When Others Call You Crazy

Time passed quickly, and a new year had arrived.

"Heh heh, Shikaku, the reports you've received about Naruto these past few months have been excellent. I really didn't misjudge that child," the Third Hokage said, sitting in his chair in the Hokage's office. He was flipping through the detailed report compiled by Shikamaru, his satisfaction evident.

Shikaku Nara, however, wore a troubled expression. "Shikamaru has been spending a lot of time with Choji and Naruto lately. Choji is one thing, but perhaps I should communicate with Choza about this."

"Hmm," the Third Hokage gently put down the report in his hands and pondered for a moment before speaking. "Did Choza approach you?"

"Not at all," Shikaku Nara immediately shook his head. "Also, you've seen Shikamaru's report, haven't you? He mentioned to me that Naruto has recently become reluctant to seek them out again."

Upon hearing this, the Third Hokage's expression immediately darkened. "I understand."

Shikamaru's report contained his speculations about why Naruto was acting this way.

He had just carefully reviewed Shikamaru's report, which was very clear.

Whenever Naruto sought to play with him and Choji, it was primarily for the purpose of sparring and training.

Although Naruto's Taijutsu skills were strong, Shikamaru and Choji always used their clan's secret techniques in coordination, which made Naruto somewhat impatient.

If he calculated the time, Naruto would be entering the Ninja Academy after this year.

If that were the case...

~~~~~~~~

"Naruto, why haven't you been looking for Shikamaru and Choji lately?"

"Father, acting is exhausting, and I'm not a professional actor. Shikamaru suspected me quite early on, but he just lacked evidence. Besides, he was sent by the Third Hokage to observe me from the start. The longer I stay with them, the more likely I am to expose flaws that are detrimental to me."

After replying to his father within the sealed space, Naruto walked to the second-floor window. Through the glass, he saw specks of white drifting down from the sky. He pushed the window open and reached out to catch two snowflakes.

"It's snowing again."

Naruto had been staying at home recently. Due to the Five Elements Seal on his body, he hadn't left the house except to buy daily necessities using the Transformation Jutsu.

Shikamaru, for reasons unknown, had not introduced anyone else to him since introducing Choji.

Given his outsider status in Konoha, Naruto couldn't possibly take the initiative to get to know others. Moreover, he couldn't fake the original Naruto's behavior of running around the village seeking out friends like a sycophant.

So, he had been spending his time clearing data puppets in the Mirrored World.

As a result, even after the New Year had turned the page, he finally obtained a new Chakra nature from Choji's data puppet.

What made him both laugh and cry was that the nature he obtained was Yang Release Chakra.

It was better than nothing, he supposed.

Sensing that Hayate Gekko's position had moved to the other side of the balcony, Naruto's gaze shifted. He picked up a delicate wooden hammer from the small desk by the window. The handle was inscribed with the characters "Genma."

This was the carpenter's name.

He had found the wooden hammer after waking up in the hospital a week ago, where he had been recovering.

This was likely left behind by the carpenter who was arranged by Konoha to do repairs after he had broken through the second floor last year. The carpenter's craftsmanship was truly excellent; not only did he repair the wall, but he also made two chairs for him.

Before the New Year, he had used the Transformation Jutsu to go out and inquire at Konoha's craftsman registration office with the wooden hammer. However, when he found the carpenter's address, no one was home. His neighbors said he had left the village with a work crew.

Now, at the beginning of the New Year, the carpenter should be home during this season.

Naruto put on two layers of winter clothes, picked up the wooden hammer, and quickly walked downstairs. Just as he was about to close the door, he noticed that Hayate Gekko, who had been stealthily positioned on the second-floor balcony, was now in the snow not far from the small building.

With a cold sneer in his heart, Naruto left the house directly, without using the Transformation Jutsu.

After walking through the bustling commercial district, accustomed to being pointed at and whispered about, Naruto soon arrived at a street lined with dilapidated wooden houses. There wasn't a soul to be seen on this street. Following his memory of his last visit, he turned into a secluded corner of the street and found the house of the wooden hammer's owner.

Naruto weighed the wooden hammer in his hand, then walked to the door in two steps and knocked.

Someone inside answered and opened the door. Naruto focused his gaze and saw an elderly man wearing reading glasses.

"You're looking for... Impossible! You... you are!"

But before Naruto could speak, the old man's face suddenly showed an expression of disbelief as he looked at Naruto, stammering and his eyes seeming to bulge out.

It was as if he had seen a ghost.

"Hello, is this yours?"

Naruto's gaze turned cold, and he took two steps back, placing the wooden hammer on the ground as he spoke.

The old man's hands suddenly began to tremble. After shakily picking up the wooden hammer, his demeanor seemed to invigorate.

This situation seemed somewhat off.

At first, Naruto thought the old man was too scared to speak upon seeing him and intended to drop the hammer and leave. However, as he subconsciously observed the old man's expression, he saw a hint of excitement in his eyes.

No, Naruto was now very sure that the old man's entire demeanor was filled with excitement.

What was going on? Was this person happy to see him?

Did he recognize him?

But that didn't make sense. If he recognized him, he should have felt the same aversion and fear as everyone else in the village, treating him like the Demon Fox.

How could he be excited and happy?

"Thank you, little one. What's your name?"

The old man opposite him seemed to notice his own emotional state was off. After composing himself, he smiled and looked Naruto over.

Naruto sensed the man held no ill will towards him. He turned slightly and replied in a flat tone, "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I've delivered your things. Goodbye."

"Wait a moment!" the old man called out urgently. He then strode forward, stepping directly in front of Naruto, and pulled out a finely carved wooden figure about the size of a fist. "Naruto, is it? This is for you! Thank you for bringing my tools!"

Naruto hadn't intended to engage further, but at that moment, the Mirrored World suddenly reminded him in his mind that he could collect data.

A thought flickered through his mind, and just as he was about to reach out, the old man in front of him impatiently grabbed his hand and shoved the wooden carving into his palm.

What's more, he didn't seem willing to let go immediately.

'Data collection in progress.'

'Current data integrity 10%! Permission update! Uzumaki Naruto; Level 2 World Master!'

'Data synchronization function will be updated soon! Please complete the data as soon as possible!'

"Thank you!"

After thanking the man calmly, Naruto pulled his hand free and casually stuffed the wooden carving into his pocket. Without a hint of extra emotion on his face, he immediately started walking. He really was going home.

Hayate Gekko had already changed positions several times not far away.

Furthermore, some of the recently updated content in the Mirrored World had piqued his interest.

Unbeknownst to Naruto, the bespectacled old man behind him was shedding silent tears.

"Naruto, that old man just now seemed to have mistaken you for someone else."

In the Sealed Space, Minato Namikaze watched Naruto, who had returned home and was playing with the wooden carving he had just received, hesitate to speak.

"I don't care about that. I'm more curious about him."

With a shift of consciousness, Naruto arrived at the Mirrored World. A data puppet of the old man from earlier was already present.

"As expected, a ninja!"

"Now, let me see who you are to be able to provide 2% of the data to the Mirrored World."

Naruto walked up to the old man's data puppet and opened a pop-up window.

'Genma, Jonin of Kagero Village of the Land of Mountains. His real name is Genma. He is a first-class ninja skilled in setting up mechanisms and espionage. His Taijutsu is exquisite, he is adept at Genjutsu, and he excels at placing Explosive Tags.'

After that, he also brought up the visual storyline related to this person.

After a long while, Naruto finally remembered who this Genma was.

In the original story, this old man had set up dense Explosive Tags throughout Konohagakure. If detonated, while it couldn't be said to absolutely destroy Konoha, it would 100% cripple it.

When he watched the anime in his past life, he found it wasn't a main plotline, so he only read the text-based plot summaries.

In the end, Genma, upon encountering Naruto, whose appearance was strikingly similar to his son's, changed his original intention of revenge, causing the traps to fail and the Explosive Tags to remain un-detonated.

After figuring out what was going on, Naruto's mind flashed with the images of Genma setting up the Explosive Tags. His gaze at Genma became deep and profound.

There were quite a few Explosive Tags hidden within the Third Hokage's statue on the Hokage Rock.

With a thought, he arrived at the Sealed Space, his eyes exceptionally bright as he looked at Minato Namikaze and said, "Father, are you absolutely sure that the Third Hokage's Crystal Ball is unique and there's only one?"

Minato Namikaze was taken aback. "Yes, that Crystal Ball was a secret treasure researched by the Second Hokage. It took a very precious crystal from the Daimyo of the Land of Fire to create just one like it."

Naruto smiled slightly. "Very good! Then now I just need to wait for the right moment."

"What do you mean?" Minato Namikaze was somewhat confused.

Naruto extended his fist towards Minato Namikaze. Minato Namikaze clasped his fist, and after a short while, he shivered.

"Naruto! This must be reported to the Third Hokage immediately!"

Minato Namikaze shouted this statement.

"Father, I truly admire you," Naruto said, looking at him with cold eyes. "Your loyalty to Konoha is truly eternal, a legacy that lasts forever."

"You're telling me to report to the Third Hokage?"

"After the Third Hokage captures this Genma, how am I supposed to explain the source of my intelligence?"

"Are you trying to get me killed?"

Kurama's eyelids twitched. He glanced at Naruto and his father, then lowered them again. He didn't know what was happening and wasn't interested in commenting.

Naruto's indifferent voice, like a winter ice blade, instantly cut through Minato Namikaze's heart. Faced with his son's questioning, Minato Namikaze felt as if his throat was being constricted, rendering him speechless.

"Naruto, I'm sorry, I... I just..."

"Father, there's no need to apologize. Let me tell you clearly, I will personally detonate the Explosive Tags that Genma has set."

"What! Naruto, are you crazy?!"

Minato Namikaze was so shocked he turned pale.

"You say I'm crazy?"

Naruto looked directly into Minato Namikaze's eyes, their gazes meeting in mid-air.

"That's great."

"Because I once heard a saying:"

"When others start calling you crazy, you're not far from success!"