CHAPTER 150: CHAPTER 150: POWERFUL INVADERS

Chapter 150: Powerful Invaders

"I haven’t returned to the village in so many years... because I’ve been searching for the truth about the past."

Jiraiya wanted to explain himself, but the words caught in his throat.

Because deep down, he knew—he had failed Naruto.

In all the years he exchanged letters with the Third Hokage, he had barely asked about Naruto’s condition. If Hiruzen hadn’t summoned him back recently, he might never have known the reality of the boy’s life in Konoha.

He’d assumed... Hiruzen would take good care of Minato’s son.

But now, seeing Naruto’s quiet strength, his distant gaze—it was clear.

Neither he nor the Third Hokage had lived up to Minato’s legacy... or Naruto’s trust.

"...There are things I still haven’t fully uncovered. So I can’t explain them yet," Jiraiya said slowly, his tone solemn. "But about your situation... you’re right. I failed you. I failed your father’s expectations."

He looked directly at Naruto. "Now that I’m back, I—"

But he paused again.

Staring into Naruto’s steady blue eyes, Jiraiya faltered.

What was he going to say? That he’d make it up to him?

There was nothing to make up for. Naruto’s identity was already known. The whole village now walked on eggshells around him, treating him like a symbol of guilt. He didn’t lack food, shelter, or status. He didn’t need free meals or shallow apologies.

What could Jiraiya possibly offer?

"I don’t need your compensation," Naruto said, as if reading his mind. "I just want the truth. Everything about what happened that night. Was it a plot from another village? Or something else?"

His voice was calm and unwavering.

"As their son, I have the right to know. The Third never told me the full story, but you were there. You know more."

He looked up at Jiraiya, firm and composed.

"And don’t worry—I’m not reckless. I won’t fly off the handle after hearing the truth. I’ll judge the information for myself. All I ask is that the village share its findings with me from now on. Since... well, leaving the village isn’t really an option for me anymore."

Then he fell silent, waiting.

The only sound in the bathhouse was the bubbling of the hot spring water and the soft splash of the bronze fountain.

Jiraiya hesitated.

His skin, like Naruto’s, had turned red from soaking too long. But the discomfort didn’t matter. Not compared to what he was about to reveal.

Finally, he spoke.

"...If you can remain this calm after learning your origins, then I believe you can handle the rest."

He sighed, the weight of the past pressing on his shoulders.

"This is complicated. It took me years to piece together even part of it."

He began to explain.

Years ago, the Fourth Hokage and Kushina’s deaths had always seemed suspicious. As the Nine-Tails’ Jinchūriki, Kushina’s pregnancy had been carefully planned by the village. The delivery was calculated to the hour. A hidden facility was arranged, secure and isolated. Only a few top-ranking officials even knew it was happening.

Yet someone not only discovered the plan—but infiltrated it.

And that someone wielded a Mangekyō Sharingan.

It wasn’t Uchiha Madara... but it wasn’t a name they recognized either. Still, the ability to control the Nine-Tails was undeniable.

"If it really was Madara—or someone claiming to be him—then he couldn’t have pulled this off alone. He had access to intelligence only a high-ranking Konoha insider would know. That means..."

Jiraiya’s voice lowered.

"There was, and probably still is, a traitor in our midst. Maybe not just one. A whole organization may have been behind it."

After the funeral, Jiraiya had left the village under the pretense of traveling. In truth, he was gathering information, seeking out hidden factions and power structures in the shinobi world. And he had found them—underground networks, secret societies, and ultimately, trails that led back to one name.

Akatsuki.

"I didn’t even tell the village. Only the Third knew about my real mission," Jiraiya said. "Now... you do too."

He looked at Naruto with a tired, solemn expression.

"I can’t say why Hiruzen hid your identity. Maybe he thought it was best to protect you. Maybe he wanted to spare you from asking painful questions too early. Or maybe... he hoped that when you were old enough, we’d already have answers for you."

"By then, you’d be strong enough to face the truth."

Jiraiya paused.

"I don’t know his full reasons. I wasn’t here to see how things unfolded."

Naruto slowly stood and stepped out of the pool. He wrapped himself in a yukata and dried his hair with a towel.

"So the mastermind behind the Nine-Tails attack might be someone from Akatsuki?"

"That’s highly likely," Jiraiya confirmed.

Naruto nodded. "I’ve been hearing another name lately... Shimura Danzo. I met him not long ago. He seemed like he had plans for me. Could he be the traitor?"

Jiraiya shook his head firmly.

"No. Danzo’s methods are... extreme. And yes, he operates from the shadows. But his loyalty to Konoha is real. He and the Third both served under the Second Hokage. They just interpret the Will of Fire differently."

Naruto gave a quiet chuckle—not mocking, but tired.

"The Will of Fire again..."

He turned away.

"Thanks for telling me the truth, Jiraiya. We’re even now."

He tightened the belt around his waist and walked away, not once looking back.

Jiraiya stood there, silent, the steam from the hot spring swirling around him like mist on a battlefield.

He didn’t know how to respond.

Naruto reminded him so much of Minato—calm, collected, analytical. But there was a difference.

Minato had warmth.

Naruto... had distance.

Maybe it was the way he grew up. Maybe it was the walls he built to survive. But either way, it left Jiraiya with an ache in his chest.

If only he had a little more of his mother’s fire...

The eastern streets of Konoha were quiet. Night had fallen, and the streetlights glowed softly, casting long shadows on the stone-paved roads. Unlike the bustling food district, this part of the village was sparse and still.

A few villagers were out for an evening stroll. Some glanced at Naruto with hesitant eyes—faces that showed the urge to approach but didn’t dare take a step closer. Their emotions were plain, almost like they were written across their foreheads.

Naruto noticed them, of course. He saw everything now.

But he didn’t care.

He wasn’t in the mood to entertain their pity or curiosity.

Just minutes ago, in the bathhouse, he’d held himself together. But that didn’t mean he was unaffected. No normal person could hear about the death of their parents—and the betrayal behind it—and remain completely composed.

Bang—

A sudden bump pulled him from his thoughts.

"Ah—sorry, I didn’t notice you," Naruto said reflexively as he turned to apologize.

Two figures stood in front of him, cloaked in black robes with red clouds. Their wide hats obscured their faces, making it impossible to see who they were.

They said nothing at first, but one of them nodded politely, even returning the apology in a calm, low voice. It all seemed like a harmless mistake.

Naruto took two steps forward—then stopped cold.

Something was off.

He might not be as strong as Ryosuke or the village’s elite, but he was still a trained shinobi. Ever since recent events, his awareness had sharpened. He was constantly on guard.

Yet... those two had gotten so close. They’d even brushed shoulders—and he hadn’t noticed a thing.

His instincts screamed.

He tensed, his senses on high alert. He started to turn back to confront them—but just then, two powerful presences appeared beside him.

"Sensei?" Naruto blinked. "And... Might Guy?"

Hatake Kakashi stood on his left, stoic and masked. On his right, the ever-vibrant Jonin, Might Guy, radiated intensity—even in stillness. Both men stared ahead, expressions sharp.

"Leave, Naruto. Head for the center of Konoha—now." Kakashi’s voice was firm, devoid of his usual laziness. Naruto had only heard this tone twice before—once during their encounter with Orochimaru... and once after Rin’s death.

Almost at the same time, the two cloaked figures turned around. One of them spoke with a distinct arrogance.

"Copy Ninja Kakashi? And... a green little fish?"

The man’s voice was smooth but condescending. His robe rustled as he shifted his stance.

Kakashi narrowed his gaze. "Identify yourselves. We need to confirm your status. I suggest—"

But before he could finish, the figure lunged—blazingly fast.

Bang!

The sound of clashing fists echoed through the street. A shockwave burst from the point of contact, kicking up wind and dust. The sheer force blew back Naruto and Kakashi, and the impact tore away the cloaks and hats of the intruders—revealing their faces.

The first was a towering, shark-like man with blue-gray skin and a massive sword on his back. He grinned, razor-sharp teeth glinting.

The second had a cool, expressionless face—eyes spinning slowly with the Three Tomoe Sharingan.

"Hoshigaki Kisame... Uchiha Itachi."

Kakashi’s heart sank as he uttered the names.

Two deadly enemies.

Kisame was a well-known monster from the Hidden Mist—feared for his raw strength and unmatched skill in kenjutsu and taijutsu.

But thankfully, Might Guy had intercepted the blow.

"Don’t look into his eyes!" Kakashi barked, yanking up his headband to reveal his own Sharingan.

Without hesitation, Guy stepped back, grabbed Naruto by the collar, and spun on his heel. Using the momentum, he hurled Naruto toward the heart of the village.

"Get him!" Itachi commanded.

Kisame launched into the air immediately, pursuing Naruto with terrifying speed.

But Guy was already there.

Bang!

Fist and foot collided mid-air before the two combatants quickly disengaged. The shock of their impact cracked the street beneath them. The surrounding villagers screamed and scattered.

ANBU operatives, alerted by the clash, began to converge on the scene.

The two Jonin stood between the invaders and the retreating Naruto.

Guy and Kisame glared at each other.

"You’re still holding back," Kisame noted, narrowing his eyes.

"You too," Guy shot back coldly, though his right leg trembled slightly from the force of their exchange.

"No games," Itachi said quietly behind Kisame. "We’re here to assess the Nine-Tails’ Jinchūriki. Don’t waste time."

With a blur of motion, the two vanished—fading like phantoms into the mist.

"Genjutsu...!" Kakashi snapped, spinning his Sharingan. But it was too late. The illusion had already worked, and their chakra signatures had disappeared without a trace.

"A high-level genjutsu combined with the Body Flicker Technique," Kakashi muttered. "They used the confusion to retreat. Come on!"

He and Guy immediately took off in the direction Naruto had been thrown.

—

Naruto landed in a roll, then sprang up and sprinted toward the Hokage Building.

"Enemy attack!" he shouted as he ran. "Akatsuki members—Hoshigaki Kisame and Uchiha Itachi!"

His voice echoed through the streets, catching the attention of ANBU squads and civilians alike.

But even as he warned the village, Naruto felt it.

Two presences—dark and deadly—were closing in.

Even without the Nine-Tails’ power, Naruto was fast. Among his peers, one of the fastest.

But it wasn’t enough.

They were catching up.

Fast.

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