Traveling through Naruto, I am Uchiha Obito?

Rubik's Cube spoke gently, its gaze seemingly casually sweeping over the Naruto Building in the distance.

"It's only natural to feel uneasy when someone you care about is about to leave."

Upon hearing this, Iruka's expression became extremely solemn. He straightened up, faced the Rubik's Cube, and bowed deeply and sincerely:

"Naruto... I'm counting on you. Thank you for taking care of him all this time!"

The Rubik's Cube looked at Iruka's lowered head, its smile warm and firm, and replied clearly, "Ah, leave it to me."

I will definitely train Naruto to become an excellent ninja, a true ninja who fights for peace.

Chapter 62 Departure! Heading to the Land of Water.

Chapter 62 Departure! Heading to the Land of Water.

A few days later, Rubik's Cube and Naruto successfully obtained permission to leave the village issued by the Fifth Hokage, Jiraiya.

The procedures were completed quickly. Although there was a hint of worry in Jiraiya's eyes, it was mostly due to his trust in his disciples.

"Tsunade, don't worry about it."

Seeing Tsunade hesitate, Jiraiya waved his hand, his tone relaxed yet unquestionable, his sharp eyes sweeping across the foggy sky outside the window.

"The waters of Kirigakure are much deeper than we thought. Sending the Anbu wouldn't be for protection; it might just alert them and make them targets. As for safety..."

He paused, looking out the window at two figures that were gradually shrinking in the distance.

"With that kid around, you can count the number of people in the ninja world who can truly threaten them on your fingers. Even if they encounter some trouble that even he finds difficult to handle,"

A sly smile crept across Jiraiya's lips.

"Don't forget the contract scroll from Mount Myōboku. With a reverse summoning, even the biggest trouble can be avoided."

Tsunade opened her mouth, but in the end she just snorted, crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, which was considered an admission of Jiraiya's judgment.

That kid, Rubik's Cube, is unfathomably strong. His composure and the occasional glimpses of his intelligence network even amaze her, one of the Three Legendary Sannin. Sending the Anbu? It would probably only increase casualties.

The sun shone brightly in front of the Konoha gates, yet it carried the warmth of farewell.

Rubik's Cube had already informed Momono and Karin in advance that they didn't need to come to see him off. Although they had some objections, Rubik's Cube managed to suppress them.

"Kakashi-sensei! Sakura!"

Naruto waved his arms vigorously, his face showing a smile that was a mixture of excitement and reluctance.

"Wait for me to come back! I will definitely bring Sasuke back! Then our Team 7 will do missions together again!"

"Naruto!"

Sakura's eyes were slightly red, but her gaze was unusually firm, and she clenched her fists.

"I will train as hard as I can! With Kakashi-sensei, I will definitely become stronger, strong enough to fight alongside you and bring Sasuke back! I will definitely not hold you back!"

Her words were resounding, and her determination moved even Kakashi, who was standing beside her.

"Okay! It's a deal!"

Naruto gave Sakura his signature thumbs-up, his smile so bright it was almost blinding.

"I believe in you, Sakura!"

He then turned to Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, and the others who had come to see him off, and waved vigorously:

"Everyone! I'm off! When I get back with Sasuke, let's all go eat Ichiraku Ramen! It's on me!"

"You bottom-of-the-barrel guy, don't die out there!"

Kiba shouted loudly, and Akamaru barked.

"Take care on your journey, Naruto-kun."

Hinata's voice was barely audible, her face already flushed. "Don't get into too much trouble."

Shikamaru gave a lazy but caring instruction. Shino adjusted his sunglasses and nodded silently.

Kakashi remained as languid as ever, his hands in his pockets, the one eye that was visible curving into a crescent moon.

"Naruto, mission successful. And, Rubik's Cube-kun,"

He looked at the black-haired youth who was waiting quietly to the side, a faint smile on his lips.

"Be careful, I'm counting on you for this kid."

Rubik's Cube nodded slightly and said with a gentle smile:

"rest assured."

After saying goodbye, Rubik's Cube patted Naruto on the shoulder:

"Let's go, Naruto."

"Oh! Rubik's Cube, bro!"

Naruto waved one last time, then turned and followed Rubik's Cube. The two figures, one tall and one short, gradually merged into the road leading out of the village, as the villagers watched them go, embarking on their journey to the distant Land of Water.

From the window of the Hokage's office, Jiraiya watched silently as the two figures completely disappeared from sight. The sea breeze seemed to carry a salty, damp scent, heralding the start of a journey.

"Is it really okay?"

Tsunade's voice rang out again, tinged with a barely perceptible worry.

"The Land of Water... the Hidden Mist Village... that place is not peaceful right now."

Jiraiya turned around, his nonchalant expression softening considerably, his eyes becoming deep and intense.

"It's precisely because things are not peaceful that they are needed. Naruto needs a wider world to grow and to face more complex situations. As for the danger..."

He looked out the window in the general direction of the Water Kingdom, as if he were piercing through space.

"That kid's very existence is a deterrent. And don't forget, 'that' inside Naruto's body isn't just for show. This trip to the Land of Water might be more meaningful than we imagined."

He paused, his voice lowered:

"As for that invisible shadow hanging over Kirigakure... perhaps letting them stir things up will reveal something."

Two figures clad in black robes embroidered with red clouds quietly embarked on their journey to the Land of Water.

"Tsk, why did I have to partner with a guy like this?"

Deidara looked at Fei, who was bouncing around and never stopping, and felt his temples throbbing. His resentment was about to explode.

"Wow! Deidara-senpai! Look, it's a butterfly! It's a butterfly! Senpai-senpai! Can your explosive clay be used to make such beautiful butterflies? Let me see it~ Let me see it~ Hmm!"

Ah Fei pointed to the wildflowers by the roadside, his voice exaggerated and cloying.

"Shut up! Idiot! Get on the road! If you keep making noise, I'll turn you into a work of art and blow you to heaven! Huh!"

Deidara roared, unable to contain himself any longer, as a few grains of clay wriggled dangerously between his fingers.

"Wow! How scary~ Deidara-senpai! Hmm!"

Ah Fei immediately shrank his neck, but his tone showed no fear.

Deidara took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and tried to adopt the demeanor of a senior:

"Listen up, Tobi! Our mission to the Land of Water is of utmost importance! Hmm! Intelligence indicates that a major upheaval has occurred in the Land of Water, which is very likely related to the Mizukage who implemented the Blood Mist policy! Kirigakure is probably in complete chaos right now! Our goal is to take advantage of the chaos to find the whereabouts of the Three-Tails and Six-Tails Jinchuriki! Understand, Tobi? Yes!" He emphasized solemnly.

In response to him was a series of even snores coming from Ah Fei, who was standing there.

"Hey! You bastard! You actually fell asleep standing up?! Huh?!"

Deidara's composure snapped instantly.

"Huh? Senior? What did you just say? The wind was too strong, I didn't hear you clearly. Hmm?"

Afei "woke up" and scratched his head in confusion.

"Aaaaaah—! I can't take it anymore! How can we possibly complete a mission with an idiot like you as a partner?! Ugh! Die!"

Deidara went completely berserk, grabbed a handful of clay, and chased after them.

"Whoa! Help! Deidara-senpai! I'm innocent! Hmm!"

Afei dramatically covered his head and ran away like a rat.

The two instantly engaged in a chaotic chase on the road. However, beneath Afei's comical mask, a glint of gloom and ruthlessness flashed in the only Sharingan eye that was visible, a stark contrast to its surface appearance.

'The genjutsu I planted on the Three-Tails Jinchuriki... it was actually broken? Does Kirigakure have someone like that? ...Hmph, but it doesn't matter. If a pawn is ruined, just replace it with another...'

With their own purposes, Konoha's teams, Akatsuki's duo, and several other groups are converging on the land of water shrouded in mist.

……

On the other side, not long after Rubik's Cube and Naruto left the vicinity of Konoha Village, an unexpected figure quietly blocked their path.

Upon seeing the visitor, Rubik's Cube showed no surprise whatsoever. Instead, he casually took a bite of an apple that had appeared out of nowhere and joked:

"Hey, you got here pretty fast. The Sand Village has been looking for you like crazy."

The newcomer was none other than Gaara. He carried a massive sand gourd on his back, his face expressionless, radiating a chilling aura that kept strangers at bay.

Naruto, standing to the side, was completely petrified, his jaw almost dropping to the ground.

"Big Brother Rubik's Cube?! He, he, he is... Gaara?! Why, why is he here?!"

The Rubik's Cube didn't directly answer Naruto's question, but simply pointed casually at Gaara and announced to Naruto:

"Naruto, from today onwards, Gaara will be our companion on this journey to the Land of Water. Let's get along well."

"well--?!!!!!!"

Naruto's scream instantly echoed through the forest path, startling a flock of birds into flight.

Chapter 63 Obito's Awkward Moment

Chapter 63 Obito's Awkward Moment

After several days of trekking, Rubik's Cube, Naruto, and Gaara finally set foot on the land of the Land of Water.

This place is shrouded in thick fog year-round, the air is damp, cold and sticky, and as far as the eye can see, there are winding rivers and dangerous swamps, as if the whole world is soaked in a grayish-white water vapor.

Wow! It feels just like the Land of Waves!

Naruto looked around curiously.

"Did Brother Rubik's Cube used to live in a place like this?"

"The Land of Waves is a vassal state of the Land of Water. They are geographically close and their environments are naturally similar."

Gaara, standing to the side, calmly answered Naruto's question, his voice still completely flat.

"Oh! I see! Thank you, Gaara!"

Naruto thanked him heartily.

"..."

Gaara simply turned his head slightly without responding, but his aura was much gentler than when they first met.

Traveling together along the way allowed Naruto to truly witness Gaara's transformation. The usually oblivious Naruto quickly let go of his past grudges and genuinely regarded Gaara as a comrade.

Seeing the subtle atmosphere between the two, Rubik's Cube sighed inwardly:

"The succubus of Konoha lives up to her name..."

"Yes, I used to live here,"

Rubik's Cube took over the conversation, its voice tinged with nostalgia.

"In a very remote fishing village. When I was a child, I was strong enough to go fishing and farming with the adults, and work for the landlord to earn a little money. Life was hard, but my mother was there for me, and the neighbors were very kind to me... Those years were really happy."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Rubik's Cube immediately sensed the tense atmosphere.

He looked into Naruto's usually vibrant blue eyes, which were now filled with a sense of bewilderment and barely perceptible envy regarding the concept of "mother"; then he looked at Gaara, whose cold and stern face was etched with pain and sorrow.

'Oh no! Talking about maternal love to someone who's never known their parents, someone who's been instilled with the idea that their mother hates them…it's really going to be hell! I'm so awful!'

"Haha...cough!"

Rubik's Cube quickly coughed and forcibly changed the subject.