94: Chapter 94 The Hero's Mask and the Shackles Called Forbidden TechniquesThe gates of Konoha were right in front of us.
The post-rain sunlight was a bit dazzling, baking the puddles on the ground until they steamed up into a thin layer of mist.
"They're back!They're back!"
Someone shouted out.
The once peaceful street suddenly erupted like a pot of boiling water.
The gate was packed with people.
There were middle-aged women carrying vegetable baskets, ninja academy students who had just finished school, and many chunin who were on duty but couldn't help but peek out.
"That's Kakashi-senpai!"
"And there's Team Ten.isn't that Asuma's Team?"
"I heard they killed the Akatsuki member who killed the Twelve Guardian Ninja!"
Cheers crashed over us like waves.
Naruto walked at the very back of the group.
He put his hands behind his head, a signature silly grin on his face, and even waved to a few familiar middle-aged men in the crowd.
"Hey!Uncle Ichiraku, I'm going to get some ramen later!"
Beneath the seemingly enthusiastic interaction.
Deep within those azure eyes, only lines of cold, blue data were pulsating wildly.
[Received 500 points of "Admiration" from the villagers of Konoha!]
[Received 300 "Reassurance" items from the villagers of Konoha!]
[Received 800 [Frenzy] from the villagers of Konoha!]
The numbers scrolled so fast it was dizzying.
This is hardly a welcoming ceremony.
This is clearly a data frenzy.
"It's so noisy."
Shikamaru walked at the front, head down, hands in his pockets.
There was no joy of victory.
He even found the cheers somewhat jarring.
Asma could no longer hear.
"Don't say that." Naruto walked up quickly and hooked his right arm, which was wrapped in bandages, around Shikamaru's neck."Everyone is happy for Uncle Asuma, after all, the murderer is now ashes."
Shikamaru's body stiffened for a moment.
He turned his head and looked at Naruto's carefree face, which was smiling in the sunlight.
That inexplicable sense of unease resurfaced.
Just moments ago, he was tormenting Kakuzu's soul like a demon in the forest.
Now, however, he can laugh like a boy next door.
This guy.
Which side is the truth?
"Perhaps."
Shikamaru sighed, but didn't push Naruto's hand away.
Third exercise field.
Memorial Monument.
It's very quiet here; you can't even hear birds chirping, only the rustling of the wind through the treetops.
A brand new tombstone stands there.
The name "Sarutobi Asuma" is engraved on it.
There are no photos yet.
There was only one bunch of lilies still dripping with dew.
Zi.
Shikamaru squatted in front of the tombstone and lit the silver lighter.
The flames flickered in the wind, almost going out.
He shielded the flame with his hand, lit a cigarette, and gently placed it on the stone in front of the monument.
Wisps of smoke rose into the air.
I don't smoke.
Shikamaru stared at the wisp of smoke, his eyes reddening slightly."It's too pungent.Only an old man like you would like something this troublesome."
He pulled a small wine bottle from his pocket.
Unscrew the cap.
The clear, cool liquor was poured onto the soil and instantly seeped in.
"I've taken those two guys down."
"Hidan is buried in the forest, and Kakuzu was covered in dust by Naruto."
"You can sleep peacefully now.I guess so."
Naruto leaned against a tree trunk not far away, quietly watching this scene.
They did not go up to disturb them.
It wasn't until Shikamaru stood up, dusted off his knees, and turned around that he realized what was happening.
Their eyes met in mid-air.
Shikamaru's eyes were complicated.
There was sadness, there was relief, but more than anything, there was a sense of scrutiny and awe that I had never felt before.
"Naruto."
"Um?"
"Thanks."
Shikamaru walked over and stopped in front of Naruto.
There was no unnecessary chatter.
There was no tearful gratitude.
There are only these two words.
It weighs as much as a thousand pounds.
If they hadn't been in the forest, without Naruto's intelligence and that terrifying Wind Release ninjutsu, Team 10 would most likely have been wiped out.
Asma's revenge could not be achieved.
They will die too.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Naruto grinned and reached out to pat Shikamaru on the shoulder.
When I raised my hand, I realized it was my right hand, which was wrapped in bandages.
The movement paused for a moment.
I still took the picture.
"We are comrades."
[Ding!Strong emotional fluctuations detected.]
[Received 100,000 words of ultimate gratitude from Nara Shikamaru!]
[Received 50,000 Loyalty (Budding) from Nara Shikamaru!]
Naruto felt the warmth of Shikamaru's shoulder in his palm.
But inwardly, he was sneering.
Are you grateful?
It's a really cheap and useful thing.
With a little guidance, a slight display of power, and a taste of "revenge," one can achieve this.
The most brilliant mind in Konoha would willingly become a pawn.
"Let's go."
Naruto withdrew his hand and turned around first."Grandma Tsunade is probably still in her office waiting to yell at me."
Shikamaru watched Naruto's retreating figure.
The setting sun cast a long shadow over that figure.
I don't know why.
He felt that the shadow was bigger than before, so big that it seemed to cover the entire Leaf Village.
Hokage Building.
The atmosphere in the office was as solid as a sheet of iron.
Snap!
A document was slammed onto the table.
Tsunade braced her hands on the table, her usually dignified eyes now filled with rage.
"Nonsense!Utter nonsense!"
Shizune stood in the corner, holding Tun Tun, barely daring to breathe.
Kakashi stood to the side, his single eye filled with helplessness.
Naruto stood in front of the desk, head down, like a primary school student who had done something wrong.
"Take a look for yourself!"
Tsunade threw an X-ray in front of Naruto.
On the black film, the white bones are clearly visible.
But it's on the right arm.
The muscle tissue surrounding the bones has a strange, flocculent appearance.
It looked as if it had been gnawed by countless tiny insects.
"This is your right hand.""
Tsunade's voice trembled, "The chakra meridian rupture rate has reached 40%, cell activity has died, and even the surface of the bones has tiny cracks."
"That technique.Rasenshuriken."
Tsunade took a deep breath and pointed at Naruto's nose, "That wasn't a ninjutsu, it was suicide!"
"It attacks the enemy while simultaneously cutting your arm at the same frequency."
"If you weren't from the Uzumaki clan, and if it weren't for the Nine-Tails' chakra helping to repair you, this hand would have been ruined long ago!"
Naruto picked up the film and pretended to look at it.
"Ah.no wonder it hurts a little."
He scratched his head, looking completely innocent."But I feel fine now, it should be healed by now, right?"
"Heal my ass!"
Tsunade couldn't help but swear.
"That's overdrafting!It's burning through the lifespan of your cells!"
She walked around the desk and grabbed Naruto's bandaged hand.
It wasn't solved.
He probed by channeling a stream of chakra through the bandages.
His brows furrowed instantly.
It is indeed recovering.
The recovery speed was simply unreasonable.
But the hidden wounds left behind are permanent.
"Listen up, Naruto."
Tsunade released her grip, her tone becoming more serious than ever before.
"From today onwards, Wind Release: Rasenshuriken is classified as an S-rank forbidden technique."
"No matter what happens, you are absolutely, absolutely forbidden from using this technique again."
"Even to protect the village, it's not allowed."
If there are no restrictions.
This kid will turn himself into a cripple sooner or later.
Kakashi nodded in agreement: "Naruto, Lady Tsunade is doing this for your own good.The side effects of that technique are too great."
All eyes were on Naruto.
We await his rebuttal.
After all, the old Naruto would definitely have made a huge fuss, shouting things like "This is my ninja way".
However.
"Okay, I understand."
Naruto shrugged and agreed with unusually quick acceptance.
"Since Granny Tsunade has said so, then I won't need to use it."
So obedient?
Tsunade was taken aback.
She looked at Naruto suspiciously, "Did you really listen to that?"
"Of course." Naruto pointed to his right hand."It hurts like hell, and I don't want to go through that again."
Actually, it's because.
A notification sound just came from the system store.
[Consumes 500,000 Shadow Points.]
[Redeem successful: Perfect Celestial Body.]
[Effects: Significantly enhances cell activity and regeneration capabilities, grants immunity to the side effects of ninjutsu below S-rank, and greatly reduces the backlash from forbidden techniques.]
Now that we have resistance.
Whether or not to use this technique depends on one's mood.
certainly.
You can't say things like that.
"Alright, get out."
Tsunade waved her hand, as if shooing away a fly, "Go to the hospital and rest for a couple of days.Don't let me see you running around everywhere."
"Okay!"
Naruto turned and ran, just like a student who had successfully skipped class.
Looking at the closed door.
Tsunade slumped into a chair and rubbed her temples.
"Kakashi."
"exist."
"Don't you think.Naruto is a little different this time he came back?"
Kakashi remained silent for a moment.
The image of the boy smiling at Kakuzu's corpse in the forest flashed through my mind.
"People always grow up, Lady Tsunade."
Kakashi lowered his eyes."It's just that sometimes, the direction of growth is not something we can understand."
Underground in Konoha.
Root base.
This place is perpetually dark, and the air is filled with a musty smell.
Danzo sat in a chair in the shadows.
He was leaning on a cane.
A Root ninja wearing a mask was kneeling in front of him.
"You mean.Kakuzu is dead?"
Danzo's voice was hoarse, like two venomous snakes rubbing against each other.
"Yes." The Root ninja bowed his head."He was killed in one blow by Naruto Uzumaki using a new technique.According to the on-site investigation, Kakuzu's body showed signs of disintegration at the cellular level."
Thump.
The cane slammed heavily on the ground.
A sinister glint flashed in Danzo's single, exposed eye.
"The ultimate in Wind Release nature transformation.even the Fourth Hokage didn't complete that technique."
"This kid's growth rate is too fast."
It's moving so fast it's unsettling.
Originally, Naruto was only intended to be a weapon to contain the Akatsuki organization.
But now.
This weapon seems to be sharpening its edge, and might even cut the hand holding it.
"That senile old man Hiruzen, what kind of people has he turned the Jinchuriki into."
Danzo snorted coldly.
"Increase surveillance efforts."
"I want to know who he met each day, what he said, and what he ate."
"If necessary."
Danzo's fingers traced patterns on his cane."I will personally teach him what it means to be a weapon with self-awareness."
"yes!"
The Root ninja vanished in an instant.
Darkness enveloped the room once more.
Only that single eye gleamed with a chilling light in the shadows.
It's late at night.
Naruto's apartment.
The lights were not on.
The curtains were drawn tightly shut.
Hinata is not here today.For some reason, after hearing that Naruto had returned injured, she went back to the Hyuga main branch.
Naruto sat on the edge of the bed, looking at his right hand in the sliver of moonlight streaming in from the window.
hiss--
He bit one end of the bandage and yanked it hard.
Blood-stained bandages slowly fell to the ground.
Her lower arm was exposed.
There was no redness, swelling, bruising, or terrifying wounds as Tsunade had described.
Skin is smooth and new.
It is even whiter and more resilient than before.
Not even a tiny scar was left.
The so-called "cell necrosis" and the so-called "meridian rupture".
The damage was completely repaired the moment the [Perfect Immortal Body] was fused.
Naruto clenched his fist.
The joints made a crisp popping sound.
Full of power.
"Forbidden technique?"
Naruto looked at his palmA cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.
The "sunshine mask" that he wore during the day when facing the villagers, Shikamaru, and Tsunade shattered completely at this moment.
His face, cold, shrewd, and ambitious, was revealed.
"In this world."
"Only the weak are bound by rules."
"And I."
Naruto flipped his palm over and made a grabbing motion in the air.
It was as if they had grasped the fate of the entire Leaf Village.
"The ones who make the rules."
The system panel emitted a faint blue glow in the darkness.
It reflected in his heterochromatic eyes, a blend of red and blue.
That was the look in a hunter's eyes.
And in the darkness.
The hunt has only just begun.
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