Chapter 46

"Niisan, can you show me how so that I can memorize the chakra pathways and hand seals?" Shikamaru showed much more enthusiasm for learning the jutsu, and Kazuki decided to teach it to him due to his character.

Kazuki slowly executed the complete hand seals, allowing his little brother to follow and execute the technique.

"[Kage Bunshin no Jutsu]" (Shadow Clone Technique)

Ensuring Shikamaru wouldn't go exploring out of curiosity, Kazuki restricted him to one shadow clone, as he already had half a dozen clones working on various tasks like Fuinjutsu, Taijutsu, Iryo Ninjutsu, etc. Kazuki had a separate area within the Nara clan fortified with a heavy number of seals. He maintained a weekly schedule to release these shadow clones to assimilate knowledge, exploiting this loophole since the day he came into the world.

"Oh, this clone has a solid form compared to the regular clone. How many shadow clones can you maintain at a time, big brother, without them being a burden?" Shikamaru observed the second Kazuki that had appeared and, under Kazuki's manipulation, changed into Shikamaru.

"I should be able to maintain more than half a dozen without it dragging me back. Any more, and the chakra split will not be a decent amount. Remember, Shika, this is a very versatile jutsu; it can give you complete feedback, including the shadow clone's death. So, you need to be absolutely careful with the number of clones you produce in the future. You don't want to be caught off guard in the middle of battle because the backlash was too much to handle." Kazuki made sure to clearly explain the precautions Shikamaru needed to take.

"Kazuki niisan, is that why the upgrade of this particular technique has been listed as Kinjutsu and stored in the Scroll of Seals?" Shikamaru, though lazy, liked to read, and Kazuki always made sure to provide him with any books he requested.

"Yes, the upgrade of this technique allows you to summon a large number of shadow clones. However, unless one possesses bijuu-level chakra and a strong spirit, executing that technique is like asking for trouble," Kazuki patiently explained, addressing all the questions Shikamaru had regarding the technique.

As Shikamaru delved into learning the shadow clone technique, Kazuki focused on devising a new defense layout. Despite reaching a high level of mastery in fuinjutsu, Kazuki remained vigilant, considering every possible scenario, including regular methods that civilians could use to infiltrate the village. The real challenges lay in countering space-time ninjutsu, Yin-Yang release, and entities like Black Zetsu, along with other rare techniques in the ninja world. Kazuki was not arrogant enough to believe that he could design a fuin barrier capable of countering everything, but he aimed to implement the best defense possible.

His current project involved integrating an idea from the modern world, something akin to RFID tags. Kazuki was working on creating ID cards infused with fuinjutsu, similar to modern RFID technology. The purpose was to immediately identify anyone without such a card. He planned to establish different clearance levels, with Shinobi obtaining a higher clearance than regular civilians. Kazuki understood the enormity of the task ahead, ensuring each tag was tamper-proof and could not be replicated. With the help of his shadow clones, Kazuki was confident that he could achieve this seemingly miraculous feat.

Kazuki and Shikamaru were deeply engrossed in their work, and time flew by unnoticed. If Yoshino hadn't come looking for them, they might have stayed there all night. Kazuki quickly apologized and returned home for dinner.

The week passed swiftly as Kazuki and his team carried out their regular survey missions, needing an additional week to complete the maintenance and survey.

During this time, Naruto mostly stayed at the Senju compound, avoiding the Nara compound even for playdates with Shikamaru and Choji. Despite the joy of discovering his parentage, Naruto couldn't shake the sadness of being mistreated by the villagers, a fact Jiraiya had shared about his parents sacrificing their lives for the village's safety. Understanding Naruto's emotional state, Kazuki decided to take him out.

Kazuki had considered letting Naruto meet Minato, whose chakra imprint remained within Naruto's seal, but Tsunade advised against it due to Naruto's intense hatred for the Nine-Tails. Kazuki, ensuring there were no vulnerabilities for Kyubi to exploit, based the seal on the harmony between Naruto and Kurama.

Currently, Kazuki and Naruto sat at Ichiraku, but Naruto hadn't touched his ramen; the noodles were now soggy. Kazuki had chosen not to bring Shikamaru this time, allowing a moment of solitude. A minute of silence passed before little Naruto spoke.

"Kazuki niisan, did you know? About my parents, I mean." Naruto was still grappling with the recent revelation, and being just over three years old in this world, the truth hit him hard.

"Yes, I knew about them," Kazuki answered, staring absentmindedly at his Ramen.

"My parents died to save the village, so why do they hate me so much, big brother?" Naruto whispered, tears streaming down his face.

"Naruto, not everyone hates you. Honestly, it's not you they hate, but what's inside you." Kazuki comforted Naruto by placing his hands on his head.

"Why did he put it inside me, big brother? Did he want me to suffer? Did my father not know that the village would start hating me for the fox inside me?" Naruto's questions were filled with pain.

Kazuki maintained a thoughtful silence before answering with his true feelings. "Naruto, tell me, do you think that I hate you?" Kazuki questioned, and Naruto quickly shook his head, confirming that he did not.

"Naruto, do you know I lost my parents on the day you were born, during the Nine-Tails attacks while trying to evacuate the civilians?" Kazuki shared something he hadn't spoken about since the tragedy. Despite not knowing about the parents of the original Kazuki, he still felt a deep connection to them, and their loss continued to hurt him. Naruto, unaware of Kazuki's parents' fate due to the Nine-Tails, looked at him with sorrow-filled eyes.

"It wasn't that your father wanted you to suffer; I believe he trusted in his son. He must have believed in you to handle all this pressure and still shine, conquering the Nine-Tails in due time," Kazuki spoke, realizing it might be more effective to show certain things directly than to convey them with words.

"Naruto, do you want to know how far the hatred for the fox within you goes?" Upon Kazuki's question, Naruto simply nodded.

Kazuki led Naruto to buy flowers and then towards the village cemetery. After paying respects to his family, Kazuki led Naruto to Minato's and Kushina's graves. Naruto laid the flowers and paid his respects. It was Naruto's first visit to the cemetery, and after paying respects to the deceased, Kazuki guided him towards a large memorial stone raised in memory of the people who lost their lives during the Nine-Tails attacks. Minato's and Kushina's names were listed at the top, and Kazuki's parents' names were among the deceased. The memorial stone had thousands of names listed, momentarily shocking Naruto with the scale of the loss. He knew about the tragedy, but he didn't realize the magnitude of the impact.

"This should answer your question, Naruto. Our village has close to a hundred thousand people who call it home. On that particular day, you can say that everyone in the village lost someone—parents, children, friends, family, and more. You can't expect everyone to let go of such grief in such a short time. In the eyes of most survivors, you are the one who carries the fox that took their loved ones away from them. It doesn't mean it's your fault, Naruto. It's just that you got the short end of the stick," Kazuki shared his thoughts as he gestured towards the large memorial stone, quietly waiting for his words to sink into little Naruto.

"So, will they keep hating me forever, Kazuki niisan?" Naruto couldn't help but question, still trying to contemplate Kazuki's words.

"It's not hate, Naruto. It's more like extreme grief—the last act of love one gives towards their loved ones. If you are willing to try and understand them, eventually they will understand you too. So, don't worry. Everything will change; you just have to believe."

Kazuki shared his genuine thoughts and waited while Naruto started paying respects to the people who died during the attack. There were a few villagers in the cemetery, but none spoke against it, even though they knew who Naruto was.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Somewhere on the outskirts of Konoha, inside a detached house, two people were having a secret meeting. Both individuals were covered in robes to conceal their identities.

"So, how are our plans proceeding? Has there been any change?" one of the robed figures questioned.

"Well, honestly speaking, we are doing great. My team has already taken down more than two dozen root ninjas who were hiding among the civilians. If it weren't for the information that you shared, I wouldn't have known that there were so many Root operatives posing as simple civilians. Danzo sure is cunning," the second robed figure shared the recent results regarding their operation. They had been hunting root ninjas who were loyal to Danzo and kept off the official records.

"Hmph, that guy thinks he is smart, but he truly is not. If he hadn't had the support of the people around him, especially Hiruzen, he would have found his way towards an early grave. No matter what, I will make sure to bring him down and destroy him. So, why exactly did you ask to meet? Wasn't it decided that we only meet when it's something important?" The first robed man questioned the other, as what they were doing was considered a crime.

They were hunting root operatives without exclusive permission from the Hokage, and the people they killed were documented as civilians. Therefore, they made sure everything was done stealthily.

"Well, we seem to have come across a problem—I cannot say it's a problem, more like a small complication. Someone else is hunting Danzo's Root members like we are, but I have to say they are doing a much more efficient job than my team. I wanted to know your opinion on this matter," the second-robed figure shared the intel about a new party that had joined the Root Hunt. They had no idea who the party was, and they didn't know their motives.

"Have they targeted any innocents?" the first figure asked, to which the second one simply shook his head.

"I have not received any reports from the ANBU regarding such incidents. All casualties were Root members. I made sure to double-check. Do you think we should try approaching the other party and form an alliance?" The second figure couldn't help but ask, to which the first robed figure maintained a brief silence and then shook his head.

"No, we will not try to approach them. By your words, they seem much more efficient, so we can't risk it. There might be a possibility that Danzo himself is trying to remove any threats that might point back to him. He can be more cruel than you can possibly imagine. If it's to his benefit, he wouldn't blink to chop off his own limbs," the first figure advised, taking a cautious approach to waiting and watching.

The more Root members die, the less power Danzo holds. The only reason the council doesn't push for Danzo's execution is because of the consequences that would follow if Danzo were to defect, considering the many village secrets he holds.

"For now, we will stick to our plan—bringing down Danzo is our priority," the first figure answered.

"So, has Danzo repaid the debt owed to the village? I heard it was quite a substantial amount," the second figure inquired curiously.

"Heh, that dog, of course, tried to wiggle out by stating that it was spent on the village's benefit. Hiruzen simply asked for the records, which that dog couldn't provide, so he had to return every last Ryo. The poor Shimura clan had to empty out their treasury. Even Danzo himself had to sell all his personal properties and assets within the village," the first figure shared the news with evident delight in his voice.