Konoha: The Honored One

On a random mountain along the leaf border

Naruto Uzumaki sat cross-legged, trying his best to mimic the serene posture of a meditating monk. His eyes were closed, his breathing even, and his face serene—except for the faint grumble of his stomach. For days, he'd sustained himself on fish bones, of all things, and was starting to feel like one of those stray dogs in the alley.

Still, the effort was paying off. He could now absorb small amounts of natural energy. Not much, mind you, but progress was progress.

"Not bad for a knucklehead," said the oversized cat perched nearby. It held a pointer in its paw, looking like it was about to give a lecture on quantum physics.

Naruto cracked one eye open, grinning. "Betcha didn't expect me to get this far, huh, Big Sis Kitty?"

The cat—whose actual name Naruto had conveniently ignored—gave a haughty sniff. "You're still miles behind Gojo, but credit where it's due, kid. This stuff isn't for the faint-hearted. Most folks can't even dream of learning Sage Mode."

Naruto closed his eye again, smirking. "Yeah, well, I'm not most folks!"

The cat swished its tail thoughtfully. "Still, it's odd. Normally, people have to work to draw natural energy in, but with you, it's like the energy's cozying up to you all on its own. You sure you're not cheating?"

Before Naruto could respond, a familiar voice chimed in, dripping with casual arrogance.

"Oh, he's not cheating," Gojo said, materializing out of thin air like he owned the place. He adjusted his blindfold and smirked. "He's just got the ultimate cheat code built into his DNA. Fox-boy here is basically royalty—chakra royalty, to be precise."

The cat's fur bristled in surprise. "Gojo! How many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me?! Do you want me to claw your face off?"

"Relax, Furball," Gojo replied, waving dismissively. "You're too small to leave a mark."

The cat hissed but let it slide. "What do you mean, chakra royalty? And who's the 'ancestor of chakra' you're talking about?"

Gojo grinned. "Oh, you know—just the granddaddy of all ninja power. The Six Paths Sage, his mom Kaguya, yadda yadda. Long story short, Naruto's got pedigree. And as his teacher, I'm taking full credit for his progress."

Naruto rolled his eyes but kept his focus. Even as Gojo picked up a small rock and flicked it toward him at lightning speed, he didn't flinch. The stone zipped past his cheek without so much as a twitch.

"Nice!" Gojo said, giving him a thumbs up. "You're starting to get it. Sage Mode gives you awareness. You sensed I wasn't actually trying to hurt you."

Naruto smirked, pointing at himself with exaggerated pride. "That's right! I'm awesome! Way better than that time you used me as target practice for your stupid infinity trick!"

Gojo shrugged. "Gotta keep you on your toes." Then, without warning, he lobbed another rock, this time hitting Naruto square in the stomach.

"OOF!" Naruto doubled over, the wind knocked out of him. "What the heck, Gojo?! That hurt!"

"Lesson two," Gojo said cheerfully, "the most dangerous attacks come without malice. A real pro can clobber you with a smile on their face."

Naruto glared at him, rubbing his stomach. "What kind of lesson is that?!"

"A useful one," Gojo said, smirking. "Anyway, you smell like fish guts. Go wash up. I've got a surprise for you."

Naruto raised a suspicious eyebrow. "What kind of surprise?"

"A date."

Naruto froze. "Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying you're taking me on a date?!"

Gojo burst out laughing. "Don't flatter yourself, kid. I'm introducing you to someone special—a maid."

Naruto's eyes lit up like fireworks. "A maid?! Like, one of those cute ones with the frilly dresses?"

Gojo gave him a mischievous grin. "Oh, she's special, all right. Let's just say her figure is... unforgettable."

Naruto practically bounced with excitement. "Gojo-sensei, you're the best! I take back all the mean stuff I said about you!"

"Darn right, I'm the best," Gojo said, pulling out a wallet—Naruto's wallet. He plucked out some cash and handed it to him. "Here's some money for the date. Don't blow it all in one place."

Naruto stared at the bills in disbelief. "Wait a minute... THIS IS MY MONEY!"

Gojo shrugged, looking entirely unbothered. "Consider it an agency fee. Great teachers don't come cheap, y'know."

Naruto grumbled under his breath but stomped off to clean up. Ten minutes later, he emerged, his hair freshly styled, his forehead protector gleaming.

"Not bad," Gojo said, appraising him like a proud dad. "You almost look human."

"Whatever," Naruto muttered. "Let's get this over with."

Grinning, Gojo grabbed him by the collar. "Hold on tight!" With a flick of his fingers, they vanished into thin air, leaving the cat behind to mutter, "Poor kid. He has no idea what he's in for."

Somewhere deep inside, Naruto's heart raced with anticipation. His first date—and with a maid, no less! What could possibly go wrong?