The night air was cool and quiet as Naruto finally made his way back to the Senju compound. The adrenaline of the day was finally crashing, leaving behind a deep, bone-weary exhaustion. After taking a long, scalding bath, he changed into his comfortable sleepwear. He sat cross-legged on his bed, leaving a shadow clone at the desk to meticulously write out the official mission report for Tsunade.
You did well today, brat, Kurama rumbled in his mind, the great fox's voice vibrating comfortably in his consciousness.
Thanks, Kurama, Naruto replied internally, leaning back against the headboard. One of these days, I'll have to make things clear to everyone. But for now, one uchiha is safely locked in the cage. Now we have to figure out how we're going to capture the other two alive. You got a plan? Itachi is going to die in a few weeks, a month or two at the absolute max. That just leaves Obito.
And for him, I'm working on a special surprise, Kurama mused, a dark grin evident in his tone. Too bad you can't use your father's technique on him.
I can use the Flying Raijin, I'm just at a critical bottleneck with it, Naruto corrected. The problem is that Obito already knows exactly how to counter Minato's technique. I'll try it, but I don't think it will work perfectly on him. But honestly, my biggest problem right now is figuring out if the movie events are actually going to happen in this timeline or not.
Yeah. From the looks of it, the event the original kid Naruto went on from the movie-verse was the one where he had to save the Snow Country, Kurama noted.
Exactly. That's what I'm a bit worried about, Naruto sighed. If the movie timelines start bleeding into our reality, you know exactly what kind of chaotic shitholes are going to open up.
You know what will happen if those movies come, right? Kurama asked. Which one are you talking about? The one where you save the village and they throw you into the Blood Prison on the Raikage's word? Or the one where Obito throws you into a different dimension and you meet your parents?
I'm not sure, but we both need to be ready if it happens.
Brat, there's one more movie you're forgetting. That Hidden Village on the moon where the original Naruto used my golden chakra mode for the first time.
Yeah, The Last. We'll worry about that one a bit later, Naruto reasoned. The power scaling in that event was ridiculously high, but honestly, everyone in that movie was just acting like dumbasses.
True, Kurama chuckled. But what about the Blood Prison?
Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly in the dark room. If they honestly think they can pull that Raikage suggestion on me now that I'm this capable, they had better be ready for a massive blast of power. This version of Naruto knows how to hold a grudge.
Fair enough. Get some sleep, brat. We'll deal with the future when it gets here.
The next morning, the sun rose bright and warm over Konohagakure. After sleeping like a log, Naruto woke up feeling completely refreshed. He dropped his mission report off at the Hokage's tower early, learning from Shizune that the T&I department was currently ripping Kabuto's mind apart. Even better, Tsunade had apparently nearly broken the necks of Homura and Koharu when the two elders had foolishly tried to advocate for Sasuke's leniency. Naruto smiled at the thought; he honestly wished he had been there to see it.
Now, for the first time in weeks, Naruto was taking a peaceful, aimless walk through the village. The atmosphere was incredibly calm, a stark and welcome contrast to the blood, lightning, and killer intent of the previous day.
As he strolled down the bustling commercial district, a familiar voice called out.
"Hey! Naruto!"
Naruto looked up to see Ino Yamanaka, Hinata Hyuga, and Tenten walking together a few storefronts down. They waved him over cheerfully. Smiling, Naruto switched lanes and jogged over to join them.
"Hey guys, what's up?" Naruto greeted, his hands casually resting in his pockets.
"Not much! Just enjoying the morning," Ino beamed.
Tenten crossed her arms, a teasing smirk on her lips. "Hi there, Naruto. How are you doing? Being a newly promoted jōnin being tough on you?"
Naruto laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Nah, nothing serious. The mission was definitely exhausting, but we got it done. I just submitted my final report to Lady Tsunade. Now I'm finally free before the next mission is called. I think I'm on a solid week's break."
"Really? That's wonderful news, Naruto-kun," Hinata said softly, her pale eyes brightening.
Ino's eyes immediately lit up with a dangerous, opportunistic gleam. "So... you are completely free? Nothing to do? No training, no nothing?" she asked, her voice taking on a suggestive, playful lilt.
"Yeah, pretty much," Naruto nodded, completely oblivious to the trap being set. "I mean, I will train eventually, but I'm going to take a rest today and maybe tomorrow. Then I'll get back to it. But for today, I'm taking a pure rest day."
"Well, perfect! You can come with us!"
Before Naruto could even process the words, Ino stepped right up to his left side and smoothly hooked her arm through his. Naruto froze, a bit shocked by her sudden boldness.
"You can come with us on our shopping trip," Ino declared triumphantly. "Hinata and I were already planning to buy some new outfits. After all this training lately, our old clothes are getting way too tight and short on us."
As she spoke, Ino shot a very subtle, encouraging wink across Naruto's chest to Hinata. She tilted her head, signaling the Hyuga heiress to make her move.
Hinata's entire face flushed a brilliant shade of crimson. She hesitated for a split second, but finding a sudden surge of Gryffindor-like courage, she stepped up to Naruto's right side and shyly, but firmly, hooked her arms around his right arm.
Naruto stood entirely paralyzed in the middle of the street, both of his arms securely captured by two very pretty kunoichi. He looked comically between Ino's beaming face and Hinata's fiercely blushing one, completely unsure of what to do with his hands.
Standing a few feet away, Tenten raised an amused eyebrow at this sudden development. She hadn't been entirely aware of the shifting dynamics, but seeing Naruto flanked and thoroughly trapped made her giggle.
Noticing Tenten's amused look, Ino quickly extended the invitation. "Hey, Tenten, wanna come with us? We're going to buy some really good outfits. Plus, maybe we can even force Naruto into some new clothes. That white-and-black aesthetic is getting a bit predictable."
"Yeah, Tenten-chan," Hinata encouraged softly, leaning slightly into Naruto's shoulder. "It will be fun."
Tenten laughed, fully enjoying the ridiculous, captive expression on Naruto's face. "Sure! I also want to buy some new outfits and check out the new weapons pouches anyway. Lead the way, girls."
After an hour of wandering the bustling shopping district and enjoying a few light snacks, the quartet finally arrived at their main destination: Kunoichi Boutique.
The store was incredibly large and undeniably elegant. Polished hardwood floors contrasted with brightly lit, modern display racks. It was a high-end fashion haven designed specifically for female shinobi. The boutique sold an astonishing variety of clothing—everything from reinforced combat mesh and tactical vests to casual summer dresses, tough denim jeans, stylish jackets, comfortable hoodies, pleated skirts, combat boots, sandals, and traditional silk kimonos.
Naruto looked around in genuine surprise. He had never really paid attention to civilian fashion before, but seeing racks of modern-style jeans and leather jackets in the ninja world threw him for a loop. But as he thought about it, it made perfect sense; a tough, durable material like denim was highly practical for shinobi who spent their lives running through abrasive tree branches and fighting in the dirt.
"Alright, we are going to try a few things on!" Ino announced, practically shoving Naruto toward a plush, velvet sofa situated right outside the fitting room area. "You sit right there. And you have to give us your honest opinion!"
The three girls vanished behind the sleek wooden doors of the fitting rooms, leaving Naruto entirely alone.
He sank into the ridiculously comfortable sofa, letting out a long breath. He casually chatted with the boutique owner—a sweet older woman who found his predicament highly amusing—and internally concluded that surviving a shopping trip with three teenage kunoichi was somehow vastly more exhausting than fighting Orochimaru to the death.
A few minutes later,
Finally, the first fitting room door clicked open, and the fashion show officially began.
Ino stepped out first, immediately striking a confident pose with a hand resting on her hip. She had thrown on a vibrant pink, oversized zip-up hoodie left open to reveal a black sports bra with a mesh upper chest. Below, she wore baggy, dark sweatpants with a prominent white drawstring, perfectly framing her highly toned midriff.
"Comfort is key on rest days, Naruto," Ino teased, flashing a bright smile as her long blonde hair cascaded down her back. "Plus, a girl has to show off her hard work from the training grounds. What do you think?"
"That looks incredibly comfortable, Ino," Naruto smiled, leaning back into the sofa cushions. "It's got that lazy-day vibe, but you still look like you could sprint across the village in it."
Before Ino could brag further, the middle door opened, and Hinata stepped out. She looked slightly shy, her fingers playing with the hem of a light grey, oversized t-shirt that was rolled and tucked up to expose her midriff. She had paired it with dark black pants featuring suspender straps left hanging down casually, a grey jacket tied loosely around her waist, and combat bandages wrapped thickly around her right thigh.
Naruto's eyes widened in genuine awe at how fit the usually heavily-clothed Hyuga had gotten. He sat up straighter, nodding approvingly. "Whoa. This is good, Hinata. It shows your skill, and it shows your muscles well, too."
Hinata's face flushed a brilliant, radiant red at the direct praise about her physique, but she managed a bright, proud smile, flashing a peace sign at him. "T-Thank you, Naruto-kun. The extra taijutsu training has really been paying off."
"Make way for the weapons specialist," Tenten announced, confidently pushing her door open. She was sporting an all-black, highly tactical look. She wore a sleeveless, high-neck crop top featuring intricate, wraparound fabric straps that crisscrossed over her bare stomach, paired with baggy black tactical cargo pants adorned with utility straps. Her twin buns were styled slightly looser, with elegant strands framing her face.
"Now that is just cool, Tenten," Naruto praised, grinning. "You look like a full-blown Anbu assassin right now. The straps give it a really edgy look."
"Right?" Tenten smirked, admiring herself in the boutique's full-length mirror. "It's lightweight, doesn't restrict my arms for throwing weapons, and the dark color is perfect for night missions."
Laughing, the three girls grabbed new armfuls of clothes from the racks and disappeared back into the fitting rooms. The loop had officially started.
A few minutes later, Ino practically strutted out of her room wearing a highly form-fitting, daring outfit. She wore a beige, sand-colored tunic top with black mesh covering the collar, paired with skintight black leather pants. The right leg featured a unique thigh-high leather boot pulled up over mesh netting, and she had tied her hair into a sleek, high ponytail.
Naruto blinked, slightly flustered by the tight, skin-toned outfit. He scratched the back of his head and said exactly what came to his mind. "Whoa, this looks cool on you, you know? The yellow one... this new yellow bikini suit is really good on you. It suits you well, and it looks quite well on you."
Ino burst out laughing, putting a hand over her face. "A yellow bikini suit?! Naruto, it's a combat tunic! But thank you for the compliment, you idiot. I knew the form-fitting look would catch your eye."
Hinata emerged next, looking like an absolute professional. She wore a cropped, short-sleeve purple jacket featuring a bold circular crest on the left sleeve, worn over a tight black undershirt. Her dark grey, baggy shinobi pants were incredibly unique, featuring large, open cutouts on the outer hips and thighs filled in with durable combat mesh.
"Okay, that is amazing, Hinata!" Naruto cheered, giving her a thumbs-up. "The jacket is awesome, and those pants look super durable. You look like a Jonin squad leader."
Hinata blushed warmly, looking over her shoulder at the mirror to check the crest on her sleeve. "It feels really secure, and the mesh cutouts actually give me a lot of flexibility for my Gentle Fist stances."
Tenten was the last to step out for the second round, coming out looking ready for a war. She wore a traditional, forest-green sleeveless qipao-style top with black mesh underneath a high collar. Below, she wore dark grey capri-length cargo pants, with white bandages wrapped securely around her right thigh, and a massive summoning scroll strapped securely across her back.
Naruto pumped his fist in the air. "Now that is classic Tenten! It looks just like your old gear, but upgraded and way tougher. Carrying the giant scroll on your back just completes the whole look."
Tenten beamed, proudly tapping the giant scroll on her back. "Never leave home without the armory! This top gives my shoulders total freedom of movement. I'm definitely taking this one."
This loop of modeling, laughing, and appraising continued for hours. Naruto sat comfortably on the sofa, offering his honest, sometimes goofy, but always supportive opinions on every jacket, tactical vest, and combat suit they pulled off the racks.
By the time they finally checked out—the girls' arms heavily burdened with shopping bags, and Naruto carrying an impressive stack of shoeboxes himself—the sun had begun to set, casting a beautiful orange and purple twilight over the Hidden Leaf Village. It was evening, and as they walked out of the boutique together, laughing about Ino's "bikini suit," Naruto realized that this loud, chaotic, and wonderfully normal day was exactly the kind of peace he was fighting to protect.