Naruto Uzumaki is a Rogue Ninja

Naruto, walking beside Mikoto Uchiha with her hand in hers, looked up at her.

"Ryūchi Cave... isn't that a legendary hidden realm where Sages reside? You want to go to Ryūchi Cave, Naruto?" Mikoto Uchiha paused, surprised.

"Mhm, I want to learn Sage Art. I might encounter stronger enemies in the future, and I want to increase my strength," Naruto nodded, explaining her thoughts.

Mikoto Uchiha guessed, "I don't know the location of Ryūchi Cave. I've heard it's a very secret place, and you need some special means to enter, right?"

"Learn Sage Art! Isn't using my Chakra good enough?" The Nine-Tails' words held a hint of jealousy. Naruto thought she misheard, but upon entering her inner world and seeing the Nine-Tails pouting, Naruto realized the big furball was genuinely jealous. A smile tugged at her lips.

Naruto went to the Nine-Tails' side and petted its fur.

"It's not the same."

Chapter 42: The Old Snake and the Little Fox (1/2)

"Nine-Tails, your power is immense, but if I want to become stronger in a short time, this is the only way. You should understand that using even five of your tails is extremely difficult for my current body, let alone greater power. Besides..."

"Nine-Tails, you're not whole right now, are you?"

"You... How did you know?"

The Nine-Tails was taken aback by Naruto's words and looked at her seriously.

"Because I have memories of when my foolish father sealed you."

When Minato Namikaze sealed the Nine-Tails, Naruto hadn't noticed that Minato had sealed half of the Nine-Tails within himself. At that time, she was crying unwillingly and then lost consciousness in extreme pain.

Naruto knew the Nine-Tails wasn't whole because she had read the original story.

Naruto wanted to learn Sage Art not just because the Nine-Tails wasn't whole, but also because Sage Mode could utilize natural energy, and because Sage Mode was powerful.

After all, Jiraiya in the original story could hold his own against the Three Paths of Pain with Sage Mode. If he hadn't been ignorant of the secrets of the Paths and Nagato, Jiraiya wouldn't have died and might have even defeated Nagato.

Naruto thought that if she learned Sage Mode and combined it with the Nine-Tails' Chakra, she would have a sure bet to defeat Nagato and might not even lose to Obito Uchiha.

"My Chakra has two attributes: Yin and Yang. The Yang-attribute Chakra is sealed within you, Naruto, and the Yin-attribute Chakra is sealed within Minato Namikaze. But Minato Namikaze is dead now, so my other half probably went to that world with him."

"There is another way to make you whole again."

Naruto smiled mysteriously, tapping the Nine-Tails' paw with her finger.

"What way?"

The Nine-Tails' ears twitched, and her eyes widened as she looked at Naruto. Could there be a way to summon her other half back from that world?

"Impure World Reincarnation. It's a Forbidden Jutsu that can summon the dead to the present world. As long as Minato Namikaze, who has your other half sealed within him, is summoned, and then your other half is taken from him, you'll become whole."

Naruto calculated. In a few years, during the Chunin Exams, Orochimaru's "Konoha Crush" plan would be implemented. When he used Impure World Reincarnation to fight the Third Hokage, she would definitely make him summon Minato Namikaze, and then she would take the Nine-Tails' other half back from him!

"In a few years, there will be an opportunity. As long as you can seize it, you can become whole! At that time, I believe no one will be able to restrain your freedom!"

Naruto confidently put her hands on her hips in front of the Nine-Tails.

"You'll have to cover for me then!"

"Does that even need to be said? I'll be waiting to see!" The Nine-Tails revealed an excited smile.

Suddenly, Karin spotted a figure in the distance. She felt a cold, snake-like Chakra and a sinister, terrifying killing intent emanating from him.

"Naruto! Sister Mikoto! Be careful, there's an enemy over there!"

Hearing Karin's words, Naruto looked in the direction Karin pointed. Mikoto Uchiha activated her Three Tomoe Sharingan.

A hoarse voice, a strange laugh, and a person who surprised Naruto appeared there.

"Orochimaru..."

Mikoto Uchiha watched Orochimaru warily, instinctively stepping in front of Naruto, her Sharingan fixed on him.

"Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, why have you come here specifically to find us? What are your intentions?!"

"Don't misunderstand."

When Orochimaru saw Mikoto Uchiha's Three Tomoe Sharingan, a flicker of greed flashed in his eyes.

Naruto frowned displeasantly. She clearly saw that flicker of greed. What was going on? Why was Orochimaru still so interested in the Sharingan?

"Naruto Uzumaki, you want to go to Ryūchi Cave, don't you?"

"So what if I do?"

Naruto stepped out from behind Mikoto Uchiha, looking up to meet Orochimaru's golden snake eyes.

"I can take you to Ryūchi Cave, but there's one condition?"

"Condition?"

Naruto instantly entered Nine-Tails Transformation, three tails wagging behind her. The tails rapidly extended like lightning, wrapping around Orochimaru's neck and lifting him, slowly tightening until his head was severed.

"You don't even dare to show your true form to me, so what right do you have to negotiate?!" Naruto's blood-red eyes glared fiercely at Orochimaru's detached body on the ground.

"Are you going to recall your clone, or do you want me to force you out?" A deep crimson projectile appeared at Naruto's fingertips, pointing at the ground not far away.

"I didn't expect you to find me!"

Orochimaru emerged from the ground, and as he did, his "corpse" turned to dirt.

Naruto let out a soft hum, remaining silent. The reason she could locate Orochimaru was entirely thanks to Karin.

Karin, who had activated her Mind's Eye of the Kagura, didn't rashly speak to Naruto. Instead, she stared intently in one direction, hoping Naruto would understand what she wanted to convey.

When Naruto saw Karin wasn't looking at Orochimaru but was instead staring fixedly at one spot, she naturally guessed that the person before her was likely a clone, and Orochimaru's true body was hiding somewhere.

"Speak. What are your intentions? If you plan to attack her when I'm not paying attention, first weigh your own strength." Three tails wagged behind her backside, and Naruto glared at Orochimaru with hostility in her eyes.

Orochimaru's greedy look earlier had set off alarm bells for her. If Orochimaru were to take a bite out of her when she wasn't paying attention, it would be troublesome.

"How could I dare attack her in front of you? This time, I've come for you, Naruto Uzumaki, entirely."

Orochimaru smiled broadly at Naruto, clearly very pleased with her. If she were like her father, Minato Namikaze, Orochimaru would have found it incredibly boring.

"Heh~! I don't think there's anything about me that you'd be interested in..." Naruto scoffed, pointing at the tails behind her.