Menma slightly lowered his head, reminding Naruto below who was facing a great enemy: "Be careful. These puppets aren't quite the same as the ones you've dealt with before."
Naruto, hearing the voice, looked up at Menma. Though still stunned by the earlier Shinra Tensei, he was soon roused to fighting spirit by the current crisis.
He took a deep breath, forcefully pushed off the tower wall with his legs, and shot up to be level with Menma, similarly sticking to another tower's wall. He patted his chest forcefully, a vigorous, spirited smile appearing on his face as he loudly declared:
"Hmph! Don't worry! Leave a scene like this to me, Uzumaki Naruto!"
Before his words faded, his hands formed seals rapidly and skillfully before his chest, Chakra surging violently within him.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
Poof poof poof—!
In an instant, white smoke exploded in over a hundred spots in the narrow spaces between towers, on the high tower walls, and on suspended bridges connecting towers!
As the smoke cleared, over a hundred shadow clones identical to Naruto appeared, cramming the area to the brim!
"Oooh oooh—!!"
"Let's go!"
"Smash these tin cans!"
The shadow clones let out noisy, energetic shouts, like a bunch of overly excited street thugs. Without waiting for the original's command, they howled and actively pounced at the attacking combat puppets!
Naruto's original stood steadily on the tower wall, hands on hips, a hint of smugness on his face. He turned his head to look at Menma still floating beside him, lifting his chin, his tone carrying a bit of showing off: "So? My Jutsu is amazing, right? One person is an army!"
However, his pride didn't last long.
These humanoid combat puppets, powered by Ryumyaku energy, manufactured and enhanced by Mukade, far exceeded Naruto's expectations in combat capability.
They moved swiftly. Faced with the swarming shadow clones, they either fired dense showers of kunai and shuriken from launchers on their arms, forming deadly metal storms, or shot purple Chakra Beams from their chests or foreheads, with extreme penetrating power… if hit, a shadow clone would immediately vanish in white smoke.
More troublesome, these puppets seemed to possess a degree of coordinated combat ability. A few puppets working together could easily seal off the shadow clones' dodging space.
Although Naruto's hundred-plus shadow clones were fearless, under this efficient and cold mechanical slaughter, they quickly fell into a passive state. Their numbers visibly plummeted at a rapid rate, explosions of white smoke rising one after another.
"Damn it! Why are these things so tough and fast?!" The smugness on Naruto's face turned to astonishment and anxiety.
Menma observed the chaotic battle, his gaze returning to the somewhat embarrassed Naruto beside him, laughing: "This is what you call 'amazing'?"
Naruto blushed slightly at the remark. He scratched his head, suddenly having an idea: "Right! I almost forgot this!"
He reached to his lower back, where a simple-looking short sword hilt was attached.
This was a Chakra Weapon specially given to each member of Team 7 by the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade before departure.
'Granny Tsunade said puppets might be troublesome. This sword, when Chakra is infused, can effectively cut the Chakra Threads controlling puppets.'
Naruto drew the hilt, took a deep breath, and infused his own Chakra into it.
With a light hum, the front end of the hilt immediately extended into a roughly one-meter-long, pale blue, semi-transparent Chakra Blade. The blade vibrated slightly, emitting a pleasant energy hum.
"Good!" Naruto's fighting spirit reignited, light bursting in his eyes again.
"Now watch me!"
He pushed off the tower wall with both feet, shooting out directly towards the back of a puppet that was chasing one of his shadow clones.
Naruto raised the Chakra Sword high, aiming at a spot on the puppet's back that seemed like an energy node and Chakra Thread convergence point, and slashed down forcefully!
"Break!"
However, the Chakra Sword passed through as if cutting air. Naruto didn't feel any feedback of severed Chakra Threads.
"Huh? How come…" Naruto was stunned for a moment, looking at the still-glowing blue sword in his hand, then at the unharmed puppet before him, somewhat confused.
'Were these puppets not controlled by Chakra Threads?'
In that moment of distraction, the surrounding combat puppets had already detected his 'original' presence!
At least a dozen puppets instantly changed direction, the emitters on their arms glowing with dangerous light!
Swoosh swoosh swoosh—!
Dense kunai and shuriken enveloped Naruto like a storm!
Several purple Chakra Beams also shot from tricky angles, blocking most of his dodging routes!
"Crap!" Naruto was shocked, hurriedly swinging the chakra sword to block.
The blade clashed with metal ninja tools, producing crisp sounds, sparks flying.
He twisted and turned awkwardly in mid-air, dodging the deadly rays.
But there were too many puppets. The attacks were like a raging storm, relentless.
Sssshhk!
A kunai grazed past the outside of his thigh, drawing a line of blood.
The pain made Naruto's movements falter slightly, and in that instant of opening, more attacks followed!
He was about to be overwhelmed by the puppets' onslaught!
At the critical moment—
Swish!
A golden streak of light cut into the battlefield as if teleporting!
Naruto only saw a blur before his eyes. A warm yet firm force wrapped around his waist, then a pulling sensation accompanied by spatial fluctuations followed!
The next moment, all attacks hit empty air. Kunai and rays collided, exploding into a chaotic burst of sparks.
And Naruto had appeared on the platform atop another high tower dozens of meters away.
Naruto, now on solid ground and out of danger, was still a bit shaken. He abruptly turned to look at his rescuer.
What met his eyes was a head of dazzling, sun-like golden short hair, a handsome, gentle young face with a reassuring smile, and those clear, sky-blue eyes.
On the other party's forehead was the forehead protector of Konoha.
"Are you alright? Injured?" Minato asked, his tone gentle and concerned. His gaze quickly swept over the wound on Naruto's leg, and he relaxed slightly upon confirming it was just a surface wound.
"Ah… I-I'm fine! Thank you!" Naruto quickly straightened up, instinctively thanking him, but then remembered the other person on the battlefield. He anxiously pointed towards the direction of the earlier fierce battle.
"Right! There's another guy! He's still surrounded by those puppets! We need to help him!"
Minato followed Naruto's pointing direction. In that airspace, the black-haired youth was holding a black chakra rod formed in one hand, strolling through the puppet group as if on a leisurely walk.
His movements didn't seem fast, yet he always dodged all attacks.
Every swing, every thrust of the black rod in his hand accurately hit a puppet's core or joint connection point. With crisp metal shattering sounds, one expensive combat puppet after another disassembled like toys, parts scattering and falling from high above.
In a short time, the originally hundred-strong puppet group had thinned out considerably, a large area cleared around the youth.
Minato watched this scene, his eyes deep. He withdrew his gaze, speaking gently to the anxious Naruto beside him: "If you're referring to Menma, then you needn't worry. With the attack intensity of these puppets, they're far from capable of hurting him."
"Menma?" Naruto murmured the name. He looked at Minato, puzzled. "So his name is Menma? Is he… your companion, mister? Are you also sent by Konoha?"
Minato shook his head, his gaze once again carefully examining Naruto.
This youth before him wore strange orange and black clothing, had whisker-like marks on his face, and his Chakra gave off a massive feel.
Moreover, he could also sense a familiar feeling of closeness.
"You are also a Ninja of Konoha, right? But that Menma bears no Konoha markings."
Just then, two figures landed on the edge of the platform where Minato and Naruto stood.
They were Choza and Shibi.
Shibi adjusted his small sunglasses, reporting to Minato in a low voice: "Preliminary intel gathering complete. This city appears prosperous on the surface, but there are few actual living residents. Most areas are controlled by puppets and automated facilities. The populace seems to be under centralized management."
"That minister named Anrokuzan is likely the mastermind behind all this. His residence is exceptionally heavily guarded, with powerful barriers and numerous high-level puppets patrolling."
Minato nodded with a grave expression. The situation was worse than he anticipated.
Choza, meanwhile, kept his eyes fixed on the distant sky, where the last few puppets were falling like rain of parts.
The black-haired youth had dealt with all enemies and was now drifting down towards their platform as lightly as a feather.
Choza said solemnly: "That guy… is coming over."
Hearing this, Minato and Naruto simultaneously looked up.
They saw Menma slowly descend onto the edge of the platform, composed and untouched by dust, as if the earlier fierce battle had merely been brushing off a few specks of dust.
His gaze calmly swept over the four on the platform, finally settling on Minato and Naruto.
Naruto looked at the strange situation before him, then at the 'blond mister' who saved him and felt oddly close, then at the Menma opposite who claimed to be his 'brother' and was ridiculously strong. His mind was a tangled mess.
He couldn't help but speak up again, trying to clarify relationships: "Um… mister, did Granny Tsunade send you to support our mission?"
Hearing this, Choza and Shibi exchanged glances, a hint of surprise flashing in both their eyes.
Then they simultaneously cast questioning looks at their captain, Minato.
Minato's expression was exceptionally serious at this moment. He looked deeply at Naruto, 'The familiar Chakra feeling, the vaguely recognizable features…'
A guess was becoming clearer and clearer.
He looked at Menma again. The other also had a faint aura of spacetime fluctuation that seemed out of place with this world.
Through these two days of secret investigation in Roran, combined with ancient texts about the Ryumyaku's legends, Minato was now mostly certain: the Ryumyaku possessed the power to interfere with space-time.
And these two youths before him were highly likely to have come through the Ryumyaku from another point in time, or even another parallel world!
He took a deep breath, his gaze sharp as he looked at Menma, asking once more the question that had been lingering in his heart:
"So… given the circumstances now, who exactly are you? Where… are you from?"
This question instantly made the atmosphere on the platform even more tense and subtle.
Naruto also felt this unusual atmosphere. He glanced uneasily at Minato, then at Menma.
It was strange. He was clearly meeting both for the first time, yet both gave him an inexplicable, indescribable sense of familiarity and closeness, as if something deep in his blood was resonating.
Faced with Minato's question, Menma didn't answer directly. Instead, his gaze shifted back and forth between Minato and Naruto, as if appreciating some interesting play.
After a moment, Menma slowly spoke:
"Since you already have an answer in your heart, do you still not wish to acknowledge your son now, Namikaze Minato?"
His gaze finally fixed on Minato's slightly trembling blue pupils. He asked word by word:
"Is it fear of disturbing this 'predestined fate'?"
When Menma uttered the name 'Namikaze Minato', Naruto's entire body trembled violently. He whipped his head around, staring fixedly at Minato's young, handsome face. His clear blue eyes were filled with shock, bewilderment, and a tremor he himself hadn't noticed.
'The Fourth Hokage… Namikaze Minato… my… father?'
Naruto's mind went blank, almost unable to think.
He instinctively took half a step back, his breathing becoming rapid.
Upon hearing Menma's words, Minato's brows twitched uncontrollably.
He was indeed worried about causing unknown temporal paradoxes, worried about affecting this child's original fate trajectory, even worried about bringing unpredictable risks to Konoha, to Kushina.
But… if this vibrant blond youth before him was truly his child…
Then, who was this Menma, who bore 60% resemblance to Naruto, was young yet possessed such deep, unfathomable strength?
The scene fell into an eerie silence, only the faint mechanical whirring and wind whistling between the distant towers.
"Wait! You guys wait first!"
Naruto finally snapped out of the massive shock. He rushed between Minato and Menma, spreading his arms as if to separate the suffocating atmosphere between them.
He looked left at Minato's complex expression, then right at Menma's amused face.
"If you are Namikaze Minato… the Fourth Hokage…"
He paused, suppressing a sob in his throat, then turned to look at Menma, his eyes full of confusion and search:
"Then you… who are you?"
Menma looked at Naruto's blue eyes, filled with confusion and a thirst for answers. The playful expression on his face gradually faded.
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached into his chest and pulled out an item.
It was a forehead protector.
The style somewhat resembled Konoha's, but the central emblem wasn't the Konoha's leaf… it was a red five-pointed star.
Under the gaze of Naruto, Minato, Choza, and Shibi, Menma slowly tied this forehead protector onto his own forehead, pressing his black hair back, fully revealing his face.
At this moment, with the forehead protector properly worn, Menma standing side by side with Naruto, the 60% resemblance between them suddenly magnified to 80%!
Similar facial contours, similar nose bridges, even the stubbornness and spirit between their brows showed astonishing overlap!
The only significant difference was probably Menma's black hair and black eyes.
"Then, a formal self-introduction." Under Minato's suddenly constricting pupils and Naruto's incredulous gaze, Menma met their looks, slightly lifting his chin.
"My name is Uzumaki Menma."
He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over Minato's face, which paled a shade, finally landing on the utterly stunned Naruto.
"I am the eldest son of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and also your most beloved older brother."