The entire stadium erupted in an uproar.
The Konoha 12 stared in shock and disbelief.
The Jonin's eyes were filled with suspicion and anger.
The Third Hokage's chakra began to churn as he struggled to process what he had just heard. This Naruto was from another world. Why were his words filled with such malice towards Konoha? Was he also a Jinchuriki? What kind of past did he have?
Could it be that this world's Naruto Uzumaki will also become like that in the future?
The Third Hokage's mind reeled with too many questions and doubts, which finally coalesced into a single, overwhelming fury. No matter who it was, anyone who threatened Konoha was an enemy of the Leaf!
The Third Hokage stared intently at Naruto, his eyes quickly noticing the Konoha headband on Naruto's arm. He demanded, "Are you not a shinobi of the Leaf?"
On the ground, Naruto Uzumaki struggled to lift his head, looking at the strange Naruto with confusion. Isn't my dream to gain the villagers' acknowledgment and become Hokage? Why would I be so full of malice towards Konoha?
"The Naruto Uzumaki I know is careless, but he's an excellent ninja who yearns to become Hokage. This is definitely not Naruto Uzumaki. He's just an imposter," Kakashi said coldly, raising a kunai.
The Chidori in Sasuke's hand dissipated, and he moved to Naruto Uzumaki's side. "While I'm pissed that my fight was interrupted, I'm even more pissed that you're impersonating this idiot and tarnishing his name."
"Everyone…" Naruto Uzumaki was touched, his eyes welling up with tears. Feeling as if he had found his backbone, he roared at the other Naruto, "Hey, you ugly freak! Did you hear that? Stop imitating me!"
"Noisy." Naruto's expression was blank as he extended his right palm.
"Hado Number 33: Sokatsui."
An endless torrent of blue-white fire erupted from Naruto's palm, blooming in the sky like a firework before curving in a beautiful arc and hurtling towards Naruto Uzumaki. The intense heat warped the very air.
"S-So terrifying! What kind of jutsu is that?!" Naruto Uzumaki swallowed hard. In the face of such a technique, all he could do was wait for death.
"Earth Style: Multiple Mud Wall!" Kakashi hastily formed hand seals, and three mud walls rose to block the blast, each adorned with a cute little dog head.
The blast of fire descended. With a deafening roar, the first mud wall was instantly obliterated. The second was shattered in the next moment.
"Earth Style: Multiple Mud Wall!" The Third Hokage used the Body Flicker Technique to appear beside Kakashi, using the same jutsu.
BOOM.
Several more mud walls were instantly pulverized, kicking up a thick cloud of dust and smoke that slowly rose into the air.
When the smoke cleared, only the last mud wall remained, a crack running through its center, on the verge of collapse. A second later, the crack widened, and the wall crumbled to the ground.
The combined Multiple Mud Wall technique, used by the Third Hokage and the renowned Copy Ninja Kakashi, had barely managed to block a single, casual attack. Although the Third Hokage had acted in haste, the power of that jutsu was easily S-rank.
The entire stadium fell into a brief, stunned silence.
"Is that guy… is that guy really me from another world?" Naruto Uzumaki lay on the ground, his mouth dry. For the first time in his life, he had been so close to death. The intense heat still lingered in the air, the scorching flames having come so close to his face. His heart pounded in his chest. The other-world him looked to be about the same age, but their strength was worlds apart.
Swoosh.
Just then, Might Guy's figure instantly appeared behind Naruto, delivering a vicious side kick.
CRACK.
The sound of bone breaking echoed through the air, and Guy let out a pained cry as he was sent flying backward.
It all happened so fast that most people didn't even have time to react. They could only stare at Naruto, a cold smirk on his face.
Naruto was keenly aware of his own strength. His physical power alone far surpassed Guy's. If Guy didn't use the Eight Gates, he wouldn't last three rounds against him. However, considering the power of the Eight Gates, Naruto had struck preemptively, disabling Guy first. With one of their Kage-plus level combatants out of the picture, the threat Konoha posed to him would drop to near zero.
"He disabled a Jonin just like that. Is he really Naruto Uzumaki?" Not just the Konoha 12, but even the Third Hokage's heart began to fill with doubt. They glanced at their Naruto Uzumaki, who always looked a bit dim-witted. But this Naruto was confident and composed, with everything under his control. The stark difference in their demeanors made it difficult to connect the two.
"Wait, Naruto," the Third Hokage stepped forward, choosing his words carefully. "You are wearing a Konoha headband. Even if you are from another world, you are still a shinobi of the Leaf."
The Third Hokage could sense the terrifying power contained within Naruto. If this Naruto was truly from another world, then he should also possess the Nine-Tails. A Naruto like that was not someone Konoha could afford to provoke. This was the calculation and wisdom of a leader.
"What is your true objective? There should be room for negotiation."
Faced with the Third Hokage's attempt to de-escalate, Naruto didn't press his advantage. If he could achieve his goal without bloodshed, he naturally wouldn't choose a more troublesome method.
"My objective is simple. It's him." Naruto pointed at Naruto Uzumaki. "I want to take a part of the power within his body. His strength will not decrease because of it. In fact, in a way, it will be a good thing for him."
Hearing this, the Third Hokage's brow furrowed. "Is it the Nine-Tails?"
The Nine-Tails was Konoha's most important weapon of war. Without it, Konoha would surely be invaded by the other ninja villages. If Naruto's target was the Tailed Beast, then there was no room for negotiation.
"The Nine-Tails?" Naruto let out a disdainful scoff. "Of course not."
He slowly descended to the ground and looked at Naruto Uzumaki, his eyes filled with a mixture of arrogance and disgust. His next words were shocking:
"My foolish self, do you know that your current love for Konoha is all due to the influence of that power?"
The stadium was in an uproar. The Third Hokage's face changed drastically. Naruto Uzumaki looked completely bewildered, his brain clearly unable to keep up.
"In your childhood, you endured the malice of everyone. The entire trajectory of your growth was predetermined. Your beloved Grandpa Hokage intended to control you, to turn you into a fool who would sacrifice himself, desperate to become Hokage," Naruto said, a mocking smirk on his lips as he took an elegant step forward.
"Attack!" the Third Hokage roared.
The moment he heard those words, he knew. This Naruto was definitely not an ally of Konoha. He was an enemy! He knew all of Konoha's high-level tactics, and his every word was filled with malice towards the Leaf. From his words, it was clear that if he obtained that power, this world's Naruto Uzumaki might also come to hate the village.
The moment Naruto spoke those words, he had become an enemy of the Leaf! He absolutely could not be allowed to get near Naruto Uzumaki!
The instant the Third Hokage gave the order, all the Jonin present attacked.
"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu." But the Naruto in the center of the arena was unhurried. He elegantly drew Kyoka Suigetsu and let it go. The blade fell with a strange rhythm, shattering into mirror-like fragments that dissolved into the air.
Everyone's vision blurred for a moment, like ripples spreading across a calm lake after a stone is thrown in.
In the next instant, the Jonins' attacks had already arrived.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.
Countless ninjutsu exploded in the area where Naruto had been, blasting a crater more than ten meters in diameter. The Third Hokage had already taken Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke to the stands and released the Horin binding Naruto Uzumaki.
"Did we get him?" he asked, looking grimly at the thick smoke slowly rising from the arena. Such destructive power would be difficult for even a Kage-level shinobi to survive.
But then his expression changed drastically. "No, that's not right!!"
The smoke cleared.
Most of the Jonin in the arena were now lying on the ground, covered in wounds.
"A combined attack from a dozen Jonin. Is this Konoha's way of treating guests? How impressive," Naruto's mocking voice echoed in everyone's ears.
He then moved like a ghost among the Jonin. Soon, a deep, bottomless sword wound appeared on the chests of the remaining Jonin.
"Chidori!" The screech of a thousand birds rang out. In the next moment, an enraged Kakashi was upon Naruto, his Chidori plunging into Naruto's chest.
Splurt.
Blood sprayed everywhere, but Kakashi's pupils suddenly constricted.
His vision wavered.
The one his Chidori had pierced was another Jonin, Kurenai Yuhi.
Kakashi's hand, buried in Kurenai's chest, trembled, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Shlick.
A beautiful spray of crimson appeared. A long, deep gash stretched from the upper left of Kakashi's back to the upper right, flesh tearing open and blood gushing out. Kakashi's pupils dilated, and he collapsed to the ground.
"KURENAI!!" Asuma roared in anguish, stumbling forward to catch Kurenai as the light faded from her eyes, tears streaming down his face. "Kurenai! Kurenai!" he screamed, his voice raw, pressing his hand desperately against the wound in her chest, but the blood wouldn't stop flowing. Soon, the light left Kurenai's eyes, and she stopped breathing.
"KURENAI!" Asuma roared, clutching her tightly, his eyes turning to Naruto, filled with rage. He didn't understand. He was a shinobi of the Leaf, so why was he so heartless?
But what terrified him was that the perpetrator of all this, Naruto, had a warm, gentle smile on his face.
"You should thank me. Only death can sublimate love."
The blood dripped from the sword in Naruto's right hand, merging with the blood pooling on the ground.
"So, tell me, do you wish to avenge your beloved?"
Hearing Naruto's gentle inquiry, the fire in Asuma's heart was instantly extinguished, as if he had been plunged into an icy abyss. His entire body trembled. The way he looked at Naruto was now filled with terror. In his eyes, Naruto was a demon.
Everyone had been defeated. Even Kakashi. Could he really defeat him?
Of course not! He would only be humiliating himself.
But…! He had killed Kurenai! The love of his life had died because of him!
"I… I'LL KILL YOU!!!" he roared, standing up with Kurenai in his arms, his eyes bloodshot.
"Oh? You want revenge?" A playful smirk touched Naruto's lips as he leisurely wiped the blood from Kyoka Suigetsu. "Don't worry, my hand is steady. You can have a painless death and join your lover as a pair of tragic fugitives."
"You!!!" Asuma wanted to curse, to say something to bolster his own courage. But his teeth were chattering, and even his legs were trembling. A voice in his head was telling him that Naruto was invincible. If he attacked, he would die.
Finally, Asuma broke down. He collapsed to the ground, a look of cowardice on his face, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I'm sorry, Kurenai. I'm so sorry."
Faced with a choice between life and love, he had chosen life.
No one laughed at him, because in the face of such a terrifying Naruto, no one was confident enough to be a moth drawn to a flame.
"A wise choice," Naruto chuckled. He stepped over Asuma and slowly approached the stands where the Third Hokage and Naruto Uzumaki were.
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