The forest buzzed with the quiet hum of life, but an undercurrent of tension crackled as Naruto Uzumaki stood defiant, his sage-orange eyes glowing under the dappled sunlight. His teammates, frozen in their tracks, gaped at the spectacle unfolding before them. Shino's slow clap broke the silence, a rare spark of emotion from the stoic Aburame. Kiba, caught off guard, joined in, his hands moving mechanically as he muttered, "What's with the applause, Shino?"
Shino's voice was calm, almost amused. "It just… felt right."
Kiba blinked, then shrugged, his clapping slowing as he glanced at Naruto and Hinata, still locked in their embrace. Sakura's heart twisted, a pang of envy mingling with her confusion. She'd always known Hinata's quiet devotion to Naruto, but seeing it returned so fiercely—so publicly—stirred something unfamiliar. Her thoughts drifted to Sasuke, alone and lost to Orochimaru's schemes, and a shadow of doubt crept in. What about me? she wondered, her fists unclenching as she fought the ache in her chest.
Yamato sidled up to Kakashi, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Looks like we'll be attending a wedding soon, senpai."
Kakashi sighed, his single visible eye glinting with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "A happy occasion, sure, but Naruto's timing is as terrible as ever." He shook his head, muttering, "Falling in love in the middle of a mission…"
Naruto, however, was already looking beyond the moment. Hinata's warmth grounded him, but his mind burned with purpose. The Sage of the Six Paths had given him a second chance, and he wouldn't squander it. Sasuke was out there, teetering on the edge of darkness, but another mission pulled at Naruto's heart—one tied to a regret he refused to let stand.
He gently released Hinata, his voice soft but resolute. "Hinata, I'm sorry, but I have to leave for a bit."
Hinata's eyes widened, but before she could speak, Naruto turned to Kakashi. "Sensei, I'm leaving Sasuke to you. I have something urgent to take care of."
The team froze, shock rippling through them. Kakashi's eye narrowed, his tone sharp. "Naruto, where are you going? This is about Sasuke—your priority."
Naruto's gaze was steady, carrying a weight his teammates couldn't fathom. "I can't explain yet, Sensei. It's important—more than you know. Please trust me."
Sakura stepped forward, her voice trembling with frustration. "More important than Sasuke? Naruto, what's going on with you?"
Naruto hesitated, his future knowledge a heavy burden. He knew Sasuke wasn't in immediate danger; his path would soon lead to a confrontation with Itachi, a duel Naruto could influence later. But another figure loomed in his mind—Jiraiya, his mentor, whose death at Pain's hands had shattered him. If he could find Jiraiya now, warn him, train under him sooner, he could unlock the power to face the Otsutsuki before their shadow fell.
"I'm sorry, Sakura," Naruto said, his voice gentle but firm. "Sasuke's safe for now. I promise I'll bring him back. But I have to do this."
Kakashi's expression hardened. "Naruto, as your captain, I can't let you leave without an explanation. You're the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. The Akatsuki are hunting you. If you fall into their hands—"
Before he could finish, Yamato's hands flashed through seals, and wooden pillars erupted from the ground, forming a four-pillar prison around Naruto. The wood pulsed with chakra, designed to suppress both Naruto's own power and the Nine-Tails'. Hinata gasped, stepping toward Kakashi. "Sensei, please! Naruto wouldn't do this without a reason!"
Kakashi's jaw tightened, torn between duty and trust. Sakura stared at Naruto, trapped in the wooden cage, his eyes closed as if in meditation. What's happened to you? she thought, her heart aching with confusion.
Inside the prison, Naruto's mind was calm, his soul thrumming with the knowledge of his future self. He drew on the natural energy around him, the forest's pulse flowing into his body. His eyes snapped open, glowing with the orange marks of Sage Mode. With a single, powerful strike, he shattered the wooden pillars, the senjutsu chakra overwhelming Yamato's suppression.
The team gasped as Naruto leapt onto a nearby tree, his movements fluid and precise. Yamato staggered, disbelief etched on his face. "Impossible! My Wood Release suppressed his chakra—and the Nine-Tails'!"
Kakashi's eye widened, locking onto the orange pigmentation around Naruto's eyes. "Sage Mode?" he whispered, stunned. "Naruto, when did you learn that?"
Naruto turned, his expression apologetic but resolute. "No comment, Sensei. I'm sorry." With a final glance at Hinata, he vanished into the trees, his sage-enhanced speed leaving only a rustle of leaves.
"Naruto!" Sakura shouted, starting after him, but Kakashi's hand stopped her.
"Let him go," Kakashi said, his voice heavy. "He's stronger than any of us now. If he's leaving, he has a reason. I trust him."
Sakura's eyes burned with frustration. "But how? Sage Mode? That's Kage-level power! When did he—"
"I don't know," Kakashi admitted, pulling out a communication scroll. "But Tsunade needs to hear about this." He scribbled a report, detailing Naruto's sudden mastery of Sage Mode and his departure, then handed it to one of his ninja hounds. "Take this to the Hokage."
As the dog sped off, Kakashi turned to the team. "We keep moving. Sasuke's our priority. Naruto will come back when he's ready."
Hinata's gaze lingered on the path Naruto had taken, her heart heavy but warm with his promise. I'll wait for you, Naruto-kun, she thought, joining the others as they resumed their pursuit.
Deep in the forest, Naruto moved like a shadow, his Sage Mode amplifying his senses. The natural energy around him sharpened his perception, letting him distinguish chakra signatures with pinpoint accuracy. He was searching for Jiraiya, but a different presence caught his attention—a dark, familiar chakra that sent a chill down his spine.
He stopped abruptly, landing on the forest floor, his eyes narrowing at a cluster of bushes. "Come out, Uchiha Itachi," he called, his voice steady but laced with urgency.
A rustle broke the silence, and a pair of scarlet Sharingan eyes gleamed from the shadows. Itachi Uchiha stepped forward, his Akatsuki cloak swaying, his expression unreadable. "Impressive," he said, his voice smooth and measured. "To sense me in Sage Mode… you've grown, Naruto Uzumaki."
Naruto's fists clenched, memories of the future flooding back—Itachi's sacrifice, his hidden loyalty to Konoha, his death at Sasuke's hands. This was a chance to change that, too. "Itachi," he said, his tone firm but not hostile. "I know what you're doing. I know why you're here. Let's talk."
Itachi's Sharingan flickered, curiosity mingling with caution. "You know more than you should," he said softly. "What game are you playing, Jinchuriki?"
Naruto's grin was fierce, his sage-enhanced chakra pulsing like a heartbeat. "No games. I'm here to save Sasuke—and you. Let's start with the truth."
The forest seemed to hold its breath as the two faced each other, the weight of a rewritten future hanging in the balance.