"You! Who are you?!" Uzumaki Naruto's eyes widened, filled with fear.
He instinctively touched his chest, still feeling the lingering pain.
"Do you want the power to control destiny?" Naruto looked at Uzumaki Naruto and gently asked.
"Power?"
"Yes, just like the power I used before." Naruto nodded.
"If you want to learn, I can teach you!"
"Why would you teach me?" Uzumaki Naruto asked with confusion.
"Because you are too weak, and I don't want another version of me from another world to be as weak as an ant."
"I have taken away the power that influenced your thinking. From today onwards, your mind will no longer be influenced, and you will have a new life."
His eyes became even more confused.
If it was the previous Uzumaki Naruto, perhaps he would have been angry and refused Naruto.
But for some reason, Uzumaki Naruto didn't make such a move.
He fell silent, his gaze flickering as he pondered.
After a long time, he looked up and asked, "Can you tell me about the Konoha you come from?"
"I want to understand how the unaltered me became so strong step by step."
"As you wish." Naruto smiled slightly and extended his right finger, gently tapping Uzumaki Naruto's forehead.
Uzumaki Naruto's eyes immediately became hollow, and his thoughts were drawn into Naruto's memories.
"Hiss, why does this action feel similar to someone with a brother complex?" Naruto suddenly tilted his head and chuckled softly.
In Naruto's memories, Uzumaki Naruto saw the same past.
However, Naruto wasn't as naive as himself; he started thinking and analyzing.
In this segment of memories, Naruto concealed information about Aizen.
So from Uzumaki Naruto's perspective, Naruto had autonomously mastered Reiatsu and released himself from the control of Asura's chakra.
The appearance of the Sandaime Hokage made Naruto truly start to think.
Combined with the speech about the Will of Fire.
Naruto sensed that something was amiss.
The villagers' rejection and the inexplicable attention from the famous Hokage.
If this old man really cared only about him, he could have shown it in some public manner.
This way, the villagers' attitude toward Naruto would definitely be much better.
Instead, he visited in the dead of night.
All the arrangements were so deliberate.
It was for the sake of controlling Naruto's thoughts and keeping the power of the Kyubi Jinchuriki in his hands.
To survive, Naruto began to study and understand the Will of Fire.
He carefully hid it and managed to live in peace for a while.
During this time,
He met Rock Lee, Sasuke, and various other comrades.
He also gradually revealed his strength.
Considering the existence of the high-ranking officials of Konoha, he modified the abilities of his Zanpakuto, laying the groundwork for his future plans.
In the memories, Naruto was cautious and careful, taking every step with caution.
He calculated everything while continuously growing stronger.
Seeing this, Uzumaki Naruto suddenly felt a sense of self-deprecation.
He had thought that he could have the same level of power as Naruto in a year.
And he felt a bit delighted by that thought.
But now, it seemed that there were no gains without efforts.
Naruto didn't rely on luck to defeat Might Guy.
Instead, it was his hard work, fulfilled potential, and his intelligent mind.
"Do I have a chance too?" Uzumaki Naruto couldn't help asking himself.
The memories continued.
Under the flap of a butterfly's wings, Naruto's Konoha developed differently from the Konoha he knew.
The Sandaime Hokage stepped down, and Tsunade succeeded him.
After political struggles within the high-ranking officials, Naruto joined Root and became Danzo's disciple.
From the memories, Uzumaki Naruto keenly felt the darkness of Root.
Becoming Danzo's disciple was no different from seeking a tiger's skin.
But fortunately, he managed to hide perfectly.
And in the subsequent missions, he developed his own influence.
The day of his defection from Konoha drew nearer.
After the memories of Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto gasped for breath, his eyes filled with a bewildered look.
The immersive experience made him feel like he was truly there, personally immersed in the darkness of Konoha.
Constantly manipulating people's hearts.
This made his heart even bitterer.
No wonder the other Naruto had such a tremendous power.
Because what he carried far exceeded his imagination.
Compared to him,
He was like a worthless person!
"So..." Naruto looked at Uzumaki Naruto teasingly. "Do you still want to become Hokage?"
At the mention, memories of the painful past of his childhood flooded Uzumaki Naruto's mind, followed by the warmth brought by his comrades and teachers.
Jiraiya-sensei treated him well, but ultimately, it was out of guilt.
And the Sandaime Hokage, that damn old man!
But...
Iruka-sensei treated him sincerely.
His peers also truly considered him as a friend.
This Konoha had already formed a bond with him.
Uzumaki Naruto shook his head in confusion. "I don't know."
Naruto's question didn't come as a surprise to Uzumaki Naruto.
"Then become stronger. Keep striving until you have the power to control your own destiny, and then think about this matter again."
Early the next day.
Uzumaki Naruto woke up from his sleep, subconsciously looking at his hands.
The words Naruto spoke yesterday echoed in his mind.
"I won't be influenced anymore, right?" He smiled.
But that smile was somewhat bitter.
A sense of sadness arose within him.
He didn't know why he felt this way, but at this moment, he was more lost than ever before.
Stepping out of his house, he saw Kakashi and two companions waiting for him.
They were concerned about Uzumaki Naruto, so they arrived early.
"How did you sleep?" Kakashi asked with a smile, but the smile seemed forced.
"Okay." Uzumaki Naruto forced a smile, completely lacking the appearance of the sunny and cheerful boy he used to be.
"Let's go." The group headed towards the Konoha Cemetery.
There, everyone was mourning the deceased from the Chuunin Exams.
"Kurenai, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." As they entered, they could see Asuma kneeling in front of a grave, crying bitterly.
His voice was hoarse, indicating that he had been crying for a long time.
He had completely lost his demeanor as a shinobi.
"Please accept my condolences." Kakashi and the others approached the grave.
On it was written "Yūhi", accompanied by a photograph.
No one expected such a simple Chuunin Exam to have so many unexpected changes.
Even someone like Kurenai, an elite Jonin, had died.
The fact that Uzumaki Naruto, who was only a year older than himself, had such a vast difference in strength.
He had no means to defend himself against him.
Could it be true that Konoha suppressed his growth?
Konoha...
Uzumaki Naruto silently watched this scene, his gaze flickering.
Until Kakashi reminded him, he snapped out of his thoughts.
After paying their respects to Kurenai Yūhi, they went to Might Guy's grave.
Rock Lee knelt in front of the grave, crying like a waterfall.
Ten-Ten and Neji were also shedding tears silently.
Although Might Guy always seemed unreliable, he had no complaints as a teacher.
Under Guy's guidance, their strength had also greatly improved.
In the eyes of others, he was a carefree person with a big head.
Completely inept at ninjutsu, relying on great perseverance and daily training to become an elite Jonin.
Although his efforts were touching, no one believed that he could reach the level of a Kage without ninjutsu.
There were plenty of elite-level shinobi who excelled in taijutsu, like the Sandaime Raikage, but they still needed the support of ninjutsu.
Without ninjutsu, relying solely on taijutsu...
How could one surpass a Jonin?
But Rock Lee did it.
He unleashed the Hachimon, a technique considered forbidden and rarely practiced by anyone!
He was able to easily defeat Naruto, who had killed so many Jonin...
Even in the face of Rock Lee with all Hachimon open, Naruto was at a disadvantage.
Just as Naruto said.
Rock Lee achieved the Hachimon.
He elevated this ninjutsu to the realm of gods.
The sight of Konoha's burning red beast...
That scene would remain etched in everyone's hearts, unforgettable.
Bow!!!
Uzumaki Naruto looked at it with great respect.
Regardless of the outcome, Rock Lee did it to protect him.
After paying tribute to several more shinobi, Uzumaki Naruto left the cemetery.
Under the worried gazes of his comrades, Naruto bid them farewell and decided to take a walk alone.
Walking on the streets, his mind was filled with thoughts.
"Disgusting, monster! He's back again."
"Oh my god, so terrifying. Is he the one who killed so many Jonin?"
"Even the Sandaime Hokage was defeated by him!"
Suddenly, he heard various insults and curses. Uzumaki Naruto turned his head to see the villagers instantly filled with fear, avoiding eye contact and falling silent.
"This Uzumaki Naruto is not the same person!" Of course, there were also some informed individuals who spoke up, but they were immediately refuted.
"They are all Uzumaki Naruto. This monster will become like that in the future too."
"Yeah, it's too terrifying. I heard he's already a ninja."
"That's really scary."
Uzumaki Naruto's gaze became downcast, and a hint of coldness appeared within him.
But then, he raised his head and put on a silly, carefree smile.
He pretended to be indifferent and walked away.
However, to the shinobi, this was such a poor disguise.
That moment of coldness in his eyes made the ANBU members shudder, and Naruto's image unconsciously surfaced in their minds.
They were instantly filled with fear.
Uzumaki Naruto.
It seems like he has changed!!!
After all, Uzumaki Naruto is not Naruto. He doesn't possess the same level of cunning or character.
So, he didn't even manage to hide himself.
Uzumaki Naruto was unaware that his killing intent had been detected. Dragging his weary body back home, he covered his head with a blanket.
Indeed.
No matter what he does.
To the villagers, he is still a monster.
...
On the streets earlier.
After Naruto left, the villagers regained their liveliness.
"Uzumaki Naruto is the Yondaime Hokage's son, after all." A villager said.
"Yondaime sacrificed his life to seal the Kyubi within Uzumaki Naruto. We treated him like that, he's a hero." Another villager expressed guilt.
"Perhaps we have wronged him in Konoha, but don't forget how terrifying that Naruto from the future was."
"He killed so many people! Do you think this Uzumaki Naruto won't turn into that?!"
"That's another Naruto from a different world. It doesn't necessarily mean the future will be the same." Someone refuted.
"Is that really important?"
"Setting aside the facts, Uzumaki Naruto has the same potential and now knows the truth. Do you think he won't hold resentment towards Konoha? We have already suffered a great blow. If Uzumaki Naruto turns into that state again, the consequences would be unimaginable."