Being a rogue ninja is worse than being Hokage.

But its explanation is truly... appalling.

"Twelve people?! Why are so many ninjas gathered in this forest? Are they enemies? And what is this massive amount of chakra you mentioned?"

Shikamaru was surprised by Puck's answer; he had just experienced Puck's investigative abilities.

It was quite strange that Parker, with his keen sense of smell, didn't immediately detect the enemy on the way forward for Team 10.

This means the enemy possesses the ability to block perception!

But if they can block perception, then why is Parker suddenly able to detect their presence?

Parker simply opened his black dog nose wide and took a deep sniff of the surrounding air.

The next answer only deepened Shikamaru's confusion.

"The chakra of those three ninja squads, as well as that massive amount of chakra, all vanished just now."

Even Parker could hardly believe the information his sense of smell had brought him.

It turned its head and looked at the three members of Team 10, saying, "I can smell the scent of that brat Naruto Uzumaki under Kakashi's command."

Upon hearing Parker's words, all three members of Class 10 were taken aback.

……

The forest was filled with a large expanse of trees that were leaning and crooked.

The corpses of ninjas lay scattered around Naruto.

The corpses were dressed like Konoha's Anbu, but the differences in details made Naruto realize that these ninjas actually came from the "Root" organization controlled by Danzo.

Naruto also noticed the magic circle on the ground.

It's still a reverse psychic technique...

It seems that these guys from the "Root" organization are preparing to work together to imprison the Nine-Tails in a magic circle and let the rampaging Nine-Tails enter the residential area of ​​Konoha.

This is quite in line with Danzo's character, who doesn't care about the lives of others.

In the original story, in order to preserve the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, who he considered the most important force in building Konoha's fighting power, Danzo would kill the communication toad that connected with Mount Myōboku. In order to eliminate Tsunade, his political enemy, Danzo would also allow Pain to invade Konoha.

To Danzo, the residents of Konoha and the ninjas of the Third Hokage's faction—these were people who had become weak in the face of peace—were all people who needed "reform" and "sacrifice".

But Naruto, in his tailed beast form, suddenly broke free from Kotoamatsukami's control, catching Root, which had already infused its chakra into the summoning array, off guard.

With the help of Kushina's chakra, Naruto regained control of his body and was still somewhat unaware of what was happening in the outside world. Before he could undo his tailed beast transformation, he followed his body's instinct for danger and swiftly slaughtered all the members of "Root".

After Kushina's chakra bid Naruto a final farewell, the reconstructed Bagua seal allowed Naruto to return to his original form.

However, Naruto looked very disheveled at the moment, covered in blood.

Naruto's skin and muscles went through a vicious cycle of injury and healing during his tailed beast transformation.

The Nine-Tails' chakra is extremely aggressive, and even though Naruto is the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, he can hardly withstand the damage that violent chakra inflicts on his body.

If Kushina's chakra hadn't intervened to stop the Nine-Tails, and if the Nine-Tails had been allowed to run rampant, Naruto would have inevitably died from overexertion of his physical abilities.

However, even after surviving the control of Kotoamatsukami and the crisis of the Nine-Tails going berserk, Naruto is still not safe.

Even though Kushina released the chakra seal from Naruto, the side effects of the Sage Mode, which had failed due to the Nine-Tails' chakra, continued.

Naruto is still unable to use his own chakra, and he is temporarily unable to reabsorb natural energy to enter Sage Mode.

The only chakra he can use right now is the massive amount of Nine-Tails chakra that Kushina forcibly pulled from the Nine-Tails using the Adamantine Sealing Technique within his consciousness space.

Although this Nine-Tails chakra allows Naruto to use it at will without being affected by the Nine-Tails' consciousness.

However, Naruto himself still cannot control the Nine-Tails. Without Kushina, Naruto cannot actively replenish the Nine-Tails' chakra.

In other words, if Naruto encounters a battle, he will only continuously deplete his chakra without being able to replenish it.

Even the most substantial wealth cannot withstand such losses with only expenditures and no income.

Naruto pondered his next move. Before the side effects of his failed Sage Mode wore off, he had to use the Nine-Tails' chakra wisely.

While pondering, Naruto finally realized, albeit belatedly, that his sensory range was no longer restricted.

The next moment, three people and a dog appeared in front of Naruto.

"Naruto!?"

Ino looked at Naruto, who was covered in blood, while the dead ninjas around him testified to what Naruto had recently experienced.

Shikamaru, however, was more observant. He noticed that the number of dead ninjas matched exactly the number of the three ninja squads Pakkun had mentioned.

and……

These dead ninjas were not from the Sand Village or the Sound Village that invaded Konoha... they were Konoha ninjas.

Shikamaru noticed something was wrong.

Pak just said that a ninja squad was surrounding a massive amount of chakra.

Were these dead ninjas confronting Naruto before?

"Naruto, what just happened here?"

Shikamaru asked the question.

Naruto ignored Shikamaru and focused his attention on Ino.

That gaze was devoid of any emotion, filled with a chilling coldness.

Naruto is thinking.

Consider the threat posed by Yamanaka Ino.

As the future heir of the Yamanaka clan, one of the three major clans of Konoha known as the "Ino-Shika-Cho" trio, Yamanaka Ino's potential for growth far surpasses that of Yamanaka Fu.

In the original story, Yamanaka Ino contributed a great deal to the Allied Shinobi Forces.

The trouble that Yamanaka Kaze brought him made Naruto realize the strategic significance of the Yamanaka clan's secret techniques.

The possibility of Naruto letting Yamanaka Ino grow up smoothly is as impossible as not killing Yakushi Kabuto during the Chunin Exams...

If Naruto hadn't attacked Kabuto during the Chunin Exams, he's certain he wouldn't be in this incredibly difficult situation now.

But Naruto still doesn't regret his choice.

He successfully evaded Danzo's schemes, which means he has already borne the consequences of killing Yakushi Kabuto.

Next, Naruto will reap the endless benefits that killing Kabuto Yakushi brings him.

The death of Yamanaka Ino...

For Naruto, it was equivalent to the death of Kabuto Yakushi.

Having escaped Danzo's plot thanks to good luck, Naruto is now racing against time to use the intelligence gap to escape Konoha. Of course, Naruto won't spend time dealing with Yamanaka Ino.

Yamanaka Ino, however, seemed to have appeared right in front of Naruto at just the right moment, as if she were specifically there to be killed by him.

Given that, what reason is there not to kill her?

However, Naruto did not attack Yamanaka Ino.

Naruto's gaze fell to his feet, where his shadow intertwined with Shikamaru's.

"Shikamaru, why did you use the Shadow Binding Technique on me?"

Naruto's body stiffened as he stared at Shikamaru, who had used a secret technique on him.

"I was just about to ask you that..." Shikamaru concentrated all his energy to suppress Naruto's resistance: "Naruto! Why are you making that face like you're about to kill Ino!"

"You ask me why I'm making that face? I thought someone as smart as you could read people's expressions best—of course, it's because I'm about to kill her."

Naruto met Shikamaru's gaze with a sinister look, and Shikamaru knew very well that there was no falsehood in Naruto's words.

To be completely honest, Shikamaru could sense that Naruto harbored no hatred towards Ino in his words, and that it was definitely not because of past conflicts between Ino and Naruto that led Naruto to choose to kill Ino.

Naruto's decision was more of a rational one; he judged that killing Ino was the perfect choice for him.

But why? Why did Naruto kill Ino?

Shikamaru couldn't understand it. He didn't want to think about troublesome things, but he was always the one who made choices when faced with troublesome situations.

"I think you're under an illusion and your mind isn't clear!"

Shikamaru was merely criticizing Naruto's behavior, but inadvertently pointed out Naruto's previous experience.

However, Naruto had already broken free of the genjutsu and was now perfectly clear-headed.

Then, Shikamaru shouted at Ino and Choji, "Ino, I've now taken control of Naruto's body! Use the Mind Transfer Technique to control Naruto's mind! Choji, use the Human Bomber Chariot to smash Naruto to pieces and disable his fighting ability!"

After assigning tasks in this way, Shikamaru said to Naruto, "Forgive me, Naruto. You'll be staying at Konoha Hospital for a while now. But I promise you, once your genjutsu is dispelled, I'll visit you at the hospital every day and I won't find it troublesome at all!"

Naruto didn't respond to Shikamaru, he just looked at Ino.

Ino's hand gesture looked so familiar, and the painful memories that Yamanaka Kaze had brought to Naruto became so clear again.

“Ino, if you use that technique on me, I can guarantee you—I will make you beg me to kill you while you’re crying.”

Naruto's intimidation made Ino so frightened she forgot to breathe.

Ino simply couldn't understand why Naruto's attitude towards her had suddenly become so hostile.

Naruto and Team 10 are locked in a stalemate.

But this stalemate did not last long, lasting only a moment.

In an extremely fast instant, so fast that Ino was about to die.

But a burst of chakra even faster than that instant made Naruto, lost in thought, abandon his choice to kill Ino.

Naruto was racing against time, and an opportunity even more urgent than killing Ino arose from that brief, swift burst of chakra, which was also located in the forest.

Shadow Binding Spell - It failed!

Naruto disappeared from Team 10's sight.

Shikamaru was terrified.

"Choji, protect Ino!"

With that, Shikamaru himself gave up the fight and hurriedly ran towards Ino.

Shikamaru fears that his choice to fight will lead to the wrong outcome, giving Naruto the opportunity to kill Ino.

But the anticipated attack did not occur.