Chapter 5: The Plan Pt.1

A single day had passed since the graduation ceremony, and anticipation hung in the air as the newly graduated ninja gathered once more in the familiar academy room. Iruka stood before them, ready to unveil the teams and senseis that would guide their paths.

Iruka's voice resonated through the room, calling out names, and Naruto waited patiently for his turn. When his name was finally announced, there was an unexpected twist.

"Naruto Uzumaki… the Hokage wishes to speak with you."

Naruto's eyes gleamed with curiosity as he acknowledged the call. "Alright, Iruka-sensei."

In an instant, Naruto found himself standing in the Hokage's office. The receptionist, a woman diligently working moments ago, was now caught off guard by Naruto's imposing presence.

Lost in admiration, she muttered to herself, "How could someone be this handsome and powerful?"

Naruto, seizing the opportunity, addressed her. "The Hokage would like to see me."

Still entranced, the receptionist nodded, her professional demeanor momentarily forgotten. Naruto strolled into the Hokage's office without any hindrance.

Inside, Hiruzen Sarutobi welcomed Naruto with a nod. "Naruto, I have something important to discuss with you."

Naruto, maintaining his facade of politeness, replied, "Of course, Hokage-sama. Is this about me not being assigned to a team?"

Hiruzen confirmed, "Yes, it is. However, it's not what you might think."

As Naruto listened, he inwardly chuckled, already aware that the Hokage was about to reveal his promotion.

"I've decided to promote you to the rank of Jonin immediately," Hiruzen declared, revealing the black flak jacket adorned with the Jonin insignia.

The weight of the jacket settled on Naruto's shoulders, and Hiruzen continued to bestow additional privileges and responsibilities that came with the prestigious rank. As Naruto exited the Hokage's office, he wore the mask of a humble ninja, concealing the laughter that bubbled within him.

Once outside and safely within the confines of his well-hidden mansion, Naruto erupted into laughter that echoed through the empty halls. His chilling laughter, reminiscent of a tyrant reveling in his triumph, echoed the beginning of his ascent to power.

"It seems like my plan is coming to fruition," Naruto chuckled, savoring the taste of his imminent dominance. The mask he wore hid the true depth of his thoughts, and as the echoes of his laughter faded away, the shadows of his ambitions loomed larger than ever.

One day had passed since Naruto's promotion to Jonin, and the wheels of his intricate plan continued to turn. Today marked his first official mission as a Jonin, and Naruto found himself standing once more within the Hokage tower, ready to collect his assignment.

"I have an A-ranked mission for you, Naruto," the Hokage stated, handing him a scroll that detailed the task at hand.

Naruto accepted it with a nod, his crimson eyes gleaming with a hidden intensity. The mission: gather information on the Hidden in the Waterfall Village, an assignment befitting Naruto's unique set of skills.

With a swift motion, Naruto teleported to the outskirts of the Hidden in the Waterfall Village, the mission scroll tightly clenched in his hand. Observing from the shadows, he analyzed the movements, speech patterns, and personalities of random civilians, scrutinizing the ebb and flow of everyday life.

Dissatisfied with merely observing, Naruto summoned ten blood clones, each an extension of his silent will. The clones, bearing a semblance to Naruto himself, infiltrated the village with precision and lethality. Their task was to eliminate the civilians discreetly, leaving no trace of blood or bodies behind.

As the shadows claimed the fallen, Naruto applied an Advanced Henge, a technique far beyond the conventional transformation jutsu. The clones seamlessly took on the appearances, movements, speech patterns, and personalities of the villagers they had assassinated.

The disguised clones moved through the Hidden in the Waterfall Village, blending seamlessly with the unsuspecting populace. Naruto instructed them to mimic every detail, ensuring that even the most discerning ninja, including the village's Kage, would be none the wiser.

The village's secrets would soon be laid bare before Naruto's watchful eyes. His blood clones skillfully gathered information, acting as the perfect spies within the enemy territory. The plan unfolded with a silent precision, leaving no room for error.

As Naruto orchestrated this silent infiltration, the Hidden in the Waterfall Village remained oblivious to the imminent threat lurking within its very midst. The shadows of Naruto's ambition deepened, the first echoes of his grand plan taking root.

Three days passed since Naruto's infiltration of the Hidden in the Waterfall Village. As the appointed time neared, Naruto found himself standing in a secluded alleyway, the shadows concealing his presence. The blood clones, having gathered invaluable information, began to disperse one by one, their data merging with Naruto's consciousness.

The influx of information flooded Naruto's mind, revealing the intricacies of the Hidden in the Waterfall Village. The divine water, a potent elixir, was both a blessing and a curse. It granted immense power, surpassing even the famed soldier pills, but at the cost of the drinker's lifeforce.

The village's defenses proved to be inadequate, a vulnerability that could be exploited by an organized force. The revelation that a mere ninety Jonins from the Leaf could obliterate the entire village lingered in Naruto's thoughts.

However, the most critical information surfaced when Naruto delved into the Kage's predicament. The Hidden in the Waterfall Kage was gravely ill, with a prognosis of only three months left to live. This vulnerability presented a unique opportunity for Naruto to exploit the village's weakened leadership.

The divine water, once hailed as a source of strength, had become a silent killer. Consuming large quantities led to chakra poisoning or immediate death, and the entire populace, unknowingly addicted, faced a slow and inevitable demise.

The civilians, strengthened by the water but plagued by its consequences, now surpassed even the Leaf's academy students and instructors. The village, in its pursuit of strength, had unknowingly paved its path to destruction.

Intriguingly, the information hinted at the presence of the 7 tails Jinchuriki within the village. This individual, shunned by her own people, held a power that Naruto saw as an opportunity. His mind whirred with schemes as he considered the possibility of absorbing yet another tailed beast's power.

"I could take the 7 tails Jinchuriki from the village, extract the tailed beast, defeat it, and absorb its power, just like I did with the 9 tails," Naruto mused to himself.

The revelation of the village's vulnerabilities and the potential acquisition of the 7 tails fueled Naruto's ambition. The shadows of his grand plan cast an even more ominous presence as he contemplated the steps that would lead him towards his ultimate goal. The game had just begun, and Naruto was poised to make his moves on the intricate chessboard of power.

Armed with a wealth of information on the Hidden in the Waterfall Village, Naruto wasted no time. He transcribed the details into a comprehensive report, omitting the sensitive information about the 7 tails Jinchuriki residing within. Determined to take matters into his own hands, Naruto teleported back to the Hokage's Office, report in hand.

As Naruto handed over the report to Hiruzen, the Hokage scanned its contents. His eyes narrowed as he read about the impending demise of the Waterfall Kage.

"Now is the opportune moment to strike," Hiruzen mused aloud, contemplating the weakened state of the Hidden in the Waterfall Village.

Before the Hokage could voice his thoughts further, Naruto interjected with a proposition that caught Hiruzen off guard. "Hokage-sama, I would like to handle this mission personally. Allow me to destroy the Waterfall Village myself."

Hiruzen regarded Naruto with a mix of disbelief and concern. "You alone? Do you think you can destroy an entire village?"

Naruto, without a moment's hesitation, unleashed his potent aura, a power that resonated with the might of seven tailed beasts. The pressure weighed heavily in the room, and Hiruzen, overwhelmed by the sheer force, felt a shiver run down his spine.

In his mind, Hiruzen grappled with the realization that Naruto, alone, possessed the capability to wreak havoc on the entire Leaf Village. Fear and realization dawned upon him, realizing the extent of Naruto's danger.

Naruto, having made his point, retracted his aura. "I assure you, Hokage-sama, that the Hidden in the Waterfall Village will fall before me."

Hiruzen, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, pondered the implications. Acknowledging the unparalleled threat Naruto posed, he reluctantly agreed to Naruto's request. "Very well, Naruto. This mission will be classified as an SS-Ranked mission. Handle it as you see fit."

The die was cast, and Naruto, with newfound determination, prepared to unleash the might of his power upon the unsuspecting Hidden in the Waterfall Village. The shadows of his ambitious plan extended further, and the chessboard of power witnessed the next move in the unfolding game.

Upon receiving approval from Hiruzen, Naruto wasted no time. Teleporting back to the Hidden in the Waterfall Village, he summoned five clones, each a harbinger of destruction. With a cold directive, he commanded them to run rampant, killing and setting the village ablaze.

As chaos unfolded in the village, Naruto pinpointed the location of the 7 tails Jinchuriki. Swiftly, he teleported behind her, executing a precise neck chop that rendered her unconscious. Transporting both of them to a concealed, secure location, Naruto laid the unconscious girl on the ground and sealed the area with intricate seals.

With methodical precision, Naruto unsealed the 7 tails from its host. The confused beast, unleashed from its confinement, attempted to fly away. Unperturbed, Naruto did some hand signs, sealing the 7 tails within himself.

Entering a meditative state, Naruto ascended above the ground, traversing into his mindscape. There, the enraged and bewildered 7 tails awaited. Without a shred of empathy, Naruto unlocked the cage imprisoning the tailed beast. Engaging Supernova Barrage, Naruto obliterated the 7 tails, absorbing its power into himself.

As maniacal laughter echoed within his mindscape, Naruto realized he had become as powerful as the 8th tailed beast. A sinister thought stirred within him—what if he absorbed all the tailed beasts?

Returning to reality, Naruto faced his five clones, each reporting the destruction they wreaked upon the Hidden in the Waterfall Village. One clone presented the head of the village's Kage as proof. Satisfied, Naruto dispersed the clones and sealed the Kage's head within a scroll.

Teleporting back to the Hokage's office, Naruto proclaimed his success. Unveiling the Kage's head, the Hokage, astonished yet approving, acknowledged Naruto's accomplishment. A hefty sum of yen was rewarded, and Naruto, contemplating his future dominance, decided to take a break.

Retreating to his well-hidden mansion, Naruto indulged in a shower and a substantial meal. Dismissing the hassle of cooking, he declared that maids would handle such mundane tasks in the future. After savoring his self-made feast, Naruto retired for the night, contemplating the immense power coursing through him and the intriguing possibility of absorbing all the tailed beasts. As sleep claimed him, the shadows of his ambitions deepened, casting an ominous prelude to the untold power that lay within his grasp.