I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

Why Naruto Left the Village

Facing the disapproval of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Danzo Shimura frowned, feeling deeply dissatisfied.

Despite orchestrating the Uchiha Clan Massacre through Itachi Uchiha and eliminating the perceived threat of a coup, Danzo had gained little in return. He had hoped to secure more Sharingan for his personal arsenal, yet he ended up shouldering the blame for the political fallout. The massacre had severely drained Root's budget and manpower, leaving his secret organization weakened.

However, the true beneficiary was none other than Sarutobi Hiruzen.

With the Uchiha gone, opposition to the Hokage's authority had all but vanished. The Third Hokage could now exert greater influence over the village without dissent from the once-powerful Uchiha clan. But was this truly a victory?

Danzo did not think so. The brutal purge of the Uchiha had sent shockwaves through the village, making other clans uneasy. Without a common enemy like the Uchiha Police Force, resentment against the Hokage's administration would inevitably rise, fostering unrest among both the civilian population and the ninja ranks. These were problems that Hiruzen would have to navigate.

As he contemplated this, a glint of ambition flashed in Danzo's eyes. He nodded to himself and exited the Hokage's office.

For now, there was no need for open conflict with Sarutobi. If he played his role correctly, time would erode Hiruzen's credibility, allowing Danzo to position himself as a candidate for the Fifth Hokage.

He had made a fatal mistake decades ago during negotiations with the Hidden Cloud—hesitating for just a moment, which cost him the title of Hokage.

Now, he was determined to correct that mistake. After years of working in the shadows, he would prove once and for all that he was more fit to lead than Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Hiruzen, watching Danzo's unexpected departure, prepared himself for an argument that never came.

Could it be that even Danzo had lost faith in him? But wasn't Danzo the most vehement opponent of the Uchiha?

The Third Hokage set aside his concerns about Danzo for now. The intelligence he had just received from Jiraiya was far more urgent.

Orochimaru had joined the Akatsuki, and Naruto had established Uzushio Village.

Had anyone else delivered this information, Hiruzen would have dismissed it as fabrication. But coming from Jiraiya, it had to be taken seriously.

His immediate priority was twofold: first, assign Danzo to investigate the masked man—likely Uchiha Madara or another rogue Uchiha—who was leading the Akatsuki. Second, inform the Kazekage about Orochimaru's puppet duplicate of him.

The Fourth Kazekage could not ignore the existence of a puppet impersonating him. By strengthening the alliance between Konoha and Sunagakure, Hiruzen could counterbalance the growing threat of Iwagakure.

As for Naruto's Uzushio Village, Hiruzen neither recognized nor directly opposed it.

Jiraiya had said that Naruto was now strong enough to stand on his own. That meant he was no longer just a child of Konoha—he was the leader of an emerging power.

Naruto's status as the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki meant that, whether Uzushio was independent or not, the village would always be tied to Konoha. By positioning Uzushio as a sea-based buffer against Kirigakure, Naruto had unintentionally created a strategic advantage for the Leaf.

This development significantly reduced Konoha's geopolitical pressure, leaving only the Hidden Cloud as a major threat.

Although Jiraiya's news seemed grim, in truth, it presented unexpected benefits. Hiruzen could begin preparing for retirement and focus on training the next generation.

With that in mind, he retrieved the academy roster for Iruka's class, scanning the names of future shinobi.

In two years, the children of major clans—Sasuke Uchiha, Shikamaru Nara, Hinata Hyuga—would graduate. Proper planning was necessary to assign them the right Jōnin instructors, as this would shape Konoha's future.

By comparison, selecting the Fifth Hokage could wait. That would take time, and for now, the village still needed him.

---

After leaving the Hokage's office, Jiraiya wandered through the streets of Konoha.

With no clear purpose, everything felt dull. He had no desire to take on missions, no motivation to write another novel, and even his old pastime—peeping—felt meaningless.

During his travels, he had sought guidance from Fukasaku and Shima at Mount Myōboku, hoping to consult the Great Toad Sage.

But the sage had fallen into a deep slumber, with strict orders not to be disturbed for a month.

Jiraiya wasn't naive—he knew what this meant.

Now that he had found the Child of Prophecy, his own purpose had been fulfilled. He was no longer needed.

Feeling dejected, he drifted into an izakaya, deciding to drown his thoughts in sake as Tsunade often did.

After a few pots of warm rice wine, his cheeks flushed, and he muttered drunkenly about how alcohol truly could wash away one's troubles.

But as the buzz faded, a deep emptiness remained.

Jiraiya's uncharacteristic melancholy did not go unnoticed. Many shinobi whispered among themselves, concerned. If Jiraiya left Konoha, as Orochimaru and Tsunade had before him, the village would lose its last great pillar of strength.

Among the onlookers, Kakashi Hatake observed Jiraiya's state in silence. When the izakaya closed for the night, he discreetly followed Jiraiya through the streets, tracking him to a secluded park.

Sensing the presence behind him, Jiraiya stopped.

"You've followed me eight times this week," he said without turning. "If you have something to say, just say it. There's no need for all this sneaking around."

Sighing, he used a surge of chakra to clear his drunken haze, then sat down on a park bench, patting the empty space beside him.

Kakashi hesitated, then took a seat, his voice cautious. "Master Jiraiya, did you find Naruto? Or… did he refuse to return?"

Jiraiya studied Kakashi for a long moment before sighing. "I found him. But he didn't want to come back, and he didn't want to travel with me either."

He hesitated. Should he reveal what he had learned about Uzushio Village?

Kakashi was Minato's student, the son of the White Fang, a loyal shinobi of Konoha. But even so, some secrets—especially those involving Naruto's new path—were dangerous if leaked.

Kakashi, reading the hesitation in Jiraiya's face, spoke carefully.

"Even before you left, I suspected Naruto wouldn't be easily convinced. If he had been, he never would have left in the first place."

Jiraiya's brow furrowed. "Why do you say that?"

Kakashi sighed. "Naruto risked everything to leave. He severed nearly all his ties. That means whatever drove him away was stronger than any reason to stay."

After a pause, he continued.

"If we truly want Naruto to return, we must first understand why he left."

Kakashi glanced at Jiraiya.

"That's why, during your absence, I visited Naruto's classmates. I gathered every detail I could."

Jiraiya leaned forward. "And?"

Kakashi's expression turned grim.

"I think I've found the answer."

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