Naruto limped back to Konoha, his grin forced as he waved at villagers tending to the wounded. "No big deal, just a scratch!" he shouted, but his chest ached, not just from Sasuke's Chidori but from failure. The Sasuke Retrieval mission was a bust, and Naruto's detachment from Konoha deepened. The village hadn't earned his loyalty—it hid the truth about the Nine-Tails, branded him a demon, and now let Sasuke slip away to Orochimaru. His goal was clearer than ever: gain power, leave Konoha, roam the world, and uncover why he was chosen.Tsunade summoned him to the hospital, her eyes stern but concerned. "You're reckless, kid," she said, healing his wounds. "Sasuke made his choice." Naruto grinned, scratching his head—"I'll drag him back next time, Granny!"—but his distrust flared. Tsunade knew his secret, like Jiraiya, like the Third. She was Konoha's leader, part of its lies. He'd play the loyal genin, but his heart was on the horizon, on a world where no one could cage him.That night, Naruto trained in secret, summoning three thousand clones, their movements a hurricane. The Nine-Tails' chakra surged, red and fierce, but he held it, shaping it into his Rasengan. The valley fight had shown him the fox's power—and its danger. He'd nearly lost himself to it, but he wouldn't stop. "I'll control you," he whispered, his grin gone. The Scroll of Sealing's notes were his guide, but he needed more—more jutsu, more strength, more freedom.Jiraiya visited, his voice gruff. "You're not ready to chase Sasuke again, kid. Train with me, get stronger." Naruto laughed—"You just want me to carry your bags, Pervy Sage!"—but his eyes were wary. Jiraiya's offer was tempting, but his ties to Konoha were a red flag. Naruto would train, but on his terms, for his own goal: to roam the world, to find answers, to be untouchable.
