Naruto: From Extra to Savior

Konoha village was a place where clan and village interests often tangled in complicated ways, and each family—big or small—had its own agenda. The medium-sized clans like Ino–Shika–Cho were deeply tied to the village's success, maintaining strong connections with Konoha's upper echelons in various ways. They were the backbone of the village and a rock-solid foundation for the Hokage's rule. Members of these families could be found across major departments within the village, including Anbu, security forces, regular ninja units, and even Root, Danzo's underground faction.

Strictly speaking, the Sarutobi clan—home to the Third Hokage—stood at this level too, perhaps even a bit less influential than the Ino–Shika–Cho alliance, but it did give rise to one truly remarkable figure—Hiruzen Sarutobi.

At this tier were other notable groups as well, such as the Aburame insect masters, the Inuzuka clan known for their ninja hounds, and the Kurama clan—a once-prominent genjutsu family now gradually fading from Konoha's spotlight. Most of them had no serious conflicts with the village and remained loyal followers of the Hokage legacy, though without the same level of visibility as Ino–Shika–Cho.

When it came to Konoha's most legendary families—the Senju and Uchiha—it was a different story. These two great clans had been locked in bitter rivalry since the Warring States era. Each inherited a unique gift from the Sage of Six Paths: the Senju received the Sage's Body, while the Uchiha possessed the Sage's Eyes. Their bloodline limits (Kekkei Genkai) and special techniques far surpassed those of other ninja families. With Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju working together to build it, Konoha was practically destined to become the undisputed ruler of the ninja world.

After the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, the Senju clan slowly faded into obscurity, blending quietly into village life and losing the glory of once being history's strongest clan. Meanwhile, the Uchiha—once equal to the Senju—gained total control over Konoha's vital security force. In a village built on alliances between noble clans and countless civilian-born ninja, this felt like an unfair grab of power to anyone outside the Uchiha. This struggle over resources and influence directly played out in the competition for the Hokage position.

Since its founding, the Hokage seat had been locked down tight by the Senju bloodline, with supreme authority in Konoha firmly held by this faction. From the original Senju brothers—the First and Second Hokage—it passed to the Third, a direct pupil of the Second, then to the Fourth, who was technically a student of the Third. Looking ahead, the Fifth would be another of the Third's disciples, the Sixth a direct student of the Fourth, and the Seventh would be Naruto Uzumaki—a student of the Sixth, son of the Fourth, and indirectly connected to the Third through mentorship as well. Their ties were so deeply interwoven that it became nearly impossible to untangle them all.

Over the decades since Konoha's founding, aside from Madara Uchiha, the Uchiha had produced other brilliant minds worthy of wearing the Hokage hat. Long ago was Kagami Uchiha, a fellow student under the Second Hokage who died far too young. More recently was Fugaku Uchiha—the father of Itachi and Sasuke, and former head of the Uchiha clan before its destruction—who had once been recognized as a true genius himself. However, after dedicating himself to clan leadership, he drifted away from his earlier brilliance. Whether he had ever unlocked the Mangekyo Sharingan remained unknown until his death.

With their strength and the influence they wielded, the Uchiha Clan could have easily secured the title of Hokage. Unfortunately, they were born at an inauspicious time. The older generation had the Sannin at their peak, while the younger generation witnessed the dazzling brilliance of the Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato. Compared to these figures, the unpopular Uchiha Clan truly held little advantage.

But the tragedy of the Uchiha went far beyond that. Just when a new generation of talents began to emerge, Obito Uchiha—full of promise—was taken by the ancestor Madara Uchiha. Then came the untimely arrogance and idiotic rebellion that led to Shisui Uchiha, a rare genius unseen in a hundred years within the clan, dying before his prime. Itachi Uchiha was sacrificed in the name of politics, and Sasuke Uchiha, the new reincarnation of Indra, became an orphan caught in the web of manipulation from a young age. They held all the winning cards, yet still ended up suffering a crushing defeat, becoming the ultimate cautionary tale and delivering a powerful lesson to other noble clans. The Uchiha Clan's arrogance and recklessness only served to boost Danzo Shimura's reputation as Konoha's shadowy power player.

After the Senju faded into obscurity and the Uchiha were nearly wiped out, the only clan that could be considered a true powerhouse was undoubtedly the Hyuga. Previously protected by both the Senju and the Uchiha, they now found themselves forced to bear the title of Konoha's top noble house. Outsiders and uninformed members of the clan saw it as incomparable honor, but Hiashi Hyuga, standing right in the storm's center, clearly understood the hidden dangers.

A few years ago, why did the Cloud Village ambassador from the Land of Lightning abduct Hinata Hyuga, ultimately forcing Hizashi Hyuga to give his life in place of his elder brother? Outsiders saw only weakness and helplessness in Konoha's leadership but never considered the village's true intentions.

Perhaps the situation had indeed placed Konoha at a disadvantage, leaving no room for war. But should a few ambassadors with ulterior motives really have been enough to make Konoha back down? Was diplomacy between nations and ninja villages nothing more than child's play? Even if concessions were necessary, why did the burden always fall on the Hyuga Clan? Most likely, the village leaders simply wanted to avoid further complications while using the incident to test the Hyuga's reaction and suppress this influential clan that always looked down on civilian shinobi. Deep in the eye of the storm, Hiashi Hyuga understood perfectly. The feeling of being helpless to save one's own younger brother—the pride of a Hyuga Clan Head—was something he would never allow to happen again.

The downfall of the Uchiha Clan significantly increased pressure on the Hyuga, forcing them to proceed with even greater caution. Hiashi, who used to care little for village affairs, was compelled to send the eldest daughter of the main branch to the Ninja Academy for formal training. Considering the depth of the Hyuga heritage, such measures were practically unnecessary. Why would the Gentle Fist style ever require meddling from outsiders? The elite instructors within the clan could definitely provide far superior training compared to the mere Chunin teachers at the Ninja Academy.

Although the Hyuga Clan didn't intend to openly oppose Konoha like the Uchiha had—after all, they were still Konoha's foremost noble house—there were times when they couldn't avoid stepping into conflict over tangled interests. Some issues couldn't simply be settled through compromise or concession. Take Danzo Shimura, for example; clashes over political views and benefits were unavoidable.

This ongoing power struggle pits two sides against each other: the Hokage's faction—representing minor clans and civilian ninja—against the powerful noble families once led by the Uchiha and now rallying behind the Hyūga. Sure, dividing people strictly by self-interest might seem like a childish way to look at things, but you can't ignore the pattern.

Hiashi Hyūga had his concerns about the current state of things, and he wasn't blind to the need for change. But centuries of tradition weighed heavily on them—especially the rigid divide between main and branch houses. It was dragging the entire clan down. Fortunately, nothing too serious had ever happened before. Hiashi had assumed everything would keep moving forward as usual—until he stumbled upon something unexpectedly promising.

"Geniuses aren't exclusive to your side..."

As Hiashi recalled the terrifying power of the Rinnegan, a fire ignited within him. After years of waiting, he finally found the key to breaking the stalemate.

...

Mizuki waited in uneasy silence. Dinner came and went without so much as an Anbu visit, and his nerves finally started to ease.

No ninja arrived to cross-check intelligence reports with him. Instead, his fiancée, Chiharu Tsubaki, showed up.

"Little Tsubaki, why did you come so early?" Mizuki couldn't help asking when he saw her walk in carrying a large bag of ingredients.

"You're injured again?" Tsubaki set the items down and walked over to Mizuki, glancing at his tightly wrapped left shoulder and chest. It wasn't just his shoulder—he bore scars all over from past injuries. Hadn't Mizuki tidied himself up after returning home, she might've seen just how pitiful he looked.

After checking his wounds, she gently ran her fingers across his scarred left shoulder and softly asked, "Bad again, huh? You took the [Omnipotence Pills] again, didn't you?"

Tsubaki knew enough about those life-saving pills to be worried, though she still didn't know the full extent of their power. She understood they were more than just wartime medicine—they came with consequences. The last time Mizuki returned from the Land of Waves, it shocked her badly. This time didn't seem quite as bad, at least.

"Not much used at all—look, I'm perfectly fine," Mizuki reassured her.

Chiharu Tsubaki didn't argue. Instead, she reached out and touched Mizuki's noticeably long hair—clearly grown far too fast—and said softly, "Your hair's gone even whiter. Was this time really that dangerous?"

"Still my hair color giving me away?"

Mizuki couldn't help but smile bitterly. He hadn't wanted to worry Tsubaki unnecessarily, yet hiding even small harmless lies from someone close proved unexpectedly difficult.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Tsubaki." Mizuki pulled her into a gentle embrace. "Don't worry—it'll all be settled soon."

Mizuki's hair used to have that eye-catching silver-white shade. Not like how it looks now — so pale, like an old man near the end. Someone who didn't know him well might miss the change from a distance. But to Tsubaki, his fiancée, those little changes stood out clear as day. It hadn't even been a full day since they said goodbye yesterday. Of course, she could tell right away that Mizuki wasn't doing well.

"Mizuki, can your body still hold up? Should we ask for help from the village?" Tsubaki suggested worriedly.

When Mizuki came back from the Land of Waves before, his hair looked just like this — only worse last time. As his injuries healed, his complexion gradually improved. By the third round of the Chunin Exams, he was almost fully recovered. Unfortunately, after heading out on a mission yesterday, he's fallen back into this worrying state.

"No need, Tsubaki," Mizuki said flatly. "It's not that bad yet. I still have time..."

In truth, Mizuki knew very clearly that if he couldn't resolve the issues regarding his cell vitality and chakra soon, he might die of old age before the next Chunin Exams even arrived. If he engaged in another high-intensity battle or used any more life-saving pills, he might end up turning into nothing but dust like those clones did. After all, the lurking threat of the cursed seal inside his body hadn't been completely removed yet.

"Whatever you decide is fine. If you need me to help, make sure to tell me."

"I know. When have I ever hidden anything from you?"

Whether it was the original Mizuki or this reincarnated version, aside from having vastly different levels of knowledge, they were actually quite similar in many aspects regarding conduct in society. Without the foolishness and arrogance that came from such differences in experience, their general styles of behavior were largely consistent. Neither would ever lie or hide things from Tsubaki, the closest person in their lives. Throughout one's lifetime, there will always be a need for someone entirely free of reservations and completely trusted.

Changing topics, Tsubaki proceeded to roughly update Mizuki on some recent happenings within the village, and also detailed various problems related to the life-saving pill experiments.

"Have you already achieved some results in separating chakra?" Mizuki asked excitedly.

"Yes," Tsubaki said happily since helping Mizuki always brought her joy. "That purple-black chakra you gave me was extremely strange. It seemed far less stable than any other kind of chakra. Easily prone to mutations. And instead of simply separating into two or three portions as you described, it directly split into five distinctly different types of energies?"

"Five types?" This result greatly surprised Mizuki. Besides spirit, physical energy, and Natural Energy, could there actually be a new type of chakra mixed in? Yet apparently, his right arm's cursed seal didn't sense anything unusual either.

After failing to figure out what might be going on, Mizuki told Tsubaki: "I probably won't have time to focus on these matters recently. My shadow clone has already been exposed. Let's wait until the second Jinchuriki-type clone is completed before taking another look."

"Now we haven't settled down yet. These achievements, though significant, can't be turned into actual power right away. Wait until things stabilize before looking into them."

"Aside from that, there's nothing urgent left. The original experimental cell samples you requested to seal away have already been properly stored."

"Mm, that'll do," Mizuki murmured, nodding.

Some problems had actually existed for a long time. Every cell has a set limit on how many times it can divide. Growing a whole body from these cells burns up massive amounts of vitality. Collecting secondary samples from that clone would yield cells far weaker than those taken from the [First] generation subjects. As time passed, the degradation of these cell samples became extremely serious. Take clones made from Uchiha Sasuke's cells after two rounds of development—Even using life-saving pills to grow another clone and injecting [Cursed Seal Chakra] afterward still wouldn't unlock the [Rinnegan]. The leftover chakra wasn't nearly enough to trigger the [Rinnegan]. Before it could even tap into the [Rinnegan]—or even the [Mangekyo Sharingan]—its body would collapse first. Unless they could get fresh cells directly from Uchiha Sasuke, that's their only real shot.

"From now on, there'll be no shortage of people after those pills and records—make sure they're locked down tight," Mizuki warned solemnly. "Of course, most importantly, protect yourself. If anything feels off, don't hesitate to abandon everything else."

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