Monsters Beneath the Tower

[Strategy for Hinata, Acknowledgment by the Nine-Tails 19.8%]

"Do you want me to take you inside?"

Naruto pointed to the inside of the Hyuga compound, where the clean and tidy streets and the neat, sparse houses and courtyards appeared dignified and solemn.

"I can go on my own."

Hinata timidly said, her eyes briefly shadowed by a flicker of gloom.

"Then goodbye, Hinata. Take care."

Hinata stood on one leg and gave a bow, her movements somewhat clumsy but earnest.

....

Sending Hinata back to the Hyuga compound didn't take long. After returning to Konoha's main street, Naruto casually found a place to fill his stomach, then began shopping on a large scale.

The new home appliances would be delivered in the afternoon; the money was paid, and the service was warm and cheerful with constant smiles.

He kept at it until the afternoon, taking a nap before sunset, and when he woke up, the sky was already dark.

He took a bath, changed into new clothes, and went out. Following the old street direction from Konoha's main street, he bought food and some miscellaneous items along the way.

Some of these items were for himself, and some were for Doyoshi, checking to see if she had starved to death. He didn't plan on helping her much, just feeding her.

Then he bought kunai, explosive tags, and ninja swords—everything.

Using the old method, he entered an abandoned building. After searching a dark floor, he finally found Doyoshi hiding in a corner.

She had hidden carefully; there was no strange smell around, indicating she ate and relieved herself elsewhere. The high-rise gave her a better view of her surroundings, preventing anyone from getting close.

After the Third Hokage's death, Konoha had been under martial law for some time.

With not enough Anbu, the Root organization had taken over some positions, causing the village's atmosphere to feel rather stagnant.

The higher-ups in Konoha were busy with reconstruction, and the vacant positions needed to be filled. The Land of Fire also had to allocate funds to Konoha.

There were only two major issues temporarily set aside:

The first was the selection of the Fifth Hokage. The two advisors' opinion was to delay, and if Tsunade could return, they would strongly push for her.

The second was how to deal with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. The higher-ups had different opinions, and it would only be decided after the Fifth Hokage was appointed.

Naruto, for now, was the lonely monster beneath the tower, covered in scales, awaiting judgment.

The high-ups were like gods, forcing him to expose himself to the sunlight, watching as the noble figures at the round table raised their hands in approval. The most humiliating thing was that they wanted Naruto to love them like a dog.

As long as the Nine-Tails was inside Naruto's body, he was equivalent to the Nine-Tails.

However, the system's progress task was nearly one-fifth completed, which meant that on some day, even if the Nine-Tails left Naruto, he could still use its power.

He waited for that day to come: when the Nine-Tails was free, he would be free too.

As for how the higher-ups would go crazy after losing the tailed beast, that no longer concerned him.

One day, even gods would fall from their high towers and become monsters.

Until then, he would always look up to them, watching, waiting for the day when he would drag them into the sunlight like a dead dog.

"How long have you been hungry?"

"A little..."

"Speak properly."

"One day." Doyoshi raised her head, a faint sneer on her lips.

"Really?" Naruto glanced at her and pointed at Doyoshi, saying, "Your transformation jutsu is so weak from hunger, it's failed."

"Huh?"

Doyoshi blinked for a moment, then raised her hand to touch her face, her pupils widening in realization.

"You saw my true face... then I must ask you to die."

Hearing this, Naruto yawned, took enough food from the sealing space, and didn't bother to respond to Doyoshi's words.

"What's the benefit of killing me?"

"Are you scared?"

"You can't beat me. Forget it, I'll demolish the whole building, and you'll have nowhere to hide."

"In that case, I'll kill you next time, for the food's sake," Doyoshi muttered.

"I'm leaving now. See you next time, and don't die at my hands."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Doyoshi bit into some bread, eyeing Naruto, "You're the one. Next time, I'll definitely kill you."

Naruto didn't say anything. He used the Flying Thunder God technique to leave directly.

"This person is really strange, dumb and rich..."

In the darkness, Doyoshi ripped open another bag of bread, muttering complaints.

"Never tasted this, new flavor."

....

Returning to his somewhat unfamiliar new home as usual, Naruto flopped onto the spacious sofa in the living room and slept for a while, probably because he had run around too much that day.

When he opened his eyes again, it was already the next day.

Throwing his bag over his shoulder, Naruto didn't prepare much. The sealing space held everything he needed. His bag only contained some money and clothes, nothing else.

Jiraiya had sealing scrolls that could store items by summoning toads, so he didn't need to carry much.

It would take about three days for the journey.

Sitting in a shop, resting with some tea, Naruto suddenly heard a "ding," and the familiar mechanical synthetic voice echoed again after a long time.

A panel popped up.

[Option 1: Find Tsunade and have her return to the village to inherit the position of the Fifth Hokage. Reward: Unlock the Tail Seal (No Damage Version) Note: The Jinchuriki will not die from the removal of the Tailed Beast.]*

[Option 2: Find Tsunade and stop her from returning to inherit the Fifth Hokage position. Reward: Wind Release: Shuriken (Max Level)]

Naruto silently took a sip of tea and looked at Jiraiya, who was drinking across from him.

"If Princess Tsunade doesn't return to inherit the Fifth Hokage, you'll be summoned back by the higher-ups, right, pervy sage?"

"That's true," Jiraiya replied, a bit drunk, reluctantly pulling his gaze from the female attendant, "But I will never be Hokage. Who wants to do that boring job?"

"Then good luck, pervy sage. Find Tsunade quickly."

"Hah?" Jiraiya stood up, drunkenly staring at Naruto, "You should also take care of your own matters, if Tsunade recognizes you..."

"So, you like Tsunade, huh?"

"This... this, you... you're talking nonsense, brat!" Jiraiya scratched his head, avoiding eye contact.

"Don't like her?"

"Well... not that I don't." Jiraiya got more drunk, muttering to himself, "Tsunade's always been beautiful."

"Then pervy sage, you must convince Tsunade to return to the village and inherit the Fifth Hokage."

"Why me?"

"I'm afraid of getting beaten up."

Jiraiya: "You brat..."

"Since you guys are part of the Three Ninjas, you must have grown up together, right?" Naruto said seriously, trying to lead him on, "No one understands Princess Tsunade better than pervy sage, right?"

"You brat, you're right," Jiraiya grinned, sitting down and pouring himself another drink.

"Find Tsunade, and you won't get dragged back to be Hokage."

Naruto's words were like the whispers of a demon, leading him deeper into the abyss.

Without a mouth, he had to resort to trickery.

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