Most people didn't even realize exactly when the Shinobi World changed.
Only a handful of ninja who had mastered chakra to its limits could faintly sense that the world's power system had subtly shifted.
But even a small shift in the system, when applied to individuals, resulted in massive changes.
Ōnoki was one of the few ninjas outside of Konoha who understood chakra deeply. He was the first to notice a key problem, his chakra had somehow blended with natural energy.
Natural energy was synonymous with Sage Arts. Anyone who came into contact with it without mastering Sage Mode usually met a terrible end.
But for some reason, natural energy was now mixed into his chakra, and yet, he felt no backlash at all.
It was unbelievable. At first, Ōnoki thought he had finally overcome his limits and instinctively achieved Sage Mode without a teacher. But he quickly realized that wasn't the case, because Deidara had achieved the same thing.
Even though Iwagakure had surrendered to Konoha, Ōnoki himself hadn't truly submitted. He was still secretly building up strength, dreaming of one day rebuilding the Hidden Stone Village.
Deidara was his secret weapon, the only person from Iwagakure with a real chance of reaching Kage level, and his hope for the village's revival.
However, Deidara knew better. He understood that Iwagakure could never be rebuilt.
In fact, the era of ninja villages itself had ended forever.
Just look at Konoha now. Rinnegan and Tenseigan users were everywhere. Each one of them could easily crush the entire old Shinobi World by themselves.
And Konoha had the strength to flatten the entire continent, literally flatten it.
They had already wiped out almost all the daimyo across the world, leaving only a few "mascots" to maintain the illusion of historical continuity.
Thus, the appearance of natural energy within chakra wasn't a result of Ōnoki's innate talent. It was because the entire power system of the Shinobi World had been rewritten.
....
Somewhere remote in the Shinobi World
In a picturesque courtyard nestled within a valley, Aoba was lying on a wide lounge chair.
On either side of him lay Tsunade and Yumi. In front of them, a large television screen was broadcasting a live event: the selection for the next Hokage.
After Tsunade stepped down, Kakashi had taken over as the Sixth Hokage. But by now, Konoha was nothing like the Konoha from the original story.
There were multiple people qualified to compete for the Hokage title. However, once Aoba withdrew from the race, Madara Uchiha also announced his withdrawal.
He had once been obsessed with that position. But even before the story had truly begun, he had already given up on being Hokage, instead pursuing far greater ambitions.
Technically, Minato Namikaze had even stronger qualifications than Kakashi. But he too withdrew, dedicating himself entirely to training Naruto.
Itachi Uchiha had the strength, but not the political qualifications. Thus, he poured himself into training Sasuke instead.
In terms of pure strength, Sasuke had completely eclipsed Naruto. With his Rinnegan and the full inheritance of Aoba's chakra, his raw power surpassed even Madara and Kakashi.
However, Minato had something special, he had fused the Yin and Yang halves of Kurama (the Nine-Tails), making Naruto a perfect jinchūriki once again. Under Minato's personal guidance, Naruto had also mastered the Flying Thunder God technique.
Even so, Naruto still lagged far behind Sasuke, it was like the difference between heaven and earth.
Still, Naruto had to step onto the stage. Because the fight between Naruto and Sasuke wasn't just about the Hokage seat; it was a clash between two factions operating behind Konoha's scenes.
The Second and Third Hokages, while having stepped down from power, were still influential figures.
Their main goal was to prevent Sasuke from becoming Hokage.
Anyone else could take the seat, just not an Uchiha.
Despite everything that had happened, despite how they ought to have understood the Uchiha by now, deep down they still instinctively rejected the idea of an Uchiha Hokage.
Of course, the things they had done to the Uchiha clan over the years were part of the reason for their fear. Who knew if Sasuke would launch a massive purge once he gained power?
And with Aoba Kamikawa now vanished from the public eye, there was no one strong enough to check Sasuke if he decided to take revenge.
Even Kakashi might not side with them in that situation.
Minato, for his part, had no grudges against the Uchiha, but he still wanted to push his son to the top. And that alone was motivation enough.
Thus, the stage was set for a very unbalanced showdown.
.....
Meanwhile, back at the courtyard...
Mei Terumi walked out from the house, carrying a tray of fruits.
When she saw the three of them. Aoba, Tsunade, and Yumi cuddled together shamelessly, she sighed, "Honestly, could you three try to maintain some dignity?"
Tsunade shot back immediately, "Maintain what? There's not a living soul within dozens of miles of here. And besides, your behavior last night wasn't exactly dignified either.
Those positions, tsk tsk..."
Tsunade's teasing left Mei speechless and flustered.
"You old hag! I'll teach you a lesson!"
"Heh, try me. In a fight, you're still no match for me."
Currently, Mei wasn't a match for Tsunade in combat. But she hadn't expected Yumi to suddenly act, vines wrapping around Tsunade's hands and feet.
Caught off guard, Tsunade tumbled forward, and her impressive chest landed squarely in Mei's hands.
On the other side, Aoba had completely lost interest in the television.
Mostly because the three women next to him were fooling around too much, he simply couldn't look away.
In truth, Aoba didn't even need to watch to know how things would turn out.
Naruto was destined to lose.
After all the enhancements Aoba had given Sasuke, if Sasuke still couldn't beat Naruto, it would be nothing short of ridiculous.
However, Sasuke's path to becoming Hokage wasn't going to be that simple either.
Even separated by thousands of miles, for Aoba, who now controlled the most fundamental authority, one mere thought was enough for him to know everything happening at the venue.
Naruto was just a pawn.
The entire plan had been crafted by Tobirama Senju. Naruto was sent out first, not to win, but simply to wear down Sasuke's chakra.
Their real trump card was Hinata.
That's right, Hinata, after Toneri, had become the second ninja to awaken the Tenseigan. She was one of the very few who could confront Sasuke's Rinnegan head-on.
But Hinata had a personality flaw, she was too soft. Thus, they needed Naruto to go first, lose to Sasuke, and then emotionally provoke Hinata into unleashing her full power.
Honestly, unless you were like Aoba, a transmigrator who fundamentally lacked any deep emotional attachment to the world, you couldn't escape humanity's flaws.
No matter how much unity Konoha had shown while Aoba was present, the moment he left, the village immediately fractured into factions, each scrambling for power.
Aoba shook his head and lost interest.
As long as Naruto didn't win, he had fully let go of his lingering concerns about Konoha and the Hokage seat.
As for how the rest of the story would unfold?
He simply didn't care.
To him, watching ninjas fight now was like watching crickets squabble.
It might be amusing for a while, but after seeing too much of it, it just became boring.
With a casual wave of his hand, the television vanished.
Aoba turned back and joined the three women in their playful tussle.
"You two, cut it out already! Aren't you just giving this dog of a man all the benefits?" Tsunade grumbled half-heartedly while 'struggling'.
"Heehee, Sister~" Yumi giggled.
"Sensei gave up being a god just to stay with us. What's wrong with letting him have a little fun Besides... aren't you enjoying it too?"
"..."
In the sky above, a meteor streaked across. It carried a mass of chakra so vast that it was unimaginable to ordinary people.
Yet before the meteor could land, it suddenly exploded.
The immense chakra scattered across the world, becoming nourishment for the Shinobi World itself...
The End.
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Note:
Thanks you all for who've read this novel and those who have given power stones to help this novel gain recognition.
If you have enjoyed this story and are willing please feel free to buy me a coffee @ coff.ee/saintxiv
This story has come to an end but I am currently also translating two other stories...
Konoha's Genius is a Bit Ordinary?
An ordinary person with no bloodline or no clan background transmigrates into the world of Naruto.
In a place where power rules all, how far can one "ordinary" ninja go?
Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home
Darkness faded into light and he opened his eyes to a world bathed in relentless rain. There he meets those who would bring him to Konoha.
Yet, he never wished to be here. What he left was too precious to forget. Too precious to let go.
With no knowledge of shinobi, no powers to call his own, he must defy the odds and find a way back to Earth. No matter the cost. But can he do it?