Tsunade Becomes the Fifth Hokage, Naruto and Sasuke Train Separately

He wanted to chase after him, but an invisible force stopped him—it was Uchiha Mu's chakra, gently restraining him and preventing him from acting rashly.

Naruto turned to look at Uchiha Mu beneath the shade of a tree, his eyes filled with confusion and anger.

"Lord Mu, why? Why didn't you stop Sasuke? Why didn't you hold him back?"

Uchiha Mu slowly stepped forward, looking calmly at Naruto. His tone was flat, yet meaningful.

"Naruto, everyone has to walk their own path."

"Sasuke can only resolve his obsession himself. I cannot interfere, nor should I."

"Too much protection will only keep him from ever growing. Only by letting him experience things himself, make his own choices, and bear the consequences can he truly mature and understand what he wants."

Naruto froze. The anger and confusion in his heart gradually faded, replaced by a deep sense of helplessness.

He knew Uchiha Mu was right, but he still could not accept it. He could not accept watching Sasuke head into unknown danger.

"But... Sasuke will be in danger! Orochimaru is so evil. If Sasuke goes to him, he'll only be used!" Naruto's voice choked with emotion, his face full of worry.

"Don't worry. He'll be fine," Uchiha Mu said calmly. "He has his own obsessions and convictions. As long as the faith in his heart does not die, he will not be defeated so easily."

"And you, Naruto." Uchiha Mu's gaze fell upon him, and there was a trace of barely perceptible encouragement in his voice. "The only thing you can do is become stronger."

"Only when you are strong enough will you have the ability to lend him a hand when he needs it and bring him back."

Naruto looked at Uchiha Mu and slowly nodded. The disappointment in his eyes was gradually replaced by determination.

He wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, clenched his fists, and spoke with incomparable resolve.

"Lord Mu, I understand! I'll definitely become stronger. I'll definitely bring Sasuke back. I definitely will!"

At that moment, a figure slowly appeared at the edge of the Valley of the End. It was Jiraiya.

Naruto immediately turned toward him, hope blazing in his eyes. "Master Jiraiya, I want to train with you. I want to become strong enough to bring Sasuke back!"

Jiraiya smiled and gently nodded. "All right. I'll take you to accept missions."

Not long afterward.

Konoha held a grand Hokage inauguration ceremony.

Tsunade officially assumed the position of the Fifth Hokage, standing atop the Hokage Building.

As she looked at Konoha beneath her feet, the companions by her side, and the distant sky, her heart was filled with determination.

After settling Naruto in, Jiraiya also began secretly tracking the Akatsuki Organization.

He gathered intelligence on them.

After recovering from his injuries, Naruto continued training under Jiraiya.

Sasuke had already arrived at Orochimaru's side.

While enduring the erosion of the Curse Mark, he worked desperately to improve his strength. The fire of revenge in his heart had never gone out.

At that moment, Konoha.

Cheers rose one after another, and every face was filled with joy and anticipation.

Uchiha Mu stood beside Tsunade.

Watching the scene, his expression remained calm, without the slightest ripple.

His goal had already been achieved. With Tsunade becoming Hokage, Konoha's situation had temporarily stabilized, and he could train in peace.

"Set Konoha's order right as soon as possible and prepare for the coming crisis."

Uchiha Mu spoke calmly, his tone even.

"Neither the Akatsuki Organization nor Orochimaru will let this go. Konoha's crisis is not over yet."

After saying that, Uchiha Mu did not linger. His body flickered as he activated a spacetime teleportation technique, vanishing from everyone's sight in an instant.

Tsunade watched Uchiha Mu's disappearing figure, and a complicated emotion flashed through her eyes.

There was fear, unwillingness, and a trace of gratitude.

If not for Uchiha Mu's forceful methods, she probably would never have returned to Konoha.

Tsunade took a deep breath.

She suppressed the complicated emotions in her heart and spoke firmly.

"She briefly spoke about the future and Konoha's development."

"Shizune, come with me. We're going to the hospital to check on the Third Hokage."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade."

Shizune nodded and hurriedly followed behind Tsunade, heading toward Konoha Hospital.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu watched Tsunade's departing back.

Relieved smiles appeared on their faces. They exchanged a glance, and each saw reassurance and anticipation in the other's eyes.

They knew that Konoha's future finally had hope.

With Tsunade and Uchiha Mu, these two towering pillars, protecting Konoha.

It would surely grow even stronger.

Afterward, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.

Immediately gathered Konoha's upper ranks and convened an emergency meeting.

At the same time.

They worked with Tsunade to restore order in Konoha and arrange defensive deployments.

Everything in Konoha proceeded in an orderly fashion.

The once-chaotic situation.

Gradually stabilized.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya had already taken Naruto across the world, beginning a long journey of training.

Jiraiya knew full well that the Nine-Tails inside Naruto was violent.

His temperament was impulsive, and his foundation was weak.

Konoha's ordinary training alone could not possibly suppress the hidden danger of the tailed beast.

Nor could it allow this future pillar of Konoha to truly grow.

Thus, he personally requested Tsunade's permission to take Naruto away from Konoha and begin a long period of wilderness training.

They traveled through many countries.

Wandering across the world.

The two stayed far from village conflicts, traveling through mountains and rivers.

Deserts, forests, and coastlines. They relied on neither training grounds.

Nor secret lands of mystical arts. Throughout the journey, Naruto was tempered through the most primitive and grueling wilderness training.

Jiraiya's training methods were simple, yet brutally extreme.

During the day, Naruto ran wildly under heavy loads, climbed to his limits, and dove into the deep sea.

He endured long-distance desert sprints, pushing Naruto's physical limits from every direction and tempering his physique, endurance, and explosive power.

At night, he meditated and regulated his breathing, guiding Naruto to control his own chakra and suppress the violent malice of the Nine-Tails.

But more often, they traveled through various regions, eating delicious food and looking at beautiful women.

Unlike Konoha's rigid instruction, Jiraiya taught according to Naruto's aptitude and never confined himself to fixed ninjutsu forms.

He personally corrected Naruto's flaws in chakra control.

He refined the power structure of the Rasengan, taught him the subtle basics of controlling water, earth, and wind, and polished his mastery over the three basic chakra attributes.

At the same time.

Jiraiya led Naruto into encounters with wild beasts, wandering ninja, and natural dangers across various lands.

Through countless real battles, escapes, and life-or-death struggles, Naruto was forcibly tempered into possessing powerful instincts and reactions in battle.

This period of wandering training.

Was built entirely upon day after day of hardship and repeated trials between life and death, stripping Naruto of his youthful impatience.

His chakra became increasingly condensed and stable.

The resilience of his body soared, his temperament became steadier and tougher, and more than half of the Nine-Tails' violent malice was forcibly suppressed.

It was also because of Jiraiya's year of tempering.

That Naruto's body built an incomparably solid foundation.

And Naruto's horizons would no longer be confined to Sakura.