I Just Like To Put Myself in Others' Shoes

A surprise?

The Nine-Tails gave a bitter smile.

You really found a way, kid.

"Once I break through to the Katsuyu Sage Mode tonight, I'll set off immediately tomorrow."

Naruto resumed his training, casually siphoning off a massive amount of the Nine-Tails' stored chakra.

"Foolish Minato Namikaze, did you really think that by sealing away my evil side, I would selflessly help humanity? For so many years, humans have been constantly generating all sorts of emotions and desires."

The Sealing Technique and Rashomon on the Nine-Tails' body were released once more.

He looked helplessly at the training Naruto.

"What exactly is this child trying to do? He already possesses truly incredible power; even in the Warring States period, he would still be able to claim a place for himself."

The Nine-Tails felt that people like Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha were already at the peak that any ordinary person could reach.

But Naruto was different.

He seemed to want to become, and even surpass, the God of Shinobi.

An immortal?

The Nine-Tails always heard Naruto talking about wanting to become an immortal who lived forever.

This reminded the Nine-Tails of the Sage of Six Paths.

"In the end, even that old man scattered his chakra across the Ninja World."

"There is no such thing as immortality. If you really found it, the whole world would go mad for it."

The Nine-Tails grew increasingly curious.

Deep into the night.

Sasuke left Konoha village under the cover of darkness.

An even stronger obsession made it impossible for him to stay in Konoha for even one more day.

At dawn.

The curse mark on Naruto's forehead vanished.

The Katsuyu Sage Mode was indeed unique.

However, it required an extremely powerful physique.

The Toad Sage Mode involved accumulating Sage Technique chakra in advance and balancing natural energy in specific proportions.

Once in combat, the longer it lasted, the easier it was to turn into a toad; it was a gradual erosion of the body.

The Katsuyu Sage Mode was the exact opposite: it was activated in an instant, absorbing natural energy on the spot to convert it into Sage Technique chakra.

There was no need to worry about turning into a slug if the duration was too long.

However, without Hashirama Cells and an immense amount of personal chakra, one would die the moment they activated the Katsuyu Sage Mode for two reasons.

First, absorbing too much natural energy would cause an internal imbalance, leading to instant death.

Second, the conversion speed was so fast that if one's constitution wasn't strong enough, they would explode into a pile of tiny slugs on the spot.

Fortunately, Naruto had transplanted Hashirama Cells, possessed the vast chakra reserves of the Uzumaki Clan, and had stored a massive amount using the Strength of a Hundred Seal.

Otherwise, he could never have succeeded in this training.

If the training method of Ryuchi Cave was to endure inhuman torture to succeed—or become nutrients for snakes if one failed—then Shikkotsu Forest was a "succeed in one go or die on the spot" affair.

Naruto had naturally succeeded.

From now on, not only could he accumulate Sage Technique chakra for long periods, but he could also activate it instantly.

"I can now maintain Sage Mode Double for a long time."

Naruto only needed to possess Sage Technique chakra to achieve this, regardless of the method used to obtain it.

If Katsuyu was a direct charge of Sage Technique chakra, then the Toad method was a power bank prepared in advance.

It was best to have both.

And so.

While maintaining Sage Mode Double for an extended period.

His golden hair turned white.

His skin took on an eerie, pale hue.

However, the benefit was that Naruto's healing speed and all his stats would be significantly boosted.

"If I keep tempering myself like this, maintaining it for a month, or a year, what kind of changes will occur?"

Naruto stood up and tried to use the Nine-Tails' chakra, but as expected, he met with resistance.

"Kurama, you actually loathe Sage Technique chakra? That's not what you and the Old Man of the Six Paths said back in the day."

Naruto's single sentence made the Nine-Tails bristle.

"Cut the crap! I just loathe the stench of toads and slugs! What right do they have to be compared to my power!"

The Nine-Tails truly believed itself to be the greatest in the world.

"Oh, so it's just jealousy, then. You're just sour."

What could Naruto do? It was his own fox; he would deal with it once he gathered the pair.

"Hmph! Nonsense!"

The Nine-Tails couldn't be bothered to argue with Naruto. What did he mean by jealousy?

It was loathing for those stinking toads!

Naruto felt refreshed and put on his Hokage Hat to welcome a beautiful day in Konoha.

Every department was running normally, and all the advisors, assistants, medical ninjas, genin squads, chunin, special jonin, jonin, and elite jonin were worked to the bone.

Only Naruto played the role of the hands-off manager.

"Lord Hokage!"

Shikaku Nara was the first to come and report to Naruto.

"Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke of the Uchiha Clan, who were detained last night, have all left the village. We have lost all intelligence on them now."

What should they do?

Was the village finished?

Shikaku felt deeply worried.

These past few days, everyone had been desperately taking on missions.

On top of that, the establishment of the Konoha Academy of Sciences, the Medical Ninja Department, and the new Hokage Guard Platoon had led to a severe shortage of manpower in the village, all while they had to maintain the facade to other Ninja Villages that Konoha had more than enough resources.

As a result, everyone was nearly worked to death.

"Oh, I let them go."

"It's a special mission; the information is temporarily sealed."

Naruto stretched his back.

The white hair beneath the Hokage Hat made Shikaku Nara feel somewhat uneasy.

Had his hair turned white overnight?

The problem was that Naruto hadn't handled a single piece of Hokage paperwork.

How could he have worried his hair white?

"Lord Hokage!"

"There is a shortage of manpower in the village recently, but many ninjas recovered yesterday, so perhaps that can make up for some of it."

"If we could reduce the personnel investment in the Ninja Academy, it might relieve a lot of the pressure."

Shikaku Nara shared the same view as most people in the village.

Konoha must never show weakness.

They should use every effort to ensure Konoha maintained an absolutely powerful stance.

"If there isn't enough manpower, just do fewer missions."

"I'm honestly impressed; being a ninja doesn't even come with insurance, so stop putting on an act for once."

Naruto's words were impossible for Shikaku to accept.

"Lord Hokage, if Konoha doesn't complete all its missions, other Ninja Villages will think we have declined. Many people will come to spy and infiltrate, and every time Konoha has declined in the past, it has potentially triggered a war!"

Shikaku Nara voiced the inner thoughts of the others.

The Yamanaka Clan and the Akimichi Clan had also come specifically to advise him today.

Even the head of the Hyuga Clan, Hiashi Hyuga, pleaded to be allowed to send more ninjas on missions.

"Lord Hokage! Hiashi Hyuga is willing to let more members of the Branch House go out to execute missions!"

"Once this period passes, we can naturally arrange for the construction work in Konoha!"

Hiashi Hyuga spoke as calmly as he possibly could.

A group of adults always felt somewhat unnatural in front of Naruto.

"Oh?"

Naruto already felt that something was wrong.

Since when did this group of people have such strong opinions of their own?

After all, they had the scapegoat Hokage to take the heat, and if that didn't work, there was still Danzo, that pitch-black scapegoat.

What are they in such a hurry for?

With Jiraiya and Tsunade here, could the sky over Konoha possibly collapse?

"Sai, Neji, how is the work coming along?"

Naruto beckoned.

Sai and Neji, who had been hiding behind the building, quickly stepped forward.

"I forgot to inform you all: the Konoha Medical Department is under the charge of Granny Tsunade and Shizune, while the Academy of Sciences was built by Danzo and Yamato."

"Therefore, my personal guards have been changed to these two outstanding young ninjas, Sai and Neji."

Naruto clapped his hands.

"For the sake of security, I specifically tasked them with monitoring the movements of our two senior advisors."

"Speak up. What have those two old things, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, been up to?"

Upon hearing Naruto's words, the faces of the various clan heads turned ashen.

The two Hokage advisors were being monitored?

Hiashi Hyuga stared directly at Neji Hyuga; had this child truly become a pawn for Naruto?

"Lord Hokage! Advisor Koharu Utatane believes that Konoha is short-handed and that we should reduce construction to prioritize missions, so she persuaded the clan heads to come and discuss this."

The Ink Eagle on Sai's arm dissolved into information and vanished.

"Acting Hokage! Advisor Homura Mitokado has been in constant consultation with Danzo, arguing that the Konoha Academy of Sciences must not be established openly and that research into ninjas and ninjutsu should be publicly prohibited. In reality, he is stalling Danzo to prevent him from coming to your aid."

Neji's Byakugan was fully activated, causing the veins on his temples to bulge; without his forehead protector, he looked as ferocious as a green snake.

"Very good."

"Let's send those two out on missions. They have clan forces under their command, yet they never deploy them for anything, do they?"

"And as for you clans, you all have your own main-house guards, so you can all go perform missions together!"

"How many people does Yamato need to build a house? It's not like he's doing it all by himself! None of this is any of your business!"

A layer of Nine-Tails chakra cloak covered Naruto's body.

"We weren't afraid of threats from other villages even after the Uchiha were wiped out, so why are you worried about a few people being delayed now?"

"You're all taking off your shoes to cross the river all day long—aren't you afraid of stepping on thorns? You treat those worn-out shoes like they're some kind of treasure!"

This is what it means to do what one says.

Naruto immediately used the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.

"I have three hundred shadow clones here right now. Everyone, including those two old things, is coming with me to take on missions. Whether you want to threaten me or get work done, move! I will supervise you personally!"

Can he really play it like this?

"Tell those two old geezers to listen up: until my shadow clones are dispelled, the missions don't stop, and neither do you!"

"Get out!"

Naruto forcibly dragged the entire group of petitioners out to perform missions.

Before long, Koharu Utatane began to complain with deep resentment.

"Do I really have to perform missions at my age? Isn't this going too far!"

Homura Mitokado never expected the schemes to land on his own head.

"Oh my, an S-rank mission! I haven't done one of these in nearly thirty years!"

Not a single one could escape.

If the Hokage is personally accompanying you on missions, what right do an advisor or a clan head have to refuse?

"I suppose there are enough hands after all."

Hiashi Hyuga walked out of the village and looked helplessly at the other clan heads.

"The Hokage has ordered that everyone must complete at least ten missions, or they cannot return to the village."

Shikaku Nara truly felt that he had brought this upon himself.

Dozens of Naruto's shadow clones standing to the side nodded in unison: "That's right, I said it! Let's go! Everyone, let's build some bonds together!"

If he wants to go mad, then everyone can go mad together!

After venting his frustration and leaving Tsunade and his shadow clones to watch over the village, Naruto slipped out of Konoha silently.

He headed toward the ruins of the Uzu Hidden Village.

"Naruto, you are even more wicked than the Uchiha!"

The Nine-Tails had truly seen something new today.

"I just like to put myself in others' shoes," Naruto said quite honestly.