Naruto: The new beginning

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"Alright," Shizune instructed as she ushered Naruto into Kakashi's ward. "Lay him down gently."

Naruto complied, carefully placing Kakashi on the bed. Shizune then methodically removed Kakashi's shoes, vest, and ninja pouch, making sure he was comfortable.

As Kakashi settled onto his back, Naruto suddenly remembered something important. "Kakashi-sensei, next time you're going to practice that jutsu, can you let me know in advance?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I want to see what that space looks like," Naruto said, referring to the dimension linked to Kakashi's Kamui. He was curious about Obito's personal pocket dimension.

Kakashi chuckled weakly. "I've already sent a shadow clone in there to scout. It's just… empty. Dark and endless. There's no exit or entrance, though you can breathe and use ninjutsu freely."

Naruto tilted his head, sceptical. 'No way it's that simple. What about Obito's random body parts floating around in there?'

"Well," Naruto said, forming an idea, "maybe I can use the Flying Thunder God to enter and exit that space freely. If it works, it could be useful for battle. Or…" His eyes gleamed with excitement. "What if I can claim it as my own space after the fight with Obito? That would be so cool! A personal dimension like the ones in the novels!"

Naruto paused, his enthusiasm fading. 'Wait… does that make Obito the actual protagonist? Parents dead, outcast, meets a famous teacher, sacrifices himself for others, gets revived, awakens hidden powers, and inherits legendary gear… Oh no. Am I the villain in this story?'

Kakashi agreed to help Naruto test his theory. "Next time I use Kamui, I'll try sending one of your kunai into the dimension."

Naruto brightened at the prospect. "Thanks, Kakashi-sensei!" He felt a bit less like a side character now.

---

Just as Naruto was about to leave, he accidentally knocked over Kakashi's ninja pouch from the bedside table. It hit the floor with a thud, spilling its contents among them, the corner of a very familiar book.

"Ah, sorry about that," Naruto said, bending down as if to help pick it up. But then he froze.

Murderous intent!

Naruto glanced at Shizune, who had gone stiff, her eyes shadowed ominously as she stared at the book.

Calmly, she picked it up, read the title on the cover, and declared, "This is confiscated."

"W-Wait!" Kakashi stammered. "That's—"

"I'll be stopping by your house later to clean up your room," Shizune said sweetly, though her smile didn't reach her eyes. "No arguments."

Kakashi deflated like a popped balloon. His precious Icha Icha Paradise stash had been exposed. For a moment, he looked like a man whose entire browser history had been leaked to the public.

"Rest well," Shizune added cheerfully, ushering Naruto and Sakura out of the room.

---

Once outside the ward, Naruto and Sakura exchanged a glance. Neither said a word, but their mutual thought was clear: Something is going on here.

Naruto smirked. Sakura's eyes sparkled with the fire of gossip. Naruto gave her a sly wink. Sakura nodded, as if silently promising, Leave it to me.

Though Naruto wasn't entirely sure what she intended, he was certain he'd hear something juicy soon enough.

---

After leaving the hospital, Naruto felt a mix of satisfaction and dread. On one hand, he'd uncovered Kakashi's secret and gotten Shizune involved in some drama. On the other hand, his final target awaited: Mom.

'Mom's going to be the hardest of all' Naruto thought grimly. Her Kagura-style perception abilities were top-tier, and she'd honed her reconnaissance skills over two years of training the special ops team.

She could probably detect Naruto's chakra from across the village, even if he tried hiding it.

Hiding from her was like trying to outshine the sun impossible.

But Naruto wasn't one to back down from a challenge. 'Maybe I can try blending into the environment better… or disguising myself.'

With a flash of inspiration, Naruto decided to mimic Shino's low-profile style. He used a transformation jutsu to replicate Shino's clothing: a high-collared jacket, dark sunglasses, and a hood. He slunk into a shadowy corner, hoping to minimize his presence.

The results were disastrous.

Passersby kept glancing at him suspiciously. Even patrolling police officers cast wary looks in his direction, as if he were a would-be thief casing the area.

Naruto realized Shino's unassuming demeanour wasn't something that could be replicated with effort alone it was a talent.

To make matters worse, Team 10 happened to pass by and spot him.

"Uh… Naruto?" Shikamaru asked, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

Naruto sighed. "I'm trying to reduce my presence for a reconnaissance mission. It's… not going well."

Ino folded her arms. "Yeah, it's definitely not working. Honestly, it just feels disrespectful to Shino."

Naruto frowned. "Do you have any better ideas?"

Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head thoughtfully. "In your case, the best approach would probably be to rely on your Flying Thunder God technique. If you're discovered, you can teleport away and reposition."

"Yeah," Ino added, "or you could use a distraction to disrupt their perception. I know some techniques for that, but… sorry, they're clan secrets."

Asuma, who had been quietly smoking a cigarette, chimed in casually. "Or, if you can't avoid being detected, you could just neutralize the sensor ninja as soon as they notice you."

Naruto stared at him. "That's… dark."

Asuma shrugged. "It's practical."

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