"You will definitely regret this!"
After a series of strategic maneuvers by Nara Shikaku, many villagers and shinobi were pushed to the brink.
By the next morning, at least one-third of Konoha's population had chosen to leave.
"Everyone, form a line! One by one!"
"Once your name and information are recorded, you will be permanently banned from re-entering Konoha!"
Hagane Kotetsu maintained order while Kamizuki Izumo handled the registrations.
"What kind of joke is this?"
"Once we leave, we're not allowed back?!"
"I refuse to believe Konoha can sustain itself after treating its people this way!"
"That damn fox demon and the Godaime Hokage will regret this! Even if they beg us, we won't return!"
Kotetsu cast a calm glance at the protester and replied indifferently, "Goodbye."
"Next!"
"Since you've delayed our celebration, don't expect to have any good food left for you to enjoy!"
That day, the entire village erupted in celebration, marking Konoha's rebirth.
The sounds of firecrackers and laughter filled the air.
Sunagakure sent gifts.
The Land of Waves also sent tribute.
Both were old allies.
Tazuna had finally paid off his debt, and the significance of the Great Naruto Bridge continued to grow.
Surprisingly, the Daimyō of the Land of Fire remained silent.
However, Kurama knew the truth behind it.
"Congratulations, Godaime Hokage, congratulations!"
Inside the Hokage's office, Tsunade sat at her desk, facing the Daimyō of the Land of Waves. Seeing the man before her, she couldn't help but admire her disciple's achievements even more.
Just as she was about to speak, Senju Tobirama raised a hand to stop her.
He turned to the Daimyō of the Land of Waves and said,
"Daimyō-dono, we know why you're here, but today is not the time for such discussions."
"Enjoy your stay in Konoha. Take a look at our new village."
"As for the matters you wish to discuss, we will give you a unified answer after the council meeting."
"Also, the Godaime Kazekage of Sunagakure and the Daimyō of the Land of Wind are here as well."
Upon hearing this, the Daimyō of the Land of Waves smiled.
"In that case, I shall respect your wishes."
Though he kept a humble demeanor, he was more than happy to comply.
The Great Naruto Bridge connected the Land of Waves directly to Konoha.
This was why he had come straight to the Hidden Leaf without informing the Daimyō of the Land of Fire.
Proximity meant access to valuable information.
Moreover, he had been invited to witness the Chūnin Exams firsthand.
Konoha no longer relied on the Land of Fire.
A new era was dawning.
The Godaime Hokage standing before him was the new ruler.
Soon, the Village Hidden in the Leaves would become the Nation of Konoha.
"Uzumaki Naruto!"
Gaara approached Naruto with Temari and Kankurō at his side.
At this moment, he was clad in the ceremonial robes of the Godaime Kazekage.
That once-expressionless face now carried a small but genuine smile.
After exchanging a few words with Naruto, Gaara departed with Kankurō and Nara Shikaku.
"Naruto..."
Temari hesitated, her cheeks slightly flushed as she avoided his gaze.
Before Naruto could respond—
"It's you!"
A sharp voice cut through the air.
Sakura had arrived.
"Tch!"
Temari clicked her tongue, shooting Sakura a glare filled with hostility.
Several girls arrived, chatted briefly with Temari, and then left together with her.
Konoha was bustling with life, and Naruto still had important guests to receive. For now, he let the girls handle Temari's arrangements.
Meanwhile…
"Konohamaru... you..."
"Sorry, Grandpa. I don't want to see you right now."
The Hokage stood frozen in place, unable to say a word.
The shinobi assigned to guard them barked an order:
"No slacking!"
"Today's an important day, and there are a lot of people around. Behave yourselves!"
Turning his gaze, the guard spotted a particular figure.
"Shimura Danzo, do you have an issue? Get moving!"
With that, he delivered a swift kick.
Danzo said nothing, his expression dark as he limped toward the restroom.
"Huh? It's you!"
One of the men working nearby suddenly erupted in fury.
"Damn you, Danzo! The so-called 'Darkness of the Shinobi World'—you're the reason my sister-in-law died so young! I ought to beat you senseless!"
Danzo took another kick.
It wasn't that he didn't want to resist. The problem was that every time he tried to circulate his chakra, an unbearable pain surged through his body.
Left with no choice, he curled up and let the blows rain down.
"Tch."
The man finally calmed down a little, spitting on the ground before stepping away.
Danzo dragged himself forward, his entire body itching terribly. He knew the cause—it was the lingering traces of Nine-Tails chakra healing his wounds against his will.
At the same time, the so-called "Konoha F4"—Hiruzen Sarutobi, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Danzo Shimura—looked up at the bustling streets of Konoha.
For the first time in years, they felt truly powerless.
The Third Hokage collapsed onto the ground in despair, tears streaking down his wrinkled face.
Koharu and Homura exchanged uneasy glances, both lowering their heads.
They were the ones who had given the order for certain villagers and shinobi to leave Konoha.
But now, living like this—reduced to mere laborers—was unbearable. It was only a matter of time before they began plotting their escape.
It was worth mentioning that the Third Hokage fainted several times that day.
And yet... he kept smiling.
Konoha's largest ramen restaurant had been officially opened.
The sign above the entrance? Handwritten by Naruto Uzumaki himself.
As for the funding? That came straight from Kurama.
Meanwhile, every single textbook and curriculum in the Ninja Academy had been completely overhauled.
And at this very moment, the head of Konoha's infrastructure division, Senju Hashirama, was entertaining the villagers.
There he stood—the First Hokage, piloting a massive wooden Buddha statue, performing a ridiculous series of hand gestures.
The crowd burst into laughter, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
Perhaps next time, it would be Madara Uchiha himself asking:
"Hashirama... do you want to dance too?"
Three Days Later—Hokage Tower Meeting Room
Inside the grand meeting chamber of the Hokage Tower, representatives from every major faction gathered.
The room was filled with powerful figures:
Leaders of the great ninja clans
Commanders of the Anbu black ops
Heads of the Root organization
Elite shinobi
Elected representatives of Konoha's civilian population
The air was thick with anticipation.
At the head of the table, Naruto Uzumaki sat beside Tsunade, his gaze sharp as he watched the last few attendees take their seats.
This was it.
The First Konoha Conference had begun.
Once everyone had settled, Tsunade raised her hand, signaling for silence.
When the room quieted, she gave a small nod.
Understanding her cue, Nara Shikaku stood up and began his report, detailing the major events and minor developments that had taken place recently.
After that, representatives discussed the current mission status.
Then, Orochimaru stood up, exchanging a glance with Senju Tobirama before speaking.
"As for research and development… we've made significant progress."
At his words, the room turned its attention toward the back.
"Bring it in."
At Orochimaru's command, Jūgo and Kimimaro entered, carefully carrying something forward.
A Chakra Engine.
A revolutionary breakthrough—one that was both natural and environmentally friendly.
It wasn't completely finished, but even in its current state, its significance was undeniable.
Kurama was already poised to become the wealthiest being in history.
Rebuilding the Ninja World
Once all discussions had concluded, Naruto finally spoke.
"What I want to talk about next is the future of the ninja world."
The air in the room grew heavy.
"The future of the ninja world..." Naruto continued, his voice calm yet firm. "Simply put, we need to re-establish order."
Silence.
Many were stunned.
This one sentence contained a monumental implication.
From across the room, Senju Hashirama furrowed his brow.
"Naruto… if we truly want to re-establish order in the ninja world… then war will be inevitable."
Without hesitation, Senju Tobirama interjected:
"Brother, war is indeed inevitable. But war itself is not the objective. The objective is lasting peace and stability.
"That means war is something we must initiate."
Hashirama closed his eyes, exhaling slowly.
"Tobirama, you're not wrong," he admitted. "However, with our current strength, we may be able to avoid unnecessary conflict and pursue a peaceful resolution first."
Shikaku nodded.
"Exactly. We should always attempt diplomacy before resorting to force."
Naruto's gaze swept across the room before he spoke again.
"Which approach we take will depend entirely on their response."
He paused.
"The matter of Shimura Danzo has already spread throughout the ninja world. His crimes have been exposed. Once we set an execution date, we will officially announce our new philosophy to the world."
"The execution itself will serve a purpose—to make the ninja world acknowledge the new Konoha."
"The First and Second Hokage will personally carry it out."
At these words, murmurs filled the room.
Naruto continued:
"But an execution alone isn't enough. We must demonstrate the strength and vitality of this new era.
"And for that…"
His eyes turned toward Sasuke Uchiha.
"Sasuke, I'm entrusting this mission to you."
At once, Sasuke (Erzuzhi)—his face bruised and swollen—stood up and responded firmly:
"Yes! I will complete the mission!"
Despite his confidence, he still hadn't fully grown into his potential… and had been beaten up again.
Of course, Uchiha Itachi hadn't gotten off easy either.
Revealing the Hidden Truths
A tense silence filled the room.
After a brief pause, Naruto's expression turned serious.
"There's another matter…"
"Something that has remained a secret for far too long."
His voice deepened.
"It's about the true history of the ninja world… and the enemies we will face next."
Everyone immediately straightened their backs.
The air grew still.
"Alright," Naruto exhaled, his tone unwavering.
"I'll tell you everything—from the very beginning."
"As soon as you hear this, you'll understand who our true enemies are."
The weight of his words sent shivers through the room.
"Let's start… from ancient times."
At this, eyes widened.
Ancient times?
Could it be… that there were still secrets about this world that even the most knowledgeable among them didn't know?
Moreover, if these were enemies that needed to be faced, why did the story begin in ancient times?
Noticing Naruto's grave expression, everyone unconsciously sat up straighter.
Some even clenched their fists in anticipation.
Then, Naruto spoke.
"Thousands of years ago, there were no shinobi."
He paused.
"We'll call that era the Pre-Ninja World."
"During that time, two beings arrived on this planet. They weren't human."
The room fell silent.
"Two aliens."
The moment the words left his mouth, gasps echoed throughout the chamber.
Aliens?!
"These two didn't come here by accident."
"They had a specific purpose."
Tsunade frowned.
"What purpose?"
Naruto's expression remained steady.
"They came here… to plant a tree."
Everyone: Huh???