The Most Beautiful Woman in Sunagakure

Kakashi and Asuma were both deeply regretful.

They would have much preferred to see Kurenai Yuhi grab Konan by the hair and call her shameless. Even though they knew such a scene would likely never happen, even though they knew Kurenai wasn't that kind of fiery girl.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was also deeply regretful.

Like Kakashi and Asuma, he too would have rather seen the young girl Kurenai Yuhi argue with Konan, driving Jiang Feng to his wit's end. Even though he knew Kurenai wasn't that type of girl.

Watching beautiful women quarrel, watching a friend suffer a small misfortune—that's probably a universal joy among men.

Jiang Feng and his two companions paraded through the streets like a triumphant procession, all the way to the Hokage Office. The Third Generation Hokage hastily stashed away his crystal ball, putting on an air of being buried in work.

Tsunade was like a delinquent on a souped-up scooter showing up at his future father-in-law's house—no gift basket, no iced tea, just a few cheeky greetings to Hiruzen Sarutobi before peeling out on that scooter in a flash.

Then Hiruzen Sarutobi, in his capacity as the Third Generation Hokage, warmly received Konan, the envoy of the Akatsuki Organization, in a very formal manner.

After clarifying Konan's purpose and asking about the recent state of the Akatsuki Organization, Hiruzen Sarutobi called for someone to escort Konan to Konoha's official inn for foreign guests.

Jiang Feng said there was no need—his house was big, and Konan, as his friend, would naturally stay with him.

Only Jiang Feng and Hiruzen Sarutobi remained in the office. Konan had temporarily moved to the reception hall, waiting for Jiang Feng to finish his business with the Third Generation before heading home together.

With no foreign guests present, the Third Generation immediately reverted to his private demeanor with Jiang Feng, taking a few deep drags on his pipe and sighing, "Truly, youth is formidable!"

Jiang Feng nodded. "Indeed. Yahiko is a man worthy of admiration."

"I wasn't talking about Jiraiya's student. I meant you."

"Me?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi continued his lament. "Just now, when I used the Telescope Technique and saw the girl from the Yuhi Clan walk up to you, even with all my experience, I couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat for you."

Jiang Feng played it cool with an air of detachment. "That was nothing. I saw it coming."

"What left me even more astounded was that you dared to say, right in front of Kurenai Yuhi, that you'd let Jiraiya's female student stay at your house."

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

"Why not lie? Whatever you said, Shinku's daughter would probably believe it."

"She wouldn't believe it—she'd deceive herself, until she couldn't deceive herself anymore. But I don't want her to be deceived, especially by herself. That would be an absolutely painful thing."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was envious. "You've really got Shinku's daughter wrapped around your finger. If I'd understood women half as well as you when I was young, I'd have been set."

Jiang Feng suddenly sighed. "I always thought only women deceived themselves, but it seems now that this isn't a matter of gender."

"What do you mean?" Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't understand why Jiang Feng had suddenly made that remark.

"I've never claimed to understand women. I'm just good-looking—good-looking enough that all I need to do is strike a pose and say a few cryptic words, and beautiful girls come flocking.

So I think those who believe I'm more popular with girls because I understand them are probably just unwilling to admit there's a gap in our modeling."

What kind of talk was that? What kind of talk was that!?

Hiruzen Sarutobi shot Jiang Feng a fierce glare. "When I was young, I was a famous handsome lad in Konoha. Girls chasing me could line up from Konoha all the way to the Land of Lightning..."

"Chasing you to kill you?"

"Chasing me to court me!"

Men together always inevitably end up talking about women. Hiruzen Sarutobi rambled on about his youthful romantic exploits, and Jiang Feng, unsure of the truth, just chimed in with "awesome" and "impressive," while silently making a mental note to verify it all later with Biwako Sarutobi.

In the end, both of them sighed together.

"Ah, women."

"Ah, women."

Jiang Feng thought that at this point, the topic of women should be over. That's how it usually went when he chatted with Hiruzen Sarutobi, or with most of his male friends.

Out of thirty minutes of conversation, twenty-seven were about women, and only three were about actual business.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi showed no sign of dropping the subject. Instead, he leaned in mysteriously and said, "Speaking of women, a woman came to Konoha a couple of days ago. Want to meet her?"

"Is she young?"

"Young. Truly young. Only about five or six years older than you."

"Is she pretty?"

"Pretty. Very pretty. Many consider her the most beautiful woman in Sunagakure."

That old man was trying to set him up for disaster again!

A young, beautiful woman usually meant trouble. A young, beautiful woman introduced by Hiruzen Sarutobi was a catastrophe of the highest order.

"I'm out!"

Jiang Feng turned and left without a second word. He already knew who the old man was talking about, and he did know that woman.

Though he didn't know why she had come to Konoha, or why Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to introduce her to him, he knew one thing: there was bound to be some huge trouble involved.

He had just extricated himself from one mess and wasn't about to jump into another, no matter how beautiful that woman might be.

Not long after Jiang Feng left the Hokage Office with Konan, another young man—comparable to Jiang Feng in looks, strength, and popularity—arrived almost on his heels.

"So? Did Jiang Feng agree?" Minato Namikaze asked nervously.

"He didn't even give me the chance to say the name of the Scorching Release User, Pakura. As soon as he heard it was a beautiful woman from Sunagakure, he left without looking back."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head: "Young people these days, they just can't keep their composure."

Left without looking back?

Minato Namikaze paused, thought it over carefully, then nodded: "That's something he would do. Though everyone says he was a romantic in his youth, and he always calls himself a lecher, he's always had his limits when it comes to women."

What limits?

If he felt there was no chance with a woman, he absolutely wouldn't pursue her.

The Scorching Release User, Pakura, was exactly that kind of woman. Her situation was even more complicated than Tsunade's. Tsunade still had a chance of being won over, but Pakura had no such possibility.

At least, that was how Jiang Feng saw it.

[Pakura, also known as Yegura. Since her name in the Naruto mobile game is Pakura, the book uses Pakura to distinguish her from Yagura.]

"How could there be no chance? If he could just seduce Pakura successfully, then this old man's plan would have room to work.

Once the plan succeeds, it benefits both the village and him personally. Konoha wouldn't just gain a powerful Kekkei Genkai ninja for free, but could also form a strategic alliance with Sunagakure, and he'd get the girl too..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi muttered to himself. What a pity that this old man put so much thought into it—why couldn't that kid understand?

Minato Namikaze could only force a smile and say, "Yes, yes, yes."

"Minato, don't you think this old man's plan has merit?" Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly looked up again, asking with a sly grin.

Minato Namikaze braced himself and nodded.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's plan was indeed whimsical and abstract, but after hearing the Third Hokage's serious analysis earlier, Minato felt the plan actually had quite a bit of feasibility.

"Then this arduous task is yours!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi patted Minato's shoulder earnestly: "Put aside your current missions for the next few days, and set aside your romantic entanglements with Kushina as well. You must receive Sunagakure's envoy, Pakura, properly.

Make sure the envoy from afar feels at home, as if bathed in a spring breeze.

You represent Konoha. The responsibility is heavy. Whether Konoha and Sunagakure can enjoy lasting friendship depends on your performance."

I knew it.

As one of the only two young and handsome powerful ninjas in Konoha, with Jiang Feng having fled, this task could only fall on him.

Minato Namikaze was utterly resigned: "Kushina will kill me."

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled faintly: "What I want is for Kushina to hunt you down."

So ruthless?

Minato Namikaze paused, then suddenly understood. Oh~, I get it now. When it comes to being wicked, Lord Hokage, you take the crown.