In the still of night, even the sound of footsteps rang loud—and for ninja, whose senses are finely attuned, every shift in the wind felt amplified.
The sudden explosion and clashing of weapons thundered like a bolt from the blue. It was impossible not to notice.
Naruto, Mikoto, and Yoshino exchanged a glance. No words were needed. Together, they rose to their feet and crept toward the source of the commotion.
Not far behind, Izumi and Chiana, who had been hiding more discreetly, followed silently as well.
"Kirigakure is attacking the front lines," Chiana muttered, frowning. After a moment of reflection, her expression eased. "But if I recall correctly, Konoha didn't suffer any major losses in this battle. It was Mist that got wiped out."
"If we help, maybe we can wrap this up even faster," she added casually.
Izumi gave her a side glance. "Don't meddle. Naruto-kun doesn't like it when we act on our own."
"Tch." Chiana rolled her eyes.
She was seriously starting to wonder if Izumi had caught a fever. Lately, the girl had no opinions of her own. Everything revolved around Naruto-kun. She was like a lovesick doll.
Chiana was tempted to ask her if Naruto told her to drop dead, would she do it without blinking?
Still, despite her irritation, she felt a strange sense of warmth. At least Naruto had someone so loyal to him.
After some silence, Chiana sighed. "Izumi, why don't you just confess already? Be with him properly."
Izumi blinked, surprised. "Aren't we already together every day?"
Chiana shook her head. "I mean really be with him. As a couple. Not just following him around or doing cute little intimate things. I'm talking about holding hands in public, hugging, marrying him, having kids… and kicking every other woman to the curb."
"You're a good girl, I'd totally support you."
She gave Izumi a playful fist bump, cheering her on.
But Izumi just shook her head.
"Why not? Don't you like him?"
"I do. That's why I won't," Izumi replied quietly, glancing at the trio walking ahead. She smiled softly. "Naruto-kun… he's a playboy. He likes a lot of people. I don't want to tie him down. I'm happy just staying quietly by his side."
Up ahead, Yoshino clung to Naruto, bickering as always, while Mikoto slowly drifted closer to him step by step.
Beside her, Chiana had her lips pressed into a thin line, eyes gleaming like moonlight as she stared at Naruto.
"There are so many people he likes, and even more who like him," Izumi murmured. "I can't take that away from him just because I have feelings too."
"You're too generous," Chiana muttered. "More like his mother than his girlfriend."
Izumi's eyes went sharp. "Chiana. I hope this is the last time I hear you badmouth Naruto-kun."
Chiana: "…"
What did I even say?! I barely started!
If I weren't hiding my secret as the Nine-Tails' avatar, I'd curse out that little bastard to his face.
Chiana gritted her teeth internally. What the hell is it about him that attracts all these great girls? Bokuto, Izumi, Yoshino… even someone as devoted to family as Mikoto had eyes for him now.
This is madness.
The earth was soft from the night dew, easier to track by footprints.
Following the trail, Naruto and the others arrived at the Kirigakure encampment.
The scene was brutal.
Hundreds of Mist ninja swarmed the area, weapons drawn, slaughtering the outnumbered Konoha shinobi in green flak jackets.
Ninjutsu flew wildly. Kunai clashed midair. Explosive tags lit the field in waves of fire.
"Kiri shinobi! What are you doing?!"
"You realize attacking Konoha means war?!"
"I'll give you one chance to retreat—walk away now, and we'll pretend this never happened."
"Kumogakure and Iwagakure already lost to us. You'll be next!"
The Konoha unit barely numbered fifty or sixty. Their voices trembled with nerves as they tried to negotiate.
But the only reply was a cold, piercing shout:
"Kill!!!"
A blood-chilling wind followed, and even the Mist ninja momentarily staggered from the intensity.
Dark clouds rolled in overhead. Lightning forked down from the sky, drawn toward the twin swords held by the Mist leader. The blades absorbed the energy without breaking.
He stepped forward—one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist: Kuroho Raiga.
With a howl, Raiga unleashed a storm of lightning, wreaking havoc on the Konoha formation.
Uchiha Mikoto's eyes widened. She pulled a kunai from her pouch, about to leap into the chaos.
Her clan was down there.
Leading the defense: her husband, Uchiha Fugaku.
Beside him, barely reaching his waist, was her four-year-old son—Uchiha Itachi.
Naruto caught both Mikoto and Yoshino just in time to stop them.
But even Yoshino had already donned her forehead protector and was preparing for battle.
"Mikoto! Yoshino! Calm down!"
Yoshino hesitated, but Mikoto spun on Naruto, her voice icy. "How can I calm down?! My husband and my son are in danger!"
He had no answer.
She shook off his grip. "Let go. I'm going."
"What can you do?" Naruto said grimly. "There are hundreds of them. Are you trying to die?"
"And what if I am?!" Mikoto snapped, tears brimming in her eyes. "I won't stand here while my child is slaughtered."
Her voice cracked. "Let me go, Menma-kun."
It was the first time she'd ever looked at Naruto with that kind of bitterness.
It was human. It was maternal.
Naruto knew: if Mikoto had never met him, she might have made it back to Konoha by now. She wouldn't have been caught by Iwagakure. She wouldn't still be wandering this wilderness.
Who knows if she would survive this battle now?
And if she didn't… what would happen to Sasuke?
Sasuke hadn't even been born yet.
Naruto steadied his breath. "Please, Mikoto-san. Trust me. Your husband and your son will be okay."
Yoshino stepped in. "Mikoto, believe him. Believe Menma."
Mikoto clenched her fists. Her eyes shimmered with emotion. "Menma… are you sure they'll be okay?"
Naruto nodded confidently.
Fugaku doesn't die here. He dies during the Uchiha massacre—at Itachi's hands. So he must survive this.
Naruto turned his eyes to the battlefield, watching Fugaku clash against the Mist swordsman, unleashing wave after wave of attacks.
So this is the man who led the Uchiha clan... he's damn strong.
Fugaku's eyes gleamed red. Even outnumbered, he held his ground, shielding Itachi with fireballs and raw power.
He scorched one enemy to ashes, then slammed another's skull into the dirt with his heel.
He sneered at Kuroho Raiga. "Kirigakure. So overrated."
But at that moment—whoosh!—a Mist ninja slashed from below. The kunai passed under Fugaku's robes, and—
Snip.
Two pieces of flesh flew.
"AAAAAHHH!!!"
Fugaku screamed. Blood filled his eyes. He crushed the attacker's skull in fury.
"Mikoto!" she screamed. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
She leapt into the fray.
Naruto didn't stop her.
Because by then, he was already stunned.
Shikamaru is gone... and now Sasuke might not be born?
Wait… if that kunai just—
Naruto's brain froze.
Does this mean… Sasuke isn't Fugaku's biological son?!
No wonder Fugaku always treated Itachi so differently.
But… Mikoto didn't seem like the type to cheat.
Just as Naruto was reeling—
[Ding!]
[Passive Selection Triggered!]
[Due to your presence, the original plot has been disrupted. Fugaku's ability to reproduce has been severed. Sasuke cannot be born, and the storyline collapses. What will you choose?]
Option 1: Ignore it. You're just a bystander. Reward: 10 million ryo.
Option 2: Restore the plot. Help Fugaku father his second child. Reward: Random Medical Ninjutsu (x).
Option 3: Solve it yourself. Mikoto must still give birth to Sasuke—whether it's Fugaku or not. Reward: 100% chance Sasuke is born.
Option 4: Let it all burn. Destroy the plot. Reward: Never feel hunger again.
Let it all burn…
Naruto's head throbbed.
He'd gone out of his way not to interfere. He avoided Madara, left Obito untouched, didn't kill anyone of consequence.
Now the system was blaming him for this?
"Is this what they mean by the butterfly effect?"
Yoshino suddenly nudged him. "Menma, are we jumping in or not? Mikoto's surrounded."
Below, Mikoto was already wounded—her thigh grazed. Her movements were slowing.
Yoshino clenched her fists. She might fight alone if she had to.
"Menma—"
"You wait here."
Naruto took out a fox mask, slipped it on, and vaulted into the battlefield.
Seven Mist ninja rushed him instantly.
"Kill!!"
"Heh."
Naruto's voice was cold. "You Mist bastards have pissed me off."
He pulled out Samehada, the giant sword he'd taken from Kisame, and bathed it in golden chakra.
Slash. Slash. Sweep.
Eight died in a blink.
He cut down two more in a breath.
He crashed into the circle around Mikoto like a golden hurricane, shielding her as bodies flew.
Mist ninja had barely spoken before being turned to corpses. Samehada devoured their chakra greedily.
"YES!!" Yoshino cheered from the shadows, her heart pounding with pride.
My man is a goddamn hero.
Mikoto stumbled toward Naruto, blood leaking from her thigh.
"Menma-kun… please… please save Fugaku and Itachi."
Naruto didn't answer. He reached around her waist, sliding his hands down to apply healing chakra.
"You should've listened," he murmured. "Now you're hurt."
The battle stilled. Everyone was staring now.
Even Fugaku and Itachi.
Fugaku, bleeding but unbowed, looked at Mikoto—
"…Who is he?!"
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