Konoha – Hokage's Office
The room was heavy with silence.
Kakashi Hatake stood before the desk, face unreadable beneath the mask, but the slouch in his shoulders gave it away. He'd been searching nonstop for days — and returned with nothing.
"I'm sorry, Lord Third," Kakashi said. "We followed every trail. The dogs tracked at least three clone paths, all spread far apart. Each one dispersed miles outside the village."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's hands tightened slightly on the pipe he hadn't smoked in hours. "No sign of the original?"
Kakashi shook his head. "He's gone without a trace."
It shocked them. How Naruto trick them all. It is clear, the boy left the village on his own choice. But, one thing doesn't make sense, How does Naruto knows Shadow clone jutsu?
The old Hokage turned toward the window, watching clouds roll over the mountains in the distance. His voice was hoarse when he finally spoke. "I've sent a hawk to Jiraiya. If anyone can find him outside our range, it's him."
Kakashi stayed quiet for a moment, then said, "If Naruto left willingly… someone might have influenced him. There are groups who'd want him."
Hiruzen didn't move. "Yes."
A long pause. Then, softly—
"Danzo."
Kakashi frowned. "Would he really be that bold?"
"No," Hiruzen said. "He wouldn't touch Naruto without my knowledge. Not unless he wanted a war with me personally."
Besides Danzo isn't stupid to even approach Naruto, Because Hiruzen made sure if he ever did, he will regret. If it wasn't Danzo then who? If not anyone, then why Naruto left? Did he finally gave in? Hiruzen wouldn't be surprised if Naruto had enough of village treatment and left.
Hiruzen failed the boy.
The tension in the room snapped like a tight wire when the door opened.
Iruka stepped in, hope flickering in his eyes — until he saw their faces.
"...Still nothing?"
Kakashi looked away.
Hiruzen sighed. "I'm sorry."
Iruka's hands balled into fists. "He was doing better. He was smiling again. I don't understand—"
"I don't either," Hiruzen said quietly. "But whatever pushed him to leave… it must have been something he didn't want us to stop."
The silence that followed was unbearable.
And they all knew, Hiruzen knew. It was THEIR fault.
---
Meanwhile – Rain Borderlands
A faint mist clung to the trees as morning light spilled across the clearing.
Naruto Uzumaki stood across from Itachi Uchiha, his small frame tense, breath calm, kunai ready in hand. His clothes were fresh, his wounds healed, and his chakra carefully paced. The boy had rested — and now, he was about to prove himself.
"Begin," Itachi said simply.
Kisame Hoshigaki sat on a rock nearby, arms crossed, grinning like he was watching a festival. "Don't hold back, Itachi. Let's see if the kid survives."
Naruto struck first.
He launched forward, sharp and swift, kunai flashing in a direct arc — feinting left, circling right. But Itachi barely moved, evading with smooth, effortless precision.
Naruto's speed wasn't the problem — but his body was still young, his reach shorter, his stamina limited. Even so, his movements were disciplined. Calculated.
A trap tag on the first tree. A clone detonation ten meters away. A thrown kunai meant to miss — then bounce from a rock into Itachi's blind angle.
Itachi disappeared in a blur and reappeared behind Naruto. "You telegraph your rear foot too much when pivoting."
Naruto twisted, blocked with a chakra pulse to his hand — and barely deflected Itachi's strike.
"I'm compensating for height and angle," Naruto muttered.
"You're compensating well," Itachi replied — and then cast a genjutsu.
Naruto's world snapped — sudden flames rising, phantom chains wrapping his limbs.
But—
Poof.
Itachi's Sharingan flickered once. "Shadow clone."
From behind, Naruto lunged with a wind-infused kunai — but Itachi blocked it with two fingers.
Still, there was a small spark of amusement in his eyes now.
Naruto panted slightly. "I know I can't win in this body. Not yet."
Itachi stared.
"But I know how you fight. I've seen it. I studied it. I just needed to show you I'm not guessing."
Silence. Then a soft voice.
"You've proven that," Itachi said. "You think strategically. You hide your desperation."
Kisame let out a loud laugh noting Itachi decided what they are gonna do. "Guess we're really doing this, huh? Kid's got guts."
Itachi looked down at Naruto — thoughtful.
"…Your resolve is clear."
Naruto couldn't stop smiling, He knows Itachi is holding back, He is trying to understand Naruto's true intentions and see his reaction. Naruto wants to tell him a lot and he will. "Then allow me to continue..."
Another spar begin.
The moment the spar ended, Naruto dropped into a crouch, panting hard, sweat clinging to his face — but a wide grin spread across his lips.
[Quest Completed: "First Trial – Battle Against Itachi"]
+800 XP
+2 Ninjutsu
+1 Tactical Awareness
+15 System Points
[System Update: Gacha Feature Unlocked]
Pull for random rewards using earned points.
Possible Drops: Jutsu, Weapons, Skills, Bloodlines, ???
[You currently have: 15 Points]
→ Would you like to spin now?
Naruto blinked.
Gacha?
Like those capsule machines? A lottery system? He remembers his son Boruto playing those Gacha's stuff whatever they visit the festival together, It was only one time that Naruto gets to spend time with his family. With his children.
He glanced at the options briefly. The prize pool seemed massive — scrolls, Kekkei Genkai symbols, even ancient relic icons he didn't recognize. One icon flickered with a crimson glow labeled: "??? – Limited Drop."
Naruto's fingers twitched.
But he closed the interface. Not now. Not in front of them. He stood, wiping his forehead.
"Hey, Itachi," Naruto said, more serious now. "I need to talk. Alone."
Itachi Uchiha, who had already begun to turn away, paused and looked back. A faint breeze stirred his cloak. He glance at Kisame.
Kisame raised an eyebrow, still lounging by the rock. "Secrets already? Tch. Fine, fine. Go have your little heart-to-heart."
Itachi gave him a nod and silently walked away, Naruto following behind.
They moved deep into the forest, out of earshot and chakra detection range — Itachi ensured it himself with a silent sweep.
"Speak."
Naruto exhaled slowly. His heartbeat picked up. No more dancing around it.
He met Itachi's eyes directly.
"I'm not from this timeline."
Itachi didn't react. His eyes simply watched.
Naruto continued. "I… died. Years from now. After a war. After… everything. Then I woke up back in my younger body.... I genuinely can't remember what happen... I do remember fighting but after that I don't know...I'm not sure if it's time travel, reincarnation, or something else," Naruto said honestly. "But I have all my memories. Every mistake. Every death. Everything I couldn't stop."
Still, Itachi said nothing. But his eyes darkened slightly — not with disbelief, but with thought. Nothing seems impossible to him, Because if Sixth Path sage exist, the biju exist and so on, Why not time travel?
Naruto pressed on. "I know about the Uchiha. About the coup. About what they made you do. I know why you're in Akatsuki. I know why you watched from the shadows. Why you lived as a traitor.... Even why... You did THAT to Sasuke THAT night... The torture..."
Silence.
"I didn't come here to stop you," Naruto added. "I came because I want to stop the world from becoming what it was. And I need people who see what's beneath the surface — not just those who cling to the surface of 'peace.'... in order to do that... I need to join..."
Itachi's Sharingan flickered for a second. He was measuring Naruto.
"Do you expect me to believe this?" he asked calmly.
"No," Naruto said with a shrug. "You're free to doubt it. If our places were reversed, I wouldn't believe it either.... I mean who can believe a kid that claims to be from future? It all sounds absurd..."
Itachi walked forward, slowly, until they stood a few feet apart.
"You speak of a terrible future… and yet you came to us," he said. "To Akatsuki. Not the Hokage. Not Jiraiya. Why?"
Naruto's voice was low. Honest.
"Because they want to protect a system that's already broken. Nagato… was trying to destroy it."
"And you?"
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
"I want to remake it."
A beat of silence passed between them.
Itachi studied him for a long time — the way one might study a mirror that had started showing cracks… or truths.
"Then we will speak again," Itachi finally said. "When you're ready to prove that your knowledge isn't just memory… but vision."
He turned to leave. Itachi has a lot to think about, Even with his Sharingan he can tell, Naruto is being truthful. Still, He had a lot to think.
Naruto, left alone in the clearing, finally opened his system interface and stared at the Gacha Menu.
Fingers trembling, he hovered over the spin button.
> 15 Points Available
First Pull – Discounted: 10 Points
"…One try," Naruto whispered.
He pressed the button.
The screen spun.
Flickered.
Stopped.
> You Pulled: "Uzumaki Clan Secret Scroll – Sealing Art: Lion Cage Seal"
Naruto's eyes widened.
"…That's not... Huh?!"