Half an hour later, the bell-snatching competition ended unsatisfactorily because the two bells were shattered by someone's Chakra, though it's unknown whose.
Now, Satoshi's waist had only two small red strings hanging lonely, swaying in the wind, looking quite bizarre.
"That's it for today." Satoshi wiped the dust off his body.
"You've all made great progress. Now, let's go eat ramen."
"Yay!"
At Ichiraku Ramen, the rich aroma of bone broth permeated the air.
The three of them sat at the table, slurping down their ultimate deluxe ramen.
Naruto said, his mouth full and his eyes narrowed into slits, "Speaking of which, when I was very, very young, the first time I met Satoshi-sensei, he treated me to ramen. It feels like just yesterday, but in the blink of an eye, so many years have just whooshed by."
Satoshi also felt a bit emotional. Yes, time truly ticks by so quickly.
As for Sasuke's first interaction with Satoshi, it was watching him brutally beat his brother, the Konoha rogue ninja.
Right then, an Anbu ninja wearing a mask appeared silently beside the table, lowering his voice. "Hokage-sama, Mei from Kirigakure requests an audience."
"Understood."
Before his voice faded, with a soft whoosh, the spot was empty.
Only a slightly swaying teacup remained on the table, leaving Naruto and Sasuke staring at each other.
After a brief silence, Sasuke put down his chopsticks. "Naruto."
"Hm?"
"Let's find a quiet place later and continue training. I want to show you how strong I am now."
"Okay!"
—
Hokage's office.
Satoshi sat at the large desk, fingers intertwined on the surface, looking at the travel-worn Mei.
"What happened?"
Mei took a deep breath, trying to calm her rapid breathing, her voice trembling slightly. "The Mizukage has been abducted."
"Ah?" Satoshi's brows instantly furrowed. "Obito?"
Mei shook her head vigorously, her bright red lips pressed into a straight line.
When she spoke again, that name seemed to carry immense weight.
"No, the one who abducted him claimed to be Madara."
Just uttering that name, the air in the entire office seemed to grow heavier. After all, that name represented an existence on par with the God of Shinobi, Hashirama.
Shikaku standing nearby, gasped sharply upon hearing this.
Madara, a name that existed only in legends.
Why would he reappear in this world?
Hadn't he died long ago?
Shikaku subconsciously asked, "Is that guy Obito impersonating Madara?"
Mei shook her head. "Although Obito is very strong, compared to Madara, that sense of oppression is vastly different."
Shikaku was silent for a moment, finally giving a heavy hum.
Obito couldn't compare to Madara.
Satoshi said, "I understand. You should rest first. I'll handle this matter."
"Everything is entrusted to Hokage-sama." Mei bowed deeply, filled with worry, and turned to leave the office.
However, this was merely the beginning of the storm.
Afterward, intel from various ninja villages poured in like snowflakes, each one striking the taut nerves of Konoha's high command.
Jinchuriki, these vessels serving as the ultimate weapons of the ninja villages, were successively targeted within a very short period.
Besides the one calling himself Madara and the known Obito, there was another key figure in the operations.
A survivor from Iwagakure brought a drawing.
Kabuto, a Konoha rogue ninja.
"Since Orochimaru's failed invasion of Konoha, he completely disappeared, as if he had vanished into thin air."
"He's becoming more and more like Orochimaru. This is no coincidence. Could Orochimaru himself be behind him?"
"Are you saying Orochimaru took over Kabuto's body? Does the Ninja World have such a forbidden Jutsu to seize other people's bodies?"
"If it's Orochimaru, given his obsession with forbidden Jutsu and the strange knowledge he possesses, creating or mastering some kind of reincarnation or body-snatching Jutsu we've never heard of wouldn't be completely impossible."
"...That actually makes some sense."
Thus, a rumor began to circulate among Konoha's upper echelons.
Actually, Orochimaru never died, he simply had his body destroyed. Although his main body was destroyed, he had already prepared a fallback plan.
He used some forbidden Jutsu to successfully seize the body of his follower, Kabuto, completing the reincarnation of his soul.
Kabuto is Orochimaru, and Orochimaru is Kabuto. Now he's collaborating with Obito again, still for his shocking conspiracy. Most likely, it's true immortality.
Hiss...
Going in a big circle, it's still Orochimaru who wants to overthrow the Ninja World. Even Madara might have been resurrected by him.
After all, he mastered Edo Tensei and used this forbidden Jutsu to kill the great Third Hokage.
Damn it!
Why does the Ninja World have such hateful people!
And how can this despicable guy be truly killed?
[Grand-disciple Orochimaru has now become the Ninja World's biggest mastermind!]
[Mission Reminder: Thoroughly kill Orochimaru - In Progress, Kill rogue ninja Obito - In Progress]
Warrants for Kabuto (Orochimaru) and Obito quickly spread throughout the Ninja World. Konoha would offer a generous reward for any reliable leads.
...
Kabuto, hidden in a dark corner, was about to explode with rage.
He had put in so much effort, gone through countless near-death experiences, all to become an existence surpassing Orochimaru.
Yet these foolish ninjas actually said he was possessed by Orochimaru?
"A bunch of idiots." Kabuto pushed up his glasses. "Orochimaru, trying to possess me?"
"Heh, these people don't even qualify as experimental materials."
On the other side.
"Nonsense! What kind of useless Orochimaru is worthy of controlling me?"
Madara overturned the table, wishing he could kill all these fools right now.
"The entire Ninja World's movements have always been within my plan."
Black Zetsu quietly retreated to the corner, trying hard not to laugh out loud.
Yes, yes, you are the Ninja World's biggest mastermind.
Everything is under your control, and you only need to use a little trick to make these foolish mortals run circles.
But in reality, you've just become a helper for resurrecting my mother.
And that Obito with the white mask next to you. You even changed masks, what's the point?
Oh, you have two Sharingan now, right? You dug them out of the Uchiha during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Wouldn't it be better to just take back the other one that's with Kakashi? You've already killed so many people, why are you still pretending to be so righteous and sentimental?
Hey, why is Madara standing up? Why is he picking up his Gunbai?
"Obito, prepare to attack Konoha."
...
Land of Fire.
Jiraiya, the head of the Intelligence Department, had just won the salary Tsunade, the head of the Medical Department, had received less than two days ago.
The two were aimlessly strolling along the road.
Tsunade asked, "You won so much money from me, why do you still look unhappy?"
Jiraiya sighed, "You know, the Child of Prophecy..."
"Stop." Tsunade interrupted Jiraiya mercilessly, "Let's talk about something else."
Jiraiya spread his hands. "Where should we go for a drink tonight?"
"To..."
Suddenly, Tsunade and Jiraiya looked up. They felt a terrifying Chakra rapidly approaching.
"Such terrifying Chakra!"
Tsunade made an immediate decision, practically shouting, "Shizune, find the Hokage!"
"Yes, Tsunade-sama!"
Jiraiya leaped up. "Tsunade, stay here. I'll go check it out."
"Jiraiya..."
A figure clad in red armor stood on the statue in the Valley of the End.
"Konoha... It brings back memories."
"What a pity." Madara looked down at Hashirama's statue.