Chapter 50: Prelude to Chaos
This realization highlighted the fundamental limitation of his Curse Mark Sage Mode. While the power it granted was immense, bolstering his body and chakra with raw natural energy, it was ultimately a borrowed strength. He was merely channeling the pre-packaged, corrupted natural energy within the mark, not truly harmonizing with the world's energy around him. He could sense the ambient natural force now, faintly, but wielding it directly was a distant dream.
The power accessible through the Curse Seal was finite. More importantly, he had skipped the vital, foundational process of understanding nature. Compared to the perfect Sage Mode Naruto would one day achieve, his control was clumsy, his connection superficial.
The day before the finals, after finishing his usual training, Jiraiya—wanting to wish him luck—treated him to a lavish feast, followed by a trip to the hot springs.
Naruto accepted the indulgence gladly. Jiraiya knew how to live: good food, good drink, a relaxing soak.
They emerged from the baths contented, the sky already dark.
Seeing the deepening twilight, Naruto's brow furrowed.
"What's wrong, Naruto? Not satisfied?" Jiraiya grinned, clapping him on the back.
Naruto stayed silent, thinking. During his training, he'd tried to gather intel on Orochimaru's movements in the village, but after the preliminaries, the Sand ninja delegation had promptly returned home. They'd only just returned this morning. Orochimaru was being cautious, not brazenly staying in Konoha for the full month, but instead retreating to Sunagakure to finalize plans. It lowered the risk of their joint invasion scheme being discovered.
But the finals were tomorrow. The infiltrators would have to move into position tonight.
Looks like I'll have to do something tonight after all. Can't just be reactive tomorrow. Orochimaru was a persistent thorn, and Sasuke's marked neck was a debt unpaid. A slow, determined smile spread across Naruto's lips.
"Pervy Sage, you'll be in the village for the finals tomorrow, right?"
"Of course! Wouldn't miss your big show!" Jiraiya laughed.
"Good." Naruto nodded, then his voice grew serious. "I assume you've touched base with the old man? You know about my run-in with Orochimaru in the Forest of Death. So… be on your guard tomorrow."
Jiraiya's smile vanished, replaced by sharp focus. "Naruto. Did you learn something?"
"No hard intel. Just a feeling. That guy will make a move tomorrow. And right now, you're the only one in the village who can match him. So…" He let the implication hang.
After parting with Jiraiya, Naruto mulled it over. Part of him wanted to lay out Orochimaru's entire "Konoha Crush" plan. But revealing that level of detail—especially as a genin—would raise more suspicion than it was worth. He'd be labeled a spy at worst, an inexplicable freak at best. Besides, even if they believed him, uprooting a plan this deeply embedded, a joint operation between two villages, wouldn't be as simple as sending out a search party.
No. If anything was to be done, it had to be done alone. Tonight.
The evening breeze carried a strange, anticipatory chill through Konoha's streets, as if the very air sensed the coming storm.
Naruto walked alone through the deepening night, his destination: the village's guest quarters.
Inside, the newly returned Sand siblings were settling in. Gaara stared blankly out the window. Kankuro meticulously polished a joint on his puppet. Temari adjusted the straps on her giant fan.
Suddenly, Gaara spoke, his voice flat. "Someone's coming."
"Who?" Temari and Kankuro snapped to attention instantly. The plan was for tomorrow. Tonight was critical; nothing could go wrong.
"Uzumaki Naruto." A spark of dark excitement flickered in Gaara's eyes. "Let's go see."
Temari and Kankuro exchanged a wary glance.
Why is he here?
Scene Seventeen: A Midnight Visit
The door opened. Naruto stood there, offering a polite smile. "Mind if I come in?"
The three were taken aback. Temari recovered first, nodding hastily. "Of course! Please."
Naruto entered, his eyes doing a quick, discreet sweep of the room. Finding nothing obviously amiss, he stated his business. "I'd like to speak with your Kazekage."
"Huh? What do you want with Lord Kazekage?" Kankuro interjected, stepping forward defensively.
Temari shot him a sharp look, then turned back to Naruto, her expression carefully neutral. "May I ask what this is regarding?" She was on high alert. Why seek out the Kazekage now, on the eve of the plan? Did he notice something? But his face gave nothing away.
Naruto's smile didn't waver. "Nothing major. Lord Hokage has a message for him regarding some final arrangements for tomorrow's matches." He tilted his head slightly, the lie coming easily.
Temari's internal tension eased a fraction. A messenger from the Hokage was plausible. The plan was buried under the cover of the Chunin Exams and the alliance treaty; it was unlikely to be discovered so casually.
"Very well. Lord Kazekage is inside. I'll take you to him." Temari bowed slightly and led the way.
As they walked, Naruto's mind raced. Kazekage now means Orochimaru. When I see him… what then? Do I expose him right here?
But when they entered the assigned room, it was empty.
"Huh? Where is Lord Kazekage?" Temari voiced Naruto's own surprise aloud.
Naruto's frown deepened. He could still feel it—the faint, oily residue of Orochimaru's chakra. The snake had just slipped away. Avoiding me. Cautious to a fault. He had to respect the sheer audacity and care of the deception.
"It seems your Kazekage doesn't wish to see me," Naruto said, shrugging with feigned disappointment. "I'll take my leave, then."
Temari offered an apologetic smile. "My apologies. He must have been called away on urgent business."
"Heh. Must have been," Naruto echoed, a faint, knowing smirk playing on his lips. A new idea formed. "In that case… perhaps you could walk with me for a bit? There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
Temari was taken aback. The blond boy's enigmatic expression sent a fresh thread of unease through her. Did he figure something out? But she was no easily flustered genin. Walking with him might reveal his intentions. "Very well."
Gaara and Kankuro watched from the doorway as Naruto and Temari left the guest house.
Gaara's whisper was a promise to the night air. "Uzumaki Naruto… tomorrow, I will kill you."
They walked along a quiet path beside a gently flowing river, moonlight painting a silver road on the water's surface. Finally, Temari broke the silence. "We're quite alone now, Uzumaki Naruto. If you have something to say, say it."
Naruto stopped and turned to face her, the smile on his lips not quite reaching his eyes. "Actually, I think you already know what I want to talk about. It's just that you're still in the dark about certain… key details."