Naruto:This Time, I, Kotetsu Hagane, Will No Longer Be Lazy

*Konoha Main Entrance*

The towering gates of Konoha stood before them, an imposing symbol of the Hidden Leaf Village's strength and security. The gates themselves were massive, their wooden pillars etched with the village's insignia—a leaf nestled in the center of a circular emblem. These gates weren't just functional; they were a reminder of the village's pride and history. The sturdy metal reinforcement added to the structure's intimidating presence, ensuring that anyone who attempted to breach Konoha's borders would meet a formidable challenge.

The two Chunin, Kotetsu and Izumo, stood at their post on the outskirts of the gate, positioned at a small, modest building built into the wall. The structure was a single-room outpost, nothing grand, but it provided shelter for the guards and enough space for their essentials. A small desk sat near the far wall, cluttered with reports, logs, and a few maps of the surrounding terrain. Two simple wooden chairs were positioned near the desk where Kotetsu and Izumo usually spent their time.

The building was dimly lit by a single lantern hanging from the ceiling, casting a warm, yellow glow across the room. Outside, the sound of the wind rustling through the trees was interrupted only by the occasional rustle of a bird or the faint footsteps of villagers passing through the gate. The walls of the outpost were bare, save for a few outdated maps pinned to the wall. A small shelf near the door held an assortment of scrolls and notebooks, mostly filled with reports from past gate shifts. It wasn't a place of luxury, but it was comfortable enough for the pair to keep watch over the village.

Kotetsu slouched into one of the chairs, his feet propped up on a nearby crate as he leaned back. He gazed out the window, staring at the distant horizon, his thoughts far from the quiet scene before him. Izumo was sitting opposite him, flipping through a random report on the desk, though it was clear his mind wasn't entirely on it.

Kotetsu, however, wasn't so easily distracted. He had a lot on his mind since Fugaku had entrusted them with the investigation. Fugaku had been clear—they were to dig deeper into the explosion and the potential inside job. But Kotetsu felt something gnawing at him, a sense of unease that had been growing ever since he had heard the name Ryoji Kurokami.

Ryoji Kurokami… Kotetsu repeated the name in his mind, the syllables rolling off his tongue like an unfamiliar melody. He had no idea who the man was or why that name kept resurfacing in his thoughts. It wasn't a name he recognized, but the more he thought about it, the more it seemed to haunt him.

A flicker of an image passed through his mind—a flash of the man talking to a merchant in the market. Kotetsu couldn't remember exactly when it had happened, but the image lingered. The interaction seemed innocuous enough, but there was something off about it. Was it a coincidence, or was there something more to it?

Why does it feel important? he thought, furrowing his brows as he leaned forward in his seat, rubbing his temples. His mind kept coming back to that name, and the nagging feeling that something wasn't right.

He glanced at Izumo, who was still engrossed in his report. Kotetsu stared at him for a moment before asking, "Hey, Izumo… Is there a place in the village where all the records of ninjas and citizens are kept? Like a big archive or something?"

Izumo blinked at him, surprised by the sudden question, but after a beat, he nodded. "Yeah, the Konoha Archive Library. It's where all the official records are stored, including personal information about the villagers, shinobi, and their missions. It's pretty well-hidden, though. Not many know the full extent of what's in there. Why do you ask?"

Kotetsu felt a jolt of excitement. "That's it! I think I've seen this Ryoji Kurokami somewhere, and if the archives have records on him, I could find out who he is."

Izumo raised an eyebrow, intrigued but skeptical. "Ryoji Kurokami, huh? Never heard of him. But… if you're thinking there's a connection, I guess it's worth checking out. You sure this is the right move?"

Kotetsu didn't wait for a response. The thought of discovering something important drove him to stand up, suddenly full of energy. "We're going to the Konoha Archive Library. Right now."

Izumo sat back in his chair, his expression a mix of amusement and confusion. "Wait, right now? It's the middle of the night, Kotetsu. The library's closed."

Kotetsu shot him a grin. "It's always open for us, right? Besides, I have a hunch we're onto something."

Izumo sighed, shaking his head, but he was used to Kotetsu's impulsive decisions by now. "Alright, fine. If you're so sure about this, I'll tag along. But you're explaining this to Fugaku if we get caught."

Without another word, the two of them headed out of the small building and made their way through the quiet village streets. The night air was cool against Kotetsu's skin, and the village around them was peaceful, unaware of the investigation that was slowly unraveling behind the scenes. As they walked, Kotetsu couldn't shake the feeling that they were about to uncover something much larger than just a simple explosion.

Izumo kept pace with him, casting an occasional glance at his friend. "You know, you've been acting weird ever since Fugaku handed us that case," he remarked, his voice casual. "Are you sure this hunch of yours is a good idea?"

Kotetsu gave him a half-smile. "I don't know if it's a good idea, but I have to trust my instincts on this one. Something doesn't sit right with me about all of this."

The walk to the Konoha Archive Library took them through the village's winding streets, the low hum of activity from a few late-night shops adding to the otherwise quiet atmosphere.

*Konoha Streets*

Kotetsu and Izumo walked the quiet streets of Konoha, the hum of the village's everyday life feeling oddly distant to them. The explosion still loomed large in their minds, the death toll rising, and the whispers of spies and sabotage growing. The more they dug into the incident, the more they felt like they were chasing shadows.

"Think we're getting anywhere?" Kotetsu asked, his voice low, eyes scanning the people around them. He wasn't sure whether the tension in the air was from the explosion or just the rising anxiety in the village. He wasn't sure anymore.

Izumo glanced at his partner, brows furrowed in thought. "We're following the lead, but it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack." His hand rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I still don't buy the Uchiha angle. If it were them, we'd know by now."

Kotetsu nodded, frustration tightening his chest. "I agree. It feels like something else is going on here. But if the Uchiha weren't involved, then who…?" His words trailed off, swallowed by the ambient noise of the village.

They reached the building just as the night felt its coldest, the towering structure of the archive looming in front of them.

"Here we are," Kotetsu muttered, his voice quieter now. The Konoha Archive Library stood tall, its stone walls reaching upward like a fortress. The doors were massive, ornate, and heavily guarded, but Kotetsu wasn't concerned about that. With his sudden rush of energy, he felt like he was on the cusp of a breakthrough.

Izumo let out a low sigh. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Kotetsu looked at him, his eyes determined. "We're about to find out."

*Konoha Archive Library*

In the village's main archives, a vast building filled with records and logs. It was a place most of the villagers wouldn't think to search for answers, but Kotetsu had a feeling this was where they needed to be. Their mission was clear: search through entry logs, travel permits, and mission reports—anything that could give them a clue about the explosion and its origin.

Hours passed as they sifted through documents. Kotetsu's eyes were growing heavy, but he pushed through. The logs were dry, tedious, and often meaningless—until Izumo called out to him from across the room.

"Kotetsu… I think I found something."

Kotetsu rushed over, his pulse quickening. Izumo was hunched over a set of entry logs, his fingers tracing a series of names and dates.

"What is it?" Kotetsu asked, peering over his shoulder.

Izumo pointed to a set of entries under the "Special Permissions" section. "These names don't appear anywhere else in the records—people who entered the village around the time of the explosion, under the guise of 'foreign diplomats.' But if you look closely," he pointed to the last name on the list, "it's a repeat offender."

Kotetsu's gaze followed Izumo's finger to the name. It was foreign-sounding, a name that didn't belong to any known person in the village. But what caught Kotetsu's attention was the signature beneath the name: the emblem of a high-ranking shinobi from Kumogakure.

"That's not just a foreign diplomat," Kotetsu muttered. "This is an operative from the Cloud Village, isn't it?"

Izumo nodded grimly. "Yes, and not just any operative. This one's been in and out of the village before, under the radar. And these entries—" He pointed to the dates, "—they coincide with a spike in covert activities. The Uchiha wouldn't have missed this… unless it was someone they didn't expect."

Kotetsu's heart skipped a beat. "And if this operative's been working with someone from inside Konoha…"

"Then it wouldn't be the Uchiha causing the trouble," Izumo finished, his voice grave. "It's someone who can hide their movements, someone who has access to high-level security."

Kotetsu stared at the documents, his mind racing. This was it. The piece they'd been missing. An outsider working within Konoha, using the chaos of the explosion as a cover. But this didn't rule out the Uchiha completely. The pattern of infiltration could easily be mistaken for their doing, especially with the rising distrust around them. But Kotetsu felt an unsettling sensation—something about this was pointing them toward a much darker possibility. A possibility that could bring the entire village to its knees.

"The timing, the method... this reeks of Root," Kotetsu muttered. "Danzo."

Izumo shot him a look, his expression tense. "You sure?"

Kotetsu nodded. "The Cloud Village has always been a source of tension with Konoha. But this feels like a calculated move—someone pulling strings from the shadows. If we follow this lead, it could take us straight to Danzo's people."

Izumo frowned, his gaze shifting to the entrance of the archives. "But if it's Root… they could be framing the Uchiha. This explosion could be a distraction, a way to escalate tensions. If we go public with this—"

"We don't," Kotetsu cut him off, his voice hard. "Not yet. We need proof before we go telling anyone, especially Fugaku or the council. If we're wrong, it could tear the village apart. But if we're right, then it could be the break we need."

They exchanged a long, silent look before both nodded in unison. It wasn't just the village at stake anymore—it was their duty to uncover the truth, no matter how dangerous it became.

Kotetsu picked up the log and slipped it into his bag. "Let's get back to the gate. We need to figure out our next move before anyone else catches wind of this."

Izumo nodded, his expression hardening. "Agreed. We have to be careful. If Danzo's involved, this could be much bigger than we thought."

The two Chunin exited the archives, stepping back into the bustling streets of Konoha, their minds focused on what lay ahead. But the deeper they went, the more they realized that they weren't just investigating an explosion—they were standing at the precipice of a conspiracy that could change the village forever.