171. Stranger

"Emergency! The Jinchuriki is suddenly sprinting toward the village gates!"

"He is running along Senju Street... No, he has already passed Gale Alley. We are about to lose him!"

"Stop hiding! Full speed ahead! We must not lose the Jinchuriki!"

Four black shadows instantly tore through the air, bursting forth from the concealed eaves and shadows. They transformed into a gale, sprinting at full power across the dense rooftops of Konoha.

Roof tiles emitted rapid, faint cracking sounds under their specialized soft boots. Pedestrians looked up, only to catch a glimpse of fleeting, blurred shadows.

But... even so, the Anbu were horrified to discover that the distance between them and Uzumaki Naruto was still widening!

Are we actually unable to keep up with the Jinchuriki's speed?

Didn't this kid graduate less than two months ago? He hasn't even started receiving instruction from a Jonin sensei yet?!

The pupils beneath the Anbu masks contracted violently, and a tide of disbelief surged in their hearts.

Although they had witnessed Uzumaki Naruto's grueling training during this period, as battle-hardened elites, they subconsciously still viewed Uzumaki Naruto—the Jinchuriki they were monitoring—with a condescending attitude.

However, the reality before them was shattering their perceptions bit by bit!

Just how much progress has the Jinchuriki made in this past month?

Wasn't he a dead-last student when he just graduated?

In such a short time, is this really an evolution a human can achieve?

And what is the purpose of the Jinchuriki doing this... is he trying to become a rogue ninja?!

"Crow! Go report this situation to the Hokage!"

The Anbu captain codenamed Owl forcibly suppressed the raging waves in his heart and issued the order.

After Crow departed, Owl and the remaining two Anbu increased their speed again, squeezing every last bit of chakra from their bodies. The afterimages on the rooftops became even more blurred, barely allowing them to keep up with Uzumaki Naruto.

However, the Jinchuriki's next move made the corners of the three men's eyes twitch violently.

They saw Uzumaki Naruto, who was sprinting on the eaves, suddenly start taking off his clothes while running.

After shedding his patched orange jacket, Uzumaki Naruto quickly ripped off the weighted vest on his torso and the weighted bands on his limbs, casting them aside entirely!

BOOM!

The weighted clothing slammed heavily into the ground, sending a massive cloud of dust billowing into the sky. After the smoke cleared, the weighted gear had embedded itself into the earth like a wedge, surrounded by cracks.

"Damn it!"

Such an exaggerated display made the Anbu codenamed Falcon blurt out a curse.

Owl didn't even have time to curse; watching Uzumaki Naruto accelerate once more and gradually turn into a black dot, he hurriedly asked:

"Three-Eyes, have you locked onto the Jinchuriki's chakra!"

"Locked on!" the Anbu codenamed Three-Eyes said while forming hand seals. "Fortunately, the Jinchuriki's chakra is extremely vast, making it relatively easy to sense... but I can't guarantee I can keep it locked forever because his speed is too fast. Sooner or later, he will move out of my sensing range!"

"Tsk."

The word "temporarily" made Owl feel even more irritable.

If it weren't for the fact that the Jinchuriki had been frequently using the Multi Shadow Clone technique lately, increasing their surveillance workload and prompting the higher-ups to specifically assign a sensory ninja to the surveillance squad, they would have lost him by now.

Even though his team had been monitoring the sprinting figure ahead, the astonishing potential and unusual actions the Jinchuriki displayed today seemed to indicate that he was no longer just a container for them to monitor...

This was an extremely dangerous signal; the Jinchuriki was showing signs of slipping out of their control.

"I must emphasize this thought to the Hokage... and Danzo later."

Owl's expression was grim.

Just then, Three-Eyes suddenly exclaimed.

"Wait, half of the Jinchuriki is coming toward us!"

"What... is it a Shadow Clone?"

Owl quickly understood what Three-Eyes meant. Three-Eyes nodded sharply, and just a few seconds later, a Uzumaki Naruto appeared in front of them.

"I discovered a suspected spy from another village and need backup!"

Before the other side could speak, Uzumaki Naruto said first: "After their tracks were exposed, the enemy attacked my Shadow Clone and then fled. My main body has already sent Shadow Clones to notify Grandpa Third, Might Guy sensei, and Kakashi sensei. You guys follow me first!"

One Grandpa Third, plus two elite Jonin sensei, directly choked back the reprimand Owl was about to blurt out.

Moreover, Uzumaki Naruto didn't waste words, explaining the cause and effect clearly. Not only had he notified the higher-ups before them, but he had also specifically sent a Shadow Clone back to explain things to them... these actions were truly beyond reproach.

"Genin Uzumaki Naruto!" Owl said, "Please notify your main body immediately to stop your current actions. We are Anbu directly under the Hokage; we will take over from here!"

"Then do you know the location of the enemy spy?"

"This."

Owl turned to look at Three-Eyes. Three-Eyes said with difficulty:

"Apart from... Uzumaki Naruto, I haven't sensed any chakra in front of him."

"Huh?" "Ah?"

Owl and Uzumaki Naruto were both puzzled. Naruto asked suspiciously, "Is your sensory range not large enough? She is right in front of me, looking like an old grandmother."

"Impossible!" Being questioned by a genin like this, Three-Eyes said with dissatisfaction, "If there were someone in front of you, I would definitely be able to sense it!"

"..."

"Uzumaki Naruto, are you lying?"

Owl naturally trusted his subordinate more; to be more precise, he had no trust in this Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails.

He reprimanded, "Falsely reporting enemy intelligence is a crime. Please stop this prank immediately and come back to me!"

"Wait a moment."

Naruto also didn't understand why the sensory ninja couldn't sense the other party's chakra, and Owl, seeing that the Jinchuriki still wouldn't comply, felt his irritation becoming increasingly difficult to suppress.

"Don't force us to use force! Uzumaki Naruto!" Owl threatened, "If it comes to that, you will likely be injured or even die! Notify your main body to stop moving immediately, you Shadow Clone!"

"...Tsk."

Hearing this, Naruto's expression also turned cold: "Say that again if you can actually catch up to me."

"You?!"

Owl was shocked and angry, yet Naruto's gaze suddenly shifted away from him, looking toward the front-left: "It's here."

What was here?

The three Anbu followed Naruto's gaze, only to see another Naruto running toward them, and behind him followed a... member of the Hyuga branch without a forehead protector?

Those pale eyes and the blue swastika curse mark were far too obvious, and the first thing this Hyuga branch member said upon joining them nearly made the Anbu stumble.

"Lord Naruto!"

He greeted Naruto.

"His name is Hyuga Shinichi." After the Naruto who brought him introduced him, he dispelled his ninjutsu, returning his chakra to the main body; his mission was complete.

"Shinichi-kun." Although Naruto was confused as to why the other party called him 'Lord' and revealed the Caged Bird, he still gave instructions first, "Help me look at the ten o'clock direction. Is there an old grandmother moving quickly in front?"

"Yes! Lord Naruto." Hyuga Shinichi's veins bulged instantly as he activated his Byakugan, "Just call me Shinichi."

After a while, Shinichi nodded and said:

"Yes, Lord Naruto. Three hundred meters in front of your main body, there is indeed an old person fleeing, and her appearance is a disguise; in reality, she is a young blonde woman."

"Is that so..." Naruto was somewhat surprised, then gave a thumbs up, "That's amazing! As expected of the Byakugan! Shinichi, you can just call me Naruto."

After saying that, he explained, "I need to notify the main body of this intelligence; Shinichi, lead them and follow me," and then dispelled his ninjutsu.

"Thank you for the compliment, Lord Naruto."

However, even though the Shadow Clone had turned into smoke, Hyuga Shinichi still replied respectfully before leading the three silent Anbu in pursuit.

"..."

Owl, whose judgment had been slapped in the face on the spot, gritted his teeth. Ever since Hyuga Shinichi arrived, that Jinchuriki Shadow Clone had not looked at them directly again, nor had he spoken another word to them.

The whistling wind in his ears felt like the mockery the other party hadn't voiced.

"Why..."

Owl couldn't help but ask himself. He sensed that his mental state was unbalanced, seemingly stemming from a deeper reason.

"Why has the Jinchuriki become so strong? Why is this Hyuga so respectful to him, even obeying his every word?"

"Why, even though we have been monitoring the Jinchuriki all this time... do I feel like he is becoming more and more of a stranger?"