"Where are my stockings?"
"Stop looking, you can't wear them anymore."
"You…" Ino hurriedly got out of bed, casually tying her hair into a high ponytail. She rushed out of the room barefoot, her footsteps echoing on the floor.
A moment later, she dashed back in, picked up her clothes from the floor, and ran out again.
"Ah! We're out of time!" She exclaimed in panic. Suddenly, her legs gave out, and she almost fell. Fortunately, Naruto was quick enough to grab her and pull her up.
After a flurry of chaotic movements, the two of them finally hurried out the door. They had lost track of time, and by the time they realized it, it was already late. It wasn't until Ino was almost falling asleep that she remembered she still needed to go home.
"Hey, you left something on the couch." Naruto suddenly mentioned.
"Huh? What?" Ino was confused for a moment, but then her face flushed red as she realized what it was, "Stop talking about it! There's no time now, it's all your fault!"
Ino grumbled continuously, but still held onto his hand as they hurried along. Naruto kept laughing to himself, clearly amused. The streets of Konoha stretched endlessly before them, illuminated by the glow of the distant sky.
Thankfully, they made it just in time for Ino to get home before curfew.
Naruto waved at her from beneath a large tree, and Ino gave him a quick glance before rushing inside. As usual, she opened the window on the second floor and waved to him before disappearing inside.
…
The next day.
Everything seemed to return to normal as Naruto woke up alone in bed. His mind was slightly foggy as he recalled Ino's alluring voice and gentle gaze from the night before.
'That shy and bashful demeanor, everything about her, was impossibly seductive.'
Shaking his head, he got up and slipped into his slippers, heading to the bathroom to freshen up. Not long after he returned to the living room, Yugao suddenly appeared, stepping through the balcony door without a care.
"I say, can't you use the front door like a normal person?" Naruto asked, eyes half-open in exhaustion.
"There's been a change in plans. Hokage-sama is asking for your presence." The dismissed Yugao replied, wasting no time. She reached behind the couch and pulled out a bundle, much to Naruto's surprise.
Under Naruto's shocked eyes, she began to change her clothes right in front of him. The gray vest, the short sword, and the iconic white mask.
"When did you..."
"That's not important. Are we going to waste time?" Yugao's face remained cold, "The Anbu has caught some dirt on Root, and they've begun moving."
"I'm going to go to maintain order now, but you need to head to the Hokage Tower."
"Which Hokage? Godaime or Rokudaime?" Naruto was stunned for a moment and asked again.
"Where did the Rokudaime Hokage come from? Have you lost your mind, Uzumaki Naruto?" Yugao finished tying her hair up and was about to leave when she threw one last reminder over her shoulder.
"Hurry up!"
After Yugao left, Naruto muttered to himself as he went to his room to change, "Maybe I indeed lost my mind, but I didn't know which one I lost.'
'Besides, what was with her changing clothes as soon as she arrived? Did she think this place was a dressing room?'
Grumbling under his breath, Naruto added one last complaint.
"Damn! That widow has such a great body."
With a swift motion, he threw on his clothes, slipped into his shoes, and headed straight for the Hokage Tower. On the way, he saw many Anbu's members darting across rooftops, which made him realize that something was indeed amiss.
When he arrived at Shizune's office, he pushed the door open without knocking.
Tsunade looked up at him, her face filled with a rare seriousness.
"We'll talk about your personal issues later. Right now, I have a mission for you. If you complete it, I'll overlook your past actions."
"Ah, understood." Naruto responded speechlessly.
As Hokage, Tsunade's authority was absolute. When she gave an order, there was no room for negotiation. In short, Naruto could only accept this condition.
"Danzo's men, Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Torune, are missing. Find them," Tsunade said. "If they don't cooperate, get rid of them. Clean them all up." Tsunade said, her tone steely.
This was the first time Naruto had heard such harsh words from Tsunade, and he was momentarily stunned. However, he quickly composed himself and frowned slightly before asking, "What happened to Danzo?"
"We've gathered enough evidence of his betrayal to expel him from the village." Tsunade explained with serious expression, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk.
Tap. Tap. Each tap echoing in the room.
Some of the evidence was real, and some fabricated. Blurring the lines between truth and lies made everything seem more believable. Naruto hadn't been directly involved, but he had provided key witnesses.
Yugao has made a desperate move. The widow has no scruples and directly dug out all the Root's dirty secrets. Danzo had colluded with Orochimaru, and also with the Land of Grass.
Almost all the bad things were done by this old bastard Danzo. Once the Anbu had cracked open the seals on the Root's members, secrets poured out like an ocean.
Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Torune had been deeply loyal to Danzo, carrying too many of his secrets and having been thoroughly brainwashed by his ideology.
In Tsunade's opinion, Root could no longer be allowed to exist. Those who were willing to talk could live, and those who stayed silent would die. Her logic was sound, her resolve unshakable.
She had waited for this moment far too long, and she wasn't going to wait any longer. Tsunade's determined gaze bore into Naruto, making it clear that she wanted this matter dealt with swiftly.
"I understand." Naruto nodded before leaving.
This marked a major turning point in the power struggle. The moment the opportunity presented itself, Tsunade had gone all in. Now she couldn't make a move herself, nor could Kakashi.
The only ones able to act were the Anbu and the suspended Yugao. It seemed her suspension might have been part of Tsunade's plan all along.
In order to maintain stability within the village, Tsunade didn't have many forces at her disposal. This is a battle between the Anbu and the Root. The victor would be the one left standing.
Naruto estimated that they had no more than two hours, perhaps only one hour, to wipe out Root, leaving only a few survivors. No one left alive could testify.
It was like when Root and the Anbu had joined forces to wipe out the Uchiha Clan all those years ago, only this time, it was even more decisive.
Naruto's heart, which had been calm for so long, now beat like a war drum. The day had finally come, catching him off guard.
But now, all Naruto could do was calmly accept the situation.