Naruto stood in Tsunade's office, his grin wide as he accepted a C-rank mission. "Easy peasy, Granny!" he said, but his eyes noted the ANBU in the shadows, their masks unreadable. His intelligence was a scalpel, cutting through Konoha's facade. He'd deduced Tsunade's reliance on him—her "hero" after the Chunin Exams—but also her caution, keeping him close, maybe to control the Nine-Tails. He'd play along, use her missions to grow, but his heart was on the world beyond, where the Fourth's truth waited.His clones were a network now, some training, others spying, a few studying the Scroll of Sealing. He'd unlocked a seal to store chakra, letting him conserve the Nine-Tails' power for bursts of strength. The Rasengan was versatile—he'd devised variants, like a smaller, faster version for precision. "I'm building an arsenal," he whispered in his clearing, his grin gone as thousands of clones tested his creations. The fox's chakra was his engine, steady and fierce, but he kept it hidden, his suppression jutsu fooling even Jiraiya's senses.A mission to escort a merchant went awry—rogue ninja attacked, sent by an unknown faction. Naruto's grin stayed as he summoned clones, shouting, "Let's party!" But his strategy was flawless: clones feigned weakness, luring the enemy into a trap where his Rasengan and toad summons crushed them. He let Shikamaru analyze the aftermath, his grin hiding his role. "Good call, Shika!" he said, but inside, he was satisfied. Every fight was data, sharpening his mind, preparing him for the world.Jiraiya hinted at a longer journey. "You need real training, kid. Years, not months." Naruto laughed—"You just want me to write your books, Pervy Sage!"—but his mind raced. A timeskip with Jiraiya was perfect: away from Konoha, free to grow, to master the Nine-Tails and the scroll's secrets. He'd agree, but not for the village—for himself, for the power to roam the world, to find the truth no one could hide.
