An invader from beyond the world—
That level of threat might far surpass any internal conflict.
No matter how dangerous Naruto had become, he was still a problem within the shinobi world.
"Neji!" Sasuke's voice rang out with unprecedented resolve. The Six-Tomoe Rinnegan flared with violet light. "We deal with Shu first!"
Whatever disputes or ideological conflicts existed between him and Naruto, they had to be set aside in the face of an external threat.
It was the most basic survival instinct.
The instinct to protect the land beneath their feet.
Neji gave a firm nod, the azure glow of the Tenseigan surging skyward.
"Understood."
Without hesitation, the two transformed into streaks of violet and blue light, charging straight toward the exposed "invader"—Shu.
Outside the projection, the shinobi world erupted.
Panic. Anger. Disbelief.
The crisis they faced was not merely internal turmoil—it included predators from beyond their world.
The world was far more dangerous—and far larger—than they had imagined.
And the truth seemed to have only just begun to surface.
Inside the projection—
"Sasuke! Neji! What are you doing here?!" Naruto shouted, a flash of relief crossing his face. "That guy's an invader! He's no joke—be careful!"
Sasuke did not answer.
He attacked first.
"Amaterasu."
Black flames erupted toward Shu in a probing strike—but were blocked by a hardened layer of bark-like armor. The flames failed to take hold.
Neji was far more direct.
He immediately entered Tenseigan Chakra Mode—
"Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!"
A violent vortex of azure energy roared outward.
Shu sensed the overwhelming danger and did not dare take it head-on. He dodged instantly. The attack carved a massive abyss into the earth, splitting the battlefield with terrifying force.
Below the projection, chaos erupted.
"What the hell was that?!"
"Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion?! It split the ground like that?!"
"That's the Tenseigan's destructive power?! No wonder Neji said he could destroy the world!"
"The Sage of Six Paths wasn't exaggerating! That power's even more overbearing than the Rinnegan!"
"Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji—three against one! This is over, right?"
"Don't celebrate yet! That Shu clearly has more up his sleeve!"
"Show us the fight properly! Don't skip it!"
But the projection seemed to follow its own rhythm.
Just as the three joined forces and the battle was about to reveal the full extent of their trump cards—
The footage accelerated.
Fast-forwarded.
Details blurred into streaks of light. The speed increased at least a hundredfold.
Nothing was clear.
Across the shinobi world, disappointed groans rose in unison.
Those hoping to study elite combat techniques, those analyzing the invader's weaknesses, and even ordinary spectators hungry for spectacle—all were left frustrated.
"The projection does this on purpose!"
"It only shows us results and key information!"
"I'm telling you—someone's controlling what we're allowed to see!"
"The Sage of Six Paths?"
"Careful! Whoever controls this projection is beyond our speculation!"
At last, the projection slowed.
The scene stabilized.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji stood side by side.
Naruto looked battered. His clothes were torn, and he was holding a massive slab of roasted meat from who-knows-where, devouring it with grease running down his chin.
Sasuke and Neji appeared in better shape, though both were breathing slightly heavier than usual.
Their gazes were fixed ahead—
At the broken body lying amid shattered rock.
It could hardly be called human.
The skin bore wooden textures. From the torn sections, no blood flowed—only plant-like fibers and dried sap emitting a faint green glow.
Its torso was riddled with massive ruptures. One arm was missing. The head hung at an unnatural angle.
"We won," Sasuke exhaled slowly, the air tinged with blood. His voice carried fatigue—and the quiet pride of a victor. "We destroyed the invader."
Neji nodded, examining the remains carefully.
"It truly was an invader. This body structure… it's not flesh and blood."
That explained the abnormal regeneration—and confirmed its alien nature.
The immediate crisis was over.
As tension eased, questions resurfaced.
Neji turned toward Naruto, who was still stuffing his face.
"Naruto… how did you figure out his secret in advance?"
If Naruto hadn't exposed Shu's identity, they might still have been trapped in suspicion instead of uniting.
Sasuke turned as well, his Six-Tomoe Rinnegan locking onto Naruto.
"Naruto. Did you already know something? About these invaders? About the world beyond? Or even… why you're so determined to dismantle the shinobi system?"
He sensed it—Naruto's extremism was tied to something deeper.
Naruto simply nodded.
He confirmed it—
But said nothing.
Instead, he finished the meat in a few large bites. Then, under their increasingly impatient gazes, he calmly reached behind his waist and unsealed another even larger slab of fragrant roasted meat from a sealing scroll.
He began eating again—content, satisfied.
Sasuke's brow furrowed deeply.
Naruto's silence—and his focus on eating—only fueled the unease growing in Sasuke's chest.
He was about to press harder.
Suddenly—
Naruto stopped chewing.
He patted his visibly rounded stomach and let out a satisfied belch.
"Ahhh—full!"
Then he looked up.
He smiled.
It was a clean, radiant smile.
Bathed in the golden glow of sunset, grease still on his face, he looked—just for a fleeting moment—like the old Naruto.
The warm, goofy, unshakably optimistic Uzumaki Naruto they once knew.
Sasuke and Neji both froze.
Something soft stirred in their hearts.
A memory of better days.
But the illusion lasted less than a second.
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