Adamantine Chains

Uzumaki Naruto...

Why was he here?

A flicker of suspicion rose in Kakashi's heart. He found it strange that Uzumaki Naruto kept coming to the bookstore.

To read Icha Icha Paradise!?

That couldn't be right!?

Would the shop owner really let a brat sneak in again and again!?

Though suspicious, Kakashi did not connect it to the fire. He merely wondered why Uzumaki Naruto had appeared here.

Uzumaki Naruto's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

Kakashi... was sharp...

Had he already suspected him based on instinct alone?

Unfortunately...

Uzumaki Naruto smiled and waved his arm as he shouted, "I came here to buy Icha Icha Paradise and Taimanin. Lord Hokage likes reading both of those books."

"There must be some hidden secret in them. I want to become Hokage, so I have to get those two books."

Uzumaki Naruto's words rang out loud and clear, carrying far into the distance. He looked completely unashamed.

The watching villagers burst into ill-timed laughter.

"That Fox Demon Brat actually wants to become the Fifth Hokage?"

"Stay away from him. Don't let his stupidity rub off on you..."

"What a monster. How could he possibly become the Fifth Hokage? Throwing him out would be the best choice..."

"By the way, does the Third Hokage really like that kind of book?"

"..."

Kakashi's mouth twitched.

If you wanted to read them, then read them. Why drag the Third Hokage into this? Was the Third Hokage's bad reputation spreading again?

And what kind of book was Taimanin?

Was it the latest edition of Icha Icha Paradise?

Kakashi gradually lowered his guard. Looking at Uzumaki Naruto speechlessly, he asked, "Uzumaki Naruto, did you see how the fire started?"

Uzumaki Naruto shook his head.

"I don't know. I only saw the flames getting bigger and bigger by the bookshelf, until they finally set the whole bookstore on fire..."

Just then,

Uzumaki Naruto seemed to suddenly remember something. Smiling, he said, "Oh, right, Kakashi-senpai. The place that caught fire was the bookshelf with the Icha Icha Paradise books you like most."

"Cough, cough, cough!!!"

Kakashi coughed loudly, as though he were about to cough out his lungs. He nearly spat out blood in his heart.

Wait, wait, wait!!!

Just tell me it was the bookshelf. Why did you have to say it was the bookshelf I liked most!?

Was his bad reputation spreading too?

Seeing the passersby around them grow more interested, Kakashi's face darkened further. His mouth twitching, he said, "All right, I understand. Hurry up and leave."

If Uzumaki Naruto stayed here any longer, who knew how many ninjas' embarrassing secrets would be exposed? Thinking of Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane, who had recently wanted to fight him to the death...

Kakashi's scalp went numb.

After Uzumaki Naruto left.

Kakashi carefully examined the shop owner's ashes and said in a deep voice, "Go to the Inuzuka Clan and Aburame Clan immediately. Have them send people over to see whether they can find any clues."

Hokage Office.

"So... there aren't any clues at all!?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned as he looked at Kakashi.

Kakashi stood across from the desk and sighed. "The other party was an experienced ninja. He burned the corpse to ashes, so we have no way to find any clues from the body."

"The Yamanaka Clan's secret techniques cannot investigate ashes."

"The Aburame Clan and Inuzuka Clan came as well, but after such a huge fire, the place was full of burnt smells. There were very few traces they could find."

"We only know that Izumo Kamizuki, Kotetsu Hagane, Gekko Hayate... and Uzumaki Naruto... entered the bookstore."

"Wait."

Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned.

"Why did Uzumaki Naruto enter the bookstore?"

"I remember that bookstore sold erotic novels, didn't it?"

"Uh..."

Kakashi awkwardly recounted what Uzumaki Naruto had said.

Sarutobi Hiruzen: "..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's face darkened like the bottom of a pot.

Kakashi cautiously asked, "Lord Hokage, should we give Uzumaki Naruto a reminder?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's mouth twitched.

"Forget it!"

He did not want his bad reputation to spread even further...

"Uzumaki Naruto, really..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen could not help showing a trace of gratification. "Hokage!?"

It seemed his brainwashing had been effective after all.

Uzumaki Naruto admired him so much that he was even willing to read erotic novels. There was no sign at all that he might betray them.

As long as Uzumaki Naruto did not learn of his origins, he could never betray Konoha.

He could test him in the future. If Uzumaki Naruto passed, he could teach him some ninjutsu.

After giving it some thought, Sarutobi Hiruzen casually waved his hand. "I understand. Since we have no way to find the culprit for now, file the case away first."

Kakashi nodded.

He knew that meant this case would become a cold case.

But there was no other choice.

The Yamanaka Clan, Aburame Clan, and Inuzuka Clan had all mobilized, yet they had only identified a few people with no possibility of being involved in the crime.

No one else could possibly find the real culprit. This incident would likely end without resolution.

Inside a shabby house.

Uzumaki Naruto crushed a cockroach beneath his foot, leaned against the bed, and slowly closed his eyes.

"This time... I was somewhat irrational..."

Killing the shop owner had felt good, but it had indeed been too impulsive.

The Ninja World possessed all sorts of strange abilities.

The Inuzuka Clan's dogs, the Aburame Clan's insects—if someone used Impure World Reincarnation, even a corpse might be able to speak.

But Uzumaki Naruto did not regret it.

Having power yet continuing to cower was what only trash would do.

Uzumaki Naruto said:

"Purchase Adamantine Chains!!!"

The model of golden chains on the shelf gradually dimmed.

The next second.

The chakra inside Uzumaki Naruto mutated, changing from pale blue to pale gold as it gradually condensed, its radiance flickering.