Schemes and Departure

That was the personal request.

After gaining Tsunade's approval, Umino Iruka had joined the delegation. He had once been the person Naruto felt closest to in Konohagakure. Perhaps at first, most of Iruka's concern for Naruto had been due to the Third Hokage's orders, with the remainder coming from a measure of sympathy. But over the years, Naruto's persistence and character had deeply affected him. He saw a reflection of his former self in Naruto, and even more, the courage and resolve he himself had never possessed. That was why Iruka had grown ever closer to Naruto, coming to regard him as his own little brother. When he learned two years ago that Naruto had deserted the village, it had been like a bolt from the blue.

It had even made Iruka resolve to request a transfer from the Ninja Academy and return to being a "field Chunin." He no longer wanted a position dealing with something akin to administrative support. Instead, he wanted to return to the front lines of mission work, hoping to use the opportunity to search for any trace or information about Naruto.

Through this experience,

Iruka had gradually regained the form he'd had at his peak.

At the very least, he was much stronger than he had been at the Ninja Academy.

He might not quite have been an elite Chunin, but he was still far stronger than an ordinary one.

Unfortunately, Iruka had found nothing over the past two-plus years. Even after traveling through more than a dozen small countries on missions, he hadn't heard a thing. Iruka knew full well that the village leadership was searching meticulously for Naruto's whereabouts. If they couldn't find him, there was no way Iruka could. But driven by his own strong desire, he kept doing the same