Ten days later.
The Allied Shinobi Forces began their full-scale advance.
The left flank, forty thousand strong, was led by Sarutobi Hiruzen. The right flank, thirty thousand strong, was commanded by the Fourth Raikage and Chiyo. The central army, another thirty thousand, had Ōnoki as its commander.
These three grand armies marched openly along the main roads, a vast and imposing force steadily advancing toward the Land of Waves.
The elite force tasked with flanking them numbered only about a hundred. Led by Yagura, they set sail on warships headed for the Land of Waves' docks.
The atmosphere within the left flank army was tense and grim.
Yūgao Uzuki was assigned to the Fourth Division here, alongside her friends Mitarashi Anko and Yuuhi Kurenai.
"Would you look at this crowd?" Anko muttered, leaning in with a low whistle. She was never one for solemn silence. "It's a real shame Hayate got assigned to a different unit. Would've been nice to have him here."
Yūgao didn't look at her, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "His presence wouldn't change anything."
"Ouch, so cold!" Anko scratched the back of her head with a sigh. "Even with that jerk, Yuto, out of the picture, you two still can't patch things up?"
"Anko," Kurenai chided gently, tugging on her friend's sleeve. "Maybe read the room a little?"
Anko had a talent for stepping on landmines. Bringing up Yuto to Yūgao, of all people? It was like poking a fresh wound.
Yūgao's voice was flat, final. "Hayate and I have nothing left to sort out."
"Alright, fine. Let's talk about the something else then," Anko reluctantly changed the subject, blinking her eyes. "How long do you think the Land of Waves can hold out? I bet they won't last a day!"
"I don't think it's that simple," Kurenai shook her head, cupping her chin as she analyzed. "Yuto isn't an ordinary enemy! Even with our numerical advantage, defeating him won't be easy."
"I'm talking about the Land of Waves!" Anko grinned, saying, "That guy is in a league of his own! If he really wanted to run, probably no one in the shinobi world could catch him!"
"He won't run," Yūgao suddenly spoke up.
"Huh?"
"What?"
Kurenai and Anko were both taken aback.
"He absolutely will not run, not even facing the combined forces of the entire shinobi world," Yūgao said with determined eyes.
Kurenai and Anko exchanged a look, both feeling their friend might be a little too far gone…
—
While the Allied Shinobi Forces were marching in tense formation, the Land of Waves was buzzing joy!
Today was their Harvest Festival, a national holiday and by the release of their first computer game developed by Yuto himself. This double dose of happiness had the entire nation celebrating!
The Land of Waves had many great qualities, it was safe, prosperous and clean but its daily entertainment options were somewhat lacking!
There were no red-light districts here, and gambling establishments were prohibited. The daily entertainment for residents was basically going home to their family.
Computers had helped, but the novelty of chatting online with the same few thousand people you saw at the market every day wore off quickly.
But the arrival of computer games was different; everyone wanted a taste of this fresh experience!
Take Kushina, for example. She had already claimed Yuto's desk, proudly locking in her favorite hero — Tsunade.
"Didn't Yuto say that Tsunade was a top-lane hero?" Mikoto asked, watching over her shoulder.
"The top was taken!" Kushina snorted, frowning. "Doesn't matter, I'll crush both lanes just the same. I learned the mechanics back in the beta testing phase, this game's mine."
Two minutes later… First Blood.
Kushina froze, staring at her greyed-out respawn screen.
"…Did you just get solo-killed?" Mikoto asked, baffled.
"Misclick! It was a total misclick! And that idiot playing Nine-Tails can't even protect me. Who plays AD like that?" Kushina growled.
"Pretty sure Yuto said the AD is the main damage dealer," Mikoto said dryly. "Not a bodyguard."
"Nine-Tails is a tailed beast! Tailed beasts protect people!"
"…Why would a tailed beast protect anyone?"
"You don't get this game, so shut up!"
As she raged, both lanes went down again — courtesy of Matatabi's (two tails) double kill.
"Son of a—!" Kushina nearly smashed the keyboard. "Yuto! This hero design is garbage! Why can a stupid little cat kill both Tsunade and the Nine-Tails? This is totally unbalanced! Oh my god, it's a quad kill now! And what's the top lane's Itachi even doing — AFK?"
"Stop comparing it to the real shinobi world. It's just a game with familiar skins," Yuto sighed. "If you're losing this hard, maybe your game sense needs work."
"…Did you just call me bad?" Kushina narrowed her eyes.
"No, no. Just…practice more, Sis." Yuto laughed nervously.
"Kushina, uh… the Nine-Tails just started trash-talking you," Mikoto cut in.
"…What?"
Kushina turned to the screen.
[Aloha (Nine-Tails)]: Bro, is this how you play Tsunade? What grade are you in? elementary school?
Her chest tightened with fury.
'How dare he? HOW DARE HE.'
[Nanako (Tsunade)]: Who the hell do you think you're talking to?!
[Aloha (Nine-Tails)]: Trash. Go re-enroll at Waves Elementary.
[Nanako (Tsunade)]: Are you looking to die?!
[Aloha (Nine-Tails)]: Lol, mad? Can't even play Tsunade. Donate your brain to Umbrella Corp — oh wait, even they'd reject it. Straight to the junkyard! Hahaha!
[Nanako (Tsunade)]: Bastard, say your name if you dare!
[Aloha (Nine-Tails)]: This lord doesn't hide names, my name is Uchiha Sasuke.
"Eh?" Mikoto nearly choked. "No way that's Sasuke. He'd never talk like that."
"…I think I know exactly who this little punk is." Kushina exhaled sharply.
[Nanako (Tsunade)]: Naruto. As of tomorrow, you're an orphan.
[Aloha (Nine-Tails)]: Huh? What do you—
—
Naruto, seated at his own computer, eyes went wide. A creeping dread sank into his stomach.
"No… no way. It couldn't be her… right? The username… Nanako…"
Bang.
The heavy slam of the front door echoed through the house. His hair stood on end.
"You're screwed, Naruto."
Kurama, perched smugly on his shoulder, cackled.
"Not even the Sage of Six Paths can save you now. You just trash-talked your own mom. HAHAHAHA."
Naruto gulped hard, staring at the silhouette approaching from the doorway…
_____
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