Context :
Naruto, still under pressure from public opinion and Seijuro's escape, must redouble his efforts to track down the Akumu Shin'en strategist. Kaguya, intrigued by the man she now considers an enigma, decides for the first time to help Naruto, while pursuing her own designs.
Naruto stands in Kakashi's office, arms crossed, staring at the map in front of him. Shikamaru and Hinata are present, discussing the meager clues left by Seijuro.
— "We've tightened security at the borders, but it's like he's vanished," Shikamaru said with a sigh. "That guy is a real ghost."
Hinata, worried, adds:
— "And with what happened with the villagers, Naruto… The rumors continue to circulate."
Naruto clenches his fists.
— "I can't let this continue. If I don't stop Seijuro soon, he might manipulate people again. I have to find him."
In her mind, Kaguya silently observes.
As Naruto goes to the quiet quarters of Konoha to think, Kaguya manifests in his mind.
— "You are desperate, Naruto Uzumaki."
Naruto, surprised, mentally answers.
— "You're not wrong, but you have nothing to tell me about perseverance. Why are you here? Do you want to make fun of me again?"
Kaguya crosses her arms, her tone calm but incisive.
— "Mockery? No. But I can help you find this man."
Naruto arches an eyebrow.
— "And why would you do that? You've never been the type to help me."
Kaguya steps forward, her expression impassive.
— "Because that man, Seijuro, is a threat to me as well. If he continues to manipulate your people, it complicates my own plans. We have a common interest, Naruto."
Naruto hesitates, but the weight of responsibility prevails.
— "Okay. But I'm warning you, if you do anything shady, I swear to you that—"
Kaguya interrupts him with a wave of her hand.
— "Spare me your useless threats. I will use my chakra perception to locate him. Follow my directions."
With Kaguya as his guide, Naruto travels alone outside of Konoha to a mountainous region where she detects an unusual residual chakra, mixed with Kurama's.
Kaguya, still present in his mind, comments coldly:
— "He's smart. He uses natural air currents to disperse his chakra and confuse his tracks. But he can't escape my sensitivity."
Naruto climbs the steep rocks, his breath short.
— "Yeah, yeah, keep giving orders. It suits you."
Kaguya gives a slight smile.
— "If you talked less, you would go faster."
Finally, they arrive in front of a cave half hidden by shrubs.
Kaguya whispers.
— "He's here. But don't be reckless. This man is dangerous, even to you."
Naruto, looking determined, replies:
— "I know. That's why I'm going to stop him."
Inside the cave, Seijuro stands near an intricate circle of seals he is drawing on the ground. The flickering light of the torches reveals his cold, calculating face.
— "I knew you would come, Naruto Uzumaki," he said without turning around.
Naruto cautiously enters, his eyes scanning the place.
— "You know you can't run away forever, Seijuro. Why are you doing all this? Why turn against everyone?"
Seijuro stands up, spear in hand, and slowly turns around.
— "You will never understand. You are the product of a system that crushes the weak to maintain the illusion of peace. Look around you, Naruto. How many villages like mine have you ignored in your quest to become a hero?"
Naruto clenches his fists.
— "I can't change the past, but I do everything to protect those who count on me. Even if I have to carry the weight of the world."
Seijuro sneers, his eye shining with a sinister glow.
— "Carry the weight of the world, you say? Then let's see if you can carry this one."
With a quick gesture, he activates the seals, releasing a storm of cutting wind that sweeps through the cave.
The ensuing fight is as strategic as it is brutal. Seijuro uses his dojutsu, the Meiunogan, to anticipate Naruto's every move, forcing him to remain on the defensive.
Kaguya intervenes mentally.
— "He reads your movements. You must be unpredictable, Naruto."
Naruto, out of breath, smiled.
— "It's not my style to give up. If you want to help me, give me ideas instead of criticizing."
Kaguya sighs, but eventually guides Naruto to use the terrain to his advantage. With her help, Naruto manages to create a clone to distract Seijuro, while he prepares a Rasengan combined with Kurama's chakra.
Seijuro is hit hard, but he manages to escape in a whirlwind of wind, leaving behind a bitter laugh.
— "This is just the beginning, Naruto Uzumaki."
Back in his mind, Naruto addresses Kaguya.
— "You did pretty good. Thanks for the helping hand."
Kaguya, haughtily, replies:
— "Don't thank me. My help was not for you, but for my own purposes."
Naruto laughed softly.
— "Yeah, yeah. Keep kidding yourself. But don't worry, we'll get people to like you one day."
Kaguya remains silent, troubled by Naruto's sincerity.
End of chapter.
Chapter 17.2: The Silent Hunt
Naruto enters the Hokage's office, where Shikamaru and Kakashi are already waiting for him, a map unfolded on the desk.
— "So? Did you get it?" Kakashi asks calmly, though a slight worry pierces his voice.
Naruto crosses his arms, his gaze serious.
— "No. But he didn't escape us completely. I managed to place a tracker on him before he fled."
Shikamaru looks at the map thoughtfully.
— "Clever. With any luck, he'll lead us straight to their base or some other strategic point."
Naruto scratches the back of his head.
— "Yeah, but it wasn't easy. This guy… He's dangerous. He's not just powerful, he's smart. He's not an opponent you can just beat until he falls."
Kakashi nods.
— "That's why we have to be careful. If Seijuro realizes he's being hunted, he might change his plans, or worse, set a trap."
Naruto clenches his fists.
— "Whatever he's up to, I'm going to stop him. We can't let him continue to manipulate people like this."
At night, Naruto meditates to calm himself down after the stress of the day. In his mind, he finds Kaguya, sitting peacefully, her gaze thoughtful.
— "I don't understand, Naruto Uzumaki," she begins in a detached tone.
Naruto raises an eyebrow.
— "What don't you understand this time?"
Kaguya stands up and walks slowly, her long hair flowing around her.
— "Why did you let him escape? You had a chance to eliminate him. This strategist is a threat. He could cause even more damage."
Naruto, looking at her, responds with a smile.
— "It's not just about strength, Kaguya. Sometimes you have to play smart. Shikamaru thought this was our best chance to learn more about their plans. If I had eliminated him, we would have lost a valuable opportunity."
Kaguya stares at him, puzzled.
— "You're too confident. Do you really think this tracker will be enough? This man is cunning. What if this is a trap?"
Naruto laughed softly.
— "Maybe. But I believe in my friends. Shikamaru, Kakashi, all the others. They're here to help me plan for this kind of stuff. And then… if it ever goes wrong, I'll be there to fix it."
Kaguya looks away, visibly troubled by his optimism.
— "You really are a mystery to me, Naruto Uzumaki."
The next day, a meeting is held with Shikamaru, Kakashi, Naruto, and several members of the investigation team, including Ino and Sai.
Shikamaru points to an area on the map where the tracker signal has moved.
— "He seems to be heading towards the northern borders of the Land of Fire. If my calculations are correct, he could be heading towards one of the outposts that we've already identified as points of interest for Akumu Shin'en."
Ino intervenes.
— "We could use my perception technique to confirm its location. But we have to act quickly, otherwise we risk losing the signal."
Kakashi, arms crossed, gives his orders.
— "Ino, Sai, prepare to leave immediately. Naruto, you will be leading this team. We need to capture Seijuro this time, not just follow him."
Naruto nods, determined.
— "Count on me."
In a secluded hideout, Seijuro sits on a rock and examines a map similar to Konoha's. His expression remains cold and calculating.
One of the members of Akumu Shin'en enters the room.
— "Chief Seijuro, do you think they're following you?"
Seijuro smirks.
— "Of course they follow me. It was planned. But they don't understand that every move I make is calculated. If everything goes as planned, their self-confidence will be their downfall."
He places a hand on the belt containing Kurama's chakra residue.
— "And this time, I'm going to show them that even the brightest of heroes can fall into the shadows."
Naruto, Ino, Sai, and a group of jonins leave Konoha at dawn.
Hinata watches them leave from the village gate, worried.
— "Be careful, Naruto," she whispers.
Naruto, for his part, stares straight ahead, a mixture of determination and uncertainty in his eyes.
In her mind, Kaguya whispers:
— "This time, I'll see how far your light can shine, Naruto Uzumaki."
End of chapter.