"Hinata, from now on I'll use my clone to come to the ninja school. Don't tell the teachers!"
"Naruto-kun, I won't tell anyone."
Hinata quickly covered her mouth, her expression serious.
Naruto laughed and ruffled her little head. This girl was just too cute.
By now, Naruto's Clone Technique was perfected—his clones looked and acted like the real thing. They could practice chakra, train their bodies, and even spar with moderate intensity.
If the main body didn't release the jutsu, the clone could exist for a long time.
It gave Naruto more freedom—but at the cost of not being able to enjoy this leisurely school life with Hinata himself.
Whoosh, whoosh.
In the forest, Naruto and Shisui raced toward Iwagakure.
Shisui gave Naruto a quick overview.
"This mission is the second-highest bounty in Iwagakure. The main goal is to find Yakushi Kabuto."
"President, is Yakushi Kabuto really worth the effort?"
"Of course. I've checked his history. He was born in an orphanage, taken by Danzo at a young age, trained as a spy, and sent across various ninja villages. He's exceptional at disguising himself—first-class talent. Putting him in Root is simply a waste."
"The Root ninjas are brainwashed by Danzo. It won't be easy to capture him."
"There's a way. To avoid detection by other villages, you can't impose too many restrictions. Kabuto's connection to Root isn't strong—it's easy to sever."
The two sped through the mountains at incredible speed..
At the Iwagakure border, Naruto and Shisui split up to search for Kabuto.
The village was surrounded by mountains, difficult for outsiders to infiltrate, and communication with the outside was limited.
But these obstacles were trivial for Naruto and Shisui.
Crossing a mountain, Naruto gazed down at Iwagakure.
"Trapped in the mountains, isolated… Rock Shinobi are stubborn. Their minds are harder to break than their bodies."
It was easy to defeat Rock Shinobi physically—but breaking their mentality would take much longer. Unifying them in the future would be a long journey.
Naruto quickly set aside distractions and began searching. Finding a single spy in such a vast population would not be easy.
A few days later, Naruto and Shisui regrouped to exchange clues, both shaking their heads.
"Unless he makes a mistake, it'll be hard to locate him," Shisui said.
"Alright, Shisui, you go capture that bounty criminal. I'll track Yakushi Kabuto."
Naruto vaguely recalled Kabuto having caused a commotion in Iwagakure before. He was ready to wait.
Shisui nodded and vanished instantly.
Naruto slipped into the shadows, silently moving through the village. Having patrolled Konoha for years, his stealth skills were perfect. As long as there were shadows, he could move undetected.
"Rocks, fortresses… everything here is solid. Rock Shinobi are honest and practical, like this land. Their Earth-Style techniques must be strong."
Naruto continued scouting, observing the village day and night. Soon, he had a solid understanding of Iwagakure.
One night, Naruto hid on a rocky ledge, eyes closed, resting. Suddenly, he opened them.
Some disturbance had arisen in the village. Small, but audible.
"Could it be Yakushi Kabuto has been discovered?"
Naruto scanned from above, locating the source of the commotion.
"Quick, don't let that thief escape!"
"Damn, a spy in our Iwagakure—how despicable!"
"Catch him at all costs!"
Ninjas swept through the mountains and rocks, searching every corner, forming a net.
"Probably over there."
Naruto moved silently past them, unseen.
"Dean, dean, I'm a pocket…"
"Who… are you?"
Naruto's ears twitched. He turned, picking up speed.
Beneath a rock, a boy in Rock Shinobi attire knelt before a woman, pale and trembling.
"Who are you?" the woman asked weakly, blood still flowing from a wound in her chest.
The boy hesitated, then reached out, sending green healing chakra toward her injury.
"Bastard! What are you doing?"
A kunai shot past in a flash. The boy rolled aside, trying to rush forward again—but more Rock Shinobi were approaching, forming a circle.
He looked at the woman, expression blank, as if imprinting her face into his memory.
Then he turned and fled, staggering, full of sorrow.
"A step slower?"
"It's not too late."
Naruto appeared beside the woman, and the nearby Rock Shinobi leaped at him.
The next moment, both Naruto and the injured woman had vanished—gone without a trace, like ghosts.
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