The Land of Water, with the momentum of thunder, integrated all the large and small nations of the Ninja World, finally achieving the unification of the Ninja World.
However, Minato, who should have been busy, was troubled by one matter.
Inside the Hokage Office, the lights were bright, and the atmosphere was somewhat anxious.
Kushina paced back and forth, her long red hair slightly disheveled from her hurried movements.
Her eyes were red, and her voice carried an uncontrollable tremor. "Minato, Naruto has been missing for three hours. He never stays out this late. Could something have happened to him?"
Her gaze was fixed on the scroll on the desk, which recorded Naruto's movements for the day. He had suddenly vanished while on his way home.
Minato sat in the Hokage chair, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest with a steady rhythm. No panic was visible on his face, only a hint of undetectable solemnity in the depths of his eyes.
He raised his hand and pressed down on Kushina's shoulder, his voice gentle yet firm. "Kushina, calm down. Naruto isn't an ordinary child. He's very clever, and he is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. His status is special, he won't easily run into trouble."
Naruto is not only his and Kushina's child, but also the key to maintaining the balance of the Ninja World. Nine-Tails's power is immense. If Naruto falls into the hands of those with ulterior motives, the newly unified Ninja World will surely descend into chaos once more.
The reason he remained calm was that he knew panic was useless at this moment. Only by finding Naruto as quickly as possible could the risk be minimized.
Minato stood up and walked to the window, looking at the sky gradually darkening outside. "I have mobilized thousands of ninjas to conduct a carpet search of Konoha and the surrounding areas, including the training grounds, the forest, and even the Ramen Shop he often frequented. But the strange thing is that no ninja has found any trace of him. It's as if... he vanished into thin air."
Kushina's body trembled slightly, and tears slid down her face, her eyes full of pleading. "Vanished into thin air? How is that possible? Even a ninja couldn't disappear without leaving a single trace. Minato, let's think of something else. We must find Naruto."
Minato gently wiped away her tears, sighing inwardly.
Of course he wanted to find his son immediately, but there were simply too few clues. The ninjas couldn't even capture Naruto's last trace of presence. This was definitely no ordinary disappearance.
A figure suddenly flashed through his mind.
Shun.
That man, who possessed the power to create planets and insight into the secrets of the Universe...
Perhaps only he could find the truth behind Naruto's disappearance.
"Kushina, you go home first and wait for news. Calm the villagers' emotions and don't let panic spread. I'm going to the Palace to ask Shun-sama for help."
Having said that, his figure vanished from the Hokage Building, suddenly appearing deep within the Palace of the Land of Water.
Shun stood with his hands behind his back, his black robe fluttering slightly in the evening breeze. His Six Tomoe Rinnegan spun gently, seemingly having anticipated his arrival long ago.
Minato's heart jolted. He quickly stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "Shun-sama, Naruto is missing. We have used all our power but cannot find any clues. I beg you to lend your assistance. He is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. If something were to happen to him, the Ninja World... I fear there would be some unrest."
A look of solemnity flashed in Shun's eyes. He consoled him, saying, "Minato, you are the Hokage. Don't panic when faced with trouble. Even if Naruto dies, I can resurrect him."
With that, he slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, six spinning tomoe appeared in his golden pupils.
Time Rewind!
Golden Chakra surged out from the Rinnegan, transforming into a streak of light that shot straight toward the sky.
Countless fragments of light and shadow reorganized and flowed in the air, quickly rewinding the past like a film played in reverse.
Minato held his breath, staring intently at the light and shadow, afraid of missing any clue regarding Naruto.
As the light and shadow flowed, the streets of Konoha gradually became clear.
In the image, Naruto wore a brilliant smile and waved hello to the villagers by the roadside. But just as he walked into a secluded alley, a sudden anomaly occurred.
Naruto suddenly stopped, his body trembling violently, and a painful expression appeared on his face.
His pupils gradually changed color. His originally clear blue eyes slowly turned pale purple, and the patterns of the Rinnegan appeared on the whites of his eyes, flickering with an eerie light.
"That is... the Rinnegan! Naruto... why does he have the Rinnegan?" Minato cried out in astonishment, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Immediately afterward, Naruto raised his head. The pain on his face vanished, replaced by a calmness and majesty unbefitting his age.
He stretched out his right hand, and a Spatial Gate slowly unfolded before him. Behind the gate was a chaotic darkness, where no scene could be seen clearly.
Naruto stepped into the Gate without the slightest hesitation. The Gate immediately closed, and his figure completely vanished in the alley.
Shun closed his golden Rinnegan, and the Projection screen dissipated. The Palace returned to its original tranquility.
"Naruto was controlled by the soul of the Sage of Six Paths. He used the Spatial Gate to teleport to another location."
"The soul of the Sage of Six Paths?"
Minato frowned deeply, his eyes full of confusion and incomprehension.
"Shun-sama, why would the Sage of Six Paths control Naruto? He was the savior of the Ninja World a thousand years ago, a deity who maintained peace. Why would he harm a child? Is Naruto safe now?"
Countless questions swirled in his mind. The worry of a father and the responsibility of a Hokage almost suffocated him.
Shun was silent for a moment, then slowly explained, "The Sage of Six Paths's Rinnegan's ocular technique should be the Pure Land. For over a thousand years, he has been hiding in the Pure Land, secretly absorbing the Chakra carried by ninja souls. Because we unified the Ninja World and ended the war, he controlled Naruto. He wants to resurrect himself to stop us."
"Naruto is the Chakra Reincarnation of Asura, the Sage of Six Paths's second son, from a thousand years ago. He contains pure Yang Chakra, and coupled with the power of Yang Nine-Tails, he is the most perfect resurrection vessel. But don't worry, Naruto is temporarily safe before he completes the resurrection ritual."
Minato's face instantly turned pale. He gripped the bronze pillar beside him, his fingers trembling slightly.
He had never imagined that Naruto would be dragged into such an ancient and dangerous conspiracy.
What exactly did the resurrection of the Sage of Six Paths mean? Was the peace that the Ninja World had just achieved about to turn into smoke?
Minato took a deep breath, his gaze becoming incredibly resolute. "Shun-sama, please tell me, where is Naruto now? I must go save him."