On Ichiraku Street, before the stunned eyes of the crowd, Naruto was sent flying by a single punch from Heiyan right at the start of the fight.
"I didn't expect that guy could use Natural Energy too. I underestimated him."
Naruto rose from the ground, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth as he murmured.
However, Heiyan's overwhelming strength only ignited Naruto's fighting spirit even more.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Making a hand sign, Naruto summoned several Sage Mode clones, which rushed forward together to attack Heiyan once again.
There it was again—Naruto's favorite trick: the Shadow Clone.
Heiyan remained unimpressed.
In his memory, Naruto had always relied primarily on Shadow Clones and Rasengan in battle, a one-trick pony who dominated through sheer persistence.
But such a simple trick would never work against Heiyan.
Facing the incoming clones, Heiyan flashed through movements—throwing consecutive punches with immense force. Each strike sent a clone soaring away, dissipating midair into white smoke before hitting the ground.
Meanwhile—
Zzzzt! Zzzzt!
With help from two clones at a distance, Naruto's original body finally completed a large technique—a massive, rotating giant shuriken formed from enormous quantities of chakra.
The clones were just distractions. The real killing move was this S-class Ninjutsu called Wind Release: Rasenshuriken.
"Haaa!"
Letting out a fierce shout, Naruto pushed hard against the ground and charged forward, carrying the devastating aura of the Rasenshuriken, aiming for a decisive one-hit victory.
Just as expected—the clones were followed by a Rasengan.
Yet Heiyan simply smiled, shaking his head slightly. He extended one hand, palm outward, and blocked Naruto's Rasenshuriken barehanded.
Buzzzzz...
At the moment of contact, a suction force akin to a black hole erupted from Heiyan's palm, quickly deforming Naruto's jutsu until it was entirely absorbed and vanished.
Sealing Technique: Absorption Seal.
"W-What... how is this possible?!"
Stunned, Naruto couldn't believe his pride-and-joy ultimate move hadn't even singed a single hair on Heiyan.
Just then, he heard four words clearly spoken from Heiyan's mouth:
[Shinra Tensei!]
Next instant—
BOOM!
An unimaginably terrifying repulsive force exploded up close, sending Naruto flying backward like a torn sack soaring high into the sky. His consciousness faded away before crashing heavily onto the ground below.
Whoosh.
Heiyan appeared in an instant, stepping firmly onto Naruto's body. From his palms sprouted multiple black rods—just like Pain's Deva Path once did—and carefully pierced them into Naruto's limbs one by one.
"Naruto Uzumaki, is this really all you've got?"
As Naruto struggled desperately but remained immobilized, Heiyan raised another rod menacingly toward him while keeping watchful of Konoha ninja gathering nearby.
Among the crowd, Sakura Haruno clasped her chest, tears streaming as she witnessed Naruto about to be killed.
"NARUTOOO!!!" she screamed.
But someone else was hurting even more.
Whoosh!
Unlike Sakura Haruno, who stood frozen in grief, Hinata Hyuga darted out from the crowd without hesitation and charged straight at Heiyan.
[Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!]
With a single swipe, she released an invisible chakra shockwave that struck Heiyan directly, causing him to stagger and retreat backward a considerable distance.
"Hi-Hinata…"
Naruto managed to barely open his eyes, watching as Hinata stood protectively before him, facing off against the powerful enemy.
What happened next was exactly the same as in the original story.
In front of every ninja in Konoha, Hinata found the strength to bare her heart to Naruto, vowing to give her life for his safety.
"What a touching confession."
Heiyan remarked emotionally, eyeing Hinata Hyuga—who stood ready for battle before him, her expression firm and determined.
Earlier, he had intentionally allowed himself to be pushed back by Hinata and even gave her plenty of time to express all her innermost feelings to Naruto, bravely confessing the heart of a young girl.
Fifteen-year-old Hinata was clad in a blue-and-white battle armor, worn over a black mesh bodysuit. She had grown up quite impressively—from the plain little girl she once was to the stunning beauty she now was.
Guess I've already taken on the villain role… Might as well see this through to the end.
This was what Heiyan thought.
In the original plot, the most crucial turning point that brought Naruto and Hinata together was when Hinata confessed her feelings and then risked her life fighting Pain, ultimately moving the Child of the Prophecy.
So, if he was going to help bring them together, Heiyan wasn't about to pull any punches.
[Universal Pull!]
Without a word, he raised his hand, instantly emitting a powerful suction force from his palm. Hinata lifted off the ground, unable to control her body as she flew toward him.
Facing Heiyan's strange technique, Hinata felt alarmed but remained calm, launching several consecutive Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palms at him midair.
Heiyan pretended to dodge as the two engaged in fierce combat.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
They exchanged blows rapidly, battling intensely and dazzlingly. At one moment, Hinata even seized the opportunity, landing a Gentle Fist strike on one of Heiyan's vital points, hitting him again and knocking him back, causing him to lose balance.
This is the chance.
Hinata's eyes lit up, knowing this was a rare opportunity—one they might only get once.
Without hesitation, she activated her ultimate secret technique—Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists.
"Roar!"
Massive chakra gathered in Hinata's hands, forming two roaring blue lion heads on her arms as they attacked Heiyan fiercely.
Enough already. If I keep this up much longer, I'll blow my act.
Seeing the timing was right, Heiyan no longer held back. Suddenly, a powerful surge of chakra erupted from him, creating a terrifying aura that instantly intimidated Hinata.
Then, reusing his previous tactic, he unleashed Shinra Tensei, sending Hinata flying backward onto the ground.
"Hinata!"
In the crowd, Sakura Haruno, the medical ninja, finally sprang into action upon witnessing this scene, sprinting quickly toward Hinata.
But Heiyan vanished with a Body Flicker Technique and reappeared between Hinata and Sakura. Spreading his arms wide, he fired two Black Receivers from each palm toward the two young women simultaneously.
He did this out of curiosity—wondering which one mattered more in Naruto's heart: Hinata, who had always fought desperately for him, or Sakura Haruno, the girl he had secretly loved all along.
Naruto gave his answer quickly.
"Ahh!"
Seeing both Sakura and Hinata in danger at once, he roared loudly, unleashing the Nine-Tails' chakra from within him, breaking free from the Black Receiver impaled in his body.
Then, two figures resembling Naruto rushed forward at once, each shielding either Sakura or Hinata from Heiyan's attack.
However, the Naruto who protected Sakura was his original body, while the one appearing before Hinata was merely a Shadow Clone hastily created on the spot.
Apparently, that was Naruto's answer.
Heiyan shook his head, used Body Flicker to close in on Hinata again, and with a single punch, shattered the Shadow Clone guarding her.
Is it always the case then, that men value what they can never have the most?
Perhaps, deep in Naruto's heart, there had always been only one true goddess: Sakura Haruno. As for Hinata, she was more like a backup option—an underdog who moved Naruto through sheer effort until finally earning her place by his side.
Suddenly, Heiyan became curious. If Sasuke were here too and also in danger, whom would Naruto rescue first?
Would he save Sakura, or would he save Sasuke?
Regardless, Heiyan was certain about one thing—at least among these three people: Sasuke, Sakura, and Hinata—he knew without a doubt that Hinata ranked lowest in priority for rescue.
Thinking back, in the original storyline, it wasn't until two years after the Fourth Great Ninja War—when Toneri Otsutsuki appeared from the Moon, kidnapped Hinata, and nearly put horns on Naruto—that Naruto and Hinata officially became a couple.
If someone truly loves another, would they really keep waiting for so long?
Reflecting on this, Heiyan felt deeply sorry for Hinata. He decided it was time for Naruto to feel the pain of loss earlier than fate had planned.
Only when we lose something do we realize its true value.
Thus, before everyone's watching eyes, he cast a Genjutsu over Hinata, putting her into a hypnotic sleep as she fell softly into his embrace.
Then, Heiyan lifted Hinata with a princess carry, speaking to Naruto with an undertone of mockery:
"Uzumaki Naruto, is this really your choice? Such a wonderful girl—and yet if you won't claim her, then allow me to take her. I promise I'll cherish her far better than you ever did."
At that moment,
"Naruto…"
Unconscious, Hinata furrowed her brows and softly murmured her beloved's name, as if calling out in her dreams. Her last vision before blacking out was Naruto rushing forward, so unconsciously, she reached up and wrapped her arms around Heiyan's neck, snuggling close with a sweet smile blooming across her face.
"You bastard..."
Witnessing the scene, Naruto's eyes turned red instantly, completely losing control.
Boom!
A violent surge of chakra erupted from his body. Nearby, Sakura was caught off guard and let out a sharp scream before being flung backwards by the shockwave.
With horror reflected in Konoha ninja's gazes, Uzumaki Naruto, right at that instant, entered Semi-Tailed Beast Transformation.
Six tails burst from his back, their crimson chakra forming a towering beam of light that pierced the heavens, staining half the sky in red.
"I don't have time to play with you," Heiyan muttered, freeing one hand as a flash of red light shimmered through the air.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Countless crimson chains shot forth from his palm at lightning speed, binding the Tailed Beast Mode Naruto in tight coils — the Celestial Binding Chain.
The Celestial Binding Chain.
Even before becoming an immortal, Heiyan had already earned the nickname "Tailed Beast Slayer." It wasn't just a title he wore lightly.
Even the Nine-Tails couldn't resist once caught in Heiyan's Celestial Binding Chain. It was subdued as easily as a child's toy.
Within ten seconds, Naruto reverted to normal, deprived of the Nine-Tails' chakra.
He dropped to his knees, glaring furiously at Heiyan, his teeth gritting with an audible click.
"Since things have come this far, I might as well tell you: I'm a member of the Akatsuki. If you want your little girlfriend back or even your Hokage, come find me and seek revenge there. Hahahaha!"
Laughing loudly, Heiyan threw the Akatsuki under the bus before vanishing into thin air along with Hinata using Kamui.
"Hinata!"
From within the Leaf Village echoed Naruto's mournful cry, filled with anguish and despair.
Hinata had saved him at the cost of her own life, yet he could only watch helplessly as she was taken away by the enemy. This deep sense of helplessness and hopelessness overwhelmed Naruto, filling his heart with self-blame and guilt.
At that moment, Kakashi, Might Guy, and others slowly regained consciousness and gathered around.
Though injured during their fight against Heiyan, he hadn't seriously hurt them—he'd only incapacitated them temporarily on purpose.
Under Shikaku Nara's command, everyone quickly began taking stock of casualties and collecting intelligence. The entire village became tense and bustling with activity.
That same day,
News of what happened in the Konoha Leaf Village spread like wildfire across the world of shinobi.
Within less than a day, every major ninja village and nearly the entire shinobi world learned about it—a mysterious man named Heiyan, claiming to be part of the Akatsuki, had stormed into Konoha, defeated many experts, kidnapped three women, and vanished right before everyone's eyes.
The identities of these three abducted women were particularly special.
They were none other than Hinata Hyuga, the heir of the Hyuga clan's main branch; Samui, the envoy of the Raikage's village; and most shockingly, Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage of the Leaf Village.
If there was one thing these women had in common, it was that they were all drop-dead gorgeous—especially well-endowed.
Thus, many speculated that the white-haired Akatsuki member Heiyan, sporting a pair of horns on his head, had launched this raid solely for the sake of capturing beautiful women.
After all, aside from abducting the three women, he hadn't caused any significant damage to Konoha.
Before long, wild theories started swirling about what Heiyan might be up to with those three women.
As the whole shinobi world erupted over the incident,
Danzo Shimura, the leader of Root—an elite faction within Konoha—seized the opportunity to make his move, finally stepping out from the shadows to seize control over the leadership of the Leaf Village.
Not long after, with the support of the Fire Daimyo, he was appointed as the interim Hokage. He then departed on behalf of Konoha toward the Land of Iron to attend the Five Kage Summit.
At Akatsuki's hideout,
Ever since their high-profile appearance in the world of shinobi three years ago—capturing Jinchuriki and committing a string of crimes—the Akatsuki organization, once brimming with talents, had lost its former glory. Now, only two or three members remained.
Most of Akatsuki's members had either perished in battles against various ninja villages or fallen in internal conflicts. The current leader was none other than Obito, who claimed to be Madara Uchiha.
And aside from Zetsu, the only subordinates under his command were the Taka team, the new recruits led by Sasuke.
Taka consisted of four members: leader Sasuke, Hozuki Suigetsu, Jugo, and a young female kunoichi who had taken Shinrin's place—her identity remained unknown.
They had all once served under Orochimaru. When Sasuke killed him and set them free, they pledged their loyalty to him.
Right now, Sasuke was having a minor dispute with Obito.
"Madara, you said we're the last remaining force of the Akatsuki organization. Then what about that Heiyan who appeared in Konoha?"
Arms crossed, Sasuke hovered one hand over the hilt of the Sword of Kusanagi hidden beneath his cloak, his gaze sharp as he faced off against Obito.
If the answer didn't sit well with him, Sasuke wouldn't hesitate to draw his blade.
"He's not part of the Akatsuki organization."
Obito finally answered after a moment of silence.
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