Naruto: The Otsutsuki Naruto

~ Push the story forward with your Power Stones

~ Every 400 PS = Bonus Chapter!

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Konohagakure had been under reconstruction for some time. The desolation from before was gradually fading, and scattered wooden frames of houses were beginning to form the outline of a village.

Even Ichiraku Ramen [Temporary] had reopened, bustling with a steady stream of customers.

In an inconspicuous corner, an inconspicuous young man sat staring at a large bowl of tonkotsu ramen before him, drooling uncontrollably. His left hand was wrapped in bandages as he clasped his chopsticks between his palms in a ceremonial gesture and declared, *"Itadakimasu!"* (*Let's eat!*)

*Slurp! Slurp!*

Breaking apart the chopsticks, he began devouring the ramen voraciously.

Yes, this seemingly unremarkable young man was none other than Naruto.

Back in the day, after completing his daily training, he would always reward himself with a bowl of Ichiraku Ramen. Even after becoming Hokage, this habit persisted.

The taste was etched into his soul, becoming an inseparable part of his life.

No ramen, no Naruto.

So, even now, as a rogue ninja of the village, he couldn't resist the temptation of that flavor. He had gone so far as to use the Transformation Jutsu to sneak back into the village, just to savor that familiar delicacy once more.

*Slurp~~~! Slurp~~~!*

At this moment, Naruto had forgotten all about the enmities of nations and the hardships ahead. He had returned to his roots, becoming nothing more than a diner reveling in the joy of good food.

In just three minutes, the bowl was empty—down to the last drop of broth.

*"Kada~ kada~"* (*So full, so satisfied~*)

Leaning back in his chair, he rubbed his stomach contentedly. But when he turned his head casually, he was startled to see a familiar figure at the neighboring table!

It was Iruka-sensei.

Naruto almost called out to him instinctively.

For some reason, Iruka's face was filled with worry. The steam from his bowl of ramen had already dissipated, yet he hadn't touched it.

Naruto's gaze dimmed, and his outstretched hand slowly withdrew.

The student Iruka had once placed so much hope in had now become a rogue ninja condemned by all. It must have been a heavy blow for Iruka.

Naruto couldn't bear to see Iruka looking so dejected, so he chose to leave.

At that moment, Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen, who was busy rolling dough, looked up to wipe the sweat from his brow. His gaze was drawn to the departing figure.

"What's wrong, Dad?" asked Ayame, Teuchi's daughter, noticing his reaction.

"That back… It looked like Naruto. But that's impossible, right?"

"It must've been my imagination," Teuchi muttered, shaking his head as he returned to his work.

Naruto walked along the streets of the village at dusk. The streets bustled with people, and many familiar faces passed by, but Naruto simply walked in silence, lost in his thoughts.

Before he realized it, he had arrived at the place he knew best.

When he saw the ruins before him, he snapped out of his reverie.

"Of course, it's gone now," he murmured to himself. After the devastation caused by Pain, Konoha had been destroyed. How could that place have survived? "How foolish of me to think otherwise."

Shaking his head in self-mockery, Naruto was about to turn and leave when he noticed something scrawled in blood-red letters among the rubble.

"Demon Fox," "Traitor," "Beast," "Monster"—the twisted characters were filled with malice and hatred.

Naruto's expression remained blank. He had long since grown accustomed to the coldness of the world. At this point, such misunderstandings and hostility no longer fazed him in the slightest.

He stepped onto the ruins to examine them. The writing was fresh, but there were also signs of previous attempts to erase similar markings. "What's going on here?" he wondered.

As he pondered, a boy with a bandage on his face and a bucket of paint in hand approached, accompanied by Moegi and Udon.

Konohamaru, noticing the fresh blood-red writing and the unfamiliar figure standing amidst the rubble, shouted angrily, "You're the one who wrote that, aren't you!?"

Before Naruto could respond, Konohamaru continued, "Listen up! Big Brother Naruto isn't what you think he is! He's the strongest ninja, a man destined to become Hokage!!!"

Despite his young age, Konohamaru's eyes held a sharp determination.

"Konohamaru, don't be rash," Moegi said, tugging nervously at his sleeve.

"I know," Konohamaru replied. "As a ninja, I won't fight over something like this."

Even as he spoke, the bandage on his face seemed to betray his words. Ignoring Naruto's presence, he poured paint over the hateful writing, erasing it.

Naruto smiled faintly, leapt down from the ruins, and walked away with his hands in his pockets.

His eyes glimmered with a profound light. "There's no need for that, Konohamaru. Those who've weathered the storms of life won't be blinded by mere grains of sand."

He made his way to Konoha's cemetery, observing from a distance.

In the glow of the setting sun, Kakashi stood before the memorial stone, as always, mourning Obito. However, his expression was tinged with more melancholy than usual.

Yūgao Uzuki, having finished paying her respects to her late lover and sister, approached and greeted him. "Kakashi-senpai, are you confiding in Obito about Naruto?"

Realizing he'd been seen through, Kakashi replied, "Yūgao, you've caught me."

Yūgao said, "What happened with Naruto is hard on everyone. Now that Danzō holds the position of Hokage, public opinion is even more against him. But I believe Lady Tsunade will turn things around once she wakes up."

Kakashi sighed. "Let's hope so."

Standing too far away to hear their conversation, Naruto gazed at the memorial stone, his thoughts drifting to his mentor, Jiraiya.

After his negotiation with Nagato, Naruto had erected a cenotaph for Jiraiya on his way back to the village.

This time, however, he didn't.

After all, in his future battles with the Kara organization, Naruto had encountered another version of Jiraiya.

Kashin Koji.

A clone created by Amado, Kara's chief scientist, using Jiraiya's cells.

Naruto murmured, "If I could turn back time, this wouldn't be the ideal moment. A month earlier, and maybe Ero-Sennin wouldn't have had to die."

But now, it no longer mattered. As long as he could find Jiraiya's body before Amado did…

Manipulating time had always been considered a forbidden act for ninja.

"I, Naruto Uzumaki, have already defied the flow of time. One more time won't make a difference."

As night fell, Naruto glanced at the Hokage Rock. Beside Tsunade's face, a new outline was being carved. He turned and walked deeper into the village.

Ahead was the area where the Hokage conducted official duties. "No unauthorized personnel allowed!" Two Root members in white robes and animal masks blocked his path.

Naruto's expression was unreadable. "Oh? The Hokage?"

"Lord Danzō, the Sixth Hokage!" one of them barked.

"I see. My apologies," Naruto said, turning to leave.

In a deserted alley, he stopped. "So, Danzō's back in the village. The timing makes sense. But with such heavy security, does he really plan to stay here, waiting for Sasuke or me to come for him? Unlikely. Let's confirm."

*Zzz!*

Naruto entered Sage Mode.

"Hmm?" His sensory perception extended into the Hokage's tent, and his expression shifted before a sly smile crept onto his face. "Heh, just as I thought."

Placing his left hand on a nearby lamppost, he left a Flying Raijin mark on it.

*Whoosh!*

He vanished without a trace.

Moments later, Shikaku, Inoichi, and Chōza—the older generation of the Ino-Shika-Chō trio—walked by, supporting a drunken Chōza between them.

As they passed the lamppost, Shikaku suddenly stopped, staring at it.

"What's wrong, Shikaku?" Inoichi asked.

"That mark… Could it be…?"

"It's nothing," Shikaku replied, masking his thoughts as he moved on.

In the forest outside Konoha, Konan, Orochimaru, and Kisame stood before a shallow pit.

*Whoosh!*

Naruto reappeared via Flying Raijin, dispelling his Transformation Jutsu. With a sweep of his cloak, he approached them and asked, "How did it go?"

Before infiltrating the village, he had assigned them another task.

Kisame said, "My Samehada isn't exactly suited for digging. That guy was indeed here, but it seems he's already…"

Naruto stepped to the edge of the pit and looked down.

At the bottom lay a dull, gray head with closed eyes and a lifeless demeanor.

It was Hidan.

*Banshō Ten'in!*

*Whoosh!*

Using gravitational force, Naruto pulled Hidan's head from the pit and held it in his hand.

*Snap!*

Hidan's eyes suddenly opened, glaring fiercely at Naruto.

But before he could say a word, Naruto shoved him into a box.

*Clang! Clang!*

The box shook violently, but Naruto paid it no mind.

Orochimaru's lips curled into a curious smile as he watched the box.

Konan stepped forward. "What's the next move?"

Naruto replied, "Let's go. Back to Amegakure."