Naruto: Shikamaru's Story--A Cloud Drifting in the Silent Dark

Set in the uneasy peace after the Fourth Shinobi World War, this novel follows Shikamaru Nara as he investigates a string of unexplained deaths in Konohagakure that appear connected to the disbanded black-ops organization Root. As he digs deeper alongside old comrades, Shikamaru uncovers a hidden conspiracy that forces him to confront how much of the village's security still depends on the secrecy and sacrifice hidden beneath its new era of peace. Balancing his duties as a strategist and mentor with the demands of the case, he must outthink an enemy who understands Konoha's darkest methods as well as he does. The story deepens Shikamaru's role as Naruto's most trusted tactician and lays groundwork that echoes into the Boruto era.

• Brand: Viz Media
• Officially Licensed: Yes
• First Released: 2015 (Japan) / 2019 (English)
• Author/Artist: Masashi Kishimoto (original story), Takashi Yano (novel), translated by Jocelyne Allen