I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

The Book of Seals

After Moonlit Night Gale left, Uzuki Yugao retrieved a signal flare from her pouch, pulled the fuse, and threw it into the air.

With a sharp whoosh, a gust of wind intercepted it mid-launch, snuffing out the flare before it could signal reinforcements. Before she could react, a high-speed, spiraling Rasengan formed in the palm of an approaching figure—Uzumaki Naruto.

Sensing the deadly chakra behind her, Yugao instinctively evaded, unsheathing her chokutō in a single fluid motion.

As she widened the distance, her sharp gaze locked onto the attacker. Her expression darkened.

It was none other than the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki—the very person she was meant to protect.

Had Naruto fallen under the Kyūbi's influence? Or was he acting of his own volition? The sudden betrayal left her momentarily shaken, but she couldn't afford hesitation. She needed to subdue him and wait for backup.

But soon, Yugao realized she was utterly outmatched. His shadow clones swarmed her relentlessly, overwhelming her defenses.

With a final blow, Naruto incapacitated Yugao, then removed her porcelain ANBU mask, revealing her delicate yet resolute face. He studied it briefly before placing the mask back and tossing her into the nearby foliage.

His mission was not yet complete.

Naruto turned his gaze toward the looming Hokage Rock, lost in thought.

After eliminating the ANBU tailing him, he didn't flee Konoha immediately. Instead, he walked back toward the heart of the village.

Within his mindscape, the Nine-Tails growled in confusion.

"Naruto, that's the center of Konoha. You're going the wrong way. The Forest of Death is in the opposite direction."

Naruto met the beast's gaze. "I'm not mistaken. There's still something I need."

The Kyūbi narrowed its eyes but didn't argue further, merely observing Konoha's streets with a brooding expression.

Perhaps it was the lingering malice in the air—hostility that had surrounded Naruto since birth—but something about this village always unsettled the great beast.

Oblivious to the Kyūbi's unease, Naruto wandered the streets, waiting for the Third Hokage to leave the Hokage Building. His goal wasn't mere escape—if that were the case, he could have left the village unnoticed months ago.

With his shadow clones, he could have easily reached the Land of Fire's border and vanished without a trace.

But leaving wasn't enough. He needed power.

The Scroll of Seals—a forbidden tome containing devastating jutsu—was his true objective.

Although the techniques inside came with immense risks, they also held incredible power. Shiki Fūjin and Edo Tensei, for example, could alter the course of history.

Only by mastering such forbidden jutsu and obtaining strength rivaling the Five Kage could Naruto truly carve out his place in the world.

He waited patiently. Soon, he sensed the Third Hokage and a squad of ANBU moving toward the Uchiha District.

The moment their chakra signatures left his detection range, Naruto moved.

Just as he was about to proceed, he spotted two familiar figures—Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chōji.

Shikamaru paused, eyes narrowing as he stepped toward Naruto.

"Oi, Naruto… I need to talk to you. Come with me."

Naruto studied him for a moment before silently following.

Once they reached a secluded alley, Shikamaru got straight to the point.

"You're leaving the village, aren't you?" His tone was calm, but the weight of his words was heavy. "You're strong, but the outside world isn't as simple as you think."

Naruto didn't flinch. "What gave me away?"

Shikamaru sighed. "You never hid your intentions. Applying for early graduation, inviting everyone for a picnic at the end of the semester… Those were all signs. You're done with the Academy. You want out."

His voice was as lazy as ever, but his words cut deep.

Naruto chuckled, amused by how transparent he'd been. "I see… It was that obvious?" His expression darkened slightly. "But you're wrong about one thing. I'm not leaving because I'm tired of being a student. I want freedom."

Shikamaru frowned. "If you become a missing-nin, ANBU will hunt you down. There's nothing here worth staying for?"

Naruto's smile faded. "There are plenty of reasons to stay… but even more reasons to leave."

Shikamaru sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Figures. You've made up your mind. But as a future chūnin, I can't just let you defect."

"So, you're going to stop me?" Naruto's expression was unreadable. "You're not my match."

Shikamaru placed a hand on Chōji's shoulder. "Chōji… you ready to get knocked out?"

Chōji, still munching on potato chips, blinked in confusion. "Huh?! Why am I getting knocked out too?!"

Without explaining, Shikamaru swiftly formed a hand seal, sending his Shadow Possession Jutsu toward Naruto.

Chōji sighed, stuffing the rest of his chips into his mouth before activating his Multi-Size Jutsu.

But it was pointless.

In an instant, Naruto blurred behind them, knocking them both out before they could react.

As he left the alley, he sighed.

Even knowing they stood no chance, they still tried to stop me… Is that also the Will of Fire?

Dusting off his clothes, Naruto leaped onto a rooftop and darted toward the Hokage Building.

From the cover of a large tree, he observed his target.

As the heart of Konoha's leadership, the Hokage Building was always heavily guarded. Even with the Third Hokage and most ANBU elsewhere, formidable ninja remained stationed inside.

A frontal assault would be reckless.

Instead, Naruto carefully memorized the chakra signatures of the remaining guards before activating Transformation Jutsu.

Disguised as Uzuki Yugao, he casually approached the entrance.

The guards recognized her ANBU attire and didn't question her presence.

Once inside, Naruto swiftly navigated to the hidden chamber where the Scroll of Seals was stored.

Before opening the door, he paused.

He didn't have the key—but that didn't matter.

With a single chakra-enhanced strike, he smashed through the steel-reinforced wall.

The Scroll of Seals sat atop a pedestal in the dimly lit chamber. Naruto grabbed it, securing his prize just as alarms blared through the building.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The sound of the breach mixed with the sharp wail of sirens.

Within seconds, ANBU operatives swarmed the area, their expressions grim as they found the shattered wall and the missing scroll.

Whoever had done this… would face the full wrath of Konoha.

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