The Raikage is personally coming to Konoha Village.
In the past, when the Yellow Flash was still alive, the Raikage would never have been so presumptuous.
He would have led a large number of Kumogakure elites, cautiously entered the Land of Fire, and even sent envoys in advance to negotiate with Konoha Village to ensure the initiative in the talks.
But now... Konoha Village is no longer the Konoha Village of yesteryear.
According to intelligence from Kumogakure spies, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox Incident several years ago caused heavy losses to Konoha Village; the Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself, and the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, resumed his position.
The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is nothing more than a three-year-old child, posing no threat.
The Uchiha Clan and Konoha Village's higher-ups are mutually suspicious, with undercurrents surging within.
Such a Konoha Village is no longer worth the Raikage's extensive efforts.
Therefore, he only brought his trusted aides, the sensory Ninja 'Shi' and the Storm Release Ninja 'Darui'.
Coupled with an elite squad of over twenty Kumogakure Jonin, the Raikage entered the Land of Fire without any reservations.
Inside the Hokage Building, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep puff from his pipe, his brows furrowed deeply.
"The Raikage came personally… and brought over twenty Jonin?"
Koharu Utatane, standing by his side, said in a low voice, "This is no longer just the standard for negotiations; it's more like a display of deterrence."
Homura Mitokado said coldly, "Kumogakure probably wants to use this opportunity to exert pressure and force us to hand over the 'Masked Man.' But the problem is… we don't even know who the 'Masked Man' is."
"No matter what, Konoha Village cannot show weakness, but we also cannot provoke the Raikage."
Hiruzen was silent for a moment, then slowly exhaled a smoke ring.
"Let's welcome them first… and see what the Raikage truly wants."
However, neither the Raikage nor Konoha Village's higher-ups could have possibly imagined—that the "Masked Man" who annihilated the Kumogakure envoy, abducted Hyuga Hizashi, and even openly provoked the Raikage… was actually Uzumaki Naruto, a mere three-year-old from Konoha Village?!
Naruto was still surprised by the Raikage's swift actions, but fortunately, he had already received his reward.
"Ding!"
"Congratulations to the Host for completing the main mission: Hizashi's Death!"
"Reward obtained: Opened the Ten Thousand Realms Lottery Channel and gained the Stand ability 'Crazy Diamond'!"
In addition, this also came with it.
"Ding!"
"Congratulations to the Host: Established a bond (Level 4) with the original character 'Hyuga Hizashi'!"
"Points obtained: 200 points!"
The points were not many, but it was understandable, after all, Hyuga Hizashi was a character who had already died in the original work before the story even began.
At a time when the relationship between Kumogakure and Konoha Village was at its most tense, second only to war, Naruto, as the culprit, returned to his days of training and spending time with the Uchiha Clan's young lady after settling Hizashi.
A few days later, with Kumogakure Ninja stationed outside Konoha Village and Konoha Village's alert level at its highest, Naruto understood that the Raikage was in the Hokage Building discussing matters with Konoha Village's higher-ups. Therefore… to completely resolve this matter, and also to indirectly make that "terrifying identity" famous throughout the Ninja World, Naruto was about to take action.
Hokage Building, negotiation room.
The heavy wooden door was tightly shut, and sunlight from outside streamed through the gaps in the window, cutting lines of alternating light and shadow across the long table.
The Raikage, A, sat opposite Konoha Village's side, his muscular arms resting on the table, knuckles slightly white from suppressed rage.
Beside him, Shi sat upright, while Darui leaned back lazily in his chair.
On Konoha Village's side, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, clasped his hands on the table before him; to his left, Homura Mitokado pushed up his glasses, and to his right, Koharu Utatane slightly furrowed her brows.
Finally, the Raikage broke the silence.
"So?"
His voice carried an undisguised sense of oppression.
"Are you refusing to acknowledge the contents brought by the messenger? My Kumogakure envoy was annihilated within the Land of Fire, the culprit was abducted, and that Masked Man, who hides his face, even arrogantly declared that he is in the Land of Fire!"
His fist slammed onto the table, and the thick solid wood groaned under the strain.
"A Ninja capable of annihilating Kumogakure elites by himself… dare you say this isn't a Konoha Village conspiracy?!"
Facing this aggressive interrogation, the Third Hokage slowly exhaled a smoke ring and responded calmly and soothingly, "Raikage-sama, we are equally shocked by the attack."
"But if Kumogakure accuses Konoha Village based solely on speculation, isn't that… too rash?"
A cold smile played on the Raikage's lips.
"Rash? According to the intelligence brought back by my sole surviving subordinate, that Masked Man displayed a technique suspected to be a Space-Time Ninjutsu—and Konoha Village, coincidentally, possesses such a forbidden Jutsu, doesn't it?"
"Third Hokage, are you still going to insist that this is just a coincidence?"
The Third Hokage was silent for a moment, the flame in his pipe flickering slightly.
"This intelligence, after all, is just the one-sided account of a survivor."
"Raikage-sama, you know better than anyone how incredibly difficult it is to master Space-Time Ninjutsu.
Therefore, is there another possibility that the remaining survivor was subjected to Genjutsu? And the Masked Man's true purpose was to frame Konoha Village and instigate conflict between Kumogakure and us?"
Just as the Raikage was about to speak again—
"Boom—!!!"
A deafening explosion suddenly erupted, shaking the entire Hokage Building.
Teacups on the long table clattered, tea spilled out, spreading a stain across the tabletop.
Everyone abruptly stood up, their chairs scraping against the floor with a harsh sound.
The Raikage's muscles instantly tensed, and the Lightning Release Chakra on his body erupted uncontrollably, blue-white electric arcs crackling on his skin.
His first reaction was—is Konoha Village trying to ambush him?!
But when his gaze swept across to the opposite side, he saw the Third Hokage's equally shocked expression.
On that wrinkled face, his aged eyes were wide.
It wasn't them…?
The Raikage forcefully suppressed the urge to strike first, his fists clenching with a cracking sound.
The next moment, the door to the negotiation room was violently flung open, and a Konoha Village Ninja stumbled in, his forehead covered in cold sweat, his breathing so rapid he could barely utter a complete sentence.
"No, this is bad! Hokage-sama!"
His voice trembled slightly with fear.
"An attacker has invaded Konoha Village!"
"What?!"
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado exclaimed simultaneously, their faces filled with disbelief.
Attacking a Ninja Village? This far exceeded the scope of a normal conflict—this was an act of war!
"Who is it?! Which Ninja Village's Ninja dares to—"
The Konoha Village Ninja swallowed hard, then struggled to utter the name.
"It's… it's a man wearing a fox mask! He…"
"He explicitly stated that his target this time is the Raikage!"
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