Subverting This World

"Wait... you mean Naruto is actually the Fourth Hokage's son, and his mother was also a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki? But how is that possible? Naruto was just born then, why would he have the ability to withstand the Nine-Tails' Chakra?" Sasuke's voice was filled with complex emotions. He felt he understood Konoha less and less.

He could understand the Uchiha clan's extermination because of the competition for power, the competition for the Hokage position, and the fear that Konoha's higher-ups felt from using tools.

They used Uchiha Itachi's feelings for peace and for Sasuke to end it all, but Naruto... he was the Hokage's child, and he had to endure this too? What were Konoha's higher-ups doing?

"Naruto's mother's surname was Uzumaki. They were originally residents of the Land of Whirlpools. Mito Uzumaki, the wife of the First Hokage, was also a resident of the Land of Whirlpools and the first Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Their innate special physique allowed them to contain more powerful Chakra, making them the best vessels for Jinchuriki. The reason his mother returned to Konoha back then was to inherit the Nine-Tails."

Nanfeng picked up his chopsticks and stirred the cooked lamb in the pot, urging the two to eat. They finally remembered that they still had to play their parts well within Konoha.

"But I heard Itachi mention the commotion back then. The entire village was affected by the disaster. How could anyone not know Naruto's identity?" Sasuke asked while eating the lamb. What should have been delicious tasted like ash in their mouths.

"The higher-ups concealed everything about Naruto. This was partly to protect him, as an infant Jinchuriki is the easiest to kill. However... there was also the intention of cultivating a killing tool. You know the fate of a Jinchuriki, I don't need to tell you," Nanfeng sighed and took a sip of the barley tea beside him, pretending to have burned his mouth on the hot pot.

"The Elder Council?" Naruto's eyes were filled with complex emotions, and his voice held an unspeakable bitterness.

The village he loved, would it truly treat him as an emotionless object for the sake of so-called tools or deterrence? They wouldn't even let him know his past. The answers he received about his parents had always been vague.

"Not just them, but also Danzo of Root. The Hokage's authority isn't as great as you think. However, if that old guy disagreed, the current situation wouldn't exist. Just like the Uchiha back then, power truly corrupts the heart. Even past ninja heroes would give up a lot for the future of the village."

The Uchiha and the Senju were both forced out of the historical stage by the joint actions of Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"I'm telling you these things today because I want to hear your opinions. Do you want the ninja world to continue as it is now, or do you want to find a way to overturn the entire ninja world?" Nanfeng asked.

Naruto and Sasuke, whose eyes had been dim and lifeless, seemed to find their backbone upon hearing this and looked at Nanfeng with renewed hope.

"What do we do?" Naruto's question was direct and straightforward, with a firmness in his tone that even he didn't notice.

Although Sasuke didn't speak, his gaze towards Nanfeng was the same. They were both unfortunate souls poisoned by the ninja world, and they both desperately wanted to change it, rather than be changed by it.

"Gain power, immense power!" Nanfeng clapped his hands in response. "Zabuza and Haku are still alive."

"What?" Sasuke and Naruto looked at Nanfeng in shock. These two hadn't died in front of them; Naruto and Sasuke had buried their bodies themselves.

After briefly explaining the situation to them, Sasuke and Naruto looked at Nanfeng with complex expressions.

This guy, who was the same age as them, how could he have considered these things and pulled off such a complete deception without them knowing?

"The situation was urgent back then, I could only do that. The reason I could deceive all of you with genjutsu was partly because you truly had no defenses against me, and I must thank you for your trust. Another reason is my special ability, a special ability I've never told anyone before..."

Nanfeng opened his eyes. It was only then that they truly saw Nanfeng's eyes clearly. Two-thirds of his pupils were a light purple, giving Sasuke a sense of familiarity... It was like seeing another Sharingan, yet it felt different from the sensation the Sharingan gave him, very unique.

"This is my special ability. I haven't awakened it for long. Some of its abilities are similar to the Sharingan, but the efficiency of copying ninjutsu is very low. I can also construct genjutsu, but the strength of the genjutsu I can construct isn't very high yet, otherwise, it would be a great burden on my spirit," Nanfeng explained.

Only then did they understand why Nanfeng's face had looked so bad during the fight; it was due to excessive mental exertion.

It might have been a very simple genjutsu, but using it on so many people at once was a huge drain.

Naruto and Sasuke had been somewhat dissatisfied initially, but after hearing Nanfeng's secret that he hadn't told anyone, their displeasure vanished. Secret abilities, trump cards like these, the fewer people who knew, the better. The fact that Nanfeng was willing to tell them represented his complete trust in them.

"What about the path to gaining power? If we cultivate slowly like this, who knows when we'll truly grow up..." Sasuke sighed. He also craved power, but with Kakashi's guidance, at best they would become elite jonin. Their opponents, it seemed, were all old guys at the Kage level!

"Sometimes, the path to gaining power can also be evil. The Chunin Exams are about to begin. According to the intelligence Zabuza passed on, Otogakure seems to be making some big moves. The leader of Otogakure is one of the legendary Sannin, Orochimaru," Nanfeng continued.

"You want us to follow Orochimaru?" Sasuke and Naruto looked at Nanfeng in confusion.

"Not you and Naruto, just you alone. As for Naruto, he has a more suitable teacher, Jiraiya, one of the Sannin who once guided his father. He is the most suitable teacher for Naruto, and Jiraiya's understanding and use of the Rasengan are the most thorough among ninjas today," Nanfeng said.

Sasuke and Naruto exchanged glances. They agreed with Nanfeng's arrangements, but following Orochimaru would mean Sasuke might have to leave Konoha for a long time.

"Don't worry, the purpose of sending you there is to kill Orochimaru. His body is on the verge of collapse."