Chapter 27: Assault on Konoha
The Raikage was personally coming to Konoha.
In previous times, when that golden flash still lived, the Raikage would never have been so brazen. He would have led massive Kumogakure forces, cautiously entering the Land of Fire, even sending advance envoys to negotiate with Konoha to secure diplomatic advantage.
But now... Konoha was no longer the Konoha of old.
According to intelligence gathered by Kumo spies, the Nine-Tails incident several years prior had devastated the village. The Fourth Hokage had died, and the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen had resumed leadership.
The Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki was merely a three-year-old child—no threat whatsoever. The Uchiha clan and Konoha's leadership viewed each other with mutual suspicion, internal tensions brewing beneath the surface.
Such a Konoha wasn't worth the Raikage's elaborate preparations. Therefore, he brought only his trusted right-hand men—the sensory ninja C and Storm Release user Darui.
Adding an elite squad of twenty-plus Kumo jounin, the Raikage entered the Land of Fire's borders without hesitation.
In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep draw from his pipe, brow furrowed. "The Raikage came personally... and brought over twenty jounin?"
Standing nearby, Koharu Utatane spoke grimly. "This exceeds normal negotiation protocol—it's more like intimidation."
Homura Mitokado said coldly, "Kumogakure is probably using this as leverage, pressuring us to hand over the 'masked man.' The problem is... we don't even know who this masked man is."
"Regardless, Konoha cannot show weakness. But we also cannot provoke the Raikage."
Hiruzen remained silent for a moment before slowly exhaling smoke. "Let's receive them first... see what the Raikage truly wants."
However, neither the Raikage nor Konoha's leadership could possibly imagine in their wildest dreams—that the "masked man" who'd annihilated the entire Kumo delegation, abducted Hyuuga Hizashi, and even brazenly challenged the Raikage... was actually three-year-old Uzumaki Naruto!
Naruto was surprised by how quickly the Raikage had mobilized, but fortunately, he'd already received his rewards.
[DING!]
[Congratulations Host for completing Main Quest: Hizashi's Death!]
[Reward Obtained: Multiversal Lottery System Unlocked, Stand Ability "Crazy Diamond" Acquired!]
Additionally, there was this:
[DING!]
[Congratulations Host: Bond established with original character "Hyuuga Hizashi" (Level 4)!]
[Points Gained: 200!]
The points weren't substantial, but it made sense—after all, Hyuuga Hizashi was a character who died before the original story even began.
As tensions between Kumogakure and Konoha reached a level just short of war, Naruto—the root cause of it all—had returned to his routine of training and spending time with the Uchiha heiress after settling Hizashi safely.
Several days later, with Kumo shinobi stationed outside Konoha village and the village's alert status at maximum, Naruto knew the Raikage was inside the Hokage building negotiating with Konoha's leadership. Therefore... to completely resolve this situation and make his "fearsome identity" known throughout the shinobi world, Naruto was ready to act.
Hokage Building, Negotiation Room
Heavy wooden doors remained sealed shut while sunlight streamed through window gaps, casting alternating bands of light and shadow across the long table.
Raikage A sat directly across from the Konoha delegation, his muscled arms resting on the table surface, knuckles slightly pale from suppressed rage. Beside him, C maintained rigid posture while Darui slouched lazily against his chair back.
On Konoha's side, Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen sat with hands folded before him. To his left, Homura Mitokado adjusted his glasses; to his right, Koharu Utatane frowned slightly.
Finally, the Raikage broke the silence first.
"So?"
His voice carried undisguised intimidation. "Are you refusing to acknowledge what our messenger reported? My Kumogakure delegation was annihilated within the Land of Fire's borders, the perpetrator was abducted, and that skulking masked bastard even had the audacity to declare he was staying in the Land of Fire!"
His fist slammed against the table, the thick wood groaning under the impact.
"A shinobi capable of single-handedly annihilating Kumo's elite forces... you dare claim this isn't Konoha's conspiracy?!"
Facing this aggressive interrogation, the Third Hokage slowly exhaled smoke, his steady voice carrying a calming tone. "Raikage-sama, we're equally shocked by the attack."
"But for Kumogakure to accuse Konoha based solely on speculation... isn't that somewhat hasty?"
The Raikage's lips twisted into a cold sneer.
"Hasty? In the intelligence my surviving subordinate brought back, that masked man displayed what appeared to be space-time ninjutsu—and Konoha just happens to possess such forbidden techniques, doesn't it?"
"Third Hokage, are you still going to insist this is mere coincidence?"
The Third Hokage fell silent momentarily, the ember in his pipe flickering faintly. "Such intelligence remains merely one survivor's testimony."
"Raikage-sama, you understand better than anyone how incredibly difficult space-time ninjutsu mastery is. Given this, isn't there another possibility—that the lone survivor was placed under genjutsu? And the masked man's true purpose is to frame Konoha, inciting conflict between Kumogakure and us?"
Just as the Raikage was about to respond—
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion suddenly erupted, the entire Hokage building trembling violently. Teacups on the long table rattled and clinked, spilled tea spreading across the surface in growing stains.
Everyone shot to their feet, chairs scraping harshly against the floor.
The Raikage's muscles tensed instantly, Lightning Release chakra erupting uncontrollably across his body surface, blue-white electric arcs crackling along his skin. His first thought—'Konoha's launching a sneak attack?!'
But when his gaze swept toward the opposition, he saw equally shocked expressions on the Third Hokage's face. Those wrinkled features displayed genuine surprise in aged eyes.
'It's not them...?'
The Raikage forcibly suppressed his impulse to strike first, fists clenched until knuckles cracked.
The next moment, the negotiation room door burst open as a Konoha shinobi stumbled inside, forehead drenched in cold sweat, breathing so labored he could barely form complete sentences.
"T-terrible news! Hokage-sama!"
His voice trembled with terror. "There's an attacker—someone's invaded Konoha!"
"What?!"
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado cried out simultaneously, both advisors' faces filled with disbelief. 'Attack a hidden village?' This far exceeded ordinary conflict—this was wartime behavior!
"Who?! Which village's shinobi would dare—"
The Konoha shinobi swallowed hard, struggling to speak the name. "It's... it's a man wearing a fox mask! He..."
"He specifically stated his target this time is the Raikage!"
***
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