I am a Ninja / Politics

[To think that so much has happened... in places unknown to this old man?]

Outside Konoha.

After hearing about Uzumaki Naruto's experience at the cinema, Kurama couldn't help but mutter to himself:

[No wonder you brat have changed so much; you were such an idiot before.]

"Tch."

Naruto, who had been feeling quite moved by his own "first step toward reconciliation" and convinced of his own moral nobility, felt a vein throb in his temple:

"You stinking fox, could you at least clean up your mouth? It's infuriating."

[You are the last person who has the right to say that to me!]

"Hmph." Naruto curled his lip. "So? Do you believe what I said?"

[...]

It was that kind of thing again—the sort of words a fox found hard to spit out!

Kurama gnashed his teeth, grumbling and hemming for a long while. Unable to voice it, he could only change the subject:

[Turn to eleven o'clock. That Kalifa has changed direction again.]

"Cut it out."

Naruto understood. By saying the name "Kalifa," Kurama was awkwardly expressing his trust. Though he wanted to tease the fox a bit more, he decided to let it slide, considering the creature was helping him track the target.

Putting force into his feet, he adjusted his course while simultaneously creating a Shadow Clone to wait for the main Konoha force trailing behind.

By now, Naruto had been sprinting for about half an hour since leaving Konoha. According to the memories transmitted back by his Shadow Clone, Konoha was currently in a state of absolute chaos.

[Naruto.]

After digesting the information, Kurama asked: [Even if you catch up, what do you plan to do? Can you even beat her when you've been training for less than two months?]

[Didn't you say that people from that world have physical strength far exceeding that of a ninja, and might possess Devil Fruit abilities, Haki, and skills like Rokushiki? Not to mention that woman is a battle-hardened elite agent...]

"Yo, are you worried about me?"

[I am not! You bastard!] Kurama's fur stood on end. [I just find you more tolerable than the previous Jinchuriki and don't want you to die so quickly that I lose my entertainment... That's right! Nothing more!]

"Yes, yes—" Naruto's lips curled upward. "You're right. As I am now, Kalifa is indeed a formidable enemy."

"But don't forget, Kurama, I am a ninja."

Naruto pulled his forehead protector from his ninja pouch and tied it around his head, a long-overdue gesture.

"Going head-to-head is their world's style. We ninjas have our own way of fighting."

"Never challenge a ninja to a brawl," Naruto laughed. "And never give a ninja the chance to gather intelligence on you... So, she's the one who should be afraid."

[Wouldn't it be safer to wait for the Konoha ninjas to catch up before taking action?] Kurama asked, puzzled.

"You're right, but if I let them take over, they certainly won't share the intelligence they gather with me."

Naruto's tone was flat: "I know this is risky, but... I prefer to control the situation myself rather than passively accept information handed down by others."

"Besides, this is vital information that might concern two worlds... It must never be left in the hands of others."

...Is that so?

Deep within Naruto, Kurama—who in a sense was like the "tapeworm in his belly"—felt inexplicably that what Naruto said wasn't the full extent of his motivation.

He could sense that, subconsciously, Naruto held a vague distrust toward Konoha, which was why he didn't want to easily relinquish the initiative—even if it meant taking such risks.

Come to think of it, this wasn't strange at all. After all, no normal person would hold much affection for a group that viewed them solely as a [Jinchuriki] to be monitored...

Eight hours later.

The sky was approaching dusk, and the orange-red sunset cast an unsettling golden rim over Konoha.

Yet, in stark contrast to the deepening twilight, the entire village was plunged into an unprecedented state of brightly lit martial law.

Under the direct orders of the Third Hokage, the elite Anbu were out in full force, darting across rooftops and through alleys to execute the highest level of alert and investigation.

All entry and exit points were strictly sealed. The Barrier Team was on emergency standby, and Sensor Ninja worked in rotating shifts, searching incessantly and leaving no suspicious trace unchecked.

Meanwhile, the Hyuga Clan and Inuzuka Clan, led by Hyuga Hiashi and Inuzuka Tsume, were conducting a carpet search.

The Byakugan no longer cared for privacy; their gazes pierced through walls and trees, missing no corner.

Inuzuka Tsume led the Ninja Dog Squad, searching for clues along the path where Naruto was first ambushed and in the Forest of Death where the battle had occurred.

The ninja dogs lowered their heads to sniff for lingering, unfamiliar scents, attempting to pinpoint Kalifa's trajectory before she was discovered.

Inside the Hokage's office, two elderly voices grew increasingly shrill.

"The Jinchuriki is becoming more and more lawless! He actually dares to defy our orders! Not only did he refuse to stop, he even left the village without authorization!" Mitokado Homura slammed the table. "Does he still have any respect for us?"

"Hiruzen!" Utatane Koharu said sternly to the Third Hokage. "Once the Jinchuriki returns to the village, we must tighten our control over him!"

"But didn't Naruto contribute to the discovery of this spy?"

At this moment, Inoichi, who hadn't closed his eyes since the previous night, spoke up: "And could you please stop calling him 'Jinchuriki'? His name is Uzumaki Naruto, and he is a ninja of our Konoha."

"Since he is a Konoha ninja, he must obey orders! Only those who obey orders are Konoha ninja!" Utatane Koharu said coldly.

"...Regarding this matter, I believe Uzumaki Naruto's merits outweigh his faults. If not for him, we wouldn't even know that a spy from that world had already reached our doorstep," Shikaku replied, clearly siding with his old friend.

"Isn't it still unconfirmed whether they are from that world?" one of the Jonin present interjected.

"Based on the intelligence from Naruto's Shadow Clone and the eyewitness report from Hyuga Shinichi, that woman's meridians are completely devoid of chakra, yet her physical body is impossibly strong. These are clearly the characteristics of humans from that world," Shikaku said in a deep voice. "It is almost certain; the enemy has begun to test us."

"Even so, so what?" Mitokado Homura persisted. "Does that cover up the fact that the Jinchuriki acted without authorization? He is an important weapon for maintaining Konoha's status. If..."

"Enough!"

An aged yet piercing voice cut through Mitokado Homura's reprimand.

Everyone looked toward the sound, discovering that the one who dared to show no mercy to the Hokage's advisors was not Sarutobi, but Maruboshi Kosuke, who had been silent in the corner.

This thin, hunched old man, who carried a pot on his back year-round and usually appeared so low-key as to seem destitute, now stood as straight as a pine, the lines of his wrinkles hardened by the force of his emotion.

"Show some respect for your comrade! He is a person, not some weapon!"

His metal prosthetic left leg slammed into the tile floor, cracking it. "Do I need to remind you all that Uzumaki Naruto is not only a Jinchuriki, but also the orphaned son of the Fourth Hokage?!"

The old man's roar was like a lion's, leaving the two usually overbearing advisors pale and speechless.

At the same time, he ruthlessly tore away the thin veil of pretense held by Konoha's upper echelons. Everyone was shocked; he had brought Naruto's true lineage directly into the light.

Although the initial concealment of Naruto's identity was indeed out of a desire for protection—after all, his powerful father had killed far too many people during the Third Great Ninja War.

If news spread that his bloodline still lived, many enemies would surely move to hunt Naruto down—even other villages would take action, for while they could accept the existence of a Jinchuriki, they might not accept Konoha producing a second Yellow Flash.

However, as time passed, this concealment gradually took on a complex and sensitive hue.

Whether it was the poor treatment Naruto received in the village or the subtle wariness toward the current leadership, even those in the know found it difficult to properly discuss the sensitive topic of Naruto's background.

To speak of it seemed to imply a suspicion of the current decision-makers, using the "Former Heir Faction" as a pretext.

To remain silent, however, left many of the Fourth Hokage's old subordinates feeling stifled. Coupled with the Hokage's explicit orders forbidding them from contacting Naruto, the matter became a thorn in many people's hearts, eventually becoming a taboo among Konoha's upper crust.

In the past, everyone could barely tolerate it because Naruto's personality and talent were far removed from the Fourth Hokage's, so many chose to wait and see for the sake of themselves and their families.

But recently, with the changes in Naruto's behavior and the talent he has displayed, he increasingly carries the shadow of that former leader. This has attracted many eyes, and many hearts have begun to stir.

The current dispute, to some extent, stems from this.

To put it bluntly, the Former Heir Faction is beginning to show signs of banding together, while the current beneficiaries are trying to suppress this momentum. The struggle between the two sides naturally falls on whether Naruto's actions are a merit or a fault, and whether he is first a Jinchuriki or first a Konoha ninja.

After all, for Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, even if Sarutobi steps down, as long as the succeeding Hokage is someone they recommended, they can remain firmly in their positions—the "flowing" Hokages, the "iron" advisory council.

But if in a few years these Former Heir Faction members push Naruto to become Hokage, would a young Naruto, who has no personal bond or shared interests with these two old fossils—and even harbors some lingering grievances—allow them to continue pointing fingers as his advisory council?

—One must remember, during the Fourth Hokage's tenure, they lost most of their influence and became mere mascots.

Although it was a short time, they had had enough of losing power! They must never repeat that mistake!

Although Naruto is only twelve, thinking of this now seems exaggerated, but for political creatures, foresight is an instinct.

The talent Naruto currently displays already holds the potential to threaten them, and their assessment of his personality suggests the probability of him obeying them is extremely low.

If Jiraiya, Kakashi, and those old subordinates of the Fourth Hokage truly gather around Naruto, and in a few years, when Naruto grows up and becomes a force to be reckoned with... then, it would be a low-probability event for Naruto not to become Hokage!

What's more, they know full well that the faction led by Jiraiya has never looked kindly upon the two of them.

Precisely because of this, at such a critical juncture, they continue to hound Naruto's behavior, hoping to force the indecisive Sarutobi to make a political commitment to punish Naruto, thereby suppressing the dangerous momentum of these "Former Heir Faction" members...

Of course, if they could go a step further and place some curse seal similar to those used within Root upon Naruto to strengthen their control over the Tailed Beast, they would be even more pleased.

However, before their plan could be completed, Maruboshi Kosuke jumped out, flipped the table, and disrupted their rhythm... and they truly couldn't do anything to this old man!

He was a student of the Second Hokage, a teammate of the Third, his pot had cooked meals for the Fourth, and his left leg was lost saving the Fourth... With such credentials, even the two of them on the advisory council couldn't throw their weight around or speak harshly as they usually did.

Although Maruboshi Kosuke is nominally just a Genin... that is only because he chose not to be promoted. Who among those who truly understand this old man would look down on him?

Sarutobi has tried several times to promote him to Jonin, only to be refused each time.

So, it is no exaggeration to say that such a sensitive truth was best spoken by him.

"..."

The Hokage's office, which had been noisy, instantly fell into a dead silence. Everyone's gaze involuntarily shifted to the old man sitting behind the desk, who had remained silent throughout.

"...We must show respect for our comrades."

Sarutobi spoke slowly: "As for the handling of Naruto, we will discuss it when he returns. Right now, the most critical thing is to ensure his safety and the safety of the village!"

—Smoothing things over again.

Seeing that Sarutobi would not take a clear stance on any sensitive topic, everyone couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Although the Third Hokage's personality made life quite comfortable during peacetime, now that they were approaching a wartime state... they hoped to see a stronger stance from their leader.

However, the two advisors closed their mouths. No one knew better than them when to speak and when to stay silent; they were experts at reading the room.

"The search within the village is ongoing," an Anbu member stepped forward to report. "But we have yet to find any traces of the other-world spies, though we have captured quite a few spies from other villages."

"Furthermore, there have already been protests from outsiders regarding our lockdown of Konoha."

"Those can be ignored for now," Sarutobi said. "What about the squad tracking Naruto?"

"There is no word yet from Kakashi and Might Guy; they are likely traveling at full speed and have no time to report back," the Anbu hesitated for a moment before continuing the report in front of everyone. "However, the summoning animal assigned to the Jinchuriki surveillance team sent word ten minutes ago."

"Although Uzumaki Naruto has been leaving Shadow Clone markers along the way to guide the path, delays are inevitable, so unless the Jinchuriki stops, they will find it difficult to catch up for the time being."

"...I see."

Sarutobi waved his hand to signal he understood, then took a deep drag from his pipe.

"Troubled times indeed..."

He sighed heavily, bracing himself before beginning to issue orders:

"Shikaku, adjust and reinforce the village's defenses... notify the Daimyo of the situation... send additional sealing teams to the rift... initiate wartime protocols... handle diplomacy with other nations... consider a Five Kage Summit..."

In the wilderness.

Kalifa had arrived at a waterfall far from any signs of human life. After closing her eyes and using Observation Haki to scan the area for a full ten minutes to ensure no one was nearby, she finally stopped and rubbed her temples.

"So tired..."

Her expression betrayed an unconcealable exhaustion. The journey itself had not drained much of her physical stamina, but maintaining the constant use of Observation Haki throughout the trek had been an immense strain.

Fortunately, for now, she had at least temporarily shaken off her pursuers and could afford a moment of rest.