"Begin!"
Inside the Hokage Building, cameras had already been set up across the large circular platform.
The shot not only covered the platform itself, but also included the Hokage Rock behind it, making the scene feel even more solemn.
Red Sun TV had suspended all its regular programming.
Across the ninja world, people turned on their televisions and saw only a still image.
The face of the Fifth Hokage carved into Hokage Rock seemed to radiate an overwhelming pressure even through the screen.
People could not help but shiver.
"Why isn't Red Sun TV showing anything today? I still want to see more about those nobles."
"There's nothing on, so let's switch channels."
"Idiot, don't change it. Something big is definitely about to happen."
"What could be so important?"
"You really know nothing. The ninja world is about to change."
"Stop talking nonsense. Just wait and see what Konoha does."
"You people aren't even working?"
"Who can think about work right now? If things really go bad, who knows whether we'll even survive long enough to spend money?"
"Only one person could make the entire ninja world react like this."
"Who?"
"The Fifth Hokage… Naruto Uzumaki."
All across the ninja world, countless people stood in front of their televisions and waited.
No one wanted to leave.
The major powers were the same.
Every village, every nation, every noble household watched the silent screen with dark expressions.
Everyone had already guessed that something huge was coming.
But no one knew exactly what.
The mood felt like the moments before an execution.
Fear.
Anger.
Unease.
"Are you finally going to show your true intentions?"
"Come on, Uzumaki Naruto. Let's see if Konoha alone can really challenge the whole ninja world."
"In the past, the villages fought each other and wasted their strength. This time Konoha has to fight everyone else at once."
"The daimyo and nobles are furious too. Naruto's television programs humiliated them completely."
"This time, Konoha is fighting all five powers."
"Can Naruto really handle that?"
Even in Konoha itself, everyone knew something major was about to happen.
But the people of the village remained calm.
Because they trusted Naruto.
They looked at Hokage Rock on the screen and felt strangely reassured.
"There's movement!"
The still image finally changed.
Two figures slowly walked into view.
The entire ninja world fell silent.
Everyone held their breath.
At the front was Naruto Uzumaki.
Behind him was the Fire Daimyo.
Naruto's blond hair, calm expression, and deep eyes gave off an overwhelming sense of dominance.
Even though he was still under fifteen years old, the aura around him completely overshadowed the immaturity in his face.
The Fire Daimyo, despite being the ruler of the Land of Fire, seemed insignificant standing behind him.
The world barely noticed him at all.
"People of the ninja world…"
"Daimyo, nobles, ninjas, and civilians…"
"I am Konoha's Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto."
Naruto's voice spread across the entire ninja world through Red Sun TV.
"For the past two years, the ninja world has been peaceful."
"Bandits no longer dare to run wild."
"Ninjas have become more restrained."
"People are living more comfortably than before."
"Yes… the ninja world is much better now."
"Many of you probably believe that this is already a peaceful and prosperous age."
"That would be a mistake."
Naruto smiled.
Then his expression turned cold.
"Peace never appears out of nowhere."
"It does not fall from the sky."
"You think the nobles suddenly became kinder?"
"You think the ninjas suddenly became more reasonable?"
"You are wrong."
"Completely wrong."
"Two years ago, during the Chūnin Exams, I defeated the enemies threatening Konoha and captured the Fourth Raikage and Fourth Kazekage alive."
"After that, Konoha reformed itself."
"The other villages had no choice but to follow."
"In other words…"
"The peace of the past two years exists because of me."
"Because of Konoha."
"Before they can defeat me and defeat Konoha, everyone else has no choice but to stay quiet."
"I, Uzumaki Naruto, suppressed every force in the ninja world."
The reaction across the world was immediate.
The words were too blunt.
Too direct.
Inside Kumogakure, A clenched his fists in fury.
Inside Sunagakure, Rasa closed his eyes as anger burned inside him.
In Iwagakure and Kirigakure, the reactions were no better.
But no one could deny the truth in Naruto's words.
"But this peace cannot last forever."
"One day, the ninja world will explode into war again."
"As long as Konoha, Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kirigakure still exist separately…"
"As long as the Lands of Fire, Earth, Lightning, Wind, and Water remain divided…"
"Conflict will never disappear."
"Interests."
"Hatred."
"Power."
"Eventually, something will trigger another war."
"And when that happens…"
"The ninja world will bleed again."
Naruto paused.
Then he spoke clearly.
"So I have made my decision."
"The ninja world will no longer remain divided."
"The ninja world must be unified."
The entire world froze.
No one had expected him to say it so openly.
Many people throughout history had dreamed of unifying the ninja world.
Many had tried.
But Naruto was the first person to declare it to the entire world so directly.
"I, Uzumaki Naruto…"
"As the Fifth Hokage of Konoha…"
"And as the president of the Red Sun Society…"
"Officially declare that every force in the ninja world will either join the cause of unification…"
"Or become my enemy."
"You may choose friendship."
"You may choose war."
"But do not say later that I never gave you a chance."
Naruto smiled at the camera.
It was a warm smile.
But everyone watching felt cold.
Then Naruto stepped aside.
The Fire Daimyo moved in front of the camera.
His face looked pale.
But strangely relieved.
"I, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, officially announce that the daimyo system will end with me."
"From this day onward, the Land of Fire will become the first part of the new unified world under Lord Uzumaki Naruto."
"The tide of history cannot be stopped."
"Those who follow it will survive."
"Those who resist it will perish."
After speaking, the daimyo stepped away from the camera.
The entire ninja world exploded into discussion.
"The daimyo stepped down?"
"That's impossible!"
"If you ask me, the daimyo system should have disappeared a long time ago."
"The nobles are parasites."
"Maybe Naruto has been planning this for years."
"Would unification really stop wars?"
"No. As long as people exist, conflict will exist."
"But maybe there would still be less of it."
Across the ninja world, people argued endlessly.
But the great powers themselves had already begun preparing.
The four great nations and four great ninja villages started gathering strength immediately.
No one was willing to surrender.
Not when it meant giving up their power.
"Unite!"
"All the villages must join together!"
"Uzumaki Naruto is dreaming if he thinks we'll bow our heads!"
Then, on every television screen, the signal suddenly flickered.
The image of Hokage Rock disappeared.
A desert appeared instead.
Then a massive fortress.
It was Sunagakure.
And standing in front of the camera—
Was Jiraiya.
"Make sure you get my best angle."
"Jiraiya, this is a live broadcast."
"I know it's live! Isn't the signal supposed to be cut already?"
"Sorry to tell you this…"
"It hasn't been cut."
Jiraiya's stunned face filled the screen.
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