A Shinobi's Take on this Wonderful World

A Resolution to this Misunderstanding

"Here's the signed book from Ero-Senin I promised, Kazuma. Thanks again for watching over Wiz while I was gone."

Naruto said, and both Kazuma and Dust gawked at the orange object.

"OH! Thankyouthankyouthankyo-Ahem...! Pleasure doing business with you, sir."

Kazuma corrected himself and calmly took the book from Naruto's hands.

'That was close, he almost caught me off-guard. But I'm not gonna let let you butter me up that easily!'

Kazuma thought while maintaining his professional persona. Naruto was obviously here to ask him for something regarding the bet. But it would take a lot more than an item worthy of becoming the Satou family heirloom to sway the great Kazuma!

"Wait, how'd you get a signed book from the legendary Ero-Senin!?"

Dust grabbed Naruto's shoulders and started shaking him.

"What do you know about Ero-Senin?"

Naruto asked after pushing his fellow blonde away from him, all the while Kazuma was smothering his new book while the others weren't looking.

"Ero-Senin's books are well-known throughout the kingdom, and they're the only books I bother to read!"

Dust proudly claimed and flashed a copy of the Icha Icha Paradise from his back pocket.

Where did he even pull that out from? Or rather...

Naruto and Kazuma gave each other a look before they turned back to Dust.

"You know how to read?" x2

"I'll fight you both right here and now."

"Anyways, Megumin's been running around town looking for you Naruto. Did you not see her on your way here?"

Kazuma asked, ignoring the raging Dust.

Megumin tried to drag Kazuma out of the house with her to find Naruto for their "destined showdown of Explosions!", but he managed to convince the girl into going by herself by telling her that she should bring Naruto to the mansion first.

...Hey, he wasn't lazy! It was cold outside! Very VERY cold!

"Megumin? No, I haven't seen her. But we were having that Explosion match today, weren't we?"

Naruto felt bad about keeping the little girl waiting again, but she was the one who forced the spell onto him and also wouldn't admit they were rivals.

...Actually, he didn't feel bad at all.

"That nonsense can wait. Where are the other crazies?"

Dust asked while waving his hand dismissively, his previous anger gone like the wind.

"Well, we were just going to relax today since Megumin was going to have her showdown with Naruto. After all, she can only use her magic once a day. So Aqua's in her room upstairs, and Darkness went into town saying something about keeping the streets clean, but I wasn't really listening."

Kazuma said while rubbing his chin in thought as he tried to guess as to what Darkness was probably getting up to. Knowing that hopeless pervert, she was probably picking fights with thugs in a secluded alleyway.

"I-is that so? Keeping the town safe on her day off, huh? That sounds like something Darkness would do."

Naruto said while tapping his chin thoughtfully.

Kazuma narrowed his on the shinobi. Something about the way he said that seemed suspicious.

"Why do you ask? Was there something you needed to say to any of them?"