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"This is such a pain in the ass," Rumiko huffed as she continued along the winding forest trail.

"You've been chair squatting too much lately," Naruto replied from beside her.

"True, but this is still a pain in the ass," Rumiko said angrily. "Why the hell did they put the tournament all the way out here? Don't they know there's an enemy army out here?"

"I kind of doubt it," Naruto said.

"Well they should!" Rumiko snapped. "Enough people have disappeared out here that they should know something is happening."

"Maybe they do," Naruto offered. "This could just be the bait in a big trap."

"Using genin for bait is kind of cold, don't you think?"

"Better them than more experience and valuable ninja," Naruto answered. Rumiko fell silent and pondered that until they came to the clearing where the tournament was being held.

"Do you really think that's true?" she asked finally.

"Nah," Naruto grunted. "The kages have gotten too soft for the big boy games."

"So, that's something you'd do?" Naruto was silent for a while.

"No. I couldn't do that," he said finally. "I'm not a general. I don't see chess pieces, I see my drinking buddies. That's why I left the strategy up to you."

"I would never have even thought of something like that."

"You're still young."

"Then I'm not sure I want to get old." Rumiko always hated when conversations with Naruto turned to business. Those were the times that reminded her that he was a millennia-old war monger and not some cheerful, over-powered drunk that liked to fight.

Nothing but Trouble, Chapter 27