The Chunin Exams finally came to an end.
The ANBU who had been "fighting" nonstop with ninjutsu at last received the order to stand down. Utterly exhausted, they collapsed to the ground in relief.
There was an endless list of things to handle afterward:
The detention and placement of the Kazekage, the Raikage, and Orochimaru.
Contacting the Tsuchikage and the Mizukage.
Calming and compensating the daimyo and nobles.
Safely dispersing the audience from the arena.
And much more.
Naruto, the one who had called the shots, handled everything methodically and decisively.
The jonin followed his orders with instinctive respect, as if he were already Hokage.
Watching him, Jiraiya nodded silently.
Calm.
Collected.
Unshaken.
Even when dealing with veteran jonin far older than himself, Naruto showed no hesitation or nervousness. He moved with confidence, everything flowing naturally.
Order was restored step by step.
"Lord Uzumaki," a jonin reported, "intelligence confirms that large forces from Sunagakure and Cloud were preparing to invade Konoha. However, only a small group—less than a hundred—has vanished without a trace. How should we proceed?"
"It's fine," Naruto replied evenly. "I arranged for them to be intercepted. Since they haven't appeared, the interception was successful."
"Right now, focus on reinforcing the borders with Sunagakure and especially Cloud. Those barbarians might go berserk if they learn the Raikage is in our hands."
"Also, send one jonin back to each village. Tell them clearly—Sunagakure and Cloud owe Konoha an explanation for this incident."
His voice was firm, his authority unmistakable.
When he spoke of Sunagakure and Cloud, his presence alone made the air feel heavy.
The Konoha shinobi responded loudly and decisively.
Under Sarutobi Hiruzen's leadership, Konoha hadn't acted this boldly in a very long time.
Naruto hadn't even taken office yet, but the stance he projected already ignited the blood of countless shinobi.
This was righteous.
This was forceful.
This was leadership without hesitation.
Naruto sat in the Hokage Building, processing affairs swiftly and efficiently. Many Konoha shinobi watched in awe.
Before long, the village returned to its usual calm.
When villagers finally emerged from their homes and saw Konoha standing completely intact, they were stunned.
By all logic, a ninja invasion—even a successful defense—should have left destruction behind. Buildings damaged. Streets ruined. Something, at least, to prove how terrifying ninjas were.
Yet everything looked exactly the same.
As if the thunderous battle they'd heard earlier had been nothing more than a dream.
"What? Sunagakure and Cloud teamed up to invade Konoha?"
"The Chunin Exam went out of control? A tailed beast appeared and was instantly suppressed by Naruto?"
"Orochimaru fought the Third Hokage inside a barrier?"
"The Raikage was defeated and captured by Naruto himself?"
"The Third Hokage was gravely injured—and Orochimaru was captured?!"
Rumors exploded across the village.
Most people found it impossible to believe. It sounded like exaggeration—pure bragging.
But the stories kept coming. And they all came from the same source: the spectators at the Chunin Exams.
Some had fallen into illusions and only woke up after everything was over.
But many others had seen everything with their own eyes.
They spoke with shaking voices, animated gestures, and uncontrollable excitement. Whenever Naruto was mentioned, their tone overflowed with awe and reverence.
Uzumaki Naruto—hero.
A hero on a scale rarely seen in history.
He suppressed a tailed beast.
He crushed the leaders of two great villages.
He resolved a life-or-death crisis for the entire village by his own strength.
If that wasn't a hero, then who was?
As the stories spread, Konoha descended into a frenzy.
Naruto remained seated in the Hokage Building.
At the same time, Kira—wearing his obsidian armor—appeared in Red Sun Town.
In a vast open area, shinobi from Sunagakure, Cloud, and countless wandering ninjas were gathered together.
Their weapons had been confiscated.
Their chakra was sealed.
They could only stare at the members of the Red Sun Society guarding them.
"President, everyone is accounted for," Uchiha Shisui reported.
"Any casualties?" Naruto asked.
"Some injuries, but no deaths. Everyone was stabilized in time."
Naruto nodded. "Good. Sacrifice is sometimes unavoidable, but I still want everyone to come back alive."
He stepped forward.
The moment he approached, the once loud and defiant captives fell silent. An overwhelming pressure pressed down on them.
"I am Kira of the Red Sun Society," Naruto said plainly.
The captives stirred.
So that was it.
No wonder the atmosphere had changed the instant he appeared.
That oppressive presence—only one man in the ninja world was known for it.
Kira.
"The ultimate goal of the Red Sun Society is complete peace in the ninja world," Naruto continued. "You invaded Konoha and initiated war. That violates our purpose. That's why you were captured."
"I understand that as shinobi, you follow orders. But you must understand this—you're fighting without knowing why."
"Humans are fighting humans. And you're dying for it."
"That's wrong."
"I'm here today to correct that mistake."
"Shinobi are not tools of the Kage. You are human beings—with joy, anger, sorrow, and fear."
The captives stared at him blankly.
They didn't understand why the strongest man in the ninja world was saying things like this.
Of course shinobi were human.
Of course they fought for their villages.
Peace?
That was fine—but only if it was peace under their village's control.
Still, even if they didn't fully understand, a seed had been planted.
"Separate them," Naruto ordered. "Give them ideological training. Teach them what should and shouldn't be done."
The captives were taken away.
Words alone were useless.
But systematic indoctrination? That was another matter entirely.
Naruto didn't spare them because he was merciful.
He was short on manpower.
Even controlling Konoha alone was stretching his limits.
Swallowing the other four great villages at once would only cause indigestion.
So he chose another path.
Capture them.
Re-educate them.
Turn them into pawns of the Red Sun Society.
Then send them back.
Seeds, planted carefully—destined to sprout one day.
"Aoiha," Naruto said, "the Cloud shinobi are yours. Train them hard. Make them understand who they should truly fight for."
"…What?"
"Still confused? Why I didn't give you the Sunagakure shinobi?"
"…Yeah."
"The Red Sun Society draws members from all over the world. We don't divide by origin. If you only trained Sunagakure's people, then Sunagakure, Cloud, Kiri, Iwa, and Konoha would all remain separate in the end."
"That would just be the same old ninja world."
"…I see."
"Besides," Naruto added with a faint smile, "don't you think drilling Cloud's brutes under your command sounds satisfying?"
Aoiha's eyes lit up. "President! I'll complete the task!"
"What about me?" Ringo piped up eagerly.
"You'll take Sunagakure's people. Can you handle it?"
"I won't disappoint you!"
Naruto finished arranging everything in Red Sun Town.
He turned his gaze toward the distance.
"Now… everything else is settled."
"Only you two remain."
"Sasuke. Itachi."
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