The Most Beautiful Woman in Sunagakure

Kakashi and Asuma were sorely disappointed.

They would much rather have seen Kurenai Yuhi pull Konan's hair and call her shameless. Even though they knew that scene was unlikely to happen, and even though they knew Kurenai wasn't that kind of girl.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was sorely disappointed, too.

Just like Kakashi and Asuma, he would much rather have seen the young Kurenai Yuhi argue with Konan and leave Jiang Feng flustered, even though he knew Kurenai wasn't that kind of girl.

Watching beautiful women argue and seeing a friend have a bit of bad luck were probably two of the things men enjoyed most.

Jiang Feng and the other two rode through the streets like a procession, making their way to the Hokage Office. The Third Generation Hokage hurriedly put away his crystal ball and pretended to be busy with official business.

Tsunade was like a blond delinquent riding a motorcycle to meet her future father-in-law. She hadn't even brought a gift basket or iced tea. After casually greeting Hiruzen Sarutobi, she hopped on her bike and sped off in a flash.

Then, in his capacity as the Third Generation Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi warmly received the Akatsuki Organization's envoy, Konan. It was a very formal reception.

After clarifying why Konan had come and asking a few questions about the Akatsuki Organization's recent affairs, Hiruzen called someone in and had them escort her to the official inn where Konoha hosted foreign guests.

Jiang Feng said there was no need. His house was spacious, and since Konan was his friend, she would naturally stay with him.

In the end, only Jiang Feng and Hiruzen remained in the office. Konan temporarily moved to the reception room to wait for Jiang Feng and the Third Generation to finish talking, so they could all go home together.

With no foreign guests around, the Third Generation immediately returned to his usual private manner with Jiang Feng. He took several deep puffs of his pipe and sighed, "The young really are something!"

Jiang Feng nodded. "Indeed. Yahiko is someone worthy of admiration."

"I'm not talking about Jiraiya's student. I mean you."

"Me?"

Hiruzen continued wistfully, "Just now, when I used the Telescope Technique and saw that girl from the Yuhi Clan walk up to you, even with all my experience, I couldn't help but worry for you."

Jiang Feng played it cool. "That was nothing. I saw it coming."

"What amazed me even more was that you dared to say, right in front of Kurenai Yuhi, that Jiraiya's female student would be staying at your house."

"I never lie to pretty girls who like me."

"Why not lie? No matter what you said, Shinku's daughter probably would have believed you."

"She wouldn't have believed me. She would've been fooling herself until she couldn't keep it up anymore. But I don't want her to be deceived, especially not by herself. That would be incredibly painful."

Hiruzen was quite envious. "You've got Shinku's daughter wrapped around your finger. I wish I'd understood women as well as you when I was young."

Jiang Feng suddenly sighed. "I always thought only women fooled themselves. Now I see that it has nothing to do with gender."

"What do you mean?" Hiruzen couldn't understand why Jiang Feng had suddenly said that.

"I've never thought I understand women. I'm just pretty handsome. So handsome that all I have to do is strike a pose and say a few cryptic words, and pretty girls come flocking.

"So I figure people who think girls like me more because I understand women just don't want to admit that they can't compete with me in the looks department."

What was that supposed to mean? What was that supposed to mean!?

Hiruzen glared at Jiang Feng. "When I was young, I was a famous handsome young man in Konoha, too. The girls who pursued me could have lined up all the way to the Land of Lightning..."

"To hunt you down?"

"To court me!"

When men got together, they inevitably ended up talking about women. Hiruzen rambled on about his romantic escapades as a young man. Jiang Feng had no idea whether any of it was true, so he just chimed in with "Impressive" and "Amazing," while quietly making a note to ask Biwako Sarutobi about it later.

At the end, they both sighed.

"Sigh, women."

"Sigh, women."

Jiang Feng thought that would bring the conversation about women to an end. That was how things usually went when he talked with Hiruzen—or with most of his male friends.

Of a thirty-minute conversation, twenty-seven minutes were about women, and only three were spent discussing business.

But Hiruzen showed no sign of dropping the subject. Instead, he continued mysteriously, "Speaking of women, one came to Konoha in the last couple of days. Would you like to meet her?"

"Is she young?"

"Young. Young in the truest sense of the word. Only five or six years older than you."

"Is she beautiful?"

"Beautiful. Very beautiful. A lot of people think she's the most beautiful woman in Sunagakure."

The old man was trying to get me in trouble again!

Young, beautiful women usually meant trouble. A young, beautiful woman introduced by Hiruzen Sarutobi meant even bigger trouble.

"I'm leaving!"

Without another word, Jiang Feng turned and walked away. He already knew who Hiruzen meant, and he did know that woman.

He didn't know why she had come to Konoha, or why Hiruzen wanted to introduce her to him, but he knew there had to be some huge trouble involved.

He had just gotten clear of one mess and had no intention of getting involved in another—not yet, anyway, even if that woman really was beautiful.

Not long after Jiang Feng and Konan left the Hokage Office, another young man who was about Jiang Feng's equal in looks, strength, and popularity arrived there almost on their heels.

"So, did Jiang Feng agree?" Minato Namikaze asked nervously.

"He didn't even give me a chance to say the Scorching Release User's name, Pakura. As soon as he heard I meant a beautiful woman from Sunagakure, he turned and walked away."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. "Young people these days have no patience."

He turned and walked away?

Minato was taken aback. After thinking it over, he nodded. "That sounds like something he'd do. Everyone says he's a womanizer, and he calls himself a pervert, but he's always been careful when it comes to women."

Careful how?

He never flirted with a woman if he didn't think he had a chance.

The Scorching Release User, Pakura, was that kind of woman. Her situation was even more complicated than Tsunade's. Tsunade could still be won over, but there was no chance with Pakura.

At least, that was what Jiang Feng thought.

[Pakura's other name is Yūgakure. Since the Naruto mobile game uses the name Pakura, the novel will call her Pakura to distinguish her from Yagura.]

"How could there be no chance? If he could successfully seduce Pakura, then my plan would be workable.

"If the plan succeeded, it would benefit the village and him personally. Konoha would get a powerful Kekkei Genkai ninja for free, and we could form a strategic alliance with Sunagakure. He'd get the girl, too..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi muttered to himself. Poor old me, putting so much thought into this. Why couldn't that boy understand?

Minato could only smile and agree.

"Minato, do you think my plan is feasible, too?" Hiruzen suddenly looked up and asked him with a grin.

Minato nodded reluctantly.

Hiruzen's plan was certainly bizarre and abstract, but after hearing the Third Generation's serious analysis, Minato had to admit it seemed pretty feasible.

"Then I'll leave this difficult mission to you!"

Hiruzen patted Minato on the shoulder with great solemnity. "Put your current assignments aside for the next few days, and set your romantic life with Kushina aside, too. Make sure you take good care of Sunagakure's envoy, Pakura.

"Make sure this envoy who's traveled all this way from Sunagakure feels completely at home, as if she's been welcomed by a spring breeze.

"You represent Konoha, so this is a major responsibility. Whether Konoha and Sunagakure can maintain their friendship depends on how well you do."

I knew it.

As one of the only two young, handsome, and powerful ninja in Konoha, with Jiang Feng having run off, the mission could only fall to him.

Minato was utterly devastated. "Kushina will kill me."

Hiruzen smiled faintly. "That's exactly why I want Kushina to chase you down."

That heartless?

Minato was taken aback. Then he suddenly understood. Oh...

I get it. Hokage-sama, you're the cunning one.