Chapter 23

Kiba charged at Naruto with every intention of taking down the S-rank traitor before Sasuke could.

But the technique he relied on, Fang Over Fang, was a taijutsu move. While powerful, it wasn't enough to overwhelm Naruto's sheer skill and agility.

Within seconds, Kiba was defeated.

Shikamaru stared at Naruto, his surprise evident.

Though Kakashi had warned them that Naruto had become incredibly strong, none of them expected the gap between them to be so vast. It had been over six months since Naruto left Konoha, and in that time, his transformation was nothing short of astounding.

Shikamaru's worldview began to falter.

He and his comrades had all grown stronger, with most of them now possessing Chunin-level skills. Yet, even with their combined efforts, they couldn't come close to matching Naruto.

Turning to his side, Shikamaru's gaze landed on Hyuga Neji—their last hope. Among their group, Neji was undoubtedly the strongest, his strength rivaling that of seasoned warriors.

Noticing Shikamaru's glance, Neji stepped forward confidently. He assumed his gentle fist stance and stood between Naruto and the others.

But Naruto didn't attack. Instead, his expression softened as he spoke. "Hyuga Neji, I don't want to fight you."

Neji froze, caught off guard by Naruto's unexpected words.

Naruto continued, "I saw your match with Hinata during the Chunin Exams. I know you have a grudge against Konoha, just like I do."

Neji's lips tightened, but he remained silent.

Naruto chuckled. "I know you don't dare to show it openly. You only vent your frustrations on the Hyuga clan because you know they won't retaliate against you. After all, with your talent, the clan won't risk losing you."

"But Konoha?" Naruto's tone turned colder. "Konoha devours everything it sees as a threat. It's like what happened with Kakashi's father… or how they kept my father's identity a secret."

Neji's eyes flickered with anger, the mention of Kakashi's father and the injustices of Konoha striking a nerve.

He thought of his own father—sacrificed for the so-called peace between Konoha and Kumo. It had been the Hidden Cloud's ninja who attempted to kidnap Hinata, and the same Kumo village demanded the body of the Hyuga clan leader after their failure.

Instead of protecting their clan, the Hyuga elders had sent Neji's father, Hizashi, as a substitute. All for the sake of "peace."

Hiruzen Sarutobi had supported the decision to avoid another war, but Neji would never forget the pain of his father's sacrifice.

Naruto could see Neji's emotions stirring and pressed on. "What worries you most, Neji, is the Caged Bird Seal, isn't it?"

Neji hesitated but eventually nodded.

Shikamaru and the others exchanged shocked glances. What was happening? The person they were counting on to fight Naruto seemed to be aligning with him instead.

Naruto smirked. This was something he had learned from Uzumaki Chito—how to turn an enemy into an ally. "What if I told you there's a way to remove the Caged Bird Seal?"

Neji's eyes widened in disbelief. "You… you can remove it?"

Naruto nodded, his voice calm but confident. "Don't forget, Grandpa Chito is a god. What others can't do, he can."

Neji's breathing quickened. The possibility of freedom from the curse that had bound him for so long was almost too much to bear.

Still, fear tempered his excitement. He knew the repercussions of betraying the Hyuga clan. The punishment for defecting would be swift and brutal, especially for a branch family member with the Caged Bird Seal.

Naruto noticed Neji's hesitation and didn't press him further. Instead, he reached into his pouch and retrieved a scroll.

It was one of three special scrolls given to him by Uzumaki Chito before he left the Land of Whirlpools. Each scroll contained a clone of Uzumaki Chito, sealed and ready to assist if Naruto ever faced insurmountable danger.

Naruto didn't hesitate to use one now.

The scroll unfurled, releasing a puff of white mist. From the haze, a figure emerged—it was Uzumaki Chito.

His piercing eyes scanned the battlefield as he took a step forward. Yet, there was no immediate threat, no enemy capable of harming Naruto.

Uzumaki Chito's brow furrowed slightly in confusion.

Naruto spoke quickly, his voice filled with a mix of admiration and determination. "Grandpa Chito, I need your help with something. Can you release Neji's Caged Bird Seal?"

Uzumaki Chito glanced at Neji, who was looking at him with a mix of awe and desperation.

Naruto, sensing Neji's apprehension, chimed in again. "He's not an enemy, Grandpa. He's just like me—someone who's suffered under Konoha's system."

Uzumaki Chito sighed softly. Despite Naruto's defection from Konoha, his heart remained unchanged. This unwavering kindness and desire to help others were quintessentially Naruto.

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