Konoha's rebuilding efforts were in full swing, and Naruto helped carry supplies, his grin wide as he shouted encouragement to weary villagers. "We're gonna make this place better than ever!" he said, but his eyes were on the Hokage Tower, now a symbol of secrets he couldn't yet reach. The Third's death had shaken him, but it also lit a fire. The village's lies were still alive, and he'd need more power—more than clones, more than the Nine-Tails—to uncover them.Jiraiya pulled him aside, his expression serious. "We're looking for Tsunade, the next Hokage," he said. "You're coming with me, kid. Time to learn what a real ninja's made of." Naruto's grin was instant—"Awesome! Road trip with Pervy Sage!"—but his distrust flared. Tsunade was a Sannin, like Jiraiya and Orochimaru. Another powerful figure who likely knew about the Nine-Tails. Could he trust her? Could he trust Jiraiya?The mission was a chance to grow stronger, to learn from a legend, but also a risk. Jiraiya's training had already pushed him—summoning toads, controlling chakra—but Naruto needed more. The Scroll of Sealing's secrets were still locked, its notes on Tailed Beast control too complex for him alone. He needed Jiraiya's knowledge, but he'd keep his guard up. No one was giving him the truth for free.That night, Naruto trained in his forest clearing, summoning a thousand clones, their movements precise. He reached for the Nine-Tails' chakra, feeling it pulse, stronger now. He saw those red eyes, felt the fox's rage, but he held it, channeling it into his clones. "You're mine," he whispered, his voice steady. The power was growing, but so was the danger. Orochimaru's invasion, Gaara's pain, the Hokage's death—they were reminders of what power could do, and what it couldn't.Naruto's grin returned as he headed home, but his mind was on Tsunade. A new Hokage meant new challenges, new secrets. He'd play the fool, learn what he could, and grow stronger. The village saw him as a demon, but he'd become a force they couldn't ignore—one who'd rip the truth from their hands.
