"Have someone clean this up, and compensate the damages." After doing all this, Naruto said casually to the nearby guard. Normally, the next words out of his mouth would've been 'put it on my tab'.
But after a brief consideration of his current financial state, Naruto hesitated. He swallowed back the words that were about to reach his throat, and said with a wave of his hand, "Put it on your Queen's tab!"
What a legend… mooching in the most shameless way possible. And yet, Naruto didn't bat an eye. After all, if Koyuki had money, then he had money.
Besides, Koyuki's wealth was his wealth. There's no difference.
Of course, the Land of Snow's funds had to stay in the treasury for economic development. Even though Naruto is not financially well off now, he would never think of taking advantage of that money.
He understood that much and never even considered it. Money used to be just a string of numbers for him, but now, it is just a tool to maintain a basic living standard.
No matter how much money he has, it would be nothing more than a pile of money in the sealed space, and he won't even look at it. Naruto's daily meals wouldn't change either way.
So it would obviously make more sense to use this money to develop new technologies for the Konoha's Intelligence Division, to start a communications technology revolution, or to support the development of the Land of Snow.
If you are poor, you should focus on yourself, and if you are rich, you should help improve the world.
"Understood!" The guard didn't think much about it and was in a half-stunned state.
'Oh my god, this big boss kills without blinking an eye. If I don't agree with him now, am I asking if his eyes are dry? Hell no!' The guards didn't dare move a muscle.
After doing all this, Naruto cheerfully headed back. Although the situation wasn't completely resolved, it was time to eat first.
As for Kusagakure, he can free up his hands to deal with it later. They still had their uses.
By the time he returned to the Land of Snow's palace, the meal had just been served. The food hadn't even been placed over the heating stove yet. Naruto's absurdly quick return left Koyuki utterly stunned.
She knew Naruto was very powerful, as she could still remember the scene of the undeads attacking the Land of Snow's palace six years ago. But she thought that it would take time to go back and forth, and it would also take time to deal with those people.
'How did he go and come back so fast?'
"Those three guys have been dealt with, so let's sit down and eat." There was a trace of blood on Naruto's shoes, but it was not too obvious, and there were no other signs of battle on him.
"O-okay." Koyuki was still processing it all as she sat across from him.
"Those Shinobi from the Land of Grass, they..." She asked hesitantly, holding up her chopsticks.
"They're all dead, just some small fry." Naruto grabbed a chicken leg and chewed as he spoke, "There's no need to worry about it anymore. I'll take care of the follow-up matters."
Hearing this, Koyuki immediately felt a wave of relief wash over her. Since Naruto said there was nothing to worry about, then there truly wasn't. Her admiration for Naruto grew even deeper.
She is just an ordinary person, and it is not easy to lead a small country forward in this Shinobi World. It is nearly impossible to govern the country without external help.
She had come to terms with her fate from long ago. There are not so many infinite possibilities in life, and when an opportunity arose, she had to seize it with everything she had.
Even if it meant waiting for years, she couldn't afford to miss her chance.
That's exactly what Koyuki had done. She waited six years for the boy she once knew to grow up. She had gambled on a promise, betting that Naruto wouldn't forget her, that one day, their paths would cross again.
Fortunately, she had won that bet.
Now, for Koyuki, Naruto was her sole pillar of support… both emotionally and physically.
"Wow, you're amazing." Koyuki propped her chin on her hand as she gazed at him, her eyes curving into crescents.
What's wrong with a woman being a little scheming?
"Really?" Naruto was busy gnawing on a chicken leg. When he turned around and saw Koyuki looking up at him, his throat tightened slightly.
This angle… yeah, the sense of accomplishment just skyrocketed.
"Of course. After all, those three were all Jonin." Koyuki smoothly kept the conversation going. She appropriately poured him a cup of warm alcohol, which was attention to detail at its finest.
"Oh, well… I wouldn't really call them Jonin." Naruto took the cup and took a sip. After the warm drink went down his throat, he felt an indescribable sense of comfort.
"What kind of sake is this?" He asked between bites.
"It's a medicinal liquor, which is good for strengthening the body and bones. I'm not entirely sure about it. It was prepared by the people in the medical division." Koyuki said with a light laugh, masking her intentions, "I don't really like shochu. It's more of a man's drink."
"Oh, shochu, huh? No wonder my stomach feels so warm." Naruto frowned slightly and felt something was off. The more he looked at Koyuki, the more beautiful she became, as if she had a natural filter on.
But the feeling wasn't overwhelming, and since Naruto hadn't indulged in anything reckless for a while, he didn't pay it much mind. He simply kept drinking, cup after cup.
Once he was full and sufficiently buzzed, there's no urgent matters waiting for him in Konoha, but he found himself in a different kind of urgency.
Koyuki was a little surprised to see that Naruto drank a lot of shochu but his steps were not shaky. She thought that if it was a bear, it would be knocked out by now.
This wasn't just any liquor, as it was a potent medicinal brew infused with dozens of rare, vitality-boosting ingredients. Even a dying old man would suddenly find the strength to sprint twenty miles after drinking it.
In the steamy hot springs, Naruto squinted his eyes as he soaked in the water.
'Why does this liquor feel weirder the more I drink? Strengthening the body and bones, my ass! This is straight-up 'drain your essence' liquor! Thankfully, I had some self-control.'
'This is too dangerous. No, I have to confiscate them all before I leave.'
"Why does this bath feel like it's making things worse?" Naruto suddenly felt something wet on his nose and subconsciously reached out to touch it.
'What the hell, is that red?'
'Nosebleed?'
He looked down at the bottom of the hot spring, where a large pile of medicinal herbs sank. Instantly, Naruto's face turned pale, 'Is Koyuki going to eat me alive?!'
The night passed without further incident.
The good news, he is still alive. The bad news, he was drained.
By the time Naruto left, Koyuki couldn't even get out of bed to see him off. He departed in solemn solitude, slightly traumatized by her all-or-nothing approach.
Koyuki didn't get what she wanted either, but she would never forget that day.
…
Konoha.
After returning, Naruto followed his usual routine and rested for a full day. He ate dinner, took a stroll, then slept like a log. When he woke up the next morning, he felt like a brand-new man again.
Just as he was pondering what to eat next, Yugao appeared outside his balcony window and knocking on the window, her expression as cold and unreadable as ever.