Chapter Ten : Failures

Chaos.

A single word to describe the state of Konoha in that moment.

First, the Uchiha massacre had shaken the village to its core, and now, one of their strongest Joūnin had been defeated in a mere glance—by none other than one of the prime suspects of the massacre; to make matters worse, he had vanished without a trace. The village was short of one of its most powerful assets, and with Naruto gone, so too was the tie that had kept the Sannin, Jiraiya, tethered to Konoha.

The village was in turmoil.

Not only were the civilians uneasy, but the council of the Hidden Leaf was under immense pressure. Anxiety rippled through the hallways of the Hokage building, where the heated shouts and fervent arguments from the ongoing council meeting could be heard echoing through the corridors.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, sat quietly in the council chambers, his face lined with age and stress. He took a long, deliberate drag from his pipe, the thick smoke swirling around him as he tried to mitigate the overwhelming pressure bearing down on him.

The voices around him were a cacophony of anger, frustration, and fear.

The Inuzuka clan head, Tsume, was the loudest, her voice sharp and commanding. "We need to track down that boy! We can't afford to leave someone like him wandering out there unchecked!" she growled, her tone more feral than human. "He needs to be brought in for questioning, and quickly!"

Inoichi Yamanaka, head of the Yamanaka clan, sat with his head bowed in guilt, his voice quieter but no less firm. "We can't chase him like he's a criminal. I did something unthinkable, something that goes against the teachings of the Yamanaka. I tampered with his memories… I feel I hold some responsibility for his desertion. Maybe a life of peace outside the village is the least we can offer him." His words were met with scoffs and glares from the other clan heads.

Hiashi Hyūga, head of the prestigious Hyūga clan, was practically trembling with fury. "No! That boy—that Uzumaki—attacked my daughter! He assaulted Hinata! This cannot go unpunished," he declared, his white Byakugan eyes narrowing dangerously. "He needs to face retribution for his actions."

The elders of the village, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, spoke next, their voices dripping with cold authority. "Naruto Uzumaki must be held accountable for more than just the assault," Koharu said. "With the Uchiha gone, the village needs a face, someone to bear the weight of suspicion and anger. The village must maintain its order and direct their anger not at the poster boy like Itachi but at the Uzumaki. It will do well to hide the village shame and failure."

Homura nodded in agreement. "It's the only way to control the unrest."

Their suggestion was met with murmurs of agreement from several council members, but not all.

Suddenly, the tension in the room reached a breaking point. Hiruzen, the Hokage, slammed his hand down on the table, sending a sharp crack through the air. "Enough!" he roared, his voice booming with authority. The room fell silent in an instant, all eyes turning to the aged leader.

He rose from his chair, his gaze sweeping over the gathered clan heads and elders. "We will not turn Naruto into a scapegoat for the village's failures," he said firmly. His tone left no room for argument. "We are already working on tracking him down, but for now, our priority must be ensuring peace within the village. Unrest is growing, and if we don't calm the people, the village will tear itself apart."

The head of the Nara clan, Shikaku, nodded thoughtfully. "The Hokage is right," he said in his usual laid-back manner, though his sharp eyes betrayed his concern. "We need to focus on stabilizing the situation here before we start hunting down a boy who's already been through enough."

Beside him, the Akimichi clan head, Chōza, and the Aburame clan head, Shibi, nodded in agreement.

Surprisingly, Danzo Shimura, spoke up as well, his voice calm and measured. "We cannot act rashly," he said, his bandaged face revealing nothing of his true thoughts. "I will continue to do what is necessary for the village's survival." His words were carefully chosen, but Hiruzen's eyes narrowed in suspicion as they landed on Danzo.

There was always an ulterior motive with Danzo.

"Shikaku, Tsume, Shibi," Hiruzen said, turning his attention back to the other clan heads, "I would appreciate your help in tracking down Naruto. You three are the best suited for this. It's only been a day, he can't be far."

All three nodded, already formulating strategies in their minds.

Hiashi Hyūga spoke again, his tone more controlled but still laced with anger. "With the Uchiha gone, the Hyūga will step up. We will ensure the safety of the village and maintain order within its walls." His words were heavy with the weight of expectation. Without the Uchiha to balance the scales, the Hyūga were the next most powerful clan in Konoha.

"See that you do," Hiruzen replied, his eyes lingering on Hiashi for a moment before returning to the rest of the council. "This meeting is over. We will proceed with our plans to restore order and find Naruto. But remember this: he is not an enemy of this village. Treat him as such, and you will answer to me."

With that, Hiruzen turned and left the council chamber, his mind weighed down by the burdens of leadership.

As he walked back to his office, he took another long drag from his pipe, feeling the smoke fill his lungs as he tried to push back the stress and exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm him. The village was in chaos, and the weight of the Hokage's hat had never felt heavier.

In his heart, Hiruzen knew that this was only the beginning. The truth about the Uchiha massacre, Danzo's machinations, Naruto's disappearance—all of it was building to something. Something that, if not handled carefully, could rip Konoha apart.

For now, all he could do was wait. Wait for word of Naruto. Wait for the chaos to subside.

But deep down, Hiruzen feared that the peace Konoha once knew was slipping away, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

⁂

"NARUTO!"

Hinata's voice echoed through the sterile hospital room as she jolted upright, her heart racing and her breath coming in ragged gasps. For a moment, she thought it had been a nightmare, that everything she had seen and felt was just a cruel figment of her imagination. But as she took in her surroundings—the bright white walls, the stiff sheets, the distant sound of nurses shuffling through the halls—reality sank in.

It wasn't a dream. It had really happened.

Naruto was gone.

The crushing weight of that truth settled heavily on her chest, making it hard to breathe. She felt so… useless. Powerless. She clenched the bedsheet tightly in her fists, her knuckles turning white as she replayed everything in her mind. If only she had been stronger. If only she hadn't been so nervous, so shy, so afraid to act. Maybe—just maybe—she could have been there for him. Maybe she could have helped.

But she wasn't. She had been too blind to see it—the pain that had been building behind those ocean-blue eyes, the pain he kept hidden beneath his carefree, ramen-loving, loud exterior. She had been too focused on her own fears, her own doubts, to realize that Naruto had been suffering.

And now… he was gone. He had left the village. Left everything and everyone behind. Hinata could hardly believe it.

Her gaze drifted to the window, and she felt her heart sink even further. The view outside looked as bleak as she felt. The once vibrant village now appeared dull and lifeless, cast under a gray, suffocating sky. It was as if the color had been drained from Konoha itself, leaving behind only the barest, coldest version of what it used to be. The sun no longer shone brightly over the buildings, and its light, once warm and soothing, had become distant and hollow.

It wasn't warm. It wasn't cold. It was just… there.

The warmth she used to feel when Naruto was near—that unexplainable comfort, like standing next to a sun—was gone now. She had always marveled at the energy he radiated, how being around him made her feel like she could do anything, be anyone. No one else gave her that feeling. And now… everything was cold. The world around her felt cold and empty, like the surface of the moon.

Her sun had disappeared, and the wind, which once carried whispers of hope, was nothing more than a cold reminder of his absence.

And then, without warning, the skies opened up. Rain began to pour down, and Hinata stared out at the downpour with wide, somber eyes. The rain fell harder and faster, almost as if the sky itself was mourning Naruto's loss. It reminded her of Amegakure, the village constantly shrouded in rain and sorrow. Now she understood what it meant to live under a sky that wept for those it had lost.

Was the sky crying for Naruto? For the boy who had once been full of life, whose personality was as unbound and joyous as the endless sky?

She thought about him—the energy he brought, the way he made people want to be their best. He was wild, free, uninhibited by the rules and expectations of the world around him. He made his own path, his own rules. No one could tell him what to do, and in her more childish moments, Hinata had sometimes envied that about him. She used to wonder what it would be like to live without the burden of family expectations or the pressure of perfection. She had even thought, foolishly, that Naruto was lucky—lucky not to have parents to yell at him, to punish him.

But did she really think that? Did she really believe it was lucky to be alone, to have no one?

What would it be like to walk a mile in Naruto's shoes? she thought to herself, the realization dawning on her. That old saying she had heard so many times before: 'You can't truly understand someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes.' That was Naruto's life, wasn't it? A life of being misunderstood, of carrying pain alone while the world moved on, oblivious to his suffering.

The village would soon return to its normal routine, she knew that. People would forget about Naruto. To them, he was an outcast, a boy they never understood, a boy they never really wanted to. The reasons why they had always treated him differently remained a mystery to Hinata, but she had never pressed to find out. She had always felt that learning the truth would cost her more than she was willing to bear.

But even if they forgot him, she couldn't.

Naruto had left, but his presence would forever leave scars on Konoha—scars that wouldn't heal easily, no matter how hard people tried to pretend otherwise. Hinata could see that. And she knew that despite everything, despite the pain and the distance, Naruto's story wasn't over.

And neither was hers.

She stared out at the rain, her heart aching but no longer breaking. She didn't cry. No, she had cried enough. This time, she made a quiet promise to herself.

She clenched her fists, determination settling into her bones like an old friend. I will become stronger, she vowed, her eyes hardening with resolve. And I will bring Naruto back to the village. No matter what.

The rain poured down, but Hinata wasn't afraid of the storm. She would face it head-on, just like Naruto had always done.

Because that's what it meant to truly understand someone..

⁂

Hours Later

In the Hokage's office, Kakashi lay sprawled out on a couch, an ice pack balanced on his forehead as Shizune's hands glowed a soft green, her medical ninjutsu easing his pounding headache. The past day and a half had been hell for all of them, and Kakashi felt every bit of it.

"You're a lifesaver, thank you," Kakashi sighed, trying to relax, though his mind remained restless.

Tsunade and Jiraiya stood in the corner, both unusually quiet. Tsunade's anger simmered just below the surface, her fists clenched tight, while Jiraiya wore a look of exhaustion, the weight of recent events visible in his tired eyes. The entire room was saturated with the tension of unspoken frustrations.

As Shizune continued to heal him, a small snicker escaped her lips. Kakashi didn't notice at first, but her quiet laughter soon erupted into a full-blown, stomach-clutching fit.

"You got defeated by an academy kid!" Shizune managed between gasps of laughter. "How the mighty has fallen, eh, Hatake?"

Kakashi's eyebrow twitched in irritation, but he let it go with a sigh. "Trust me," he said, his voice calm but laced with an underlying seriousness. "Naruto isn't just some 'academy kid.' Far from it. If he was anyone else… if he didn't have the association to my late sensei, he'd have been in ANBU by now."

The room fell silent. The weight of Kakashi's words settled over everyone, pulling them deeper into their grim thoughts. The realization was finally sinking in—they were in deep trouble, and Naruto's disappearance was more than just a rebellious act.

Tsunade, unable to contain her fury any longer, slammed her fist into the wall, causing a crack to spiderweb across it. The room jolted in surprise, and just as the tension was reaching its breaking point, the door creaked open, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, walked in. His tired eyes took in the room, but before he could speak, Tsunade's glare burned into him.

"You senile old man!" Tsunade shouted, her voice trembling with rage. "Do you even understand what you've done? Because of your negligence, Danzo and those two other fossils were able to run wild, creating chaos! You let them exterminate a clan! You let them push Naruto out! Do you realize you may have just created another Orochimaru?"

Hiruzen remained still, trying to keep his composure, but the weight of her words was too much. His weathered face tightened, and despite his efforts to hold it back, tears began to trickle down his cheeks. For the first time in years, the burden of his title—the burden of his failures—felt too heavy.

Seeing the tears in the old Hokage's eyes only fueled Tsunade's rage. Before anyone could react, she dashed toward Hiruzen and slammed him to the ground, her monstrous strength sending shockwaves through the room.

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune screamed, her voice filled with shock, but she quickly silenced herself when she saw the tears streaming down her mentor's face. Tsunade wasn't just angry—she was hurt. Deeply.

"After everything this village has taken from me," Tsunade snarled, her voice breaking, "everything you took from me… you couldn't even have the backbone to protect him?"

Hiruzen didn't say anything. What could he say? The silence in the room was deafening.

"You failed him, Hiruzen! Not the villagers. Not the council. You." She stood, releasing him from her grasp, her voice heavy with disappointment. "Everyone calls you the Professor, but I see you for what you truly are… a coward."

Hiruzen lay on the floor, defeated not as a Hokage but as an old man burdened with too many regrets.

Tsunade wiped her eyes and straightened herself. "I'm leaving this shithole. For good this time. Don't look for me!" She stormed out, slamming the door behind her with such force that the doorframe splintered, and the door itself fell to the floor with a loud crash.

Jiraiya stood in the corner, silent, his arms crossed as he watched her go. He had known this was coming—Tsunade had told him how she felt earlier. He knew there would be no stopping her once she made up her mind.

Shizune hesitated, looking back at the others, her expression torn. She wanted to protest, to stay, but her loyalty to Tsunade was too strong. "Stay or leave. I don't care which," Tsunade had said, and those words rang in Shizune's mind as she hurried after her mentor.

The office was eerily quiet after their departure. Hiruzen lay there, staring at the ceiling, his heart heavy. He wasn't the Hokage in that moment. He wasn't the Professor. He was just an old, broken man weighed down by the mistakes he had made. After a long, painful silence, he slowly stood, his legs shaking as he made his way to the window.

He lit his pipe, taking a deep drag and watching as the smoke curled up into the air. His eyes, still wet with tears, stared out over the village. Konoha was fractured—he could see it now more clearly than ever.

He stood there for what felt like hours, lost in his thoughts. The sound of his pipe burning softly filled the room, the only noise breaking the silence. Without looking back, he finally spoke, his voice low but filled with a newfound determination.

"I have a mission for you two."

Kakashi and Jiraiya straightened, both recognizing the tone in Hiruzen's voice. It was the voice of a Hokage again, not the broken man who had been lying on the floor moments ago.

"What is it, Lord Hokage?" Jiraiya asked, his usual jovial tone replaced with seriousness.

Hiruzen turned to face them, the weight of the world in his eyes. "We need to find Naruto. No matter what. And we must do it before Danzo—or worse—gets to him. The future of the village… no, the future of the world may very well depend on it."

Kakashi nodded. "We'll bring him back."

Jiraiya's face softened slightly, though his concern for the boy lingered. "We'll find him, Hiruzen. But when we do, what then?"

Hiruzen took another deep drag from his pipe, his eyes narrowing as he stared out into the distance. "When we do… we'll figure out how to undo the damage we've caused. One way or another."

Border of Fire Country

The air grew heavier as Naruto continued down the winding valley, drawing closer to the border of the Fire Country. The biting October wind tugged at his black cloak, its icy fingers slipping through the fabric to chill his bones. He pulled it tighter, but the cold was relentless. His wavy red hair whipped around in the wind, sometimes falling into his eyes—one a brilliant lilac that seemed to glow from within, and the other, a crimson as vivid as a polished ruby.

He had been on the road for nearly a week now, putting as much distance between himself and Konoha as possible. Each step felt heavier than the last, not just because of the physical toll the journey was taking on him, but because of the emotional weight of everything he had left behind. His body ached, and more than anything, he longed for the comfort of a hot bath. 'I'd give anything to be soaking in one of Kaminari no Kuni's hot springs right now' he thought with a grimace.

His attire was simple but functional—long black pants and a long-sleeved shirt beneath his cloak. His clothes protected him from the cold as much as they could, but it was the bright red scarf around his neck that gave him the most comfort. It didn't offer much in terms of warmth, but it was a reminder. A reminder that someone still cared. Hinata had made the scarf for him, a gift for his birthday, and even now, as he wandered far from Konoha, it reminded him that he wasn't completely forgotten.

As he reached the peak of the valley, his breath fogging in the chilly air, a sudden wave of nostalgia hit him. The cold reminded him of that snowy Christmas Eve with Shisui. The two of them had been laughing, talking, and smiling, sharing the warmth of each other's company. Shisui had given him a rare flavor of ramen as a gift, and Naruto's excitement had been boundless. The memory was like a fleeting gust of warmth on a cold day, and before Naruto could hold onto it, it slipped away, leaving him with the biting wind once more.

Shaking his head, Naruto pressed on, pulling his cloak tighter as the wind cut through his layers. As he reached the top of the valley, the landscape below him began to shift. A small village nestled in the distance, surrounded by a thick mist and bordered by the sea. The buildings were small and worn, their gray walls blending into the fog that clung to the town like a heavy blanket. Rivers twisted and turned through the village, snaking their way toward the vast ocean that stretched endlessly toward the horizon.

It wasn't the bustling, grand village he had once called home, but there was a sense of relief in the sight of it. At least I'm getting closer, Naruto thought, his heart lifting ever so slightly. The long journey was nearing its end. Soon, he would reach the Village Hidden in the Mist—the place Fūka had told him to find.

Yet, as relief began to wash over him, a ripple of unease followed. Konoha had never been kind to him. What if this new village was no different? Would the Hidden Mist be any better? Could he find the peace he desperately sought, or would he face the same rejection and isolation he had endured in Konoha?

At the very least, Naruto thought, he would see Fūka again. That thought alone gave him hope. Perhaps this time, things would be different.

Naruto's gaze fell on the town below, noticing how the river encircled it like a protective moat. There was no clear path by land to reach the village. "I'll have to use the water-walking technique", he mused, focusing chakra into the soles of his feet, preparing for the trek across the river's surface. The water reflected the dull, misty light, its surface swirling with the mist like a moving veil.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto began his descent toward the village, his thoughts swirling with uncertainty. The path ahead was unknown. He didn't know what he would find when he reached the Mist, but there was no turning back. Konoha was no longer a place for him. He had left behind the only life he had known, severing ties with everything and everyone.

But here, in this mist-shrouded village, he hoped to find something new. A new home. A new purpose. And maybe, just maybe, a chance to heal.

As Naruto approached the river's edge, he glanced up at the village one last time. A small, uncertain smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "So, this is the Land of Wave, huh?" he murmured to himself. "Let's see if you have what I'm looking for."

With that, he stepped onto the water. The surface rippled beneath his feet, the cold biting at his skin, but he pressed on, walking steadily toward the unknown, toward the next chapter of his life.

⁂

Unknown Bunker

In the depths of an unknown bunker, darkness clung to every corner, casting long, ominous shadows throughout the hallways. The air felt thick, almost tangible, making the atmosphere heavy and suffocating. The flickering light from a single dim bulb only added to the eerie ambiance.

Inside the small room at the heart of the bunker sat two notorious figures: Danzo Shimura, the leader of Root, and Orochimaru, the infamous Snake Sannin. Their meeting was shrouded in secrecy, the kind that could reshape the future of the Hidden Leaf.

Danzo sat stiffly, his one visible eye locked on Orochimaru, the other hidden behind his ever-present bandages. The years had not been kind to him; his face was etched with lines of experience, his demeanor as cold and calculated as ever. Across from him, Orochimaru lounged lazily in his chair, an amused smile tugging at his pale lips, his golden, snake-like eyes gleaming with interest.

"You've come to me for help again, Danzo?" Orochimaru purred, his voice dripping with mockery. "How delightful. I never imagined you would lower yourself to this."

Danzo's jaw tightened, but he kept his composure, his gaze never wavering. "This isn't a game, Orochimaru. Naruto Uzumaki is MIA and knows too much. He's become a liability to the village and must be dealt with. I've heard you have your… ways of finding people, especially ones who are trying to stay hidden."

Orochimaru chuckled softly, his long fingers idly tracing the surface of the table between them. "Ah, yes. The Uzumaki boy. I've been keeping an eye on him, you know. Such potential." His voice slithered through the room, making the air feel even colder.

Danzo scowled, his patience wearing thin. "Potential or not, he's a threat to my plans. The village's plans. If he falls into the wrong hands, it will spell disaster for Konoha."

"You mean your hands," Orochimaru teased, his smile widening. "Let's not pretend this is about the village, Danzo. We both know where your loyalty lies."

Danzo's fist clenched. "I won't tolerate your games, Orochimaru. If you can't handle this, I'll find someone who can."

Orochimaru's smile vanished, replaced by a glint of something more dangerous in his eyes. He leaned forward slightly, his voice a soft whisper. "Careful, Danzo. You're in my domain now. But… I will help you. Not because I owe you anything, but because our working relationship has always proven beneficial, hasn't it?"

Danzo eyed him warily, but after a tense moment, he nodded. "Then we have an understanding."

With that, Danzo stood and turned toward the door, eager to leave the snake's den. Orochimaru watched him go, his amusement returning. Just before Danzo disappeared into the shadows of the hallway, Orochimaru called out after him.

"You might want to be cautious, Danzo. Naruto isn't the child he once was. He'll be heading to the Land of Water, no doubt, but whether you can handle what he's become… well, that's another matter entirely."

Danzo didn't respond, only continued walking until the darkness swallowed him whole. Orochimaru leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming against the armrests, his thoughts already spinning with new possibilities.

Once Danzo was gone, he called softly, "Kabuto."

From the shadows, a figure emerged—a young man with silver hair and glasses, his eyes glinting with intelligence and cold efficiency. Kabuto bowed slightly before Orochimaru, waiting for instructions.

"How may I be of service, Lord Orochimaru?" Kabuto asked, his voice polite, though tinged with an edge of anticipation.

Orochimaru smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. "It seems our old friend Danzo needs a favor. I want you to track down Naruto Uzumaki. He's headed for the Land of Water, and I want him brought to me—alive."

Kabuto's glasses gleamed in the dim light. "And if Danzo tries to intervene?"

Orochimaru's smile widened. "Danzo thinks he can control everything, but he forgets that the chessboard has more players than just him. If he gets in the way, remind him where his place is. But for now, play along. Danzo's ambition is useful, for now. But remember, Kabuto, I want Naruto. He's grown stronger than they realize, and I want to see what the boy can really do."

Kabuto nodded, his mind already calculating how best to execute the mission. "Consider it done, Lord Orochimaru."

As Kabuto melted back into the shadows, Orochimaru's eyes glittered with dark anticipation. The pieces were moving, and soon, all of them—Danzo, Naruto, even the village itself—would play their part in the larger game.

And Orochimaru would be there, watching, waiting… and ready to strike when the time was right.