Another way the story could develop is that Naruto's silence actually becomes a source of strength. He might start to observe things more closely without the distraction of conversation. This could lead him to discover secrets or plot against the enemies that others haven't noticed. And as the story progresses, he might gradually open up as he realizes that he needs to communicate to save his village or friends.
As Naruto is silent, his friends might start to recall past events to see if there were any signs leading up to this. They could also try different ways to communicate with him without words, like using body language or leaving him notes. This could lead to some interesting interactions and new friendships or alliances forming as they all work together to reach Naruto.
The plot could develop through the reactions of other characters. They would be confused and concerned about Naruto's silence, which could lead to them trying different ways to reach out to him. For instance, Sakura might use her medical ninjutsu to check if there's any physical reason for his silence.
It may add tension to the story. If Naruto is a key character and he's not interacting, it can disrupt the normal flow of relationships in the fanfiction. This disruption can cause conflict among other characters who rely on Naruto for various reasons, like teamwork in ninja missions.
Perhaps he's under a powerful genjutsu. In the Naruto universe, genjutsu can manipulate a person's perception and behavior. It's possible that an enemy has cast a genjutsu on Naruto that makes him believe that if he talks to anyone, something bad will happen to them, so he chooses to remain silent.
One possible reason could be a traumatic event. Maybe he witnessed something so horrible that it made him shut himself off from everyone. For example, if he saw his friends in great danger and couldn't save them in time, it might have led to his silence as a form of self - blame.
Well, it changes the family dynamic significantly. In the original story, family is a very important theme, especially later when Naruto discovers his connection to his parents. In this fanfiction, the lack of communication with his family means Naruto may not have the same support system, which could lead to a different path in his ninja journey.
Perhaps Naruto is focused on his own personal growth and training. He might see the yaoi relationships around him as a distraction from his goals of becoming a stronger ninja. He could be thinking that engaging with others involved in yaoi would lead him astray from his path of self - improvement.
It would likely be very strained. Naruto would probably avoid Kushina as much as possible. He might not even look at her when they're in the same room.
It changes the dynamic between Naruto and the village. Since Sarutobi was an important figure in the village, Naruto's distrust can create a rift not just between them but also between Naruto and the traditional village values Sarutobi represented.
The relationships in the story could be different. Since Naruto is not aiming for the Hokage position, his interactions with characters like Sasuke, who was also involved in the power dynamics of the village in some ways, would change. Maybe they would focus more on other aspects of their friendship or rivalry rather than Naruto's pursuit of Hokage.
Maybe Naruto teams up with some non - ninja characters. Together, they could come up with new ways to solve problems in the village that don't require ninja skills. As a result, he gradually changes the view of the village towards non - ninja activities, which is a significant development in the fanfiction.