At this moment…
The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, looked at each other in disbelief after hearing Danzo Shimura declare Naruto's actions as an act of treason.
Their brows furrowed.
When did Danzo become so reckless?
From their perspective, Naruto's actions followed proper procedure.
In fact—
Naruto had taken the initiative to stop another Konoha shinobi who was actively sabotaging the village.
If not for Naruto, both of them would likely still be trapped under the control of Impure World Reincarnation (Edo Tensei).
And now, just because Naruto wanted to impeach the Hokage, they were labeling him a traitor?
If that's considered treason…
Then there's clearly something deeply wrong with Konoha itself.
When did this village become a place where only one voice is allowed?
As the First and Second Hokage watched the current actions of Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo, and the other elders—
—an overwhelming sense of disappointment filled their hearts.
This wasn't the Konoha they had built.
Meanwhile, the heads of the major clans—Hiashi Hyuga, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka—were watching Danzo's actions closely.
They understood exactly what was about to happen.
This meeting was spiraling toward a disaster.
With the current information, Danzo had taken it upon himself to brand Naruto and his allies as traitors.
But…
Uzumaki Naruto wasn't just a Genin anymore.
He had the support of the Fourth Hokage himself.
Would he simply surrender and admit guilt?
Obviously—
No.
On the other side of the room, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, upon seeing Danzo's decisive declaration, felt a sense of relief.
Good.
Danzo knows how to make tough calls.
The Daimyo had been completely unprepared for today's impeachment proceedings.
He had never once considered allowing a relatively unknown young ninja to take over as Hokage.
More importantly—
There were longstanding mutual interests between the Daimyo and the existing Konoha leadership: Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane.
To some extent…
They functioned as a coalition of shared political power.
If Naruto were to intervene and take over—
Even if it didn't immediately threaten the Daimyo's position,
There was no telling what kind of political shift might follow.
That's why, for now, the Daimyo favored the old guard—those like Hiruzen and Danzo, who could suppress this so-called "rebellion."
Elsewhere, in the delegation from Sunagakure, Gaara and his entourage witnessed Danzo's actions and understood immediately:
This situation is about to spiral out of control.
Baki, the elite jonin accompanying them, turned to Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro.
"Be ready. Something's coming."
The three siblings exchanged serious nods.
And yet—
Facing Danzo Shimura's declaration…
Naruto's side remained perfectly calm.
Whether it was Kakashi Hatake, Minato Namikaze, or Kushina Uzumaki—
Not a single one of them reacted with fear or anger.
They stood tall.
Unshaken.
As for Naruto himself—
Standing in the sky, arms crossed over his chest, he looked down at Danzo coldly.
A mocking smile playing on his lips.
"So you're calling me a traitor now?"
"Then what...?"
"Are you going to do about it?"
His words cut through the silence like a kunai.
There was no deference in his tone. No hesitation.
As a Genin, Naruto was openly challenging one of the most powerful men in the village—someone who could be considered the second most influential figure in Konoha, after the Hokage.
The entire room fell silent.
Everyone held their breath—
Eyes fixed on the unfolding confrontation.
They had expected resistance from Naruto's camp.
But this?
This boldness, this utter disregard for Danzo's authority?
It stunned them.
And yet—
Naruto never wavered.
Danzo Shimura stared at Naruto's fearless eyes, and despite his decades in the shinobi world—
Even he could feel it.
The tides were shifting.
Danzo's eyes narrowed.
He had never been defied like this—especially by someone so young.
Sure, Uzumaki Naruto didn't yet have the fame of Hiruzen Sarutobi…
But as the head of Root, Danzo Shimura was not a man to be taken lightly.
He glared coldly at the boy floating above him, his voice low and sharp:
"I was right about you from the beginning…"
A flicker of regret crossed Danzo's face.
If only Hiruzen had listened to him back then…
If the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had been subjected to proper indoctrination—thorough reconditioning under Root's methods—
Then this humiliating spectacle would never have occurred.
But what's done is done.
This time, he wouldn't make the same mistake.
His gaze hardened as he barked the order to the Root forces at his back:
"Follow my command—
Arrest Uzumaki Naruto!"
In an instant, more than fifty Root shinobi, each one elite jonin level, surged into motion—rushing toward Naruto in coordinated formation.
The crowd erupted.
"Danzo-sama's finally taking action!"
"That brat Naruto's finished!"
"Of course! Doesn't he know who Danzo-sama is?"
"Finally, this farce will be over!"
"We can finally breathe easy…"
The villagers watching from the stands, many of them unaware of the deeper truths behind the conflict, finally let out a sigh of relief.
Danzo—Konoha's shadow enforcer—was acting. Surely, this meant order would be restored.
But not everyone felt so secure.
Among the younger generation—Hinata, Shikamaru, Ino, and others—
Even after Sasuke's calm assurance, they couldn't suppress the anxiety building in their chests.
They watched as Root moved like a black tide toward Naruto.
Could even he withstand this?
Hinata's hands clenched tightly. Her pale lavender eyes never left Naruto's silhouette.
"Naruto… please don't lose…"
She didn't say it aloud, but her heart screamed the words.
Elsewhere, in the shadows, Orochimaru watched the scene unfold and couldn't help but smirk.
Danzo really thinks this will work?
Maybe Danzo believed deploying all his Root operatives would overwhelm Naruto.
But Orochimaru had tasted Naruto's power firsthand.
That Rasengan had been no ordinary blow.
And the way Naruto appeared beside him almost instantly, earlier…
His speed had become downright inhuman.
This won't end the way Danzo thinks…
In fact, things are just getting interesting…
On the side of the reanimated Hokage—
Both Hashirama and Tobirama frowned deeply as they watched Danzo command the Root to strike.
Shimura's actions only further soured their impression of modern Konoha's leadership.
But seeing Naruto remain calm—completely composed in the face of such a siege—
They exchanged a glance and made a silent decision:
For now, they would not interfere.
If Naruto truly faltered, they'd step in.
But until then, they would observe.
The clan heads—Hiashi Hyuga, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka—watched tensely, not daring to look away.
And across from them—
The Third Hokage, Mitokado Homura, and Koharu Utatane, the aging advisors of Konoha…
They, too, looked on with hope that Danzo's Root forces would finally suppress Naruto's rise.
If they could neutralize him now, this entire impeachment farce could be buried.
Order would be restored.
But in the face of more than fifty elite Root jonin rushing toward him—
Naruto stood unmoved.
His sky-blue eyes were calm. Unshaken.
Not a single flicker of fear.
Not even a twitch of his brow.
As if the wave of elite shinobi charging him was nothing more than a passing breeze.
And in that moment, anyone who looked into those eyes…
Could feel it.
This wasn't the Naruto they once knew.
This was something else entirely.
Even for someone at Kage-level, being attacked by over fifty elite shinobi all at once—
If caught unprepared, it would be overwhelming.
Possibly even fatal.
These Root operatives were Danzo's ace—his sharpest blade and greatest source of confidence.
And now, they surged forward.
A synchronized assault.
A coordinated strike aimed straight at Uzumaki Naruto.
Their formation was flawless, their movements merciless.
But—
Just as the Root shinobi descended upon him…
Just as the killing intent began to bite into the air itself…
Naruto spoke.
His voice calm. Dismissive.
"Whether it's one speck of dust or fifty…
To the eye of the wind, it makes no difference."
The words had barely left his mouth—
When he clapped his hands together.
In an instant, his body surged into its peak state.
Perfect Sage Mode. Full Breathing Control. Advanced Shunshin.
A perfect fusion of mastery, precision, and explosive force.
And then—
BOOM.
The earth trembled.
An overwhelming wave of chakra erupted from Naruto's body like a supernova.
Like a volcano unleashed from the heavens.
From where he hovered in the sky, the chakra burst forth in all directions, swallowing the entire examination arena—
No, the entire Hidden Leaf Village.
The force was titanic.
It tore through the air.
It roared across the buildings, rattling windows and shaking the foundations of Konoha itself.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!"
The sound cracked like thunder, splitting the skies.
The color drained from the sky.
The earth shook violently beneath their feet.
The vibrant scenery of Konoha was instantly swallowed in an unnatural twilight.
Somewhere above, clouds churned and darkened without warning.
The sun was gone.
The heavens had been replaced by a swirling maelstrom of storm clouds.
And within that darkness…
The only thing that shone—
Was Naruto's chakra.
Blinding.
Radiant.
Divine.
Throughout the village…
Even those far from the battlefield—civilians, shinobi, children—
Felt it.
A pressure that weighed on their souls.
It wasn't just energy.
It was a presence.
A force that felt like nature itself had grown teeth.
Like some ancient, forgotten god had stirred in the depths of the world.
Fear swept through the hearts of the people.
The sensation was primal.
Like prey in the presence of a predator.
Inside the examination grounds…
Every single spectator had gone still.
All eyes locked on the boy in the sky—
Uzumaki Naruto, now surrounded by light and fury.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Even the air felt heavier.
Even the Root shinobi, mid-attack, faltered.
As though they had stepped into something far beyond a human battlefield.
Among the villagers in the stands, many had stood from their seats the moment Naruto's chakra exploded outward.
It wasn't a conscious decision.
Their bodies moved on instinct—
Because sitting down felt dangerously vulnerable.
They didn't know what Naruto had become.
But they knew this:
He was no longer someone they could understand.
No longer someone they could measure with the rules of the shinobi world.
He had become something else.
One by one, they collapsed to their knees.
They couldn't even stand, let alone fight.
Their bodies felt like they were being pinned down by an invisible force—completely immobilized.
Those who remained on their feet stared up at Naruto in pure horror.
Under the overwhelming pressure of his chakra, it felt as though their very lives were being clutched in a giant unseen hand—their fates no longer their own.
They had lost all control.
Among them stood Hinata, Shikamaru, Ino, Sakura, and Sasuke—the new generation of Konoha's finest.
Each one felt the monstrous wave of energy erupting from Naruto…
And each one stood frozen.
Overwhelmed.
Even Sasuke, who had known Naruto's strength better than anyone, was left speechless.
"T-This... This is Naruto's true power?"
Shikamaru's thoughts echoed with disbelief as he stared skyward, teeth clenched to resist the pressure bearing down on him.
They had seen him grow.
They had fought beside him.
But none of them had ever seen this side of Naruto before.
Hinata's wide, gentle eyes were fixed on him.
In those pale orbs—
There was no fear.
Only awe.
Admiration.
"Naruto… You're incredible…"
Even Sasuke, though aware of Naruto's evolution, hadn't anticipated this.
The last time he'd seen Naruto go all-out, it had been overwhelming.
But this?
This was on a whole other level.
Elsewhere, watching from the VIP stands, the legendary Three Sannin—Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru—were no less shaken.
Even with all their years of experience…
Even with the countless battles they had fought…
None of them had ever seen something like this.
Uzumaki Naruto had gone beyond Kage-level.
This wasn't the power of a Hokage, Mizukage, or even the Raikage.
This was something else entirely.
To put it simply—
Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru…
All three of them understood a cold truth in that moment:
If Naruto were to attack them seriously—
He could likely crush all three of them at once.
Just the thought alone was enough to terrify them.
And these weren't ordinary shinobi—they were the Sannin, the top elite of Konoha's previous generation.
For them to feel this powerless…
Said everything that needed saying.
The same realization dawned on the clan leaders—Hiashi Hyuga, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and others.
They had known Naruto as the noisy, unpredictable boy from the Academy.
A Genin.
A prankster.
But now—
He stood in the sky like a force of nature.
A being whose power exceeded their comprehension.
"No wonder he dared to stand against the Third Hokage…"
It wasn't arrogance.
It was conviction born of true strength.
They finally understood—
Naruto hadn't come to this meeting relying on ideals alone.
He came armed with power none of them had expected.
Up above, the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, both looked up at Naruto in stunned silence.
"Unbelievable…"
Tobirama muttered, eyes wide with disbelief.
"For someone so young to have reached this level…"
Hashirama stared in awe, his voice low.
"That chakra…
It surpasses even mine."
The "God of Shinobi," the man who once stood above the entire ninja world…
Had just admitted it.
Naruto had surpassed him.
At that moment, there was no more doubt.
The chakra Naruto was releasing had already exceeded even the legendary might of Hashirama Senju.
So then—
What was Naruto's true strength?
Had he stepped into a realm beyond even the founders of Konoha?
The shock didn't stop there.
Watching from afar were the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, the Land of Wind, and the lords of smaller nations.
Their expressions twisted in fear and disbelief.
They were civilians.
Ordinary men.
And yet, even they could feel the oppressive aura washing over them like a tidal wave.
The sheer weight of Naruto's chakra made them feel like ants under a falling mountain.
They didn't know what just happened.
But they understood one thing very clearly:
If this boy wanted to—
He could change the world.
The feeling in the air—
It was heavier, sharper, and far more oppressive than anything Sarutobi Hiruzen had ever radiated.
Even the Daimyo of the Land of Fire—a man well-versed in the politics and power structures of the shinobi world—was visibly shaken.
Among the delegates from Sunagakure—
The seasoned Jonin Baki, along with Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro, watched in complete silence.
Their expressions mirrored the tension in the air.
All of them knew Uzumaki Naruto was strong.
They had seen him overpower Gaara in the past…
They had watched him go head-to-head with the First and Second Hokage, and even suppress Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin.
But still—
Even with all that, they never expected this.
"Just how powerful is he…?"
Baki and the others felt as though they were witnessing the awakening of something that should not exist.
And yet—
No one was more shaken than the very core of Konoha's leadership:
Hiruzen Sarutobi,
Danzo Shimura,
Koharu Utatane,
Homura Mitokado.
For years, they had dismissed Naruto as a dangerous but controllable asset—a vessel for the Nine-Tails.
A tool.
An unstable Genin who could be watched, regulated, and used.
But now—
Here he was.
In the sky.
Radiating power that terrified them.
A power that surpassed them all.
"No… This can't be real…"
Hiruzen's voice trembled as he stared up at the radiant figure in the sky.
"How… how did Naruto become this strong…?"
He didn't even try to hide the horror in his eyes.
At that moment—
Crackling bolts of chakra-infused lightning circled around Naruto's body.
The sky rumbled above him, and his golden hair shimmered with a sacred glow.
The air warped around him with raw, living energy.
His robes and hair fluttered violently in the storm of his own chakra pressure, as if nature itself bowed to his presence.
Then—
Naruto turned his eyes toward the Third Hokage.
Their gazes locked.
High above the world, in the stillness of that chaotic sky, their eyes met.
Sizzle.
It was as if an electric spark surged between them.
Just a moment—
But it was enough.
In that instant, Naruto saw the fear buried deep in Hiruzen's eyes.
And Hiruzen—
Saw something far worse.
Indifference.
Judgment.
Cold resolve.
There was no warmth, no fondness.
Not even anger.
Only the merciless gaze of someone who had seen the truth and no longer cared for excuses.
…
TN:
Support me on P-com/LordMerlin!
♾️ Limited-time 30% discount!
Get 10 advance chaps for $3.50, 20 for $7, and more — ending soon!