Inside the Hokage Building, the atmosphere was suffocatingly heavy.
The two advisors, Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado, looked at the thick stack of battle damage reports in their hands.
Their hands were trembling like leaves in the wind.
"This... this is a devastating blow to Konoha."
Homura Mitokado's voice was dry, as if he had aged ten years overnight.
Looking at those shocking numbers, he even felt a hint of regret.
If he had died on the battlefield like Danzo, perhaps he wouldn't have to face this precarious and desperate situation.
An Anbu squad leader appeared via Body Flicker, kneeling on one knee.
His voice beneath the mask carried an unmistakable fatigue.
"Hokage-sama, Advisors, the statistical results are out."
"123 civilians died due to building collapses and stampedes, with over 300 injured—but more serious is the loss to our shinobi forces."
He took a deep breath, his voice trembling.
"In this upheaval, a total of forty-six people were sacrificed, including Chunin and Special Jonin, with eighty-two injured."
"Furthermore... the Root base was completely destroyed, all classified data burned, and Lord Danzo along with his elite subordinates... were completely wiped out."
"The Anbu has also suffered over a thirty percent loss; our conventional combat strength is now severely depleted."
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his chair, the pipe in his hand long since extinguished.
He looked at the ruins outside the window in silence, his clouded eyes bloodshot.
But that wasn't even the worst news.
"There is also... an urgent report from the border."
The Anbu captain lowered his head even further.
"After learning that we suffered heavy losses, the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Stone have already massed troops at the border."
"They demand a public explanation regarding the Nine-Tails' whereabouts and a reasonable justification."
"Otherwise, under the pretext of maintaining the security of the Ninja World, they will jointly dispatch troops to the Land of Fire to assist the Daimyo in stabilizing the turbulent situation."
"That's just an excuse for them to take advantage of our misfortune!" Homura Mitokado said angrily.
"In addition, the Daimyo has also sent an ultimatum."
"He stated that funding for Konoha will be frozen indefinitely."
"Until we hand over the culprit, or... Konoha elects a new leader who can appease the public's wrath."
"Dammit! This is going too far!" Utatane Koharu slammed the table in anger.
"Without the Nine-Tails, without funding, and facing pressure from two major powers—it's all because of that damn brat! That damn Demon Fox!"
"Now even the Hidden Sand dares to kick us while we're down!"
"They claim everything was a conspiracy by Orochimaru and Uzumaki Naruto, and that they are also victims."
"Besides demanding the return of Gaara, they even dare to ask us for compensation!"
The Third Hokage slowly closed his eyes, as if his last bit of strength had been drained.
Wounded from within, facing strong enemies without, pressured by the Daimyo above, and the Nine-Tails lost below.
Konoha was now on the brink of life and death.
"Issue a bounty."
"Uzumaki Naruto is to be classified as an S-rank, extremely dangerous rogue ninja."
"Also, inform Jiraiya that he must find Tsunade as soon as possible."
"Only she can stabilize the Daimyo and the public's morale at a time like this."
At the Konoha gates.
Carrying his scroll on his back, Jiraiya took one last look at the devastated village behind him.
"Is this the outcome you wanted...?"
In front of a nearby bulletin board, a crowd of terrified villagers gathered.
Because the incident was too massive to hide, the Konoha higher-ups had no choice but to make part of the truth public.
Villagers were pointing at a newly posted emergency notice, occasionally letting out gasps of shock.
"That kid... is he really the Demon Fox?"
"He killed so many people, even an advisor was..."
"How terrifying... from now on, I'm staying far away from anyone with blonde hair!"
Sasuke walked past the crowd with a cold expression, turning a deaf ear to the civilians' gossip.
"Hey, Sasuke."
Jiraiya called out to him.
He reached into his robe, pulled out a small booklet stamped with the word "Confidential," and tossed it over.
"Catch."
Sasuke caught it instinctively.
This was the latest Bingo Book compiled by Konoha, usually reserved for Jonin and Anbu.
Sasuke flipped to the first page.
What met his eyes was none other than Naruto.
[S-rank Rogue Ninja: Uzumaki Naruto]
[Crimes: Assassinating high-ranking officials, slaughtering nobles, destroying Konoha, seizing the Nine-Tails, subverting the village...]
[Specialties: Various elemental ninjutsu, sealing techniques, Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, Multi-Explosive Tag Jutsu...]
[Bounty: 300,000,000 Ryo]
[Notes: Extremely dangerous! Anyone below Jonin rank should flee immediately upon contact!]
"Three hundred million Ryo..."
The Uchiha stood there, staring intently at that astronomical figure and the portrait of the youth with a gentle smile.
To him, that smile now seemed like a mockery of the world.
"Are you afraid?"
Jiraiya walked up behind him, his tone solemn.
"No."
Sasuke closed the booklet, clutching it tightly in his hand, his voice cold.
"I was just thinking... that dead last has already left me so far behind."
He turned around, the usual impulsiveness gone from his eyes, replaced by a near-obsessive calmness and longing.
"Let's go, Jiraiya-sensei."
"Konoha needs that woman right now, and I... I need power."
"I want to stand before him myself and ask him."
"How much blood must be shed to build his so-called 'New World'!"
And the truth about the Uchiha Clan!
But Sasuke didn't say those words aloud.
Because he had realized that others either truly didn't know or were being evasive.
Now it seemed only Naruto knew some of the inside story.
Jiraiya looked at Sasuke's back and smiled with relief.
This Uchiha survivor hadn't been broken; instead, he had become more mature and resilient.
It seemed no hardship could ever knock him down.
"Let's head out! Let's bring Tsunade back!"
Two days later, Konoha.
Two figures wearing black robes with red clouds and conical hats appeared silently at the entrance of the village.
Bells chimed crisply in the wind.
"Itachi-san, is this your hometown?"
Kisame Hoshigaki, carrying Samehada on his back, grinned, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth.
"Konoha... looks like it was just brutally ravaged."
Uchiha Itachi raised his head and looked toward the Hokage Rock.
The rock face that should have been carved with the heads of the past Hokage was now nothing but bare stone.
Collapsed houses and ruins under reconstruction could be seen everywhere in the village.
Even the habitually stoic Uchiha Itachi had a flash of unmistakable shock in his eyes.
"The Hokage Rock... was destroyed?"
His official mission at this time was to confirm the status of the Nine-Tails.
If conditions were right, he could also take it away directly.
His hidden objective was to intimidate Danzo and the Konoha higher-ups, reminding them that he was still alive.
But now...
The Konoha leadership was overwhelmed, and the entire village was in utter chaos.
The turn of events had completely exceeded his control.
The two wandered through the village.
Kisame looked at a newspaper he had swiped and let out a harsh laugh.
"Hey, hey, Itachi-san, take a look at this."
"S-rank Rogue Ninja Uzumaki Naruto, bounty of 300 million Ryo!"
"Crimes include... executing the Daimyo's relatives? Killing Danzo Shimura? Destroying the Hokage Rock?"
"This kid... he's even more extreme than we are!"
A glint of excitement flashed in Kisame's eyes.
"He's only twelve years old; is he some kind of monster?"
Itachi looked at the youth in the newspaper wearing glasses and a gentle smile, a storm raging in his heart.
Danzo is dead?
The culprit who had been pulling Konoha's strings from the shadows and indirectly caused the Uchiha massacre was actually killed by the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?
"It seems the situation has changed."
Itachi put down the newspaper, his tone calm.
"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki has completely lost control and has acquired extremely dangerous power."
"Let's go, Kisame."
"Since he's no longer in Konoha, there's no need for us to stay here."