Naruto: The Prince of Lust-Chapter 260 -

"Sorry, babe," Anko replied. "I'm sure you'll hear everything later. I just can't right now."

"...Understood," Kurenai barely manages.

Kurenai wanted a distraction, just not one quite so devastating. Hayate was always such a calm and composed shinobi, retaining his gentle spirit despite the dangerous and dark duty of a ninja. 'And he was so in love with Yūgao,' her mind recounts. Anko, Kurenai, Asuma, Kakashi, Guy, Raidō, and Genma all bore witness to the pair's initial meeting, their eventual partnership, their perfect union, their undeniable love. Despite his illness, their love remained strong and true, 'now he's gone and she's alone,' Kurenai's mind finishes.

After Anko left, Kurenai had to use her mask of composure throughout the entire luncheon. Temari-chan showing up with her brother and partaking in the festivities right beside Naruto didn't even bother her. The only reprieve she received was when her Hokage asked her to escort him outside with Jiraiya-sama.

Just outside Iruka's small fence, Hiruzen stops to say, "I'm aware your students are currently undergoing special training with their respective clans." Standing at attention, Kurenai nods and confirms his assertion before asking, "am I correct in assuming you have time to spare?" With her, "hai, Hokage-sama," Hiruzen asks in his gentle voice, "I would like to add you to my protective detail along with Asuma-kun. I think it's unnecessary however my student here can be quite stubborn."

Momentarily turning to a smirking Jiraiya, Kurenai nods once again and asserts, "of course, Hokage-sama. It would be my honor."

"You have shown tremendous integrity and excellence in your duties, Kurenai-kun," her leader praises. "It is I who would be honored to have you."

To her great surprise, Jiraiya-sama of the legendary Sannin steps forward and bows—'he's actually bowing... to me!'—before saying, "for the care you've shown Naruto in my unforgivable absence, thank you. Sensei and Naruto speak very highly of you and Iruka and I'm eternally grateful."

"I- no. It was no trouble at all," Kurenai fumbles to say, trying not to think about how much she enjoyed taking care of Naruto. After their departure, Kurenai was delighted to receive such praise and mourning in the tragic news of Hayate's death and Yūgao's anguish.

KARIN

Konoha's hospital is strategically located close to the center of the circular high gates protecting the metropolis; meaning it's not terribly far from any point within the walls of Konoha. Iruka's home on the outskirts of the residential area is no exception, so it's not a major issue when Ino asks, "can we borrow Karin-chan for twenty minutes? There's a place we'd like to show her."

"We won't be late to lunch, promise," Sakura slowly adds. Two weeks into the training regiment the pink-haired beauty told her about is clearly getting to the her. It would kind of Karin to merely say she looks haggard. Her lovely pink hair is messy, her posture is tired, her eyes are unfocused, and her chakra is pale and unenergetic.

Eying his pink-haired teammate with deep concern, Naruto hastens as he asks, "are you okay, Sakura? You look tired."

Through her chakra, Karin can tell the girl is more tired than her response of, "of course I am. Strong as an ox," she adds, flexing her bicep. The way her chakra fluctuates with lethargic potency told Karin the girl had a masterful control of her chakra but also that she's been pushing it and herself to the limit, likely every day. Though Naruto still seemed worried about her, Sakura's clear desire to keep her fatigue to herself kept Karin from revealing anything.

Still, standing in front of such beautiful potential friends requesting to show her something excited Karin. Currently, she's only had a few chances to talk with the girls, and though making new connections makes her nervous, she feels very hopeful Ino and Sakura will be good friends to have. The red-headed Uzumaki turns to her cousin, who only smiles brightly and gives her an encouraging thumbs-up. Karin then asks the girls, "where is it?"

The confident Ino smirks with her answer, "a surprise."

Along with Iruka's encouragement, they separate, and to make certain to be on time to Iruka's 'Welcome Back' lunch, they sprint through the village from rooftop to rooftop. Though Ino and Karin had to match Sakura's decelerating speed, it didn't take them too long to reach the seedier part of Konoha. As she had no reason to, Karin had never been to this part of the village. From their height, it wasn't hard to spot pieces of trash, broken glass, and rubbish accumulated around the base of many old buildings. All windows and doors, regardless of damage, were fitted with iron bars and the paint that wasn't tagged with graffiti was old, pealing, and worn. As the three sprint from building-top to building-top, Karin knows precisely why the motley of villagers meandering about the streets below seem resigned to such destitution.

Recalling the one-bedroom shack Kusagakure assigned to her and her mother, Karin can easily recognize the signs of a slum area. Her mind can effortlessly overlap the impoverished neighbors of her old home to the motley residents of this neighborhood and knows with near certainty this state of living is the result of social, legal, and economic pressures; for no village is without it's lower class. It's all too common. Developers who prefer to cater their businesses to the wealthier avoid investing in these areas; families who have lost their breadwinner have nowhere else to live; gambles that didn't pay off; disabled veterans; low-income jobs; and addicts all help to create what Karin is observing. These people look about as miserable as the neighbors she remembers.

'Misery loves company,' her mind reminds her. Taking in the neighborhood as they race through it very much reminds her of the depressive dismay of her old life; of the hard life her mother accepted for them and of her mother's death. A hard pang of regret, anger, resentment, and revulsion unsettles Karin's gut, heart, and tear ducts. As the three land in front of a seedy four-story apartment building, Karin tries to ignore the likelihood of a mother in the neighborhood sacrificing nearly everything to keep her ungrateful daughter alive.

The four-story, rundown, squalid apartment complex with the foreclosed poster on the door is boarded up, tatted with graffiti and trashed, and mold but for some reason, they were here. Karin wonders why, thinking, 'this can't be what they wanted to show me.'

Karin is debating offering an out-of-breath Sakura her arm to revitalize her when the pink-haired kunoichi informs them, "we can't stay long... if we want to get back in time to help with lunch."

"When we get back, the only way you're helping is by sitting down and resting," Ino hotly returns.

"Wait," Karin calls, halting the two girls from entering the building. Aside from sensing a dozen weak chakra signatures inside, she asks with a pointed finger, "this is where you wanted to take me?"

Pressing her pink lips together like she's wincing, Ino admits, "I know, it doesn't look like much." Turning to the rundown mess of a building, she remarks, "but looks aren't everything."

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"Come on," Sakura calls, cracking her knuckles. "There's rubble that needs clearing."

"Wait," Karin calls, stopping the girls once again. Somewhat worried about Sakura, she informs them, "there are twelve men in there."

With clear disappointment, Sakura asks, "that's it?"

Karin nods before evaluating aloud, "five grouped together on the east wing of the first floor, two on the west side of the second, three on the third, three on the top. The three on the top are the strongest."

Surprised, Ino asks, "did you even have to mold chakra to sense them?"

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