"Nawaki is dead!" Tsunade lifted her head, her voice shaking as tears filled her eyes.
A sharp gleam flashed in Naruto's eyes. Hiruzen Sarutobi... looks like you're really pushing your luck.
"What happened this time?" Naruto asked, frowning. "Why the hell were you on the Iwagakure battlefield?"
"The Third Hokage sent me here."
Tsunade took a deep breath before continuing, "After Nawaki died, I wanted to make a name for myself on the battlefield, to prove myself worthy of the Hokage title. The Third Hokage had always been against the three of us joining the war.
Chiyo of Sunagakure was too much of a problem, so I was sent to the Sand battlefield. But after Suna surrendered, I was transferred to the Iwa front under the pretext of treating Kato Dan, who had been injured.
For the past two years, Dan and I have saved countless lives. But things took a turn recently... something felt off."
"Kato Dan?" Naruto raised a brow. Isn't that... Tsunade's first love? He asked hesitantly, "You and him..."
"He gave me some support at a Jōnin gathering after Nawaki's death, and ever since then, he's been clinging to me like a damn leech." Tsunade clicked her tongue. "I do pity him though. The war's taken everything from him… just like it did to Nawaki."
Naruto's eyes narrowed. Something wasn't adding up. "What was your mission this time?"
"I was told my great-uncle's grandson, Mizuoka Arata, was critically wounded in an Iwa ambush. I was sent to heal him."
Naruto's aura flared violently. "Sarutobi... you're really testing my patience."
"What's wrong?" Tsunade looked at him in concern.
"When have you ever heard of a medic-nin being sent alone into enemy territory?" Naruto's voice was cold.
Tsunade's eyes widened. "No way...!"
Naruto clenched his fist.
Just then, a commotion erupted outside.
"Lady Tsunade!"
Naruto and Tsunade turned toward the source of the noise, spotting a battalion of 200 Konoha shinobi approaching.
"Let's go." Naruto grabbed Tsunade's wrist and led her down the mountain.
As they reached the group, several shinobi recognized him.
"Lord Naruto?!" The soldiers looked stunned.
Naruto frowned. "What are you all doing here?"
"Lord White Fang sent us." The squad leader saluted. "We received intel that a large force from Iwa had surrounded Lady Tsunade. White Fang was ordered to lead an assault on their supply line, but when he heard Tsunade was in danger, he sent us to assist her. But by the time we arrived... all the Iwa nin were already dead. It was like a battlefield straight out of hell."
Another soldier chimed in, "Only one person could've done that. Lord Konoha's Demon Fox!"
Naruto: "...Sigh. Whatever. At least the word hasn't spread far yet."
He turned back to Tsunade. "Looks like you really were used as bait."
His eyes darkened. "The Third Hokage must really have a death wish."
Back in Konoha.
"Useless! You can't even handle something this simple?!" Sarutobi Hiruzen slammed his desk, glaring at an Anbu kneeling before him. "Namikaze Naruto was on the Iwa battlefield, and you didn't get even a whisper of it?!"
He took a deep breath. "How is Minato progressing?"
"Lord Hokage, Minato is still training under Lord Jiraiya."
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. It's been two years since the last failed attempt by Kumo to abduct a Jinchūriki…
"Bring me Danzo!" he ordered.
"Yes, sir!" The Anbu vanished.
A while later, Danzo entered the room.
"How's our arrangement with Kumo?" Hiruzen asked.
Danzo scoffed. "Kumo has agreed to launch an assault on Iwa. But..." His lips curled into a smirk. "I heard you failed? I told you to hand Namikaze Naruto over to me, but you just had to protect him. And now?"
"Shut up!" Hiruzen growled. "The war is practically over. Only skirmishes remain. Suna has surrendered. Once Kumo attacks Iwa, Iwa will have no choice but to retreat from Rain. At that point, the Fire Nation will claim an overwhelming victory! Sacrificing a single Sannin is a small price to pay. Who would dare question me?!"
Hiruzen's eyes glowed with a dangerous glint as he added, "Besides… wasn't it you who suggested weakening the Senju? Wasn't it you who recommended sending Nawaki to the battlefield? And wasn't it you who proposed Tsunade's deployment?"
Danzo's expression darkened. "Tch." He turned and stormed out.
As he stepped outside, his eyes gleamed with calculation. "Hiruzen… you're growing senile."
He entered a hidden underground chamber, where a masked figure awaited.
"Contact that man who calls himself Madara Uchiha. Tell him… we have a deal to discuss."
"Understood." A shadow flickered away.
Meanwhile, on the road to Konoha.
Tsunade hesitated before speaking. "Naruto... what if we just leave?"
Naruto turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"We could just walk away." Tsunade's voice was quiet. "Forget Konoha. Forget this war. Just the two of us. Find a quiet place where no one knows us."
Naruto didn't reply immediately. Because he knew… peace didn't exist in this world. Not really. Even if they fled to some nameless village, war would eventually reach them. A passing ninja could decide they were a liability and wipe them out without hesitation.
If he wanted true peace, he needed to be the sword hanging over the entire world—a constant reminder of fear and power. Just like the nuclear deterrent back home.
Pain had the right idea. Only through suffering could people understand pain. But Nagato was still too naïve. The Ten Tails alone wasn't enough. It wasn't enough to make the world tremble.
Naruto clenched his fists.
"Don't worry," he finally said. "I'll handle this. Some things can be forgiven. And some things… require retribution."
With that, the two disappeared into the night, moving toward Konoha.
Deep within the Valley of the End, Zetsu kneeled before Uchiha Madara.
"Danzo has contacted us. He wants us to eliminate a certain individual. In return, he will assist in our plans."
Madara slowly opened his eyes, revealing the Rinnegan. If Naruto had been there, he would have realized with horror—this meant Madara had not yet implanted them in Nagato.
"Who is the target?" Madara asked coldly.
Zetsu smirked. "Namikaze Naruto."
Madara narrowed his eyes. "...Interesting."
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