Naruto: Amongst the Whirling Tides Chapter 6

Hi all,

Here’s the next chapter. I will post the edited chapters shortly. Some minor changes overall. You don’t have to reread it, but there are enough differences that it may feel different.

Chapter 6

Danzo appeared on top of the Hokage’s Tower to observe the plume of smoke rising against the backdrop of the night sky. The location of the explosion was in the residential district. His shinobi were already responding to the commotion, quickly moving towards it to address the threat and ensure the safety of the civilians in the vicinity.

He was in a bad mood due to being awakened by an explosion in the middle of the night, which disturbed his precious sleep.

His eyes narrowed. The location was close to where he kept the Kazekage's children prisoners. If they had managed to escape, he would lose a valuable bargaining chip. The pressing question was, who was assisting them? Had Suna lost all sense of reason and resorted to retrieving their jinchuriki by force?

The Anbu Commander appeared beside him. His name was Akishi Hiroshi. He could be easily recognized by his spiky brown hair and the dog-themed mask he wore, with pointed ears.

“Report,” Danzo stated.

“Hai. The jinchuriki and his siblings were broken out of their prison,” Akishi said calmly. “We believe that the intruders intentionally caused an explosion in a warehouse close by as a means to create a diversion and cover their escape."

“What is the extent of the damage? Casualties?”

"The fire has spread to the adjacent buildings, but we have successfully contained it. Currently, there are a few individuals injured from the initial explosion, but there have been no reports of any fatalities."

“Where are the prisoners? The intruders?”

“We are not sure,” Akishi admitted. “It appears that they possess a concealed escape route that eludes our detection. The Anbu and Military Police forces are currently searching the village for them."

Danzo paused, taking a deep breath, before he exploded with anger. “How is that possible?”

Akishi hesitated for a moment. “I suspect a secret route concealed with seal arrays. I can’t think of any other method that would effectively hide intruders from our sensors."

Danzo slammed his cane against the roof, realising that he had greatly underestimated Jiraiya. The possibility that Jiraiya would free the Kazekage's children never even crossed his mind. Was he working with Suna? His train of thought was abruptly halted by the emergence of an even more unsettling notion. What if this wasn't the main event? Could it be possible that this attack was just a diversion for something else?

An Anbu appeared on the roof, seemingly in response to his fears. The masked figure knelt in front of the two men.

“Report,” Akishi ordered his subordinate.

"Hai. There has been a disturbance in the Forest of Death. Choza Akimichi's expanded form was spotted above the treeline. It is believed that he is currently engaging an enemy force."

Danzo tightened his grip on his cane as his thoughts whirled in chaos. Jiraiya's true intentions were to target his Root compound and free the jinchuriki. To make matters worse, he had allies. Danzo wasn’t delusional enough to believe that Choza was there to protect his compound. How many others were assisting Jiraiya in his endeavour? Were they defecting from the village?

“Spook,” Danzo called, summoning his subordinate.

“What is your command, Lord Hokage?” Spook appeared next to him.

“Send your unit to Choza’s location and subdue the intruders. Don’t let anyone escape!”

“As you command, Lord Hokage,”  Spook saluted before disappearing off the roof.

“Should we help him?” Akishi asked.

“No. Assist with the cleanup of the residential area. Remain vigilant in case there are any additional intruders."

“Hai.”

Danzo made his way back to the Hokage's office, which served as the symbol of his power. During times of adversity, he understood the importance of projecting himself as a solid foundation of strength for the village. Regardless of the consequences that may arise from the events that unfolded tonight, he was fully prepared to take charge and address them.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Sasuke was awakened by the sudden explosion that shook the village. Despite not understanding the cause of the commotion, he saw it as the ideal chance to make his escape. With haste, he dressed himself and retrieved a bag from his closet.

Sasuke removed a painting from the wall, uncovering an apparently blank space. He then used a kunai to slice his hand, causing blood to start oozing from the wound. He pressed his hand against the wall. In response, a symbol appeared and briefly lit up before a section of the wall slid away. Behind it, a small alcove was revealed, filled with storage scrolls containing the possessions he inherited from the Unchicha clan. He gathered them into his bag and closed the wall behind him.

It wasn't the entire inheritance, as the more significant items were hidden in a secret location outside of the village. Eventually, he would have to travel there to acquire his remaining possessions.

Sasuke opened the door and peered out. He activated his Sharingan and observed the courtyard outside his apartment. Seeing nothing in sight, he closed the door and stepped into the street. Knowing that a quick escape was necessary, he felt a sense of urgency.

A man appeared silently before him, his face concealed by a white mask. "I recommend that you go back to your apartment, Sasuke Uchiha. It's currently not safe on the streets."

"I can go wherever I please," Sasuke scowled. "Get out of my way."

“I am afraid I must insist that you return to your apartment,” the man stated as he advanced towards Sasuke.

“Are you one of Danzo’s spies?” Sasuke asked, retrieving a kunai from his pouch and assuming a defensive stance. He was not going to let the man stop him from leaving the village.

“He is the Lord Hokage. Show your respect.”

Just as Sasuke was about to strike, a snake slithered up and coiled around his legs. The man froze, his gaze fixated downwards. Before he could utter a word, a hand, layered in chakra, burst out from his chest. A surge of blood gushed forth, drenching Sasuke's face. A shudder ran through the man before he collapsed to the ground.

Sasuke yelled, frantically wiping the blood from his face. Some of it splashed into his mouth, and he fought back the urge to vomit from tasting someone else's blood. He opened his eyes to see a familiar figure standing there.

“Hello, Sasuke,” Kabuto drawled, crouching down to wipe the blood off the kunai with the pants of the deceased man.

“What are you doing here, Kabuto? Where is Orochimaru?” Sasuke growled.

“He is waiting at another location,” Kabuto replied. “He desires your presence.”

“As if I am going anywhere with that freak,” Sasuke backed away a few steps. “That asshole gave me this curse seal. Whatever he wants, it can’t be anything good.”

“You’re fooling yourself if you think you have a choice in the matter,” Kabuto said. “Now come on. Orochimaru does not have much time left.”

Caw.

Kabuto's eyes widened as he raised his head, searching the surroundings for the source of the noise. Sasuke followed his gaze until they both spotted a man standing there. He was dressed in a black cloak with red cloud patterns, scattered across the fabric.

A man lay unconscious at his feet, restrained by ninja wire.

“Brother,” Sasuke growled. His Sharingan blazed as he fixed his gaze upon his most hated adversary.

“What are you doing here, Itachi?” Kabuto inquired, his face filled with concern. This was an opponent he couldn't defeat.

Itachi lifted the unconscious person from the roof and forcefully threw him down towards Kabuto. Kabuto cursed and quickly moved to catch the falling man. Once Kabuto safely lowered the man to the ground, he glanced at Itachi with a perplexed expression.

“Sasuke is off-limits,” Itachi said. "This individual should make a suitable replacement for Orochimaru."

Kabuto flipped the man over and caught a glimpse of his face. His face briefly displayed incredulity, but soon transformed into a smile. "I'm not sure why you're helping Orochimaru, but he will be satisfied with this vessel."

Kabuto swiftly lifted the man onto his back and swiftly dashed away into the night.

“Why do you persist in tormenting me?” Sasuke gritted his teeth. “Have you come to finish me off?”

“Foolish little brother,” Itachi vanished behind a veil of crows before reappearing in front of him. “I can’t kill you. Danzo has plans for you.”

“What do you mean?” Sasuke tightened his grip on the kunai, battling the temptation to launch an attack on his brother. He was well aware that such a move would be pointless, especially after their encounter at the hospital.

“Let me show you,” Itachi said, the tomoes in his eyes spinning as he activated Tsukuyomi.

“No,” Sasuke screamed as his surroundings suddenly shifted.

He glanced around fearfully, almost anticipating being transported back to the night of the massacre. However, he found himself in a room instead, silently witnessing an unfolding scene before him. His eyes widened at the sight of a younger Itachi kneeling in front of a seated Danzo. Despite wearing a white mask, there was no mistaking that it was his brother. What was going on?

“What are your findings?” Danzo asked.

“The Uchiha clan are staging a rebellion,” Itachi raised his head. "Father has been incited into a frenzy, but I feel like there is someone manipulating him from behind the scenes. The rest of the elders, however, are eager to stage a coup. They want to remove Hiruzen as the Hokage and replace him with one of their own."

Sasuke was taken aback, questioning the reality of the situation. This couldn't possibly be true, could it?

"Perhaps they desire for you to assume the role of the new Hokage," Danzo mused.

Itachi shook his head. "Even if I wanted to, I am still too young.”

“Do you know why they are staging a coup?”

Sasuke waited with bated breath, desiring the answer himself.

“They are furious about being restricted to their own compound and placed under constant surveillance. They feel betrayed because the village thinks they were responsible for the Kyuubi's attack.”

“I was afraid it would come to this,” Danzo sighed.

There was a moment of silence as Danzo appeared deep in thought.

“The time for negotiations are over,” Danzo struck his cane against the ground. “The Uchiha clan must be eliminated. They are a danger to the village. I expect you to take this task upon yourself. If you do this, I will allow you to spare your little brother.”

“Understood,” Itachi rose to his feet and saluted.

The surroundings twisted and Sasuke suddenly found himself back on the street. He spun around, desperately searching for his brother. His mind was in a whirlwind of thoughts, trying to make sense of the information his brother had shown him. Was it a genuine memory or merely an illusion fabricated by Itachi for his own twisted enjoyment?

A voice appeared in the wind.

"If you want to leave the village and seek revenge, it's time for you to leave, my foolish little brother."

Sasuke scanned his surroundings one final time, with no sign of Itachi in sight. He hurried through the streets towards the gates. Leaving the village without being noticed was a daunting task, yet he clung to the hope that his brother would find a way to ensure their exit went smoothly. Whatever game Itachi was playing, he was going to take advantage of it.

He thought about the vision he had seen while running. If it was a genuine memory, that would imply Itachi had been working for Danzo all along. But why did he let him escape? Danzo intended to use him to bring forth the new generation of Uchiha. So why was Itachi going against these plans?

Sasuke promised himself that he will return someday and seek vengeance against Danzo and Itachi. It was a tragedy that the entire Uchiha clan had to suffer the consequences of the elder's plan to stage a coup. What about the innocent civilians, which included all the children? Why did they have to suffer for the actions of a few?

He will ask about Danzo's motives upon his return, just before slitting the man's throat.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

“Where are we going?” Naruto asked.

The group successfully fled the compound and evaded the pursuing operative by strategically placing explosive traps at the entrance. Although it would temporarily slow them down, their main concern was not him. They were expecting another group of shinobi to pursue them. If Danzo was predictable, then he would send more of his Root operatives. He wouldn’t like it if the rest of the village discovered his secret compound.

They were heading deeper into the Forest of Death, led by Anko who was the most familiar with the area. They moved swiftly from tree to tree, travelling at high speeds, as the ground rushed past beneath them Even Kuromaru effortlessly kept up with their pace, making it look effortless.

“There is a secret passage that leads out of the village. It is located deeper inside the forest,” Jiraiya replied. “It is fortunate that the compound was located in the same general area.”

“Do you think the Root operatives will catch up?”

“They will if you continue to slow down because of your incessant chatter,” Tsume growled from behind them.

“Hey. you look familiar. Any relation to that mongrel, Kiba?” Naruto asked.

“Don’t call my son names, Baldy,” Tsume retorted. Karumaru barked in agreement.

“His head does look like a wrinkled ball sack,” Sai offered helpfully. He was currently bound with ninja wire and being carried by Gai. They decided to not leave him behind, although Naruto didn’t see the benefit in keeping him around.

“Shut it, creep,” Naruto grumbled. He was upset that his head had been shaved once again before he made his escape. Now he would have to wait weeks before it returned to normal.

Jiraiya called for a halt, and everyone stopped to perch on a branch, looking at him questioningly. "They're gaining on us. They must have a means of tracking our location."

Naruto looked down at his plain white uniform. “Do you think there is something on my clothes?”

“Or the mini-Orochimaru is leading them here,” Ankp pointed to Sai.

“It doesn’t really matter how they found us,” Jiraiya said.

Hiashi activated his Byakugan and scanned the forest behind them. His dojutsu granted him the ability to see great distances and even through obstacles. “He is right. They are closing in fast. Should we engage them?”

Jiraiya bit his lip. "We might not have any other option. It is crucial that we don’t direct them towards the passage leading out of the village. Do you happen to know their numbers?"

“Twenty-three shinobi,” Hiashi replied. “Their chakra reserves indicate that there are eleven individuals with Jonin-level reserves. The rest are chunin level.”

“That sounds like a piece of cake,” Naruto said.

"I can see that you are brimming with youthful energy, Naruto," Gai gave him a thumbs up, almost dropping Sai to the ground in the process. “Let's fight a passionate battle filled with hotbloodedness."

“Should we split up and fight them separately?” Inoichi asked. “It will get chaotic if we stick together.”

“That sounds like some sound wisdom,” Choza grunted.

Jiraiya surveyed the assembled shinobi, carefully assessing his available options. "Okay, here's the plan. We're going to divide into three groups and confront the enemy separately. Anko, you'll team up with Gai and Tsume. Hiashi, you'll stick with Inoichi and Choza. Naruto and I will be the last team."

"What is stopping them from pursuing you and Naruto alone?" Hiashi asked. “The jinchuriki is their main priority.”

“We will stay within a certain range just in case that scenario plays out,” Jiraiya stated. "Once we engage the enemy, use your own judgment to determine your next course of action."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Jiraiya flashed a grin, effortlessly diffusing the tension. “You are aware of where we need to go. in the event that any of our groups is eliminated or captured. If you happen to get caught, remember not to spill the beans on the secret passage straight away.”

"As if they could ever compare to my methods of torture," Anko chuckled.

The group split into three, with Naruto following Jiraiya. They maintained a safe distance from the other groups as they proceeded forward. It wouldn't be long before the enemy force caught up to them.

“Do you still have enough chakra to enter Tailed-Beast mode?” Jiriaya questioned.

“Sure,” Naruto said. “I should still be good for a few minutes of action.”

"Great because we'll definitely need it," Jiraiya responded. "We've got four jonin and three chunin hot on our trail."

“How do you know?”

“I have some of my summons scouting behind me,” Jiraiya replied.

"I propose that I take care of the jonin and you can have the chunin," Naruto suggested.

“I think it has to be the other way around,” Jiraiya snorted. He gestured to the open space amidst the trees in front of them. "We will make a stand there."

They landed on the ground, and Jiraiya swiftly retrieved a scroll and brush. Naruto observed closely as Jiraiya skillfully and quickly sketched a fuinjutsu array on the scroll.

“What’s that for?” Naruto asked curiously.

“This will even the odds,” Jiraiya explained. “It is a gravity seal that will affect the immediate surroundings. It will impede the enemies' movements, making it easier to defeat them."

"Won't we also be affected?"

“Not if we add our blood to it,” Jiraiya said, placing the scroll on the ground before biting his thumb and smearing some blood onto the array.

Naruto copied him and added his own blood. "This is absolutely amazing. Could you teach me fuinjutsu?"

“Well, it’s in your blood,” Jiraiya replied mysteriously. He performed a sequence of hand seals and then placed his hand on the scroll. The scroll sunk into the ground, rendering it inaccessible to the enemy shinobi.

The Root operatives arrived half a minute later. The seven of them stopped in the trees above them, spreading out to surround them in all directions. Naruto and Jiraiya spread out so they wouldn’t get in the way of each other’s fight.

“Jiraiya?” One of the men called out. He stood out among the other operatives by donning a wooden mask instead of the typical white mask. "My name is Spook. Surrender now and we will safely escort you back to the village."

"Do you honestly believe that I will give up at this point?" Jiraiya scoffed.

"What sort of name is Spook? Do you have an unsightly face that you're concealing under that mask?" Naruto asked.

“I have been told I have an unsettling face,” Spook replied. “But enough chatter. Chunin, you will take out the jinchuriki while we face Jiraiya. He should be easy enough to subdue.”

“Oh really?” Naruto emitted a low growl as a vibrant cloak of orange chakra enveloped him, revealing two distinct tails extending from behind him. “I am not going to be so easily defeated.”

“This is a surprise,” Spook said. “But not an unwelcome one. This just makes the fight a lot easier.”

He quickly weaved a series of hand signs.

“Naruto, look out,” Jiraiya warned.

Wooden beams burst out from a tree beside Naruto, who swiftly evaded them as they took shape into a cage in an attempt to capture him. took a few steps back as the wooden structure receded back into the tree. “What the hell?”

"Yamato, is that really you?" Jiraiya inquired. "I had no idea that you were still working for Root."

"I never stopped," Yamato replied. "Operatives, attack!"

The seven operatives leapt to the ground, already weaving hand signs in preparation to attack. Jiraiya infused chakra into his hair, causing it to expand and become rigid. He aimed his hair at the descending shinobi and unleashed a flurry of hundreds of sharp needles.

The seven shinobi were overwhelmed by the attack, but suddenly each one burst, revealing that they were merely clones.

The Root operatives burst from the tree lines, immediately splitting into two groups to engage Jiraiya and Naruto separately. They were immediately impacted by the gravity seal, causing them to slow down. This bolstered Naruto's confidence in his ability to defeat them.

Naruto swiftly called forth two shadow clones to join him in confronting the trio of Chunin. Similar to Fu, the three adversaries wielded tanto blades. One of the Chunin relentlessly launched a barrage of powerful slashes in an effort to keep Naruto at a distance. While evading the onslaught, Naruto unleashed his Adamantine Sensing Chains and ensnared one of the Chunin's legs. Immediately, he got a sense of his opponent's rhythm and waited for a chance to counterattack.

One of Naruto’s shadow clones was destroyed, and the chunin rushed to engage Naruto together with his comrade. They two worked in tandem to pressure him, and he found it harder to dodge the flurry of strikes coming his way. His tail emerged from behind him and grabbed the blades in the chunin's hands. The second chunin released the tanto immediately.

The initial chunin that confronted him clung on to his tanto, refusing to release his grip. Naruto, using his tail, yanked the chunin towards him, causing the man to lose balance. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Naruto landed a powerful blow to his opponent's stomach. The force of the punch, reinforced with the power of the Tailed-Beast transformation, made the chunin cough up blood as his organs shifted from the impact. He crumpled to his knees, suffering from severe injuries.

At that moment, Naruto’s second shadow clone was destroyed, and the third chunin rushed forward to help the remaining chunin. Naruto swiftly kicked the kneeling chunin, propelling him into the path of the third chunin who was approaching him. The unexpected manoeuvre caught the man off guard, and he had to quickly catch his comrade, resulting in both of them falling to the ground.

At the same time, he used one of his tails to block an attack from the second chunin, while another tail lashed out causing his opponent to jump backwards. Naruto swiftly formed a sequence of hand seals, causing water to burst forth from his mouth in an instant as a powerful beam surged towards its target. The chunin ducked beneath the attack, but a tail arrived soon after and wrapped around his waist. Naruto launched the man into the air, and slammed him hard into the nearest tree. He didn’t let him go, though.

He slammed the struggling chunin into the third chunin who was getting off the ground. In a similar fashion to his previous attack on Fu, he repeatedly slammed the second chunin into the ground, while also delivering blows to the third chunin. There was no need to worry about the first chunin, as he was already out of the picture.

As he decimated his opponents, he was fully aware of the fight occurring between Jiraiya and the four jonin. However, he had tried to block out the distraction as he fought his opponents. Once he determined they were out for the count, he turned to observe Jiraiya’s fight.

He blinked in astonishment. Two of the jonin were already lying on the ground, completely incapacitated. Yamato and the other jonin in their group were fiercely exchanging blows with Jiraiya. The surrounding ground appeared to be churned up, with certain areas charred in the aftermath of their intense encounter. Yamato abruptly retreated, leaving his comrade behind, and swiftly vanished into the thick cover of trees.

Naruto narrowly avoided capture as he became distracted. Roots suddenly sprouted from the ground, attempting to entangle him. Quick as a flash, he sought refuge at Jiraiya's side, precisely when the man conjured a powerful orb of swirling blue chakra in his hand.

Jiraiya lunged forward and thrust the ball of chakra into the jonin's stomach, tearing his uniform to shreds. The impact sent the man hurtling backwards, crashing into a nearby tree. He slumped to the ground, a gaping hole in his stomach exposing his innards.

Naruto averted his gaze from the nauseating sight. He grimaced as he reversed the transformation, feeling the strain on his body. Despite being able to sustain it for a decent duration, it still took a toll on his physical body.

Jiraiya took a few deep breaths. "Yamato won't be coming back. He's not foolish enough to think he can capture you at this point."

“Who was that man? How could he use wood release?”

“Yamato is the result of Orochimaru’s illegal experiments,” Jiraiya replied.

Naruto nodded and was about to ask another question when a distant shout rang out.

“Come on,” Jiraiya said, launching himself into the tree. "Shall we check in with our allies to see if they require any assistance?"

Naruto trailed after him, heading toward the source of the disturbance. What they stumbled upon was a scene of utter destruction, with Gai positioned in the centre amidst several bodies strewn across the ground. Surrounding him was an intense and fiery aura, delineating the tremendous power that seemed to emanate from within him, while his muscles visibly swelled with immense strength.

Anko was standing beside him, looking relaxed as she munched on a dango. Tsume stood with Karumaru, guarding Sai, who was resting against a tree, observing the scene with indifference.

"What took you so long? We managed everything without any difficulty, even though we had ten opponents. Gai did most of the work," Anko said.

Anko reached out and slapped Gai’s shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain. The aura surrounding him disappeared, and he fell to the ground with a groan.

“Oops.” Anko rubbed her head in embarrassment.

“He is going to be out of commission for a while,” Jiraiya said. “We need to leave here. Where are the others?”

As if summoned, the three remaining members of their group emerged from the trees.. They had a few minor wounds, but nothing serious. Hiashi looked impeccable as always.

“Choza, can you carry Gai?” Jiraiya asked, as he picked up Sai and slung him over his shoulders.

“Sure thing,” Choza slung Gai over his shoulder as he weighed nothing.

“How far away are we from the passage?” Naruto asked.

“Another hour or so,” Jiraiya said. “Let's go.”

They hurried towards their destination, maintaining silence and moving quickly to prevent any more shinobi from catching up with them. After nearly an hour, Jiraiya slowed down and descended to the ground. The rest of the group followed as he guided them to a towering tree.

“Our destination is a tree?” Naruto stared at Jiraiya in disbelief.

“Are you forgetting who I am?” Jiraiya slapped Naruto’s shoulder.

Jiraiya performed a sequence of hand signs, then pressed his palm against the trunk. There was a thud, and suddenly a door materialised at the base of the tree. Naruto could see a spiralling staircase descending into darkness.

“There should be some people waiting for us down below,” Jiraiya said as he gestured to them to enter.

They made their way down the staircase, illuminated by torches set against the wall. Naruto reached out and ran his hand over the wall, which turned out to be a smooth concrete wall. Someone had put a lot of work into building this passage.

At the bottom of the staircase, they followed a corridor before it opened out into a large room. Naruto spotted several people waiting for them, and he shouted in surprise.

“Gaara! Temari! Makeup boy! What are you doing here?”

“My name is Kankuro,” the black-suited teenager yelled.

Gaara glanced at his sister. "He appears different in some way."

Temari wore a smirk as he examined his bald head.“His head looks like a wrinkled ball sack.”

“That’s what I said,” Sai spoke up from the rear of the group.

“It’s perfectly smooth,” Naruto scowled, advancing towards them. “Why don’t you touch it, Temari? It is definitely the smoothest ball sack you will ever feel!”

“In your dreams, Uzimaki,” Temari laughed.

"Enough," the old lady interjected, her voice stern. "There's no time for jesting now. Our escape from Konoha is not over yet."

"The other villagers should have escaped by now, Chiyo," Jiraiya respectfully addressed the elderly woman. "Are you certain that you want me to take on the responsibility of caring for the Kazekage's children?"

Temari and Kankuro gasped in surprise, looking at Chiyo for answers.

“What is he talking about?” Gaara asked.

“I can’t take you back to Suna,” Chiyo explained. "Danzo will know that Suna was involved in your rescue if you are spotted in public. He is actively seeking any justification to initiate an invasion of Suna. S"You'll be joining Jiraiya and the other villagers who are leaving Konoha. It should be safe with them."

“Abandon our village?” Temari protested. “Are you mad?”

Kankuro nodded his head in agreement. Gaara didn’t speak, but his blank face and crossed arms said everything.

“It’s not forever,” Chiyo assured them. "Only until the situation improves, either by Danzo being forced out as Hokage or Suna gaining enough strength to resist Konoha."

Naruto surveyed the room as the four individuals engaged in a heated argument. The room served as a weapon cache, housing an impressive collection of numerous ninja tools, weapons, scrolls, and outfits. Naruto's eyes gleamed with excitement as he spotted the assortment of clothing, prompting him to approach and examine the array of options at his disposal. He needed to get out of these white prison clothes.

“I have your favourite orange outfit sealed into a storage scroll,” Jiraiya said as he came to stand next to him.

“I feel like I need a change,” Naruto said as eyed one particular outfit.

The attire looked like a jonin uniform, consisting of a vest layered over regular clothes, along with bandages wrapped around the wrists and shins.

The vest, instead of its usual green colour, was black. What he particularly liked was the splash of orange, showcased through stripes that ran down the sides of the pant legs.

“It even has a bandana for your head,” Jiraiya said helpfully.

“Shut up,” Naruto said, as he removed the white clothes and swiftly donned the uniform. Glancing down at himself, he couldn't help but think he looked pretty good.

Naruto also made sure to stock up on ninja tools. Since he was unsure of what he might come across outside, it was important for him to be well-prepared.

"Where exactly are we headed?” Naruto asked Jiraiya. “You forgot to mention that important detail."

So, what do you think? Naruto is finally free and the team is heading for their ultimate destination in the next chapter.

Thanks for reading.