A Thousand Miles in a Second, Hubby's Taking You to Kill People

Uzumaki Estate.

Main entrance.

Temari's fingers gripped Naruto's shirt tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Her shoulders were shaking.

It wasn't the kind of trembling that comes from crying; it was an uncontrollable spasm that occurred when the body's functions were pushed to their limit.

The exhaustion from two days and two nights of sleepless nights left her unable to even utter a complete sentence when she cried.

"Naruto... Gaara... he was..."

The sound was intermittent, like sand scattered by the wind.

Naruto didn't say anything.

He held Temari with one hand, burying her face in the crook of his shoulder.

He raised his other hand, his thumb wiping away the dried tear stains and dust from her cheek.

The movements were very gentle.

The lightness was completely unlike the overwhelming violence he usually displayed; it was a far cry from the person he was.

"Stop talking."

His voice was very low, his lips almost touching Temari's earlobe.

"I know everything."

Temari's body stiffened for a moment.

Then, as if the last string had snapped, she surrendered her entire weight.

Naruto felt the person in his arms trembling.

He felt her chapped lips brush against his collarbone, making muffled, almost murmured sounds.

"... Please..."

There are only two words.

But these two words, spoken by the Desert Princess, carried more weight than any distress signal.

Naruto's eyes changed.

It's not cold.

It is an extremely quiet thing.

Like the calm before a storm, the last second of stillness on the sea.

He lowered his head and pressed his lips to Temari's forehead.

Warm, golden light seeped from his palm.

Yang Release Chakra.

It wasn't the violent, scorching golden light of battle.

Instead, it is an extremely gentle warmth, like sunlight piercing through clouds.

The light traveled down Temari's spine, flowing over her blistered heels, over the cracks in her knees, and over every muscle fiber torn from overexertion.

Three seconds.

Temari felt as if she were soaking in a hot spring.

The fatigue, pain, and fear that had accumulated over two days and two nights receded like the tide.

Her breathing calmed down.

The trembling stopped.

But the tears only intensified.

Because it doesn't hurt anymore.

Because we don't need to hold on anymore.

Because finally someone caught her.

Naruto wiped away the tears from the corner of her eye with his thumb.

"You dare touch my brother-in-law?"

His tone was light and casual, as if he were talking about something trivial.

"The Akatsuki are tired of living."

Hokage Building.

On Tsunade's desk lay an urgent plea for help from Sunagakure.

It was delivered three days ago.

She rubbed her temples; Kashi, Asuma, and Kurenai Yūhi stood before her.

"The Hidden Sand has confirmed that it is Deidara and Sasori of the Red Sands Akatsuki."

Tsunade pointed at the map, "The Fifth Kazekage was taken away, heading northwest of the Land of Wind. If we need to organize a rescue team—"

"Bang--!"

The door flew off.

It wasn't kicked away.

It detached directly from the door frame, slammed onto the floor, and bounced twice.

Tsunade stopped writing.

She didn't even look up.

"The fifth door."

"Put it in the books."

Naruto walked in.

Temari followed half a step behind him, her eyes still red, but her back was already straight.

Tsunade then raised her eyes.

She saw Naruto's expression.

It was very calm.

The corners of his mouth even still held that usual lazy smile.

But Tsunade recognized that expression.

The last time she saw that expression was a second before Naruto kicked Kisame Hoshigaki into the pit.

"No need to choose."

Naruto walked to the table and rested one hand on the map.

I'll go alone.

Kakashi opened his mouth. "Naruto, the Akatsuki— "

"A few people playing with mud and puppets."

Naruto turned to look at him, his tone as casual as if they were discussing lunch, "It's just a slap."

Tsunade stared at him for three seconds.

Then she leaned back in her chair and threw the pen in her hand.

"The journey takes three days. What are your plans?"

He hadn't finished speaking.

Naruto had already turned around and was walking towards Temari.

He extended his left hand.

Temari instinctively placed her hand on it.

Naruto flipped her wrist over.

There hung a thin red string there, with a tiny gold metal piece dangling from it.

It was given to her by Naruto three months ago when he left Hidden Sand.

She asked what it was, Naruto only said, "Amulet."

At that moment, Naruto pressed his thumb against the metal plate.

Golden seal patterns lit up from the piece.

Flying Thunder God Formula.

Tsunade suddenly stood up.

The chair slid back one meter.

"That's--!"

Kakashi's one eye suddenly widened.

He recognized him.

His teacher.

The Fourth Hokage

The man who once single-handedly annihilated a thousand-strong Iwagakure army using this technique.

This is the technique used.

Naruto offered no explanation.

He put his Temari's waist and pulled her into his embrace.

The force wasn't strong, but it wasn't easy to break free.

Hold me tight.

He lowered his head, his lips almost touching Temari's sideburns.

The sound could only be heard by two people.

"My husband is taking you to kill someone."

Temari's heart skipped a beat.

Her hand gripped Naruto's collar.

Gripping it tightly.

A burst of golden light erupted.

The second Tsunade covered her eyes--

The office is empty.

The wind lifted the map on the table, and it floated for a while before finally settling down.

Kakashi stood there, his mouth agape beneath his mask, unable to close it for a long time.

Tsunade.

"... the teacher's technique."

Kakashi's voice sounded a little dry.

Tsunade did not answer.

She sat back down in her chair and looked up at the ceiling.

After a long while, he exhaled.

"Notify Hidden Sand."

Tell them--

"Reinforcements have arrived."

The Land of Wind.

Sunagakure.

Council chamber.

The six old men on the advisory group sat in a circle, their faces flushed, pointing fingers and cursing at each other.

"Pursuing them is tantamount to suicide."

"Are we just going to give up on Lord Kazekage like this?!"

"Hidden Leaf's plea for help has not yet been answered--"

The sounds of arguing echoed in the closed council chamber.

Nobody noticed--

In the air, a very faint golden spot of light lit up in the very center of the hall.

Then.

A burst of golden light erupted.

It was like a sun suddenly rising indoors.

"Whoosh--!"

A gust of wind exploded from the center of the light, overturning all the documents and teacups on the table.

Six chairs fell over at the same time.

The six old men jumped up at the same time, pointing their Kunai at the center of the light.

The golden light faded.

Two people appeared out of thin air in the very center of the council chamber.

A blond boy.

One hand in pocket.

With his other arm around their sister, Kazekage.

Temari buried her face in the boy's chest, her golden hair falling loose, the metal piece on her red bracelet still faintly glowing.

The boy looked up.

Blue eyes swept over everyone present.

The curve of his lips conveyed a sense of languor, arrogance, and nonchalance.

It felt like waking up in my own living room, casually glancing at the arrangement of the furniture.

"Oh."

He spoke.

The tone was light and casual.

"In a meeting?"

Six Kunai at him.

He didn't even lift his eyelids.

"I'm late."

He paused.

A faint, cold glint flashed across her blue pupils.

"--Can anyone tell me which direction my brother-in-law was taken?"