I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

Only Silence

After sensing the tailed beast's chakra, the Uzumaki ninja looked at Naruto with fear and confusion.

He didn't understand the other party's intentions. First, this person had inexplicably sneaked into his office to launch an attack. Then, after effortlessly defeating him, he released a malicious chakra…

Naruto also felt a little awkward when he saw that the Uzumaki ninja failed to recognize the Nine-Tails' chakra.

Clearing his throat, Naruto loosened the ninja's bindings and introduced himself. "I am Menma, an Uzumaki ninja who travels the shinobi world. May I ask how I should address my fellow clansman?"

After being released, Uzumaki Kamon eyed Naruto warily.

Ever since the destruction of Uzushio, many of their scattered clansmen had gone into hiding, and some had even attained Jōnin-level strength. However, those who could completely overpower him like this were exceedingly rare.

Moreover, as an Uzumaki ninja, it was unusual to see someone who didn't rely on sealing techniques in battle.

And what was even stranger—this person was associating with the Uchiha? That went against everything the Uzumaki clan traditionally stood for.

Despite his suspicions, Kamon finally spoke, aware of the vast power gap between them. After all, those who had lost their homeland could not afford the luxury of pride.

Naruto noticed Kamon's skepticism and, without hesitation, slashed his own arm with a kunai.

Under the Uzumaki clan's exceptional vitality, the wound closed rapidly, the flesh knitting back together until not even a scar remained.

Kamon's eyes widened in shock. At that moment, he no longer doubted Naruto's Uzumaki lineage. In a faint voice, he asked, "I believe you are an Uzumaki… but the Land of Whirlpools has been gone for decades. Why are you here now?"

Naruto smiled. "To gather those without a home… and rebuild the Land of Whirlpools."

"Rebuild the Land of Whirlpools?!"

Kamon's head snapped up, his eyes briefly alight with hope.

But soon, the light dimmed. He shook his head.

"Across the entire shinobi world, there are only a handful of Uzumaki left. Even if your strength surpasses mine, reviving the Land of Whirlpools is impossible. And if you somehow manage to reestablish it, the Great Nations will crush you instantly. Even at its peak, Uzushio was far stronger than you realize."

"Is that so?" Naruto leaned back against the desk, looking at Kamon with amusement. "Who said the Uzumaki alone must rebuild it? A nation isn't just its bloodline. There are many who could contribute—shinobi and civilians alike."

Kamon hesitated. He wanted to refute Naruto's words, but given the circumstances, he lacked the courage.

"Let's put lofty ambitions aside for now," Kamon finally said. "Tell me why you've come to me. Also, my presence in Uzushio is still a secret. If my identity is exposed, I won't be able to help you at all."

Naruto nodded, choosing not to continue the charade. "I need your cooperation in sheltering a group of Uchiha refugees—about a hundred people. Their presence must remain a secret."

"A hundred Uchiha?" Kamon was stunned. Was this some kind of Konoha plot to infiltrate Uzushio?

Seeing through Kamon's thoughts, Naruto reassured him, "Don't worry. They are nothing more than displaced shinobi now. Just as the Uzumaki once suffered near-extinction, so too has the Uchiha."

Silence filled the room. Kamon pondered Naruto's words, while Naruto left to fetch Shisui.

With the general direction agreed upon, the remaining details were left to Shisui, the Uchiha leader, who best understood what his clan needed.

After leaving the office, Naruto wandered through the ruins of Uzushio, taking in its terrain and environment. His mind was already racing with ideas for the future of a revived Land of Whirlpools. If he wanted to establish power quickly, he couldn't do it alone.

Konoha, the village that once could have supported them, was now rotting from within.

And reforming a decayed system was far harder than building something new. Naruto had no desire to change Konoha—he would create a nation of his own.

A few hours later, he returned to Kamon's office.

By then, Shisui and Kamon had finalized arrangements for the Uchiha's settlement. In truth, Kamon had little say in the matter. Even in their weakened state, the Uchiha still wielded more military strength than most small shinobi villages.

In the chaos of the ruined Land of Whirlpools, they were a force to be reckoned with.

Naruto had deliberately revealed his Uzumaki heritage—not just to win Kamon's trust, but also as a precaution. If Kamon had acted recklessly, Naruto was fully prepared to inform the neighboring Great Nations about the Uchiha presence, forcing Kamon into a corner.

And if negotiations failed? There was always the Sharingan.

Once the agreement was settled, Shisui called for the Uchiha who had been surviving in the wilderness. They were relocated to the crumbling remains of Uzushio, at least granting them a place to rest.

Naruto observed the weary, malnourished Uchiha, his expression unreadable.

Then, Namikaze Minato began calling out their names one by one.

Naruto's gaze snapped to his father, eyes narrowing. "I didn't expect you to remember every Uchiha by name," he muttered. "Were you planning to eliminate them during your tenure?"

Minato's expression darkened. He shook his head. "Of course not. I memorized their names because I wanted to solve the tensions within the police force. Uchiha's isolation in that role was only fueling resentment. But… I ran out of time."

Naruto scoffed. "That's a shame. Maybe if you had lived, Uchiha wouldn't have turned against Konoha. But let's be real—you wouldn't have solved their problems in time."

Minato sighed. "...Even if I wanted to integrate Uchiha into different sectors, the Third Hokage and the council wouldn't have allowed it. Too many of them were Jōnin-level shinobi. If they were placed in key positions, the higher-ups would have seen it as a threat. It wasn't a simple fix."

Naruto's words struck a chord. Minato had been a Hokage restrained at every turn. Many of his subordinates had never received the promotions they deserved. After all these years, he wondered—what had become of them?

Naruto broke the silence. "Some of them are doing quite poorly. One of your former subordinates, a Chūnin named Tenpō, even tried to assassinate me. If Kurama hadn't warned me, I'd be dead."

Minato froze.

He had always believed that, while he failed as a father, he had at least been a good Hokage. But now, his own men viewed his son as a villain. Some had even tried to kill him in revenge.

The Third Hokage's deception.

The villagers' hatred.

His own subordinates' betrayal.

Layer upon layer, these experiences had driven Naruto away from Konoha—away from the very system Minato once led.

And now, Naruto was no longer trying to reclaim his past.

He was building something entirely new.

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