"Wait a moment!"
Iruka rushed out of Ichiraku Ramen and stared at the two figures standing under the streetlight. His expression was uncertain, hesitation clear in his eyes.
Naruto, his form altered by a transformation jutsu, tilted his head slightly and said in a calm, almost indifferent tone, "What is it?"
Iruka frowned. "Those three guys back there were clearly Chūnin-level at least. I'm no slouch myself—I've been a Chūnin for years. But judging by the way you moved, your speed, your precision… You're either an elite Jōnin or a master of Taijutsu. And in Konoha, there's only one person I've met with that level of skill. I need to know—who are you?"
Naruto chuckled, amused by Iruka's sharp eye. His old teacher was as observant as ever. But Naruto remained unfazed, answering coolly, "What you see is just the surface. Do you really think you know every ninja in Anbu and Root?"
Iruka hesitated. "I… well…"
It was true. Anbu and Root operatives wore masks on missions, but outside of duty, they blended in like regular shinobi.
Before Iruka could probe further, Naruto turned and walked away with Killer Bee. With their speed, slipping away was effortless.
Iruka sighed, his gaze lingering on the empty street. When that man had stood in front of him, blocking the three enemies, something about him had seemed… familiar. A presence, a stance, an aura—he had felt Naruto in that moment. But was it just an illusion?
"Yo, Naruto, why'd you drag me away before I could eat that ramen?" Killer Bee whined.
Naruto smirked. "If you eat the best food all at once, it won't taste as good next time. Leave some regret—it makes things sweeter later. I'll bring you here again."
Bee grinned, then started rapping. "Yo! The next time we feast, it'll be a treat! That miso pork—sweet, heat, can't be beat!"
Naruto chuckled. "Let's go find my future strategist."
The Nara Clan Compound.
Shikamaru sat in his backyard, deep in thought, an unfinished shogi game beside him. His father, Shikaku, had been summoned to a late-night Hokage meeting, leaving the game in limbo.
Shikamaru folded his arms and gazed at the night sky.
Before, he had found everything tedious—life, responsibilities, duty. But after Asuma's death, he had changed. He understood now what it meant to protect the village.
He had also grasped the meaning of the "Will of Fire." It wasn't just about the Hokage—it was about the future, about protecting the children of Konoha. That was what truly mattered.
And yet…
He couldn't wrap his head around Naruto's so-called betrayal. The guy had always wanted to be Hokage. Why would he turn against the village? The logic didn't add up.
No, Shikamaru didn't believe it.
There had to be something more. Some reason they weren't seeing.
"Long time no see, Shikamaru."
Naruto and Killer Bee emerged from the shadows.
Shikamaru tensed immediately. No one knew the balance between light and shadow better than the Nara clan. For two people to appear in his yard without a sound—it set off every alarm in his head.
"Who's there?"
Naruto smirked. "Relax, Shikamaru. It's me."
With a flicker, his transformation dropped. Killer Bee followed suit.
Shikamaru's eyes widened. "Naruto?!"
He stood up abruptly, stepping closer, studying his old friend. Aside from the Rinnegan, everything else was the same.
Shikamaru wanted to believe it. But the situation was complicated. "What the hell are you doing back here?"
Naruto noted the way Shikamaru was calculating—the way he had already considered multiple counters, multiple escape routes. Typical.
Naruto moved slightly, and Shikamaru instinctively took half a step back, reaching for his kunai pouch—only to realize he wasn't even wearing his gear.
Naruto frowned slightly. It stung. Was this what they had come to?
"Relax. I'm not here to cause trouble."
Naruto reached for his waist, pulling out a scroll and tossing it to Shikamaru.
Shikamaru caught it, frowning. "What's this?"
Naruto's expression turned serious. "The masked man—he's going to attack Konoha soon. His goal is to lure me out, to force me to surrender, or to test my allegiance to Konoha."
Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
"He declared war on the Five Great Nations at the Kage Summit. The Fourth Shinobi World War is coming. Soon, you'll all be on the battlefield."
Shikamaru inhaled sharply. "Wait, you're saying one guy declared war on all five nations?! That's insane."
Naruto nodded. "With his power, he can. You'll hear about it soon enough."
Shikamaru rubbed his temples. His father had gone to the Hokage's office late at night—probably for this exact reason. He looked at the scroll in his hands. "What's in here?"
Naruto crossed his arms. "Intel. The masked man has an army—100,000 White Zetsu. You barely know anything about them, and that's dangerous. They've already started infiltrating. I ran into some on the outskirts of Konoha. They can camouflage themselves, even bypass normal sensory detection. Everything's in the scroll. Use it."
Shikamaru was quiet for a moment, then asked the question that had been gnawing at him. "Why?"
Naruto blinked. "Why what?"
"Why did you betray Konoha… and then secretly protect it?"
Naruto smirked. "Who said I betrayed Konoha? That's just political bullshit."
Shikamaru felt an unexpected sense of relief. Naruto hadn't denied it outright, but he hadn't confirmed it either. That meant there was still hope. That meant they were still on the same side—maybe just standing at different angles.
Shikamaru tucked the scroll away, stepping beside Naruto. He glanced at the Rinnegan. "Naruto… I know you. You wouldn't abandon us unless you had no other choice. Whatever the reason, you can tell me."
Naruto exhaled, looking away for a moment. Then, he smiled. "Shikamaru, you're too damn smart for your own good."
Shikamaru chuckled. "Yeah. I know. So, tell me… what's really going on?"
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