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Chapter 34: The World's Reaction
Naruto sat alone on the edge of his small apartment bed, hands clutching his head as memories from his shadow clone continuously flashed through his mind—that world-destroying Oodama Rasengan, the terrified expressions of Konoha shinobi, the Raikage's charred body...
'Did I... make way too big a commotion?'
The shadow clone's memories felt like personal experience, letting him clearly sense that feeling when releasing the technique—an almost arrogant confidence.
'Am I... really just a chuunibyou patient?'
The thought made his ears burn with embarrassment. Those exaggerated lines, those oppressively dramatic declarations—thinking back on them now was explosively mortifying. Especially that line:
"Either obediently gnaw on peace's rotten fruit and live on... or let me teach you what real war means!"
'How did I even say something like that?!'
Naruto rolled around on his bed, burying his face in the blankets. But soon, he forced himself to calm down and began sorting through his shadow clone's behavioral logic.
About the organization name—[Ember].
Why had he chosen that name at the time? Through shared memories, he understood the shadow clone's reasoning.
Simple, direct, powerful.
Just like the [Akatsuki] organization, single-character names were both memorable and intimidating. Ember meant burning the fires of war to completion, reducing them to ash. The character represented both destruction and implied finality.
'Though it sounds cool... isn't it a bit too pretentious?'
He remembered the shadow clone had considered several alternatives:
[Divine Punishment] was too high-and-mighty, like claiming divine status.
[Blameless] was too literary and not intuitive enough.
[Army Destroyer] was too targeted, focusing only on military forces.
[Paradox Cage] meant treating war as a paradox, permanently caging warfare... This was immediately rejected because even the shadow clone found it tongue-twisting.
Ultimately choosing "Ember" was also a tribute to the [Akatsuki] organization—single-character names definitely had more impact.
About the surface objective—"preventing war through intimidation."
This reason sounded noble, but actually... in the original timeline, the Third Shinobi World War had already ended. Aside from the Fourth War, there wouldn't be any major nation conflicts...
'This is just a cover.'
The real purpose was using this opportunity to secretly recruit those shinobi that couldn't be approached with a "righteous" identity—people who might be eccentric in personality or extreme in ideology, but were all exceptionally powerful without exception.
'Future enemies... are the Otsutsuki after all.'
The five great nations fighting separately couldn't possibly oppose those alien monsters. There had to be an organization transcending village boundaries, a force capable of uniting all "unconventional combat power."
And [Ember] was the first step in this plan.
Naruto took a deep breath and sat up from the bed. Outside his window, Konoha had returned to tranquility. The villagers had no idea that the "masked man" who'd nearly destroyed their village was currently sitting in this small apartment as a three-year-old child.
'Though the methods were a bit extreme... this path must be walked.'
Everything was to accumulate sufficient power before true apocalypse arrived.
---
This conflict, despite miraculously causing zero casualties, triggered nuclear-level shockwaves throughout the shinobi world.
The evidence lay before everyone's eyes—that massive crater outside Konoha village with a diameter nearly matching the village itself.
Just as Naruto had demanded, the names [Ember] and "Menma" rapidly spread throughout the entire shinobi world. It could even be said that Kumogakure's propaganda efforts were somewhat excessive. Through diplomatic channels, black market bounties, underground intelligence networks, and multiple other avenues, they extensively promoted Menma's terror.
The Raikage—Kumogakure's face and strongest fighting force—had actually been critically wounded to near-death.
Kumogakure, always known for their "fight if you disagree" attitude, had strictly forbidden any actions that might anger Menma even with their Raikage near death. Even the most radical war hawks fell silent after seeing that crater outside Konoha.
On Konoha's side, the Third Hokage had required extensive recovery after the battle before barely returning to form, but as a village's Kage, he had to stabilize the situation quickly.
He first selected elites from ANBU to form a specialized reconnaissance team responsible for gathering all intelligence about "Menma." However, the Third specifically warned—don't probe too deeply. Upon discovering any anomalies, immediately cease tracking and absolutely don't take risks.
Subsequently, he urgently recalled the wandering Jiraiya and Tsunade, attempting to use the legendary Sannin's return to stabilize public sentiment.
Simultaneously, Konoha mobilized all village shinobi skilled in Earth Release to begin filling that shocking crater outside the village. This was a massive undertaking that had to be completed quickly—not just to repair the landscape, but to eliminate that terrifying symbol constantly reminding people that "destruction was within arm's reach."
Interestingly, from Iwagakure's side, Tsuchikage Onoki publicly condemned Kumogakure, criticizing their "penny-wise, pound-foolish" stupidity. Yet secretly in the black market, a high-value bounty quietly appeared, offering substantial rewards for any intelligence about Menma and [Ember].
'This old guy—gloating publicly while secretly wanting to contact that [Ember] organization that had the entire shinobi world trembling in fear?'
Meanwhile, Kirigakure, still secretly controlled by Obito, also reacted.
Obito was filled with wariness toward this suddenly appearing powerhouse. 'When did the shinobi world produce such a character?' He worried this variable would interfere with the Moon's Eye Plan, immediately ordering Black Zetsu to collect Ember intelligence with full effort.
The two conspirators hiding behind masks felt unease at their plans slipping beyond control.
Within Amegakure village, [Akatsuki] organization leader Nagato, who hadn't yet begun operations, learned of this world-shaking incident through intelligence networks. What caught his attention more was Menma's proclaimed ideology—ending war through fear.
This concept resonated subtly with Nagato. They both sought to achieve peace through extreme means, yet their methods were completely different. Menma chose to become the entire shinobi world's declared enemy, using absolute martial intimidation to suppress warfare.
Nagato's plan was more radical—he intended collecting tailed beasts to create weapons capable of destroying nations with single strikes, then distribute these weapons free to all countries.
Let the nations destroy each other after obtaining devastating power, learning war's horror through tragic casualties, thus fearing war itself.
After careful consideration, Nagato decided to attempt contacting the Ember organization. Facing this "colleague" who similarly wanted to achieve peace through extreme methods, he wanted to test possibilities for cooperation.
Of course, if their ideologies clashed, possessing the Rinnegan gave him sufficient confidence that he absolutely wouldn't lose.
There were benefits too—the shinobi world had entered an eerie calm. After seeing that crater outside Konoha village, all major villages fell into panic. They feared Menma might suddenly appear above their own villages someday, casually dropping an "Oodama Rasengan."
Thus all nations unanimously ordered cessation of external conflicts, even years-long small-scale border friction grinding to abrupt halts.
Then even stranger events occurred. No matter how the five great nations investigated or offered substantial bounties, Menma vanished like morning mist—no traces could be found anywhere. The Ember organization remained equally silent, as if it had never existed.
After all, the terrifying existence that had the entire shinobi world trembling in fear being just a three-year-old child—nobody would believe such a thing.
***
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