[Shinki: "Once those roots grab you… you get mummified?!"]
[Yagura: "That's the Ten-Tails' power… horrifying."]
[Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki: "Even I wouldn't clash head-on with that."]
[Rasa: "Will the Ten-Tails… gain its own will?"]
[Ōnoki: "Unlikely… right?"]
[Boruto: "!!!"]
The God Tree's roots erupted, breeding faster than wildfire in a dry forest.
The Allied Shinobi Forces buckled at once—order shattered into screaming and footfalls and the wet thud of bodies. Blood ran like ink across a torn scroll.
Even Naruto was snared.
He thrashed, cloak flickering. "Urgh—!"
"Naruto!!" Minato's voice sharpened.
Beside him, Tobirama flashed through seals—
"Water Release: Severing Wave!"
A high-pressure blade of water scissored the roots—only for them to knit back with a spiteful hiss, splitting into vines that cocooned Naruto tighter.
"Damn it, there are too many…" Sweat beaded on Tobirama's brow. "Sensing's useless if he's wrapped like that… Fourth, can you jump directly to him?"
Minato grimaced. "Not now. The last chain of jumps and cutting those tendrils drained too much chakra…"
Naruto's Nine-Tails cloak guttered and winked out, sucked dry.
"Let… go…" His voice thinned.
[Neji: "No—Naruto's in real danger!"]
[Hinata: "Naruto-kun!!"]
[Himawari: "Will someone save Dad?!"]
[Itachi: "Damn… and I'm not on that field."]
[Nagato: "Where's Jiraiya-sensei when his student needs him?!"]
[Jiraiya: "Did… someone kill me already?!"]
Panic crested—
—and Hiruzen Sarutobi vaulted into the fray like a storm at midnight.
He tore Naruto free and hauled him bodily into a sprint. "Forgive me—I'm late."
"G-Grandpa…" Naruto's eyes were dull with exhaustion.
"Monkey!" Tobirama's gaze cut over, instantly weighing options.
"Teacher, withdraw first."
"Understood." Hiruzen inclined his head—respectful even in hellfire.
Tobirama clapped both of them—flash—and they were gone.
Gasps rippled through the onlookers. So this was the 'Strongest Hokage' of Konoha? Titles aside… that rescue was clean.
[Naruto (youth): "Honestly… I'm grateful, Grandpa Hiruzen."]
[Hiruzen: "As I should be. Seeing you grow strong, my heart is at ease."]
In the Hokage's office (another time, another peace), Hiruzen smiled at the grown Naruto; Tsunade chuckled.
"Who'd have thought that knucklehead would turn into this."
"Then work harder too, little Tsunade," Hiruzen said, stroking his goatee.
Back on the field, hell breathed.
Rubbed-raw earth. Bodies. Smoke. The hush after screaming.
Jūgo exhaled. "Finally… a pause."
Sasuke stood like a painting—hands in pockets, eyes like a hawk. Even as a spectator, he managed to look like the main act. (Annoying talent.)
Tobirama ferried survivors out in chains of blinks. Naruto stared at the carnage, vision trembling, a hot line of tears cutting soot. Too weak. Still too weak. Couldn't protect them…
[Sarada: "This isn't Seventh's fault. Blame Obito."]
[Boruto: "Yeah—he's being childish!"]
[Obito: "Say what you like. I can't turn back."]
In Kamui, Obito knew it was wrong. He knew.
But after all he'd seen—the graves, the lies, the wheels that crushed the small—what else was there but a dream where no one cried?
"Sensei, Naruto… wait. I'll reunite you in the dream soon," he vowed, eyes turning to ice.
[Nagato: "I believe in Naruto. I saw hope in him."]
[Itachi: "He's already strong."]
[Uchiha Hikaru: "So peace comes after this…?"]
Obito floated high above the wound of the world, raining scorn.
Naruto's lips trembled. The words cut because some of them were true. If I were stronger, fewer would have died…
[Tobirama: "Steady, Naruto."]
[Hashirama: "Watching this makes me furious—let me pound Obito into mulch!"]
[Naruto (youth): "Obito will become a savior later. You'll see…"]
[Everyone: "???"]
Murmurs curdled into dread. The rank-and-file wavered. Against a god, they were dragonflies on a spear tip.
"If you don't want regrets, do nothing," Obito intoned.
"Choose the dream. No more fear. No more shame. No more pain."
Relief tempted them like warm water on frozen hands.
"Do. Not. Give. Up!" Hashirama stepped forward, voice ringing.
"Fall into that illusion and you are no different from the dead!"
Silence slipped over the crowd again. Naked truth has its own gravity.
(From a bed somewhere,)
[Kakuzu: "Konan… give me back my money…"]
The God Tree's roots shivered, hunting again. The moon sagged behind scudding cloud. Naruto clenched his fists, Hiruzen set him down gently, Tobirama's eyes narrowed.
And above them all, Obito opened his palm—chakra weaving the first threads of a greater trap.
The next lunge of roots speared toward Naruto's heart—Minato nowhere near, Tobirama mid-cooldown, Hiruzen winded—when a kunai whistled past Naruto's ear, a three-pronged promise carving the air…
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