Chapter 2: Open and Honest
Naruto's words struck Konan like a slap.
"I want to inherit Nagato's Rinnegan," he repeated, eyes unwavering.
For a moment, she thought she'd misheard. Her expression darkened as she studied him carefully. He didn't look like someone who would say such a thing so bluntly—so decisively. But the look in his eyes... it wasn't something a child should carry.
"...Naruto," she said slowly, holding her voice steady, "Nagato entrusted his will to you. But a will doesn't mean you inherit his eyes."
"I know," Naruto replied calmly. "But his Rinnegan shouldn't be buried with him. Others covet those eyes—and if they fall into the wrong hands, it could mean disaster for the entire shinobi world. If I hold onto them, I can protect his legacy—and the future."
Konan stiffened.
He wasn't just guessing. He knew. He knew about Madara.
This wasn't the same boy who had stood before her earlier. This was someone older… wiser… someone who had seen things no one else had.
Still, she refused to waver. "Nagato's Rinnegan was awakened in his body. It's a symbol of his path and the Rain Village's legacy. Naruto, even if you were the one he chose, I can't let you take them. Don't force this. Nagato gave his life to revive the people of Konoha. I'm leaving the Akatsuki… and I won't raise arms against Konoha again. All I want is to bring Nagato and Yahiko's remains back to Ame."
Naruto's eyes lowered.
"…I see."
He had said everything he could. And now—he had to act.
Even as they spoke, he had been absorbing nature energy in silence. And now, it had reached its limit.
With a quiet hum—his features sharpened, orange pigment forming around his eyes. His pupils turned horizontal, like a toad's.
Sage Mode—activated.
Konan barely had a second to react before Naruto vanished.
In a flash, he was in front of her.
Bam!
A clean, precise strike to her stomach.
"Ah—!" Her eyes widened. The air left her lungs. Her body crumpled to the ground.
Naruto stood over her, breathing slowly, then withdrew his fist.
"I'm sorry, Senpai. This was the fastest way to avoid a pointless fight. I'll explain everything later."
He turned his gaze toward the direction of Konoha. His chest ached with longing.
Everything I lost… it's all still there, waiting for me to reach out.
But… what he planned to do from here on out would run against everything Konoha believed in. Everything the Will of Fire stood for.
Even if he told them the truth—would they believe him?
If I were in their shoes… I wouldn't.
He exhaled, forcing the pain down.
"I'm sorry, everyone. I love you all. I love this village. So just let me carry this burden… until the time is right."
That day, no hero returned through the village gates.
The only thing Konoha's search squad found in Nagato's old hideout was a copy of "Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi"—still warm with finger marks—and a Konoha forehead protector, slashed clean through.
A symbol of defection.
Back in the village, Tsunade had collapsed from extreme chakra depletion. The Fifth Hokage lay unconscious.
In her absence, an emergency council had been called. At its center: Nara Shikaku.
"Before we engaged Naruto," Shikaku said, "he told us he would negotiate directly with the enemy—and entrusted us with keeping the peace while he handled it."
He glanced at Kakashi, who was seated nearby, eyes fixed on the worn book retrieved by the scouts.
"Soon after… the dead were revived," Shikaku continued. "Clearly, his negotiation succeeded. But then… he destroyed Lady Katsuyu's clone, left behind his book and forehead protector, and vanished. We don't know what happened in between."
He folded his hands. "But there are only two logical explanations."
"First: Naruto was put under a genjutsu or some unknown jutsu that forced him to act against us."
"Second: Naruto has something he needs to do—and doesn't want us to know about it."
He let the weight of his words settle. "And as for the things he left behind—if we remove our emotional bias—then the message is clear: Naruto has turned his back on Jiraiya's teachings… and has officially defected from the Leaf."
Gasps and sharp intakes of breath filled the room.
Even the most stoic of Jonin stared in disbelief.
Uzumaki Naruto, the boy who never gave up, the one who carried his nindo like a banner in the wind… had betrayed the village?
"No," Kakashi said quietly, rising to his feet. "Naruto is my student. I've known him longer than any of you. He would never betray Konoha."
He held up the book.
"Look at the marks. He clutched this tightly—so tightly that his fingers left dents in the cover. Whatever decision he made… it wasn't easy."
Shikaku's gaze softened. "You're right. Until we have the full picture, we shouldn't jump to conclusions. One thing is clear—Naruto defeated Pain and saved the village. That's undeniable. Until we find the truth, I propose we keep Naruto's disappearance a secret. We tell the public that he's recovering from battle."
"The Hyuga clan agrees."
"The Yamanaka clan supports this."
"The Aburame clan has no objections."
The other clan heads voiced their approval in turn.
Shikaku nodded. "But we can't hide this forever. Anbu will expand their search immediately. We need to find Naruto as soon as possible."
He looked around the room, eyes grave. "And there's one more thing. The village has just survived catastrophe. With Lady Tsunade unconscious and Naruto gone… we can't afford to be leaderless. I nominate Hatake Kakashi as the Sixth Hokage."
Kakashi placed the book gently on the table.
"I think… I've already made up my mind."
Far from the council chambers, in the forests outside the ruined village, something stirred.
From the bark of a scorched tree, two figures emerged—one white, one black.
"Pain's dead," White Zetsu muttered. "I didn't think it was even possible. And that Naruto kid… he took Nagato's body. Insane."
"Report this to Tobi," said Black Zetsu. "Immediately."
Somewhere in the Fire Country, inside a shadowy cave, Naruto sat on a stone bench.
His left eye was wrapped in bandages. He rested his chin on his hand, staring into the flickering candlelight.
"You're awake…"
He turned his head slightly, looking toward the corner.
Konan sat slumped against the wall, bound with reinforced rope. She glared at him silently, struggling against the seals binding her chakra.
Naruto exhaled. "I tied you up so we could talk calmly. I also sealed your chakra to keep you from turning into paper and flying away."
His tone was too deep. Too composed. Not what you'd expect from a sixteen-year-old boy.
Konan stared at him, eyes burning.
"Your acting's impressive," she said coldly. "Nagato and I were both fooled by you."
Naruto didn't respond. He smiled faintly—almost sadly.
"Where is Nagato's body?" Konan demanded. "You've taken his Rinnegan. If you're not planning to kill me, at least give me his body back. Let me bury him properly. Let me bring him home."
Naruto turned his head slightly, his expression unreadable.
"His Rinnegan…"
He stood and faced her fully.
"Then I suppose I need to adjust how I tell this story."
He took a slow step forward.
"First of all—those eyes? They weren't awakened by Nagato. The truth is, those Rinnegan originally belonged to someone else."
His voice dropped.
"They were Madara Uchiha's eyes."
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