I Can Stop the Coup by Myself
A few days later, during lunch break, Shikamaru approached Naruto, carrying a shogi board.
"Hey, Naruto, want to play a game of shogi?" he asked, setting the board down.
Naruto glanced at the unfamiliar game pieces and scratched his head. "Why are you asking me? I don't even know the rules. Wouldn't Choji be a better choice?"
Shikamaru smirked slightly. "Choji doesn't like using his brain for this stuff. He's lost to me too many times. You, on the other hand, are more willing to think things through."
He narrowed his eyes and added with a knowing smile, "Besides, if you don't understand the rules, you can learn. Growth always comes with learning."
Naruto had a feeling Shikamaru had some ulterior motive, but he was curious enough to give it a shot.
---
Half an Hour Later
When all of Naruto's pieces were captured, Shikamaru leaned back with a satisfied grin. "That's five losses in a row, Naruto."
Naruto scratched his head and frowned at the board. "I'm really not good at this game."
Shikamaru chuckled. "Not bad for a beginner. When I first started, I got crushed plenty of times, too. You still haven't learned to calculate ahead. That's the most interesting part of the game."
He tapped the board. "Shogi is like being a ninja. To win, you have to gather intelligence—know your enemy, know yourself."
Naruto held back a laugh. Ninja battles require strategy, sure, but Gundam fights are different. He wasn't interested in being a pawn in someone else's game—he wanted to be an outsider, moving freely.
Still, he had to admit—Shikamaru was sharp.
After winning several rounds, Shikamaru yawned. "I'm heading back to class," he said, picking up the shogi board.
Naruto sat in the shade, flipping through a medical textbook. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Shikamaru leave.
Dealing with a guy like Shikamaru is troublesome. He never says things directly—always roundabout. But if I were just a hotheaded idiot, I wouldn't pick up on it anyway.
Nearby, a group of third- and fourth-year students gathered under a tree, chatting in hushed but excited voices. Their words drifted to Naruto's ears.
"You heard? The Uchiha police force clashed with people again."
"Not surprising. The police are always too forceful. Sometimes, a small issue could be ignored, but they insist on arresting and fining people. Who wouldn't be pissed?"
"They crack down on villagers but go easy on their own kind. Totally unfair."
"This time, it wasn't just civilians—they fought other ninja. The Hokage had to step in to stop it from escalating."
"It's been happening a lot lately."
"There are three scourges of Konoha: the demon fox, the caged bird, and the Uchiha police. At least the first two keep to themselves, but the police force never stops causing trouble."
Naruto barely reacted to the rumors. Tch. Even kids are gossiping about Uchiha's conflicts. Their reputation is shot.
Sasuke, passing by, overheard and immediately tensed. His dark eyes flickered with suppressed anger. The moment he glared at them, the older students went silent. They knew Sasuke was strong and didn't dare challenge an Uchiha directly.
Once they scattered, Sasuke sat down beside Naruto, still visibly irritated.
"Naruto, they called you a demon fox. Why didn't you go over there and shut them up?"
Naruto turned a page in his book, unbothered. "They're not wrong. The Third Hokage confirmed it himself. Maybe their parents died because of me. Why wouldn't they resent me?"
Sasuke hesitated. "Wait… are you saying… you really are the demon fox? The rumors are true?"
Naruto smiled wryly. "You're easy to fool, huh? But yeah, I do have a connection to it. The Nine-Tails is sealed inside me."
Sasuke frowned but didn't push further.
"So why don't you fight back?" he asked.
"Because it's a waste of time," Naruto replied. "I won't bother with fools."
He glanced at Sasuke and smirked. "But… did you come here just to lose another sparring match to me?"
Sasuke scoffed. "Tch. No way. I just figured you looked lonely, so I came over to keep you company."
Naruto grinned. "Oh? But I'm not lonely. I have plenty of friends—Hinata, Shikamaru, Choji…"
Sasuke stiffened slightly. He wouldn't admit it, but… Naruto was probably his only real friend.
At that moment, the Kyuubi's voice echoed in Naruto's mind.
"Heh, this brat likes you. If he were a girl, you'd have him wrapped around your finger. Too bad he's just a kid."
Naruto rolled his eyes. Shut up, you old pervert.
The Kyuubi chuckled darkly. "You call me a demon fox in front of others, but now you're all riled up from a little joke? Still just a brat."
Annoyed, Naruto mentally silenced the Kyuubi's voice. For some reason, it had been acting weirder than usual.
Sasuke, oblivious to the internal exchange, suddenly spoke again.
"Naruto, my parents recognize you as a friend. They want you to come over more often."
Naruto paused, his eyes narrowing slightly.
After a moment, he shook his head. "Sorry, but the Third Hokage doesn't want me visiting the Uchiha compound right now."
He had a strong suspicion about why Fugaku extended the invitation. He wants to sway me, use my presence to influence things, maybe even leverage me against the village leadership.
But both he and the Third Hokage knew better. Fugaku won't get a second chance.
Despite his strength and decency, the Uchiha leader had a fatal flaw—indecisiveness.
He neither accepted Uchiha's current status nor dared to fully rebel. In the end, hesitation would cost him everything.
Sasuke's expression darkened slightly but remained composed. "Fine. Let's train after school. I've learned some new jutsu."
The Kyuubi's voice murmured again. "Naruto, I sensed malice from you just now."
Naruto shot the fox a glance. Having a tailed beast that can read emotions is a hassle.
"You're one to talk. You're full of malice," he muttered.
Kyuubi snorted. "I'm a tailed beast. My hatred isn't human—it's been festering for thousands of years."
Naruto smirked. "So, you're just a giant ball of negativity? Sounds gross."
Kyuubi growled. "Hmph. One day, you'll leave Konoha. Maybe then, we can find a place where we don't have to deal with all this human nonsense."
---
Hokage's Office
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a plume of smoke, gazing at the portraits of past Hokage.
Ever since Naruto's visit to the Uchiha compound, the police force had grown bolder—secretly stockpiling weapons and becoming increasingly aggressive in law enforcement.
It should've worked in the Hokage's favor. A rebellious Uchiha only made the village leadership seem more just.
But if someone ignited that powder keg… the whole village could burn.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. A tired-looking Shisui Uchiha entered.
Hiruzen frowned. "You're here because of the police force's conflicts?"
Shisui hesitated before nodding. Then, as if coming to a decision, he said:
"I'm here to confess the Uchiha's plans. I suspect they're preparing for a coup."
Hiruzen's expression darkened. "A coup?"
Shisui met his gaze. "Yes. But don't worry—I can stop it myself."
Hiruzen studied him. "Alone? Even with Anbu, we might not prevent it completely."
Shisui's voice was steady. "I don't need to fight them all. I just need to control Fugaku."
He lowered his gaze.
"I have Kotoamatsukami."
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