The next village Candy and Fish Ball visited as envoys was the Leaf Village.
They were following the map. Sunagakure was closest to Rōran, so they had gone there first.
Next came the Leaf Village, Mist Village, Cloud Village, and Iwagakure—a counterclockwise circuit of the Ninja Continent.
Their mission was to tell the Ninja World about Sage Riri, explain their political demands, and open a path for future dealings.
The Five Great Shinobi Villages faced threats from Akatsuki and Obito. Sooner or later, they would run into trouble.
And when they did, they might think to send women to Liao Wu in exchange for his help.
Candy and Fish Ball slipped into the Leaf Village without trouble. It was even easier than entering Sunagakure.
That was because Liao Wu was already there, disguised as Naruto.
Liao Wu was helping Teuchi at Ichiraku Ramen Shop. He looked like an obedient apprentice, but he was secretly eyeing Ayame.
"Naruto, I heard the autumn Chunin Ninja Exams have been moved up," Teuchi said. "Shouldn't you be studying?"
Liao Wu was stretching noodles as he answered. "What's the point? Does this look like the kind of brain that could pass a written exam?"
Cold sweat broke out on Teuchi's forehead. "Naruto, how long has it been since you opened a book? You've forgotten everything you learned at the Ninja Academy, haven't you?"
"Every day, all I can think about is bringing Sasuke back," Liao Wu said matter-of-factly. "How am I supposed to remember anything else?"
Liao Wu's fundamentals as a Ninja were solid, but right now he was playing Naruto.
And everyone knew Naruto was an idiot!
The kind of idiot who handed in a blank exam paper and got a zero.
Ayame was washing dishes when she joined in the lecture. "Naruto, you