A month later.
Naruto had fully adapted to the daily routine of skipping class by using shadow clones, shifting the focus of his life entirely to training. From time to time, he'd even send a shadow clone to visit Shisui, who was still imprisoned at the base.
Aside from that, Naruto noticed a change in the Anbu personnel monitoring him.
Previously, it had been the Transparent Release user Hayate Gekkō and Konoha-ryū user Yugao Uzuki. Now, however, they had been replaced by the elite jōnin Kakashi, who was always seen with a copy of Icha Icha Paradise in hand.
Kakashi's surveillance methods were rather unorthodox. He never lurked in the shadows but disguised himself as an average passerby.
That distinctive white hair of his—was he hoping Naruto wouldn't recognize him?
Naruto could only sigh and pretend not to notice, continuing his busy daily routine. He did become significantly more cautious when sending clones to switch shifts in the Forest of Death.
The Nine-Tails, utterly insulted by this apparent insult to its intelligence, egged Naruto on from within the seal, urging him to take Kakashi out.
Sure, a jinchūriki assassinating an Anbu in public was possible—if one were prepared to spend the rest of their life in a dark cell.
Naruto knew the Nine-Tails wasn't an idiot. It was just trying to provoke him into bargaining and pass the time.
To shut it up, Naruto went to a nearby shop and duplicated some chakra infused with the flavor of snacks, tossing it into the seal space. The Nine-Tails couldn't help but smirk.
The greedy shop owner was as sleazy as ever. Naruto simply placed the money on the counter and left without saying a word.
The owner glanced at Naruto, then at the money on the counter. He sighed softly, eventually putting the money into the drawer to prepare for the inevitable inspection by the Uchiha Police Force.
It had been more than six years since the Nine-Tails incident. Whatever lingering fear remained had long since faded.
Naruto had simply become a convenient outlet for daily frustrations. Now, it was the Police Force's heavy-handed enforcement that truly troubled the common folk.
Who doesn't make minor mistakes now and then? Must everything be handled strictly by the book?
The Police Force had no flexibility—and worse, they turned a blind eye when it came to their own clansmen. Who could tolerate that?
A surge of intense negative emotion from behind caught Naruto's attention. To his surprise, it wasn't directed at him, but at the patrolling Uchiha Police officers on the street.
Since Shisui's "suicide," the planned Uchiha coup had been temporarily halted.
But the rift between the Uchiha and Konoha's leadership had only deepened. In preparation for the next uprising, the Police Force had begun seizing money and stockpiling supplies—though their methods were clumsy and conspicuous.
Even Naruto, a jinchūriki, could see through their actions. Hiruzen and the others must have noticed long ago.
Still, it worked to his advantage. The more attention the Uchiha drew from the higher-ups, the easier it would be for Naruto to leave the village unnoticed. But to keep that attention long-term, the Uchiha couldn't be wiped out completely.
As Naruto strolled through the streets, he continued to gather intel on the people passing by.
By lunchtime, he walked into Ichiraku Ramen and ordered a large bowl.
The piping hot noodles were fragrant and satisfying. As Naruto ate, his gaze drifted to the seat once occupied by Tenpū—the unremarkable Chūnin who had shown him just how dark the true nature of Konoha could be. It was that experience that solidified his resolve to leave the village—this so-called "shinobi village" that felt more like a prison.
At that moment, the curtain to the shop lifted.
Kakashi strolled in casually, ordered a bowl of ramen, and sat down right next to Naruto.
The older man's scent made Naruto frown slightly, and he shifted away. He had no interest in getting close to Kakashi—he didn't want to catch the curse of eternal bachelorhood.
Kakashi was caught off guard. He had finally mustered the courage to approach Naruto, only to be met with rejection. He felt awkward and at a loss—dealing with kids was never his strength.
In the end, they ate their ramen in complete silence.
When it came time to pay, Kakashi quickly said, "Teuchi-san, put Naruto's meal on my tab. I'll pay for it next time I come by."
Naruto gave Kakashi a puzzled look, then silently placed his own money on the counter and left.
Kakashi and Teuchi exchanged an awkward glance. After a moment's hesitation, Kakashi went to a small grove, where he found Naruto practicing with shuriken.
Naruto stopped throwing and turned to him.
"If you're going to pay for me, don't bother. I've never seen someone treat me to lunch and forget to bring money—congrats, you're the first. Also, this isn't your first day following me. It's been two weeks now, hasn't it?"
"…Didn't expect to be caught. I guess I really suck at tailing people."
Kakashi scratched his head, forcing a smile. "Still, the fact you noticed means your counter-surveillance skills are top-tier, even for a student."
Naruto responded flatly, "After surviving an assassination attempt at home, anyone would get this cautious."
Kakashi knew he was referring to the jinchūriki incident that coincided with the envoy attack—an event he himself had been involved in. It was also then that he began to suspect Naruto's true identity.
Naruto now looked him straight in the eye.
"But I'm more curious about your identity, and why you're trying to approach me. I'm sure this isn't our first meeting. You visited me in the hospital once, didn't you?"
Kakashi countered with a question: "If you knew my reason, what would you do about it?"
"If you're trying to be my friend, I'd consider it seriously. If you're an enemy, I'll report you to the Third Hokage and have you kicked out."
"Relax. I'm not your enemy. In fact, we share a connection."
"A connection?" Naruto frowned, thinking for a moment. "You knew my parents, didn't you? Then you should know who they were. Who exactly are my parents?"
Kakashi was about to answer, but recalling the Third Hokage's instructions, he shook his head. "I can't tell you that. If you really want to know, you'll have to ask the Third Hokage himself."
"So I am the child of someone important—someone whose identity can't be revealed."
Naruto let out a cold chuckle and cast a glance at Kakashi. "If you're not going to say anything, then why even bother coming? To pity me? Too bad—I don't need your pity."
Kakashi realized Naruto wasn't going to be easy to deal with. He smiled wryly. "It's not pity. I just wanted to check on you… and see if there's anything I can help with."
Of course, what he really wanted was to confront Naruto about using shadow clones to skip school—after all, it was class time.
Naruto looked at the empty clearing, then back at Kakashi.
"Well, it's not like I don't need any help. I'm short a sparring partner to test my strength. Want to have a match?"
Kakashi froze.
A kid who hadn't even graduated wanted to spar with a jōnin?
After a moment of thought, Kakashi nodded. "Here's fine. I'll limit my abilities to genin level. Be mentally prepared."
Naruto grinned slyly.
Sasuke was too weak. Beating Shisui had been a stroke of luck—he needed a real opponent to gauge his current strength.
Standing in the clearing, they formed the seal of confrontation. The spar began.
Naruto disappeared in a flash, leaping into the air as he formed hand seals and shouted:
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
(End of Chapter)
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