The Strongest Artist in Naruto

The familiar gates of Konohagakure came into view—a sight he'd never truly seen before.

At their usual post, Izumo and Kotetsu were yawning, maintaining their eternal vigil as gatekeepers. Their existence was a mystery only rivaled by the likes of Ōtsutsuki Ichiraku and the enigmatic Genin of Konoha.

"Kotetsu, look over there."

"Is that the Daimyō's envoy?" Izumo glanced at the approaching figures through the thick morning mist, struggling to discern details.

"It has to be! The only large-scale group movement reported recently was theirs." Kotetsu perked up, though his disdain for the frail nobility was evident.

Still, orders from the Hokage made one thing clear: they couldn't afford any mistakes when dealing with such VIPs.

Soon, Koharu Utatane, Shikaku Nara, and a contingent of Konoha shinobi arrived to greet the envoy.

"We didn't expect you so soon. Please forgive us if our preparations seem inadequate," Koharu said, her expression tinged with mild apology. As Konoha's de facto head of diplomacy, receiving foreign delegations was her responsibility.

"No need to apologize. The fault lies with us for arriving ahead of schedule," replied the envoy's leader—none other than Orochimaru in disguise.

His Transformation Technique was flawless, but Orochimaru's natural aura was difficult to conceal. Luckily, the nobility often carried an air of fragility or peculiarity, so Konoha's shinobi didn't suspect anything unusual.

"Please, follow me. We've prepared accommodations for you. This evening, I'll personally host a banquet to welcome your arrival."

Led by Koharu, the group made their way into the village.

Although no official instructions to clear the streets had been given, most villagers instinctively avoided the entourage, aware that such a display signified the arrival of important figures. No one wanted to appear too oblivious—or too nosy.

Well, no one except one person.

From around a corner, a child in a yellow T-shirt and shorts—his face marked by six distinct whisker-like lines—burst out, carrying a paint bucket in one hand and a brush in the other. With each step, colorful paint splattered everywhere.

"Naruto! Stop right there!" shouted a young man with a horizontal scar across his nose, chasing after him with a mix of fury and desperation.

"No way!" the boy yelled back, sprinting even faster.

The villagers quickly stepped aside, their faces showing a mixture of annoyance and disgust. It wasn't clear if their disdain was directed at the potential mess of paint or at Naruto himself.

Unfortunately for Naruto, today wasn't his lucky day. The presence of the Daimyō's envoy meant his antics wouldn't be tolerated.

A Jonin at the rear of the envoy's group stepped forward, grabbed Naruto by the collar mid-run, and unceremoniously threw him toward the scarred young man.

"Iruka, control him properly, or I'll call the ANBU to deal with this," Koharu snapped coldly.

"Yes! Of course!" Iruka quickly bowed.

"Sorry, Koharu-sama! Naruto's just a kid. He doesn't understand…" Iruka pleaded.

"Enough. Let's move on," Koharu said dismissively.

Watching the scene unfold, the disguised Orochimaru licked his lips and asked, feigning curiosity,

"Who is that?"

"Apologies for the disturbance. That's the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki—a troublemaker and a widely disliked child," Koharu replied bluntly. There was no point in hiding it, Naruto's status as the Jinchūriki was common knowledge.

The decision to make it public rested squarely on Danzō's shoulders. Despite objections from Hiruzen and others, Danzō had insisted on exposing Naruto's identity, believing it could awaken the boy's darkness.

If Naruto showed even the slightest sign of instability, Danzō would have all the justification he needed to bring the Nine-Tails under his control within ROOT.

"By the way," Orochimaru continued, steering the conversation elsewhere, "I heard there's a sole survivor from the Uchiha Clan. How is he doing?"

"He's still a child, coping as best he can after such a tragedy," Koharu replied curtly, unwilling to elaborate further.

Seeing no more opportunities to glean sensitive information, Orochimaru dropped the subject and engaged Koharu in polite small talk as they walked.

Eventually, the group reached a luxurious inn, reserved exclusively for the envoy. ANBU operatives discreetly surrounded the area, ensuring their safety—or so it seemed.

Once settled, Deidara grew restless. "I'm heading out to explore!" he announced.

"I'm coming too!" Hidan exclaimed.

"No, you're not," Kakuzu growled. "You'll just cause trouble."

"Sasori-senpai, want to come?" Deidara turned to Sasori.

"Not interested," Sasori replied flatly. For him, waiting idly without crafting puppets was torturous enough, but roaming the streets held no appeal.

"Fine! I'll go alone!"

At the inn's entrance, a Konoha shinobi on guard duty stepped forward.

"Sir, is there something you need?"

"Not much," Deidara said with a grin. "I just want to explore Konoha. As a ninja village, I'm sure it has a unique charm."

"Of course!" The shinobi puffed his chest with pride. "Shall I arrange a guide for you?"

Deidara considered declining, but the thought of having someone at his beck and call as a visiting envoy was too tempting to pass up.

"That would be perfect. Oh, and I'd prefer a cute girl as my guide," Deidara added with a knowing smile.

The shinobi chuckled awkwardly. "Right away, sir. Please wait here."

Not long after, the request reached Koharu. She sighed in mild exasperation.

Such demands weren't uncommon in diplomatic dealings. In her view, however, Deidara was just a minor envoy member—not someone worthy of special privileges.

Still, outright refusal would be rude. After some thought, she decided, "Send Anko. She's lively and brash—perfect for handling situations like this. She won't let herself get pushed around."

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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