I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

Konoha will lose face.

A rookie who has mastered space-time ninjutsu?

Every member of Akatsuki perked up upon hearing this. Space-time techniques were exceedingly rare, and even the strongest ninja would be nearly invincible if they mastered them. Such an individual could one day rival the likes of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, or the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze—both legendary users of space-time ninjutsu.

Yet, A Fei's first appearance was far from impressive—he tripped and fell flat on his face, looking anything but formidable.

Then, as he eagerly greeted the Akatsuki members like an overexcited novice, he appeared entirely unreliable. However, his lighthearted nature unexpectedly made him quite popular among them.

After A Fei demonstrated his usefulness, he was assigned to Uchiha Itachi's team.

Itachi secretly frowned. Why would the true leader of Akatsuki disguise himself as a bumbling rookie? What was Tobi's real intent in pretending to be A Fei? Was this just for amusement, or was he acting in response to Loquat Juzo's death, ensuring tighter control over Akatsuki's members to prevent further betrayals?

After an Akatsuki meeting, Itachi contacted Orochimaru using his Akatsuki ring, seeking information on the Uzumaki clan.

"Orochimaru, what's happening in the Land of Whirlpools? Why did Uchiha Shisui join Uzushio, and who is leading the village? I need information from you."

Upon receiving the request, Orochimaru smirked and replied:

"Information isn't free, Itachi. If you want details, you'll have to offer me something equally valuable. Perhaps we should meet—two Konoha defectors sharing intelligence. I assure you, I can provide answers that will interest you…"

"I don't trust you," Itachi stated coldly. "But I'll consider meeting. On my terms."

Orochimaru chuckled. "That won't do. What if you decide to strike me down? Remember, it's my subordinates who have the intelligence you seek. You should reconsider your position. I'll give you one free piece of information—Jiraiya has also discovered Uchiha in Uzushio."

With that, Orochimaru cut off communication, leaving Itachi to contemplate what had just been revealed.

This exchange had already provided crucial insights: Orochimaru and Sasori had previously attacked Uzushio, meaning the village was no secret anymore. Konoha would eventually take action against it, possibly leading to conflict along the Fire Nation's coastline.

Years ago, Itachi had chosen Konoha over his clan. But if war broke out again, where would his loyalties lie?

At that moment, Itachi sensed movement behind him. A figure clad in a black cloak with red clouds and a spiraled mask emerged from the ground, stepping toward him.

"Madara, why are you teaming up with me now?"

"I'm not Madara-sama. I'm A Fei, Senior Itachi! You've got the wrong guy!"

A Fei's exaggerated denial made Itachi frown. "Madara, do you really think you can fool me? Besides you, who else wields space-time ninjutsu?"

"I'm A Fei!" A Fei insisted, removing his mask to reveal a face twisted by scars.

Itachi studied the disfigured face, noticing the absence of Sharingan. This wasn't the man he knew as Tobi—so how had he used space-time techniques?

Just then, the real Tobi—Obito Uchiha—stepped forward. "A Fei is not me," he stated. "But when necessary, I will act through him. If anything important happens, you can relay messages to him."

Itachi narrowed his eyes. "Is this because of Loquat Juzo's death?"

Obito nodded. "Think of it that way. With A Fei's identity, I can monitor Akatsuki members and prevent future betrayals."

After a brief pause, he continued, "Your partnership with A Fei won't last long. A new recruit is already on the way—another Kirigakure Jonin, but quite different from Juzo."

A new teammate… Itachi's expression remained neutral, but deep inside, he found himself intrigued.

---

After two days of relentless travel, Jiraiya finally returned to Konoha.

He burst into the Hokage's office, where Hiruzen Sarutobi sat smoking his pipe while examining a set of photographs. The smoke was thick, and the pictures… less than appropriate.

At first, the Third Hokage attempted to maintain his dignity by quickly hiding the images. But upon realizing it was Jiraiya—his former student—he saw no need for pretense. After all, their personal tastes weren't too different.

Clearing his throat, Hiruzen asked sternly, "Jiraiya, what did you find? Have you located Naruto?"

Jiraiya hesitated before answering. "We've confirmed Naruto's whereabouts, but the situation is more complicated than expected."

Hiruzen's expression darkened. "Complicated? Does Naruto refuse to return to Konoha? Has he rejected your mentorship?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "It's worse than that, old man. You might have a hard time accepting this…"

The Third Hokage took a sip of tea and exhaled. "I've been Hokage for decades. I've weathered every storm Konoha has faced. Speak freely."

Jiraiya nodded and began explaining:

"While investigating the Land of Rivers, I stumbled upon traces of Orochimaru. Tracking him led me to unexpected information—Uchiha activity. Following him further, I ended up in the Land of Whirlpools, where I aided Shisui Uchiha in repelling Orochimaru's attack on Uzushio Village."

Hiruzen's face grew tense. "Uchiha… in Uzushio? The village was destroyed decades ago. How could Orochimaru even attack it?"

Jiraiya sighed. "Because Naruto rebuilt it."

The Third Hokage nearly dropped his tea. "Naruto… rebuilt Uzushio?"

Jiraiya nodded grimly. "He gathered remnants of the Uzumaki clan and defected Uchiha members to reestablish Uzushio Village."

Hiruzen's hand tightened around his pipe. "Naruto left Konoha, allied with Uchiha, and founded a new ninja village? This isn't just rebellion—it's a declaration of independence. He must understand what this means."

Jiraiya's voice was heavy with resignation. "He knows exactly what it means."

If Naruto had simply run away, it could have been excused as an emotional outburst. But aligning with Uchiha and creating a new village was an act of outright defection.

A country could only support one ninja village—no government would allow another hidden village to rise within its territory.

Though the Land of Whirlpools lay overseas, it was dangerously close to the Land of Fire. This was a direct challenge to Konoha's authority. If the reestablished Uzushio Village stood unopposed, Konoha's reputation would be in ruins.

Hiruzen took a deep breath, his expression dark. "Jiraiya, I need an explanation."

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