Meeting Team 7

"Okay, we can come to an agreement. But only if you allow us to confirm whether you're lying or not," she said, her tone firm, eyes sharp.

Travis exhaled, shaking his head. "I don't want a brain search. Too invasive. What if I tell you one thing—just one—that'll make you trust me? Something besides the Akatsuki BS?"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "And what would that be?"

He took a step forward, voice steady but deliberate. "The Kazekage is about to be abducted."

The room fell into a stunned silence, the weight of his words pressing down on everyone. A few sharp gasps echoed as hidden figures in the shadows tensed. Before anyone could react, the door slammed open.

Naruto, Kakashi, and Jiraiya strode inside, their presence immediately shifting the atmosphere.

"Why's it so tense in here?" Naruto asked, scanning the room before grinning. "Grandma Tsunade, how's it been? Wait—Sakura?! Man, you haven't changed a bit! Who's that guy?" He pointed at Travis as he walked in further.

"Naruto, could you please be quiet for a moment?" Tsunade snapped, barely sparing him a glance before refocusing on Travis. Her entire demeanor had shifted—her gaze now sharp, unreadable.

That very moment, Travis felt it. Killing intent. Heavy, suffocating. Every shinobi in the room, even the ones still hidden, had their attention locked onto him like predators sizing up prey.

'Damn, they could kill me at any moment. Well—try is a better way to put it. Still, that's kinda exciting,' he thought, keeping his expression neutral.

"How do you know this?" Tsunade demanded.

Travis smirked slightly. "Well, we never agreed on that, did we? Now, are you going to make a deal with me, or are we just gonna stand here and bicker? The more time we waste, the faster they get to Gaara. If you haven't noticed, the Akatsuki are after all Jinchūriki. That includes this guy over here with the infamous Nine-Tails." He gestured toward Naruto, his tone calm, controlled.

The moment he finished speaking, cold steel pressed against his throat. A glint of silver flashed in the dim light—Kakashi's kunai.

Travis didn't flinch. Instead, he glanced to the side, meeting the man's uncovered Sharingan head-on.

"You know too much," Kakashi said, voice low, controlled. "Do I have permission to put him down, Lady Tsunade?"

Tsunade didn't answer right away. Instead, she studied Travis, weighing her options. Finally, she sighed. "No. He has information we need." She stepped forward, her presence commanding as she looked him over. "What's your name?"

A slow grin spread across his face. "Travis. And it's nice to finally meet the beautiful Tsunade Senju, might I add. One of the legendary Sannin. Along with the Toad Sage himself, Jiraiya. Man, so many legends in one place. This is great."

He could almost hear the collective eye-rolls around the room.

'Gotta make it seem like I'm a fanboy. Other than that, I'd never dick ride people like this,' he thought, keeping his grin intact.

"You know a lot. Even though that information isn't exactly classified, it's still interesting that you're so well-informed," Tsunade said, narrowing her eyes slightly. "For now, you'll temporarily live in this village until we confirm whether what you've told us is true or not. Could you step aside for a moment? We need to discuss something privately. If you prefer, you may sit in the lounge while you wait."

Travis crossed his arms, but before he could respond, the other man in the room spoke up.

"No, I'm alright," he said, flashing a confident grin. His gaze locked onto Tsunade's, filled with mischief. "I'd rather stay here and admire your beautiful face."

The unexpected remark caught Tsunade off guard. Her eyes widened ever so slightly before she quickly schooled her expression, choosing to ignore it altogether. Jiraiya, standing beside her, barely contained a chuckle, while Naruto snickered openly.

"Alright, Naruto," Tsunade continued, shifting the conversation back to business. "Now that you're back, Kakashi will be in charge of your assignments. I'm sure he must have briefed you on the way here."

"Yeah! I'm so excited," Naruto said, practically bouncing in place. "I wanna see how strong Sakura is now. I heard she's been training under you, so I bet she can really pack a punch!"

Tsunade smirked. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough."

"Good," she continued, turning to Kakashi. "You know what to do. You may leave for now. We need to discuss Travis's intel further. Also, if you see the Kazekage's sister, tell her she's needed here immediately. You're dismissed."

With that, Kakashi gave a casual wave before disappearing in a blur, leaving only the remaining trio in the room.

' Things are becoming more exciting. ' he thought.

TO BE CONTINUED