Thanks to Naruto's warning, Orochimaru didn't interrupt the Chūnin Exams like in the original timeline.
The remaining matches?
Completely one-sided.
Every opponent was instantly defeated by Naruto.
"[Ding! Congratulations, host. You have successfully completed the Chūnin Exams. Promotion to Chūnin achieved. Reward: Ability to travel between original and current world.]"
Alongside Naruto, Hinata, Ino, and Shino were among the few who also passed and were promoted to Chūnin.
As the exams ended, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
'At last… everything ended without incident.'
But just as he exhaled—
White feathers began to fall from the sky.
Familiar feathers.
His pupils shrank.
He knew this technique better than anyone.
Genjutsu: Temple of Nirvana.
From the audience stands, villagers collapsed one after another.
Only the elite shinobi resisted.
At the same time—
Four Violet Flames Formation activated.
A four-walled purple barrier sealed off Orochimaru and Hiruzen in the arena.
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes and glanced toward the "Kazekage" beside him.
Jōnin and Anbu immediately rushed toward the barrier.
This version of the Konoha Crush was no longer a collaboration between just Sand and Sound.
Due to the chain reaction caused by Naruto's earlier actions over these past months, even Kumo and Iwa had joined the operation.
Of the Five Great Nations, only the severely weakened Kirigakure stayed out.
Two strike teams—one from Kumogakure, one from Iwagakure—began advancing from outside the village.
This time, the "Konoha Crush" might actually succeed.
Naruto stood in the arena, calmly watching as if none of this had anything to do with him.
Instinctively, Hinata, Ino, and Shikamaru drew closer to him.
Shikamaru rubbed his sore neck from his earlier match.
"Great… this is a major pain."
Naruto activated his Sage Mind's Eye (Kagura's Mind Eye).
He sensed Jiraiya leading a force to intercept the Iwa strike team.
Shikaku Nara was commanding elite Anbu to push back against Kumo.
Luckily, neither village had deployed their Kage or Jinchūriki, so the situation was barely under control.
But just then—
Suna's hidden shinobis, embedded within Konoha, made their move.
With most of the village's forces pulled to the frontlines, the interior was thinly defended.
The ambush hit like a sledgehammer.
Death swept through the streets.
Civilians panicked and fled—but there was nowhere to run.
—
Inside the Four Violet Flames Formation, Orochimaru used Edo Tensei.
Two armored figures appeared—the First and Second Hokage, expressionless as they engaged Hiruzen.
Hiruzen, burdened by recent sorrows and weakened in body and spirit, was even worse off than he had been in the original timeline.
Even with the help of Enma the Monkey King, he struggled.
Before long, he had no choice but to split into two Shadow Clones and use Reaper Death Seal (Shiki Fujin).
Naruto saw it all.
"Now's the moment."
Flying Thunder God.
He suddenly appeared between Orochimaru and Hiruzen, right in the middle of their tug-of-war for souls.
Hiruzen couldn't tell whose side Naruto was on.
At that moment, Orochimaru was drenched in sweat, in the middle of a soul struggle with Hiruzen.
Seeing Naruto appear, Orochimaru grinned.
"Naruto-kun, you're just in time. Help me finish off this old man, won't you?"
Hiruzen's expression darkened.
He pleaded:
"Naruto… please. I beg you—not to save Konoha… just don't interfere. Please, just stand aside…"
Orochimaru said nothing more.
He knew better than anyone that Naruto wasn't one to be persuaded by words.
Naruto looked at Hiruzen.
He said nothing.
There was nothing left to say to a dead man.
"Form One."
Naruto placed a demonic mask over Hiruzen's face.
Then—a flash of steel.
But the blade didn't take his life.
Instead, it cut deep across Hiruzen's belly.
Blood poured from the wound.
In that instant, the Reaper spirit behind Hiruzen gained the same wound.
Its ghastly eyes glared at Naruto—if it could speak, it would've cursed him.
With the Reaper's stomach sliced open, a blue ball of light floated out.
From it emerged a blond-haired phantom—
A spirit.
Not far from Naruto, a familiar figure materialized.
He looked around the scene, and then—locked eyes with Naruto.
Same blond hair. Same blue eyes.
He immediately guessed Naruto's identity, eyes softening with warmth.
"Minato…" Hiruzen muttered, despair in his eyes.
"You're… Naruto, right?" asked the spirit of Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage.
Naruto looked at him.
His expression was complicated.
But after a pause—he nodded.
Minato smiled even more gently, full of pride.
"You look well, Naruto.
I can finally face Kushina when I return to the Pure Land."
Naruto had released Minato not only to meet him—
But to ask if he wished to be revived, and whether he wanted his yin-half of Kurama returned.
Seeing how far Naruto had come, Minato felt fulfilled.
As a soul, he could no longer change the tide of the battle.
He raised a hand for a fist bump.
"Come on, Naruto."
Naruto stepped forward and bumped fists.
At the same time, Kurama bumped fists too—
The yin half of the Nine-Tails instantly fused back.
Inside Naruto's sealing space, the already enormous Kurama doubled in size.
And through the connection, Minato received all of Naruto's memories and experiences.
When he finished processing it all, Minato's gentle smile faded.
He glanced at the wounded Third Hokage, but said nothing—
Just sighed.
Yet that sigh pierced Hiruzen with guilt.
His body seemed to rot further from the shame.
Orochimaru cackled madly.
"Give up, Sensei! Let me deliver your grand finale!"
The balance of the battle had completely tipped.
"Naruto… I'm sorry. I've made you suffer so much…"
Minato's voice was filled with remorse.