Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 348 Shui Mu saw... two demon foxes?
Iruka practically charged into the clearing.

His breathing was rapid, his forehead was covered in sweat, and the scar under his forehead protector looked even more conspicuous because of his anxiety.

He searched all night, from the small waterfall downstream of the Naka River to the training ground east of the village, and then to the abandoned watchtower on the edge of the Death Forest... He searched every "secret base" Menma mentioned, but still couldn't find Naruto.

Just as he was almost in despair, he searched towards the forest on the west side of the village.

He finally saw Naruto and Menma.

Naruto stood next to Menma, looking pitiful as if he had done something wrong and was waiting to be punished, but at least he was whole and uninjured.

And... Shuimu, who was lying limp on the ground not far away.

Iruka's heart, which had been hanging in suspense all night, finally felt a little relieved at this moment.

But then, anger surged up.

"Naruto!" He landed in front of Naruto and raised his hand before the latter could react!
Boom!
A merciless punch landed on Naruto's head.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!!!" Naruto immediately jumped up, clutching his head, a large red bump visibly rising on his forehead.

"Iruka-sensei, what are you doing!"

"What did I do?!" Iruka's voice trembled with excitement as he pointed at Naruto, his fingers shaking. "Do you even know what you've done?! The Scroll of Sealing! That's a forbidden technique scroll from Konoha! How dare you..."

Iruka suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

He noticed the confusion and grievance in Naruto's eyes, which didn't look like the eyes of a child who had deliberately done evil.

It's more like they were scammed.

Iruka took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He turned to Menma, his voice softening slightly but still serious: "Menma, what exactly happened? How did you find Naruto? Mizuki, he..."

His gaze fell on Shui Mu, who was not far away.

That once gentle colleague was now slumped on the ground, his body twitching slightly, his eyes unfocused, drool dripping from the corner of his mouth, and there was a noticeable wet patch on his crotch.

What made Iruka frown even more was the distinct stench wafting through the air—a mixture of feces and urine.

Mizuki is supposed to be a Chunin, how could he lose control of his bladder during a battle?

How much fear must one have experienced?
Iruka immediately pulled a kunai from his ninja tool pouch, held it horizontally in front of him, and warily scanned his surroundings: "Are there any enemies? Who...?"

“There are no enemies.” Menma’s calm voice carried a hint of confusion: “When I arrived here, Mizuki-sensei said a lot of strange things.”

Menma paused, glanced at Naruto, and then continued in a low voice, "He said Naruto was a demon fox, and that Naruto killed many people, including my parents. Then suddenly... he fainted."

Iruka's expression instantly turned serious.

Demonic fox.

This word is taboo in Konoha, especially in front of Naruto.

Could it be that Mizuki's words stimulated the Nine-Tails inside Naruto?
If that were the case, even a mere wisp of the Tailed Beast's chakra would be enough to cause an ordinary Chunin to suffer a mental breakdown.

but why……

Iruka's gaze shifted to Menma.

Why is it okay if my face is tingly?
If the Nine-Tails inside Naruto were to truly go berserk, even for just a moment, given the distance between Menma and Naruto, it would be impossible for them to remain completely unaffected.

"Iruka."

A calm voice interrupted Iruka's thoughts.

He looked up and saw that the tree trunks around him were now filled with ANBU ninjas wearing animal masks.

Leading the group was a tall ninja wearing a dog mask, Yamato, codenamed "Tenzo" in the Anbu.

Iruka immediately put away his kunai and bowed respectfully: "Captain Tenzo."

As one of the ninjas involved in the search for Naruto, Iruka was also specifically instructed and questioned by Yamato.

Yamato jumped off the tree trunk and landed silently.

He glanced at the limp Mizuki, then at Naruto and Menma, and at the marks left on the ground.

Broken branches, scattered kunai, a large shuriken deeply embedded in the tree trunk, and messy footprints and drag marks on the ground.

Finally, his gaze fell on Iruka: "How is the situation?"

Iruka quickly reported: "According to the information provided by Menma, Naruto was most likely deceived by Mizuki into believing that stealing the Scroll of Seals was some kind of 'extra test.' I found them during the search. Mizuki has lost consciousness for unknown reasons, but Menma said that before he fainted, he said some provocative things about... the 'Demon Fox.'"

Yamato nodded without asking any further questions.

He waved his hand, and two ANBU ninjas immediately fell from the tree and silently approached Mizuki.

One person was on alert for any possible emergencies, while the other crouched down and quickly checked Shuimu's condition.

A few seconds later, the investigator raised his head, his voice coming through the mask, sounding somewhat muffled: "Vital signs are stable, but mental collapse is complete. Pupils are dilated, there is no independent consciousness, and incontinence... He has likely suffered a severe illusion-type mental attack."

Another member of the ANBU found several scrolls and some miscellaneous items on Mizuki.

One of the scrolls was opened, revealing a partial defensive deployment map of Konoha and some ninja organization information—the very same confidential documents that were stolen from the Hokage Building for the second time.

There was also a small notebook written with a special code.

"The contact code," the investigator quickly determined.

A soft sigh came from beneath Yamato's mask.

Another ninja who was tempted to betray his cause.

This reminded him of Green Sunflower, who had defected a few years ago.

Both were Chunin instructors, and both incited students to steal Konoha's secrets...

Yamato's gaze swept over Menma and Naruto standing to the side, finally settling on a small, thin figure wearing a cat mask among the ANBU ninjas.

Sasuke Uchiha.

Even through the mask, Yamato could sense Sasuke's complex emotions: shock, confusion, and a hint of resentment.

Sasuke was truly incredulous.

He stared intently at Naruto through the eye holes in his mask.

That loser... defeated a Chunin all by himself?
Although Mizuki is just an ordinary teacher and his combat skills may not be outstanding, he is, after all, a Chunin who has been promoted for many years!
Naruto, on the other hand, just graduated yesterday and received his genin headband.

How can this be?

Sasuke's gaze shifted to Menma.

The black-haired boy, who always had a calm demeanor, was now standing quietly with an indifferent expression, as if everything before him had nothing to do with him.

But Sasuke's intuition told him that this matter was not as simple as it seemed on the surface.

Just then, another figure, escorted by two members of the secret service, entered the open space.

The newcomer wore a deep red Hokage robe, a straw hat, and carried a long pipe. His white goatee fluttered slightly in the morning breeze.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Lord Hokage!" The Anbu members present, along with Iruka and Menma, bowed simultaneously.

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise: "Third Hokage? What are you doing here?"

His voice carried a hint of unease; even the Hokage had been alerted. It seemed he had truly gotten himself into serious trouble this time.

Hiruzen Sarutobi walked up to Naruto and looked him over with a gentle but serious gaze.

Naruto's clothes were covered in mud and grass clippings, and there were several small scratches on his face, clearly indicating that he had been in a battle.

But his eyes remained clear, he was unharmed, and there was no sign of the Nine-Tails going berserk.

This reassured Hiruzen Sarutobi somewhat.

He then looked at Mianma.

The prodigy he had been personally watching for many years was standing quietly, calm and composed, as if he had just happened to pass by during an early morning walk.

"Naruto." Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was steady, carrying the unique authority and concern of an elder: "You've gotten yourself into quite a bit of trouble this time."

Naruto lowered his head, his hands trembling unsure of what to do, his voice soft: "I'm sorry, Third Hokage... I... I don't know..."

"Don't you know what the Book of Seals is? Don't you know the importance of the Hokage Building?" Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. "Naruto, you're not a child anymore, you're a ninja. There are some mistakes you can't afford to make."

He paused, then looked at Yamato: "Where is the Book of Seals?"

Yamato gestured, and an ANBU ninja picked up the huge scroll from the ground behind Naruto and respectfully handed it to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen Sarutobi checked the scroll and nodded.

"Iruka." He looked at Iruka beside him and said, "Take Menma back to rest first. The class assignment ceremony will proceed as scheduled tomorrow. Don't delay the children."

"Yes, Lord Hokage." Iruka bowed respectfully.

Hiruzen Sarutobi then looked at Naruto, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "Naruto, come with me. We need... to have a serious talk."

Naruto shuddered, but ultimately nodded.

Iruka walked up to Menma and patted him on the shoulder: "Let's go, Menma. I'll take you home."

Menma nodded, took one last look at Mizuki, who was surrounded by the Anbu, and Naruto, who was being taken away by Hiruzen Sarutobi, before turning around and leaving the forest with Iruka.

The next morning, in the Hokage's office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind a large desk, holding a freshly brewed cup of hot tea.

Outside the window, the streets of Konoha began to awaken, and the early-rising villagers and ninjas started their busy day.

The shouts of teenagers doing their morning exercises could be heard from the training field in the distance, full of youthful vigor.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi's mood was far from light.

He took a sip of tea, the warm liquid sliding down his throat, but it couldn't dispel the worries in his heart.

Naruto, that kid...

I have too much to carry.

He put down his teacup and his gaze fell on a neatly arranged stack of documents on his desk.

Those are the ninja certificates for this year's ninja academy graduates; they were just delivered this morning.

Hiruzen Sarutobi reached out and picked up the top one.

The cover is dark blue, with the Konoha logo and the words "Ninja Certificate" printed on it.

He turned to the first page.

What comes into view is an ID photo.

The blond boy in the photo is making a face at the camera, with one eye wide open and the other closed, gritting his teeth and pretending to be fierce.

His entire face was painted white with strange red markings, which was completely out of place with the serious "Ninja Certificate".

"puff--!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi spat out a mouthful of tea, spilling it onto the documents on the desktop.

He hurriedly put down his teacup and frantically wiped it, but his gaze never left the photograph.

Then, he couldn't help but laugh.

He laughed heartily. His beard trembled from laughing, and the wrinkles around his eyes deepened.

“This kid…” Hiruzen Sarutobi wiped away the tears of laughter, shook his head and sighed, “I thought he would be depressed for a while because of what happened yesterday, but I didn’t expect him to recover so quickly.”

Yes, that's the real Naruto.

Naruto is invincible and always full of energy.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's mood suddenly improved a lot.

He continued flipping through the ninja certificates, page after page, looking at those young faces: Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji, Yamanaka Ino, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, Haruno Sakura, Hyuga Hinata, and this year's top student...

The future of Konoha.

Just as he turned to the certificate on the face, there was a knock on the office door.

dong dong dong.

The knocking was loud and rhythmic.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile vanished, replaced by the serious expression befitting a Hokage: "Come in."

The door opened.

A tall, stern-faced man walked in.

He wore the black uniform of the Konoha interrogation squad, and had two scars of different lengths on his face. The most conspicuous scar was a huge one that ran from his left eye to his right chin, like a centipede crawling on his face.

Ibiki Morino, captain of the Konoha interrogation squad.

"Lord Hokage." Ibiki's voice was deep and hoarse, like two rough stones rubbing against each other.

He walked to the desk, respectfully placed a document on it, then stepped back and stood at attention.

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at the document; the cover was marked "Top Secret."

"The interrogation results are in?" he asked.

"Yes." Ibiki's voice was flat and steady as he reported, "It has been basically confirmed that the second theft at the Hokage Building was committed by Mizuki. Some documents were found on him, but some are still missing. The Anbu are investigating whether anyone else has infiltrated the building."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded; this was expected.

"In addition," Ibiki continued, "the communication code found on Mizuki has been cracked. Preliminary analysis suggests that the code's style is reminiscent of Amegakure, and it is speculated that it may be related to Midori Aoi, who defected years ago."

Green sunflower...

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned.

The rogue ninja who stole the Second Hokage's Thunder God Sword actually has connections with Mizuki.

Moreover, it's very likely that Amegakure is behind it?

Hanzo, the Salamander of Amegakure, is suspected to have died two years ago. According to Jiraiya's intelligence, the new leader seems to be Pain from the Akatsuki organization.

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a chill.

If that's the case, then Amegakure, or rather Akatsuki, may have infiltrated Konoha more deeply than he imagined.

“There’s one last thing.” Ibiki’s voice suddenly turned serious: “We sent out ninjas from the Yamanaka clan to try and read Mizuki’s memories. But…”

He paused, seemingly considering his words: "An unexpected incident occurred during the reading process. The moment Yamanaka entered Mizuki's spiritual world, he suffered a severe backlash. He's still in the medical department, and his condition... isn't very optimistic."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand, which was holding the pipe, froze in mid-air.

"Backlash?" His voice deepened. "Is it a countermeasure like a cursed seal?"

The first thing Hiruzen Sarutobi thought of was something similar to the Root's "Tongue-Severing Seal." Most ninja villages have this kind of sealing technique to prevent information leaks. It's not uncommon for it to trigger a backlash or even damage the target's brain when attempting to read memories.

But Ibihi shook his head.

“It’s not a cursed seal.” His voice carried a rare hint of confusion: “According to the last words that Yamanaka Hayashi transmitted before losing consciousness… he saw ‘two demon foxes’ in Mizuki’s brain.”

"Two demon foxes?" Hiruzen Sarutobi was stunned.

My first thought was of the Nine-Tails inside Naruto.

But there is only one Nine-Tailed Fox.

Furthermore, Mizuki only suffered a mental breakdown after meeting Naruto. If it was truly a backlash caused by the Nine-Tails' rampage, then it should have been "a demon fox" instead.

Where did the second one come from?
Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent for a long time.

Finally, he slowly put down his pipe, his voice returning to calm: "Continue trying to crack the code, while strengthening surveillance of suspicious individuals in the village."

"Yes." Ibiki bowed respectfully, turned and left the office.

The door is closed.

Only Hiruzen Sarutobi remained in the office.

He picked up his pipe again, lit it, and took a deep drag.

White smoke rose slowly, blurring his wrinkled face.

Outside the window, the sun is just right.

At the same time, in the living room of Mianma's villa, stood two middle-aged women around forty years old. They were dressed in simple home clothes, with gentle smiles on their faces, but their eyes showed obvious reluctance.

"Young Master Menma," Aunt Kuna's voice choked with emotion, "Do you really not need us anymore? You're still so young, living all alone..."

“Yes,” Aunt Qinna chimed in, “How can a young master like you manage such chores as washing clothes, cooking, and cleaning? Let us stay; it’s okay if the salary is a little lower.”

Looking at the two aunties who had taken care of her for nine years, Menma felt a surge of warmth in her heart.

"Aunt Kuna, Aunt Kotona." Menma's voice was gentle but firm: "I am already a ninja, and sooner or later I will have to learn to be independent."

He paused, then pulled two thick envelopes from his pocket and handed one to each of them: "This is a small token of my appreciation. Also, I've already spoken to the manager of the Kado Shopping Mall, and you can work there. The positions and salaries will be better than what you have now."

The two women took the envelope, feeling its heavy weight, and their eyes reddened even more.

They knew that once Young Master Mianma made a decision, he wouldn't change it.

"Then... young master, you must take good care of yourself." Aunt Kuna wiped away her tears: "Eat on time, remember to wear more clothes when it gets cold, and don't push yourself too hard in training..."

"Okay." Menma nodded with a smile.

The two aunties gave each other a few more instructions before reluctantly leaving.

Menma stood at the door, watching their backs disappear, then turned and went back into the house.

The living room suddenly felt much emptier.

As the story unfolds, Orochimaru's "Konoha Crush Plan" enters its countdown, and Menma begins to transfer his assets in Konoha, mainly cash flow and valuable materials from some of the companies under the Kado Group that are easy to move.

The employees of Kado Shopping Mall, several chain restaurants, clothing stores, and even some ninja tool shops are mostly villagers from Konoha. Even if something changes in the future, Konoha will not make things difficult for these ordinary people.

After seeing the two servants off, Menma returned to the dressing room on the first floor.

He changed into a black and blue tracksuit, then picked up the Konoha headband from the table and carefully tied it to his forehead.

The mirror reflected a twelve-year-old boy with dark hair, somewhat handsome, but with unusually calm eyes.

Today is the day for class assignments.

This also marks the first step in his official journey as a "genin" (lower-ranking ninja).

Menma was also curious about how the classes would be divided and how much influence she would have on the original plot.

After straightening his collar, Menma checked the kunai, shuriken, smoke bombs, and soldier pills in his ninja tool pouch one last time...

Everything is ready.

He pushed open the door and went outside.

The morning light shone on my face, warm and bright.

Then, he saw that familiar figure in front of the Hyuga family's house across the street.

Hinata was pacing back and forth at the doorway, her head down.

She was wearing a light purple tracksuit, and her long black hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, with a few strands hanging restlessly on either side of her face.

Compared to the short-haired Hinata in the original work, this Hinata has grown her hair long, and her personality can be judged by her long hair and clothing.

If it's 'Big Sister Hinata', her long hair will sometimes be tied into a neat ponytail, the zipper of her sportswear will be left open to reveal her ample bosom, and she also likes to wear sexy hot pants, while 'Little Hinata' is more conservative.

Hinata's hands were clasped together, her toes were unconsciously kicking at pebbles on the ground, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were unfocused, completely absorbed in her own world.

You can almost see the tangled little clouds floating above her head.

He couldn't help but laugh.

He walked over quietly and patted Hinata's shoulder before she could react.

"what--!"

Hinata was startled and jumped up like a frightened rabbit.

When she realized it was facial numbness, the blush on her face deepened instantly, spreading from her cheeks to her ears and then to her neck.

"Menma-kun..." Her voice was so soft it was like a mosquito's buzz, her head bowed so low it was almost buried in her chest: "Good morning..."

Menma looked at the extremely shy girl in front of him and smiled even more gently: "Good morning, Hinata."

His voice was very soft, like the morning breeze.

Hinata raised her head, stole a glance at Menma, and then quickly lowered her head again, her fingers twisting even tighter.

"Um..." Her voice was still very soft, but she tried to speak clearly: "Today... we're being divided into classes... I don't know who I'll be grouped with..."

Menma looked at Hinata's expression and understood.

In the original story, Hinata was assigned to Team 8, a group with Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame, led by the Jonin Kurenai Yuhi.

But on this altered timeline, many things are different.

Sasuke joined the Anbu.

Neji was taken to the Land of Stars by Hyuga Hizashi.

And what kind of butterfly effect will this "variable" bring about?
"No matter who you're paired with," Menma said gently, "Hinata can do very well. You are the young lady of the Hyuga clan, no, you are now the head of the Hyuga clan."

Hinata's shoulders trembled slightly at the mention of the word "clan head".

She raised her head and looked at Mianma. In those pure white eyes, there was unease, but even more so, determination.

"I...I will try my best." Hinata's voice was still very soft, but it was no longer trembling: "For the Hyuga clan, for...for not to disappoint Yoroma-kun's expectations."

Mianma smiled.

He reached out and gently ruffled Hinata's hair, a gesture he had made to Hinata many times since she was very young.

Hinata's face turned even redder than usual, and steam even appeared to rise from it, but she did not flinch.

“Let’s go,” Menma withdrew his hand and looked in the direction of the Ninja Academy. “Let’s go to the school together.”

"Yes!" Hinata nodded vigorously.

The two walked side by side on the streets of Konoha.

A morning breeze carries the faint lingering fragrance of fallen cherry blossoms.

[PS: Hinata with long hair, I definitely prefer long, straight black hair.]

(End of this chapter)