On the way back to Konoha, the sandals rustled on the grass, and the peaceful tranquility carried a hint of suppression.
There were no longer Sakura's chattering questions in the team, nor Sasuke's undisguised provocations. Sakura spent most of her time engrossed in the books Naruto had given her, occasionally looking up at Naruto's back with complex eyes, a mixture of fear, dependence, and a touch of blind adoration. She found that as long as she followed this blonde boy, there seemed to be nothing to fear.
Sasuke, on the other hand, had fallen completely silent. He replayed everything that had happened on the bridge over and over in his mind, from Naruto's psychological dismantling of Haku and Zabuza to the one-sided, militarized 'purge' of Gato's forces. He realized that his Sharingan, which he was so proud of, could see the flow of Chakra and replicate dazzling Ninjutsu, but it was completely unable to foresee Naruto's next move.
In front of Naruto, he felt like a child with a small toy.
Kakashi walked at the front, his relaxed posture belying a deep worry. As the Jonin in charge, the report for this C-rank mission would be the most difficult one he had ever written in his career.
"Mission objective Tazuna, protection successful. Mission elevated from C-rank to A-rank, encountered rogue Ninja Zabuza Momochi and Bloodline Limit Ninja Haku. No casualties on our side, mission perfectly completed."
It sounded beautiful.
But what about the process?
"Genin Uzumaki Naruto, verbally incited the enemy's core combatant Haku, induced Zabuza Momochi to defect on the battlefield, and used 'Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu' to form a thousand-man army, annihilating the enemy's armed thugs numbering over a hundred, ultimately facilitating a peaceful evolution of the Land of Waves' government, and was hailed by the local populace as a spiritual symbol, with the nation's most important infrastructure named 'Naruto Bridge'."
Kakashi's scalp tingled just thinking about it. If this report were submitted, the Third Hokage would probably think he had fallen under some advanced Genjutsu... Hokage Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi listened to Kakashi's report, which had been heavily embellished with flowery language, and remained silent for a long time. He puffed on his pipe, the swirling smoke obscuring his wrinkled face.
"Kakashi, you only need to answer one question," the old voice sounded. "Naruto... did he harm any of the ordinary people who had already laid down their weapons?"
"No, Hokage-sama," Kakashi immediately replied. "His objective was very clear, only targeting 'armed resistors'. The entire purge process... was extremely efficient, causing no collateral damage."
"Efficiency..." Hiruzen Sarutobi chewed on the word.
Every time he thought of Naruto's current gaze, he felt a chill.
"I understand." Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand. "You all did very well on this mission. Go rest now."
After Kakashi left, Hiruzen Sarutobi walked to the window, looking at the prosperous and peaceful Konoha Village below, and sighed deeply.
"Fortunately, he only wants to be Konoha's Political Commissar, but..."
Political Commissar? After Naruto's repeated explanations, Hiruzen Sarutobi's understanding of the word grew deeper and deeper.
Hiruzen Sarutobi pressed his hand against the windowsill, exerting pressure: "That's just what he says."
And where he couldn't see, deep beneath Konoha.
A man with only one eye exposed put down a secret report. This intelligence was far more detailed than Kakashi's verbal report, even including every word Naruto said to Haku.
"Zabuza's dream is to build ships, but he uses sand... Loyalty is wood, contracts are sand..."
Danzo Shimura's lips curved into a chilling arc.
"Interesting."
"Deconstructing human hearts and beliefs into exploitable 'resources' and 'tools'. This way of thinking... is simply tailor-made for 'Root'." A masked Root Ninja knelt before him, silent.
"That old man Hiruzen only worries about Naruto's ruthlessness, but he doesn't see the invaluable worth this ruthlessness holds for Konoha," Danzo's single eye gleamed with avarice.
"A perfect Ninja, unswayed by emotions. A vessel that can completely harness the power of the Nine-Tailed for his own use. He is not a Jinchuriki, he is a living, self-optimizing weapon."
"Go, keep a close eye on him for me." Danzo ordered. "I want to know everything about him. His training methods, his social circle, his every move."
"But remember, do not make any substantive contact. This unpolished gem is not yet ready for sculpting." Danzo had already made his judgment. This Uzumaki Naruto was the most suitable candidate he had ever seen to inherit his will of "Root". He believed that with a little guidance, Naruto would become the sharpest and darkest blade in his hand... Returning to his empty apartment, Naruto closed the door, shutting out everything from the outside world.
He sat cross-legged on the floor and slowly closed his eyes.
[External environment scan complete, no threats.]
[Physical function assessment complete, Chakra consumption rate 3.7%, mental fatigue 1.2%, negligible.]
[Initiating connection to Nine-Tailed...]
His consciousness sank deep.
The scene before him was not the dark, damp sewer of legend.
This was a colossal, empty, circular hall emitting a cold metallic luster. Above the dome, a complex star map composed of countless runes slowly rotated. The floor was smooth, mirror-like black alloy, reflecting everything above.
In the very center of the hall stood a massive cage, constructed of pure spiritual energy and radiating a golden glow. Countless chains, inscribed with words like "Order," "Obedience," and "Loyalty," extended from every node of the cage, deeply embedding themselves into every corner of this mental space.
Inside the cage, a Nine-Tailed fox, so vast it blotted out the sky, lay prostrate on the ground.
Its nine tails, which once could level mountains, were pinned down by nine colossal pillars of light. Its body was no longer covered in raging crimson Chakra, but a suppressed, purified dark gold.
It neither roared nor struggled. It merely watched the small figure walking into the hall with its massive eyes, filled with wisdom and ancient resentment.
Naruto walked up to the cage.
"Nine-Tailed," he spoke, his voice echoing through the space, devoid of any emotion.
The Nine-Tailed's throat rumbled with a low, thunderous growl in response.
The Nine-Tailed's ancient and wise eyes narrowed slightly. It had been confined here, observing Naruto for over a decade. It had seen Naruto transform from a ostracized child to someone now exuding a chilling aura.
It had watched Naruto grow up and felt it understood what a sulking child was thinking too well.
"Hmph... Brat," the Nine-Tailed's voice was hoarse, carrying a subtle hint of seduction, "You've finally come. It seems you've seen through the ugly faces of those humans, haven't you? Those villagers who once scorned you, rejected you, and saw you as a fox demon incarnate... are they now flattering you endlessly? Don't you find this hypocritical peace nauseating?"
The Nine-Tailed's gaze fell on Naruto, with a hint of playfulness and temptation: "I can feel the resentment in your heart. That pain of being abandoned, misunderstood, that craving for power... I can give it all to you. Look at your comrades, your teachers, they are filled with fear and incomprehension towards you, aren't they?"
Its massive head lifted slightly, as if whispering: "As long as you release me, I will bestow upon you the power to overthrow everything. Those who once harmed you, those hypocritical rules, those corrupt systems... you can utterly destroy them all. Together, we will build a new world dominated by you, a world that truly belongs to the strong!" The Nine-Tailed's voice carried a primal, chilling allure, attempting to erode Naruto's will.
However, Naruto's expression remained unchanged. He simply stood there silently, his eyes as deep as a bottomless abyss, as if all of the Nine-Tailed's temptations were merely insignificant whispers in the wind. He didn't even show a hint of emotional fluctuation; the face that once radiated a sunny smile now held only cold serenity.
"You are wrong, Nine-Tailed," Naruto slowly began, his voice not loud, but carrying an unquestionable authority, like a divine proclamation. This voice echoed through the empty metal hall, completely suppressing the Nine-Tailed's seductive words.
"I harbor no resentment. Resentment is an emotion of the weak, a meaningless consumption. Everything I do is solely for efficiency and order. Those villagers are merely resources that need to be guided and managed. And the power you speak of..." Naruto's gaze swept over the Nine-Tailed's pinned tails and suppressed Chakra, a barely perceptible curve forming on his lips, "Do you think you still have the right to speak of 'power'?"
He took a step forward, and an invisible yet immense spiritual pressure, like a tangible force, instantly spread, filling the entire hall. The runic star map on the dome rotated faster, and ripples appeared in the reflection on the alloy floor. The nine pillars of light pinning down the Nine-Tailed also seemed to become brighter and more secure because of this.
The Nine-Tailed's massive body trembled violently. For the first time, its ancient eyes showed shock and a hint of unbelievable fear. It felt that this power did not come from it, nor from the sealing jutsu, but was a pure, powerful will belonging to Naruto himself. It was an absolute will that transcended emotion and the instinct of life, like an unstoppable steel torrent.
"From today onwards, you have only one duty." Naruto walked to the cage, looked up, and stared directly into the Nine-Tailed's massive pupils, "Submit. You are no longer merely a Tailed Beast; you are an extension of my will, a part of my power."
He paused, his voice becoming even colder and more authoritative, enunciating each word as if proclaiming a supreme law: "From now on, you will address me as — Political Commissar."
The Nine-Tailed's massive body trembled slightly within the cage, its eyes filled with shock, unwillingness, and a deep, unprecedented despair. It struggled, emitting a low growl from its throat, but that sound was completely suppressed by Naruto's powerful will. Finally, its colossal head, under the invisible pressure, slowly and reluctantly lowered.
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