CHAPTER 331

Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!

After reviewing the surveillance footage, the guards at the Hokage Building were dumbfounded.

The video showed that the individual who had infiltrated the secret chamber housing the Scroll of Seals was an ANBU operative under the direct command of the Hokage. However, the most astonishing revelation was the nature of the ninjutsu used to breach the chamber walls—it bore the unmistakable characteristics of the Fourth Hokage's Rasengan.

With these two pieces of information combined, the guards began to suspect whether this attack was an inside job, possibly orchestrated by the Sandaime Hokage himself.

Regardless of internal conflicts at the upper echelons, their duty was clear. While deploying operatives to track the intruder, they promptly reported the matter to the Third Hokage—even though he had left the building less than thirty minutes ago.

---

Meanwhile, Naruto's Side

After shaking off his pursuers, Naruto eagerly picked up the Scroll of Seals.

Yet, the moment he attempted to open it, he realized the scroll was secured with multiple layers of sealing techniques. A forced opening would not only destroy the scroll but might also trigger countermeasures, including tracking seals.

Upon this realization, Naruto's expression darkened slightly, but he did not regret his decision to steal the scroll.

Forming a hand seal to suppress his chakra signature, Naruto secured the Scroll of Seals and made his way toward Training Ground 44—The Forest of Death.

His preparations were complete. Now, all that remained was to find a concealed spot and await Shisui's performance.

However, the moment he exited the village's perimeter, he was forced to halt. A lone figure blocked his path—Hatake Kakashi.

Dressed in ANBU armor, Kakashi's gaze locked onto Naruto and the scroll in his grasp.

Naruto furrowed his brows at the elite jōnin, widely regarded as "Mr. 50-50" due to his balanced combat prowess. Unlike Uzuki Yugao, whose strength exceeded most chūnin but had not yet reached a true jōnin level, Kakashi was a different caliber altogether—an elite jōnin whose skill was feared even among the strongest of Konoha's forces.

After a brief silence, Kakashi was the first to speak.

"Naruto, what's in your hand? And why are you heading out of the village?"

Naruto smirked. "The Scroll of Seals, of course. As for why? Because I've decided to become a missing-nin."

At the mention of defection, Kakashi's face darkened. His voice carried a stern warning.

"Being a ninja isn't child's play. You can't just abandon the village because you failed the early graduation exam. The life of a missing-nin is far crueler than you can imagine. Put the scroll down, and Lord Hokage will forgive you."

Naruto scoffed. "Forgive me? I couldn't care less. I'm tired—tired of this village, tired of the so-called Will of Fire, tired of being a jinchūriki, and tired of the villagers' disgusted stares."

Kakashi's expression subtly shifted.

"Jinchūriki…? So you know?"

His single exposed eye scrutinized Naruto.

"Who told you? The shinobi of the village? Or the Nine-Tails itself?"

Naruto tilted his head. "Does it matter? The fact remains—I've always been treated as the Nine-Tails itself, nothing more than a monster to them."

Kakashi let out a quiet sigh. "That was in the past. Given time, the villagers will understand you. You have comrades here. Besides, the people of Konoha don't even know you're a jinchūriki."

Naruto let out a low chuckle, his smirk widening into a cracked grin.

"Oh, you mean my true identity? The one the Third Hokage worked so hard to keep from me? That I'm not some demon fox, but actually the son of the Fourth Hokage?"

His laughter grew hollow.

"A 'hero's son,' huh? What a joke. The very people who cursed me all my life expect me to grow up and protect them? Just thinking about it makes me sick. Tell me, Kakashi—is this village really worth saving?"

Kakashi's eye widened, his mind racing.

He hadn't expected Naruto to know the truth about his lineage—let alone use it as a catalyst for his defection.

Would the Third Hokage regret keeping it a secret if he knew this was the outcome?

Regardless, Kakashi couldn't let his sensei's son throw everything away. Even if it meant hurting Naruto, he would stop him.

His grip tightened, and he readied himself for battle.

Naruto came to the same conclusion.

Both shinobi vanished simultaneously—two kunai clashed in midair, sparks flying upon impact.

Naruto sneered. "Seems we're thinking the same thing, huh, Kakashi-senpai?"

Kakashi's expression remained unreadable, but without hesitation, he lifted his forehead protector, revealing the sharpening tomoe of his Sharingan.

Unlike before, Kakashi no longer saw Naruto as just a troublesome genin—he was a genuine threat.

Naruto's combat abilities had already reached the jōnin level.

If he wanted to stop him, Kakashi had no choice but to fight with everything he had.

Yet, as the Sharingan spun, Naruto subtly adjusted his posture, keeping his gaze focused on Kakashi's lower body rather than his eyes.

In an instant, a swarm of shadow clones emerged around Kakashi, sealing off his escape routes.

Kakashi cursed inwardly.

'He's countering my genjutsu weakness and overwhelming me with numbers…!'

Lightning crackled around Kakashi's hand as he activated Raikiri (Lightning Blade), slicing through the clones effortlessly.

But within the smoke, Naruto lunged forward with Rasengan in hand, aiming for a direct hit.

Boom!

The impact created a localized explosion, forcing both combatants to disengage.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he assessed Naruto.

'His ninjutsu timing and taijutsu are still below mine… but his chakra reserves are monstrous, and his attacks are brute-force killers.'

Then, he heard the distinct whistling of high-speed wind chakra.

Kakashi's blood ran cold.

"Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!"

Before he could react, a massive, spiraling vortex of wind chakra—the size of a millstone—hurtled toward him.

Kakashi's instincts screamed at him: 'Do NOT take that head-on!'

His body moved on reflex, diving away as the Rasenshuriken detonated.

BOOM!

The surrounding forest was obliterated, leaving behind a five-meter-wide crater in its wake.

Kakashi, blood dripping from a wounded shoulder, stared at Naruto in undisguised fear.

The boy before him was no longer a junior in need of guidance—he was an opponent that even Kakashi might not be able to defeat.

Naruto, breathing heavily from the strain of using Rasenshuriken, steadied himself and slowly advanced.

He didn't hate Kakashi, but… anyone who stood in his way had to pay the price.

But just as he was about to strike—

A voice rang out.

A blur of green appeared between him and Kakashi.

"Konoha Strong Whirlwind!"

Rock Lee's kick came crashing toward Naruto.

Visit patreon.com/Akeyno to get 30+ chapters