Jiraiya frowned. He could tell there was something behind Kakashi's words, so he asked:
"What details? Do you really think those details can bring Naruto back? His situation right now is… complicated."
"I can't guarantee it," Kakashi Hatake replied calmly, "but these details involve Hokage-sama…"
At the mention of the Hiruzen Sarutobi, Jiraiya's expression changed slightly. His voice dropped.
"You're saying… it wasn't the villagers who drove Naruto away, but the Third Hokage himself?"
"The Hokage bears the primary responsibility," Kakashi said flatly. "His laissez-faire attitude led to Naruto's departure."
After a brief pause, Kakashi continued:
"However, based on my investigation, Naruto learned to respond to malice with malice at a very young age. Simple slander from villagers shouldn't have been enough to make him leave. There must be deeper reasons."
Kakashi's vague way of speaking made Jiraiya impatient.
"You said that before," Jiraiya snapped. "Naruto knew he was the son of Minato Namikaze since he was young, and he was targeted because of it. That's why he became completely disappointed in the village."
"That was my earlier assumption," Kakashi replied. "But after digging into old records, I've come to a new conclusion."
"You investigated old village records too? What does that have to do with Naruto?"
Jiraiya suddenly seemed to realize something. His gaze toward Kakashi grew sharp.
Kakashi, however, acted as if he didn't notice and continued:
"A few months ago, I made a mistake—I treated Naruto as just a child."
"But Naruto isn't just a student. He's a ninja with elite jōnin-level strength."
"That combination—strength and a child's identity—makes it easier for him to investigate things we can't. He might know secrets we don't."
"For example… why Itachi Uchiha wiped out his clan, why Shisui Uchiha suddenly reappeared, and why both Minato-sensei and Kushina-sama died… the truth behind all of that."
Those blunt words made Jiraiya narrow his eyes.
Since Naruto left the village, something in Kakashi had changed.
Or maybe…
This was his true self all along—cold, withdrawn, and no longer blindly believing in the Will of Fire.
That kind of mindset… could cause serious trouble.
Sensing the shift in Jiraiya's expression, Kakashi dropped another bomb:
"Jiraiya-sama, on your way to find Naruto, you must have encountered the remaining Uchiha. They should be with him."
"…Naruto is indeed with the Uchiha," Jiraiya admitted after a pause. "But you're overthinking things."
Kakashi let out a faint sneer.
"Maybe. But years in ANBU taught me not to blindly trust official records. Keeping an extra eye open is only natural."
Jiraiya suddenly said in a serious tone:
"Kakashi… you're not just investigating this for Naruto, are you?"
"You're also looking into your father's death… Sakumo Hatake, right?"
Kakashi didn't deny it.
He had started this investigation to uncover the truth behind his father's suicide.
But the deeper he dug…
The more he realized how many things in Konoha didn't add up.
And how rotten parts of the village had become.
Seeing his disciple like this, Jiraiya finally asked:
"What exactly are you planning to do?"
Kakashi's eyes sharpened.
"Find the truth behind everything."
"Then bring down Danzo Shimura and the Hokage…"
"And choose someone who truly inherits the Will of Fire to become the Fifth Hokage."
Jiraiya's expression turned extremely serious.
He hadn't expected Kakashi to aim that high—or that dangerous.
After a long pause, Jiraiya said:
"Kakashi… I'll pretend I didn't hear that."
"But I advise you to drop this crazy idea. You can't pull this off alone."
"That's exactly why I came to you, Jiraiya-sama."
Kakashi stared straight at him, refusing to back down.
Then he added quietly:
"Or… are you planning to watch Konoha rot from the inside?"
Jiraiya stopped in his tracks.
He had been about to refuse—but now, he hesitated.
As one of the Sannin, he knew many of the village's dirty secrets.
But he had always chosen to stay silent.
Because a ninja village… needed some darkness to survive.
But after all these years, that darkness hadn't made Konoha stronger.
If anything—it had only made things worse.
The problems he once avoided were now standing right in front of him.
He could no longer run.
Should he watch the village crumble under his teacher's leadership?
Or gather evidence… and become a student who betrays his own master?
...
While Jiraiya was trapped in indecision, Naruto Uzumaki was currently training under Minato Namikaze, learning the Flying Raijin Technique.
After their trip to the Land of Water, Naruto's relationship with Minato had improved significantly. Minato had even offered to personally teach him the technique.
Naruto obviously wasn't stupid—having a ready-made Flying Raijin master? Hell yeah, he'd take it.
Unlike ordinary ninjutsu, however, the Flying Raijin couldn't be mastered quickly using Shadow Clones.
This was a technique that depended heavily on talent.
If you didn't have it… you could train until your chakra ran dry and still get nowhere.
Naruto's aptitude for space-time ninjutsu?
Let's just say… it existed.
Barely.
After half a month of training, Naruto had only just grasped the basics of the Flying Raijin.
But both his teleportation distance and speed were far inferior to Minato's.
Even the Kurama couldn't help but roast him:
"This is worse than the Body Flicker Technique."
Honestly… not wrong.
Naruto's Flying Raijin wasn't even instant. His maximum range was only about twenty meters.
A normal ninja could cover that distance in less than half a second.
After Naruto used the technique again, Kurama glanced at Minato and said bluntly:
"Fourth Hokage, are you hiding something? Your Flying Raijin is on a completely different level."
Minato smiled awkwardly.
"Maybe Naruto is still a beginner…"
Kurama snorted.
"How long did it take you to learn it? You could even teleport my Tailed Beast Bomb back then."
"Meanwhile, this kid can barely jump twenty meters. Don't tell me you're not holding back."
Minato fell silent.
For him, learning the Flying Raijin had been almost natural.
So why was Naruto struggling this much?
Listening to them argue, Naruto's expression darkened. He stepped into his inner mind space and said flatly:
"Stop arguing. The problem isn't skill."
He looked at Kurama.
"It's because of you, Nine-Tails."
"The hell does that have to do with me?" Kurama snapped. "I'm not interfering with your chakra!"
Naruto shook his head.
"It's not about interference."
"It's because I'm a Jinchūriki."
"It's easy to teleport a normal ninja. But teleporting a tailed beast… is a completely different level."
After saying that, Naruto turned to Minato.
"Back then, when you teleported the Tailed Beast Bomb… that must've cost you a lot of chakra, right?"
Minato thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Yeah… it took a huge amount. Same with teleporting the Nine-Tails itself."
Back then, during his battle against the masked man, every use of Flying Raijin had pushed him to his limits.
Teleporting the Tailed Beast… the Tailed Beast Bomb…
By the end, his chakra was almost completely drained.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been forced to use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
Hearing this, Naruto fell into deep thought.
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