"Earth Style: Mud Wall!"
Several ANBU and Hyūga shinobi responded instantly, walls of reinforced stone rising around their positions.
"Shadow Barrier Formation!"
Shikaku's shadow extended, linking with the ANBU captains to contain part of the growth.
"Expansion Jutsu: Full Defense!"
Chōza grew to giant size, arms wide to shield a squad from a falling tree trunk the size of a house.
"Eight Trigrams: Rotation!"
Hiashi spun sharply, a perfect sphere of chakra erupting around him. The compressed dome roared to life, deflecting every piercing root that tried to break into his formation.
Kakashi, who no longer had a Sharingan, responded quickly...
"Lightning Style: Thunderclap Blade!"
He sliced a thick root apart with a clean arc of crackling electricity.
And next to him
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!" Sarutobi Hiruzen roared as a serpent of flame coiled into the writhing forest, incinerating the vines clawing up toward his team.
BOOOOM!
The battlefield lit with fire, smoke, and screeching wood as technique after technique collided with Danzo's insane forest.
Hiruzen gritted his teeth, chakra flaring wildly as Enma transformed back into his beast form, ripping apart constricting roots with raw, animalistic strength.
"Danzo! You've gone mad!" the old Hokage shouted over the chaos.
From across the flaming ruins and twisting forest...
Danzo stood tall...expression calm and emotionless.
"Mad?" He tilted his head, as if genuinely curious.
"You still don't understand, Hiruzen. What I'm doing... is for the village."
And then he added with the calm certainty of a man who believed his delusion:
"To make Konoha great again."
"Lord Hokage-sama, there's no time to waste words on him anymore," Shikaku said firmly, stepping up beside Hiruzen.
His voice was calm, but urgent.
He had already figured it out.
The Third Hokage was still holding back.
And that wasn't good. Not for this kind of enemy.
"We finish this now."
Hiruzen gave a small nod with a sad expression.
And then...
FLASH—!!
Danzo's eyes barely twitched before the entire squad was on him.
Kakashi came in low from the side, lightning already crackling in his hand like a whisper of death.
"Lightning Style: Purple Fang."
The violet blade crackled through the mist, nearly invisible in the chaos.
Danzo's cloak tore as he twisted backward, forced to block the attack with a wave of wood, but it left him open.
"Shadow Possession Complete."
Shikaku's jutsu locked his feet just long enough.
"Partial Expansion: Body Smash!"
Chōza's enlarged palm slammed down from above, sending a shockwave through the forest floor as Danzo barely leapt out of the way—
Right into Hiruzen's waiting strike.
"Adamantine Staff: Extended Strike!"
Enma's staff caught Danzo across the ribs and launched him straight into a tree trunk, splinters exploding around him.
But even as he staggered, bloody and snarling—
The real threat was collapsing around him.
Because while the main squad kept Danzo occupied, the battlefield was shifting fast.
Fu Yamanaka's fingers blurred through another set of seals.
"Mind Body Disruption—"
He never finished.
Because Kakashi, who had disappeared seconds ago, appeared behind him like a shadow.
"...You let your guard down."
His hand plunged forward—coated in violet lightning and pierced Fu straight through the back.
The Yamanaka's eyes widened.
His mouth opened.
No sound came out.
He didn't understand why Kakashi, who had been fighting Lord Danzō just moments ago... suddenly turned to attack him.
'They're… consolidating their forces…' That was his final thought before darkness claimed him.
"Lightning Style: Purple Fang – Pulse Blade."
Fu dropped instantly, his body collapsing without resistance.
Not far away...
Torune had seen it.
"Fu—!?"
He hesitated for a fraction of a second.
And that was all it took.
Hiashi Hyūga stepped forward with deadly precision.
"Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists"
The chakra burst from his palms, two roaring constructs of compressed chakra slamming forward like divine punishment.
"Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm"
Torune, whose tenketsu were already sealed from the earlier clash, couldn't even raise his arms.
CRACK—!!
The twin fists struck him square in the chest.
Chakra ruptured. Ribs shattered.
Torune's body was launched backward, crashing into the trunk of a burning tree and falling limp.
He didn't rise again.
--
From the shattered remains of the burning trees, Danzo slowly pulled himself upright. Bark splinters crumbled off his cloak, and vines retracted slightly around him like twitching nerves.
His single visible eye turned sharply to the side—calmly.
He could feel it.
He was surrounded.
"I see..." he muttered, his voice low but clear beneath the crackle of flames.
"So you've been planning this."
His gaze drifted across the battlefield.
Fu and Torune… gone.
Their bodies lay broken among the roots, scorched and still.
The rest of Root...
Dragged down by the combined assault of ANBU squads and elite clan shinobi.
None of them answered.
Danzo turned his head slowly.
In one direction—Hiruzen and Kakashi.
To the right...Hiashi, his palms glowing faintly.
And behind—Inoichi, Shikaku, and Chōza forming their formation, ready to strike.
He was completely boxed in.
And that's when Danzo laughed wickedly.
"Hahahaha"
"…You've done well."
Danzo's hands began to move...forming a slow seal behind the folds of his cloak.
"But you've underestimated my resolve…"
--
Konoha — Uzumaki Household, During the Attack
BOOOOM!!!
The walls shook.
A cup fell off the table and shattered on the floor.
Naruto jumped so high, he almost knocked over a plant.
"WAAAH—Mom!! Are we under attack?! Is it the demon fox again?! The one they call me?!"
He flailed dramatically, clutching onto Kushina's leg like a tiny blond koala.
Kushina, who had been calmly chopping vegetables in the kitchen, didn't even blink.
She patted his spiky head with one hand while still holding a kitchen knife in the other.
"Relax, Naruto. It's probably just another idiot trying to mess with the village."
"…Another one?" Naruto blinked.
"Yeah. But don't worry," Kushina smiled, then gave a little wink.
"The village still has Lord Hokage—the strongest Hokage in history, y'know? He'll knock their teeth out before dinner."
Naruto's eyes lit up.
"That's right!! Believe it—DATEBAYO!!"
He punched the air three times, accidentally smacking the wall on the third swing.
"OW—!"
Kushina winced slightly but didn't say anything.
"Come on, Hokage! Kick their butts!"
Naruto was now jumping on the couch like it was a battlefield, flinging pillows like shuriken.
"...Ramen Beam! …Sexy Jutsu Ultimate Edition!"
"Oi—! Naruto! Don't use that jutsu name inside the house!"
Kushina smacked him lightly with a frying pan.
He yelped and dived under the table with a dramatic ninja tumble.
But then...
Kushina glanced out the window.
The smoke was still rising from the Hokage district.
Her smile faded for just a second.
"…Tch."
If anything happened to Naruto...
If any bastard tried to lay a hand on her son...
They were gonna get the Uzumaki special. Fists, chains, and zero mercy.
Naruto peeked up from behind a chair.
"…Mom? Why are your chakra chains glowing?"
Kushina froze mid-glare.
Then coughed and quickly turned off the killer intent.
"Eh-heh~! Nothing, sweetie! Just warming up in case someone needs a good beating, that's all~!"
Naruto tilted his head.
Then gave a thumbs-up.
"…You're the coolest mom ever."
Kushina blinked.
Then laughed.
"…Damn right I am."
--
Uchiha District — Emo kun's Residence
"Why can't I go outside?!" Sasuke demanded, glaring with his usual grim pout.
He'd heard the explosions and wanted to find out what had happened.
And now they were locking him inside like a child?
Well… he was a child, but still.
Standing between him and the door was a masked figure, dressed in full ANBU gear.
"I'm sorry, this is for your safety, Sasuke."
The ANBU spoke seriously, but inside... he was just as confused as the boy.
"The village is facing a grave danger right now. This is a direct order from Lord Third."
Sasuke frowned harder.
The ANBU kept a straight face.
Truth was… he wasn't even full ANBU. Just a special Jōnin temporarily assigned to guard duty.
He wasn't there to fight Danzo or clash with Root.
And between this and that?
He was kinda grateful.
'Life's hard for us nobodies,' he thought, sighing inside his mask.
He reached into his pouch to pull out a cigarette...
Then paused.
…Damn. Mom would chew me out for this.
He sighed again.
"…Kids these days."
Just as he was about to try convincing the little brat in front of him to go sit down and shut up—
SHLICK—!!
A blade burst through his chest.
"Ghh…!"
His eyes widened in shock. Blood dripped from his lips.
He looked down slowly at the sword protruding from his stomach…
Then turned—trembling—to see a man with short green hair, a black bandana on his arm… scar on his closed eye.
And a wicked smile.
"Minority Hunter Zoro… has locked his target. I'm sorry."
The man said casually, like this was routine paperwork.
"…Who… the hell…?"
The ANBU—Renji—choked out.
His eyes dimmed.
Darkness claimed him.
'Haah... so this is how I die, huh?
It's really nothing to brag about...'
His body slumped forward.
Obito—still wearing the Zoro disguise...let the body drop and turned his attention to Sasuke.
The Uchiha boy stood frozen in place.
"…Wha… what…"
But Sasuke quickly came out of his stupor, gritting his teeth as he began to form hand signs
Then froze.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Because the green-haired weirdo in front of him…
opened his eye.
The closed one.
The one with the scar over it.
And inside...
A Sharingan.
"…What…"
Sasuke's brain short-circuited.
Why the hell does everyone I meet have a damn Sharingan these days?!
First that masked man.
Now this sword-wielding lunatic who claimed to be "Zoro."
Obito, still thoroughly enjoying himself in full cosplay mode, smirked when he saw Sasuke's shocked expression.
"Damn it—who are you?! How do you have that eye?! Did you steal it?!"
Sasuke demanded, his voice rising.
But this time… he didn't charge in blindly like before.
He stepped back cautiously, hand slipping toward his pocket, clutching the small red item the masked man had given him earlier.
If this freak attacks… I'll use it.
Obito grinned wider.
"I'm Zoro… Uchiha Zoro."
Then he punched Sasuke in the face.
Followed by a solid kick to the gut.
Before Sasuke could react, Obito was already comboing him like a bored guy grinding a new account in Ninja Storm 4.
THWACK! SMACK! BAM!!
"GAAAAAH—!!"
Sasuke screamed in horror as he got tossed around the room like a training dummy.
And just like that… the Uchiha prodigy was laid out on the ground, bruised and breathless, face twisted in pain and disbelief.
His eyes burned.
His fists clenched.
"…Why…" he whispered.
Obito looked down at him.
Still grinning.
"Why? Because you're weak. And weak people…?"
He crouched slightly, voice low and cruel.
"Weak people don't get to ask 'why.'
They take what the world gives them… and shut up about it."
Then Obito turned.
And walked away.
Waving casually over his shoulder.
"Catch you later, brat."
"Wait… WAIT!! YOU BASTARD!!"
Sasuke roared, voice cracking with fury.
"I SWEAR I WON'T LET YOU GO—!!"
And finally—
Tears fell from his eyes.
Not just pain.
But rage.
Humiliation.
Confusion.
Powerlessness.
But then… Sasuke's trembling hand reached into his pocket.
He pulled out the red item.
Stared at it.
And swallowed it whole.
A sharp heat pulsed through his chest.
Then his limbs.
His head.
His eyes.
"...Ghhh—!"
His injuries started healing.
His vision sharpened.
Everything felt… different.
"Huh…? What's this…"
Sasuke muttered, blinking.
His eyes felt strange.
No, not strange—stronger.
Suddenly, he realized something. Without hesitation, Sasuke sprinted and went straight to the mirror.
There—staring back at him...was a crimson Sharingan, a single tomoe spinning slowly within.
He stood frozen, eyes locked on his reflection. Then his body began to tremble. One hand rose to his face as his lips twisted into a grin.
"Hahahaha!"
Sasuke's laughter echoed through the room—wild, breathless, almost unhinged. His heart pounded with excitement. He had done it. He had awakened the Sharingan.
After a while, the rush began to fade. He exhaled and steadied himself.
"…What was that thing?" he muttered, frowning as he recalled the mysterious item.
To think a single object could grant him this much power…
Next time, I'll ask him what he really wants from me, Sasuke thought darkly. If that guy can help me take revenge on Itachi...then I don't mind selling my soul to him.
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