It was pouring—torrential rain lashed the earth, gusts of wind howled through the sky, and lightning crackled ominously in the dark clouds overhead.
And yet, in the midst of this storm, the girl who had caused it all stood untouched atop the rooftop.
Uzumaki Chiname paced back and forth slowly. Despite the downpour, not a single drop touched her. The wind, even as it raged wildly around her, would inexplicably calm the moment it neared her, not daring to lift even the hem of her skirt.
It was as if an invisible barrier surrounded her, shielding her from the elements.
Feeling the swirling power deepening inside her, Uzumaki Chiname was now completely certain: Naruto Uzumaki was far more terrifying—and more mysterious—than she had ever imagined.
Her power came from Naruto.
Or more accurately, she was a part of Naruto's power now.
Because of this, Uzumaki Chiname could sense every subtle change in Naruto's chakra.
If his fusion with the Nine-Tails' chakra had once seemed like a product of raw talent—something akin to Sage Mode—then what she felt now was something else entirely.
It was unthinkable: he had repeatedly absorbed the Nine-Tails' chakra.
But how?
Uzumaki Chiname recalled that Naruto only held half of Kurama's chakra—the other half had been sealed inside Minato. Yet there was also a faint trace of One-Tail's chakra. Strange.
"How did Naruto manage to extract the chakra of multiple Tailed Beasts—piece by piece?"
"Is something wrong? Is this dangerous? Should I go ask him directly?"
After pondering for a while, Uzumaki Chiname decided to leave the sealed space and find Naruto. What even he didn't know was that she was capable of leaving the space on her own.
However, her freedom came with limits. She couldn't go too far, or stay away for too long, without suffering backlash.
She raised her hand and parted the dimensional barrier. Before fully stepping out, she instinctively used her consciousness to check on Naruto's condition—just a habit by now.
And what she saw immediately stopped her in her tracks.
There he was—the blonde-haired boy—having what looked like a very intense "academic discussion" with a tall woman, half a head taller than him, about how to... make a fait accompli.
🇧🇷
Σ(っ°Д°;)っ
"What the hell are you doing all day long, idiot! You're going to die from all this nonsense!"
Uzumaki Chiname muttered to herself, her face flushed red. Yet she didn't pull her consciousness back. Instead, she stared harder—face growing darker and darker.
Because she recognized that woman.
Nara Yoshino.
Wife of Nara Shikaku.
Oh no—seriously?! This little brat!
You little beast!!!
Her face turned pale with disbelief, then red with anger.
"Fine, I didn't say anything when it was the women from the Land of Lightning. I even tolerated Izumi. They're older, sure."
"But now you're messing with Yoshino? Someone's wife?!"
"How could you be this shameless, Naruto?!"
"And Yoshino—you! Even if your relationship with Shikaku isn't great, you have a son! How could you cheat on your husband? Are you worthy of your family?"
Unaware that her chakra had been drained for days and that the outside world had changed, Chiname didn't know this Yoshino wasn't that Yoshino. She didn't realize they were still in the timeline of the Third Shinobi World War—and Yoshino hadn't even had a child yet.
"What a disgrace... When did Naruto turn into a womanizer?"
Rubbing her temples, Uzumaki Chiname grumbled, "Who raised Naruto? Whoever it was, they better pray I don't find out—because I'll skin them alive."
With a flick of her sleeve, she pushed away the wind and rain within the space, transformed into a small red fox, and slipped out quietly.
The original question she had intended to ask Naruto was put on hold—for now, she just needed to clear her mind.
Moments after the wind and rain inside the space stopped, the storm outside began to ease as well.
"It's been two days, and still no sign of Mikoto," Yoshino said with disheveled hair, a trace of sorrow dimming her joy. "Menma, do you think Mikoto might have been killed?"
She'd seen what happened to prisoners of war. Most didn't survive—even in Konoha, a village famed for its compassion.
In war, everyone carried blood feuds. Prisoners were often treated harshly unless the leadership intervened directly and shielded them.
"Don't worry. Sister Mikoto is the wife of the Uchiha clan head—an important strategic figure. Even if she's been captured, they won't dare hurt her too badly."
Naruto gently patted her back in comfort, then turned to examine the place they were in.
A plain wooden cabin. Three bedrooms, one living room. Doors and windows intact.
But no nails. Not even one.
The entire house was made of pure wood.
"There's a 99% chance this was made using ninjutsu."
The selector system had told him Mikoto was being held in a wooden cabin. So Naruto had sent hundreds of shadow clones out in every direction.
Curiously, every time a clone traveled northwest, they would spot identical wooden houses, like copies pasted across the land.
Naruto scraped his fingernail against the doorframe.
"Yoshino, did Sister Mikoto ever offend Root? Or has the Uchiha had any recent conflicts with them?"
As the wife of the Nara clan leader, Yoshino had access to classified village information, including the existence of Root.
Hearing his question, Yoshino quickly responded. "Menma... you think Root did this?"
After Naruto explained the Wood Release connection, he shook his head. "Not certain. Just a possibility."
Yamato wasn't the only ninja in Root capable of Wood Release. But he was the first name that came to mind.
After all, there's an old joke: "The First Hokage used Wood Release to conquer nations; Yamato uses it to build furniture."
"Menma," Yoshino said suddenly.
"Yeah?"
"That theory about Root might actually hold up."
"Tell me everything."
Now that it seemed Mikoto might be in enemy hands, Yoshino grew more serious.
"I overheard some conversations back home between the Ino-Shika-Cho families. They were backing your older brother. But Danzo, the Root leader, was trying to push Orochimaru instead."
Ever since Yoshino declared herself Naruto's woman, she'd stopped referring to the clan as "us" and now called them "they."
Naruto noticed it, but said nothing. He figured the shift in generation roles might confuse her too much right now.
She went on, "The Uchiha were caught between both sides. But after the Third War, your brother's repeated contributions led the Uchiha to lean toward him."
"So maybe Root and Orochimaru captured Mikoto to force the Uchiha into choosing sides."
It sounded absurd—but in Konoha? Not impossible.
Danzo had made stupider decisions before. This would fit right in.
Still, the trail pointed northwest.
Which meant... there were other suspects. A few people in that direction also had access to Wood Release.
"Yoshino, have you heard of Uchiha Obito?" Naruto asked.
"Shisui's apprentice? He died in battle two months ago. Why?"
What?
Obito only died two months ago?
"And what about Nohara Rin?"
Yoshino frowned—clearly annoyed he was asking about another woman. But when she saw Naruto's deep-in-thought expression, she shook off her jealousy.
"What am I thinking? It's not the time for that."
"When I left the village, Rin and Kakashi had just returned. I didn't know them well though."
"Got it," Naruto said quietly.
So Obito was just taken, and Rin was still alive.
Then it likely wasn't Obito. And definitely not Madara, who was practically at death's door.
Only Black Zetsu remained a remote possibility.
Which brought it back to the obvious: Danzo.
But why take Mikoto to the northwest? To hand her over to Iwagakure?
That'd be pure idiocy.
As Naruto stepped outside, one of his clones reported discovering another identical wooden cabin—just four kilometers away.
And this time, there was a red shadow nearby.
"Yoshino! With me!"
Northwest Region
"Wood Release: Four-Pillar Prison!"
A masked ninja—one eye exposed—shoved a blindfolded and gagged woman into a wooden cabin, her arms and legs bound.
He leaned against the wall, pulled out bandages, and began dressing a bleeding arm using only one hand and his teeth.
"Damn... barely made it."
His voice betrayed relief.
Bandaged, he squatted beside the captive woman and lit incense.
The woman, sensing danger, began thrashing violently. But she was tied too tightly. Her cries became muffled sobs.
The masked ninja chuckled coldly.
"Stop struggling. Your family owes me. This is just repayment."
He stood up, opened the door—
And froze.
In front of him stood a massive, flaming beast.
A fat, red fox—with nine tails.
Its golden eyes locked onto him with pure fury.
Chiname, her face dark as steel, recognized the Mangekyō Sharingan in his eye.
"You're not getting away."
BOOM!
Her body expanded in an instant. The sky shook with her roar.
Birds and animals scattered in terror.
The fox's red fur turned gold, and she rose on two legs like an armored titan—wrapped in golden flame.
"You made Naruto an orphan for ten years... Today, you pay."
The seventy-meter-tall titan took one step—and the ground split.
"Damn it, Uchiha Obito! What did you do to piss her off so bad?!"
Masked Izumi panicked.
She'd once escaped from the little fox's wrath using eye techniques.
But now, the fox was twice as large—towering over even Susanoo.
"What kind of monster is she?! Naruto-kun, where did you find her?!"
Panicked, she turned and fled.
"If I can just stall her for ten minutes, Naruto will arrive. Then I can explain... he likes married women, right? So maybe he won't be too angry…"
"It's all your fault, fox girl!"
"I swear, I'll come clean—just don't kill me!"
But Chiname's voice thundered like judgment itself.
"Enough! You're not going anywhere!"
Her wave of power shattered mountains and split the earth.
Izumi nearly blacked out from terror.
"Uga no Mi!" she shouted.
For five seconds, her defense spell boosted her power, speed—and chance of survival.
Maybe... maybe I should take off the mask right now.
I don't want to die!
Just as Izumi made up her mind—
The titan vanished.
The golden fox faded, revealing a red-haired woman.
Uzumaki Chiname collapsed from the sky.
Meanwhile, Naruto and Yoshino were en route—when suddenly, he heard a voice.
[Passive Choice Triggered!]
[Uzumaki Chiname ventured too far and suffered backlash. Choose your response:]
Option 1: Turn a blind eye. She left without telling you. If she dies, it's her own fault.
Reward: Erase Uzumaki Chiname's will.
Option 2: Forgive her once. Save her by using the correct method to counter the backlash.
Reward: Tightening Curse.
???
************************************************************************************************
🔥 Hey, you. Yeah, you—the one who can't stop reading...Still craving more? The tease isn't over yet. It's just getting started.
100+ early-access chapters filled with raw heat, untamed passion, and scenes that will leave you breathless.🔒 Exclusive, uncensored content that's way too hot for the public feed.👀 The kind of stories you'll want to read alone... behind closed door
👉 patreon.com/sabu19