Konoha: Naruto's abnormal life choices

The Main Entrance of Root

After Sasuke finished speaking, the elite members of the Anbu and Root were stunned.

Even Jiraiya was momentarily speechless.

No way... is Danzo really this bold?

Jiraiya could understand Danzo trying to impeach Tsunade by kidnapping the Kazekage's daughter—dirty, but politically logical. But kidnapping Naruto? What was he thinking? Did he assume Jiraiya was dead?

What Jiraiya didn't know was that even Danzo himself was bewildered: "What the hell is going on?"

"Tch. Danzo, you really must have a death wish!"

Tsunade, seething with rage, launched a direct attack. She leapt into the air, focused chakra from her thigh down to the heel of her high heel, and brought it crashing down. Danzo, sensing the danger, dropped his cane and scrambled to evade.

Boom!

A deafening crash shattered the bluestone floor at Root's main entrance. The surrounding cliffs, trees, and Root's defensive walls all collapsed in the aftermath.

The overwhelming might of a Kage-level shinobi was on full display—Tsunade had completely shattered the stalemate.

"Tsunade, are you insane?!" Danzo barked. "I didn't kidnap anyone. This has nothing to do with me!"

If it were only Tsunade, Danzo might still have bluffed or fought. But with Jiraiya standing by—stronger still—he knew he needed to defend himself.

He, Danzo Shimura, really hadn't kidnapped anyone.

Especially not someone as important as the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.

And while he might have considered abducting the Kazekage's daughter... he hadn't done that either.

"They're right here in your base, Danzo. Who else could it be if not you?" Tsunade snapped again.

"You're still denying it at a time like this?" Jiraiya added, fury in his eyes. A murderous aura radiated from him.

The two Kage-level shinobi released pressure so intense that cold sweat broke across the backs of everyone nearby.

Several Anbu members—those with only Chunin-level strength—began trembling uncontrollably.

Now, the newly appointed Fifth Hokage and one of the Legendary Sannin had Root's leader surrounded.

The rest of the Anbu were on high alert, forming a perimeter. Tension thickened—Konoha was on the brink of a civil war.

But Danzo had no desire to fight. He was a realist.

He knew he couldn't win.

Even facing just Jiraiya one-on-one, his odds were slim. Against both Tsunade and Jiraiya? Zero chance.

Danzo felt like a wrongly accused old fox: "I really didn't do it. Why is everyone so sure I did?"

Tsunade was ready to strike again, but Naruto's safety still mattered. She couldn't let her anger override her judgment.

Faint explosions echoed deeper inside the Root base—Naruto was still fighting.

Tsunade couldn't focus only on Danzo anymore. She issued an order:

"I'm going to rescue Naruto. Jiraiya, stay here and deal with Danzo."

As Hokage, Tsunade had the authority. Even Jiraiya couldn't override her this time.

It was bad enough the Kazekage's daughter had gone missing under Konoha's watch. Now Naruto, too?

This was on Danzo.

"Go. I've got this," Jiraiya replied.

Knowing Danzo's underhanded ways, he activated Sage Mode—features of a toad began to appear on his face.

Tsunade nodded and launched herself into the Root base, smashing through with raw strength.

Danzo winced. Every bit of his old body ached.

"Why won't anyone just listen to me?"

"Tch. If you're innocent, then what—Naruto just walked in here on his own?" Sasuke said coldly from the side.

Danzo's eyes widened. Wait.

He hadn't captured anyone. So how had the missing ninja suddenly ended up inside Root?

Could Naruto have walked in himself? Or... was someone trying to frame me?

There was only one person in Konoha who could stealthily place someone inside Root: Jiraiya.

If Jiraiya staged this setup... then I'm doomed. Even if I escape with my life, my position will be gone.

If things were going to end badly anyway, Danzo decided he might as well fight back.

"Jiraiya, I never imagined you'd stoop to such despicable tactics just to secure Tsunade's power! What kind of hero are you?"

"You're accusing me of framing you?" Jiraiya replied coldly. "Don't spout nonsense."

Despite his anger, Jiraiya was still trying to de-escalate. The Third Hokage was dead, and Konoha's high-end combat power was scarce. More bloodshed could destabilize the village further.

But Danzo, blinded by ambition, didn't care.

This was the man who colluded with Orochimaru to kill the Third Hokage. He wouldn't hesitate to attack Jiraiya.

"If not you, then who?" Danzo snarled—and attacked.

He clapped his hands and unleashed a sharp Wind Release blast at Jiraiya.

Thus began a civil war among Konoha's most powerful.

Meanwhile, deep inside Root...

Naruto Uzumaki, cloaked in the form of the Vulpix, had just retrieved his tenth blade.

Ten chakra arms sprouted from his body, each wielding a sword. He charged forward into the enemy ranks, slashing furiously.

The blood sprayed in the air turned everything crimson. Limbs flew. Heads rolled.

It was a one-sided massacre.

In the shinobi world, quantity can sometimes beat quality—but not when chakra monsters like Naruto are involved.

A fully synchronized Jinchūriki rampaging through teams of Genin and Chunin was like a god of war storming a pigsty.

"Strange… why are Root members this weak?"

"They shouldn't be…"

"Are all the strong ones out on missions?"

While slashing his way through, Naruto questioned the odd absence of strong resistance.

Suddenly, a shadow clone's vision relayed back: two figures were closing in on Temari.

Naruto instantly hurled all ten blades, skewering several enemies, then used a long chakra arm to slingshot himself toward Temari.

Seven Root operatives remained.

One of them hesitated: "Should we chase him?"

Another, wounded and pale, collapsed to the ground: "I'm already hurt… let's just let him go."

Even cold-blooded machines fear death.

Boom!

A sudden explosion rocked the area. Malicious chakra rippled out, weakening the Root members' resolve.

"We'll… carry the injured. Let's retreat."

They carried their fallen comrade away in silence.

Naruto laughed wickedly as he shielded Yugao and Temari behind him.

After prolonged fighting, Uzuki Yugao's white shirt was drenched in blood. Her skirt's hem fluttered, her legs now streaked red.

Her chakra reserves were nearly gone. She was trembling.

Temari was worse off. Exhausted and barely able to hold a kunai, she silently swore to train harder in hand-to-hand combat.

"Next time… I won't be such dead weight."

"Naruto, that guy's drawings are coming to life!"

Just as Temari warned him, a masked man attacked from above, sketching fierce lions that lunged toward Naruto.

Naruto's claws grew larger, and he launched twin Rasengan—one dispersed the ink lions, the other surged at the masked attacker.

The man quickly summoned an eagle to dodge.

"Super Beast Scroll: Ink Fist!"

With no wasted words, the enemy painted two ink giants, which lunged with massive fists.

"Tch. So he's not just some weakling," Naruto muttered, recognizing the pale-skinned artist. "Sai…"

In the original timeline, Sai became Naruto's teammate. A prodigy who graduated the academy at 9 and became a Chunin at 10, Sai was now 15—and clearly Jonin level.

No wonder he dispersed Naruto's shadow clone with a sneak attack.

But Naruto's massive chakra arms expanded and smashed the ink giants with brute force.

"Die!"

Sai finally spoke, calm and cold, exuding the unshakable poise of a genius.

But suddenly—Boom!

The wall beside him exploded. A shadow clone crashed through, slapped Sai across the face, and sent him flying into the stone.

Even his mask shattered.

"You think you're cool in front of me? Are you harder to kill than Orochimaru? More talented than a gay guy?"

The clone stepped on Sai's face, grinding it into the floor with the heel of his shoe.

Xi Yan's mouth twitched.

Temari didn't react—she was used to Naruto's crude mouth after a year together.

Sai, determined, still resisted. He pulled out a kunai and threw it, successfully dispersing the clone.

But a moment later—WHAM!

Two massive chakra fists crashed down, smashing him into a bloody mosaic.

Temari covered her eyes in horror.

Even battle-hardened Yugao nearly vomited.

But neither complained. They knew Naruto was staying only to protect them.

Maybe he hated this carnage more than they did.

"Let's move. The way ahead might be harder," Naruto said, leading the way in silence.

Yugao and Temari followed, supporting each other.

Root's labyrinthine layout had them breaking through wall after wall. No reinforcements came.

Still, Naruto stayed alert. The scent of blood lingered thickly in the air.

"Na–"

Temari was about to speak when dozens of Root members arrived. They didn't attack—just watched from a distance.

When Naruto so much as flinched, they retreated a step.

They weren't looking to brawl anymore.

"If we stall until Lord Danzo arrives, we can hold the intruders."

"The Jinchūriki attacked Root first. Danzo has reason to detain him now."

"He killed so many. No one can save him."

Naruto heard every word. His gaze sharpened.

"Try me, cowards. Let's see if you can survive me protecting them."

Suddenly—Crash!

The wall to the right exploded. It pinned several Root members as Tsunade marched in, radiating power.

She glanced at Naruto's tailed-beast form and then at the Root members.

"Tsunade-sama!"

The Root members panicked. The Hokage had personally entered their domain.

This was far beyond what they could handle. They all knelt in deference.

"Tsunade-sama, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki is killing Root personnel…"

A brave soul tried to explain, but Tsunade silenced him with a rock to the head.

Her fury was not spent. The thick scent of blood made her uneasy—what if Naruto was injured?

Then Naruto called, "Lady Tsunade!" and dropped the Vulpix form.

Relieved, Tsunade rushed forward, and Naruto dove into her arms.

"I missed you so much!"

He hadn't lied. After being trapped for so long, seeing Tsunade was like seeing the sun.

And, of course, no one else could smother him quite like her.

Tsunade embraced him tightly. "It's okay. I'm here now."

Seeing the affectionate reunion, Root members felt despair.

Even Yugao showed a flicker of jealousy before kneeling.

Temari, uncertain who this powerful woman was, knelt after seeing Yugao's example.

[Ding! Option 4 complete. Reward granted: +14% Nine-Tails control. Total: 30%]

With 30% control now, Naruto could suppress the Nine-Tails easily.

"How did you end up here, Naruto?" Tsunade asked.

Naruto immediately played the victim.

"I was celebrating my birthday with Sister Xi Yan when a bunch of Root ninjas broke into my house."

"You're lying! We didn't—"

Thunk!

Tsunade knocked the protester unconscious.

Naruto continued, "Then an old guy used a Sharingan—I blacked out. When I woke up, I was here."

"But I had a radio hidden in my pocket. I contacted Sasuke."

He held up a broken radio—planted from Root's own corpses.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Why are you and Sasuke carrying radios?"

"We're classmates. Normal, right?"

She pinched his cheek. "Stay away from him."

Naruto: "…"

Great. She's heard about Sako and Asuma too.

"You three go. I'll deal with Danzo," Tsunade ordered the Root members. She wouldn't punish them—just their boss.

But truthfully, she wasn't sure how to punish Danzo yet. Killing him would cause an uproar. But she'd make sure he never held power again.

Suddenly, explosions erupted nearby.

A giant toad and a monstrous elephant-like tapir were fighting—Jiraiya and Danzo's summoning beasts.

"Tch. They're fighting! Let's go!"

Tsunade released Naruto and dashed forward. Naruto followed with Yugao and Temari in tow.

Back at the Root's main entrance...

Danzo was retreating, refusing to use Kotoamatsukami recklessly. Controlling Jiraiya wasn't easy.

Escape was his new goal.

As long as he lived, he could return one day.

"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Bullet!"

"Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!"

Danzo's wind jutsu blew apart Jiraiya's flames and killed two Anbu instantly.

"Damn it!"

Jiraiya retaliated with his Needle Jizo—his hair lengthening and shooting at Danzo.

Danzo's tapir summoned beast sucked the needles in, clearing his path.

A water bullet from afar hit the tapir, disrupting it.

Danzo fled.

Jiraiya gave chase.

"Earth Style: Yellow Springs Swamp!"

Danzo fell into a swamp mid-flee. He panicked.

"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"

Jiraiya's massive fireball consumed Danzo's body.

"…What?" Jiraiya frowned. "That was too easy."

The scorched body appeared real. Cautiously, Jiraiya summoned the Toad's stomach wall to contain it.

He then ran back to help Tsunade.

But moments after he left, the body vanished.

The real Danzo reappeared elsewhere—and limped out of Konoha.

"I never thought it would come to this…"

Maybe I shouldn't have killed Hiruzen… His students are way worse.

Jiraiya, you'll pay. I'll return one day.

Danzo gritted his teeth in hatred.

He set out to join Orochimaru—to rule the Land of Rice together and one day return to overthrow Konoha.