Inside Konoha Hospital,
Tsunade changed into a white coat and gave Kushina another thorough examination.
Outside the hospital room stood two figures, one tall and one small.
"So they're getting ready to leave the village!" Naraku murmured.
Jiraiya had told him that he and Tsunade had already made up their minds. If Kushina's examination showed little change this time, they would both leave the village.
Naraku could understand. With their personalities, the fact that they had stayed in Konoha for two years was already impressive.
"Naraku, about Naruto..." Jiraiya looked at him, his voice tinged with helplessness.
Both Jiraiya and Tsunade cared deeply about Konoha and loved the village. It was just that, in certain people's hands, Konoha had become something else.
Ever since White Fang of Konoha, Hatake Sakumo, had taken his own life, Konoha had never been the same.
They couldn't understand or agree with some of the things the Third Hokage had done. That was why they had chosen to spend so much of their time traveling outside the village.
As Minato's teacher, Jiraiya couldn't even protect his own student's son. He was filled with guilt.
Naraku shook his head. After a brief pause, he said, "Leave Naruto to me, Sensei."
Sarutobi Hiruzen... You'll pay for this sooner or later, Naraku thought to himself.
He was different from Jiraiya. Jiraiya had been the Third Hokage's student. No matter how disappointed he was in him, there were some things he simply couldn't bring himself to do.
But Naraku had no such reservations. He was only holding back for now so he could build up his strength.
Creak!
Tsunade came out of the hospital room, a smile on her lips this time.
Looks like things went well, Naraku thought.
Sure enough, Tsunade confirmed his guess. "Kushina's recovering well. The examination results show that her injured mind has almost fully recovered. She should wake up in just a few months at most."
"Little Naraku, you can stop worrying now." Tsunade reached out and ruffled his red hair.
Naraku fought the urge to step back. In all of Konoha, Tsunade was the only one who still did that to him. Even Kakashi and Jiraiya hardly ever did it anymore.
"Thank you, Lady Tsunade," Naraku said, bowing.
"I've told you, there's no need to be so formal." Tsunade waved her hand casually, then continued.
"By the way, I'll be leaving the village in the next few days. If Kushina wakes up, have Shizune let me know. I'll come back and examine her again."
Then she turned and walked away.
So she really did turn me down? Naraku thought, watching her go, regret flickering in his eyes.
As one of the Sannin, Tsunade knew many techniques that interested Naraku.
Her devastating Strength of a Hundred, the Strength of a Hundred Technique that could heal injuries automatically, and the Yin Seal, which could store chakra—all were among the Shinobi World's most advanced techniques.
In Naraku's eyes, the Strength of a Hundred Technique and the Yin Seal were every bit as valuable as the Adamantine Sealing Chains and the Mind's Eye of the Kagura.
Some time ago, he had asked Jiraiya to find out whether Tsunade would teach him the two techniques. He knew it was asking a lot, but the allure of the Yin Seal and the Strength of a Hundred Technique was simply too great.
Now it seemed Tsunade had refused.
"What are you thinking about, you brat?" Seeing his expression, Jiraiya couldn't resist tapping him on the head.
"I told you last time, you're too young. Those two techniques aren't suited to you yet," Jiraiya said with a smile.
"Once you're an adult, Tsunade will teach them to you."
At that, Naraku remembered another benefit of the Yin Seal: it could preserve one's youth forever.
"Then I really will have to wait until I'm an adult." Naraku gave a bitter smile as he looked at his one-meter-thirty frame.
After saying goodbye to him, Jiraiya also left Konoha and set off on his writing journey.
"Big sis, wake up soon. Naruto's already two years old, and he really wants to see you!"
Beside the hospital bed, Naraku looked at Kushina lying there, sadness in his eyes.
Two years had passed, but he still hadn't managed to make the Third Hokage relent. He still couldn't acknowledge Naruto as his brother.
Even so, thanks to Naraku, Naruto's life wasn't all that bad. Unlike in the original story, he no longer had to eat expired instant ramen every day.
"Sis, if you knew Naruto and I still hadn't acknowledged each other, you'd probably blame me, wouldn't you?"
"So I need to get stronger faster," Naraku thought.
Since Kushina and Naruto were both Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, they were in a difficult position. Lately, Naraku had sensed many unfamiliar chakra signatures near the hospital.
"Is it Root?"
"Have they already figured some things out?"
By the time Naraku left Konoha, the sky had begun to darken.
Naraku stood atop Minato's stone head on Kage Rock, looking down over the entire village.
After setting up a simple barrier to keep others out, he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his eyes had turned crimson, and three black Tomoe slowly revolved in each pupil.
Thanks to his unusually powerful spiritual energy, Naraku had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan by the age of seven.
Clang! Clang!
Two pale golden chains emerged from Naraku's back.
His Sharingan had advanced considerably, and he had also gained an initial grasp of the advanced technique, the Adamantine Sealing Chains. For now, though, he could only control two chains—far from the nine Kushina had used to match the Nine-Tails.
He had also mastered most of the Sealing Jutsu Kushina had left him. They might not directly increase his combat strength, but they could prove remarkably useful in certain situations.
According to Jiraiya, his current strength had reached the level of a Special Jonin.
Jonin were divided into three ranks: Special Jonin, Jonin, and Elite Jonin.
Special Jonin were ninja with expertise in a particular area. Their overall abilities might not measure up to a Jonin's, but they possessed one or two outstanding skills.
Jonin, on the other hand, had strong all-around abilities. Kakashi was currently at this level.
As for Elite Jonin, they were the strongest fighters below Kage Level.
"Next, I need to build up my practical combat experience," Naraku murmured.
If he judged only by chakra reserves and the number of techniques he had mastered, Naraku was already every bit as strong as any Elite Jonin.
At just seven years old, his chakra reserves had already surpassed Kakashi's, reaching at least two Kakashi's worth.
But Naraku knew all too well that strength wasn't determined by those two things alone.
If he fought Kakashi to the death right now, he had no doubt that he would be the one to fall.