Chapter 225: The Outside World—Uzumaki Naruto Has Arrived!
The carriage rumbled forward, driven skillfully by Uchiha Ryoichi.
As a jōnin, Ryoichi handled the reins with ease.
"Alright—let's go!"
Naruto cheered loudly as he dove excitedly into the carriage.
Right behind him came Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi, and Uchiha Mikoto.
Once everyone was seated, Ryoichi flicked the reins, and the carriage rolled onto the bustling central street before heading toward the village outskirts.
Inside the carriage, Naruto had already pressed himself against the window, wide-eyed with curiosity.
"There are so many people!"
Naruto said, voice full of wonder.
"Idiot, don't fall out," Sasuke muttered. It sounded like a scolding, but the concern beneath it was obvious.
"I won't fall! I won't fall!" Naruto replied without looking back. "I'm channeling chakra to my palms the whole time!"
Sasuke arched a brow. If Naruto wanted to act like an idiot, then so be it.
Beside them, Itachi watched silently with a gentle smile.
There was nothing more entertaining than observing Naruto and Sasuke bicker.
Time inside the carriage passed quickly, and before long they reached the front gate of Konoha.
Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane were on duty that day, having just begun their shift. Izumo yawned loudly, glancing at the approaching carriage. He took one step forward to halt it—but Kotetsu suddenly grabbed his arm.
"What are you doing?" Izumo asked, confused.
"Idiot. Look."
Kotetsu jerked his chin toward the carriage.
Izumo followed his gaze—and instantly, sleepiness vanished.
That crest.
A fan of red and white.
The Uchiha Clan crest. Hokage-sama's clan.
Izumo straightened immediately, posture rigid, eyes forward—as if guarding the gate with utmost seriousness.
Kotetsu stepped aside and waved the waiting civilians off the road, clearing a path for the carriage.
Predictably, the waiting civilians grumbled, but none dared argue with a Konoha ninja. They were civilians carrying goods to sell—peaceful and unarmed.
Once the carriage passed through, Izumo and Kotetsu even bowed deeply toward its receding figure.
Only after it vanished down the road did Izumo speak again:
"You said Hokage-sama was inside… Are you sure you weren't seeing things?"
Kotetsu understood his friend's excitement perfectly.
"I'm sure. I saw him clearly—Hokage-sama was inside," he said confidently.
"My gods… is Hokage-sama going to do something big again?" Izumo whispered.
The last time Fugaku-sama mobilized secretly, he annihilated the Fourth Raikage, crushed Kumogakure, and even destroyed the Lightning Daimyō's mansion.
The entire world was still trembling from that event.
And now Hokage-sama was going out again…
Izumo's blood boiled at the thought.
"Don't talk nonsense," Kotetsu snapped. "This isn't a military operation. Besides Hokage-sama, I saw Lady Mikoto, Sasuke, Naruto, and even Uchiha Itachi inside."
Izumo blinked.
"You could see all that clearly? You're not making things up?"
Kotetsu rolled his eyes.
"Are you stupid? Why would I joke about this?"
"Fine, fine… you're not lying." Izumo rubbed his chin. Then a thought struck him. "Hey… did you notice the coachman? He looked really familiar."
Kotetsu frowned, thinking… until suddenly his eyes widened.
"Isn't that the owner of Pansi Cave?"
"The owner of Pansi Cave!?" Izumo nearly shouted.
There was a big difference between a famous business owner in Konoha and a carriage driver.
But then he realized—
Pansi Cave was owned by the Uchiha Clan.
And the carriage belonged to Hokage-sama's household.
In that case… the owner personally driving for the Hokage wasn't unreasonable at all.
"It really might've been him," Izumo admitted. "No wonder he looked familiar."
"I wonder what Hokage-sama is going out to do," Izumo asked curiously.
Kotetsu shrugged.
"Hokage-sama's family is traveling. They're probably going somewhere to relax."
Given the passengers, he was likely correct.
"Anyway, don't talk about this," Kotetsu reminded him sternly. "Hokage-sama clearly doesn't want attention."
"Right. Right. I won't say a word," Izumo agreed quickly.
---
Inside the carriage, things were far less calm.
In the first five minutes after leaving the village, Naruto had exclaimed six times.
Sasuke kept count.
When Naruto shouted for the seventh time, Sasuke finally snapped:
"Idiot Naruto! What are you screaming about? There's nothing special out there!"
"That's because you don't have eyes for beauty, Sasuke!"
Naruto puffed out his chest. "Look—those clouds are shaped like a kunai!"
He pointed again.
"And that grass—look at how beautiful it—uh…"
Naruto struggled to think of a comparison, gave up, then pointed farther ahead.
"Look at that river! It's so long! Is this really the world outside Konoha? It's amazing!"
Then, without warning, a spark of inspiration lit his eyes.
Before anyone could stop him, Naruto slipped out the window, chakra covering his feet, and climbed onto the roof of the moving carriage.
He spread his arms wide, facing the wind.
"Uzumaki Naruto… has arrived!"
---