Tobi stood motionless on the high platform overlooking the shattered hall, single orange-masked eye glowing faintly in the dim light. His black cloak hung still, no wind touching it, as if the air itself refused to approach him.
The Raikage exploded upward—body igniting in yellow lightning, chakra cloak flaring like a living storm. He crossed the distance in a blink, fist cocked back, air screaming around his knuckles.
Whoosh!
A's punch passed straight through Tobi's chest—nothing but empty space. Momentum carried the Raikage forward; he crashed into the stone wall behind the platform with a thunderous
BOOM!
Cracks spiderwebbed outward from the impact point. Cold mountain air rushed in through the fresh hole, carrying snowflakes that swirled into the hall like ash.
A pushed himself out of the rubble, armor dented, eyes wide with shock.
'What kind of power does he have!?' he thought, slowly turning back.
Tobi tilted his head slightly. When he spoke, the voice was no longer the playful, mocking tone of "Tobi."
It was deeper. Older. Colder.
"Madara," he said simply.
The name landed like a stone in still water. Ripples of disbelief spread across the faces of every Kage.
He continued without pause, voice calm and deliberate.
"I will unite all ninja nations into one. Not through peace. Through power. The tailed beasts will be gathered. Combined. The Ten-Tails will be revived. And when the moon rises, I will cast my genjutsu upon it—an illusion so vast, so perfect, that every living soul will see it. Infinite Tsukuyomi. A dream world. No war. No pain. Only peace."
Naruto, still leaning on the balcony railing, raised an eyebrow.
'Which kinda didn't make sense since most parts of the world wouldn't see the moon during the day. Then again, the moon is still visible sometimes during daylight… maybe that's what he was going for,' he thought.
Madara went on—explaining the Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo, the origins of chakra, the cycle of hatred, the failure of every attempt at peace. His words were measured, almost lecturing, as if he were speaking to children who should already understand.
The Kage listened in stunned silence.
When he finished, he glanced down at Naruto—single eye narrowing behind the mask.
"All you have to do is hand over the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails."
Tsunade shot to her feet so fast her chair tipped backward.
"We will never hand over Naruto to you for your sick plan!" she snapped. "That's not a peaceful world!"
Gaara stood as well—sand already shifting restlessly around his feet.
"Me neither," he said quietly. "Your idea of peace isn't peace at all."
A, still dusting rubble from his cloak, stepped forward again.
"Wait… Eight-Tails?" His voice was low, confused. "You mean you didn't take my brother?"
Madara didn't even turn to face him.
"No," he answered simply.
Then he continued as if the interruption hadn't happened.
"Hearing your refusal… I, Madara Uchiha, declare the Fourth Great Ninja War on you all. We will meet again on the battlefield."
The air around him spiraled—space warping in a black-and-red vortex.
He vanished.
The hall stayed silent for a long heartbeat.
Snow drifted in through the hole A had made. Lanterns swayed gently. Samurai guards held their positions, blades still drawn.
Naruto exhaled slowly through his nose, smile widening just a fraction.
'It's even better in real life.'
He leaped over the balcony railing in one smooth motion, boots landing silently on the stone floor below. Tsunade's head snapped toward him—mouth opening to ask where the hell he was going—but the other Kage immediately launched into urgent discussion about the war declaration.
Voices overlapped; the hall filled with strategy, demands, and barely-contained panic. Naruto slipped out unnoticed.
He walked through the side corridors—long, torch-lit halls of cold stone and iron reinforcements—following the faint, frantic pulse of Karin's chakra signature. She was close, hiding poorly behind a thick pillar near a shattered side entrance.
Naruto rounded the corner and leaned casually against the wall opposite her hiding spot, arms crossed.
"You… aren't very good at hiding, are you?" he asked, voice low and amused.
Karin yelped—jumping forward, red hair whipping wildly. Her hands blurred; senbon needles flashed through the air toward him.
Naruto didn't even shift his weight. A thin layer of wind chakra rippled outward like a shield.
*Shink-shink-shink.*
The needles deflected harmlessly—pinging off invisible barriers and clattering to the floor.
He yawned, long and exaggerated.
"That gets tiring after a few times, you know."
Karin's eyes widened, then narrowed in fury.
"What do you want?!" she snapped, fists clenched. "You're Sasuke's teammate—well, ex-teammate, right?! You don't know Sasuke! You don't know what he's gone through!"
Naruto tilted his head.
"Oh, and you do?"
She paused—mouth opening, then closing. Her voice dropped, shaking with anger.
"Yeah, of course I do! Do you know how much pain your precious Leaf village has caused him? Huh? No, you don't."
Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
'God, do I have to take her with me? Now I gotta deal with a girl who think "I can change him."'
In a blink he vanished—reappearing behind her so fast the air barely stirred.
His hand came down in a precise chop to the back of her neck—controlled, not cruel.
Karin's eyes rolled up. She crumpled like a puppet with cut strings.
Naruto caught her before she hit the ground, hoisting her limp body over his shoulder like she weighed nothing.
He turned and walked back toward the main hall—Karin's red hair dangling, arms swinging loosely.
Inside, the summit was wrapping up.
The Raikage stood, voice booming.
"We shall meet again. For now, let us return to our respective villages and prepare our troops."
Tsunade nodded, standing as well.
"Yes. I agree. If this really is Madara Uchiha… we should be prepared."
Delegations began to file out—Kage first, then attendants and guards. Naruto stood off to the side near the doorway, Karin still slung over his shoulder like a sack of rice.
As the crowd passed, Mei Terumī slowed. She stepped close—close enough that Naruto could smell her perfume (something floral and faintly smoky)—and leaned in.
She pressed a soft, deliberate kiss to his cheek—lips warm, lingering just a second longer than necessary.
"I'll see you later, Naruto," she purred, voice low and teasing, before gliding away with a sway in her hips.
Naruto touched the spot she'd kissed—feeling a slight, pleasant burn.
'That's what they mean when they say "hot lips,"' he thought.
Kurotsuchi walked past next—black hair swishing, cheeks still faintly pink from earlier. Naruto leaned toward her as she passed.
"Fly safe, shorty," he teased, winking.
She whipped her head around, face going crimson again.
"Shut up!" she hissed, then turned sharply and marched off—shoulders stiff, ponytail bouncing.
'Man… how big will my harem be? I do wanna recreate the Uzumaki clan, so I guess as big as humanly possible,' he thought.
Soon Tsunade, Kakashi, and Yamato approached, surrounding him at the doorway.
Tsunade's eyes zeroed in on the unconscious girl over his shoulder.
"Who's that? Red hair… she must be an Uzumaki."
Naruto shifted Karin's weight slightly.
"Oh, it's one of Sasuke's friends. I don't know—they forgot her somehow. So I decided to take her as our prisoner."
Tsunade stared at him for a long second—then sighed.
"Fine. You're in charge of questioning her. I need some rest."
She turned and walked away—shoulders tense, heels clicking sharply on the stone.
Naruto watched her go.
'Surprised she wasn't mad that I have another girl around me.'
Kakashi glanced at Karin, then at Naruto.
"You sure about this?"
Naruto shrugged.
"She's an Uzumaki. Sensor type. Might be useful."
Yamato just shook his head slowly.
They started walking—leaving the summit hall behind, snow crunching underfoot as they headed toward the waiting escorts.
Naruto adjusted Karin over his shoulder once more.
' Umm words. Man I genuinely do not know what to say at the end anymore '
TO BE CONTINUED