Zero Shinobies ( Shinobi Hunter Naruto)

ch 23

(A few days later)

Standing in the isles of a shop in the middle of Konohagakure's shopping district, surrounded by cases, racks and cases displaying all kinds of shinobi weaponry, a now much better-looking Naruto was quietly enjoying his day off browsing the local markets. Sporting a brand new look consisting of a black long-sleeved shirt, orange pants and a white obi wrapped around his beltline, the youngster was perusing over the wide assortment of armaments propped up on the wooden stands, hoping to find something useful or interesting.

Having spent the last few days recovering and meditating following his little jaunt in the Uchiha Clan district, the blond was now in the process of gathering supplies. The true purpose of which only he knew the reason for.

"Let's see… while I'm on the road, I'm going to need some good metal, some good wire… and a good hunting knife," Naruto thought to himself, analysing a bunch of katanas and tantos packed together behind the glass. Some of them were appropriately decorated with gold embellishments and symbols, which helped to make the most impressive pieces of the collection stand out from the rest.

The last thirty-six hours that had come and gone had given Naruto plenty of time to think about the events that'd taken place over the course of the past week. His little death-defying match with the assassin in the Uchiha Clan Police Headquarters, the destruction of said building, and circumstances that followed, had all come together to deliver a real taste of what true conflict and danger actually was to the child. Even after all his weeks of intense physical and mental training, and the copious amounts of time he spent preparing for the very moment he would end up facing off against a true enemy, the events and outcomes that'd transpired had left a very dark impression on the blonde's psyche.

He learned for the first time since setting off on his path to becoming a true villain that the shinobi world was much bigger and more perilous than he could've ever imagined. There were situations and matters taking place in the world that went beyond his personal knowledge and understanding, not just inside Konohagakure, but in places all over. There were also countless enemies with strengths and abilities that were completely over the top, many of which could not be found in books or lessons at the academy.

Upon reflecting on his past battles, the information he'd learned, and comparing them to his current position in life, Naruto knew that he wasn't going to learn and experience anything more from just sitting here in the village, bowing humbly to the status quo.

There was no danger here. No important movements taking place that he could sink his teeth into. No interesting places to explore. No hidden treasures. No bad guys. Nothing. It was just villagers living safely inside of tall, concrete walls, who were sealed off from the rest of the world.

Naruto knew in his gut and his heart that he had more room to grow, more room to learn, and that he could become much, much stronger. But he wasn't going to do that being confined to his little quarter of the world, being suffocated by the people around him.

What he really wanted was to experience true, uninhibited freedom. The kind of freedom he needed to live, to go beyond, and become something truly outstanding. That was why yesterday, after careful deliberation over a boring homework assignment from school, he decided he was going to leave Konohagakure and go off on his own adventure.

This eventually led him here, to the weapons shop in the middle of central Konohagakure, looking for the tools necessary for an extended expedition.

After about half an hour of walking up and down the shop, with the ever watchful owner quietly observing the child from behind the papers of his magazine, Naruto then stopped in front of another glass case with a small collection of ornate knives on display. When he bent over to take a closer look, the blond then blinked when he suddenly saw a second set of eyes staring back at him.