Training grounds. 10:30 a.m.
The sunlight had gone from gentle to harsh. The area was so quiet only wind moved the grass.
Then—
The wind direction shifted.
In a blink, a woman appeared: purple hair, silver armor, an animal mask, a sword on her back. Emotion unreadable.
She scanned the area and fixed her gaze on the walkie-talkie on the post.
"So you won't speak to me in person…"
Uzuki Yugao shook her head faintly, picked up the radio, and soon heard a slightly distorted voice:
"Uzuki Yugao?"
Yugao didn't answer immediately. She deliberately waited, scanning the area—testing whether the person speaking was nearby watching her.
That opening identity check also meant: the other side didn't know her personally.
So why contact her specifically?
She paused, then said lowly, "I am Uzuki Yugao."
The other side gave a soft chuckle.
"No need to look around. I'm right beside you."
Yugao jolted—
—and a kunai pressed silently into her back.
"Don't turn around," the walkie-talkie voice said, grim and cold. "Unless you want to go join your lover down below. Heh."
Yugao's pupils tightened.
More than one person?
In reality, the one holding the kunai at her back was Naruto's disguised shadow clone; the voice on the radio was Naruto himself, with cloth muffling the mic to deepen and warp his tone.
But to Yugao, the implication was chilling: this unseen figure knew her past and her relationship with Hayate.
Who was he?
"Don't blame me for threatening you," the voice continued. "This is huge. One mistake and I lose my life. Konoha's safety too."
Yugao's instincts sharpened.
As ANBU, she couldn't ignore "Konoha's safety."
Hayate's death… was tied to the village?
She didn't panic at the kunai. Instead, her mind raced.
She spoke slowly.
"Please explain clearly. And I can guarantee, in my personal capacity, I will not attack you."
The voice paused, then said:
"Swear it in Gekkō Hayate's name. That you won't kill me—and you won't track my movements."
Good. He's willing to negotiate.
Yugao's focus surged.
The name felt like a thorn in her mouth, but she weighed it—and chose pragmatism.
"I swear in Gekkō Hayate's name: I will not attempt to kill you, nor pursue you."
"Now tell me the truth of Hayate's death."
The radio didn't go silent.
But the kunai at her back withdrew—and the clone dispersed.
Puff.
Yugao's ear flicked. She stayed still.
The radio voice returned:
"He died as part of a plot against Konoha."
"And this plot… involves Konoha's higher-ups."
Naruto calmly poured blame onto Danzō—except it wasn't entirely a lie.
Yugao was stunned.
She never imagined her partner's death touched something this deep.
ANBU was already investigating. And now this man claimed the poison came from inside Konoha.
Absurd.
She steadied her breath.
"On what basis do you claim Konoha's higher-ups are involved?"
A cold snort came through.
"Heh. I— old man… I was investigating it, and they set me up. How would I not know?"
Yugao caught the slip: old man.
She didn't pursue it. She pressed forward.
"How do you prove you were set up? And why were you investigating this plot?"
Silence.
Then, ignoring the second question, the voice said:
"Fine. The ones who attacked me had a special curse seal placed on their tongues."
"They can't speak secrets. If they try, they die. If you encounter them, verify it yourself."
Naruto was pointing her at Root.
He wasn't worried about her digging there—Root's ass was never clean.
"Tongue… curse seal?" Yugao frowned. It sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it.
She'd check records later.
The voice continued:
"And the true culprit crossed a line."
"Konoha's higher-ups usually fight behind closed doors."
"But this one pulled in outside help."
Yugao inhaled sharply.
So this was internal power struggle—and outsiders were brought into Konoha's "family business"?
Her voice tightened.
"Who, exactly, interfered in Konoha's internal affairs?"
"I can't be certain," the voice said. "But it's tied to the Chunin Exams."
"Hayate was an examiner. He likely heard something he shouldn't have. That's why they silenced him."
"Do you have proof it's connected to the exams?"
"Go ask Mitarashi Anko."
And with that, the radio cut completely.
Naruto watched Yugao's reaction from afar.
He'd said what he needed.
If Yugao took it seriously, she'd follow those leads: tongue seals, Chunin Exams, Anko—ultimately Root and Orochimaru.
He hadn't mentioned Orochimaru openly because discoveries you make yourself are always more convincing than ideas someone forces into you.
All he needed was to warn Anko: don't mention Uzumaki Naruto.
Thankfully, she was obedient enough.
Yugao, after confirming no trap remained, began sorting the intel in her head.
"The speaker is older, cautious, uses shadow clones, says 'heh-heh'…"
"Tongue curse seal, Chunin Exams, Mitarashi Anko—direct leads."
"And Anko was the one who helped arrange this contact. She must know something."
She decided to provisionally accept it and also investigate the mysterious informant.
She wouldn't ignore any path toward the truth.
"Hayate… wait for me…"
She vanished into the distance.
—
Elsewhere.
"Naruto… met an ANBU woman and exchanged information?"
Sasuke rubbed his brow, confused by what he'd seen.
Naruto dreamed of being a jōnin. He trained relentlessly for it.
But now he was entangled with ANBU.
Sasuke felt like he was falling behind the "patch" version of reality.
That sensation had only worsened since Naruto and Sakura's "announcement."
When Sasuke received the curse mark, Naruto slammed him down and forced him to calm.
When Sasuke restrained his hunger for power, Naruto immediately climbed onto the Third's branch.
Now Sasuke's Chidori was nearly complete—
—and Naruto was mixing with ANBU?
High-level games, all day, every day?
Sasuke couldn't keep his emotions coherent.
He needed to understand what Naruto was doing.
He decided to follow—
—but he lost Naruto's trail.
He searched through the woods, checked around the training grounds, and finally noticed a strange symbol.
"Did Naruto leave this?"
He memorized it.
Then decided he'd wait at Naruto's door and demand answers.
—
Naruto's home.
"It worked!"
Naruto paced, excitement bright in his eyes.
He'd just successfully performed a Flying Thunder God teleport—from the forest to his house.
That meant his strength had leapt beyond the Twelve rookies. With Kurama's boost, he might even push a jōnin.
Rasengan + Flying Thunder God was a lethal combo.
"Now that I can do this, I should start training advanced formulas… like Guiding Thunder."
Minato used it to teleport away the Nine-Tails' Tailed Beast Bomb.
If Naruto mastered it, his long-range defense would spike.
As for Flying Thunder God Slash, Second Step—
Train them. Just train them.
"My Rasengan's almost there too. Two-person shaping is solid—single-hand still feels rough."
As he drifted in thought—
heavy knocking hit his door.
Bang bang bang.
Naruto's eyelid twitched.
Someone again?
"Heh. Who dares call me an orphan now… my place is packed."
He opened the door.
Sasuke.
Naruto stared blankly for a beat.
He truly hadn't expected Sasuke to still be free—and still waiting.
"Naruto. Done with your business? Come out. Spar with me."
Naruto raised a brow.
Something was off.
"You followed me?"
"I don't care what you were doing." Sasuke's voice was flat, controlled. "I just want to know how strong you are now."
Naruto wasn't flustered. Sasuke couldn't truly interfere with the larger picture.
He only needed to brush it off.
Sasuke's pride wouldn't let him openly admit curiosity—so he reframed it as a challenge.
Naruto nodded.
"Fine. Since you're here."
Test his level.
They returned to the training grounds. The sun was harsh, making both squint.
They faced each other.
Naruto raised two fingers and formed the Seal of Confrontation.
Unexpectedly, Sasuke did the same.
"Interesting," Naruto murmured. Sasuke's gesture meant acknowledgement—treating Naruto as a true equal.
Naruto met Sasuke's serious gaze and sighed inwardly:
Un-chūnibyō Sasuke is way more lovable than chūnibyō Sasuke.
He fully suppressed Kurama's chakra and shouted across:
"No outside power! Just our own strength!"
"Fine."
Sasuke activated Sharingan and rushed Naruto instantly, a side kick cracking the air.
Naruto ducked—too late.
Sasuke's kick clipped his head and knocked Naruto's forehead protector flying.
That speed—
Like Rock Lee.
Naruto didn't get angry. He smiled, caught the protector, and retreated—still not using Flying Thunder God.
In that instant, sunlight flashed on the metal plate, throwing a hard glare.
Naruto grinned.
"Heh. A fight isn't just physical—"
Sasuke stuck close, cutting off Naruto's hands with rapid punches, stopping him from forming seals.
He kept pressure at point-blank range.
Boom—another heavy punch.
Naruto seized the moment, dipped low, and flicked the protector's metal plate toward Sasuke's eyes—
A blast of sunlight stabbed into Sasuke's vision. With Sharingan active, he was especially sensitive.
His reaction slowed.
Naruto swept Sasuke's right leg, breaking his balance.
But Sasuke, half-blind, formed seals by instinct.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
As Sasuke fell, the fireball erupted.
Naruto retreated instantly, and in that moment spawned two shadow clones that dove underground.
He kept backing away, feeling a few singed strands of hair, and nodded.
"You've improved."
His tone sounded like a proud dad grading his kid.
But neither had used their true trump cards yet—this was still probing.
Sasuke rose, Sharingan clearing again.
He looked at Naruto—not with fear or contempt.
With pure excitement.
His desire to fight burned hotter.
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