"Everyone, stay alert!"
"That's a Tailed Beast Bomb!"
"We're dead! We're dead for sure! Kazama, let's be friends in the next life!"
"Fight back! You bastard—"
"I don't want to die yet!"
Terrified shouts exploded across the battlefield. Outside the village, the Nine-Tails was gathering a Tailed Beast Bomb, and its trajectory was unmistakably aimed straight at the heart of Konoha.
That overwhelming, crushing pressure made it painfully clear—this was no ordinary attack. Death loomed over everyone like a suffocating shadow.
In the next instant, the Tailed Beast Bomb shot from the Nine-Tails' maw, hurling toward the village at terrifying speed. But just as it was about to hit—
A special kunai appeared in its path.A flash of gold streaked through the darkness, and the blast vanished.
"Beautiful!"
A heartbeat later, the redirected Tailed Beast Bomb detonated in the forests outside Konoha. Even from within the village walls, the explosion reverberated like thunder. Its sheer power needed no further explanation.
"Fourth Hokage-sama!"
"That was the Fourth's Flying Thunder God!"
"We're saved!"
Once again, the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, earned the reverence of countless villagers. Yet few of them could imagine that this beloved hero would soon sacrifice himself to seal the Nine-Tails.
"Rest in peace… Fourth Hokage."
Watching the golden streak whisk away the massive form of the Nine-Tails, Haruno Sho understood that Minato would likely meet a tragic end tonight.
What a waste.
Such a bright, brilliant "Little Sun"… doomed to be extinguished so soon. And with him, Konoha would lose a chance at true resurgence.
Haruno Sho could do nothing about it. Twelve short years simply weren't enough time for him to become strong enough to defeat Madara or crush the Ōtsutsuki clan.
His chakra reserves were only barely on par with a standard jōnin. That was the result of his abnormally strong spirit and years of harsh physical training.
By all accounts, a twelve-year-old jōnin was a certified prodigy. But every speck of that talent came from tireless effort—not from any "transmigrator bonus."
Because seriously…Who said transmigrators always came with a system?
Why had he waited twelve years?
Twelve years—and not even a hint of a system!
"Is no one coming?"
"Looks like… no one."
While everyone else was desperately dealing with the chaos caused by the Nine-Tails, the real Haruno Sho slipped to the Fourth Hokage's residence.
The one running around the village was only his shadow clone. Even if someone became suspicious later, a few doubts would hardly shake certain people's beliefs.
He watched Kakashi—barely older than himself—carry the newborn Naruto away. Sho knew the incident was almost over.
So, to prevent any last-second complications, he waited until Kakashi was gone before breaking into Minato's home.
"Let's see where the real treasure is…"
"Don't let me down."
Sho had come with a very clear purpose: to inherit everything the soon-to-die Hokage couple would leave behind.
After all, their possessions would soon be confiscated by Hiruzen Sarutobi—that old fox. Even their son, Naruto, would be condemned to a childhood of neglect and hardship. Honestly, the fact Naruto didn't turn evil later in life was nothing short of miraculous to Sho.If he had lived that kind of life, he would've burned Konoha to the ground.
So instead of letting the Hokage's property fall into the hands of that sanctimonious hypocrite, Sho would much rather take it himself.
With that justification firmly in mind, he began his operation. And after a thorough search—
"Found it!"
"So many books…"
Minato Namikaze was undeniably a man of vast knowledge. Otherwise, how could a civilian-born ninja rise to become Hokage?
"The surname Namikaze isn't common… The Fourth must have had some special lineage."
"Or maybe this was all Jiraiya's influence? Or did he collect all this himself?"
His eyes swept across the shelves packed tight with volumes. Sho couldn't help but break into a satisfied smile. All of this… would soon belong to him.
"Fourth Hokage, thank you for your selfless contribution. If fate allows, I'll repay you—through Naruto, of course…"
"Seal!"
Sho muttered as he sealed books, valuables, and anything of worth into his storage scrolls. He had spent every last coin preparing for this day.
Every book was taken. Even Kushina's emergency stashes didn't escape his hands.
He'd also discovered several heavily shielded secret compartments, but Sho left those for later, focusing instead on what was quick and safe to retrieve.
"Whew… Quite a haul!"
"Didn't expect my wallet to fatten up this much tonight."
"Hmm… Who should I be thanking for this blessing?"
Admiring the storage scroll in his hands, Sho felt deeply content. No wonder people said that ignoring "ethics" was the fastest path to wealth—riskier, sure, but undeniably profitable.
Right now, everyone's attention was on the Nine-Tails. No one would be watching this place.
Just to be safe, Sho moved to the window and activated his sensory techniques, examining the surroundings carefully. Once he confirmed no suspicious movement, he resumed his work.
"The Nine-Tails' aura feels weaker now…"
Looks like things would wrap up soon.
He needed to hurry.
"Now then… let's find the real jackpot."
With time running short, Sho headed toward the three most suspicious areas—Minato's study, bedroom, and bathroom.
The old saying was true: a clever rabbit always had three burrows.
After a thorough search, Sho discovered that the hidden compartment in the bathroom had the simplest barrier—just a basic storage seal.
He quickly retrieved a large stash of cash and a notebook filled with ninjutsu notes.
One skim through, and Sho's eyes lit up.
It was Minato's personal notebook. It documented his insights on numerous jutsu—covering everything from sealing techniques to space-time theory, even rough notes on Flying Thunder God.
"This must've been his inspiration journal."
Sho guessed it was something Minato scribbled in when bored during bathroom breaks.
After all, some people had their best ideas on the toilet.
Truly, Namikaze Minato—the man's success was no accident.Talent, hard work… and efficiency. Even bathroom time became training time.
"Honestly, Minato… I admire you," Sho murmured.
"But starting today… your personal vault belongs to me."
A Hokage wouldn't hide everything in one place—but stuffing cash into the bathroom?
Was it to "hide the smell of money"?