"He's… too strong." In the stands, the Konoha 12 watched, dumbfounded.
"Kurenai-sensei!!" The members of Team 8 were sobbing, their eyes filled with murderous intent as they glared at Naruto.
"This has to be a genjutsu, right?"
"Impossible. Did he really take out that many Jonin in an instant?"
"This has to be fake, right? How can this monster be so strong?" Cries of terror erupted from the stands as countless villagers began to flee in a panic. Curses were added to the chaos: "Damn that Naruto Uzumaki! Damn that monster! As expected, no matter what world he's in, he's a monster."
"It's all because of Naruto Uzumaki that this terrifying guy came here!!"
Hearing the curses, Naruto Uzumaki's eyes fell. He had worked so hard for over a decade, thinking he had finally earned everyone's acknowledgment. He never expected that this malice was so deeply ingrained.
"Those bastards! Naruto Uzumaki, don't listen to them! They're just spouting nonsense in the heat of the moment," Sasuke and Sakura said, a dangerous glint in their eyes as they heard their friend being cursed.
"Did you hear that, Naruto Uzumaki? This is the village's malice towards you," Naruto said softly, a confident smile playing on his lips as he observed the scene.
Seeing the bewildered look on Naruto Uzumaki's face, Naruto continued, "I endured all of this, just like you. The difference is, I broke free from their control, while you are living in a predetermined lie. Did you know that your beloved Grandpa Hokage is one of the masterminds behind your dark childhood?"
Feeling the suspicious gazes from those around him, the Third Hokage panicked and quickly shouted, "Don't believe a word he says! He is an enemy of Konoha!" He was cursing inwardly. What did my other-world self do to make this Naruto harbor such deep-seated animosity towards the Leaf?
"That's right! He's the enemy who killed Kurenai-sensei!" Kiba from Team 8 snarled.
Hearing this, the crowd's gazes once again filled with hatred for Naruto.
Naruto paid them no mind, letting out a soft chuckle. He swung Kyoka Suigetsu in a beautiful arc, flinging the blood from its blade. "You know nothing of Konoha's darkness."
His gaze fell upon Sasuke, a playful look in his eyes.
"Do you really think Itachi could have wiped out the Uchiha clan all by himself?"
At those words, Sasuke flew into a rage.
"Don't you dare say that man's name! Damn you! Chidori!!!"
He charged at Naruto, thrusting his Chidori forward.
Naruto effortlessly caught Sasuke's wrist. Bathed in the light of the crackling electricity, he revealed a gentle smile and whispered in Sasuke's ear, in a voice only the two of them could hear, "There's another reason for the Uchiha clan's destruction. A mere Itachi could not have annihilated the entire clan. Oh, by the way, Itachi is now a Kage-level rogue ninja in the Akatsuki. As long as you stay in Konoha, you will never catch up to him. Did you know that in my world, Sasuke already has the strength of a Jonin?"
Naruto released his grip. Sasuke's eyes went blank, and the Chidori in his hand fizzled out. He stood there, stunned, as Naruto walked past him, his words echoing in his mind.
"Well then, Third Hokage, are you going to stand in my way as well?" Naruto said, strolling towards Naruto Uzumaki as if he were taking a walk in a park.
Unconsciously, beads of sweat had formed on the Third Hokage's forehead. He never thought a boy in his teens could exert such immense pressure on him. The last time he had felt this way was when he faced his own teacher, the Second Hokage. It was unimaginable that Naruto could possess Kage-level strength at such a young age.
What was even harder to accept was that this Naruto was an enemy of the Leaf.
The Chunin Exams, which were supposed to be a display of Konoha's strength, had been thrown into chaos by an uncontrollable variable. A dozen Jonin had been taken out in a matter of seconds. This would be an unprecedented blow to Konoha's prestige. If he, the Hokage, were to fall as well, then Konoha would be finished.
The Third Hokage's mind raced, trying to glean more information from the details of Naruto's previous attacks. He was just standing there, yet not only did the Jonins' attacks miss, they even hit their own teammates. Is it a genjutsu? Does Naruto have such a powerful, wide-range genjutsu?
Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, the Third Hokage threw his Hokage robe into the air, revealing his battle attire underneath. His voice was firm and resolute.
"Naruto, I don't know what happened to you, or what misunderstanding you have about Konoha. But as the Hokage of the Leaf, it is my duty to protect everyone. Even if I die here today, I will absolutely not let you harm Naruto Uzumaki."
Even at this critical juncture, the Third Hokage did not forget to display his "personal charisma."
"Grandpa Hokage!" Naruto Uzumaki was moved to tears behind him, his gaze towards the other Naruto now filled with hatred and rage.
"Lord Hokage, get rid of that monster!" the crowd in the stands roared, their emotions running high. The bloody scene in the arena was a visceral shock to everyone's senses. Life was so fragile.
"Well now, this is getting more and more interesting," the Kazekage, played by Orochimaru, said, sitting leisurely in the stands with a smirk on his face. Gaara had also stopped fighting and returned to the stands, looking at Naruto with deep apprehension.
"All of you, get Naruto Uzumaki out of here, now! I'll handle this!" the Third Hokage bellowed.
The remaining ninja and the Konoha 12 quickly began to escort a distraught Naruto Uzumaki away. But strangely, in the Third Hokage's eyes, they were just running in circles around the arena. Paired with their anxious expressions and urgent words, the whole scene was incredibly bizarre.
"What… what is this ability?" Unlike those being controlled, the Third Hokage and Orochimaru were 'VIP' guests, so they were able to see what they believed to be the true scene.
"A genjutsu?" Orochimaru's snake-like pupils constricted, and he muttered to himself with apprehension.
The Third Hokage was utterly horrified, now marking Naruto as a target who must be eliminated. "What kind of genjutsu is this?!"
Naruto didn't answer, his expression cold, his eyes arrogant. In this moment, he was his true self. If he wanted to, he could make the Third Hokage and Orochimaru complete slaves to Kyoka Suigetsu as well.
However… now that his power had reached a critical point, he naturally wanted to test his own limits. At the same time, he wanted to let Orochimaru in on some new research. He had a good relationship with Orochimaru, so he didn't mind giving this world's version a helping hand.
And while he was at it, he would expose the Third Hokage's true face to everyone.
"Don't worry. I've only manipulated their five senses. No one will interrupt us now, and they won't hear anything you say, so you don't have to pretend to be so noble," Naruto said mockingly.
In this moment, he felt an exhilarating sense of release. He had lurked in Konoha for over a decade, enduring all sorts of malice. An ordinary person would have long since broken down and become twisted. But he hadn't. He had endured until now. Finally, in another world, he could reveal his true self.
This battle was also a test of Konoha's strength. The difference between his world's Konoha and this one's was, for the most part, just the addition of Tsunade. If he could easily defeat the Third Hokage and the other powerhouses in this world, then his own plans would be foolproof.
"Summoning Jutsu!" The Third Hokage didn't dare to be careless, immediately using the summoning technique.
"Third, why did you summon me? Who's the enemy this time?"
"It's him."
"Him? Eh?! This kid is so young," Monkey King Enma said in surprise, looking at Naruto. The familiar blond hair and handsome face, but the coldness in his eyes was somewhat jarring. That face…
"That's right. He is Minato's son," the Third Hokage nodded, seeing Enma's confusion.
"What?! How can Minato's son be an enemy of the Leaf?" Enma was momentarily speechless, his face a mask of shock.
"He is the Naruto from another world. Be careful," the Third Hokage said gravely.
Enma immediately became serious, his expression grim.
"Minato? The Fourth Hokage? I'm the son of the Fourth Hokage? Why did the Third Hokage never tell me?" Near the edge of the arena, Naruto Uzumaki stopped in his tracks, his face a mask of despair. Even the way he referred to the Third Hokage had changed.
The other ninja were also in shock. The Fourth Hokage had sealed the Nine-Tails with his life, yet his orphaned son, Naruto Uzumaki, had suffered the malice of the villagers. For the son of a hero to be treated this way… it was truly disheartening. No wonder… no wonder the other Naruto had said what he did to Naruto Uzumaki.
Could it be true, just as he had said? Was Naruto Uzumaki's past all planned out, just for the sake of better control?
Third Hokage, how could you do this to the Fourth?
The ninja and the Konoha 12 in the stands looked at the Third Hokage, who was still conversing as if nothing was wrong, and the trust in their hearts began to crumble.
"What a terrifying genjutsu. Not only did he control Naruto Uzumaki and the others, preventing them from leaving the arena, but he also controlled the Third Hokage, making him think that no one could see or hear what was happening," Orochimaru's eyes were now filled with terror. He wasn't even sure if what he was seeing was real, or what Naruto wanted him to see. The feeling of being completely manipulated would awaken the deepest fears in anyone's heart.