The uproar outside Amegakure had reached a boiling point.
Especially the ninja from Konoha and Kumogakure—their accumulated grudges left them with zero goodwill toward Naruto. They all clamored for him to show his face and explain everything in detail!
After countless calls, Naruto finally appeared.
The Konoha and Kumogakure ninja were ready to denounce him like sworn enemies, but when they saw the faces of those following behind Naruto, their words of condemnation stuck in their throats!
"Hey, hey... you've got to be kidding, right?"
"That—that's the First Hokage, isn't it?"
"The Second, Third, Fourth... they're all here!"
"The Fifth too, and even Lord Jiraiya, who's already dead!"
"Uchiha Itachi... didn't he already die in Sasuke's revenge?"
"That's Shisui the Teleporter, right?"
"Uchiha Obito—wasn't his body just discovered outside Konoha recently?"
"Who's that long-haired wanderer walking with the First Hokage? He looks familiar..."
"Wait, isn't that the man from the statue at the Valley of the End, the one standing alongside the First? Look carefully—it's exactly the same..."
"No, impossible! That's Uchiha Madara—he died at Konoha's founding!"
The overwhelming information gap crashing into reality created a shock powerful enough to make them question their entire shinobi existence.
Uzumaki Naruto remained completely indifferent to the varied expressions on the ninja's faces. Holding Hinata's hand, he stopped before the massive assembly, his deep Rinnegan eyes sweeping across the entire crowd.
He nodded in acknowledgment to Shikaku, Shikamaru, Hiashi, Hanabi, and his former classmates, then spoke with steady, powerful conviction.
"The reason I summoned you all has been clearly explained in my letter. Some of you may still harbor doubts about me, but just moments ago, Infinite Tsukuyomi was activated. Except for Amegakure, protected by our barrier, every human in the outside world has already fallen under that great genjutsu called 'Infinite Tsukuyomi'..."
Whoosh!
The moment Naruto finished speaking, a Kamui space-time vortex opened, and Kakashi appeared before the crowd with the undercover White Zetsu!
He collapsed to the ground, gasping with the relief of someone who'd survived a catastrophe. "Hah... hah... hah... I never dreamed I could make it back alive!"
"..." Naruto's expression paused slightly, showing just a hint of awkwardness.
The Konoha crowd erupted with excitement: "Lord Hokage!!!"
"You've finally returned!"
"Is the outside world really trapped in a great genjutsu, as Uzumaki Naruto said?!"
Hatake Kakashi lifted his weary face, speaking grimly: "Yes. Aside from myself, probably not one of the billions of humans escaped..."
"Then that means... our village too!"
With ANBU support, Kakashi stood and said, "Everyone, this is why we lied about military exercises and insisted on passing through Amegakure—we had no choice. If we'd hesitated, we would've been caught on the road..."
"We understand! We get it completely! You don't need to say anything more!"
"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures! Lord Hokage, your strength, wisdom, and resolve... truly worthy of being Konoha's Sixth Hokage!"
"Please leave everything that follows to us!!"
Behind Naruto, Hashirama stroked his chin, studying Kakashi. "Oh! So that's the Sixth—Hatake Kakashi!"
Tobirama crossed his arms. "Hatake... I remember that clan, famous for swordsmanship and intellect. The year I died, there was a kid named Sakumo already making his mark—I think he set Konoha's record for youngest promotion to Jonin!"
Hiruzen added, "Sakumo was Kakashi's father. Years after your sacrifice, he earned the title 'White Fang of Konoha.' Unfortunately... he later violated a ninja taboo, and I couldn't save him."
Namikaze Minato said, "If Mr. Sakumo were still alive, perhaps I wouldn't have become the Fourth Hokage. But Kakashi is my prized student..."
Tobirama teased, "Oh, your prized student? No wonder he looks like he's missing a few screws..."
At this, Obito interjected, "Second Hokage, don't paint everyone with the same brush. Weirdos like Minato-sensei are rare, you know."
"Ahem... ahem!" Naruto coughed several times, trying to regain control of the conversation.
But unfortunately, some Konoha ninja remained absorbed in the commotion, either not hearing him or not caring.
"Ughhh...!"
Suddenly, those few Konoha ninja clutched their throats and collapsed, foaming at the mouth!
This scene... brought silence back to the crowd.
Naruto cast a meaningful glance toward the tall tower in the background.
Atop the tower, a petite girl leaned on a black staff. Beneath pale purple bangs, her fair face appeared especially pale in the rain's reflection!
Beside her, Murasaki, who'd left ANBU to serve as her personal guard, said, "Lady Ruri, that was your ability just now, wasn't it?"
Amemiya Ruri, the former Princess of the Land of Rain who now governed Amegakure's affairs in Naruto's stead.
She possessed remarkable administrative talents but had been frail and sickly since childhood.
Under her leadership, Amegakure had flourished, and she seemed to be conducting some unknown strategic planning!
Few knew she possessed a nearly extinct kekkei genkai!
Called 'Sky Release'—a jutsu that could manipulate atmospheric phenomena!
She'd just used Sky Release to suffocate those disrespectful ninja into unconsciousness as a warning.
Amemiya Ruri nodded calmly. "A bunch of guests who don't know their place—without punishment, they won't understand hierarchy. Ah, Lord Naruto must have such a magnanimous heart to gather this rabble here!"
"To speak cruelly, even I—a non-ninja, frail woman—can see their combat power offers no help in this battle."
"Weak combat ability is one thing, but their vision is also shallow. They're all frogs at the bottom of a well."
"Even someone as lacking as myself needed a full half-hour to discern Lord Naruto's deeper meaning."
"Lord Naruto wants to give these frogs an opportunity."
"Through this great war, they can either leap from their deep well to soar in a broader world, or peek over the well's edge only to fall back down hard—this is their chance...!"
"Oh, your insight mirrors mine perfectly~" At this moment, a soft, androgynous voice spoke as Yakushi Kabuto emerged from the background shadows.
Amemiya Ruri turned back. "Is your confinement over? Weren't you too proud to associate with me?"
Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "You visited me in prison multiple times despite your status—I do remember others' kindness..."
Amemiya Ruri looked away. "To build the new world Lord Naruto envisions, we need people like you—those with independent thinking who aren't constrained by conventional morality. More importantly, you're a captive of Lord Naruto's Kotoamatsukami, so I can trust you completely..."
"Heh heh heh..." Kabuto smiled wickedly, adjusting his glasses again as he looked toward Murasaki. "You must be Murasaki. I've heard much about you. Please take care of me as we work together~"
At Amegakure's gates, Naruto's pre-war rally reached its climax!
"Everyone, Indra is about to attack. We ninja will face an unprecedented great war. We may have been mortal enemies in the past, but now we must set aside old grudges and unite against our common foe. I've prepared unified battle attire for everyone—I'll outfit you all immediately..."
"Keh keh keh..." Ajuan appeared, his right eye sweeping across the crowd.
—Gyokuso-no-Mikoto!
Everyone was instantly dressed in matching ninja uniforms!
Naruto declared with conviction: "These battle suits contain virtually unlimited explosive tags and ninja tools—unleash your fighting spirit to your heart's content!"
Rumble...!
A tremendous crash shook the heavens as Indra, the Divine Tree's Jinchuriki, descended before the Allied Shinobi Forces with earth-shaking presence!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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