Chapter 220: The Akatsuki Attacks!!
Konoha.
Morning sunlight gently penetrated the window, sprinkling onto Naruto Uzumaki's golden hair, reflecting specks of light. He rubbed his sleepy eyes, his nose filled with the aroma of miso soup and grilled fish. That was the unique scent of "home" belonging to his mother, Kushina Uzumaki.
"Naruto, wake up! The sun is shining on your butt!"
Kushina's energetic voice came from downstairs, carrying a hint of impatient urging.
Naruto grinned, feeling the happiness of being called by family. He quickly got dressed and ran downstairs with a thump-thump-thump.
At the dining table, Minato Namikaze was smiling while reading the newspaper. Dressed in simple loungewear, he had shed the majesty of the Hokage, appearing more like a gentle father next door.
Seeing Naruto come down, he put down the newspaper and said warmly, "Good morning, Naruto."
"Good morning!" Naruto responded loudly, pulling out a chair to sit.
Kushina served the last fried egg and patted Naruto's head scoldingly, "You child, did you train late again last night? You need to pay attention to rest, you know?"
"I know, Mom is the best!" Naruto picked up a piece of narutomaki, stuffed it into his mouth, and spoke indistinctly, his face beaming with satisfaction.
Minato watched the interaction between mother and son, his eyes full of tenderness. He picked up his chopsticks and said, "This afternoon, Jiraiya-sensei will continue to guide your Sage Mode training, and Kakashi will also be waiting for you at the training ground. Naruto, we see your hard work, but you also need to balance work and rest."
He paused, his tone slightly serious. "As Hokage, village affairs are numerous, and the time I can spend with you is limited."
Naruto nodded heavily.
Breakfast time was warm and brief. Afterward, Naruto bid farewell to his parents and headed to the agreed training ground.
Under the sun, Jiraiya still looked cynical, but his gaze towards Naruto was filled with expectation.
"Kid, your perception and power control in Sage Mode are getting more proficient."
During a break in training, Jiraiya leaned against a tree trunk, rarely restraining his smile, a trace of melancholy in his eyes. He gazed into the distance, his gaze seemingly piercing through layers of rain curtains, returning to that war-torn Hidden Rain Village.
"Speaking of which, those three kids, Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan…"
He sighed softly. "During the war back then, I taught them for three years. They all longed for peace, and Yahiko was determined to use his own power to bring about change, to build a world without war… They were all excellent, very promising children."
"I wonder how they are now…"
After training with Jiraiya, Naruto met Kakashi at the Third Training Ground.
"Yo, Naruto."
Kakashi closed the "Icha Icha Paradise" in his hand and greeted lazily. "Today's training content… want to study this new 'Icha Icha Violence' first? I heard your contribution wasn't small?"
Naruto's face turned red, and he argued loudly, "Kakashi-sensei! That… that was Jiraiya-sensei forcing me along!"
He recalled the experience of "gathering material" with Jiraiya and couldn't help but shiver.
Kakashi looked at Naruto's embarrassed appearance, his eyes crinkling, clearly amused.
In the evening, Tsunade would also tentatively teach Naruto the Strength of a Hundred Seal.
While guiding Naruto, Tsunade looked at his never-give-up eyes and would often hallucinate seeing Nawaki's figure. That younger brother, equally full of vitality and carrying the dream of becoming Hokage—if he had survived, would he be like Naruto, walking forward step by step?
And Naruto's cherishing of comrades and love for the village reminded her of Dan Kato. That gentle and powerful man who sacrificed himself to protect his comrades—if he saw Naruto, he would definitely be very gratified.
The day's training ended, and Naruto walked home alone. The setting sun stretched his shadow long.
He would unconsciously think of Sasuke leaving the village, the sorrow of Konoha when Grandpa Third sacrificed himself, and Sakura…
That past throbbing and her subsequent defection with Orochimaru ached dully. The trauma brought by the Konoha Crush plan still woke him up in certain midnights.
But now, he was no longer alone. He had the love of his parents, the careful guidance of Jiraiya-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, and Grandma Tsunade.
He looked up; the reconstructed Konoha Village was brightly lit. People came and went on the streets, full of the breath of life. The noise of izakayas, the laughter of children, all made him feel incredibly at ease.
Returning home, he surprisingly found Jiraiya and Kakashi there too. Kushina was busy preparing a sumptuous dinner, while Minato chatted with the two, the atmosphere relaxed and happy.
"Yo, Naruto is back! Come try the limited edition ramen flavor I just bought!"
"Buying weird stuff again!"
"Perfect, extra food for tonight!"
For a time, the small living room was filled with laughter. The aroma of ramen mixed with the fragrance of the meal, warm and healing.
After dinner, Naruto sat on the porch in the courtyard, looking at the moon in the sky. It seemed everything would go on peacefully like this.
However, happy times always seem short.
On an ordinary afternoon a few days later, the sensory barrier on the outskirts of Konoha suddenly issued a piercing alarm. Minato, who was processing documents, jerked his head up, his eyes instantly becoming sharp.
"Enemy invasion!"
Almost simultaneously, four figures appeared silently at the edge of Konoha Village. They wore black cloaks embroidered with red clouds, their expressions cold.
The two in the lead: one carried a huge triple-bladed scythe, wearing a cruel and fanatical smile; the other was thin, his face covered with stitch marks, looking gloomy, his eyes flashing with greed, seemingly indifferent to everything around him, interested only in "money" and powerful hearts.
This was Kakuzu of the Akatsuki organization.
Behind them stood two others.
One possessed the Sharingan, his gaze deep and complex, his face devoid of expression, as if everything had nothing to do with him. This was the "rogue ninja" of the Uchiha clan, Itachi Uchiha.
The other had a shark-like face, blue skin, holding a huge blade wrapped in bandages—Samehada. His body emitted an astonishing amount of chakra, carrying a beast-like dangerous aura. This was the rogue ninja of the Hidden Mist known as the "Tail-less Tailed Beast," Kisame Hoshigaki.
The four-man squad, carrying the aura of death, stepped into Konoha's territory.
"Is this the village where the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is? Doesn't look like much, Kakuzu."
"Shut up, Hidan."
"Our goal is the Nine-Tails; don't cause unnecessary trouble."
Konoha Village instantly entered the highest state of alert. The peaceful daily life was completely shattered at this moment, and the shadow of war once again shrouded Konoha.