The entire room was filled with tension as everyone shuddered in fear.
The brief yet emotional meeting between Heiming and his parents had been touching, but it left an overwhelming sense of dread. This time, Heiming's fury wasn't just directed at Konoha Village. The ripple effects of his anger were likely to affect not only his world but perhaps the entire ninja world.
Meanwhile, in the Pure Land, Uchiha Madara narrowed his eyes.
He thought, "The Uzumaki are too arrogant. They should have listened to their mother's advice. No, as a host of the Nine Tails, he has no future. Neither Heiming nor the others have any hope."
Elsewhere, the Akatsuki gathered, discussing the situation.
Deidara remarked, "That kid's got the power of the Nine Tails. I wonder how we're supposed to deal with him in three years. But his big spiral jutsu is really impressive."
Red Sand Scorpion glared. "Are you thinking of betraying us?"
Deidara laughed. "Not at all! All I want is to compete with him in the art of jutsu."
Kakuzu, always cautious, muttered, "Right now, we don't even know how many perfect Nine Tails Jinchūriki there are."
Hidan interjected, "No matter how strong he is, he can't defeat Lord Cthulhu."
Kisame looked thoughtful. "You might be right, but Uzumaki doesn't seem to care about such things. After he deals with Konoha, he could start a war with the entire ninja world, claiming vengeance for his clan."
Kakuzu, ever pragmatic, shrugged. "Good, then we can act without hesitation."
Konan, listening quietly, glanced at Nagato. She wondered how he, also of the Uzumaki clan, would feel about the actions of his kin. What would Heiming think when he learned that Nagato shared his bloodline?
As the discussion continued, Shimura Danzō, in a different corner of the world, sneered, "Hmph, what an arrogant brat. You think you can take on every ninja village?"
Onoki responded, "It won't be that simple. Taking on Konoha is one thing, but attacking several villages is a whole different challenge."
Terumi Mei chimed in, "Did you all participate in the Uzumaki clan's siege?"
Onoki, not one to back down, shot back, "Don't start with me, it was your Kirigakure's fault too."
Senju Hashirama sighed, "This is a mess. It's all completely out of control."
Senju Tobirama, ever pragmatic, added, "I'm afraid Heiming will use Konoha's failure to support Uzushio Village as an excuse to take even more drastic measures against the village."
Danzō, always scheming, declared, "Don't worry, as long as I become the Fifth Hokage in this world, I'll stop him."
Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled, "Hehehe… Let's see what happens. You go ahead and try, Danzo."
[Meanwhile, Uzumaki Naruto stood in a daze, reflecting on the words spoken by his parents. Their final words, "I'm sorry, Naruto," echoed in his mind.]
Naruto's eyes grew moist, his heart heavy with conflicting emotions. "How could a parent apologize to their child?" he thought, wiping his eyes. He walked toward the Nine Tails again, seeking guidance.
Kurama's voice rumbled in his head, "Do you need to adjust your mood, Naruto?"
"No!" Naruto responded firmly, a smile forming on his face. "I've learned a lot, and I've been thinking a lot. But first, we need to deal with this situation." He paused, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Let me see the power you keep talking about."
"Humph!" the Nine Tails growled in delight. "Then make sure to use my power well."
At that moment, Naruto felt a surge of power envelop his body. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. The very space around him trembled as the immense chakra flooded through him.
A golden flame erupted from Naruto's body, his clothes torn by the force of the chakra. A golden cloak materialized around him, radiating power. His face, rather than becoming rough or monstrous, was adorned with six black stripes in perfect symmetry. His golden hair, like a burning flame, swirled around him, forming small, horn-like shapes.
The Chūnin Exam venue was overwhelmed by a massive burst of energy, sending a shockwave through the surroundings. Before anyone could react, the "training bullets" mentioned earlier by Shukaku were fired in Naruto's direction.
"Those people won't be a problem," Naruto muttered. "They'll be useful in the future."
Naruto, confident and determined, cracked his fists. "Alright, time to kick things off, Kurama."
"Let's go!" the Nine Tails roared, eager for the fight.
The wind whistled as the training bullets neared. Yamanaka Ino, Haruno Sakura, and others, frozen with fear, could do nothing but watch, paralyzed by terror.
"Is this the end?" muttered Uchiha Sasuke, his thoughts filled with despair. He didn't want to die this way, unable to take revenge.
But suddenly, a golden flash appeared in front of them. A figure emerged, cloaked in golden light, and the shockwave intensified as the cloak collided with Shukaku's training bullet.
"Boom!" The bullets were deflected by the immense force of the golden cloak, and the arena was shaken by the violent blast.
"What… Who is that?" Hatake Kakashi and Might Guy exchanged bewildered looks.
As the dust cleared, Kakashi's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible. Could it be... Naruto?"
The other ninja, shocked and in awe, began to murmur in confusion. "Is that really him?"
Inuzuka Kiba stared in disbelief, unable to reconcile the golden figure before him with the Naruto he had known. "Naruto?"
"Yes," Yamanaka Ino shouted, her eyes filled with joy. "It's really him!"
Haruno Sakura, with quick reflexes, managed to hold Ino back from jumping at Naruto. "Ino, don't... It's really Naruto! He saved us."
Inuzuka Kiba, still in shock, gawked at the figure. "Naruto, you... you're really this strong?"
Hyūga Hinata, blushing, whispered, "Naruto-kun, you've always been so brave..."
Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Orochimaru had momentarily stopped fighting, their attention now fully on Naruto. Orochimaru frowned, sensing something had changed. "Could it be that Naruto has fully mastered the power of the Nine Tails?"
Jiraiya, ever the optimist, laughed. "Looks like Naruto has succeeded. Orochimaru, your plan is finished."
Naruto, glowing with the power of the Nine Tails, gazed up at the eagle soaring through the sky. "It seems the villagers are preparing for a counterattack."
He turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen, the man who had once been the village's leader. "Now's the right time for us to make our move."
Naruto continued, "Hiruzen's death sealed the fate of the village's leadership. With him gone, Konoha's high-ranking officials will be lost, and the situation will change."
But Shukaku, enraged and still in the fray, glared at Naruto. "You... Damn fox! What are you trying to do?"
Naruto, unfazed, grinned. "Eat it yourself, raccoon."
Suddenly, Shukaku launched a Tailed Beast Bomb from his mouth. The sphere of chakra grew, radiating an ominous purple glow.
"That's the Tailed Beast Bomb!" Naruto said, his voice laced with concern. "The destructive force it holds is unimaginable."
The Nine Tails responded, "There's another way. You don't need to launch it. You can consume it and release it in a different form."
Naruto nodded. "I see. Let's do it."
In a swift motion, the golden fox claws rushed toward the Tailed Beast Bomb and, with a single swipe, forced the entire bomb into Shukaku's mouth.
"What the hell?!" Shukaku roared, enraged.
Without hesitation, Shukaku swallowed the Tailed Beast Bomb and immediately released it back in a laser-like blast.
Boom!
Naruto, unfazed, swung his Rasengan at the incoming blast. The two forces collided, exploding in a massive eruption of energy. The entire battlefield was engulfed in flames and debris.
The spectators were left in stunned silence, witnessing the impossible unfold before their eyes.
"That's… impossible," Inuzuka Kiba gasped, watching the power of the two collide.
"It can't be…" Uchiha Sasuke whispered in awe. "Naruto... how did you...?"
The battle outside intensified, and the ground shook. But Naruto, his body stabilizing, stood firm. "I'll handle this. It's time to finish this."
Shukaku, still stunned by the power displayed, glared at Naruto. "You're a thorn in my side."
Naruto smirked. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you."
As he leapt into the air, he landed on Shukaku's head and, with one swift motion, slapped Gaara awake, restoring his consciousness.
The battle for the future of Konoha and the ninja world had truly begun.
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