[The screen lights up again. The Third Hokage has passed away, and countless shinobi have died in the war...]
[Jiraiya appears and takes Naruto away to search for Tsunade, who is to become the Fifth Hokage...]
.....
Naruto World.
The people of the Sand Village and Konoha fell silent. As they watched Naruto's battle with Gaara, their initial joy vanished.
The suffering those two children endured was, in a way, caused by their own hands.
The Nine-Tailed Fox they had always despised had now turned around to protect them.
For a moment, their emotions were mixed and complicated.
"Naruto did really well."
Jiraiya, on his way back to Konoha, watched the battle and realized Naruto had already far surpassed his peers.
"How did the old man die? It seems I need to investigate the Sand Village."
People everywhere now knew the Third Hokage had died in the battle between Konoha and the Sand Village. The news spread like wildfire.
The Sand Village leaders panicked, unsure how to handle the situation.
"Lord Kazekage, what should we do now?"
The Kazekage remained silent for a moment before saying, "Send someone to negotiate with Konoha. Tell Orochimaru to halt operations for now."
"Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is so strong? Even Gaara couldn't defeat him."
From a different perspective, Gaara saw something else.
"Uzumaki Naruto... I should meet him someday..."
A door in his heart seemed to open just a little.
Bleach World.
Ichigo, watching Naruto's determination to protect his comrades, felt a resonance. He too had people he cherished and wanted to protect.
Inuyasha World.
Inuyasha tightly held Kagome's hand and said firmly, "I will definitely protect you."
Kagome shyly nodded—this was the first time Inuyasha had been so proactive.
Behind a tree in the distance, Kikyo watched them silently before turning and leaving...
One Piece World.
"These people look younger than me, but they're so strong! I want to fight them!"
Luffy was thrilled. The flashy ninjutsu in Naruto excited him immensely.
"Zoro, your sword is so much smaller than that giant toad's! You're so small!"
Zoro's vein bulged at these words, and he punched Luffy on the head.
Jujutsu Kaisen World.
The silver-haired eccentric Gojo Satoru watched the ninjutsu with amazement and began gathering cursed energy in his hands.
"Maybe cursed energy can be used like chakra to perform ninjutsu too...."
[The video continues showing Naruto's encounter with Tsunade. During their duel, he is easily defeated with a single finger. He promises to learn the Rasengan within a week!]
[Meanwhile, Orochimaru approaches Tsunade, asking her to heal his arms, which were sealed by the Third Hokage.]
.....
"I think I know who killed the Third Hokage now..."
"Damn it! Why would Lord Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin, turn against the Third?"
Many Konoha shinobi were furious. Their Hokage had been killed by one of their own.
[Soon, the three Sannin meet: Tsunade, afflicted with hemophobia; Jiraiya, weakened by poison; and Orochimaru, disabled with sealed arms...]
[A fierce battle ensues...]
[Naruto steps forward to protect Tsunade and fights Kabuto. The difference in strength is obvious. Naruto is repeatedly knocked down but never truly stays down...]
Tsunade, watching Naruto keep getting up, grits her teeth and shouts:
[Enough! Get out of the way! Run!]
But Naruto never backs down. He stands firm.
[As we agreed earlier, I'll take that unlucky necklace...]
Naruto grips Kabuto's kunai tightly with his hand and smiles:
[I won't die until I become Hokage!]
Naruto raises his left hand as a shadow clone fiercely grinds a sphere of chakra.
Soon, a blue spherical chakra form appears in Naruto's hand.
[Here I go!]
[Rasengan!]
The blue sphere strikes Kabuto's abdomen. Instantly, a blue vortex engulfs Kabuto's entire body, sending him flying.
But as Kabuto is thrown back, he swiftly strikes Naruto's chest.
The Rasengan's power carves a trench dozens of meters long. Kabuto crashes heavily into a rock, the impact creating a massive crater.
Kabuto is now in a wretched state—tattered, with his chest and abdomen shredded.
At the same time, Naruto spits blood, his vision blurring. He sways unsteadily before collapsing heavily to the ground.
Kabuto laughs triumphantly, but his arrogance lasts only a moment before he too falls, unable to get up.
Tsunade rushes to check Naruto's injuries, pressing her ear to his chest. Her eyes widen in horror.
[His heartbeat is growing weaker...]
She channels chakra into Naruto's chest, desperately trying to heal him.
Kabuto lifts his head weakly and sneers:
[Naruto is beyond saving... I severed his heart's meridian system... Even you can't...]
Tsunade roars:
[Shut up!]
Gradually, Naruto's breathing stops. Tsunade's eyes reflect the images of Dan and her younger brother.
The same scenario, the same helplessness—would she fail to save someone again?
[Dammit... Dammit!]
At the seal on Naruto's abdomen, a figure that strikes fear into countless people slowly emerges.
The Nine-Tails gloomily says:
[So dark... It's so dark... Why is it getting darker...]
Its massive pupils are gradually consumed by darkness. Just as the last flicker of light is about to vanish, drop after drop of water falls.
[What's happening?]
Outside the seal, Tsunade's tears continuously drip onto Naruto's abdomen.
[Don't die... Don't die... Don't die]
Tsunade pleads desperately.
At that moment, a hand reaches out slowly toward her chest and grabs the necklace.
Naruto's eyes are slightly open, a smile on his lips as he whispers weakly:
[The bet... I won...]
Nearby, Kabuto exclaims in disbelief.
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
Tsunade grasps Naruto's falling hand, her expression incredibly gentle, and murmurs:
[Because becoming Hokage is my dream... huh?]
[In the end... I want to place my bets on you...]
She gently places the necklace around Naruto's neck...