"Gamaken, Gamabunta, Gamahiro, let's go!" With a cloud of smoke, the three great warriors of Mount Myoboku appeared.
At the same time, Tsunade summoned her own animal companion.
Katsuyu.
"Lady Tsunade, this opponent is terrifying. I never thought I'd see the day you and Lord Jiraiya fought together again," Katsuyu said, splitting into countless smaller slugs that crawled onto Jiraiya, helping to restore his spent energy.
"Jiraiya, let's go all out!!" Tsunade roared.
"You got it!!" Jiraiya immediately applied the red paint required for Sage Mode to his face.
"Hmph. Now I'm getting excited." The Nine-Tails stood his ground, waiting with gentlemanly courtesy for Jiraiya to complete his transformation into Sage Mode.
With a surge of chakra, Jiraiya stood facing the Nine-Tails.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting!" Jiraiya boomed, his voice full of bravado.
"Sage Art: Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!"
Jiraiya's chakra condensed into oil, and the fire-style jutsu he spewed from his mouth was instantly magnified several times over. Both its temperature and range far surpassed his previous fire attacks.
"A fine jutsu. I can feel your killing intent," the Nine-Tails chuckled. He swung his Zanpakuto, and his eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Condense, Malice." As he spoke, the red Reiatsu enveloping his body began to boil and churn, finally splitting off to form a perfect clone of Jiraiya.
"Sage Art: Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet."
An identical fire-style jutsu met the original in mid-air. They collided and exploded, sending countless sparks raining down like fireworks.
The thick smoke cleared, revealing the shocked faces of Jiraiya and Tsunade.
Doubt crept into their minds.
Why are this Nine-Tails' sword and abilities so similar to Kyoka Suigetsu? Why does it also require an incantation to release its power?
What is the connection between the Nine-Tails and Naruto's Kekkei Genkai?
Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged a look, both seeing the grave concern in the other's eyes.
The worst-case scenario was that the Nine-Tails had devoured Naruto's Kekkei Genkai, gaining power far beyond what it had before. For Konoha, this was a catastrophe.
"Not only is the pressure from his chakra stronger…"
"His attack patterns have changed, too." Jiraiya didn't hesitate, instantly closing the distance to the Nine-Tails and throwing a kunai.
"Sage Art: Hair Needle Senbon!"
At the same time, Jiraiya hardened his hair and launched it forward in a torrential downpour. It was his fastest jutsu with the widest attack range. The two toad sages on his shoulders animated the hair, allowing for continuous volleys.
But the Jiraiya clone also formed hand seals. "Ninja Art: Needle Jizo." White hair wrapped around its body, forming a spiky ball that blocked all the incoming needles, creating a storm of clanging sounds.
"Sage Art: Frog Kata!" The two Jiraiyas closed in on each other and began to fight with taijutsu. The Frog Kata gathered natural energy around the user's palms, greatly increasing the range of their attacks. As they fought, both Jiraiyas were struck by the other's blows.
The longer Jiraiya fought, the more alarmed he became. The Jiraiya opposite him was like his own clone, not only skillfully mastering Sage Art but also completely understanding his attack patterns. It was always able to counter his offense with the most appropriate jutsu and taijutsu.
On the other side, Tsunade was already locked in a fierce battle with her own clone.
Tsunade closed in on her clone and threw a powerful punch. Her clone, not to be outdone, met her fist with its own.
Boom. The two fists collided, and the evenly matched force kicked up a massive shockwave. The ground beneath them cracked and collapsed. Tsunade and her clone fell into the ruins, continuing their intense hand-to-hand combat, one punch after another. The waves of their battle were a blur of white and fury. The Root base below suffered a second round of destruction.
The Nine-Tails stood on the sidelines with his hands on his hips, looking smug.
"Zanpakuto are really useful, hehehe."
Malice. That was the name of the Nine-Tails' Zanpakuto. It could sense all malice and killing intent, and condense it into a clone of the attacker.
In other words, the stronger the opponent's hostility toward him, the stronger the clone it created would be. It was the perfect way to turn his enemies' strength against them. The only way to break it was to have no malice at all.
Or, to overwhelm the Zanpakuto with power far greater than the Nine-Tails' own.
"I'm suddenly a little bored." The Nine-Tails watched the two battles with a distinct lack of interest and let out a yawn.
According to the plan, his only purpose was to tie up Konoha's top fighters and sow confusion.
Although the Nine-Tails very much wanted to destroy Konoha, compared to satisfying his own selfish desires, he was more interested in seeing the performance Naruto had prepared for the village. The suffering Naruto would inflict would be far more painful than simple destruction.
The Nine-Tails couldn't help but recall something Naruto had once said with a light laugh.
"The cruelest thing you can do to someone isn't to destroy them. It's to give them hope, let them strive for it, only for them to discover in the end that it was all just despair."
Just thinking about the beautiful future that might unfold, the Nine-Tails couldn't suppress the urge to let out a piercing laugh.
As time wore on, Jiraiya's body began to accumulate injuries, but the clone's assault remained relentless. No matter how much chakra Jiraiya summoned, his opponent could always match it.
"Little Jiraiya, something's not right. It seems to be adjusting its strength based on yours," the two toad sages observed keenly.
"I've noticed that too. What should I do?" Jiraiya said, hastily blocking another attack.
"It's simple. Stop attacking. Stop all of your malice," Fukasaku said after a moment of thought. "The Nine-Tails itself has an extremely strong ability to sense malice. This power should be an enhancement of that. It can create a clone based on the opponent's level of malice to fight them. The stronger you are, the stronger it is. If you maintain a benevolent heart, this ability might just break on its own."
"But… this clone is trying to kill me," Jiraiya said with a bitter smile. If he stopped fighting back, he might be killed instantly.
"But if you keep fighting, you'll be worn down to death," Shima reminded him.
"Why not give it a try? If our judgment is wrong, we'll immediately use a jutsu to block the attack for you."
"Alright!" Jiraiya steeled himself and stopped attacking, letting his clone's fist fly toward his chest. He had already made up his mind. The worst that could happen was he'd take a hit, and then have Tsunade heal him right up.
Voom! The powerful Frog Kata fist suddenly lost its light just as it was about to hit Jiraiya's face. The Jiraiya clone dissipated from the inside out.
"It worked!" Jiraiya and the two sages were overjoyed. They looked again at the Nine-Tails, who was lounging lazily against a rock, their expressions complex.
Meanwhile, Tsunade and her clone were engaged in a brutal, fist-to-fist brawl beneath the ruins of the Root base. Soon, both were covered in wounds, each using the Palm Healing Jutsu with their free hand to heal themselves. It was a bizarre cycle of healing and hitting, and both sides were thoroughly engrossed. At this rate, they wouldn't be finished by nightfall.
"Tsunade, stop attacking! As long as you don't release any killing intent, the clone will disappear on its own!" Jiraiya's voice sounded from above.
Tsunade froze for a second, instinctively dodging her clone's attack. Rocks were constantly falling from the ceiling above; the Root base was about to collapse for a third time.
"I'll trust you on this." Tsunade steeled herself and charged straight into her clone's attack.
Swish. The moment Tsunade lost her hostile intent, the clone vanished into a puff of smoke. Seeing this, Tsunade quickly leaped up onto the ruins just as the base below her collapsed completely.
"It seems you've figured it out," the Nine-Tails said, smiling and applauding. He looked at Jiraiya and Tsunade with an expression of appreciation. "As expected of the Sannin of Konoha. You have some skill. But if I attack you, you'll have to fight back, and then the clones will just reappear."
The Nine-Tails' words made Jiraiya and the others' faces change.
"What a terrifying ability," Fukasaku said, taking a deep breath, unable to hide the shock in his heart. "Does an ability like this really have no weakness?"
Like Naruto, his sword also seemed to use an incantation. But the Nine-Tails' ability was clearly much stronger. It seemed Naruto's death was not so simple.
Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged a look, unsure for a moment whether they should be the first to attack.
But as they frowned, the Nine-Tails sheathed his Zanpakuto.
"Since you don't dare to fight, let's leave it at that. I'm leaving."
"Wait." Seeing the Nine-Tails about to leave, Tsunade quickly called out.
"What? Does the Fifth Hokage really want to pick a fight with me, a super Kage-level powerhouse, the strongest Tailed Beast, a veteran Pokémon player, the number one gaming genius, the Nine-Tails? I'm afraid you're not qualified."
Hearing the Nine-Tails' sarcastic tone, Tsunade's expression wavered. Konoha had just suffered another great disaster. Without the Nine-Tails as a weapon of war, other villages would inevitably get ideas about Konoha. A new Great Ninja War would start, and countless lives would be lost. But the Nine-Tails' ability was simply too overpowered. Even if she and Jiraiya teamed up, they couldn't do anything to him. If they angered him, not only would they be seriously injured, but Konoha might suffer another devastating blow, or even be destroyed.
Though she was unwilling, Tsunade stepped aside, clearing a path.
"Hehehe," the Nine-Tails let out a hoarse laugh. "Don't worry. I have no interest in destroying Konoha right now. I just want to watch the show." He looked up at the sky, a strange smile on his face.
"Looking at it this way, the timing should be about right. I think the plan is on track. My mission is complete. Get ready. There's a big show coming up."
With that, the Nine-Tails' legs exploded with terrifying power, and he leaped into the distance, disappearing from Jiraiya and Tsunade's sight after a few more jumps.
But the words he left behind made their expressions change drastically.
What did the Nine-Tails mean?
His mission was complete?
They exchanged a look, both seeing the horror in the other's eyes. The entire incident of Naruto's death had suddenly become shrouded in mystery. Naruto's cause of death, Danzo's disappearance, and the destruction of Root were all full of suspicious points.
What was the enemy's goal? What role did the Nine-Tails play in this incident? And how did they reach an agreement with the Nine-Tails?
Tsunade and Jiraiya had too many questions.
"Could it be the Akatsuki?" Tsunade asked, uncertain. No matter how she thought about it, the only organization in the ninja world with power exceeding the Kage level and capable of influencing Konoha seemed to be the Akatsuki.
"Impossible. They're not yet at the level where they can silently wipe out Root and establish contact with the Nine-Tails," Jiraiya said, shaking his head, his expression grave.
A terrible guess that he didn't want to believe surfaced in his mind.
To reach an agreement with the Nine-Tails, the first person one would have to get past was Uzumaki Naruto. And it just so happened that the destruction of the Root base and Danzo's disappearance were also connected to Naruto.
From the current situation, the Nine-Tails' mission was likely to tie up Konoha's top fighters, allowing his collaborators to carry out some secret operations within the village.
Assuming the collaborator was Danzo… then Danzo's goal would surely be…
The Sharingan?
Uchiha Sasuke!!
But what if!
What if Naruto's body was a fake? What if Naruto wasn't dead, and was even one of the masterminds, just like Danzo?
Then what would their goal be?
To become Hokage?
No, the Danzo of today had absolutely no chance of becoming Hokage.
Then it could only be a Kekkei Genkai.
"This is bad!" Jiraiya's eyes sharpened.
"Go find Uchiha Sasuke, quickly!"
"Their target might be Uchiha Sasuke!!!"
Most of the ANBU began to spread out and search Konoha. Jiraiya and Tsunade also began to ask their subordinates about Sasuke's whereabouts. After getting an answer, they immediately rushed toward the training grounds.
After seeing Naruto's body, Might Guy's eyes filled with deep sorrow. He couldn't believe it. The Uzumaki Naruto who, in his eyes, burned with the fire of youth, had met such an end. He sighed, silently wishing him a safe journey. But for some reason, his intuition told him that things weren't that simple.
"How strange," he said, taking one last look at Naruto's body before leaving.
On a street in Konoha.
Sakura walked silently, tears streaming down her face. Sasuke and Kakashi followed behind her.
Sasuke's face was cold, his fists clenched so tight that anyone could see the anger in his eyes. One could only wonder who had angered this last Uchiha.
Kakashi's eyes were filled with sorrow as he recalled the past. First his family and comrades died. Now, even his student was gone. He was once a genius ninja of Konoha, known throughout the ninja world as the Copy Ninja. Yet, he couldn't even protect his own student. He was useless.
A ninja must control their emotions and remain calm at all times. After so many losses, Kakashi had thought he could face departure with peace. But he never expected the heartache of this moment to be so suffocating.
Naruto was still so young, with a bright future ahead of him. Both his character and his talent were among the best in Konoha. If he wanted to, he could have even become a future Hokage! But now, it was all gone. Everything was gone.
Kakashi wished he was the one who had died. That way, at least he could have contributed something to Konoha.
"Naruto isn't dead. He wouldn't die so easily," Sasuke said, lifting his head, his eyes full of determination. He spoke each word with conviction. "The Uzumaki Naruto I know is always confident. He wouldn't die so carelessly. I think there's something fishy going on here."
Sasuke took a deep breath, recalling the memories of his time with Naruto. He had seen Naruto as his goal, always striving to catch up. He was a genius of the Uchiha, but in front of Naruto, his brilliance was completely overshadowed. A proud Uchiha would never allow such a thing to happen. So he trained harder, pushing himself to his limits, squeezing out every last drop of his potential. And he had succeeded. His father had been shocked by his progress. Even his brother, Itachi, had once said with a smile, "Sasuke's talent is too outstanding. It won't be long before he surpasses me."
Sasuke thought he was finally getting closer to Naruto. But he never expected to be defeated by Naruto in such a crushing manner once again. The distance between them seemed to have grown even wider.
Though Sasuke was frustrated, he never gave up. Even if his entire life was spent in pursuit… even if his entire life was filled with frustration… he never once thought of giving up.
But now, Naruto was dead?
How did he die?
How could he die!!
Sasuke didn't believe it!
If Naruto was dead, he would have no goal!
Therefore, Naruto couldn't die!!
He wouldn't die!!
"Even if he really is dead, I'll find the truth and avenge him! I won't cry, because crying would be an insult to Naruto!!" Sasuke said coldly.
Sakura stared at Sasuke, tear tracks still on her face. The moment she saw Naruto's body, she felt like her world had collapsed. Life suddenly seemed hopeless. In her heart, she had already accepted the reality of Naruto's death. But Sasuke hadn't. They were teammates, but Sasuke's belief in Naruto far surpassed her own. This trust was the tacit understanding and faith between the strong. It was something she lacked.
Compared to them, she was really just like a decorative vase. Let alone avenging Naruto, she hadn't even thought of finding the truth. Crying couldn't bring Naruto back to life, much less avenge him! A feeling of shame suddenly welled up in Sakura's heart.
Before they knew it, the three of them had arrived at the training ground. But strangely, the streets along the way were almost completely empty. The entire village of Konoha felt deserted. Even if the villagers had been evacuated, it was strange not to see a single soul.
For some reason, a sense of foreboding washed over Kakashi.
Tap.
Suddenly, the crisp sound of footsteps echoed in the empty space. A familiar figure then walked out from around a corner.
Seeing the person, Sasuke and the others were utterly shocked, their faces filled with disbelief, as if they were seeing something impossible.