A massive, three-headed serpent erupted into Konoha's central street, its immense bulk crushing houses to splinters. From each of its gaping maws, it spewed billowing clouds of smoke, thick with lethal poison.
"Summoning: Food Cart Destroyer Jutsu!"
A giant toad plummeted from the sky, crushing the serpent flat beneath its massive haunches.
Jiraiya had arrived.
"What a headache," he muttered, his expression grim as he watched the One-Tail and the Seven-Tails rampage in the distance. 'Not even I can take on two Tailed Beasts at once.'
His gaze shifted toward the Chunin Exam arena, where a towering purple barrier pulsed against the sky.
'Sarutobi-sensei… don't you dare die on me.'
"Hokage-sama, I'm going to help you!"
While the Anbu could only stare helplessly from outside the Four Violet Flames Formation, Guy flared his chakra, ready to force his way through the barrier.
Unfortunately, just as he was about to act, Kakashi stepped into his path, giving him a hard look.
"Trust the Hokage, Guy. He is the 'strongest' Hokage."
He put a particular emphasis on the word "strongest."
With that, Kakashi led Genma and the other jonin toward the Oto-nin who were attacking Konoha's outer streets.
--**--**
At Ichiraku Ramen, in the heart of Konoha, only a single customer remained. He wore a hood and sat calmly at the counter. "One bowl of tonkotsu ramen."
Teuchi wrung his hands. "Sir, there's trouble outside. You should evacuate with everyone else."
The hooded man replied calmly, "Then what about you?"
Teuchi's usually narrowed eyes were uncharacteristically serious. "I'm not going anywhere. Ichiraku is my home. No matter what happens, I'll stay here."
He had, however, already sent his daughter Ayame to evacuate with the other villagers.
"Ichiraku Ramen is my favorite food," the man said. "I'm not going anywhere either."
Teuchi hesitated. "But..."
"Don't worry, Uncle Teuchi," the hooded man said mildly. "Leaving a customer hungry isn't the Ichiraku way, is it?"
"…Since you put it that way, please wait just a moment."
In less than a minute, a steaming bowl was set before him.
"Tonkotsu Ramen. Please enjoy."
As the familiar aroma drifted up, a satisfied smile appeared beneath the man's hood.
"Itadakimasu."
'Even as a shadow clone,' he thought, 'I'll make sure nothing happens to Ichiraku Ramen.'
He'd also sent another clone to follow Ayame, just in case.
--**--**
"Danzo only cares about the Daimyo and leaves us behind."
On the second floor of the Chunin Exam venue, Mui, the warden of Hozuki Castle, finally rose to his feet. Once Danzo had led the Land of Fire's Daimyo to safety, Mui brushed the dust from his clothes, pulled a fresh pair of white gloves from his pocket, and donned a mask. Too much dust. It bothered him.
"Isn't that only natural?" Doto Kazahana got up too, grabbing the collar of the still-unconscious Land of Grass Daimyo and tucking him under an arm. "This pig is heavy. It would be much easier rolling him around, rather than carrying him."
"Ignorant, shortsighted, and despicable," murmured the Land of Rain Daimyo, or rather, Nagato. His leg, once crippled, was fully healed.
"That's precisely why he could never become Hokage," added the Land of Demons Daimyo, the leader of the Fuma Clan in disguise. "A fool who can only see the profit right in front of him."
"They all deserve to die." The masked Land of Waves Daimyo stared at the Four Violet Flames Formation, his eyes blazing with fury. "Everyone in Konoha deserves to die."
"Is everyone alright?"
The question came from the man disguised as the world's richest businessman, Hattori.
At the sound of his voice, everyone stiffened and answered in respectful unison. "Uzumaki-sama."
Nagato studied the other disguised figures, inwardly shocked. He never imagined that 'his Grandpa' had quietly built such a vast network. Being made the Daimyo of Rain had been stunning enough, but this was on another level entirely. Then again, he had killed Hanzo to take Amegakure, replacing a daimyo was a small step from there. He was a god, after all.
"Our beloved Hokage won't be dying just yet," Naruto said, glancing up at the battle beginning between Orochimaru and the Third Hokage within the barrier. "Everyone, come with me. Let's go enjoy a good show."
He paused. "Oh, right. Bring Shibuki along, too. It wasn't easy to get him on our side. Takigakure is one of us now."
The thought was unanimous among the others: 'As expected of Uzumaki-sama.'
Sasuke appeared at Naruto's side, falling into step behind him without a word. No one questioned it. They were already used to the sight.
"Who are you? You can't be here!" an Anbu guard exclaimed as the group approached the barrier.
With the exception of the useless Land of Grass Daimyo, every person in the group far outclassed the Anbu guards.
"Almighty Pull."
Nagato simply raised his left hand. The Anbu were ripped from their feet and dragged through the air toward him, slain before they even realized what was happening.
The small display of power was enough to awe the surrounding daimyo. Even the Land of Waves Daimyo and Sasuke couldn't help but give him a second look.
--**--**
"The Hyuga Clan's answer?" Fugaku looked calmly at Hiashi, waiting. "Make your decision quickly." He added, "By the way, including the Kurama Clan, a total of thirty ninja clans have chosen our side."
"What?!"
A fresh wave of shock rippled through the Hyuga. Thirty clans was more than half of Konoha's total. They had sided with Root, or rather, with the Uchiha.
"Do we even have a choice?" Hiashi asked with a bitter smile.
"Or," said a Root ninja, the only one present who had not removed his mask, "you can accompany Third Hokage to the grave."
This masked man, of course, was also Naruto. One of them was his original body.
Hiashi gave the masked figure a long, deep look. Even with his Byakugan activated, he could not see the boy's true face. Through the mask, all he saw was a meaningless blur.
"Very good," Hiashi conceded. "Then…"
"From this day on, there will be no Main house or Branch house in the Hyuga Clan," the masked Naruto declared. "The Caged Bird Seal is abolished, effective immediately. Remove those cursed seals."
"That's impossible!" a Hyuga elder burst out before he could stop himself. "The Caged Bird Seal is the foundation of the Main house! If it were abolished, "
Before he could finish his sentence, a silver glimmer flashed through the air. The elder's head tumbled from his shoulders.
Genmei Uchiha flicked his katana once to clear the blood before slowly sheathing it. His gaze swept coldly over the remaining Hyuga, murderous intent rolling off him in waves.
"Die!" the Uchiha clansmen behind him roared in unison, multiple scarlet Sharingan locking onto the terrified Hyuga.
The collective pressure was so overwhelming that no one dared to even breathe. Cold sweat poured down Hiashi's back. Even with his Byakugan, he hadn't seen the strike, only a faint afterimage. The speed of the blade was unbelievable.
"We are the forgotten," Genmei snarled. "We are the vengeful spirit of the Uchiha. Anyone who stand in our way will die."
===============
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