What If Naruto Was Declared a Missing-Nin for a Crime He Didn't Commit?

The cord bit into his wrists before sunrise — a jinchūriki dragged through the square for a murder he never committed. The Hokage's own hand sealed the declaration, and the village closed its doors forever. Naruto Uzumaki, stripped of his name and marked for a black-site prison, escapes into a hostile world where every hunter wants the Nine-Tails and no one wants the truth. As he traces the poison that framed him, the line between the hunter and the hunted blurs — and the fox inside offers no comfort, only power with a price. This is a work of transformative fan fiction based on the Naruto universe created by Masashi Kishimoto. All original characters, settings, and story elements belong to their respective copyright holders. No copyright infringement is intended. 0:00 Dragged Before Dawn 11:17 Silence With the Fox 22:39 Gritty River Escape 33:57 The Widow's Nod 45:18 No Answer Given 56:38 A Stone in Water 1:07:56 Mapping the Grid 1:19:16 Katsura's Empty Hand