Chapter 21: Extermination of the ClanThe Root Ninja found it somewhat difficult to understand Uchiha Itachi's way of thinking."He doesn't want his father, doesn't want his mother, and doesn't want his entire clan; he only wants his younger brother... What kind of person thinks like this? This is purely insane.""No, he is doing this for his younger brother, and also for Konoha.""But even including Konoha, it still...""For the sake of Konoha, there is nothing that cannot be sacrificed!"Looking at this Root member, Danzo admonished him with a displeased expression."You, me, Itachi, the Uchiha, and even the Hokage—everyone has the duty to sacrifice themselves for Konoha. Root was founded precisely on this principle... As my subordinate, if you haven't grasped this, then you are unqualified..."Root's way of dealing with unqualified products has always been to dispose of them upon discovery, ensuring no future trouble remains.The Root member in the cat mask immediately knelt on one knee: "My lord, this subordinate was wrong. I beg you to give this subordinate a chance to correct my mistake."..."Time to go home..."After spending the whole afternoon carving wood, Naruto looked up at the sky. Seeing that it was getting late, he prepared to head home.However, before going home, he needed to tidy up his miscellaneous items first.The items were piled on the grass not far away.This included Kunai, shuriken, drinking water, a grill, pots and bowls, carving knives, wood, and unfinished wood carvings... These miscellaneous items served as a disguise to hide the Raiden Shogun who was mixed in among them.Otherwise, leaving the Raiden Shogun all alone on the grass every noon and retrieving it every evening, day after day, would be very strange and easily attract the attention of those with ulterior motives."Ei, Shogun, let's... Wait, where are they?"Walking over to the grass, Naruto suddenly discovered that the Raiden Shogun was gone.Did she sneak off to play?As soon as the thought appeared in his mind, Naruto immediately dismissed it.It couldn't be that she snuck off to play; Ei and the Shogun were not the type to be playful. Spending every day basking in the sun on the grass, chatting in the Sealing Space, or playing mahjong was already enough for them.The possibility of them leaving on their own was very small, but the possibility of them disappearing against their will was very high.So...Naruto's eyes deepened: "Were they kidnapped?"...The rich scent of blood finally caught the attention of the Uchiha, and they began to take up weapons to resist the enemy.However, what greeted them was a one-sided slaughter.The two Uchiha traitors were exceptionally powerful.Obito used Kamui to phase through attacks; even three-tomoe Uchiha could not last a few moves against him, and ordinary Ninja were killed in a single strike.Itachi was formidable, especially with genjutsu. With a sweep of his Mangekyo, almost every Uchiha would experience at least a momentary paralysis.It was precisely this momentary paralysis that caused a large number of Uchiha to fall completely, becoming corpses.Amidst shouts of "Traitor," "Konoha's lapdog," and "Bastard, may you die a horrible death," along with other insults and curses.Itachi and Obito killed with high efficiency, and soon the shouting grew less and less, finally dropping to zero.On the streets covered with corpses, fresh blood stained the ground red.Itachi said coldly: "Let's split up and search for any survivors.""No problem."Obito, wearing a swirl mask, readily agreed.A foolish clan should be wiped out completely."Itachi!"A voice came from afar.A Uchiha girl with a tear mole at the corner of her eye ran over.Seeing the corpses on the ground and the strangely dressed Obito, her eyes filled with anger, and she anxiously said to Itachi: "Why are you with the enemy? Come over here quickly, let's deal with the enemy together.""How will you choose?" Obito looked at Itachi, an expression of interest appearing beneath his mask.Obito knew the girl; her name was Uchiha Izumi. She had a crush on Itachi and had invited him many times to eat three-colored dango, and as for Itachi's attitude toward her...It must be said, it was worth exploring."...Izumi, I'm sorry."As he spoke, Itachi walked toward Izumi.Izumi was bewildered: "Itachi, why are you suddenly apologizing? What's important right now is dealing with the enemy..."——Tsukuyomi!The three tomoe collided, forming the Mangekyo. His ocular power surged as he released the ocular jutsu, Tsukuyomi.Blood tears flowed from the corners of Itachi's eyes. Izumi's expression turned vacant, her mind completely trapped in the illusion.In the illusion, Izumi and Itachi experienced a sweet romance, successfully entered into marriage, had children, and grew old together...Pfft!A Kunai pierced her heart, and fresh blood flowed uncontrollably.Itachi looked at the deceased Izumi; her face still carried a hint of a happy smile."Tsk tsk, Itachi, you are truly heartless... You know, she really liked you from beginning to end."Obito walked over, sighing with emotion, while his eyes were fixed on Itachi's face, not missing a single change in expression.Itachi was expressionless: "Is the legendary UchihaMadara... also the type of person who would care about such things?"Madara was an old-school straight man who wouldn't care about trivial matters of romance; he only cared about Hashirama.However, the person standing in front of Itachi was Obito, the most devoted Uchiha, who spent his whole life running around just for Rin Nohara.Obito smiled: "No, I'm just curious, what does it feel like to kill a girl who likes you?""You will probably never experience it."Itachi looked toward his home in the distance; usually at this time... his father and mother would be waiting for him at home to have dinner.Seeing this, Obito said: "Do you need help? Your father is the Uchiha clan head, after all. You have expended a lot of energy now and might not necessarily win.""No need, I'll handle it myself."One minute later, Itachi pushed open the door to his home, and the first thing he saw was his parents dressed neatly.Fugaku and Mikoto looked at Itachi, their eyes filled with deep sorrow.So... it has come to this, has it?..."Obito, I found something fun."White Zetsu emerged from the ground and appeared beside Obito, speaking excitedly.Obito sternly rebuked: "Call me Uchiha Madara, you idiot!"It was fortunate that no one was around, otherwise the true identity he had painstakingly concealed would have been exposed immediately.White Zetsu said aggrievedly: "Oh.""Mmph... Mmph..."A sound suddenly rang out, and White Zetsulooked around foolishly: "What sound is that? Do you know, Obito?"You motherf..."Call me Uchiha Madara! If you get it wrong one more time, I'll kill you!"Killing intent boiled in Obito's eyes. He had already decided in his heart that there would not be a next time; once he went back, he would dispose of this White Zetsu that couldn't keep its mouth shut."What is in your hand?" Obito noticed the small thing struggling in White Zetsu's hand."Ah, this... I get it now, so the sound earlier was made by her."White Zetsu, who had just been sad about Obito's scolding, suddenly perked up. He presented it to Obito like a treasure, loosening his tightly clasped hands.A tiny Raiden Shogun came into view."Rude fellows, who are you? Why have you kidnapped me?"She was just sitting at home when disaster struck out of nowhere.Ei felt very bewildered; she had been sleeping soundly on the grass, having provoked no one and bothered no one.She closed her eyes and opened them, only to arrive at a murder scene with a pungent smell of blood and two strange people beside her."A puppet? No, this isn't one!"
Chapter 22: Planting a Mine"A puppet? No, this isn't just a simple puppet."After ignoring Shadow's struggles and protests, Obito picked up Shadow, activated his scarlet Mangekyo, and examined Shadow inside and out for quite a while.Obito exclaimed, "Amazing, truly amazing. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I really wouldn't believe that such a counter-intuitive puppet technique could exist in this world... Apart from the body being made of wood, in every other aspect, it is no different from a living person."Obito asked White Zetsu, "Where did you find this?""It was found in the forest over by Konoha, near the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.""The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"Obito was stunned. How could this be related to the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?By all logic, puppets and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki... should have absolutely nothing to do with each other.The sun set, and night fell.A strange sensory force swept rapidly across the entire Konoha Village, without the slightest attempt at concealment."Who is it? To release sensory Chakra so recklessly in the Village, are they not afraid of death..."The Ninjas who sensed it were stunned.As everyone knows, there is a sure way to die called 'You know too much.'This is especially true for Ninjas.As an industry with extremely high secrecy, countless Ninjas in the Ninja World have died because they knew too much.Konoha gathers a large number of Ninjas, so there are naturally many unspeakable secrets, and those with the most secrets are undoubtedly the Konohaupper echelons...Even the slightest leak would cause serious damage to Konoha's interests or image.Therefore, Konoha strictly prohibits Ninjas from recklessly releasing sensory Chakra within the Village, especially the Hyuga. If you see something you shouldn't, you might as well wait for death."In the sky!!!"A whistling sound came from the sky.Konoha Ninjas looked up at the sky and saw a tiny white dot streaking across the deep night sky at high speed."What is that? Is it an enemy?""It's too fast, I couldn't see it clearly. Can anyone see it clearly?""The Hyuga, only the Hyuga's Byakugan can see it clearly. Where are the members of the Hyuga Clan?"...Hyuga Clan.Hiashi activated his Byakugan and looked at the figure about to disappear into the horizon.Then he was shocked, simply unable to believe what his eyes were seeing."How could it be him?!!"This is impossible. He is clearly just a seven-year-old child; how could he suddenly fly into the sky?Who gave him a cheat? When did he start using cheats?It was all an unsolved mystery.Beside him, Hyuga Tokuma saw the clan head's expression of disbelief and asked curiously, "Clan Head, what did you discover?"Hiashi asked in confusion, "You didn't see it?"It's not like you don't have a Byakugan.Tokuma lowered his head and said embarrassedly, "The distance is too far; it's beyond my range of observation."The observation range of the Byakugan... varies with the purity of the Byakugan and the strength of the user.Obviously, Tokuma, a Special Jonin and a member of the Branch Family, could not compare his observation range to that of the Hyuga Clan Head, an Elite Jonin.Hiashi pondered for a moment and said, "If you didn't see it, don't ask. Remember, I didn't see it either."The waters here are too deep; Hiashi did not intend to get involved.Tokuma understood Hiashi's meaning, paused for a moment, and couldn't help but ask, "If the Hokagecomes to ask..."A flash of coldness crossed Hiashi's eyes."I didn't see it!"He was not stupid enough to take the initiative to warn that there was a problem with Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. The death of Hizashi four years ago... he hadn't forgotten a single bit of it."By the way, Tokuma, gather the clansmen and ask if any of them saw what was in the sky. If there are, don't make a scene; bring them to me..."Planting mines for Konoha... Hiashi was meticulous and serious....Hokage Building."No one saw what was in the sky clearly... In that case, Zo, go to the Hyuga Clan and ask."The Anbu obeyed the order and left.The Third stood by the window, pipe in his mouth, looking toward the direction of the Uchiha Clan, sighing in his heart.It's an eventful time..."Will this have an impact on Danzo?"Konoha Advisor, Utatane Koharu, walked over. She looked into the distance with worried eyes...Advisor Homura Mitokado was also there, and he suggested, "Should we send more men?"The Third hesitated, smoking his pipe in frustration, unable to make a decision for a long time.Just then, an Anbu reported urgently."Hokage-sama, it's bad! The Jinchuriki has gone missing!""What?!"The Advisors and the Hokage all turned pale. Could it be the Uchiha...Flying in the sky was too arrogant, and it was not Naruto's intention.However, if he wanted to quickly find and rescue the Raiden Shogun, he had to complete the search of Konoha as soon as possible.If he was late, they might have moved her away.Flying was the fastest way.In a moment, Naruto crossed Konoha at high speed, using his own and the Nine-Tailed's sensory power to scan the Konoha Village below recklessly.The result was that he didn't find her; it was as if the Raiden Shogun had completely disappeared.When flying to a corner on the edge of Konoha Village.The Nine-Tailed suddenly said, "Found her! Stop quickly! She's right below!"Naruto slammed on the brakes, his golden Rinnegan looking down at the silent buildings below."Uchiha?"..."What is your relationship with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?""Does the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki know you?""Who is your master?""What is your purpose?"Obito looked at the puppet in his hand, asking questions incessantly.The consciousness leading the puppet was the Shogun. Facing Obito's repeated questions, her answer was always just one."Unable to answer."The voice had no emotion at all, completely fitting the public's impression of a puppet.But Obito would not be fooled; he had seen Shadow's consciousness before, and it was as flexible as a living person."It's a pity I can't hypnotize it..."Obito was quite regretful, but for a moment, he had no other way.Put it away first, and make plans after going back.Thinking this, Obito was about to put the puppet into the Kamui dimension.Bang!A terrifying repulsive force descended from the sky, breaking the sealing barrier wrapping around the Uchiha Clan Grounds.The next second!— — Bansho Tenin!Gravity exploded, and the puppet in Obito's hand flew uncontrollably into the sky, landing in the hands of a muscular old man with white hair and a beard."Rinnegan?!"Looking up, the moment he saw the old man's eyes, Obito was completely shocked.It couldn't be wrong; the pressure that pair of eyes gave me could absolutely only be achieved by the Rinnegan.But how is this possible!Isn't it said that only Madara, and the Six Paths Sage from a thousand years ago, possessed the Rinnegan?But who is this person in front of me?The old man was naturally Naruto. He used the Transformation Technique to change into an old man, and asked the Nine-Tailed to change his Chakra fluctuations.Unless a Byakugan was present, even a Mangekyocould not see through it.Naruto landed, put the Raiden Shogun into his pocket, and urged, "Stay here obediently, and don't run around in the future.""I didn't run around."The one who replied was Shadow; as soon as Naruto arrived, she swapped out the Shogun.Facing Naruto's instruction, Shadow said with a hint of grievance, "I was captured by someone.""Who captured you?"Shadow pointed at White Zetsu, who was standing on the side, ready to eat melon and watch the show.Seeing this, White Zetsu was stunned, and then his body began to sink rapidly."Reacted quickly, but still not enough!"
Chapter 23: Checking If You Need Help"Your reaction is fast, but still not fast enough!"— Bansho Tenin!Naruto extended his hand, and the gravitational force pulled White Zetsu out of the ground, sending it flying toward him.White Zetsu panicked: "Obi... Madara, save me!""Trash!"I almost exposed my identity.Obito remained indifferent, letting White Zetsu fall into Naruto's hands.— Preta Path: Chakra Absorption!Before long, White Zetsu's Chakra was completely consumed, and it went utterly silent.Casually discarding White Zetsu's corpse, Narutolooked at Obito and said indifferently: "Your name is Stand-in?"Obito's eyes darkened: "My name is Uchiha Madara!""Fake name! Your companion already said it; your name is Uchiha Stand-in.""..."At this moment, Obito had the urge to resurrect White Zetsu just to kill it a thousand times over."Stand-in, touching my things... have you thought about the price you'll pay?""Your things? What is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to you?""Insolent!"As he shouted, Naruto unleashed Shinra Tensei. Caught off guard, Obito was sent flying and slammed into the ground.An average person would have been killed or severely injured, but Obito possessed White Zetsucells and quickly climbed back up."Cough, cough... what is the meaning of this?"Naruto said coldly: "Remember your place. I ask, you answer. If you overstep again, you should commit suicide.""Commit suicide? Good, good, good... I, Uchiha Madara, have roamed the Ninja World for many years, and this is the first time I've seen someone with such a big mouth."Obito laughed in extreme anger; he had never been treated with such contempt.Since awakening his Mangekyo and becoming Madara, who didn't respectfully call him 'Mr. Madara' upon seeing him?So what if he has a Rinnegan?Nagato also has a Rinnegan, and isn't he just his pawn?"Old man, since you are so eager to seek death, I will send you on your way."— Kamui!Space twisted into a vortex, and Obitodisappeared.The next moment, Obito appeared behind Naruto, holding a Kunai and stabbing toward his vital heart area.Naruto, a seven-year-old elementary student, had trash-tier Taijutsu, knew no Genjutsu, had almost zero combat experience, and only knew the Three Basic Jutsu and Rasengan.Facing a formidable enemy, Naruto's only reliance was the Rinnegan.So, the moment Obito disappeared, Narutoimmediately activated a Dojutsu — Kamimusubi!This Dojutsu could absorb free-floating life energy from the world and convert it for his own use.Naruto usually used it this way.However, now he wanted to try a different usage: using it directly on an enemy.Instantly, within a one-meter radius of Naruto, a death zone that devoured life was formed.The closer, the more terrifying.The first to experience it was the hand Obito was using to hold the Kunai; it instantly withered and dried up, resembling the bark of an old pine tree, with veins clearly visible.Next was the outstretched arm, then the entire body, as life force rapidly drained away.An unprecedented sense of weakness surged into Obito's heart."Dangerous!!!"Obito dared not delay; he abandoned the attack and appeared in the distance.He stumbled, almost falling over."Old man, is this what you rely on to be arrogant?"Rolling up his sleeve, Obito looked at his arm, which seemed like it was about to rot into the earth, his expression darkening to a terrifying degree.To think it could actually devour his life force..."I have never relied on anyone or anything... If I must have a reliance, it can only be myself."Naruto remained arrogant. Looking at Obito, he said with utter disdain: "Stand-in, I think only trash like you would think of relying on something to leap into becoming a powerhouse... But I will tell you clearly, this is impossible. You are just daydreaming. Trash is always trash, and a dead last is always a dead last.""Bastard!"The words were like blades, stabbing into his heart and lungs. Obito was furious beyond measure; he formed seals and cast Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!The scorching fire dragon flew toward Naruto.— Preta Path: Blocking Technique Absorption Seal!A golden light shield blocked the front of Naruto, absorbing the fire dragon entirely.Naruto said indifferently: "To dare to attack me... Stand-in, you have offended the majesty of Heaven. I will give you one last decent chance: commit suicide now.""Old thing, you are truly too arrogant." Obito grew even angrier, forming seals to cast Wood Release: Hell's Turbulence.A large number of thorny trees spiraled upward, attempting to strangle Naruto within them.Boom!Shinra Tensei repelled the trees, and Kamimusubidevoured the trees' life force. Naruto walked toward Obito unhurriedly, spewing arrogant nonsense."Those who do not bow before the Emperor lose their true destiny; your name shall be inscribed on the Stele of Reincarnation... Stand-in, kneel, kowtow with every step, and your sins on the path to the afterlife will be halved. I shall protect your true soul!"— Ukanomitama!The absorption range expanded, but the intensity weakened.Thus, within a fifty-meter radius centered on Naruto, a field that attracted souls was formed.Obito, situated within it, suddenly felt his spirit becoming unstable.It wasn't a major problem; he could hold on. After all, the intensity wasn't high, and his soul was protected by his body, so Ukanomitama couldn't extract it.But associating it with what Naruto said...True soul lost, name inscribed on the Stele of Reincarnation, path to the afterlife..."No! I haven't completed my plan yet! I cannot die here!"Obito roared, immediately using Kamui to teleport himself away from Naruto.The next second, his figure appeared on a rooftop in the distance.Then he realized the feeling of his spirit wavering was gone.After a moment of thought, Obito understood that he had just been scaring himself."Damn it!"He had lost all face, but thankfully, no one else had seen it..."Madara, what are you doing standing on my roof?"On the ground, Itachi looked up at Obito, his expression quite puzzled.Itachi had just sent off his parents and stepped outside, only to see Obito standing on his roof, swearing.Obito was silent for a long time before saying: "Nothing, I just came over to see if you needed any help."Helping to kill someone's parents... one can only say... Obito is truly a helpful person.Itachi said coldly: "Not needed. You can go. Next, I need to wait for Sasuke."To give his little brother some love from his big brother."As you wish. I was planning on leaving anyway. But before I go, I'll give you a friendly warning: there is a very troublesome old guy nearby. You should be careful.""Someone who you would call troublesome... who is he?""Identity unknown, but his name..."Thinking of Naruto's arrogant nonsense earlier, Obito said coldly: "The Emperor!""The Emperor?" Itachi frowned; it was a name he had never heard of."Stand-in!"A voice came from the sky. Naruto was flying at high speed, extended his hand, and unleashed Shinra Tensei, destroying the roof."Where did you run off to again?" Naruto was annoyed, his body floating in mid-air as his Rinnegan scanned the surroundings."The Emperor?"Noticing Naruto's golden eyes, Itachi paused, quickly recognizing what kind of eyes they were.The Rinnegan, one of the Three Great Dojutsu, the legendary God's Eye of the Six Paths Sage, possessing terrifying power.It was no wonder Madara would call him a troublesome enemy.
Chapter 24: Heartache"To think he actually possesses the Rinnegan! No wonder Uchiha Madara said he was a troublesome enemy.""May I ask, what brings you to Konoha?"With the Uchiha Clan having just been wiped out, Konoha was at its most vulnerable moment. The sudden appearance of the legendary Rinnegan left Uchiha Itachi no choice but to be vigilant.Hearing this, Uzumaki Naruto cast his gaze toward Uchiha Itachi and sneered, "Konoha? Isn't this the Uchiha Clan Grounds?"Uchiha Itachi stated firmly, "The Uchiha Clanbelongs to Konoha!""So, you killed all the Uchiha who weren't willing to belong to Konoha... Oh, wait, I misspoke. You killed every single Uchiha except for your younger brother... It didn't matter if they wanted to belong to Konoha or not, it didn't matter if they were male or female, old or young, or even infants who had just opened their eyes... Everyone, they all died."The more he spoke, the angrier Uzumaki Narutobecame. The Uchiha Clan was none of his business, and he originally had no intention of interfering, but seeing the tragic state of the Uchiha Clan, some things just had to be said."Uchiha Itachi, tell me, are people born into the Uchiha Clan inherently guilty? Are they meant to die?"Uchiha Itachi remained silent for a long time, finally saying indifferently, "The affairs of the Uchiha Clanare no concern of yours.""I don't intend to concern myself with your clan's messy affairs, but seeing a traitor like you makes me lament for the Uchiha Clan... What a misfortune for the family, to have a millennium of heritage destroyed at the hands of a lunatic. I wonder if your father regretted... not shooting you... *cough cough*, not strangling you to death when you were born."This insult... Uchiha Itachi could not tolerate it. His three tomoe spun rapidly, forming the Mangekyo as he glared at Uzumaki Naruto.— Amaterasu!"Trash!" Uzumaki Naruto raised his hand, placing the Absorption Barrier in front of him to absorb the raging black flames.Just then, Kurama suddenly shouted, "Watch out!"*Swish!* A cold glint flashed as a Kunai stabbed toward Uzumaki Naruto's neck.Uzumaki Naruto's pupils constricted, and he switched skills at the fastest speed.— Shinra Tensei!*Boom!* Obito, who was about to succeed, was sent flying backward. His internal organs were displaced, he spat out blood, and he slammed heavily into the ground.Uzumaki Naruto touched his neck, feeling a wet, sticky sensation. He brought his palm in front of his face to look—it was covered in bright red blood. A wave of lingering fear washed over him; he had almost died."Thank you, Kurama, thanks to you."Kurama snorted coldly, "It is thanks to me, so you had better cherish this little life of yours and not let my efforts go to waste.""Hmm, I know."Shadow poked its head out of Uzumaki Naruto's pocket, "You're hurt?""A small injury, it's already healed now."As he spoke, the wound on Uzumaki Naruto's neck healed.Shadow said worriedly, "Don't fight anymore, let's leave quickly.""Wait a little longer."Uzumaki Naruto was not satisfied without getting one back. He looked at Obito. With the White Zetsu cells, Obito had immense vitality and was now standing up again, looking as if nothing had happened.He couldn't forget his character persona. Uzumaki Naruto said arrogantly, "Obito, the fact that you managed to scratch my skin is enough for you to be proud of for the rest of your life."— Bansho Tenin!Houses and buildings floated into the air, then accelerated as they plummeted toward the ground, smashing toward Obito.*Boom! Boom! Boom!*"Old man, this move of yours is useless against me." Obito entered his intangibility state, and all the attacks passed right through his body, unable to cause him the slightest harm."Obito, hurry up and commit suicide; this is your only chance to atone for your sins."*Boom! Boom! Boom!*"Rinnegan... it's truly fascinating!"Danzo Shimura, who had been hiding in the shadows, looked up at Uzumaki Naruto in the sky, a flash of greed appearing in his eyes.The Root members behind him asked respectfully, "Lord, when should we make our move?""Wait a little longer, until they are both heavily injured..."Whether it was the Rinnegan or the Mangekyo, both would fall into the hands of Danzo Shimura. By then, the position of Hokage would be mine...Just as Danzo Shimura was lost in his fervent fantasies, Uchiha Itachi passed by him with a calm expression.Seeing Uchiha Itachi pass by, Danzo Shimura was stunned, "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be dealing with the enemy?"Uchiha Itachi said coldly, "The enemy can fly and has specific methods to counter me. Staying behind is useless.""Then what about your Susanoo...""My ocular power consumption tonight has been too great; I cannot manifest it."Danzo Shimura did not believe him and ordered forcefully, "I order you to stay and help Konohaseize the Rinnegan.""Don't have such a big appetite; it's easy to burst your stomach." Uchiha Itachi glanced at DanzoShimura's bandaged right eye. He didn't know what to say; did he really think the Rinnegan was that easy to snatch?"Can I interpret that as... you speaking for the enemy?""No, I am advising you not to rashly create a powerful enemy for Konoha."It didn't matter if he courted death himself, but it would be bad if he dragged Konoha down with him. Having said that, Uchiha Itachi ignored DanzoShimura's words and turned to leave.At this time... his younger brother should be coming back soon. Uchiha Itachi couldn't help but quicken his pace."Bastard!"Watching Uchiha Itachi's retreating figure, DanzoShimura's face looked ugly. The chess piece was becoming increasingly uncontrollable..."Lord, since the Uchiha Clan has already perished, why don't we make its destruction even more thorough?"The subordinate's suggestion was quite tempting to Danzo Shimura. To summarize simply, DanzoShimura had two life goals.One was to become the Hokage and completely suppress the Third Hokage. The second was to inherit his teacher's will and destroy the Uchiha Clan. Seeing that the second goal was still missing the last two heads...Danzo Shimura thought for a long time, but ultimately shook his head and refused. "Konohaneeds Uchiha Itachi to shoulder the blame. If Rootkills him, the blame will fall entirely on Root... This is unfavorable for me becoming the Hokage."The blame for the clan's destruction was simply too great; even Danzo Shimura needed someone to help carry the burden. The Root group prepared to continue lurking and watching the battle.Suddenly, a roar came from the sky. "Rats in the gutter, who gave you permission to spy on me."All the houses and buildings floating in the sky turned, and all of them smashed toward Root."Protect Lord Danzo!" Several Root Ninjas stood in front of Danzo Shimura, forming hand seals to jointly perform Earth Style: Earth Wall!The erected rock walls collided violently with the falling houses and buildings.*Boom! Boom! Boom!* The massive sound spread across most of Konoha, and the stirred-up dust covered the sky.Uzumaki Naruto understood the "no injury in smoke" law very well. Flying over at high speed, he used Shinra Tensei to clear the path. Uzumaki Naruto intended to take advantage of the fact that this body could still hold up, to kill Danzo Shimura in one fell swoop and eliminate a source of danger for his future life.As for Obito... that dog was truly hard to kill; he would deal with him next time.*Boom! Boom! Boom!*It felt like three giant hammers striking the ground violently. The earth cracked inch by inch, stones splattered everywhere, and a giant crater appeared in the middle.At the edge of the crater, Danzo Shimura and three surviving Root Ninjas crawled out of the ground in a sorry state; as for the rest of the Root Ninjas, they had all perished.The loss this time was so great that Danzo Shimura felt a bit of heartache.
Chapter 25: Ugly Survival"Damn it...""My lord, the enemy is chasing us.""Run! Run into the Village, there will be Ninjas to deal with him."In times of crisis, one's true nature is revealed.Danzo, who spoke grandly and advocated for self-sacrifice, ran faster than anyone when it was his own life on the line.He didn't consider how much damage his act of running into the Village would cause to Konoha if Naruto was insane enough.Of course, it's also possible that Danzo had already considered it.But in his eyes, only he could lead Konoha to its peak, and his sacrifice would be the greatest loss for Konoha. As for the sacrifices of others... they were merely insignificant costs on the road to success.The chase continued.Boom!Boom!Boom!Under attack again and again, Naruto's ocular power and Chakra were rapidly depleting."Damn it, I guess I'll have to wait until next time, though I don't know how many years that will take."Realizing the chase was hopeless, Narutolamented, "What a failure. I didn't manage to kill Obito, nor did I kill Danzo."He had truly experienced the consequences of trying to have it all.If he had focused on killing Danzo from the start, Danzo would have been gone long ago....In the devastated Uchiha Clan Grounds, Obitonarrowed his eyes in thought, "Di... who exactly is he?"A character who appeared out of thin air without any warning.He was hidden too well.If White Zetsu hadn't accidentally captured that strange puppet, he might have never known that another pair of Rinnegan existed in the world.Thinking about the future when the Akatsuki would collect the Tailed Beasts, another organization might be executing a larger plan in the shadows.Obito could not accept this."The Eye of the Moon Plan cannot afford any mistakes. I must find out the identity of Di and eliminate all interference..."The only clue was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."It seems... I need to find an opportunity to test the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki..."Obito secretly made up his mind.A scolding came from the sky."Obito! Kneel and die!"Naruto, who had been chasing Danzo, flew back.Obito quickly assessed his own state: his body was aging, his stamina was poor, and his ocular power needed time to recover.There would be no decisive victory; neither could do anything to the other.He immediately said, "Old man, keep the Rinnegansafe for me; I will come to collect it when the time comes."After delivering his harsh words, the space vortex twisted, and Obito disappeared.Having scared off Obito, Naruto changed direction, flew to the sky above a nearby ruined street, and found the corpse of White Zetsu.After such a huge hassle, almost losing his life, he had to earn something back."Wait, help me take her away too." The Shadow stretched out its body, pointing its finger at a female corpse on the ground."She looks familiar, what's her name again... Oh, I remember, the tragic Uchiha Izumi, who went blind loving a filial son... Why do you want Uchiha Izumi's corpse?""I'll tell you later, just help me take it first.""Fine."...The commotion in the Uchiha Clan Groundsattracted the attention of all of Konoha.Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu, who had been prepared, led a team of elite Ninjas and rushed toward the Uchiha Clan Grounds, filled with killing intent.On the way, they encountered Danzo, who was running away alone and in a disheveled state. Their hearts sank, and they had a bad premonition."Where is the enemy?""They are..." Danzo turned to look back at the sky, discovering that the enemy had long since disappeared, but he had been too focused on fleeing to notice."The enemy is extremely powerful." Danzochanged the subject as if nothing had happened, saying with grief, "The elite Ninjas of Root have been wiped out this time."Utatane Koharu's face turned ugly, "The strength of the Uchiha is actually this powerful...""It wasn't the Uchiha; the Uchiha have already perished. It was a strange Ninja who possessed..."The Rinnegan—was this a topic he could talk about?After a brief thought, Danzo decided he couldn't say it. The Rinnegan was an important bargaining chip for him to become Hokage; he couldn't just give it away.Just like the Rinnegan he encountered in the Land of Rain back then, Danzo intended to hide it this time as well, instead saying, "He possesses a very powerful flight ability and threw heavy objects from high altitude, killing many of my subordinates.""Is that all? Danzo, are you deliberately hiding something?"Homura Mitokado felt something was wrong; the Root members were all elite Ninjas, how could they have been sacrificed so easily?Danzo's face darkened, as if he had been greatly insulted."Mitokado, what do you mean? In your eyes, am I, Danzo, someone who would deliberately withhold information and disregard the interests of Konoha?"Utatane Koharu hurriedly tried to smooth things over, "Danzo, that's not what Mitokado meant; you misunderstood."Homura Mitokado was frightened by Danzo's expression and quickly apologized, stating that he had spoken out of turn.Danzo didn't dwell on it, but rather resentfully asked, "Where is Hiruzen? Why haven't I seen him?"I was being hunted, and you didn't come to save me...Danzo felt that his bond with the Third Hokagewas perhaps just that."The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki has gone missing, and Hiruzen has gone to look for the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."It was obvious that the Third Hokage didn't want to be associated with the extermination of the Uchiha at all, staying as far away as possible....In the forest, where Naruto usually trained, the Third Hokage brought specially trained sensory Ninjas to search for Naruto's tracks.The Third Hokage asked, "Any clues?"The Jonin of the Inuzuka Clan, Inuzuka Tsume, apologized, "Sorry, Hokage-sama, the Jinchuriki... seems to have disappeared into thin air."The Jonin of the Aburame Clan said, "To be precise, it looks more like he flew away."The Jonin of the Hyuga Clan indicated that he also thought the same."Does it have anything to do with the one flying in the sky tonight..."The Third Hokage fell into deep thought....The battle between Naruto and Obito had made a mess of the Uchiha Clan.This caused a small problem for Itachi.He wanted to provoke his younger brother.But the scene of the clan's destruction, the dead clansmen, and his parents' violent deaths had been ruined.It could still be used, but it just didn't feel stimulating enough.What to do?It doesn't matter, I have a short video, guaranteed to be authentic and stimulating enough.The thoughtful, good brother Itachi specifically left the Clan Grounds and intercepted Sasuke on his way home from school.He gave the bewildered Sasuke a brutal beating.—Tsukuyomi!Then, he insanely played the famous scene of his parents' death to Sasuke over and over again.Boom!He kicked the mentally shattered Sasuke, who slammed heavily into the wall.Itachi said coldly, "You are not yet worth killing... My foolish younger brother... If you want to kill me... hate me! Detest me! And then live on in an ugly way! Run! Run... and cling to your pathetic life!"Looking at the figure of Uchiha Itachi as he gradually walked away, Sasuke, who had been acting like a spoiled child in his brother's arms just yesterday, let out a hoarse, sorrowful howl."Uchiha Itachi! I will kill you! Ahhhhhh!!!"The night was as black as ink, and shadows obscured the light.In the Land of Fire, on a barren mountain far from Konoha, Naruto leaned against a tree, closing his eyes to rest.The Shadow crawled out of Naruto's pocket, looking up at Naruto's tired face, its eyes full of guilt and apology.Sorry, it was all because of my problem...
Chapter 26: Human Body Modification"I'm sorry, Naruto. This is all because of me...""It's not entirely your fault. We just had bad luck this time."The General's voice echoed in Ying's mind.Ying was a bit surprised. "You're actually comforting me?"Ever since they were born, the two had been constantly sabotaging each other.Not to mention Ying, who, by virtue of having the dominant setting, often took the credit for good things while making the General take the blame.The General seemed devoid of emotion, like a stiff puppet, but for some reason, he always subconsciously wanted to mess with Ying.Ying wasn't used to the General suddenly offering comfort like this.The General was silent for a moment. "But the main problem is that you're too weak, and could only wait for Naruto to save you."Now Ying was used to it. She didn't retort, but instead nodded and said, "You're right. We are too weak... so we need to change."She walked over to Uchiha Izumi's corpse and examined it.Aside from the hole where the heart was, the rest of the body was intact. With some repairs, it should still be usable."Any ideas?"Hearing this, Ying turned around and said, "You're awake. Aren't you going to keep resting?"Naruto smiled. "No need. My body is much stronger than yours, and much stronger than I imagined."The Uzumaki bloodline, the vitality of the Rinnegan, and the Nine-Tailed Yang Chakra... the three merged into one, allowing Naruto to recover at an extremely fast speed.In just under ten minutes, he had already recovered more than half of his stamina.Standing up, Naruto stretched and asked, "Can you tell me now... what do you want Uchiha Izumi's corpse for?""Naruto, you've probably already guessed, right?""Now I'm sure."Clearly, Ying wasn't content with remaining a wooden carving. She wanted to switch to a human body and become a human in the true sense.Ying asked expectantly, "So, does Naruto agree?"Naruto hesitated. "I... haven't decided yet. Let me think about it carefully first."Naruto was actually supportive of Ying becoming a real person, as that had been his plan for the future anyway.However, Naruto had concerns about Ying becoming a real person right now—how would he hide her?Hiding a wooden carving was difficult enough before; hiding a real person now... it was simply impossible! She would be discovered by Konohasooner or later.Ying asked curiously, "Wouldn't it be fine if we just left Konoha?"Naruto shook his head and rejected the idea. "No. You have no experience traveling in the Ninja World, and you're weak, so you'd easily get into trouble.""I mean both of us leaving together."Seeing Naruto look stunned, Ying knew he hadn't considered this question yet, so she continued, "Anyway, the people in Konoha don't treat you well, they send people to monitor you all day, and you don't like Konoha either... Isn't now the perfect chance to leave Konoha?""That's true, but..." Naruto frowned in deep thought. "Give me some time to consider it."The Hokage Building was brightly lit, with people coming and going.The heads of Konoha's various Ninja clans and the main Jonin received an emergency order and quickly gathered in the conference hall.The Third Hokage sat at the head of the table, his face pained as he announced two pieces of unfortunate news.First, the destruction of the Uchiha."Uchiha Itachi colluded with outsiders to massacre the entire Uchiha clan, with only Uchiha Sasukesurviving..."The conference hall was in an uproar.Are you kidding? The dignified Uchiha, a top-tier noble clan on par with the Senju... destroyed just like that? And at the hands of one of their own?It felt so fake, so unreal.After confirming the news was true, the heads of the various clans felt a sense of shared grief; if even the Uchiha couldn't guarantee their family's safety, then they...Hiashi felt this most deeply. As fellow dojutsu clans, the Hyuga and Uchiha had always been secretly competing.Now that their rival, the Uchiha, was destroyed, the future of the Hyuga was worrying.The clan could not follow in the footsteps of the Uchiha... Hiashi secretly decided that the Hyugawould keep a low profile from now on. They would not seek merit, only to avoid mistakes. They would do whatever the Third Hokage said, minimize any schemes against Konoha, and if they really couldn't help it, they had to be extremely careful not to let Konoha catch them.Before everyone could recover from the shock of the Uchiha's destruction, another bombshell dropped.The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is missing!"An unknown person infiltrated Konoha and took the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. There are currently no reliable leads..."Many well-informed Ninjas present already knew about this, but many more had just found out.Then they lost their composure."The Uchiha destroyed, the Jinchuriki missing... Is heaven trying to destroy our Konoha?""It's not that bad, we are still here in Konoha, but Konoha has indeed reached its most dangerous moment.""Why did it suddenly become like this?! Who is targeting our Konoha?!"The Uchiha and the Jinchuriki were both pillars of Konoha's strength; lacking either one would be a major blow.Losing both at once...You're really something, Hiruzen Sarutobi.Some Ninjas couldn't help but question the Third Hokage.Have you fulfilled your responsibilities as Hokage? Do you still have the ability to continue as Hokage? You...The questions became increasingly dangerous. Shikaku hurriedly tried to smooth things over: "Everyone, this is not the time to assign blame. The important thing is to find the Jinchuriki; we can discuss other matters later."The Third Hokage took off his Hokage hat, his face grim. "It is my dereliction of duty. I will give you all an explanation later... Now, I implore you all to put this aside for the moment, unite, and overcome the current crisis."Since the Hokage had said so, the others had no choice but to let it go, otherwise... if you don't appreciate the gesture, just wait to be retaliated against.Everyone began to discuss the next steps.Naruto thought for a long time and rejected Ying's proposal to leave Konoha."I'm really too weak, unable to even defeat a mere idiot, and it's easy to die young in the dangerous Ninja World. So, just in case, I think it's better to keep laying low. I don't need to be invincible, but at least I need to be safe.""Ying, don't look so disappointed yet. Just because I'm not leaving Konoha doesn't mean you can't. I have a win-win method, and this might just work..."Under Ying's puzzled gaze, Naruto used a Kunai to cut a small piece of flesh from the White Zetsu's corpse and stuffed it into the wound in Uchiha Izumi's heart.He activated the Rinnegan and cast Kamimusubi.Green essence of life fell into Uchiha Izumi's corpse.The next second, the gruesome wound healed, the pale complexion became rosy, the cold body regained its warmth, and there was even a faint breath.However, she would never wake up because she had no soul; right now, she was at best a vegetable.She only had biological instincts, but no consciousness.Immediately after, Naruto cast Ukanomitama.A white soul essence containing the appearance, figure, body shape, and height data of the Raiden Shogun fell into Uchiha Izumi's body."Change for me!"— Kamimusubi!Catalyzed by a large amount of life essence, the cells grew and divided at high speed, bones broke and regenerated...On the outside, Uchiha Izumi's body expanded violently, then quickly shrank.After repeating this several times, just as the life essence Naruto had accumulated was about to run out.The human body modification project was finally completed according to the designed blueprint.
AI Model: gemini-3.1-flash-liteChapter 27: Head of the Six Paths Celestial Maidens — Deva Path · Raiden EiWith this, the human body modification project for Uchiha Izumi was finally completed and stabilized according to the pre-designed blueprint... No, it should be said now that the body of the Raiden Shogun had finally stabilized.Looking at the body on the ground that had the exact same figure and appearance as her own, Ei was stunned for a moment. "Is this... my body?""That's right, do you like it?""I li..."Like hell I do. You're the one who likes it, right?Ei couldn't help but pout.Naruto didn't mind and continued with his next step.He lifted the eyelids of the Raiden Shogun, met her gaze with his Rinnegan, and shot a golden light into her eyes.Naruto said to Ei, "Can we start now? I'm preparing to extract your soul. Are you ready?"Ei nodded and said, "I'm ready."— Human Path · Soul Extraction!The wooden statue's eyes lost their luster as Ei's soul left the wooden statue and entered the body on the ground.A few seconds later, her eyelashes fluttered, and Ei opened her eyes, revealing dreamy, gorgeous purple pupils.Ei stood up, looked at her hands, and murmured, "Is this a human body? It feels completely different from before..."Naruto smiled and said, "Does it feel like you're alive?"Ei placed her hand on her chest. "And a heavy feeling."Due to the previous modification process, the clothes on Ei's body were all tattered.White, red—everything that should and shouldn't be exposed was fully visible.Naruto said calmly, "It's a good thing. Other girls would be jealous to death if they saw it.""I feel it's a bit troublesome; it hinders movement.""It doesn't hinder you, and it's great. Think about your signature move..."Signature move? Musou no Hitotachi?No! It's the Milky-Scented Blade!This nickname... it was in Ei's memory, so she instantly understood what Naruto meant. She glared at him and said, "I don't accept that lewd name."Naruto looked serious. "Actually, I don't accept it either!"Ei nodded, satisfied.Seeing this, Naruto smiled and said, "I've bestowed upon you some special abilities of the Rinnegan to protect yourself in the Ninja World... You can try to sense them; you should be able to feel them."Ei closed her eyes, and a minute later, she opened them, revealing a pair of Rinnegan identical to Naruto's.Floating in the air, Ei reached out her hand.— Shinra Tensei!A violent repulsive force crushed the nearby flowers, plants, and trees into smithereens, leaving a large crater in the ground.Landing on her feet, Ei touched her eyes and asked Naruto, "What is this?""Deva Path!"Naruto solemnly announced, "Ei, from today on, you are the head of my Six Paths Celestial Maidens — Deva Path · Raiden Ei!"...After a night of turmoil, dawn finally arrived.At the Konoha Hospital, the Third Hokage came to the ward to visit Sasuke.Sasuke had not woken up; he was sleeping on the hospital bed, his face looking terrifying and contorted, sweat streaming down his forehead, as if he were having some terrible nightmare.The attending physician on the side reported, "This child's body has no problems, but his spirit has suffered a severe trauma; I fear it will leave some sequelae."The Third Hokage said, "Is there no way to cure him?"As for the last Uchiha bloodline, the Third Hokagedid not want anything to happen to him.The doctor shook his head and said, "There is no very good method; we can only rely on him to pull through it himself. We doctors can at most play an auxiliary role."The Third Hokage sighed, "Then do your best..."Walking out of the ward, an Anbu hurried over to report—the few Anbu responsible for monitoring Naruto had woken up."At that time, the Jinchuriki was about to go home, and we were following nearby. Suddenly, there was a great force from behind, a sharp pain in our bodies, and when we woke up, we were in the hospital ward.""Then did you see the enemy's appearance?""We are very sorry, we...""Alright, rest easy."How could they rest easy?Losing the Jinchuriki... the crime was simply too great; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to execute these few Anbu directly.Even if they weren't executed, after committing such a huge mistake, they would hardly have a chance to continue as Anbu.Thinking of their bleak future, the mood of the few Anbu couldn't help but become heavy.Ibiki Morino had no intention of caring about the Anbu's feelings. He put away his records, kept a cold face, and came outside the ward to report the interrogation results to the Third Hokage.— Aside from further confirming that the enemy possessed means to control force fields, there was basically no other progress, which was of no help in finding the Jinchuriki."Thank you for your hard work."After a word of comfort, the Third Hokage returned in disappointment to the Hokage Office.Not long after he sat down, the Anbu sent an urgent report."The Jinchuriki has been found!"...Boom! Boom! Boom!The Nine-Tailed's violent aura spread for several miles, and the feeling of evil and hatred made all living creatures feel oppressed.The partially Tailed Beast-transformed Narutoseemed to have fallen into madness, without a shred of reason, letting out beastly roars and crashing wildly through the mountains and fields.Rocks, big trees, hills...Crashing all the way, Naruto's body was covered in wounds, but under the nourishment of the Tailed Beast Chakra, it recovered quickly.Ninjas from the Inuzuka, Aburame, and Hyugaclans formed a sensory squad and followed closely behind Naruto.Looking at the scene around them that looked like a hurricane had passed through, they all thought in unison, "It's a good thing it's not in Konoha..."If it were in Konoha, who knows how many Ninjas would have sacrificed themselves for this.After tracking for another ten minutes, the HyugaNinja who had been keeping his Byakugan active suddenly said, "Has the Sealing Squad not arrived yet? There is a Village ahead of the Jinchuriki. If we don't stop... He changed direction!"The Ninja from the Inuzuka clan said in surprise, "Could it be that the Jinchuriki still retains consciousness?"The Ninja from the Aburame clan said calmly, "It's not impossible, but it could also be a coincidence."Tap, tap, tap...A burst of rapid footsteps sounded, and the Third Hokage personally led the Sealing Squad and rushed here.The Nine-Tailed was right before his eyes. The Third Hokage let out a long sigh of relief in his heart and praised the sensory squad, "Well done. You found the Jinchuriki and rendered a great service to the Village."The sensory squad respectfully said, "This is what we should do.""The Village is fair. Merits must be rewarded, and faults must be punished. This time, I'll count it as an A-rank mission for each of you."An A-rank mission is a mission related to the trends of a country or the Village, with a reward between 150,000 and 1,000,000 ryo.An A-rank mission each—it could be said that the reward was very generous.If the Jinchuriki hadn't been so important, the Third Hokage might not have been willing to give it....After determining the direction and estimating the route, the Sealing Squad set up a barrier in advance, and Naruto foolishly crashed into it.Inside the barrier, the Third Hokage held his Adamantine Staff and said in a deep voice, "Naruto, wake up. Do not let the beast dominate your heart.""Roar!"A flash of human-like struggle flickered in Naruto's eyes, but it was quickly dominated by beastliness. Then, the beastliness disappeared, humanity began to dominate, and subsequently, it turned back into beastliness...Humanity and beastliness cycled back and forth, dizzying to behold.Seeing this, the Third Hokage was not worried but happy instead.
At seven years old, he is already able to contend with the Nine-Tailed for control of his body. When he grows up, Naruto will surely be able to completely suppress the Nine-Tailed, and perhaps even become a Jinchuriki as powerful as Lady Uzumaki Mito..."Thinking this, the Third Hokage's heart was filled with anticipation. He encouraged, "Naruto, keep going, you will definitely be able to defeat it."Seemingly drawing strength from the Third Hokage's words, Naruto truly overpowered the Nine-Tailed.The crimson Tailed Beast Chakra flowed back into his body, and the fox-like features on his physique gradually faded away."It's the old man..."Naruto looked at the Third Hokage wearily, then collapsed and fell unconscious.The Third Hokage said with relief, "Good child..."The group took Naruto and returned to Konoha.Three days later.Konoha Hospital.Facing the Third Hokage's kindly inquiry, Narutofrowned in recollection, speaking in an uncertain tone."That day I was on my way home when I suddenly heard a noise. Then, I don't know what happened, and I passed out.""When I woke up, I found an old man carrying me as we flew through the sky. I was scared and struggled with all my might, then accidentally fell and passed out again.""When I woke up, the old man was right in front of me...""Who was that person? I don't know. I'm confused too, I don't know why he suddenly found me..."Half an hour later, he saw the Third Hokage off.Naruto lay on the hospital bed, his consciousness sinking into the Sealing Space."Kurama, do you think I can fool Konoha?"Naruto was somewhat lacking in confidence.Although he felt his acting skills were top-notch, he was not a professional actor after all, and he didn't know if he could fool the group of old foxes in Konoha.The thousand-year-old Nine-Tailed narrowed its eyes: "What is there to worry about? If you can't fool them, just leave Konoha and go become a rogue ninja.""Do you really want me to become a rogue ninja?"When they first met, the Nine-Tailed, out of a desire to take revenge on The Fourth Hokage, often instigated Naruto to defect.Now...Thinking of The Fourth Hokage, the Nine-Tailedlooked at its sharp claws, then looked down at Naruto, and fell into silence.Naruto sensed that the atmosphere was off: "What's wrong?"The Nine-Tailed sighed inwardly and muttered, "It's nothing. Try not to become a rogue ninja. Being alone is weak, and in the end, it's just too dangerous.""Yeah, I know."The Uchiha Clan had been wiped out, and the Jinchuriki had been lost and then returned.Regarding these two matters, the upper echelons of Konoha discussed them repeatedly and finally reached a decision.The Uchiha would shoulder the blame for the Uchiha, with Uchiha Itachi bearing the primary responsibility.However, given that the scapegoat was too heavy, Uchiha Itachi alone was not enough. They needed to sacrifice a high-ranking official of Konoha to appease the dissatisfaction of other ninja clans.The King of Scapegoats, Danzo, was the most deserving candidate, because it was originally led by Danzo, so pinning the blame on him was not slander.Thus, the Third Hokage disbanded Root and ordered Danzo to go home and reflect.The blame for the Jinchuriki being lost and returned was not significant, because he had been found.The key point was how to handle the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki from now on.This could only be decided by the Hokage.Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu suggested—don't waste time with school, directly control the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, conduct separate training, and forge him into a combat force.The Third Hokage refused, saying: "No, Naruto is Minato's child. We have already failed Minato, we cannot fail Minato's child again."Utatane Koharu said solemnly: "As The Fourth Hokage, Minato was always a man of great righteousness. I believe he will definitely understand us."The Third Hokage naturally did not believe her nonsense and still refused."The Jinchuriki will possess power sooner or later. There is no need to rush the training. Therefore, what is important is his character, and his bonds with the Village..."Three days passed in a flash, and Naruto was discharged from the hospital.Discharged at the same time as him was Sasuke, who was cold from head to toe.'What a truly pitiful child...'At the hospital entrance, Naruto looked sympathetically at Sasuke beside him, having ended up with a brother whose thought process was different from normal people...But it has nothing to do with me.Naruto had no intention of striking up a conversation and stepped forward to leave.An arm blocked Naruto's path, and Sasuke said coldly: "Do you know something?""What would I know?"Naruto looked confused."The look in your eyes just now was exactly the same as it was a week ago..."Sasuke's eyes were gloomy.A week ago, his family was happy, and his life was perfect, but a week later, his family was shattered, and the entire clan was wiped out.Yet Naruto had always looked at him with the eyes of someone looking at an orphan, as if he had long foreseen his plight.Naruto was speechless: "You are really too sensitive..."It was just a small look, yet you actually remembered it until now."Answer my question!"Sasuke stepped forward, wanting to grab Narutoby the collar, but Naruto reacted quickly, slapping his hand away with a smack."If you want to talk, then talk properly. Don't go around touching people."Naruto explained: "I have already explained the matter from a week ago to you, and I have apologized... Looking at you just now was only because I heard some things about you at the hospital."Sasuke was unwilling to believe it: "Is that all?"Naruto retorted: "Then what do you think I should know?""You..."You should have foreseen what was going to happen to the Uchiha and told me in advance, allowing me to avoid that outcome.But Sasuke knew that this was just an unrealistic wish; it was impossible to happen in reality."Don't look at me with those eyes again. I don't need your sympathy."Sasuke regained his composure, warned Naruto, and then turned to leave.Naruto frowned in thought, "What he said... makes sense."Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you.As an orphan for two lifetimes, Naruto also didn't like others looking at him with sympathetic eyes, making it seem like he was inferior to others.At the Ninja Academy, Naruto and Sasuke walked into the classroom one after the other.Sakura, Ino, and other girls in the class ran over one after another, bypassing Naruto to arrive in front of Sasuke, their faces filled with worry and concern."Sasuke, are you okay?"The matter of the Uchiha had spread throughout all of Konoha, and they were all very worried that their idol wouldn't be able to bear the blow.Sasuke pushed the girls away and coldly scolded: "Get lost!"He had no spare time to deal with these women because his future life only had one goal—to become stronger, and then kill that man!"Sasuke..."Some girls were worried; their idol had become so cold.However, there were also some girls who were into this; they held their faces in their hands, their eyes sparkling with hearts."Sasuke is even more handsome!""Naruto, how are you? Are you okay?"Naruto returned to his seat, and Choji, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Shino came to greet him.They were all boys, forming a stark contrast to Sasuke's side.However, Naruto didn't care; if anything, he preferred it. He smiled and said: "I'm fine. See, here I am at school, aren't I?"Shikamaru and the others didn't continue to ask. As members of ninja clans, they vaguely understood that matters involving Naruto were extremely sensitive.If they could avoid talking about it, they tried to avoid it.After chatting for a few moments, the bell for class rang, and everyone dispersed to their respective seats.