While a Shadow Clone was discussing adjustments to the original plan with the Third Hokage due to a sudden change in circumstances, Naruto, wearing an innocent expression as if nothing had happened, obediently held onto Danzo Shimura's sleeve.
Under Danzo's lead, they twisted and turned aimlessly through the village. This served two purposes: to prevent Naruto from remembering the route and to ensure they weren't being followed.
After taking numerous unnecessary and even repetitive detours through the village, the elderly man and young boy finally began to move away from the populated areas, heading quickly and confidently toward the headquarters of Root.
'Oh? Done already? I thought this old fossil was going to drag me around the village all day…'
As soon as Naruto noticed that Danzo's movements had become more direct and consistent, he silently ridiculed him in his heart. At the same time, the obedient look on his face gradually faded.
Pretending to be exhausted, he leaned against a nearby wall. The moment his palm touched the surface, he quietly imprinted a small and unnoticeable sealing mark.
When Danzo sensed something odd and turned around in confusion, Naruto bent over, panting heavily, and casually waved his free hand to signal that he wanted to rest for a bit.
"No… I can't go on, Grandpa Danzo… Are we there yet? I need… I need to rest a little…"
"Hm? What's wrong, Naruto? Tired again?"
Seeing Naruto gasping for air, Danzo turned around helplessly and slowly approached. Yet in his eyes, a hidden smile deepened. After pausing briefly, he spoke again, lightly teasing,
"Looks like you'll need to work on your physical training, Naruto."
"I don't wanna! Training is dirty and exhausting, no way I'm doing that…"
As Danzo approached, Naruto didn't hesitate to spread his arms wide and throw himself into the old man's arms, rubbing against him affectionately while suppressing the urge to gag. He pouted and grumbled, looking every bit like a spoiled child who hated hardship.
"And how was I supposed to know Grandpa Danzo's house was this far away? We've been walking forever already…"
Since Danzo began dragging Naruto in circles around the village, this was already the fifth time Naruto had asked to stop and rest…
Not because he was actually exhausted—far from it.
After undergoing physically demanding training far beyond his age and benefiting from both his increased physical strength and the immense chakra inherited from the Uzumaki Clan, Naruto could march for a whole day and night without sleep and still be energetic, as if he'd only gone on a long stroll.
The real reason he kept asking for breaks was twofold. One was to solidify the image of a weak, harmless three-year-old with low stamina, easing Danzo's suspicions and making the overly cautious old man let down his guard.
The other, more important reason was to find opportunities to secretly leave behind these peculiar, hidden sealing marks along the way—coordinates for the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Though Danzo had clearly planned ahead, carefully selecting and mapping the route to avoid overlap, creating the illusion that they were traveling such a long way simply because the location was remote, the old saying goes: "Policies above, countermeasures below."
Despite being a seasoned schemer, Danzo had underestimated Naruto's information-gathering ability, perhaps because of the natural camouflage of Naruto's young age.
With Shadow Clones stationed in Training Ground Three and the Hokage's office acting like immovable reference points faintly tethered to Naruto himself, he could easily calculate that the straight-line distance from their starting point had barely increased, despite all their walking. This confirmed that Danzo had simply been leading him in circles.
But instead of getting nervous like when they first set out, Naruto grew even more confident and relaxed. He played along calmly, as if he had forgotten his original mission.
After all, if Danzo really intended to kidnap him, he would have already drugged him, knocked him out, or at least blindfolded him—none of which had happened.
That alone proved the depth of trust Danzo placed in Naruto… or rather, how much pressure the Third Hokage's recent suppression had put on Danzo, forcing him into a desperate situation where he had no choice but to win Naruto over, even if it meant forgoing more secure methods.
In comparison to Danzo, who was being squeezed out and forced onto the defensive, Naruto—who had already earned Danzo's trust and thus achieved more than half of his mission—could afford to be far more at ease.
With his multitasking skills and the support of his Shadow Clones acting as reference points, plus the Flying Thunder God Technique markings he left along the way, Naruto was now steadily building a mental map of their route.
By recalling and cross-referencing the journey, he quickly eliminated most of the deliberately confusing paths Danzo had chosen, crafting an accurate guide for the eventual raid the Third Hokage would launch against Root's base.
Using a fast, hidden, and secure message delivery system, Naruto was able to relay information back to the Third Hokage in real time without Danzo realizing it.
His frequent use of Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu had also sharpened both his willpower and memory, allowing him to convey every detail of their journey without missing a beat.
And with numerous Flying Thunder God Technique markers already in place, he had multiple unexpected escape routes ready—should he need to vanish without a trace.
In terms of both intelligence-gathering and escape planning, Naruto had prepared as thoroughly as he possibly could.
But when it comes to facing the final boss, no one ever complains about having too much prep time—especially when a single misstep could mean game over.
Since Danzo, despite being pressed for time, still insisted on wasting it with pointless detours instead of taking action, Naruto—who was still worried about possible flaws in his plan—was more than happy to play dumb and go along with the charade.