Journey of Desires

- Hmm...

This was Ban's first reaction after he first saw the updated Naruko and Hikari. Naruko didn't expect to hear this at all, while Hikari didn't care at all, she was still trying to get used to the new sensations after growing up.

- Hey! What kind of reaction is this?!

Naruko expressed her indignation.

- H? What did you expect to see?

- Well, I don't kno~w, for example, admiration for my beauty.

Ban looked at her like she was a fool at these words, making her doubt her sanity. Not understanding why he was looking at her like that, the girl turned to Kilia in the hope that she would explain to her.

- You're kids.

- What? What kids??? Look at you!

And to prove her words, she took a pose that showed off her new body and especially emphasized her chest, let's say that the new Naruko is not inferior to her original version, namely from Naruto's perverted technique.

But the reaction was again not what she wanted to see, Hikari didn't give a damn, Ban only looked interested for a second, but the next moment he lost all interest, but what's worse, Kilia, after whose words Naruko took such actions, only looked at her with affection, like a child who drew a picture for the first time and ran to his mom and dad to show what he got.

- Eee? What's going on? What's with that look like a child, and is Ban impotent or something?

Kilia continued to look at her as if she were an unreasonable child, and Ban took it upon himself to answer her words.

- Do you really think that you can influence us like that?

- I don't get it.

- Even if we don't take into account that we've lived in purgatory for hundreds of years, even in ordinary life, if we add up our lives, we've exceeded 70 years, and you act like a child... Well, more like a teenager.

- So what? You have a twenty-year-old body, is it really because of mental old age that you're not interested in girls?

- No, I just like petite girls, and because of my age, I'm much more reserved than you.

- Yeah, sure, he's an adult, yeah right. And who among us laughed a couple of hours ago in a fight with Killer B like a crazy kid who was given an ATV??? Talk to me some more here.

For the first time in all this time, Naruto's words still confused Ban and he went quiet for a moment, but then returned his attention as Naruto continued.

- And... Stop! Petite? Are you a pedophile or something???

At that moment, Naruko deliberately opened her eyes wide and put her hand to her mouth, as if in surprise.

Only at that moment, Ban's appearance made her feel that something was wrong, after her words he began to look extremely sad and thoughtful, and did not react to her performance in any way.

Realizing that something was wrong, she looked at Kilia, and received an answer immediately.

- Don't worry, this is normal, earlier, when we were just born and getting used to each other, I asked this question out of curiosity.

- Huh? Explain.

- He's a crazy anime fan.

- Umm...

Kilia went to the table where the food was cooling and took a glass in which the juice of some fruit was already poured, and after drinking it, she continued.

- You probably remember, in your past life you heard stories about people who fell in love with various characters and ended their lives without getting married, saying that they were devoted to their waifu?

- Well, yes, but what are you getting at? Ah! Wait! Do you mean that Ban is one of those?

- Yeah.

- And who is that?

In response to her question, Kilia made a questioning face because she did not understand what Naruto meant.

- Who is his waifu? He said something about petite girls, but after my trolling words he withdrew into himself. Just don't tell me that she is some kind of loli?

- What? Ha-ha, no, what are you saying. This is Soi Fon, she is from Bleach, I watched it once but from beginning to end, so I know a lot about this girl.

- A-a-h, so that's what it is. So what about him? Why did he think about it because of my question?

- Earlier, when this happened for the first time, I myself was worried, later, when the talent of mental magic was revealed, I tried to read his thoughts at that moment...

- And?

- Nothing dangerous, you just brought him back to the thought that he has been alive for hundreds of years and even reincarnated, but he can't find someone to fall in love with more than Soi Fon. In fact, this state will disappear on its own when we get to the world of Bleach or when he finds someone he likes more than this Shinigami. He will sit like this for four minutes and become the same, but you better not bring this topic up again, it's not very pleasant to see him like this.

- Good!

***

- Ke-ke-ke-ke, I must admit you showed something VERY curious. This is the first time I've seen such accelerated aging at the table for some time.

At the moment, all four went to Orochimaru, they sat in Kumogakure for another week, after which they learned that Jiraiya was already nearby and went to the village of Sound.

- It's space magic, we placed them in a dimension where time runs differently than ours

- It's curious anyway... Why did you come?

- Jiraiya.

Hearing this name, Orochimaru frowned.

- And what's wrong with Jiraiya?

- He almost caught up with us, we wouldn't want to drag him into an attack on the Konoha leadership, he's well versed in Fuinjutsu.

- Right, we need to be careful with him, I take it you already have some kind of plan?

- Yes, I want to arrange a game of cat and mouse for the next three months.

Sanin looked at Ban with interest, and making a face that said he was listening attentively, began to wait for an explanation.

- First, I want you to put immortality seals on Naruko and Hikari.

- Okay, it will take about fifteen minutes.

- Next we will go to the Land of Water, and try to show up as much and as strongly as possible in different places, so that Jiraiya will go there. After that we will return to Kumogakure, I have already spoken with the Raikage, and he will let us go to the turtle island so that Naruko can get the power of the Kyuubi. According to my calculations, this will take no more than a month, and then we will travel to different countries, I plan to go to Uzushiogakure, as well as to the Land of Snow.

Uzushio and the Land of Snow are located at a huge distance from each other, and such movements over a large territory will take a lot of time, this will be useful both for covering up traces from Jiraiya, and for prolonging the pleasure of exploring the world for Ban.

- Okay, then follow me, I will apply the seal now, in return I need knowledge about this space magic and the barrier that allowed people to age in particular.

- Excellent!

Earlier, when they were in Kumogakure and discussing what to do with Jiraiya, Naruko asked why she couldn't just meet Jiraiya and show that she wasn't going to return?

The answer she was given was pretty obvious, if Jiraiya had no reason to follow them, then he could be returned to the village by the Chunin exam, which could potentially pose a threat, if he managed to remove or damage the barrier, then Konoha ninja would enter the battle, which could save the operation's targets, but what's worse would lead to a large number of casualties.

The brother and sister were still used to saving the weak, and fighting for people who could not stand up for themselves, after all, they were brought up in a modern world where violence was much better hidden, and therefore there were more people with a kind heart, and of course, the people of the seven deadly sins, the knights who serve honor, had their influence, as well as Meliodas, who always stopped unworthy behavior, for example, pulling out the sword of a knight from the ground who set terrible conditions for residents, had a strong influence, now the brother and sister try to help people whenever possible and avoid unnecessary victims.

***

Five days later, three girls and a man were on one of the islands of the Land of Water, as it became known earlier, the civil war in Kirigakure ended, but a huge number of Shinobi that left the village during this period decided not to return, for example Zabuza and Haku, although they left the village during the time of Yagura, after coming to the title of Kage Terumi Mei they are in no hurry to return, quite a lot of people decided to take a closer look at the new ruler and study her form of government, it is not worth taking risks in such matters.

The island they were on now was the same one where, according to the map and information from Orochimaru, the village of Kirigakure was located.

The weather today was surprisingly good, the sky was completely covered by clouds, and the fog was quite weak.

They arrived on the island about three hours ago, and during this time they should have covered more than a third of the way to the ninja village. Everything was going well and calmly until a Shinobi in a faceless mask appeared on a tree to the right of them. It was a ninja from the same unit where Haku served according to the legend in the original work.

- Not a step further! Who are you and what are you looking for on the territory of Kirigakure?

- Good afternoon, my name is Ban, and I, along with my sister, are traveling writers, we arrived in Kirigakure because we heard that your village had emerged from the state of war, and we had not been here yet.

- And the others?

- These two girls are our students, or rather, they are my sister's students.

- Hm, okay.

The next moment, three more Shinobi appeared near this Shinobi, and then they jumped down to the four of our heroes, and each put his hand on our four, after which the same ninja continued.

- We will deliver it to you faster than you will get there yourself.

After which all eight people disappeared in the shunshin, thus moving from point to point they reached the entrance to the village in a few minutes.

Using shunshin so many times, and even with cargo is extremely expensive, and very unwise, but since their patrol squad consisted of seven shinobi, the temporary loss of four is not critical. When they found themselves at the entrance to the village, three of the four ninja disappeared, and the one who talked to them at the very beginning said.

- We are there, follow me, I will show you where there is a good hotel.

The actions of this ninja were dictated by several reasons, firstly, you can't let just anyone wander around the Kirigakure area, secondly, knowing exactly where they will live will make it easier to find them if necessary, and finally, thirdly, as soon as he took them to the hotel, he went to the Mizukage, the information that a writer had arrived in the village is quite important.

Kirigakure is currently in a terrible state, it needs to recover, and good recommendations and especially books and stories from travelers can give both a good and a bad reputation to their village.

While Ban and company were renting a room, there was a knock on the door in the Mizukage's office.

- Come in.

A very attractive woman was sitting at the Kage's table, Terumi Mei had a very good appearance, but alas, for some reason she was very unlucky with men. Raising her gaze to the ninja who entered, she said.

- Report.

- A writer has arrived in the village, according to your order to notify about all visitors who can affect the reputation of the village, I decided that I should notify you.

- A writer? Hah... And what does he write?

- Huh? Um, I didn't ask.

The ninja looked embarrassed even through the mask, he realized his mistake and the words that Mei said next could in fact not be voiced.

- And what good is this writer to me? What if he writes some culinary recipes or even fairy tales? How will he influence Kiri?

Then, after a short silence, she continued.

- Okay, tell him that I expect him tomorrow at one o'clock, until then I already have meetings with two merchants. I think it's worth at least talking to him.

- Yes!