Starting as the mastermind behind Naruto

Chapter 139 Naruto Uzumaki hears the news on the eve of the exam

"Kid, don't expect me to fight for you anymore!"

Gamabunta didn't dare look at Uehara Naraku. He just angrily yelled at Uzumaki Naruto before dispelling his summoning.

"Why?"

Naruto Uzumaki scratched his head, looking completely bewildered, then turned to look at Naraku Uehara: "Boss Toad, what's going on with this?"

Uehara Naraku frowned, somewhat ashamed, and said, "Could it be that he's angry because he lost to me? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, how could that be!"

Naruto Uzumaki hurriedly waved his hand, saying repeatedly, "No matter what, you originally wanted to help me, right? Maybe it just felt its strength was too weak!"

Although Naruto sensed that something was off...

But upon closer reflection, Uehara Naraku wasn't entirely wrong.

The result was a bit disappointing. What went wrong?

Uehara Naraku did reap his mission reward; defeating Gamabunta this time granted him a summoning contract.

Side Quest: Defeat Gamabunta (1/1). Quest complete. Reward: Summoning Contract with River King Tam.

Summoning Contract: Summon the River King Tahm, consuming 1000 chakra points.

This contract is a bit complicated.

Anyway, it's better than nothing.

Life in Konoha gradually returned to normal.

But beneath this calm, deeper turmoil was brewing, especially after the mysterious death of the proctor for the third exam, Gekko Hayate.

In order to investigate what kind of conspiracy the major allied countries and Orochimaru were plotting, Konoha dispatched a large number of ANBU to various countries to conduct investigations.

Amegakure became Konoha's only trustworthy ally.

According to Kakashi's intelligence, Orochimaru once stole treasures from Amegakure, which led to Amegakure's pursuit. Furthermore, Uehara Naraku and Orochimaru have been at odds for a long time, and Orochimaru's plans have been disrupted multiple times.

The night before the Chunin Exams.

Inside Uehara Naraku's inn room, he was wearing a replica of a sacred robe and a straw hat. Although he could use his innate illusionary transformation, this was to prevent his true identity from being discovered in the event of a battle.

This outfit and the Hokage hat were obtained by Kabuto Yakushi.

Uehara Naraku stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of his Hokage robe: "I love the small collar of the Hokage's robe. As expected of the leader of Konoha, it's more comfortable and free than the uniforms of our Akatsuki members."

"Yes."

Kabuto Yakushi, dressed in Anbu uniform, stood beside Naraku Uehara, helping him with his fake Hokage hat.

Because Uehara Naraku lacks people he can fully trust, he can only temporarily have Yakushi Kabuto play a supporting role tonight.

"Have you memorized all your lines?"

Uehara Naraku took the Hokage's hat and casually asked a question.

Kabuto adjusted his glasses and chuckled softly, "I've memorized everything. I'm just curious why Lord Naraku is going to such lengths to target Naruto. Why doesn't Lord Naraku just kidnap him when he leaves Konoha..."

"No, I need to make him want to come with us willingly."

Uehara Naraku shook his head and chuckled, "Naruto's power far exceeds your imagination. Just wait and see, he'll surprise you!"

"What does Lord Naraku mean..."

"That's just a casual remark."

After putting on the Hokage hat, Uehara Naraku said softly, "After he leaves Konoha, I will take him to Akatsuki's base. I'm sure Konan-sensei will like this gift of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!"

"Understood."

Kabuto nodded and put on a black hood.

For some reason, I have a feeling that his new boss has lost his mind again!

In the past few days, Uehara Naraku has already scouted around Naruto's house and found that there are no ANBU members monitoring him. Perhaps it's because he has become a ninja and Konoha has stopped wasting its resources protecting him.

late at night.

When the moonlight is bright.

Naruto Uzumaki was unusually sleepless because he wanted to defeat his opponent in front of everyone the next day and gain the villagers' approval.

Just as Naruto Uzumaki was suffering from insomnia, a voice suddenly entered his ears: "Third Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki is asleep. Are you here to check his seal?"

"No, I just came to take a look."

An aged voice reached Naruto's ears. He recognized the voice immediately; it was the voice of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

However, what Hiruzen Sarutobi said the next moment made Naruto Uzumaki feel a little uncomfortable: "How is Naruto Uzumaki? Tomorrow is the Chunin Exams, which many daimyo and dignitaries will be watching. We absolutely cannot let anything happen to him."

Naruto Uzumaki bit his blanket tightly. Was he always a troublesome child in Hiruzen Sarutobi's memory?

He had clearly begun to learn how to be a real ninja.

The next second, the unfamiliar ANBU voice continued to reach Naruto's ears: "Don't worry, Hokage-sama, I will report it immediately if his chakra leaks; but if his chakra is so abnormal that I think it's beyond our control..."

"You have the right to kill him on the spot."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's aged voice sounded somewhat cold: "Many years ago, when I ordered Obito Uchiha to deal with Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, Obito made a mistake and unsealed the Nine-Tails inside Kushina, causing heavy losses to the village."

The Anbu couldn't help but say with relief, "Fortunately, the Fourth Hokage didn't notice at the time and sealed the Nine-Tails into his own son, which saved Konoha from disaster..."

"That's why I sent you to monitor Naruto."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed slowly, "Twelve years have passed, and that brat Naruto Uzumaki still can't use the Nine-Tails' power. He's even worse than his mother, Kushina Uzumaki. What a complete waste..."

"..."

After a moment of silence, the ANBU ninja replied, "But Naruto Uzumaki will be loyal to the Hokage, while his mother was only loyal to her husband, Minato Namikaze."

The two people outside the door fell silent for a moment.

Naruto Uzumaki, who was eavesdropping in the room, covered his nose tightly, not daring to make a sound. His tears fell drop by drop, wetting the bedding.

Naruto Uzumaki never imagined that the first news he would receive about his father and mother would come from the people he had always respected!

Kushina Uzumaki, that's the name of his mother.

Minato Namikaze, that's his father's name.

However, both of them were killed by Hiruzen Sarutobi!

Naruto Uzumaki suppressed his anger, afraid to make a sound for fear of being noticed by those outside. However, his emotions were gradually turning into anger!

However, Naruto was now fully aware that he was forcibly suppressing his grief because if he made any move, or even if his chakra showed any unusual activity, Hiruzen Sarutobi and that stranger outside would immediately appear and kill him.

After a brief silence outside, Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice rang out again: "Are you trying to persuade me to spare Naruto Uzumaki's life because you've been watching him for so many years and have become too soft-hearted?"

"No."

The ANBU ninja whispered, "I just think Naruto Uzumaki is the most suitable vessel to contain the Nine-Tails. Killing him rashly would make it difficult to find a new vessel..."

"Yes, the descendants of the Uzumaki clan are not easy to find."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said in a low voice, then sighed softly, "There was a little girl who was a descendant of the Uzumaki clan in the Kusagakure team that participated in the Chunin Exams. Unfortunately, I heard that she defected from Kusagakure and went to Amegakure."

After saying that, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, "If I had known this would happen, I should have sent people to kidnap a few of the Uzumaki clan's little ones when Kushina asked us to save her homeland, as alternative vessels for the Nine-Tails."

"..."

The members of the secret service outside the door remained silent for a moment, seemingly unsure of what to say.

After a while, he spoke, "It seems that some people in the village are starting to accept Naruto Uzumaki lately. Your plans might be hindered. Should we eliminate them?"

"There's no need for that."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head, his voice tinged with an indescribable sinister tone: "Back then, I forbade anyone else from contacting Naruto Uzumaki so that he would be completely loyal to me. Now that he is so dependent on me, that order is no longer relevant."

"What should we do about Kakashi?"

The ANBU member continued, "Previously, the Hokage ordered Kakashi to leave the ANBU to monitor Naruto's every move. Now, he seems to care a lot about Naruto."

"Don't worry."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's aged voice was full of confidence: "Kakashi Hatake and Obito Uchiha were teammates. He just felt guilty towards Naruto Uzumaki."

The ANBU ninja's voice suddenly held a hint of amusement: "The Hokage is right. After all, Kakashi knew about Obito killing Naruto's parents, but he kept it a secret all along..."

"Hmm..."

Just as the ANBU finished speaking, Naruto Uzumaki in the room could no longer hold back his tears, which streamed down his face, and he couldn't help but utter a syllable.

When Naruto realized his mistake, he immediately yawned widely, wiped away his tears, and hid under his blanket.

The sounds outside immediately ceased.

After a while, the window in the room was quietly opened and then quietly closed again, obviously someone came to check on him.

A moment later, Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice rang out again: "Since there's nothing going on here, you stay here and keep a close watch on him. Tomorrow is the Chunin Exams, and all the daimyo and dignitaries will be there. You absolutely cannot let Naruto Uzumaki make any mistakes."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

The member of the secret service outside the door gave a low reply.

Soon, the outside became quiet.

Naruto Uzumaki, inside the room, bit his blanket tightly, tears streaming down his face, but dared not make a sound, because he knew there were ninjas watching him outside.

A twelve-year dream.

Tonight, it has been completely destroyed.

Naruto Uzumaki pinched his thigh hard with his fingers. His leg was covered in wounds. He was trying his best to suppress his emotions and prevent himself from acting abnormally.

Over the years, it's no wonder that his desperate attempts to gain the villagers' approval only resulted in alienation; whenever he was hurt, Hiruzen Sarutobi would appear before him and teach him to endure the pain.

All the light and darkness in life.

It turns out that it was just that old man from the Hokage Tower who was controlling things.

Naruto's body trembled slightly as he recalled the scene of summoning Gamabunta. His mind sank into the boundless sealed water prison.

Naruto's vision was filled with darkness as he slowly walked to the edge of the water prison. He looked up at the enormous figure inside and said in a sinister voice, "You stinky fox, your name is Nine-Tails, right? You want to get out, don't you?"

"roar!"

The Nine-Tails opened its blood-red maw, staring at the small figure by the water prison, and suddenly laughed loudly, "Hahahaha... brat, if you let me out now, I'll tear that old bastard and the entire Hidden Leaf Village to shreds for you!"

Clearly, Kurama heard everything that Naruto Uzumaki had just heard.

Some of the secrets are not even fully known to the Nine-Tailed Fox.

However, this is a good opportunity for Kurama. The darker Naruto is, the easier it is for Kurama to control him!

Even Kurama (the Nine-Tails) didn't expect that a village like Konoha could be so dark. No wonder it was created by those two wicked bastards, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha!

The people of Konoha are always so good at killing each other!

"No, this is not enough for them to repay."

Naruto Uzumaki looked at Kurama and slowly shook his head, the black aura around him growing increasingly dense: "Tomorrow is an important day, come and wreak havoc with me!"

A sinister smile spread across Kurama's face: "Kid, I never expected you to be so quick-witted on our second meeting! Kid, you're much smarter than that woman, Kushina Uzumaki!"

That wretched woman, despite possessing such immense power, instead of thinking about how to use it, only thinks about suppressing it.

Even when I encounter something upsetting outside, I take it out on it!

Damn it, karma is a cycle, and retribution is inevitable!

Now it's her son's turn to suffer. As Kushina Uzumaki's lodger, Kurama thinks it should give Naruto a good talking-to!

Tomorrow is its release date!

"Naruto."

Someone knocked on the window of the room.

Naruto Uzumaki turned his head and saw Sakura Haruno standing by his window.

The pink-haired girl spoke nervously, "I haven't seen Sasuke-kun for days. He has his exams tomorrow, and no one's home. Could you come with me to look for him?"

"it is good."

Upon hearing Sakura's request, Naruto immediately put his mind at ease and leaped out of the window: "Sakura, why did you go to Sasuke's house at night?"

"Because I felt that he should be home by now, no matter what."

Sakura Haruno frowned, her face full of unease, and said, "But he still hasn't shown up... Um, Naruto, your face, what were you doing just now..."

Naruto Uzumaki quickly covered Sakura Haruno's mouth, nervously raising his finger as if afraid that the so-called ANBU who had been monitoring him would find out what was going on.

Naruto grinned, wiped his face, and forced a smile, saying, "Alright, I'll go with you to find Sasuke first! That guy's probably hiding somewhere, secretly training hard!"

Some people, even if their hearts are already riddled with wounds, still hide their pain from the person they like.

(End of this chapter)