As soon as the night breeze's voice fell, the Mist Ninjas led by Yagura Tachibana erupted in fury.
"It's you!"
Yagura Tachibana barely held back his rage, but the three behind him had already lost control.
"Wait!" Tachibana tried to stop them, but failed.
"Water Style: Wave Strike!"
"Water Blade Slash!"
"Water Prison Technique!"
Takayama Haru chuckled. "A bunch of chickens and stray dogs."
No sooner had he spoken than the entire Hokage Tower trembled with a deafening explosion. Countless massive roots and vines burst from underground, piercing the bottom floor and then the second floor, forming a living shield before Haru.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The enemy's Water Style techniques never even grazed Haru's sweat—his shadow clone had long evaded them. Instead, the attacks all slammed into the thick, writhing roots and vines.
Upstairs, Sarutobi Hiruzen jolted up. "An earthquake?"
At that moment, an ANBU ninja rushed in. "Lord Naruto, the people from the Hidden Mist have started fighting Takayama Haru on the second floor."
Sarutobi roared, "They're fighting inside the Hokage Tower?!"
"It was the Mist who struck first, but..."
"But what?!"
"But Lord Haru's Wood Style pierced the entire tower..."
Sarutobi clutched his chest in fury. "Make them pay! Ten times the cost in compensation!"
"Yes, Lord Naruto!"
Second floor, Administration Department.
Yagura Tachibana saw the battle had begun and could no longer be stopped. He immediately began forming seals.
"Mist Concealment Technique—Hidden Mist!"
A thick fog rolled out, quickly engulfing the entire second floor. Visibility dropped to zero. It wasn't just fog—it was pressure, pressing in from all directions and making it hard to breathe.
As Yagura cast the jutsu, the three other Mist ninjas sprang into action. How could they not avenge the murder of their Third Mizukage? Even if Haru wanted to die here, they wouldn't let him tarnish the Mist's honor!
Yagura sighed. He knew getting to the upper floors was impossible. Besides, the legendary Ninja Professor—Third Hokage—was still upstairs.
In this situation, Yagura knew he had to deal with the nuisance before him first.
If this arrogant man hadn't provoked them in the Hidden Cloud Village, none of this would've happened.
"Don't kill him!" Yagura shouted.
[System Alert: Based on current circumstances, three options are available!]
[Option 1: Kill them all to set an example. Reward: Wind Style - Wind Blade Jutsu.]
[Option 2: Spare Yagura Tachibana to make a point. Reward: A-Rank Water Style - Great Waterfall Technique.]
[Option 3: Go all out and display the strength of the Hidden Leaf. Reward: Puppet Art - Golem Painting (Basic).]
"Alright, I'll let you go."
Takayama Haru immediately picked Option 3—he wasn't interested in the two ninjutsu. But puppetry... that was something new.
Just as Haru made his selection, murderous chakra surged from all directions.
Art of the Water Body!
Combined with their own Water Style techniques:
Water Jet!
Water Blade Slash!
Continuous Stream!
Yet right under Haru's feet, a giant wooden head rose from the floor. Haru stepped atop it and lifted it effortlessly. Every attack aimed at him slammed into the wooden head.
Rumble!
Cracks appeared, but it didn't break.
Worse—it caught the three attackers!
Yagura Tachibana was stunned. A sense of dread filled him as he leapt backward—just in time to avoid a massive root rising beneath him.
Still, countless vine-like roots surged toward him.
Haru's shadow clones activated Wood Golem Technique and Birth of the Tree World, transforming the entire lower levels of the tower into a lush forest.
Due to the immense chakra cost, two clones stationed at the entrance vanished with a puff.
Yagura was drenched in sweat, terrified.
Was this guy insane?
He didn't care about the Hokage Tower at all?
The Hokage himself was upstairs!
"Takayama Haru!"
Just as Yagura feared, Sarutobi was furious.
If he'd known, he would never have made Haru the head of the Administration Department.
On his first day, and he tore down the Hokage Tower?!
Who does that?!
At the department entrance, hostages Kamitake Shinfu and Mito Ryosuke watched in horror as massive wooden constructs and roots erupted.
Could you maybe act like a normal person?
Naruto-sama is upstairs, and you dare do this?
Bam!
A brick fell and hit the sleeping Douma on the head, splitting it open. Blood poured.
"Help!"
The tied-up hostages screamed.
Before they finished, the wooden giant stepped forward.
Swish!
The nearest hostage, Mito Ryosuke, was crushed underfoot—turned to pulp.
Everyone else screamed in terror and fled with everything they had.
Absolutely horrifying!
...
At that moment, Takayama Haru and Kushina were resting near the Hokage Rock in the northern part of the village.
It was a romantic spot, where Haru and Kushina had once fallen in love.
Being there brought warm memories to Haru—those peaceful talks with Kushina on a quiet night.
She held his hand tighter without realizing it.
Suddenly, Haru received the memories of the shadow clone at the administration office dissipating.
He smiled wryly.
Day one as a department head sure was chaotic.
Haru hadn't expected this. But the Mist struck first—this was clearly their fault.
Would the other Hidden Villages buy that?
Haru grinned. What a genius he was.
At that moment, Haru turned to look into the forest behind them.
A man emerged.
Dressed in a black cloak, he looked eerily familiar—no way, it was an Uchiha!
As soon as Haru recognized Uchiha Madara, the man activated his Chakra Eye!
Genjutsu—Judgment of the Nara God!
"What?!"
Without hesitation, Haru pulled Kushina behind him and unleashed Wood Dragon Technique! His fastest Wood Style.
A dragon ten times larger than usual erupted from the earth and lunged at Madara, shredding him to pieces.
Boom!
A shadow clone.
Haru exhaled. That was a young version of Madara—scared the life out of him.
He thought Madara had used some forbidden jutsu to restore himself.
"Haru, what's wrong?" Kushina asked worriedly.
She hadn't seen the illusion clearly.
Haru shook his head. "It's nothing."
He'd overreacted. The burst of chakra erased all his shadow clones.
He sighed.
...
Meanwhile, in the Hokage Tower, Yagura Tachibana was bound. The four of them sat in a row, struggling and whimpering.
Then suddenly, the Haru in front of them vanished with a bang.
They were stunned.
"A shadow clone?"
"Four of us... defeated by a clone?!"
...
Elsewhere, countless Haru clones were resolving disputes in shops, mediating between villagers, and teaching Lesson 7.
In another spot, he chatted with Orochimaru about wanting to reclaim Terumi Mei.
Then suddenly, everything collapsed and disappeared.
Everyone was stunned.
Team 7's Kakashi, Obito, and Rin had been laughing. When they noticed Haru gone, their faces turned grim.
Rin even cried.
"He taught us with a shadow clone? So disrespectful!"
In the medical department, Orochimaru paused, then chuckled. "Fascinating... even I didn't notice that was a clone."
...
Somewhere deep in a cave, an old man with a giant tube stuck in his back sighed.
"As expected, illusions don't work... Even exploiting his emotions for that woman, it's useless. Definitely a descendant of Hashirama Senju—identical in spirit."
This time, it was merely a temptation from the Uchiha...