[Konoha, Year 60.]
[An underground base somewhere in the Shinobi World]
The lighting was dim, casting flickering shadows on the walls.
Orochimaru's expression remained as usual. He had long known about everything Danzō had done to Yakushi Nonō and Kabuto.
To that, he could only say that Danzō was indeed full of low-grade malicious amusement. They were two obedient and promising seedlings—why force them to kill each other?
Wouldn't it have been better to cultivate them as pawns? Did he have to destroy them to be satisfied?
But... what was this about Kabuto returning to Konoha in the future?
This guy's willpower was really a bit shaky.
Still, for now, he was a decent enough assistant, and Orochimaru had no intention of doing anything to Kabuto—as long as he didn't betray him, he could do whatever he wanted.
Orochimaru extended his long tongue and licked his lips, a glint of amusement flashing in his eyes.
Kabuto returning to Konoha... what would that look like?
How interesting.
Kabuto also narrowed his eyes slightly, the corner of his mouth curving as if in a smile, or maybe a sneer.
'Heh!'
How interesting!
Under what circumstances would he return to Konoha?
Defeated in battle? Reformed by Talk-no-Jutsu? Or... placed under a Genjutsu?
And... 'Mother, why couldn't you recognize me?!'
Kabuto closed his eyes and took a deep breath, shoving the surging emotions back down into the depths of his heart.
Returning to Konoha would never be his choice. Power was the only goal he now sought.
Only power could ensure that he would never be used by anyone again, never be abandoned by anyone again.
---
[Team 3's location]
Guy stood on the training ground, hands on his hips, his green jumpsuit gleaming brightly under the sun.
He had gathered his three students together to watch the screen and enjoy the show.
Though he was thick-skulled and oblivious by nature, he had noticed that Neji's mindset had been off lately. The kid had been pushing himself relentlessly in training—and if he wasn't careful, not only would he fail to get stronger, but he'd also end up with long-term injuries.
So Guy had called Neji over with the intention of balancing work and rest.
Neji, on the other hand, didn't care when the screen mentioned him. He had finally found a way to surpass the Hyūga clan. Whether his father had died willingly or not, no longer mattered. What mattered was that he would follow his father's will and live as a free man.
Soon. He could already open up to the Third Gate now. Even if he couldn't match Guy-sensei, reaching Super-Kage level wouldn't be a problem!
By that time, if the Main Branch still refused to release the Caged Bird Seal, he wouldn't hold back. The screen had mentioned several ways to remove the seal—if he was strong enough, it wasn't impossible to try them.
---
[Timeline of the Third Great Ninja War, Sunagakure]
Sand and wind raged across the sky, yellow grains stinging painfully against the face.
The woman who had just returned to the village—Pakura—had her expression shift dramatically in an instant.
"The wielder of the Scorch Release Kekkei Genkai in Sunagakure was also set up and killed by the Kazekage!"
It wasn't hard to guess who that person was.
A Scorch Release Kekkei Genkai user worthy of being set up by the Kazekage... aside from her, who else could it be?
It was practically naming her directly!
But the question was—why would that bastard Rasa want to set her up? She was the "Hero of Sunagakure," who had rendered meritorious service to the village! Killing her would be like cutting off one of the village's own arms, wouldn't it?
Suddenly, Pakura seemed to realize something.
'Hero of Sunagakure!'
That was exactly the problem—she was the Hero of Sunagakure.
Heh. Rasa was afraid she was threatening his position, wasn't he?
She had fought tooth and nail for the village, only to be met with a knife in the back.
It seemed that Sunagakure had no place for her to stay. But where else could she go—somewhere that wouldn't fear Suna and would take her in?
Never mind that for now. The priority was to stay alive. As long as she lived, there would be a chance.
As for the other people across the various timelines of the Shinobi World, it was as if a whole new door had been opened to them.
So Shinobis weren't just tools—they could also fight back when faced with injustice?
If heroes could be betrayed, and loyalty could be repaid with treachery. Then when wronged, one should draw their sword and rise up!
---
The Sky Screen suddenly lit up again, accompanied by a low rumbling sound, and a vast expanse of forest was presented before the eyes of the Shinobi World.
On the screen, countless black threads burst from Kakuzu's body, firmly binding Kakashi, Ino, and Chōji in place.
"Hatake Kakashi... I was going to replace the hearts I lost with yours."
"But I've changed my mind. Replacing hearts is something I can do anytime." As he spoke, Kakuzu suddenly roared:
"Die!"
Two hearts emerged from his shoulders—one on each side—opening their massive jaws and unleashing a fatal attack at the three.
Just then, two voices rang out sharply!
"Wind Style: Rasengan!"
"Water Style: Ripping Torrent!"
"Hurricane Vortex Jutsu!"
A massive tornado rose from the ground in front of the three, wind and water intertwining to form a spinning barrier that swallowed both of Kakuzu's elemental attacks whole.
The fire was extinguished by water, and the wind was canceled by wind. Kakuzu's assault dissolved into a mist of water vapor, dissipating into the air.
"Sorry... we're late."
As the smoke cleared, the new Team 7 appeared instantly in front of Kakashi and the others.
At this point, Naruto already looked somewhat reliable.
---
[Konoha, Year 60. Land of Waves, at Tazuna's house]
Sasuke's expression was extremely unpleasant.
What the hell was this?!
It was the "New Team 7" once again—not only a fake Kakashi, but also a fake version of himself. Sasuke felt a wave of disgust churning inside him.
At least Kakashi was still there—only he was missing.
'Hmph!'
But he wasn't going to defect this time, so the one in there would eventually be him—the real one.
Still, what was Naruto's strength at that time? It seemed like that was still the period when the gap between them was at its widest, right?
Sure enough, they still required him to achieve a clean and decisive victory.
[Kakuzu was quite helpless in this battle. After working nonstop for seven days and nights, he first had one heart stolen by Kakashi, and then another one was taken out by Shikamaru using Hidan.]
[It's also worth noting that although each of Kakuzu's hearts could only use one type of attack, it was still clear that even so, each one was quite powerful. Even Kakashi didn't have an easy time dealing with them individually.]
[However, he was outnumbered and fatigued from prolonged combat, causing his intelligence to drop sharply. Although Naruto had only just begun to master the Wind Style: Rasenshuriken and couldn't yet throw it from a distance, the destructive power was still there. And after Kakuzu was stunned, instead of using his long-range Ninjutsu, he foolishly tried to deal with the part of Naruto that was using shadow clones to fake the Rasengan—so it was only natural that he got taken down.]
"Another bunch of weirdos have shown up." Kakuzu on the screen looked somewhat buzzed out.
"And he is pretty messed up already..."
It was only then that Ino and Chōji also noticed that Naruto was already covered in injuries.
"N-Naruto, are you okay?"
Naruto didn't answer Chōji's question, instead directly asking about Shikamaru's whereabouts.
"He's fighting another enemy somewhere else."
"I want two of you to head towards Shikamaru. Preferably, a long-distance fighter and a medic," Kakashi added.
---
[Akatsuki hideout]
Deidara suddenly burst out laughing. "Hidan, they really overestimated you, didn't they?"
"Who even needed reinforcements? A single Konoha Chunin—or was it a Genin—was enough to take you down!"
Hearing that, Hidan immediately flew into a rage. "You're just full of shit! And the screen is also talking nonsense! If you don't believe me, let's fight!"
"You were killed by a Konoha Genin," Deidara repeated gleefully.
"Fake! It's all fake! Come on, fight me, you bastard!"
"You were killed by a Konoha Genin."
"AAAAAAARGH!!!" Hidan threw his head back and howled, swinging his scythe wildly in the air and chopping down a stone pillar.
Rocks flew, dust billowed, and the hideout was left in complete disarray.
Pain sat expressionlessly in the corner, watching Hidan lose his mind, and let out a silent sigh.
'These idiots. Each one of them was more annoying than the last.'
Meanwhile, on the screen, Sai and Sakura had already followed the Shinobi Dog Pakkun to reinforce Shikamaru. Left at the scene were Kakashi, Yamato, Naruto, Chōji, and Ino—five of them against Kakuzu.
Unfortunately, Kakuzu only had three hearts left. Otherwise, one each would have been perfect.
Kakuzu stood at the edge of the crater. His tattered black Akatsuki robe had been blown to shreds, revealing his aged body covered in stitched seams. There were even large holes in his chest—marks left from two hearts destroyed by Kakashi's Lightning Blade. But his expression remained cold, his murky eyes seething with killing intent.
"I'll take it from here." Naruto stepped forward, standing at the front of the group. His right hand was still trembling slightly—a lingering effect from the Rasenshuriken's damage—but his gaze was more determined than ever.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Several Narutos appeared on the battlefield, surrounding Kakuzu.
Kakuzu's gaze swept over the shadow clones, finally settling on Naruto's real body. The corner of his mouth curled upward into a cold smirk.
Kakuzu: "Multiple Shadow Clones... I see. So you're the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki."
Before the words had even faded, one of the shadow clones charged at him. The clone was fast, its Rasengan aimed straight at Kakuzu's face.
But Kakuzu didn't even move his feet. A tentacle shot out from his sleeve, wrapped around the clone's neck, and with a light squeeze, the clone burst into smoke.
Seeing this, Naruto gritted his teeth, his hands moving rapidly through hand signs, and several more shadow clones appeared.
Naruto's real body raised his right hand, and several shadow clones helped him mold the chakra—a Rasengan forming in his palm. But this wasn't an ordinary Rasengan. It was the Rasenshuriken, bristling with sharp wind blades.
Wind Release Chakra spun wildly in Naruto's palm, countless tiny wind blades letting out piercing screeches.
Sweat formed on Naruto's forehead, veins bulging on his arm. The damage from the Rasenshuriken had already caused fine cracks to appear on the skin of his right hand.
"Wind Style: Rasenshuriken!"
Naruto roared, charging at Kakuzu with the Rasenshuriken raised high.
Kakuzu's pupils contracted slightly.
This thing looked like it packed quite a punch.
Unfortunately, just as Naruto reached Kakuzu, his Jutsu—still lacking in proficiency—missed its mark. Worse, he was caught by Kakuzu's tentacles and trapped.
"Naruto!"
Yamato's voice came from the side. His hands moved through hand signs rapidly, then he slammed them together.
His arm instantly transformed into an infinitely extendable wooden spike, thrusting toward Kakuzu.
At the same time, Kakashi's figure flashed into view.
His left eye—the Sharingan with its three tomoe spinning rapidly—and the Lightning Blade in his right hand had already been charged to maximum power.
With a flash of lightning, the tentacle holding Naruto was severed cleanly at the root, and Naruto crashed heavily to the ground, coughing a few times.
---
[Konoha, Year One. Cliffside outside the village]
Hashirama, Madara, and Tobirama stood shoulder to shoulder on the high platform, watching the battle on the screen. The young Sarutobi Hiruzen stood off to the side, eyes wide, staring unblinkingly at the screen.
Seeing Yamato use the Wood Release, Madara's eye twitched violently.
"Who is this Konoha Shinobi supposed to be? And is that really Wood Release?"
Hashirama was also stunned. He scratched his head and let out an awkward chuckle: "Uh... it looks like Wood Release, but it's not quite the same as what I use. It feels... a lot weaker."
Madara let out a cold snort: "You should ask your brother about that. Using your cells for experiments and producing something like that—what a waste of material."
His gaze fell back on Yamato, a hint of disdain flickering in his eyes.
That kind of Wood Release couldn't even compare to the surface level of Hashirama's.
The scene on the screen shifted.
Kakuzu was now analyzing Naruto's Jutsu and abilities.
'That Nine-Tails brat's Jutsu looks incredibly powerful. But as long as I don't let him get close, I'll be fine. Avoid close combat. And as long as I stay wary of the one using that Jutsu, there's nothing to fear.'
His train of thought was exceptionally clear.
The Rasenshuriken was devastating, but it required close-range contact to land a hit. Moreover, Naruto's proficiency was lacking, making it easy to dodge. So as long as he kept his distance and attacked from range with his tentacles, he would remain unbeatable.
On the opposite side, the five-member Konoha team had gathered in a huddle, quickly discussing their own strategy.
Kakashi's suggestion was for all five of them to gang up on Kakuzu—no need to take unnecessary risks.
But Naruto disagreed. He lifted his head, his eyes filled with unwavering resolve.
His right hand was still trembling slightly, but a figure flashed through his mind.
Sasuke in white—the one standing on the edge of the valley, looking down at him from above.
Naruto raised his head, his blue eyes burning with an unprecedented light.
Naruto: "Teamwork is certainly important, and I understand this is a very risky path. But right now, I want to break through this dangerous challenge on my own. If I can't make it through, I'll never be able to grow up."
His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried weight.
Hearing that, Kakashi paused, staring into Naruto's eyes for a few seconds.
"So please... don't take this path away from me."
With that, Naruto turned around, facing Kakuzu alone, and took a resolute step forward.
---
[Konoha, Year 60. Tazuna's house]
Sasuke leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets, watching the screen expressionlessly. Yet, for some reason, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
When had that idiot learned to talk like that?
Sakura noticed the change in Sasuke's expression and whispered, "Sasuke-kun, what are you smiling about?"
Sasuke instantly wiped the smile off his face and turned away. "I wasn't smiling."
Sakura pouted: "You definitely were."
Naruto himself scratched his head casually: "Uh... did I really say something that cool?"
Kakashi, flipping through his copy of 'Icha Icha Paradise' without even looking up, said: "You sure did. The future you is a lot more mature than the current you."
Naruto grinned: "Of course! I'm the man who's going to become Hokage!"
Sasuke glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, said nothing, but the slight curve at the corner of his mouth rose just a little higher.
*****
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