Naruto: The Honored One(Discontinued)

41

Chapter 41: A Troublesome Alliance

Land of This, Castle Town

The Land of This was a nation built on two things: political leverage and an almost religious devotion to gluttony. The air in the castle town was thick with the scent of grilled meats, simmering broths, and sweet bean paste.

Suguru Geto appeared with the casual stride of a tourist. After leaving Uzushio, he'd grown bored. The latent energy of a large crowd had called to him, and he found himself drawn to a grand eating contest in the main square. A faint, familiar chakra signature—the Konoha genin from the cemetery—drew his attention. He saw them clustered around a table, their faces a mixture of focus and exasperation.

‘Ah, the pineapple-haired strategist and his friends,’ Geto mused, a smirk playing on his lips. ‘What sort of troublesome mission has Tsunade sent them on? This should be an amusing diversion.’

He watched from a distance as Choji, the large boy, secured second place in the contest, earning an invitation into the castle. He saw Shikamaru’s sharp, calculating eyes and Ino’s tense focus. He followed, a shadow in the bustling crowd, content to observe their clumsy but surprisingly effective plan unfold.

From a quiet balcony, he sipped on complimentary sake, watching them successfully extract the young Lord Shu. ‘Crude, but functional,’ he thought. ‘Satoru would find this hilarious.’

He was about to leave them to it when the first explosion rocked the castle.

“Deidara’s art,” Geto sighed, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. “Always so… loud. And utterly lacking in subtlety.”

Puppets in Akatsuki cloaks descended upon the castle grounds, and chaos erupted. Geto watched, completely unbothered, as a skilled samurai named Tatewaki began cutting them down. It was only when the puppets cornered a group of fleeing civilians, their hidden blades ready to strike down women and children, that Geto’s amusement curdled into disdain.

“How tedious. Indiscriminate slaughter of the weak,” he muttered, setting down his sake cup. “Such a lack of artistry.”

At the same moment, Team 10, having secured Lord Shu, saw the chaos.

“Those cloaks… It’s the Akatsuki!” Ino gasped, her face pale.
Shikamaru’s eyes widened in horror. “And… it’s him!” He spotted Geto moving through the chaos below. “The guy from Naruto’s grave! The one who… who killed him!”

His team froze, their mission forgotten, replaced by a visceral mix of fear and fury. “What is he doing here?!” Choji exclaimed, instinctively moving to protect the chest containing Lord Shu.

Before they could react, Hiruko’s massive scorpion tail shot towards them, dripping with poison. They braced for impact, but two shadowy, monstrous beasts—a dog-like creature and a bird with leathery wings—materialized from Geto’s sleeves, intercepting the tail with a sickening crunch of wood and metal.

“My, my, Sasori,” Geto’s voice drawled from below. “Still playing with dolls? I thought you’d have found a new hobby by now.”

He stood over the cowering civilians, having dispatched the puppets that threatened them with casual ease. He turned his gaze up to Team 10, his smile unnervingly calm.

“You Konoha children seem to have stumbled into a bit of a mess,” he said.

In the sky, Deidara and Sasori landed on a nearby rooftop. “Geto!” Deidara spat. “So, the traitor shows his face!

“I’m merely on vacation,” Geto replied smoothly. “But your little tantrum is ruining the ambiance.” He gestured to the screaming townspeople. “And you’re frightening the monkeys. It’s terribly impolite.”

Shikamaru’s mind raced, trying to make sense of the impossible situation. The man who murdered Naruto was now… protecting them? And fighting the Akatsuki? ‘What is going on? This is more than a drag; this is a nightmare. Is he an enemy? An ally? Or just a monster fighting other monsters?’

“Ino, Choji, get Lord Shu out of here! Follow the original escape route!” Shikamaru ordered, his voice tight.

“But what about you, Shikamaru?!” Ino cried.

“Tatewaki is fighting down there, and so is… he,” Shikamaru said, his gaze fixed on Geto. “I can’t just leave them. I’ll provide backup and try to figure out what the hell is going on. Now go!”

Reluctantly, Ino and Choji scrambled away with the chest.

Deidara laughed. “Trying to run? Cute!” He launched a clay bird, but it was snatched out of the air by one of Geto's converted hawk-spirits.

“Let the children play, Deidara,” Geto chided. “Your business is with me.”