Inside the Hokage Building.
"You shouldn't have indulged the Jinchūriki like that," Mitokado Homura spoke while gazing out at the falling rain. "Now is not the time for him to leave."
"The village needs power right now."
Nara Shikaku shook his head. "I know, but there was no other way."
"And at that moment…"
"If I hadn't spoken up, they might have actually fought."
Not only Naruto, even he could clearly sense the targeted chakra surrounding them.
Homura and Koharu, the two senior advisors of Konoha, didn't blame Shikaku. Instead, they fixed their gaze firmly on Jiraiya.
If anyone could have stopped it at the time—
The Toad Sage undoubtedly had the most power to do so.
"He can fly," Jiraiya said simply.
"Flight" — an ability that exceeds a typical ninja's scope — was a convenient and effective excuse.
Homura shook his head. "I don't believe you couldn't handle the situation."
Jiraiya said nothing.
An Anbu member suddenly appeared.
"Two unidentified ninjas have been found nailed to the village gate with kunai," he reported tensely. "Suspected to be the work of Jinchūriki Uzumaki Naruto."
After the "Konoha Collapse" incident, now this…
"Handle the bodies," Koharu said after a pause, waving her hand dismissively.
The Anbu hesitated.
Then lowered his head and answered, "Understood," before leaving.
"Be grateful that the Fourth Hokage once again saved the village," Jiraiya said expressionlessly. "Also be grateful that Naruto still had enough sense not to send those people out wearing Konoha forehead protectors."
"Maybe Naruto leaving the village is actually the right decision."
Koharu interjected, "Let's shelve this matter for now. We will issue him a warning."
"Let's talk about something more important."
"We need a strong, trustworthy leader."
"We need the Fifth Hokage."
"Jiraiya—"
The man addressed raised his hand immediately, cutting her off. "Sorry, allow me to decline."
Homura frowned. "The village needs you now."
"I'm not suited for the position," Jiraiya shook his head firmly. "Traveling, gathering information — that suits me better."
"Besides, you're not comfortable leaving Naruto alone out there, are you?"
"I'll keep an eye on him too."
"Maybe I'll even have the chance to bring him back."
Naruto's words had pierced him.
"Too late."
Those two words were heavy.
Yeah... if only he hadn't let go, hadn't left the village — would things have turned out differently?
Maybe Minato and Kushina wouldn't have had to die.
Maybe Naruto would've been properly taken care of.
But now, it was too late to think of that.
Reality had taught him a painful lesson.
It also gave him resolve — he had abandoned things before, but he wouldn't abandon them again.
He was worried about Naruto.
That sentence — "I'm going to find Mom and Dad" — what did it mean?
They were clearly already dead.
Where could he possibly go to find them?
The two advisors fell silent.
Jinchūriki...
Always such a troublesome existence.
In the Land of Fire, a small town.
Not far from Konoha, where ninjas could still be spotted occasionally.
The economy was decent, and the inns were comfortable.
"Where are we going next?" Karin sat beside Naruto, her gaze following his, which rested on the sword across his lap.
Not the dark red one.
But the one he rarely used.
"To the Land of Whirlpools," Naruto said softly. "I want to see the ruins of Uzushio Village."
"Okay." Karin nodded without asking further, respecting his quiet moment.
She didn't know what had happened.
But she could tell this was a turning point for him.
Naruto stared at Asauchi — his second Zanpakutō, whose name he had never learned and had never released.
But just moments ago—
After confronting his own heart and declaring his departure from Konoha—
A powerful call had come from within the blade.
It wanted to reveal its name to him.
But—
The sound coming from within the blade was a noisy mixture of two voices.
One strong and gentle.
One weaker, but strangely more intimate.
The two voices tangled together. The stronger covered the weaker, the weaker interfered with the stronger. They wove together — both unified and distinct.
Why was it like this?
Naruto didn't understand.
He had never heard of such a thing.
Was it some special reason preventing the blade from telling him its true name?
Were both blades like this?
He entered Zanpakutō communion (Jinzen) to communicate with the sword.
But all he heard were the same two noisy voices.
The strong one gentle, the weak one urgent.
Naruto opened his eyes.
In front of him was Kaien Shiba's eternally stern face.
He had returned to the Soul Society. Naruto felt himself relax.
"Still working hard, huh?" Kaien grinned — though his expression never softened. "Shino Academy has sent an invitation. They want you to give a speech at this year's entrance ceremony."
Naruto blinked. "Me?"
"Isn't that usually something for vice-captains?"
Kaien reached out and ruffled Naruto's hair. "Kid, what difference is there between you and a vice-captain?"
"The fact that you're a third seat already puts pressure on me."
"Plus, a new child prodigy entered this year's class — slightly below your level, but they already possess spiritual power of grade six."
"Headmaster Pogang is really hoping you'll be a role model."
Naruto smiled and nodded. "Got it. I'll go."
As he spoke, he stood up. "When's the date?"
"In a week," Kaien replied.
Naruto nodded and walked toward the door. "Thanks, Kaien-niisan. I'll go see Captain Urahara now."
"Go on," Kaien waved.
Technical Development Bureau, underground.
In the captain's office.
Urahara Kisuke stared at the sealing technique notes Naruto had copied from memory, his eyes shining with excitement. His usual lazy aura disappeared. "This is amazing."
"So this is how it works…"
"My earlier research was off track — I need to start from the body!"
"Naruto, how did you get this knowledge?"
Naruto looked up and grinned. "That's a secret, Captain Urahara."
"Oh, come on," Urahara scratched his head. "Well, whatever. No matter where it came from, this stuff is useful. I already have a bunch of new ideas to improve my old techniques."
"Your sword is really fascinating."
He was already impatient. As soon as Naruto finished writing, he lunged to grab the notes and dove into research.
"Before you bury yourself in your work again, come with me to Squad 4 first," Naruto snatched the paper back and placed it on the table. "There's something strange going on with my sword."
Urahara instinctively glanced at Kurama.
But quickly realized it must be the other sword.
His expression turned serious.
At Squad 4's barracks.
After listening to Naruto's explanation, both Urahara and Captain Unohana frowned.
"Two voices in one sword?" Unohana murmured. "It sounds like dual swords — but you've already released one, haven't you?"
"Could it be a triple sword?" Urahara scratched his head. "Never heard of that before… but that would be kind of cool?"
Naruto shook his head and clarified: "Though there are two voices, they seem to be one entity."
"It's not a clear-cut division."
"It's just… I can't tell which one is the real it."
Urahara picked up on Naruto's word choice.
Not "name."
But "it."
(End of Chapter)