Sunlight reclaimed the rooftop, but the temperature was even colder than when the barrier had been in place.
In Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils, the pair of scarlet, highly oppressive goggles were clearly reflected.
The dark muzzle of the Bolter was aimed at his glabella.
He couldn't understand.
Seconds ago, they were comrades fighting side-by-side.
Now, the other party's killing intent was purer and more direct than Orochimaru's.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Several figures instantly arrived, surrounding Naruto and Yulian in a fan shape.
It was Anbu.
Their short swords were drawn, and the eyes beneath their masks were full of vigilance and hostility.
The Anbu captain, who was leading them, hoarsely shouted, "Uzumaki Naruto! Put down your weapon! Immediately stop your dangerous actions!"
Naruto didn't move.
He didn't even lift an eyelid.
He just stood there quietly, allowing the Anbu, who represented the Hokage's direct armed force, to surround him.
Yulian's massive blue body remained motionless, his gun barrel steady without the slightest deviation.
The killing aura emanating from the steel giant, refined from mountains of corpses and seas of blood, made the palms of the Anbu in the encirclement sweat with cold.
They vaguely knew that if Yulian truly intended to fire, they would have no way to stop him.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the tense scene before him, his aged face filled with weariness and bewilderment.
"Naruto... what are you doing?"
Naruto finally reacted.
He didn't answer the Third Hokage's question, but spoke in a flat tone, like someone reading out an indictment, without any fluctuation.
"According to the data collected by my Shadow Clone during the battle, over sixty percent of the civilian casualties caused by Orochimaru's invasion were concentrated in the eastern district of the Village."
He paused, his ice-blue eyes turning to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"And that is one of the main entrances to the Root base."
This sentence made Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart suddenly constrict.
Naruto continued to state coldly, every word striking the Third Hokage's fragile nerves.
"No Root members were dispatched."
"Danzo Shimura, the man who constantly claimed he would protect the 'Root' of Konoha with his life, sitting on the Village's most clandestine secret force, watched as the Village he supposedly protected was wantonly trampled by the enemy, completely indifferent."
"He wasn't protecting, Hokage-sama."
"He was waiting."
Naruto's words, like an invisible giant hand, choked Hiruzen Sarutobi's throat.
"He was waiting for you to die."
"Waiting for Orochimaru to clear all obstacles for him, including you, his inconvenient comrade. Then, he would step out as a savior, clean up the mess, and legitimately re-run for the Hokage position he had coveted for decades."
Naruto's voice suddenly sharpened, piercing directly into Hiruzen Sarutobi's soul.
"Now, tell me, Hokage-sama."
"What is the difference between a leader who tolerates a traitor and the traitor himself?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips trembled violently; he wanted to refute, but found his throat so dry that he couldn't utter a sound.
He could only look at Naruto with a gaze that was almost pleading, trying to awaken this child who had become so utterly unfamiliar with past warmth.
"Naruto, stop! Things aren't as you imagine! This isn't the way to solve the problem! Danzo, he..."
"Enough!"
Naruto interrupted him roughly, a sneer undisguised at the corner of his mouth.
"Your crystal ball can monitor the entire Village. Don't tell me you don't even know what your old classmate is doing. You know him very well, don't you?"
"You saw everything. You saw his ambition long ago, saw his clandestine dealings, and anticipated his choice to remain inactive today."
"You just... chose to tolerate."
"Again."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face turned ashen in an instant.
Naruto took a step forward, and the entire Anbu encirclement subconsciously recoiled half a step.
He leaned down, his voice lowered so that only he and Hiruzen Sarutobi could hear, his tone like a devil's whisper in his ear.
"Now, I'm giving you a chance to draw him out."
"Tell everyone that you are abdicating. And, you will publicly recommend him, Danzo Shimura, to become the Fifth Hokage."
"His ambition is his most fatal weakness. He will come out, impatiently."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was struck by lightning, his body rigid.
He stared blankly at the young man before him.
Not only did he see through everything, but he even calculated precisely how to exploit the darkest aspects of human nature.
How terrifying this was.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze passed over Naruto's shoulder, seeing Yulian's gun barrel that could at any moment spew destructive ammunition.
He met Naruto's eyes again, which could penetrate the soul, devoid of any emotion, scrutinizing him.
All his defenses collapsed at this moment; he knew he had no choice.
Hiruzen Sarutobi closed his eyes in pain, his aged face full of humiliation and powerlessness.
He used all his strength to nod with difficulty.
This nod drained all his spirit.
"Alright, I'll do as you say."
He agreed to this plan, which was nothing short of humiliating.
This was also the only way he could think of at the moment to buy time and strategize.
Seeing his compromise, the killing intent in Naruto's eyes slowly receded.
He straightened up, turned, and gave new instructions to the blue giant kneeling on the ground.
"Yulian, go home and rest."
"Yes, sir."
Yulian's damaged communicator crackled with a hoarse reply.
He slowly stood up, dragging his broken body.
But he didn't leave immediately.
The massive steel giant took heavy steps, walking a circle around Hiruzen Sarutobi and the surrounding Anbu.
With each step, he left a deep footprint on the slippery rooftop, mixed with coolant and oil.
The scent of steel mixed with death, the heavy, sluggish footsteps, made all Anbu members hold their breath, not daring to approach even an inch.
This was a silent warning.
After completing the circle, Yulian stopped in front of Naruto, rendered a standard military salute, and then his entire figure vanished in a spatial distortion.
It wasn't until the suffocating pressure completely disappeared that Hiruzen Sarutobi felt he could breathe again.
He gasped for air, his entire body drenched in cold sweat.
Naruto walked down from the rooftop, passing through the ruined streets.
The air was filled with the smell of blood, dust, and burning.
His Shadow Clones were efficiently directing the surviving Ninja in rescue, firefighting, and maintaining order.
Their actions were calm and orderly, far more efficient than the chaotic Anbu and ordinary Ninja.
The entire Village, after this catastrophe, was restarting its operations in a cold and efficient manner.
Evening.
The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky a tragic orange-red.
Naruto arrived at the Memorial Stone.
Sure enough, a silver-haired figure was standing there, lost in thought.
Kakashi Hatake.
Every time he experienced a fierce battle, he would come here to grieve for his fallen comrades and for his own powerlessness.
Naruto walked to his side, without saying any comforting words.
He took out a thick scroll from his embrace.
He handed it to Kakashi.
"Kakashi-sensei."
Naruto's voice was calm and unruffled, devoid of any emotion.
"Regarding the compiled information on 'Konoha White Fang,' and... the complete truth of the incident."
"As his son, and an Imperial... no, a Konoha warrior, you have the right to know who betrayed your loyalty."
Kakashi's usually listless single eye suddenly widened, staring intently at the scroll in Naruto's hand.
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