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.[ADVANCE CHAPTER IN PATREON]
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Orochimaru had placed Sasuke under the Cursed Seal, controlling his actions. Yet despite that, the council twisted everything to lay the blame on Naruto.
Homura leaned forward. "Sasuke Uchiha was not in control of himself. His actions were influenced by Orochimaru. What he did… can be seen as an accident, nothing more. But you, Uzumaki Naruto—you knowingly used excessive force against him. You went too far."
Naruto's jaw tightened. He could feel it in the room—no matter what he said, they had already decided. They weren't here to hear the truth. They were here to condemn him.
His blue eyes lowered, his face hardening into a cold, unreadable expression. The silence that followed unsettled the entire chamber. Even Danzō, who was always composed, raised a brow in mild surprise. Tsunade, too, was caught off guard by the sudden shift in Naruto's demeanor.
"Hn. So you've already made your decision, haven't you?" Naruto's voice was low, emotionless.
The room fell into dead silence.
He gave a short, bitter laugh. "Then why bother calling me here at all? Just announce my so-called punishment and get it over with."
Danzō scowled, his single visible eye narrowing. "You will show respect to your elders, boy." His tone was sharp, his glare heavy.
But Naruto didn't even glance his way. His silence—his refusal to even acknowledge Danzō—only deepened the man's scowl.
Seeing the tension rising, Koharu finally spoke, her voice cold and stern. "Very well, Uzumaki Naruto. The decision of this council has been made. You are a threat to the village. You used the Nine-Tails' chakra recklessly, and you harmed a loyal shinobi—an innocent comrade who should have been protected."
Her words dripped with disdain. "Your punishment is as follows: though some of us pushed for your execution, you can be… grateful to the Hokage. Effective immediately, you are hereby banished from Konohagakure."
The chamber was silent, expectant, almost hungry. Many of the council members, and even some of the villagers present, waited to see the boy finally break—the same boy they had tormented for years with scorn, abuse, and hatred. They wanted to see him crushed, begging for forgiveness, pleading to stay.
But Naruto didn't break.
He didn't shout, didn't cry, didn't collapse under their judgment. Instead, he looked up at them, his cerulean eyes stripped of warmth. They were empty, yet sharp enough to pierce through the soul.
The shinobi council members stiffened. Those eyes… cold, unforgiving, resolute. They reminded them of someone—someone they dared not compare him to.
Because if they did, guilt would follow. And none of them were ready to face that.
"When do I have to leave?" Naruto finally asked, his tone flat.
Koharu spoke up first. "Given your injuries, we've decided to allow you one more day. But tomorrow, at 2 AM, you will leave the hospital. By 2 PM, you must leave the village."
Naruto only nodded. He turned to walk away when Homura suddenly interrupted.
"Wait. You will hand over that hita-ate. It belongs to the village."
Naruto froze for a moment. That forehead protector wasn't just cloth and metal—it was Iruka-sensei's recognition, the proof that he had finally been acknowledged.
Ignoring them, he took another step forward. Immediately, several ANBU appeared at his sides.
Koharu's eyes narrowed. "It seems you didn't listen, Uzumaki Naruto. Hand over the hita-ate to us."
Naruto slowly glanced back at them, his eyes sharp. "I'll return it to the one who gave it to me. Not to you… old hag."
Homura's face twisted in anger. "That's enough!" he snapped, his voice echoing in the council chamber.
Everyone turned toward him, shocked by his sudden outburst, but the silence that followed was deafening. Finally, one of the elder councilors waved his hand dismissively.
"Fine. You may leave, Naruto. Return the hita-ate to your sensei when you wish."
Naruto didn't bother replying. He simply turned his back on them and walked away. The ANBU exchanged uneasy glances before vanishing as well.
Koharu and Homura sat stiffly, their displeasure clear. But Danzō only smirked from the shadows.
So, the boy still has spirit, he thought. Good. That will make him an even better weapon once I mold him. With him in Root, Tsunade won't stand a chance… and the Hokage's seat will finally be mine.
He remembered how Hiruzen had refused to hand the boy over to him years ago. If the Sandaime had listened, he wouldn't have needed to waste so much effort—those harsh beatings, those subtle manipulations. But soon, all of that would pay off. Naruto would be his perfect weapon, not only against Tsunade but against every rival in the Elemental Nations.
A thin smirk crept across his lips, belying the emotionless facade he wore.
On the other side of the chamber, Koharu stood and left with her ANBU escort, her face heavy with concern. Homura followed silently, while many of the other council members muttered amongst themselves. The tension in the room lingered, heavy and unresolved.
Meanwhile,
Tsunade sat silently, her fists trembling at her sides. Damn it… that fool of an old man, she cursed inwardly, her jaw clenched tight. How could Danzō deceive the council so easily? How could they all fall for his tricks?
Her mind raced to Jiraiya, who was away on a supposed "urgent mission." She now realized why the council had pushed him out of the village under the excuse of an S-rank threat. They wanted me distracted… they wanted Naruto vulnerable. And they've done it. Those bastards.
She bit down harder, grinding her teeth until her jaw ached. The thought of Naruto being cast aside like some tool cut deep into her. Tears pricked her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away, unwilling to let anyone see her weakness.
Outside, Naruto wandered aimlessly through the village streets. His steps dragged, heavy with everything that had just happened. Around him, shops and homes were being decorated with lanterns and streamers. The laughter of villagers echoed in the air.
"Huh… no doubt they're celebrating," Naruto muttered bitterly. "The demon's finally gone from their lives, huh? Foolish people."
But anger wasn't the only thing twisting inside him. Among the storm of emotions—grief, loneliness, and exhaustion—one feeling burned brighter than the rest.
Hatred.
It had always been there, buried deep inside, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it. At times, Naruto feared it rivaled even the infamous hatred of the Uchiha. The thought alone made him shiver.
He glanced toward the hospital, then turned away. Sasuke's there. No doubt Sakura too… and Kakashi-sensei, fussing over his precious Uchiha. Hn. What's the point of going there?
Naruto walked through the village with heavy steps, his mind racing. If Tsunade can't stand up to the council… then maybe she isn't trustworthy after all. Jiraiya's not even here… and Kakashi… tch, I don't even want to think about him.
There was only one person left. The only person who had ever truly acknowledged him—not as the Nine-Tails' container, but as Naruto Uzumaki. That person was Iruka.
Naruto knew exactly where to find him. Even though the Academy was closed at this hour, Iruka always stayed late, helping students who struggled or finishing paperwork. Without wasting time, Naruto made his way there.
Sure enough, inside the quiet Academy, Iruka sat hunched over a desk, checking through stacks of papers. When he noticed Naruto standing at the door, his eyes widened in surprise, then softened into sadness. Iruka already knew. The elders had finally removed the Third Hokage's law, and now the whole younger generation knew Naruto's identity as the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. But what he hadn't expected was the news of Naruto's banishment.
Naruto gave him a small, bitter smile. Iruka rushed over immediately and pulled him into a tight hug.
"Naruto… are you all right?" Iruka asked, his voice trembling.
Naruto didn't answer right away. He just stood there, holding back the tears that burned at the edges of his eyes. Finally, he forced a small chuckle.
"Heh… Iruka-sensei. I just… wanted to see you. Wanted to have one last bowl of Ichiraku ramen together. You know?"
Iruka's chest tightened. Naruto hadn't cried in years—not since the day he swore to become strong enough to be Hokage. No matter the beatings, no matter the pain, he had always kept those tears locked away. But this… this was different.
Naruto's thoughts drifted. Almost October 10th… my birthday, huh. I never liked it anyway…
Iruka gave him a firm but warm smile. "So… are you up for it? Ramen, I mean."
Naruto blinked, then smiled through the sadness. "Of course. I can always make time for ramen with my big brother."
Iruka laughed softly, his own eyes misty. "Then let's go."
Together, the two of them left the Academy. Naruto looked around the village as they walked, noticing the decorations being put up. He let out a bitter breath.
"No doubt it's for the Kyūbi Festival," he muttered.
Iruka chose not to comment, simply leading him toward Ichiraku. For now, all that mattered was sharing a meal together—teacher and student, brothers in everything but blood.