Black Zetsu was still on the road.
Even traveling underground, getting back to Konoha from the Land of Fire took several hours.
As he traveled, he reflected on his life!
Created by his mother, he had deceived Madara, deceived Obito, and deceived the Shinobi World for over a thousand years.
Now he had been reduced to delivering letters for Genya, and he would have to babysit in the future.
He felt as though he must have owed the Uchiha something in his previous life.
Should he not have killed Indra's dog back then?
The moon rose.
Naruto peeked outside through a gap in the window. The line still hadn't dispersed, and a few of the girls had even brought stools and packed meals.
He slammed the window shut with a bang, crouched in the corner, and clutched his head in both hands.
"Mom! Have they left yet?"
Kushina's voice drifted out of the kitchen, along with the aroma of stewed fish.
"Not yet! What's your hurry?"
Naruto buried his head between his knees. He finally understood why Genya was always holding his lower back. It wasn't exhaustion-it was worry.
Even Genya hadn't expected how quickly things would snowball in the Land of Fire.
That day, after sending the messenger off, the Daimyo held the notice in his hands and read it over several times.
He kept feeling that something was missing.
An attendant waited beside him, barely daring to breathe.
The Daimyo suddenly slapped the table, making the attendant flinch.
"Go fetch the best painter in the country! Have him work through the night! I want a portrait of Naruto-kun!"
The attendant froze for a moment.
"My lord, it's already evening..."
"So what if it's evening? Can't people paint at night? Get going!"
The attendant scrambled out.
The