Night fell over the village.
And with it… came silence.
Too much silence.
Then—
A wave of crushing emotional pressure swept over Konoha.
Children cried.
Adults collapsed.
Even trained shinobi felt overwhelming dread.
Naruto rushed to the roof of the Hokage tower.
What he saw sent chills down his spine.
A creature was approaching—walking calmly through the air as if stepping on invisible stairs.
Tall.
Humanoid.
Cloaked in shifting black smoke, its face hidden behind a smiling white mask.
Every step it took drained hope from the villagers below.
Kurama snarled.
"This one… is stronger than the last two combined."
The creature raised its hand.
The sky turned pitch black.
Even Naruto felt its despair pressing on him… memories of his childhood loneliness stabbing into his mind.
He shook them off—but barely.
Shikamaru appeared beside him.
"Name a plan. Now."
Naruto's eyes glowed.
"We fight. Shadow clone formation on me!"
Hundreds of clones appeared, their combined chakra boosting Naruto's aura of hope.
The creature tilted its head, then spoke in a soft, chilling voice:
"Uzumaki Naruto.
Child of light.
I am Sakanade—the Beast of Despair."
Naruto growled.
"I don't care who you are.
You're not touching my village."
The creature extended its hand.
The darkness thickened.
The real battle… had begun.