, pupils slitted like a cat's, as she observed Kisame from above.
Even if she disliked that cryptic bastard, she still carried out the tasks Naruto assigned her with dedication. She wasn't the type to throw tantrums, and knew her own value.
Even if that bastard treated her like a tool, she had to prove her worth. Otherwise, her position would only weaken over time. In the end… was she supposed to rely on 'that' to survive?
She is also a Jinchuriki, someone who had grown up shrouded in fear and suspicion. It's just that she has a tough character and has won respect through her own means.
Her arrogance, gentleness, and aloofness are just her masks. At the core, she maintained constant vigilance to protect herself and stay undefeated.
After being captured by Naruto and staying in the sealed space for two years, Yugito had calmed down enough and thought everything through.
Since she couldn't beat him, she just had to accept it. She was like wild grass growing between rocks, and she couldn't be killed or extinguished.
As long as she wasn't dead, she felt that she could always rise again.
That was why she accepted being restrained by Naruto, and even accepted this near-master-servant relationship. If it were someone else, they would definitely have resisted fiercely.
But she was different. She spoke with defiance, but her actions were always pragmatic. At this point, throwing tantrums would only lead her further down a dead-end path.
She was very good at judging people and knew that Naruto wasn't some benevolent soul. He valued her for her status and her abilities to do things.
So only by demonstrating even greater capabilities could she increase her standing, rather than face the fate of a discarded pawn.
How could an Elite Jonin like her ever submit to a blond brat?
In the crowd, Kisame suddenly stopped. His eerie eyes shifted slightly, and a playful smile appeared under his black cloak.
At the same time, Yugito also felt something unusual, feeling she had been noticed by the other party. She didn't hesitate and withdrew directly.
Yugito knowledge of Kisame was limited. All she knew that he was an Akatsuki's member and a Missing-nin from Kirigakure. Since she had been detected, she saw no point in continuing to track him.
Cutting her losses, Yugito used the faint link she shared with Naruto to locate him. She finally stopped outside an inn.
After some inquiries, she learned Naruto's room number.
As soon as she went upstairs, she paused outside the room for a moment, then pushed open the door tentatively. Finding it unlocked, she stepped inside. She was about to look for him when she spotted a blond man sprawled on the long rattan bed.
"I got spotted." She reported.
"Okay, no need to feel bad about it. The other party is Hoshigaki Kisame, and he's not that easy to be followed." Naruto waved his hand and said nonchalantly.
Yugito: "…"
In fact, she wanted to say that she wasn't feeling bad at all, but after thinking about it, she decided not say it. Instead, she frowned and prepared to head to her own room for rest.
"Where is my room?"
"Here."
"Here?" Yugito walked to the other side of the room and pushed a door, only to find there was no separate space. Taking a deep breath, she asked, "So… we're sharing a room?"
"We're running low on money. If you mind, you can sleep on the floor or pitch a tent outside." Naruto lazily remarked.
"But don't worry. Once we reach Kumogakure, we won't have to worry about this anymore."
"Once we get to Kumogakure? You mean… you'll start treating me differently?" Yugito was stunned for a moment, then looked up and asked tentatively with frowns.
"No, once we get to Kumogakure, we'll be using your money. Then, we won't be broke anymore." Naruto said shamelessly, "We can also sleep in your house and save some money."
"You…" Yugito nearly drew her claws to cut down this bastard, but after considering her current situation. She took a deep breath, went into the bathroom and started showering.
Normally, she wouldn't take a shower frequently while doing missions, but given her circumstances, maintaining her personal appeal seemed worth it.
Besides, she figured she might as well enjoy the small satisfaction of wasting Naruto's time… a sort of petty revenge, like a worker slacking off on the job.
Naruto, who was lying on the rattan bed, was holding up the third copy of Icha-Icha Paradise, scrutinizing it with a critical eye. He was secretly amazed in his heart, 'As expected of a best-seller, the content was so bold.'
Some sections were way too explicit, making the reader feel almost immersed in the scene. The descriptions of movement and expressions were so vivid that Naruto was now certain Jiraiya had conducted firsthand research.