Disclaimer:
Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto.
I own nothing but the original characters I create.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 111: Naruto Goes To Explore
Naruto looked at Jiraiya with a deadpan expression.
"I thought I already told you I'm not interested in sleeping with these women."
"You're so boring…" Jiraiya sighed, disappointed. "Fine, I'll have fun...I mean, collect intel in here by myself." He pulled something out of his robes and handed it to Naruto.
"Here you go. You can use this."
"This is?" Naruto took the picture and glanced at it. It showed a beautiful young woman. "Is this your favorite prostitute or something? That's not something I'd brag about. They only want you for your money, after a—"
"That's Tsunade!" Jiraiya interrupted. "The woman we're looking for. Use that picture to ask around the city if anyone has seen her."
"Mmm… that makes more sense. But you said she can change her looks." Naruto pointed out.
"She can, but she usually only alters her age. She'll look something like in that picture, maybe a bit younger or older, but she'll always be a blonde with long hair and a jewel on her forehead. She stands out a lot, so people should remember her."
Naruto stored the picture. "Okay, I'll ask around."
Jiraiya nodded.
"Good. Come back here at sundown. And if you happen to find her, come back here immediately. Don't talk to her or approach her! Just come back and tell me."
"Fine. Go have fun while I do all the work." Naruto tossed his backpack at Jiraiya. "At least take care of this."
"Hey! Treat your uncle with more respect, you brat," Jiraiya huffed.
"Sure...'uncle'. Go do your thing," Naruto said, rolling his eyes. In public, Jiraiya had told him to refer to him as his "uncle."
Naruto left the brothel and began walking around the city. He showed the picture to a few shopkeepers, but no one had seen the woman.
He then recalled an important detail about her.
"Excuse me, do you know if there are any gambling dens nearby?" he asked an old man managing a food cart. If anyone would have seen her, it would definitely be in a place like that.
"Gambling?" The man sighed. "So young and already corrupted…"
Naruto handed a few coins to the old fellow. While Jiraiya was still asleep, he had taken the opportunity to swipe a small bag of money from him.
'I'm sure he has a lot more,' Naruto thought, not feeling the least bit guilty. From their casual conversations, Jiraiya had mentioned his successful side job as an author, which brought in a decent amount of money.
"Ohh!" The old man's eyes widened at the sight of the coins.
"You must be some rich kid…" He then pointed toward an alley.
"If you're looking to lose some money, just follow that road until you see a golden sign that says 'The Golden Goose.' But be careful. There are some shady characters in there… Ever since the Daimyo placed harsh regulations on gambling, most dens are now hidden away and run by dangerous people. Be very careful." He repeated.
"Thanks for the warning." Naruto could tell the old man was being kind, so he left a few more coins for him before leaving.
It wasn't hard to find the place. The sign was flashy enough.
"It doesn't seem like they're trying to hide, to be honest…"
Two large men stood at the door. They glanced at him suspiciously.
"Did you get lost, boy?"
"Actually, I'd like to go inside," Naruto replied.
The men looked him up and down.
Naruto wasn't wearing his Konoha headband, and his outfit consisted of black martial arts robes and simple sandals. His kunai and other supplies were sealed in a small scroll, so he didn't look like a ninja at all.
"Huh? Aren't you a bit young to be here?" one guard asked.
"Yeah, just get lost!" the other one grunted, pushing him away.
Naruto was about to say something when the door opened. A middle-aged man in an elegant blue kimono appeared, glancing at Naruto.
"I heard some shouting. What seems to be the problem?"
"This boy says he wants to come inside," the guard explained.
The man in the kimono sized Naruto up, then smiled.
"Do you have money?"
Naruto showed him the wallet he had "borrowed" from Jiraiya. It was stuffed with cash.
"Then come inside. What are you waiting for?" The man in the blue kimono gestured Naruto in, giving the guards a harsh glare.
"We welcome anyone with money here, remember?"
"Yes, Manager!"
"We're sorry!" the guards apologized.
Naruto had never been in a gambling den before, but it was pretty much what he expected. Several rooms were filled with people playing games, drinking, and shouting.
"What would you like to play? Cards, dice? Perhaps roulette?" the manager asked as they walked through the hall, pointing to different rooms.
"Actually, I'm more interested in some information."
The manager stopped and turned, his expression serious.
"Information?... that is not really our business."
"About this person." Naruto showed him the picture. "Have you seen her before?"
The man's eyes widened in surprise before he quickly composed himself. Naruto noticed him subtly gesture to a man standing near one of the gambling rooms.
"The woman in this picture… Who is she to you? Your mother or something?"
"Or something," Naruto replied.
The door opened, and the guards from outside entered. More guards appeared from the rooms, and others descended from the upper floors, surrounding Naruto.
The manager's face darkened with intimidation.
"I'm afraid I'm going to need more than that. Normally, we don't share information about our clients, but this woman is… special. You see, she owes us a large sum of money. Since you seem to be connected to her, we're going to need your cooperation in finding her."
The guards drew their weapons, making their intentions clear.
"Will you help us?" the manager asked with a menacing smile.
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