On the day of the Third Hokage's funeral, it rained heavily.
The ninjas, dressed in black, stood solemnly beneath the Hokage Rock.
Silence. Stillness.
Naruto lifted his head, silently gazing at the four carved faces of the Hokage. Then, he looked down at Hiruzen Sarutobi's photo on the offering table.
"The Third Hokage is dead," Naruto murmured. "I think… I'll be leaving Konoha too."
Even the faintest voice seemed amplified in that atmosphere—harsh and jarring.
People turned to look at him, stunned.
Sasuke and Sakura were the most shocked, their faces filled with disbelief.
Karin, as if already knowing his decision, stepped behind him with firm resolve.
"Naruto!" Kakashi spoke in a low voice, reaching out to stop him.
Naruto avoided him and looked back with a bright smile. "I've had this thought for a while. It was only the other day that I finally made up my mind."
He seemed to see the shadow of the "Reaper" again.
"I have something more important to do."
"Staying in Konoha as a ninja is not it."
Some people reacted intensely.
"You're defecting from Konoha?" asked Kurenai Yuhi, a newly promoted jonin, unaware of Naruto's true identity.
Those who did know reacted even more intensely.
Several Anbu instantly surrounded the rooftop, forming hand seals and preparing chakra.
Further away, more chakra signatures stirred.
"Don't put it that way," Naruto looked at her, glancing across the crowd and smiling. "I was never truly accepted as one of you, so how can it be considered betrayal?"
Kurenai froze.
Sakura shouted, "But things are changing!"
"Naruto, I don't dislike you at all now."
"You're a great teammate."
"Other people are beginning to change their view of you too!"
Naruto shook his head and interrupted, "Do you know what the Third Hokage wanted to say to me before he died?"
Sakura opened her mouth.
How would she know?
She wasn't even there.
"He said 'I'm sorry,'" Naruto answered himself, then added another question. "But do you know why he said that?"
He looked up, his eyes sweeping the crowd.
Some already knew the answer.
Kakashi lowered his head. Genma avoided his gaze. Shikamaru and his father both looked away. Many unfamiliar faces among the ninjas did the same.
"Sakura, the Third Hokage is here. So is my father."
Naruto turned to face the crowd, his back to the Hokage Rock. He smiled faintly and raised his hand.
"I am the Fourth Hokage's son."
The last face carved into the mountain slightly lowered its head, as if looking down on Naruto.
That single sentence, spoken in the calmest tone, made the pupils of many ignorant onlookers dilate in shock.
Sakura was stunned.
Sasuke looked up in surprise.
Kurenai was wide-eyed.
How could he be the Fourth Hokage's son?
Some glanced toward the child in Iruka's arms—that was the Hokage's grandson.
Then they looked back at Naruto—that was the Hokage's son.
Their childhoods couldn't be more different. One was cherished, the other neglected.
No one among the guilty crowd stepped forward to argue.
"Naruto," Jiraiya suddenly appeared with a somber expression. "It's Konoha that owes you—"
Naruto cut him off: "The Third Hokage already said 'I'm sorry.'"
"Saying more only makes it seem meaningless."
"He died for the village, so he can be called a hero."
"But I don't plan on accepting that apology."
He took Karin's hand, chakra flowing as he stepped forward into the air.
Climbing skyward on invisible steps.
The hearts of the gathered ninjas tightened.
To walk through the air with only chakra control?
Such terrifying mastery.
Many ninjas unfamiliar with Naruto were astonished.
The Nine-Tails' jinchūriki was already this powerful?
It had only been three months since he graduated from the academy.
"Jiraiya-sensei, you're a good man. I enjoyed being around you."
"And you too, Kakashi-sensei."
Naruto turned and looked at him with mixed feelings.
"When I first learned you were my father's student, I was so happy."
"I thought maybe you'd show me some favoritism."
"But in the end, it seemed like you preferred Sasuke."
Kakashi said nothing, silently staring at the golden-haired boy walking through the sky.
Naruto rested his hand on his sword and sighed, "Now, all of a sudden, I'm getting so much kindness from Konoha."
"So much care, too."
"But…"
"The time I needed it most was before I turned six."
"And after that, before I graduated."
"Now, I'm capable of taking care of myself—and others too."
"Jiraiya-sensei, Kakashi-sensei…"
"You're both great."
"But you came just a bit too late."
"Just like the Third Hokage's apology—too late."
Jiraiya opened his mouth but said nothing, his gaze drifting toward the Fourth Hokage's statue.
In a world where nothing goes wrong.
"As a jinchūriki, you've already been treated very well," one ninja said. "The Third Hokage spoiled you."
Naruto looked at him.
An unfamiliar face.
He smiled gently and answered without hesitation: "There are many people in the world far more unfortunate than I am."
"I visited Gaara recently."
"As a jinchūriki, I did have it better than him. At least I could go to school like a normal child, despite being ostracized."
"Sasuke's pain far surpasses mine."
"Iruka-sensei's misfortunes weren't any less than mine."
"But—"
He paused and looked across the crowd.
"Just because others suffer more, does that mean I should ignore my own pain?"
"Isn't that a little unfair?"
"I just want to leave the pain behind… and seek my own happiness."
Jiraiya took a deep breath and turned his gaze away from the statue. "Naruto, after leaving the village—what do you plan to do?"
"If it's just leaving for the sake of leaving—"
"I was a little lost before. But now, I have a goal." Naruto's smile was bright and determined. "I'm going to find my mom and dad."
Jiraiya was confused.
Find his parents?
Two people already dead?
Naruto suddenly turned to look into the distance.
Some chakra signatures stirred restlessly, poised to strike.
"Don't make me fight, okay?"
"I don't really like it here."
"But this is the place my mom and dad gave their lives to protect. It's their home."
"I don't want to destroy their home."
Silence.
The atmosphere turned increasingly tense and conflicted.
A ninja stepped forward—it was Shikamaru's father, Shikaku. He formed a seal and spoke solemnly: "As Nara Shikaku, head of the jonin squad, I authorize Uzumaki Naruto's departure from the village."
Jiraiya leapt up and summoned the great toad, blocking the restive chakra with his body. He followed up, "As one of the Legendary Sannin, Toad Sage Jiraiya, I support Uzumaki Naruto."
After a moment of silence, Kakashi also stepped forward: "As the leader of Team 7, I support Uzumaki Naruto."
They couldn't stop Naruto.
He was already a mature—and powerful—ninja.
Rather than let Konoha leave an even worse impression on him…
It was better to support him, to let him travel.
That was still better than a full-blown battle, or watching the jinchūriki defect outright.
Konoha…
Couldn't take another blow like Orochimaru's.
Naruto smiled and turned to face the Fourth Hokage's statue.
He seemed to think of something, removing his hand from his sword. He took off his Konoha headband and gently tossed it.
Like a leaf, it floated toward Iruka.
"Iruka-sensei, thank you so much."
"You're the one I liked the most out of everyone in Konoha."
"You're a great teacher—and a wonderful person."
"If only there were more people like you."
"Please keep this for me."
Iruka reached out, dazed, and caught the headband.
He caught Naruto's heavy past.
(Next chapter coming at 6 PM)
Naruto leaving Konoha was inevitable.
His personality made it so—love makes people whole, not extreme.
This is set three months after Naruto's graduation from the academy.
Konoha was his parents' home, so he still had to experience certain things.
Only after confirming his beliefs and intentions would he choose to leave.
(End of chapter)