Naruto: Prodigy

"Darius," Hiruzen called, his voice filled with a mix of sternness and curiosity. "Explain your actions, and why you've incapacitated our ANBU."

I shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant, but I kept my senses sharp. "Because I can," I said simply, watching the faces of the shinobi tense. My tone, though casual, was laced with defiance. The elders' eyes narrowed, and Danzo's fingers twitched with barely concealed frustration.

Danzo took a step forward, his voice cold. "You overstep your bounds, boy. You and your group have shown your true colors."

I saw the signal in his eyes before he gave the command. In an instant, several Root shinobi appeared, surrounding me and Naruto. The situation escalated quickly, the villagers outside Konoha's gates shifting anxiously as tension crackled in the air.

But I wasn't worried. Instead, I raised my hand, revealing a weathered scroll that gleamed faintly in the afternoon light. The effect was immediate. The eyes of the Hokage and the elders widened, shock rippling across their normally composed faces.

"That scroll…" Hiruzen breathed, his tone shifting from authoritative to alarmed.

I smirked, relishing the shift in power. "Interesting collection of techniques the past Hokages kept. The Flying Thunder God, for one… truly a fascinating jutsu," I said, rolling the scroll back up slowly.

Danzo's face darkened, the thin veneer of control slipping as he barked, "Seize him! Now!"

Before anyone could move, I gathered my chakra and formed a glowing sphere in my palm. It hummed with power, creating a pulse that resonated through the clearing. The shinobi around me hesitated, eyes narrowing as they assessed the potential threat.

Hiruzen's expression changed from concern to resolve. "Enough of this. Darius, hand over the scroll and surrender, or we will use force."

I met his gaze, letting my smirk widen. "Sorry, old man, but I've got other plans. With this scroll, building my own future sounds more appealing." The sphere in my palm expanded rapidly, enveloping me in a rush of chakra.

"Kill him!" Hiruzen's voice rang out, uncharacteristically sharp.

But before any of the shinobi could react, I slammed the chakra sphere into the ground. The air shimmered and warped as the technique activated, teleporting me and the villagers away in an instant. The last thing I saw before the world shifted was Naruto, sitting on the dirt with wide eyes, muttering curses as he rubbed his aching head.

....

As the flash of light faded, the clearing returned to an uneasy silence. Hiruzen's face was stony, his hands clenched tightly at his sides. Danzo's expression was unreadable, but his narrowed eyes suggested that he was already plotting his next move.

Naruto sat up, wincing as he gingerly touched the sore spots on his head. His eyes glimmered with a mix of confusion and anger as he watched the empty space where Darius had stood.

"I'll remember this, you jerk," he muttered, clenching his fists. "Just wait."

And for the first time in a long while, a spark of determination lit in his eyes.

....

The world steadied around me, the glow of the teleportation fading as the familiar forest clearing took shape. The dense woods that had marked the path to Konoha loomed around us, a place that, only hours ago, had been part of our hopeful journey to sanctuary. Now, it felt like the threshold of a new path.

The villagers stumbled as they reoriented themselves, gasping and murmuring in shock. Hiroshi, clutching Aiko tightly, glanced around with wide eyes. Goro's silent, rugged expression shifted as he assessed the distance we had covered in mere moments. Kenta, by his side, looked at me with open awe.

"How did you do that?" Hiroshi's voice broke the silence, his tone heavy with disbelief.

Others nodded, waiting for an explanation. The confusion and adrenaline of our sudden escape still hung in the air. I took a deep breath, wiping sweat from my brow. The technique had sapped more chakra than I cared to admit.

"It's a long story," I said, my voice firm but calm. I met Hiroshi's gaze, then looked around at the group. "But you all deserve to know. This... wasn't my original plan."

The villagers shuffled closer, their attention riveted as I leaned against a nearby tree. The forest was still, the distant sounds of birds the only interruption.

"When we were in Konoha, I saw what kind of place it was. A village strong on the surface, but its leadership..." I paused, my eyes narrowing at the memory of the elders' scrutiny, Danzo's calculating stare, and Hiruzen's hesitance. "It's not what it pretends to be. They wanted control, not cooperation. And I'm not the type to be anyone's pawn."

Goro's eyes darkened in understanding, the man's silent respect evident in the way he squared his shoulders.

"But that still doesn't explain how you brought us here," Hiroshi said, adjusting Aiko on his hip as she clung to his robe, eyes wide with both fear and curiosity.

I shifted my stance and smirked. "Before we met the Hokage, I knew I might need leverage. Konoha, for all its peace, is also a place that hoards power. And in the Hokage's office, hidden among all those scrolls, there's one that holds a collection of their most secret techniques."

A ripple of surprise spread through the crowd. Even Kenta's eyes grew larger as he pieced together what I was saying.

"While they were focused on our conversation, my shadow clones searched the office," I continued. "I had them memorize the scroll's contents in case things went sideways." I let the weight of the revelation settle before speaking again. "One of those techniques was the Flying Thunder God, a space-time jutsu developed by the Second Hokage."

Hiroshi let out a low whistle. "You memorized it? Just like that?"

"It's not as simple as reading a book," I admitted, a touch of fatigue slipping into my voice. "But I didn't just memorize it. I simplified it, improved it. That's how I managed to bring us here."

"But why?" A voice piped up from the back of the group. It was one of the older villagers, eyes full of uncertainty. "Why risk it all? Why not stay and join them?"

My eyes swept over the faces around me, each lined with worry, hope, and the exhaustion of being outcasts. I pushed away from the tree, standing tall. "Because Konoha's leadership would never have truly accepted us. They would've taken what they wanted and kept us under their thumb. And that's not the life we deserve."

I felt a pang in my chest. "We've lost too much already. I won't let us become pawns or second-class citizens in someone else's game. We'll build our own path."

Kenta stepped forward, eyes burning with a resolve I hadn't seen before. "You mean… our own village?"

I nodded. "Yes. Our own village. One where we protect each other, where strength isn't just a tool for control, but a shield for the people. One where we don't bow to those who don't deserve it."

Murmurs of uncertainty shifted to whispers of hope. The idea was bold, reckless even, but in that moment, it felt right. The villagers' fear began to ebb, replaced by something they hadn't felt in a long time: belief.

Aiko's small voice broke the moment. "Does this mean we're safe now?"

I met her gaze and softened, the weight of leadership settling more comfortably on my shoulders. "Not yet, Aiko. But we will be."