When he reformed, he was not at his most powerful. If he HAD regained full power, he would have been able to swat aside those two armies and continue onward. This wasn't the world he was attuned to, and that made a difference when one was constructed and renewed by the world's chakra.
Worse, some Being of Power had tagged him so that he dropped loot when he was dissipated. Resulting in those who wouldn't bother with him otherwise seeking him out.
It was almost enough to find that boy and go back into the seal.
Still, he was pretty sure that if he could get away from the groups that kept an eye out for his appearance and lair up somewhere - he'd be able to get a feel for the local chakra conditions. He'd be at his full and proper strength.
THEN he could smack around the locals properly.
Also he wanted to stay away from the blue banners. He'd felt weakened close to where his prior host had been, which meant the Seal was still there. Which also meant that any contact might just suck him back in there.
Sticking to the red bannered sites seemed to be his best bet even after his full recovery.
The locals had strange jutsu and odd weaponry that could hurt him even with the size differential. He was not without some jutsu of his own though.
"Dig this!" said Ryouga Of Ironforge, Elemental Shaman and all-around wild party animal.
Jiraiya glanced at the short man, taking in the weird metal-link armor, braided beard, and wolf-style helmet. More important was the cask the dwarf was hefting in one hand. "What is 'this'?"
"A recipe drop from the fox-thing," said the dwarf, grinning like a maniac. "You start with rice to make a wine, distill it a few times, mix it up, age it some. Very precise heat and aging too. Need a 375 Cooking Skill."
A mug was placed before Jiraiya, and a splash of clear fluid from the keg was poured in. Steam rose from the mug.
"How could you age sake? We've only been here a few days," protested Jiraiya before sniffing at the steam.
"Ah," said Ryouga. "Artificial aging. I did say you had to have a Cooking skill of 375 for this."
"Yeah, I still don't get some of that," said Jiraiya. He sniffed again. He tasted the brew, letting it linger on his tongue for a moment.
He noticed everyone nearby had come to a halt and was waiting. Apparently his reputation as an expert in "Pandaren-style cuisine" had gotten around. Not that he WAS, he was just more used to it than the locals as it was close to what he usually ate back in the Elemental Countries.
"Good, particularly for a first effort," said Jiraiya. He noticed the relief on Ryouga's face and the interest of the other locals. "The articicial aging process probably influences the flavor though."
"Aye, I thought as much," confessed Ryouga.
"So, something new to drink?" said one of the other regulars of the tavern.
"Aye lads," said Ryouga, lifting the keg and heading towards the bar. "Gather around and have a shot on me. I got three points up on me skill from this effort!"
"Now THAT is something to drink to!" declared one dwarf.
"Olaf, you'd drink to anything an' ye know it."
"Well, now, I'll disagree with ye," said Olaf, "but I'll drink to yer health anyway."
Naruto eyed the bowl of stuff. "I thought I was supposed to eat real food."
"This is," indicated the girl.
"Where's the rice?" asked Naruto. "Or noodles?"
"Pandaren cuisine?" asked the girl. "Nae look ye. We got a nice beef and veggie plate. Needs it for growing up ye do."
"Oh my gosh!" said Naruto, pointing out the window. "Was that a orc mage on a giant bat?"
"Wha?" asked the girl, drawing a wand and stepping towards the window. She peered out, looking for such a target. Not finding one she turned towards the bed.
Which was empty.
"Door be closed, Uzumaki." The girl waited a bit, then began checking around, sure the boy was still there somewhere. "Nae be such a difficult patient, eh?"
"I need real food," said Naruto to himself as he ducked down the stairwell. If I could get away from all those chunin chasing after me, one little girl isn't going to-
CRASH! went a descending body (Naruto) into another body that was ascending those stairs. Clatter! Smash! went a large number of bodies tumbling down the stairs.
Naruto had trained on how to fall and get back up. Therefore his legs kicking out of a pile of armored bodies was indication that he might not have studied it enough.
"What the Twisting Nether?" asked one of the armored figures as he tried to remove himself from the press of bodies.
"Who the hell leaps down a crowded stairway without looking below 'im first?" asked another one.
"I do hope that isn't me own leg I'm looking at," indicated a third.
"Uhm, bye bye!" yelped Naruto as he managed to untangle himself.
"Stop dat boyo!" yelled a girl from upstairs.
"GET HIM!" yelled most of the adventurers.
"Hah! You guys'll never catch me!" called out Naruto, heading for the door.
"You know, when I told you to stay out of trouble," said Jiraiya. "I expected you to at least TRY to stay out of trouble. Was it really too much to ask of you?"
"Wha? What happened?" asked Naruto, aware that he was tied to a chair, dripping wet around his head mainly, that Jiraiya was holding an empty tankard, and he smelled of cheap ale.
"You escaped three days ago," said Jiraiya.
"Wait! What?" asked Naruto.
"Ran out the door there and got maybe five feet before you were knocked out, thrown in a sack, and taken by the Horde," said Jiraiya.
"WHAT?!" asked Naruto.
"You were still unconscious apparently when you were rescued from one group within the Horde by ANOTHER group in the Horde," continued Jiraiya. "I didn't know the Horde HAD other groups."
A shadow stirred and a battered-looking dwarf stepped out. "Aye. Sometimes they're their own worst enemies. But we try harder. This group's a small and recently formed guild. Not the usual raiding or battle guild. No, they're far worse than that."
"How is a 'social club' worse than that?" asked Jiraiya.
"It's as if the entire Horde were composed of folk who believe that they have to be bad, and these are rebellious youths who believe that they have to be good folk just to annoy their parents!" The dwarf shook his head. "Sad. Sad it is."
"I'd imagine that one girl marrying Naruto probably gave her parents a heart attack," said Jiraiya.
"Aye, that's likely," said the dwarf.
"WHAT?!" exclaimed Naruto.
"You're married, kid, congratulations," said Jiraiya.
"I'm told it was a lovely ceremony," said the dwarf. "Pity you have such a low alcohol tolerance."
"How could I be married? I wasn't even conscious!" tried Naruto.
"You wore her out," said Jiraiya.
"I couldn't possibly have... I did?"
"Ah, here's the bride now," said Jiraiya as someone entered the room.
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(Posted Sat, 25 Jan 2014 17:36)
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