Deep within the Other-dimensional World Tree.
Shiroishi stood quietly at the center of the pulsating energy, adjusting his glasses. "I apologize for disrupting your Gym Assessment and Trainer growth."
Red turned to look at him, his gaze as steady as deep water.
"I don't place personal preferences above everything else."
He spoke calmly, then a faint but genuine smile touched the corners of his lips.
"So there's no need to apologize to me for these things."
Shiroishi lowered his gaze slightly, unspoken emotions shifting behind his lenses.
In the end, he only said softly:
"Thank you for your understanding."
When they walked out from within the World Tree side by side, the outside world was already shrouded in rainy mist.
The Land of Rain, as gloomy as ever, with continuous rain connecting heaven and earth.
Red stood at the edge of the rocky outcrop where tree roots protruded, gazing at the mist-shrouded mountains in the distance.
"This land of perpetual gloom..."
He said quietly, "You'll soon dispel it, won't you?"
Shiroishi nodded, his tone calm yet resonating like war drums:
"Yes. This is what I promised Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato."
Upon hearing this, Red simply nodded silently.
The next moment, he raised his hand.
As if responding to his will, the earth began to tremble.
The ground of the Flame Gym cracked open, a massive shadow slowly sinking.
Some heavy mechanical structure awakened underground, accompanied by low rumbling.
The entire Gym!
Began sinking into the earth.
The land of the Land of Rain trembled under Red's influence.
The Gym returned to the embrace of the World Tree like a slumbering giant.
Throughout the Land of Rain, almost every part was now covered by the World Tree's Root Network:
Water sources, mountains, towns, roads... everywhere pulsed with the life energy of the World Tree.
In the underground area.
The Flame Gym was lifted by roots, moving slowly underground.
Passing through layers of intertwined underground root networks.
It continuously advanced outward along the World Tree's main trunk.
When it finally reached the core main road bordering the Land of Wind and the Land of Rain.
BOOM!!!
The ground suddenly split open, as if some seal had been released.
Massive structures rose from the fissure.
Soil and rubble cascaded down like waterfalls around them.
Blazing light poured from the gaps in the Gym's structure.
The Flame Gym!
At this moment, it had transformed its location, standing proudly upon the earth.
Its scale, its presence, resembled a cross-border war fortress.
Red stood atop the risen Gym, his cloak flapping violently in the fierce wind.
He looked ahead at the sand waves of the Land of Wind.
There lay the frontlines of the Sand Village!
The Kazekage's army, the Sand Ninja Force, all hidden within that yellow storm.
Red calmly observed the greater number of Sand Ninjas before him.
His expression remained unchanged.
Deep within the Uchiha clan grounds, the courtyard was surrounded by layers of people.
This time, it wasn't for some clan meeting, but because Fugaku Uchiha's Ninja Beast Egg was entering its final hatching stage.
All Uchiha clansmen gathered around.
From the clan leader to the young ninjas, every pair of Sharingan eyes was fixed on the heavy black-red egg at the center.
The air was thick with suppressed heat.
"Mikoto has already hatched a Sunlight Six-Tails..."
"Will young master Fugaku's Ninja Beast be of the same level?"
"Perhaps... even stronger?"
Discussions rose everywhere, mingling excitement, anxiety, and fervor.
Fugaku sat in the center, his back straight, yet his eyes were more tense than anyone else's.
The eggshell trembled slightly.
Flickers of firelight seeped through the cracks.
The air throughout the clan compound felt as if being baked by flames.
...
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office
The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi unusually wasn't smoking his pipe, merely standing by the window gazing toward the Uchiha clan's direction.
His brows were tightly furrowed.
Shimura Danzo pushed the door open, arriving faster than expected.
The two men locked eyes.
"Fugaku Uchiha's Ninja Beast is about to hatch."
Danzo stated bluntly.
Hiruzen nodded slightly but remained silent.
Danzo snorted coldly: "Even Mikoto Uchiha managed to hatch Sunlight power. What about Fugaku? He's the Uchiha clan's heir."
"Can the Hidden Leaf Village... withstand two suns from the Uchiha?"
Hiruzen's expression darkened further.
Danzo's tone turned colder: "This is the consequence of you casually distributing Ninja Beasts to the Uchiha."
Hiruzen finally spoke, "On this matter, you have no right to criticize me. I am the Hokage."
Danzo sneered, his eyes flashing with icy malice: "Hiruzen! You'll regret this!"
The air between them nearly solidified.
Uchiha Clan Compound
The eggshell's vibrations grew increasingly intense.
An elder whispered: "It's coming... it's about to break through!"
Everyone held their breath.
Fugaku clenched his fists as the eggshell began to crack.
"It's emerging!!"
Boom!
The eggshell instantly shattered, transforming into scattered flames.
A wave of scorching heat impacted the surroundings, forcing many clansmen to step back half a pace.
The ground was scorched crimson.
A small dark figure stood up from within the flames.
Appearing before the Uchiha crowd was a small black dog burning with flames.
Soon the initial excitement among the crowd turned somewhat peculiar.
Because the little dog's displayed presence and aura seemed somewhat lacking compared to Vulpix.
Hidden Leaf Camp.
Many ninjas were still recovering, the entire camp so quiet only breathing could be heard.
Might Duy sat quietly before his tent, bandages wrapped around his body, witnessing the hatching of a new Ninja Beast Egg alongside Sakumo Hatake.
A scorching energy surged from the soil beneath his feet!
Accompanied by a young yet defiant cry, a small burst of firelight exploded before him.
A small pig entirely engulfed in flames!
Leapt out from the soil!
Its ears were charcoal black, its nose cute and rounded, yet when its four legs touched the ground, it stood as steady as a little warrior.
The flames on its body continuously danced, as if burning with endless fighting spirit.
"This... this is... my Ninja Beast!?"
Might Duy's eyes widened, his entire body standing up as if ignited.
The little fire pig abruptly raised its head, its eyes shining like two burning embers, letting out a loud battle cry: "Grunting!!!"
As the flames across the pig's body surged, a clear yet intensely powerful energy wave flooded into Duy's body.
A warm power resembling both flames and conviction merged into Duy's chest.
"Is this the feeling of burning youth?"
Power and belief ignited simultaneously.
Immediately after, a power belonging to Tepig's characteristics began resonating with Might Duy.
At the Flame Gym, Tepig had long witnessed Might Duy's situation.
The flames around the fire pig suddenly expanded!
Heat waves roared, sand and dust scattered, even the air seemed ignited by this little pig's fighting spirit.
Sakumo Hatake was also seeing a Ninja Beast hatch for the first time; he glanced at the quiet Ninja Beast Egg on his own back, then looked at the passionately overflowing Tepig.
"You're truly amazing."
Might Duy laughed until his eyes grew slightly red.
He slowly crouched down and placed his hand before the fire pig.
The small T
epig snorted and actually leaned its head forward voluntarily.
"From today onward, let's fight together!"
Might Duy's eyes burned like flames: "I hope that in the future, you won't just grow alongside me, but also burn with youth alongside my newborn silly son, Guy."
[Host Confirmed: Might Duy (Tepig)]
[Skill Activated: Fire Pledge!]
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