Deep beneath Konoha, where the air was stale and the torches gave off only the faintest glow, Sai slipped silently through the stone corridors of Root's hidden base. His steps were soundless, his expression unreadable, as if he himself were nothing more than one of the shadows he had been trained to serve.
In the innermost chamber, Shimura Danzō sat rigidly on a wooden chair, his eyes closed as though resting. The old war hawk looked carved from stone, his bandaged arm and the patch covering his right eye reminders of both his power and his paranoia.
When Sai entered, he dropped to one knee. "Danzō-sama, I've returned."
One of Danzō's eyes slid open. "Speak. What has Tsunade been doing recently? What new arrangements has she made?"
Sai reported everything he had observed during his missions — the confrontation with Akatsuki, Kakashi's shaken condition, and, most significantly, the appearance of a man thought long dead: Uchiha Obito.
When Sai finished, the chamber fell into silence. The torchlight flickered against Danzō's lined face, deepening the shadows around his mouth as he finally murmured, "So… there are still Uchiha remnants." His tone carried both disdain and something darker. "Obito Uchiha — once a comrade of Hatake Kakashi, once a disciple of the Fourth Hokage himself."
His fingers curled against the armrest of his chair. "Interesting."
He waved Sai away. "Continue observing. Report anything you learn immediately."
"Yes, Danzō-sama." Sai bowed once more and departed as noiselessly as he had arrived.
When the chamber was empty again, Danzō slowly raised his hand to the patch over his right eye, fingertips brushing the cloth. A thin smile curved his lips.
"From Sai's report… Obito possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan. And Kakashi, too, has awakened it — even though he is no Uchiha. When did the Mangekyō Sharingan become so… cheap?" His muttering turned into a rasp of amusement. "No. They are not cheap. They are wasted. All those eyes will one day belong to me. Just wait."
But his smile soon faded. "Kakashi is too close to Tsunade now. A direct move would be… unwise."
The room grew still again, leaving only the sound of his breath and the hungry ambition hidden in his words.
Far from Konoha's depths, in the Akatsuki's hidden stronghold, Uchiha Obito returned through the spiral distortion of his Kamui. His half-shattered mask covered the jagged lines of his past, but his posture was tense, his movements clipped.
From the shadows of the stone corridor, Black Zetsu emerged, his twisted form half-wreathed in darkness. "Obito," it hissed. "If you continue like this, the plan will crumble before it even begins."
Obito's voice was low, edged with irritation. "I've been exposed. It won't take long before Nagato learns what happened."
Black Zetsu's face warped with suppressed fury. This fool — who had hidden safely in the dark for so long — had managed to throw everything into chaos in one reckless encounter. If not for the necessity of Obito's Sharingan and his connection to the Eye of the Moon Plan, Zetsu would have gladly torn him apart.
But instead, he ground out, "Then we must adjust. Stay hidden for now. Let Nagato continue carrying out the plan as we intended. Do not interfere further."
Obito turned his masked face away. "Leave me, Zetsu. I don't want to hear anyone's voice."
For a long moment, Zetsu lingered in the gloom, its hatred almost tangible. But finally it sank back into the wall, vanishing like a shadow.
Obito's lone eye narrowed. He had been outplayed by Naruto Uzumaki, a boy who should have been beneath his notice. The board of the shinobi world was shifting, pieces sliding into unexpected places.
In Konoha, the whispers of that clash spread quietly, but among Naruto's generation, the mood was lighter.
The Forest of Death, usually a place of grim memories and dangerous trials, rang instead with laughter and anticipation. A sparring match had been arranged — not out of rivalry, but as a way to test themselves, to see how far they had come. And, perhaps most importantly, to see how far Naruto had climbed ahead of them.
Dozens of genin and chunin gathered among the towering trees. Sakura stood with Ino, both watching the blond shinobi at the center of it all.
Ino let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Naruto's really changed… stronger, calmer. It's like he's someone else."
Sakura smiled faintly. "That's Naruto. He always changes — and always keeps chasing Hokage."
From a little further back, Hinata's pale eyes lingered nervously on him. Her heart pounded harder with each step he took, each confident smile he gave to his friends. Naruto-kun was shining brighter than ever… so bright that she feared he might slip away from her reach.
"Alright," Naruto said, his grin easy but his tone commanding. "You've all decided, right? Just one match per person. I'm not going to fight endlessly."
Neji, Rock Lee, Kiba, and Chōji all nodded, eager for the chance. Shino alone stayed back, silent as ever.
"To make it fair," Neji suggested, "let's decide the order by drawing lots."
The others agreed. Ino and Sakura handled the slips of paper, and soon the result was clear.
"Looks like it's me," Lee declared, his fist pumping in triumph. He practically vibrated with excitement, his bowl-cut swaying as he leapt into the air. "Naruto! Prepare yourself for a battle burning with youth!"
His gaze flicked toward his sensei. From the sidelines, Might Guy gave his protégé a radiant thumbs-up, teeth gleaming.
"Go, Lee! Release your springtime of youth without hesitation!"
Lee's heart soared. That look, that encouragement — it was permission. He bowed his head once in acknowledgment before turning back to Naruto. "Naruto, I'll be using the Eight Gates. I don't want to injure you, but… I won't hold back."
The crowd went still. The Eight Gates were no joke — everyone knew that even unlocking a few could push Lee beyond normal limits.
Naruto only smirked, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Relax, Lee. You're not at that level yet. But I'm looking forward to it."
Kiba muttered to Shino, "Why does it feel like Naruto's gotten… cocky?"
Shino adjusted his glasses, watching Naruto with sharp eyes. "It's not just your imagination. His presence has changed."
Around them, others nodded, uneasy yet impressed. Naruto wasn't the same brash, desperate boy he once had been. Strength had reshaped him, wrapped him in quiet confidence.
And as he stretched his shoulders, eyes glinting, his thoughts turned briefly to Lee's mention of the Eight Gates. The technique fascinated him. That kind of raw, burning power — reckless, dangerous, but undeniably strong. It was another reminder of just how many paths of strength existed in this world.
Naruto grinned wider, anticipation surging through him. Lee wasn't the only one looking forward to this match.
---
A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
Support: patreon.com/Narrator_San