Chapter 39 - 39

Naruto stood at Konoha's gates, his backpack slung over his shoulder, his grin as bright as the morning sun. "Let's go find this Tsunade lady, Pervy Sage!" he shouted, punching the air. Jiraiya chuckled, but his eyes were serious, and Naruto's distrust simmered. The Konoha Crush had left the village scarred, and Naruto's victory over Gaara had made him a hero to some, but not to all. The glares still followed him, the whispers of demon still lingered. The Third's death had closed one door to the truth, but Tsunade might open another—if he could gain her trust, or outsmart her.The mission to find Tsunade was a new path to power. Jiraiya's training would push him further, and the Nine-Tails' chakra was becoming his own, bit by bit. The Scroll of Sealing, still hidden, was his fallback, its secrets waiting for him to master. But the invasion had shown him something else: power wasn't just chakra or jutsu. Gaara's change, Sasuke's sacrifice, Sakura's courage—they hinted at bonds, something Naruto couldn't trust, not yet. Bonds were risks, but power was certain.As they left Konoha, Naruto waved at passing shinobi, his grin hiding his resolve. "I'm gonna be Hokage someday!" he shouted, but his heart was on the truth—why the Fourth chose him, why the village hid it. Orochimaru's attack had shown him the stakes: enemies like him knew his secret, and they'd use it. Naruto needed power to face them, to face the village, to stand tall.He summoned a clone to carry his pack, laughing as it stumbled, but his mind was on the Nine-Tails. Each day, its chakra grew stronger, more controlled. He'd beaten Gaara, saved Konoha, but the real fight was ahead. Tsunade, Jiraiya, the village—they were all pieces of the puzzle. Naruto's grin stayed, but his eyes were hard. He'd keep his mask on, keep training, keep digging. The Konoha Crush had taken the Third, but it hadn't taken his will. With power, he'd uncover the truth, no matter who stood in his way.