Naruto strolled over to Orochimaru's lifeless form, with Kakashi, Sakura, and Sai in tow, to make sure the guy was really out of the picture.
"So, what's next?" Sakura inquired, looking around at the aftermath.
Kakashi scratched his head, "Well, jumping into this mess wasn't exactly on our to-do list, but taking down a criminal like Orochimaru? I'd call that a win."
Naruto, with a hint of laid-back confidence, chimed in, "Right, now we've got to haul these bodies back to the village. They're like a gold mine of intel, and there's no way we're letting them fall into the wrong hands."
"Exactly! Securing these bodies is crucial to preventing any valuable info from going astray," Kakashi agreed.
In the blink of an eye, Naruto harnessed his Flying Raijin technique, whisking everyone—along with Orochimaru and Kabuto's bodies—back to the village in seconds.
Once back, they handed over the bodies to the village authorities for a thorough examination.
Heading straight for the Hokage's office, Naruto found himself face to face with a bewildered Tsunade.
"You took down Orochimaru?" she asked, her voice a mix of surprise and disbelief as Naruto recounted the mission's events.
"Yeah, it wasn't the initial plan. We were after Kabuto, the spy, but then Orochimaru showed up, and, well, you know how it goes," Naruto explained, his tone nonchalant but confident.
"And the bodies?" Tsunade asked.
"Kakashi Sensei's on it," Naruto replied.
Tsunade's concern shifted, "What about Sai? Anything off about him during the mission?"
"He didn't did anything to be called suspicious, But... " Naruto said as he brought out a envelope of his backpack and handed to Tsunade.
"What's this?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow as she slid open the envelope handed over by Naruto. Peering inside, her expression shifted to one of sheer astonishment, "This is all top-secret village intel. How on earth did you stumble upon this?"
Naruto shrugged, a casual grin spreading across his face. "Oh, this? Snagged it from Sai's backpack while he was off doing his thing during the camp. Couldn't help but take a little peek."
"Is that..." Shizune gasped, equally taken aback.
"A roster for the Anbu Black Ops!" Tsunade's voice was a mix of surprise and rising fury. "How in the world did this get leaked? These are supposed to be secured documents!" She was fuming, thoughts racing with the potential breach's implications.
"My lady..." Shizune interjected, concern lacing her tone.
"Shizune! I need the security around our intel vault beefed up yesterday. And get those file access codes changed, pronto!" Tsunade barked the order with a sense of urgency that propelled Shizune into immediate action, nodding briskly before dashing off.
Tsunade remained in her chair, her mind racing through the possibilities, the silence in the room thickening around her...
"Naruto..." She finally broke the silence, her gaze locking onto him.
"Yup?" He turned to face her, his attention now fully on the Hokage.
"How about a spot in the Anbu Black Ops? Interested?" Tsunade' offered
Naruto's eyebrows shot up, a spark of interest lighting up his features. "You're asking me to join the Anbu, huh?"
"Yes, I want you to be part of the Anbu's Assassination and Tactical Unit," Tsunade confirmed, her tone leaving no room for doubt.
"And you want me on board because...?" Naruto tilted his head, curiosity laced in his casual tone.
"Your strength would be a significant boost to the Anbu Black Ops," Tsunade explained.
"And?" Naruto pressed, not quite satisfied.
"Look, I need someone in there who I can trust implicitly. Someone reliable. Plus, I'm counting on you to gather intel on Danzo for me," Tsunade elaborated, getting straight to the point.
Naruto paused, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "I'm flattered you see me as trustworthy, really. And it's not exactly a shocker, coming from you. But, you know, my vibe is kind of the opposite of the Anbu's whole secrecy gig," he admitted, his voice carrying a blend of respect and a hint of his trademark cheekiness.
"So, are you turning me down?" Tsunade probed, trying to gauge his reaction.
"I'm on the fence..." Naruto pondered for a moment before continuing, "I'll think about it and give you my answer tomorrow, if that's okay with you."
"That's fine, Naruto. This is a big decision. Take all the time you need," Tsunade assured him.
"Appreciate it. I'll catch you later, then," Naruto said with a respectful bow before exiting the room.
Leaving the Hokage's office behind, Naruto made his way towards his apartment, lost in thought about the decision ahead. As he meandered through the village, he bumped into Karin...
"Long time no see, Karin! Where have you been hiding?" Naruto greeted her enthusiastically.
"Just around the village, going on missions with my team," Karin replied.
"Oh, right! I almost forgot you were promoted to Chunin last year!" Naruto exclaimed.
"Yeah, that's me. But enough about that—what's this I've heard about you?" Karin leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper, "You took down Orochimaru?"
Naruto glanced around, surprised by her knowledge. "How do you know about that?" he asked, his voice equally low.
"Information gathering is kind of my thing," Karin said with a knowing smirk. "So, did that really happen?"
"Yeah, it did. But keep it under wraps for now, okay? Only a few people know," Naruto cautioned.
"Got it!" Karin nodded.
"Hey, since we bumped into each other after so long, how about we grab a bite to eat? My treat!"
"Sure, but where do you have in mind?" Karin asked.
"It's my treat, so you pick the place! Anywhere you'd like," Naruto insisted.
"In that case, I'll choose—just as long as it's not ramen again!" Karin teased.
"What? Hey, ramen is amazing, don't knock it till you've tried it!" Naruto defended.
"Okay, okay!" Karin laughed, amused by his reaction. They decided on a restaurant Karin had chosen and after a nice meal and catching up on old times, they parted ways. Naruto felt a warm sense of nostalgia as he made his way back to his apartment, reflecting on the unexpected and pleasant reunion.
The next day, Naruto made his way to the Hokage's office, a decision weighing heavily on his mind. As he entered, Tsunade looked up, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern.
"So, did you make your decision, Naruto?" Tsunade asked.
Naruto took a deep breath, his resolve clear. "Yes, I thought about it properly..." he trailed off, gathering his thoughts.
"And what's your decision?" Tsunade prodded gently, leaning forward slightly.
Naruto met her gaze, his own filled with determination. "...No, I don't think joining Anbu will be the best option for me," he declared.
Tsunade nodded, her expression thoughtful. "That's okay, but can I know your reasons?" she inquired.
"Well, I don't think I'm best suited for being or joining Anbu, at least not now," Naruto explained.
"Huh! If you think so, I have nothing to object about," Tsunade responded.
"Thanks!" Naruto said, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders.
"Well, if that's your decision, you can go for now. I'll assign a mission to you tomorrow," Tsunade concluded.
"Okay!" Naruto replied, as he left the room
[A. N: Thanks for reading, drop Powerstones that will help a lot and drop reviews if you like the story and add to your library]