What You Want
With the last team successfully delivering both the Heaven and Earth scrolls, the second round of the Chunin Exams came to an end.
Despite the intense battle between Sasuke's team and Kimimaro, as well as the sudden disappearance of chief examiner Anko Mitarashi, no major disturbances arose. However, Naruto could sense the undercurrents lurking beneath the seemingly routine Chunin Exams.
"For an ordinary ninja like me, getting caught up in something like this… I'd probably be crushed to pieces!" he thought.
But as his strength continued to grow, he no longer saw himself as an ordinary shinobi. If anything, he welcomed the chaos. The greater the storm, the more opportunity it provided—especially for Uzushio Village to establish its role. Watching the brewing conflict between Konoha and Sunagakure promised to be entertaining.
After the exam, Naruto, Hinata, and the others exited the examination hall. Hinata hesitated for a moment before shyly inviting Naruto over to her home.
Naruto glanced at Hinata's pure white eyes before eventually declining. Instead, he turned and left for the hotel alongside Karin and Haku.
As Naruto disappeared into the distance, the remaining members of Konoha's rookie generation erupted into speculation, trying to unravel the mystery of his identity.
Ino furrowed her brows. "Wait a minute… I always thought Hinata had a crush on Naruto. Why is she suddenly so close to this guy from Uzushio Village?"
Sakura crossed her arms, considering the situation. "Maybe… maybe she's moved on? Naruto's been gone for five or six years. Who even knows what kind of missions he's been doing? Anbu shinobi are always so secretive."
At that moment, Kiba spoke up. "You know… isn't it possible that this Minma is actually Naruto? I mean, it's Hinata we're talking about—she wouldn't act this close to just anyone."
"Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, what do you guys think?"
Shikamaru stretched lazily, letting out a yawn. "You're overthinking it. Naruto is in Anbu. There's no way he'd leave the village and suddenly reappear as some ninja from Uzushio. That'd be treason."
"What Shikamaru said makes sense," Choji added, "but even if Naruto is in Anbu, you'd think we would have run into him at least once in all these years. Anbu missions don't usually last forever."
The conversation caught Sai's attention. He had never met Naruto personally, but more than two years ago, Konoha underwent a significant restructuring—both Anbu and Root had been reorganized. Yet, Naruto's name was never mentioned.
And as far as Sai knew, Naruto was the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails. There was no way the village would let someone like that simply vanish.
Sasuke remained silent, deep in thought. A theory was forming in his mind. This mysterious shinobi from Uzushio Village—Minma—his overwhelming strength, his attitude, his resemblance to Naruto… it all lined up.
Then, a sudden realization struck him.
If my memory is right, Naruto disappeared around the same time as Uchiha Kagami's remnants… Could it be that he left Konoha with them and joined Uzushio Village?
Uzushio Village… the land of the Uzumaki Clan. And Naruto just happened to bear the surname Uzumaki.
As the pieces fit together, Sasuke's expression darkened. If this theory was true, then Naruto had left Konoha long ago. Meanwhile, he himself had been left behind for six years.
---
Inside the Hotel
Naruto had stationed a shadow clone in the hotel room while his real body carried out an important mission.
His first objective was to retrieve whatever remained of Uchiha's hidden techniques. He had left the village hastily years ago, and while Konoha had absorbed much of the Uchiha legacy, some secret techniques likely remained undiscovered in overlooked corners.
His second mission was to investigate whether White Zetsu or Obito had infiltrated Konoha. The brewing tensions between Konoha and Sunagakure didn't concern him much—he preferred to observe from the sidelines. However, if Obito was involved, things would change.
Obito was the one responsible for the Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha. He was the reason Naruto had lost his parents.
Behind him stood Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu—the masterminds of the Moon's Eye Plan. They weren't just playing politics; they had the power to erase Naruto's very existence.
As for whether Shisui might be in danger investigating Obito? That wasn't a major concern. With his Sharingan returned and Hashirama's cells transplanted, Shisui's power had grown exponentially. While he might not yet be on par with Sasuke's Eternal Mangekyō level, he was certainly a force to be reckoned with among Kage-level shinobi.
Meanwhile, after instructing Karin and Haku to focus on their training, Naruto slipped out of the hotel, strolling through Konoha's familiar streets as a "foreigner" from Uzushio.
A smirk crept onto his face. He couldn't help but relish the irony—soon, these streets would be engulfed in chaos, thanks to Orochimaru's schemes.
Though he harbored no personal grudge against Konoha, he saw no reason to interfere with its impending downfall. The village that once shunned him would soon face its own trials, and he was content to simply watch.
After wandering through old haunts, Naruto arrived at a secluded grove.
A lone figure stood before him.
It was none other than Hatake Kakashi—the man who had once been his teacher.
The two faced each other, Kakashi's lone eye studying him carefully.
Naruto's smirk deepened. "Long time no see, Kakashi-senpai."
Kakashi's gaze remained unreadable. "It hasn't been that long. Didn't we last speak through Flying Thunder God just a month ago? What exactly brings you to Konoha this time?"
"My purpose?" Naruto feigned confusion, then smirked. "Aren't you the one who should be worried? A ninja who collaborates with foreign village leaders should probably reconsider questioning my motives."
Kakashi didn't react. "I was merely communicating with Minato-sensei. Isn't he here this time?"
Naruto's expression turned cold. "Do you really believe Namikaze Minato is still alive?" He let out a dry chuckle before continuing, "He died long ago. Even the chakra he left within me faded years back."
"You missed your last chance to see him, Kakashi. But let's be real—you don't miss Minato-sensei himself. You're just dissatisfied with your life, clinging to memories, convincing yourself that he's still around."
"But the Fourth Hokage is dead, and Uzushio Village isn't another Konoha. It's mine."
Kakashi's expression didn't waver, but something shifted in his gaze. "I've always known Minato-sensei was gone. But I also believed that you carried his will. That's why I still had faith in you. But if your existence threatens Konoha, I won't hesitate to stop you."
"Relax." Naruto chuckled as he took a step forward. "For now, Konoha isn't my concern."
He had something else in mind—Kakashi's Mangekyō Sharingan. Kamui was far more valuable than Shisui's Kotoamatsukami.
But before he could act, Kakashi quickly created distance and pulled something from his pouch.
A single mask.
"I don't want to fight you," Kakashi said evenly. "But you and Shisui have been moving in the shadows these past few days… and I believe this is what you're looking for."
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
The game had only just begun.
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