As time passed, the commotion at the village gate grew louder. The genin who were in the village due to being free from missions gradually learned what was happening.
"Kiba, Shino, where are you guys going?" Ino asked, looking at the two who had rushed over.
"You guys don't know yet?" Kiba paused, surprised.
"Know what?" Sakura and Ino exchanged glances. Hadn't the war ended?
What else could be happening?
"Naruto's back," Kiba said.
"Naruto's back?!" the two girls exclaimed. Sakura's expression changed, and she grabbed Kiba's hand. "What about Sasuke? Is Sasuke back?"
Ino looked at her tense best friend, wanting to say something but hesitating.
"Sasuke?" Kiba shook his head. "Haven't heard anything about that. And besides…"
"Besides, strictly speaking, Naruto hasn't exactly 'returned'. He's currently in a standoff with the Fifth and the others at the village gate," Shino added.
"A standoff?!"
After hearing Naruto Clone One's intentions, the surrounding Konoha ninja exchanged bewildered glances. They had heard bits and pieces about the recent events at the border, but due to the village's deliberate efforts to conceal information, they hadn't delved deeper.
So, apart from those who had personally experienced that battle, others' understanding of it was mostly based on hearsay.
"Naruto, are you serious?" Jiraiya wove through the crowd, looking at the somewhat unfamiliar young man before him.
"There are many ways to pursue peace. Why must you do it like this?"
"I've said it before: you can all consider me a madman, a lunatic, or whatever else you like," Naruto Clone One stated. "Everyone has their own understanding of peace. I am merely putting my understanding into practice."
"Naruto."
Naruto Clone One turned his head to look at Tsunade, wondering what she would say next.
"Child, come back," Tsunade said. "Your father, your mother, they both gave their precious lives for Konoha."
"They were both outstanding Konoha ninja."
"If they knew, from the afterlife, that their own son was actually an enemy of the village they dedicated their lives to, what would they think?"
"Lady Fifth," Yamanaka Inoichi's voice appeared in Tsunade's mind. "To prevent Naruto Uzumaki's Jinchuriki status from being known, the Third Hokage concealed his identity as the Fourth's son."
"…" Tsunade bit her lip, her teeth clenching.
So, what she had just said…
Through the Mind Transfer Jutsu, Inoichi sensed her thoughts. "Shikaku's advice is that we can try to approach this through Uzumaki Naruto's childhood playmates."
I understand…
Tsunade composed herself, just about to speak.
Naruto Clone One then said, "Lady Hokage, you say if my parents were watching from the heavens… what if they knew that their son grew up in Konoha amidst indifference and ostracization?"
"What would they think?"
Tsunade and Jiraiya looked at each other, and for a moment, they were at a loss for words.
"Uzumaki Naruto, have you forgotten Konoha's kindness in raising you?" Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu arrived late, accompanied by Shimura Danzo.
"And you are?" Naruto Clone One looked at Koharu with a puzzled expression.
"You?" Utatane Koharu's face darkened slightly, and she was about to declare her identity.
"Never mind, who you are isn't important," Naruto Clone One said dismissively. "Let's not even mention my parents' contributions to Konoha; after all, they are them, and I am me."
"Since graduating from the Ninja Academy, I've completed dozens of missions, big and small, for Konoha. The mission fees Konoha deducted, compared to the relief funds you provided me – you yourselves know which amount is greater."
"If you still think that's not enough…"
"When Sunagakure, allied with Otogakure, launched the Konoha Crush, I helped Konoha repel the One-Tail Jinchuriki. That achievement should be enough to offset these years of being… kept, shouldn't it?"
"Uzumaki brat, you simply don't understand. We did all this for your own good," Mitokado Homura interjected, stopping Koharu from speaking further.
Naruto Clone One: "…"
For my good?
Why wasn't I aware of it?
"The reason we didn't give you your parents' inheritance was to prevent your identity from being discovered by other ninja villages," Homura continued. "Our original plan was to return those assets to you once you came of age."
Hearing this, Koharu quickly shot him several pointed glances. Those things have already been divided up, how can we return them?
Homura pushed her behind him and went on, "Concealing your identity as the Fourth's son was also for your protection."
"You must be aware of the consequences if a Jinchuriki's identity is revealed to other villages before they are fully grown."
Hearing this, the surrounding ninja couldn't help but exchange glances, surprise evident in each other's eyes.
That wasn't the explanation the Third Hokage and the two advisors had given back then.
Especially the former subordinates of the Fourth Hokage; the way they looked at the two advisors was now somewhat off.
That wasn't the reason given at the time…
Didn't they say the Fourth Hokage's inheritance was lost?
How has it now become that they were safeguarding it for Uzumaki Naruto?
"What you say does make some sense," Naruto Clone One nodded slightly.
Hearing this, the surrounding ninja looked even more astonished. He's this easy to persuade?
Even Jiraiya and Tsunade felt a surge of joy. If they had known that simply explaining everything clearly would make Naruto change his mind, why would they have wasted so much effort?
Only Nara Shikaku, standing further back, couldn't help but cover his face.
Have these two old fools been advisors for too long? Has their thinking gone addled?
Don't they even listen to the nonsense they're spouting…
"But unfortunately," Naruto Clone One's tone suddenly shifted, "from the very beginning, I had no intention of reasoning with you."
"Just like that time, I'll give you two choices."
"One, make a public declaration that Konoha will not proactively initiate large-scale warfare!"
"Two, experience pain, and come to detest war from the bottom of your hearts."
"Oh, right." Naruto Clone One turned his head to look at Shimura Danzo, who had remained silent from the start. "Lord Shimura Danzo, it would be best if you didn't use what's in your right eye."
"Because…" Before his voice had even faded, Naruto Clone One appeared right beside him. "I'm a rather timid person. If I get even slightly startled…"
"I tend to do some… muddled things that aren't controlled by reason."
Glancing at Shimura Danzo's bandaged right eye from the corner of his vision, Naruto Clone One actually sensed a threat to his life emanating from it.
Keep in mind, this shadow clone could enter Kurama Mode at any time.
What puzzled him even more was that the sense of threat from Danzo's right eye felt even greater than that from Jiraiya, who was standing nearby.
What exactly is under that bandage… Naruto Clone One wondered silently.
Shimura Danzo's expression was somewhat grim. He had checked the surroundings; there shouldn't be any Flying Thunder God formulas around.
How on earth did the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki manage it?
He hadn't noticed a Flying Thunder God formula mark just below the back of his neck.
Naruto had left it there as a precaution during their clash on the border battlefield.
"ROAR!"
In the distance, a golden Nine-Tailed Fox threw its head back and roared, a massive amount of Yin and Yang chakra gathering before it.
"Lady Hokage, and everyone present, please make your decision quickly. My main body is growing impatient," Naruto Clone One said calmly, glancing in that direction.