Published at 16th of September 2024 8:12 am

Chapter 20: The Shadow of Betrayal

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The sun had just begun to set over Konoha, casting a golden glow across the village. From his office in the Hokage Tower, Naruto Uzumaki stood by the large window, gazing out over the place he had sworn to protect. Being Hokage had always been his dream, and now that he had finally achieved it, he carried the weight of that responsibility with pride and determination.

But even the strongest Hokage had enemies, and Naruto knew that not everyone in the world agreed with his vision of peace. The thought lingered in his mind as he returned to his desk, where piles of paperwork awaited him. He sighed, scratching his head, wishing the job involved more action and less signing documents.

Just as he picked up his pen, the door to his office opened. A shinobi wearing a Konoha headband entered, bowing respectfully. Naruto glanced up, recognizing the man as a trusted member of the village’s security detail.

“Hokage-sama,” the shinobi said, his voice calm and formal. “We’ve received a report that there’s been some suspicious activity near the southern gates. We request your presence to assess the situation.”

Naruto frowned but nodded. “Alright, let’s check it out. Might just be some rogue ninja passing by, but better safe than sorry.”

The shinobi led the way as Naruto followed, both walking through the corridors of the Hokage Tower. The atmosphere felt normal enough, but Naruto’s instincts told him something wasn’t right. Years of experience on the battlefield had taught him to trust that feeling.

As they exited the tower and began making their way toward the southern gate, Naruto noticed the streets seemed quieter than usual, with fewer villagers and shinobi patrolling the area. His frown deepened.

“Strange,” Naruto muttered to himself. “I’d expect more people around this time of day.”

Suddenly, as they approached a dark alleyway, Naruto felt a sharp spike of chakra behind him—dangerously close. His reflexes kicked in instantly. Spinning around, he barely managed to dodge a kunai aimed directly at his back. The blade grazed his shoulder, drawing blood.

Naruto’s eyes widened in shock. “What the—?!”

The shinobi who had led him there had a cold, determined look in his eyes. Before Naruto could react, more figures appeared from the shadows of the alley. They were dressed in Konoha shinobi uniforms, but something about their presence was off. These weren’t ordinary guards—they were assassins.

“So this was a trap,” Naruto said, his voice calm but his gaze fierce. “Who sent you?”

The shinobi said nothing, merely narrowing his eyes as he activated a jutsu. The air around them crackled with tension as chakra blades formed in his hands. The others took up positions, forming a tight circle around Naruto, blocking any escape routes.

Naruto clenched his fists, his mind racing. These men were skilled—there was no doubt about that. They had lured him out of the Hokage Tower, away from his usual guards, and now they were trying to take him out quietly. But they had underestimated who they were dealing with.

“Did you really think I’d be taken down this easily?” Naruto growled, his eyes flashing with determination. He quickly activated his Sage Mode, his senses sharpening as he felt the flow of chakra around him.

The leader of the group smirked. “You’re powerful, Hokage-sama, but even you have limits. Tonight, your reign comes to an end.”

Without another word, the assassins launched their attack. The air was filled with the sounds of clashing steel, swift movements, and the hum of chakra-based weapons. Naruto’s body moved instinctively, dodging and parrying each strike with a precision born from years of battle. His Rasengan formed in his hand, the spiraling ball of chakra glowing brightly as he countered their assault.

The fight was fast and brutal. Despite being outnumbered, Naruto’s strength and speed kept him one step ahead. His movements were fluid, his strikes powerful. But as the battle raged on, he realized that these men weren’t just skilled—they were willing to sacrifice themselves to complete their mission.

One of the assassins rushed forward, a paper bomb in hand, aiming to grab hold of Naruto and detonate it at point-blank range. Naruto barely had time to react, his body flickering out of the way with a well-timed Body Flicker Technique, but the explosion still rocked the alley, sending debris flying everywhere.

As the dust settled, Naruto stood firm, his cloak singed and torn but his spirit unbroken. The remaining assassins regrouped, realizing that brute force alone wouldn’t be enough to take him down.

“This is your last chance,” Naruto said, his voice low but filled with authority. “Tell me who’s behind this, and I’ll make sure you face justice. If you keep fighting, I won’t hold back.”

The leader of the assassins sneered. “You think we’re afraid of death? We do this for the future of Konoha.”

Naruto’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean by that?”

But the leader didn’t answer. Instead, he made a series of rapid hand signs, and Naruto’s eyes widened as he recognized the jutsu—a forbidden technique meant to drain the life force of the user in exchange for massive destructive power.

Before the jutsu could be completed, Naruto acted. In a split second, he unleashed the full force of Kurama’s chakra, golden energy flaring around him in a bright, powerful aura. With a roar, Naruto launched a massive Rasengan, the sphere of pure chakra crashing into the leader of the assassins with incredible force.

The explosion of energy lit up the alley, and when the dust finally cleared, the assassins lay motionless on the ground, their leader defeated.

Naruto stood over them, his breathing heavy but steady. He deactivated his chakra mode, the golden glow fading as he looked down at the defeated shinobi. The leader coughed weakly, blood staining his lips, but he managed to look up at Naruto with a twisted smile.

“You may have won this time, Hokage,” the leader rasped, “but there are others who believe... your vision will destroy Konoha.”

Naruto knelt down, his expression hard but curious. “Who are they? Who’s behind this?”

The leader’s eyes darkened as he whispered his final words. “You’ll find out soon enough...”

With that, the light in the assassin’s eyes faded, and he fell silent.

Naruto stood up slowly, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. Someone within Konoha—or perhaps an external force—had orchestrated this assassination attempt. The thought of betrayal from within his own village made his chest tighten.

He turned and looked up at the Hokage Tower in the distance, its silhouette stark against the evening sky. He knew that being Hokage meant making enemies, but this was more than that. There were forces at play that threatened not only his life but the future of the village he loved.

As the wind rustled through the trees, Naruto made a silent vow to uncover the truth behind this attack. He would protect Konoha from whatever shadows lurked within its walls, no matter the cost.

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End

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