Naruto Uzumaki's current surge in fame was mainly because his reputation had been so low before.
Shihōin Naraku, meanwhile, was Konoha's Sixth Hokage, the new God of the Shinobi World, and the undisputed strongest.
His name had long since spread throughout the Shinobi World. Everyone knew him.
Under these circumstances, his fame naturally could not grow as much as Naruto's, which had been at a low point.
With Naruto there, along with Sasuke...
The simultaneous appearance of these two heroes who had saved the Shinobi World immediately caused a stir.
But before anyone else could speak, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura Haruno disappeared around the end of the street, vanishing from sight.
Ten minutes later, the three gathered at the Konoha Gate.
"You've got all your ninja tools and everything, right?"
Sasuke glanced at the enthusiastic Naruto and Sakura Haruno and asked.
"Don't worry."
"Everything's ready."
Naruto and Sakura Haruno both nodded.
Sasuke looked at the scenery outside the gate. "The three of us will leave through the main gate shortly. There's no need to deliberately hide our movements."
"Why?" Naruto asked.
"If that guy called Shin really is keeping an eye on me..."
A cold glint flashed through Sasuke's eyes. "Then that's perfect. We can let him know we're looking for him."
"It'll save me the trouble of finding him. All the better if he comes straight to us."
"That works too!"
Naruto's eyes lit up. Then he rallied himself and shouted, "Team 7, get ready to move out!"
"Let's go!"
The three left Konoha and set off for the Land of Rice Fields.
Their first destination was precisely Orochimaru's former lair, the Land of Rice Fields!
Many of Orochimaru's hidden bases had been concealed here to begin with.
But long ago, after the Chunin Ninja Exams ended and Third