The atmosphere in front of the Hokage Building had grown distinctly uncomfortable.
Hundreds of ninja packed the plaza, every single face bearing fresh bruises and swelling. They stood in loose formation, a sea of injured pride and barely restrained violence. And at the center of their collective attention stood one man who had no idea what was coming.
"Kakashi-sensei, Guy-sensei." The Seventh Hokage's voice came out cautious, uncertain. "What brings everyone here?"
In his heart, seeing these ninja of Konoha with their matching swollen faces, the Seventh Hokage understood immediately. This was Naruto's work. The young version of himself from another world had gone on a rampage through the village.
How could he do this?
Sweat began forming on the Seventh Hokage's forehead. He'd taken the blame for his dimensional counterpart's actions. If he couldn't resolve this situation quickly, Konoha's entire ninja force was going to beat him senseless.
This is terrifying.
He shivered internally while simultaneously feeling overwhelming resentment toward his younger self. Ever since that Naruto had arrived in this world, he'd brought nothing but pain and complications.
"Hokage-sama." Kakashi's visible eye curved in what might have been a smile beneath his mask. "We're here to be friends with you."
He didn't know why his student's face remained unmarked while everyone else bore injuries, but Kakashi suspected this was a calculated move. Playing the victim. A clever strategy. But you can't fool me.
After Kakashi spoke, thousands of Konoha ninja raised their hands in synchronized motion. Their voices merged into a single declaration: "That's right! We came to be friends with Lord Hokage!"
"Naruto!" Guy stepped forward, his smile radiant despite the bruises. "I'm here seeking youth!"
The crowd's momentum crashed over the Seventh Hokage like a physical wave. He couldn't help taking a step backward, his face pale. Naruto, you've destroyed me. Absolutely destroyed me.
But outwardly, he raised his hands placatingly. "Everyone! Fellow Konoha shinobi! Please listen! This is a misunderstanding! A complete misunderstanding!"
"Misunderstanding?" Kakashi took a step forward, amusement glinting in his eye. "What misunderstanding, Hokage-sama? We simply want to be friends with you. There's no confusion here."
When Kakashi stepped forward, the mass of Konoha ninja behind him moved as one, advancing with synchronized precision.
"Calm down! Everyone, please calm down!" The Seventh Hokage's voice rose with desperation. "I didn't do any of this! I've been working in the Hokage Building all day! I haven't left my office!"
He could see them approaching, feel the walls closing in. The helplessness, the injustice of it all, threatened to overwhelm him.
Even though his combat abilities were formidable, facing tens of thousands of Konoha ninja simultaneously terrified him. Quantity had a quality all its own, and with jonin-level fighters like Kakashi in the mix...
"Hokage-sama, we are calm." Kakashi's smile, visible only through the crinkle of his eye, sounded demonic to the Seventh Hokage's ears. "Don't be nervous. We just want to be friends."
"Come on, Hokage-sama." Kakashi deliberately echoed the exact words Naruto had used when "befriending" him earlier. "Let's have a friendly exchange."
Before the Seventh Hokage could respond, Kakashi moved.
"Come on, Hokage-sama!" The crowd roared in unison, their combined voices shaking the air. "Let's have a friendly exchange!"
They surged forward as one.
Revenge drove them. Those with grievances seeking satisfaction, those with scores to settle finding opportunity. After all, Hokage-sama had set the precedent. If he could go around "making friends" through violence, turnabout was fair play.
Ninjutsu of every element converged on the Seventh Hokage's position.
His scalp went numb. He dodged desperately, deflecting what attacks he could. He could tell they were holding back, restraining their full power, but there were too many. The sheer volume of techniques made complete evasion impossible.
Some attacks connected. His body twisted, trying to minimize damage, but his reflexes couldn't handle the onslaught.
The Konoha ninja watching felt profound satisfaction seeing their Hokage caught off-guard, scrambling to defend himself against the barrage. After hours of being on the receiving end, watching him struggle brought cathartic joy.
Various elemental techniques tore up the Hokage Building plaza. After several minutes of sustained bombardment, the crowd abandoned ninjutsu entirely.
What followed was worse.
In close-quarters taijutsu, the Seventh Hokage suffered even more. These people carried strong grudges, and everyone aimed for his face specifically. With so many attackers, some strikes inevitably landed on areas he couldn't protect.
Half an hour later, the Seventh Hokage's face had swollen beyond recognition. Footprints decorated his Hokage robes like abstract art.
He collapsed at the Hokage Building's entrance, staring up at the sky with empty eyes. Infinite resentment filled his heart. I can't bear this blame. This isn't fair.
A profound sense of tragedy washed over him.
Seeing their Hokage fallen and incapacitated, the Konoha ninja patted their hands with satisfaction. They'd made their point. No need to continue the beating. They began dispersing silently, contentment written across their bruised faces.
"Hey, hey! I haven't gotten my turn yet!" Chōji's voice rang out from the crowd's periphery. There'd been too many people. He couldn't squeeze through. He hadn't even touched the Seventh Hokage's clothes, and the frustration was killing him.
Seeing Chōji still trying to push forward while the beating had clearly concluded, the departing ninja made way for him with knowing smiles.
Seeing the gap, Chōji immediately rushed through. He raised his foot over the prone Hokage, preparing to add one more footprint to the collection decorating those robes. Something to brag about later.
"Chōji!" The Seventh Hokage's awareness snapped back. His eyes fixed on that raised foot, and he roared with what remained of his dignity. "What do you think you're doing?!"
The shout made Chōji freeze mid-motion. His expression shifted rapidly through several emotions. He rotated his ankle awkwardly, a strained smile spreading across his round face.
"Naruto! Look at my shoes! Aren't they nice?"
"Get lost!" The Seventh Hokage's voice came out vicious despite his position on the ground. "Or I'll beat you to death!"
"Fine! Why are you yelling so loud?" Chōji huffed, lowering his foot. He spun on his heel with exaggerated dignity and vanished into the dispersing crowd at speed.
After successfully "making friends" with their Hokage, the Konoha ninja left the plaza with profound satisfaction. After all, he was still their leader. They had to preserve some face for him.
But that had been incredibly satisfying. Worth every bruise.
The plaza emptied rapidly.
The Seventh Hokage remained on the ground, motionless. Two tears rolled down his swollen cheeks. A gust of wind blew through, carrying fallen leaves that spiraled down to rest on his battered form.
He felt the pain again, sharp and undeniable.
Naruto, you've ruined me.
His thoughts circled a single desperate question: When will that Naruto go back to his own world? While he's here, I'm going to suffer endlessly.
He lay there silently for several minutes before finally placing his hands on the ground. Trembling, he pushed himself upright. His eyes remained dim, unfocused. The experience of being surrounded and beaten by thousands of people had left him hollow.
Another gust of wind swept through, stirring the fallen leaves around him. They circled his form, rising and falling in an endless dance.
The image seemed frozen in that moment, a tableau of defeat and melancholy.
The Seventh Hokage stood there, expression blank, surrounded by wind and falling leaves. His Hokage robes swayed gently in the breeze, the fabric itself seeming to express infinite sadness.
His feet began moving automatically, carrying him away from the scene of his humiliation. The leaves continued their spiral around him as he walked, a lonely figure retreating into the gathering dusk.