Chapter 63: What Did I Ever Do to You, Danzō? Why So Much Hatred!

"Carrying the burdens of life, leading the way, welcoming the sunrise, bidding farewell to the sunset—"

"Crushing all…"

Naruto sat cross-legged on his large, floating iron door, singing the theme song from Journey to the West, his body swaying with the rhythm.

At that moment, he imagined himself as the monk Xuanzang, and the iron door beneath him as the White Dragon Horse.

After wandering for a whole month, the thought of finally returning home made him giddy with excitement.

It had been ages since he last saw Hinata!

But his off-key singing was making the other three members of Team 7 wince.

"NARUTO, SHUT UP!"

"Your singing is unbearable! It sounds just like my dad sawing wood all night!"

"Shut up already!"

The trio yelled at him in perfect unison, unable to take it any longer. Ever since Naruto had opened the teleportation gate back to the outskirts of Konoha, he'd been singing non-stop, completely oblivious to their suffering.

"Tsk—"

"You can't handle this much?"

"The essence of being a ninja is enduring everything! You three still have a long way to go."

Naruto crossed his arms and, imitating Jiraiya's tone, began lecturing the group, his expression full of disdain.

Kakashi facepalmed, feeling utterly exasperated.

Sure, the words weren't wrong…

But who in the world told Naruto that was the way to interpret them!?

And besides…

Kakashi had heard that quote somewhere before, but he just couldn't recall where.

Sasuke and Sakura both ignored the floating Naruto, determined to avoid his terrible singing at all costs.

For the next few minutes, Team 7 traveled in silence. The three had already agreed that if Naruto opened his mouth to sing again, they would team up to give him a well-deserved beating before he could even react.

The sight of Konoha's gates brought immediate relief to each member of Team 7.

Even Kakashi's lazy eyes lit up slightly.

He just wanted to escape the group and spend some time alone.

This past month had been torture for him. He hadn't gotten a proper rest. If it wasn't Sasuke laughing maniacally while practicing his lightning techniques, it was Naruto banging away on his iron door late into the night.

What a nightmare!

But at least Kakashi now had hope that he could rest peacefully in the village for a while.

Sigh…

Jiraiya-sama, when are you coming back to the village?

The moment the Konoha gatekeepers spotted Team 7's familiar faces, two of them immediately sprinted into the village, spreading the news of their return like wildfire.

"Not good!"

"Team 7's back from their mission!"

"Quick, inform the Nara and Hyūga clans!"

…

As soon as they passed through the gates, Naruto leapt off his iron door, storing it back in his system. He politely greeted the gatekeepers, a bright smile on his face.

"Hey there, old man!"

"Uh… hey."

Naruto was in such a good mood that even seeing the gate guards filled him with joy.

Kakashi, however, noticed how stiff the gatekeepers looked, their eyes darting nervously, avoiding Naruto at all costs. Clearly, they still held some grudges against Team 7.

Not that it mattered anymore…

Team 7 had already become the village's pariahs, feared and disliked by all. What were a few more wary guards?

Kakashi shoved his hands into his pockets and led the way forward.

"Let's go. We need to report to the Hokage's office."

The three youngsters nodded obediently and followed behind him.

As Sakura replayed everything that had happened on this mission, she grew anxious to get home and see her parents.

After all, she'd narrowly avoided becoming a rogue ninja of Konoha.

Sasuke, on the other hand, only wanted to find a quiet place to study and further refine his Fire Release: Burning Formula.

As for Naruto, all he could think about was getting to the Hyūga compound to see his beloved "wife."

As they strolled through the bustling streets of Konoha, villagers noticed the familiar blonde-haired troublemaker returning and immediately tensed up. Some hurriedly closed their shops, others scooped up their children who had been playing outside, while others quickly bolted their doors.

No one wanted to make eye contact with the infamous Naruto.

The fear in their eyes was greater than what they felt when facing the Nine-Tails. The Nine-Tails could at least end their lives quickly, but Naruto could make them wish for death with his antics.

The villagers could only pin their hopes on the Nara and Hyūga clans to save them.

Kakashi and the others finally reached the Hokage's office. He pushed open the door, and the sight that greeted them was… strange. There was an old man in a wheelchair, his head completely bald, his body wrapped in bandages from head to toe.

Naruto scratched his head, staring at the elderly man, searching his memory for a name or a face he could recognize.

Wait…

Who was this old guy?

And how did he even get into the Hokage's office?

The Third Hokage sat behind his desk, his expression grim. Whatever conversation he'd been having with the man in the wheelchair must have been unpleasant, judging by his sour look.

"Lord Third, here's the mission report."

Kakashi handed over the mission scroll. The Third took it without even glancing at it, signing off on the task immediately. He then instructed someone to fetch their reward.

"You wretched Uzumaki brat!"

"I'll kill you!!"

The old man in the wheelchair suddenly erupted in fury, his chest heaving as he pointed a trembling hand at Naruto, shouting with all the venom he could muster.

Team 7's eyes simultaneously shifted to Naruto, their gazes questioning:

Did you piss off this old man?

Naruto stood there, utterly bewildered.

Scratching his head, he looked the elderly man up and down before finally responding.

"Uh, hold on—"

"Old man, who are you?"

"Do I even know you?"

Cough cough cough—

The old man's face turned beet red at Naruto's question. His mouth twisted in rage, and he began coughing violently, unable to control himself.

Kakashi started to worry that the poor man might keel over and die from Naruto's words right there in the Hokage's office.

"Danzō!"

"Calm down!"

"Your condition is serious—you can't afford to get so worked up!"

The Third Hokage rushed over to his friend, trying to soothe him with calming words while pulling out various bottles and vials from Danzō's clothes, feeding him medicine in a hurry.

Naruto's jaw dropped in shock.

Wait, WHAT!?

This old man was Danzō!?

What the heck happened to him!?

Naruto wasn't the only one stunned—Kakashi's pupils contracted in surprise as well.

The idea that the powerful leader of the Root faction could end up in such a pitiful state was beyond belief.

Naruto stood frozen for a moment, replaying Danzō's earlier insult in his head. Then, he quietly muttered under his breath…

"Danzō…"

"What did I ever do to you?"

"I've never done anything to you…"

"So why do you hate me so much?"

Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto, swore that there wasn't a hint of malice in his voice. He was genuinely curious why Danzō held such a massive grudge against him.

Though Naruto's voice was soft, everyone in the room heard him clearly.

Especially Danzō, whose already labored breathing grew even more ragged. His body began to tremble violently, and within moments, he collapsed, unconscious from sheer rage.

"Danzō!"

"Danzō, wake up!!"

"Quick! Get a medical ninja in here, now!!"

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Support the Translation! 🌐✨

20 Advanced Chapters are currently available in Patreon, make sure to visit and support our team.

patreon.com/Immortal_author

https://ko-fi.com/immortalauthor

https://discord.gg/KscfBegBPT