The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm light down on the land. A group of a dozen or so people stood among the ruins, waving toward a group of shinobi standing on a steep cliff in the distance.
But calling it a "cliff" would be inaccurate—it was more like a mountain range, stretching across what used to be half of Konoha's central commercial district. The Hokage Rock was completely gone.
All across the ruins, enormous oval-shaped walls formed from tightly entwined wooden vines rose up, resembling massive shields from a distance.
Naruto stood quietly atop one of these wooden barriers, gazing at the devastation before him.
The plateau where the Hokage Rock had once stood had completely collapsed. However, the resulting landslide had been forcibly blocked by this newly risen mountain range. In the end, only half of the commercial district had been buried.
Still, every single explosive tag hidden throughout the area had been triggered.
"Naruto, is this what you meant by Wood Release?"
In the seal space, Minato Namikaze looked uncertain as he observed the wooden vines. He had read about Wood Release, but this didn't quite match what he remembered.
"Tch… You're calling that Wood Release? It's just a bunch of twigs. Can't even compare to that brat Hashirama!"
Kurama—the Nine-Tails—snorted in disdain.
When Naruto had first sensed the use of Wood Release in the area, Kurama had gone on high alert, thinking another Shinobi like Hashirama Senju had appeared in Konoha. But the result was... this?
Kurama had strong memories of Wood Release. After all, it was Hashirama who had pinned him down with a single technique and left him helpless, only to be sealed away by his wife afterward.
"Naruto, do you know who used this Wood Release?"
Minato's attitude was different. He was intrigued. After all, the First Hokage had left behind the theory and methods for training in Wood Release, but no one had ever been able to truly master it.
"Of course I know. Once the data finishes syncing, I'll bring you into the Mirror World to meet the one using it."
The sheer scale of this terrain alteration—earth raised into mountains, vines interwoven across the ruins—left no doubt.
This was the work of Yamato.
It had been a week since the Uchiha Clan Massacre. The Mirror World had been syncing data since the day after the event—and still wasn't finished.
Apparently, the amount of data being processed this time was massive.
Naruto wondered if Uchiha Itachi had already arrived in the Land of Rain.
And when he thought of the Land of Rain… he thought of Pain.
And when he thought of Pain… he thought of Jiraiya.
"Come down already, Naruto! Iruka-sensei said we need to gather—class is about to start!"
"Got it! Choji, aren't you with Shikamaru today?"
From high up, Naruto looked down at the clearing amidst the ruins. The Ninja Academy had long been destroyed, so classes were now held in this makeshift space.
The day after the explosions, Naruto had approached the edge of the destruction and was surprised to find Iruka there.
Luckily, Iruka had survived—his home was far from the commercial district.
"Shikamaru and his dad are coming later. Apparently, he gave Uncle Shikaku some advice, and now they've gone to meet with the Hokage first."
"Advice, huh…"
Naruto's eyes glinted.
Over the past week, Shikamaru and his father had gone to see the Third Hokage multiple times.
Three days ago, Naruto sensed Gen'ō's chakra—he had been taken by a group of ANBU into a barrier-sealed facility. Not long after, the ANBU came rushing out, and then the entire Hyūga, Aburame, and Inuzuka Clans were mobilized, searching the village for any remaining explosive tags.
It wasn't until today that the village had officially begun reconstruction efforts on the ruins.
Yet no formal announcement had been made—neither about the disaster nor the Uchiha Clan Massacre.
No one knew how many lives had been lost or how heavy the true cost had been.
After a moment of thought, Naruto leapt down to Choji's side.
"Let's go. I saw Iruka-sensei approaching already."
Inside a Barrier-Sealed Facility…
"Shikaku… Are you suggesting we intentionally let some of the enemy spies escape?"
In the base office, the Third Hokage stared intently at Nara Shikaku, his expression deeply grave.
"Yes. If we're still unsure of the full extent of the enemy's infiltration, then it's better to use this opportunity to mislead them—let them transmit the wrong information."
Shikaku's tone was serious.
"That's too dangerous!" the Third retorted, eyes sharp. "If the other villages find out about the state Konoha is in, they'll definitely launch an invasion."
"And it's already been a week. Who's to say the information hasn't already leaked? What if the other Great Villages join forces to attack us?"
His concerns were valid. Ninja had countless ways to pass information.
Take Gen'ō, the shinobi from Yōtō Village they'd captured days ago—he had a summoning beast that resembled an albatross and could be used to transmit intel.
Shikaku calmly replied:
"Hokage-sama, when you called me in before, you personally confirmed that on the night of the explosion, the Barrier Corps sealed off the entire village."
"Other than Uchiha Itachi and that mysterious man with space-time ninjutsu, no one else broke through the barrier, correct?"
Hiruzen nodded.
That night, Root had sealed off the Uchiha district, while the Barrier Corps had locked down all of Konoha. Even now, the village's perimeter remained under tight surveillance.
After the explosion, he had immediately deployed teams to guard every entrance and exit. To date, no one had entered or left the village.
"Then I must insist," Shikaku said solemnly. "Lift the lockdown."
"We need the other villages to believe that Konoha has regained its most powerful kekkei genkai—the Wood Release of the First Hokage!"
The Third's eyes narrowed.
"Tenzo's Wood Release is still nowhere near the First Hokage's level."
"That may be true," Shikaku agreed, turning to a masked ANBU beside the Hokage.
"But the other villages don't know that. That's why we need Tenzo to start using Wood Release frequently—and in public."
"Given the current situation, I also urge you again to recall Lady Tsunade and Jiraiya-sama."
Hiruzen looked troubled. He waved his hand.
"Tsunade has been contacted, but hasn't replied. Jiraiya is on another mission and can't return for now. Let's refocus on the reconstruction efforts and the request for funding from the Daimyō."
"Understood."
Shikaku nodded and pulled out a stack of documents.
"I've already prepared several preliminary proposals for rebuilding the commercial district."
Back on the makeshift training grounds…
Iruka was writing on a chalkboard propped up on some planks. Two more class periods, and the day would be over.
"Naruto… did you hear what happened to Sasuke's family?"
From the last row, Shikamaru lowered his voice as he asked.
"I've heard bits and pieces the past few days," Naruto replied calmly, eyes drifting toward a quiet corner of the grounds.
"Do you know what happened to them?"
"Sigh… The Uchiha Clan was wiped out. And the one who did it... was his older brother."
As he spoke, Shikamaru followed Naruto's gaze—to where Sasuke sat alone.
Just then, Naruto's consciousness slipped into the seal space.
The Mirror World had finally finished syncing its data.
After asking Kurama for help, Naruto brought Minato into the Mirror World.
But moments later, he returned—expression grim.
Things were developing beyond his expectations.
The explosion and destruction had caused massive damage to Konoha, but much of it was economic.
The Third Hokage could easily request compensation from the Daimyō.
In terms of casualties, apart from a few unlucky genin and chūnin, most were civilians. The village's actual combat strength remained intact—Uchiha issues aside.
But what really caught Naruto off guard—
The Third Hokage had already sent Jiraiya to the Land of Rain to investigate the Akatsuki.
And that…
Was Naruto's fault.
The Third had learned from the Barrier Corps that an unknown person had breached the village's barriers multiple times—appearing near the Uchiha district and even the cemetery.
Uchiha Itachi had admitted that he was cooperating with this mysterious man, who was from the Akatsuki and capable of space-time ninjutsu.
Whenever Naruto used the Flying Thunder God inside the village, he followed the Fourth's instructions for minimal barrier disruption, so the Barrier Corps didn't notice.
But the Forest of Death was different. Its barrier system was distinct from the rest of Konoha—and every time Naruto entered, he had been detected.
The mysterious partner Itachi mentioned was Obito—Naruto knew that.
But the Third didn't.
After interrogating Gen'ō, the Hokage suspected that this same mystery man had detonated the explosive tags.
The Barrier Corps and the Third… had mistaken Naruto for Obito.
What's worse—Itachi and Obito had erased all traces of their involvement.
Before leaving, Itachi used Amaterasu to incinerate his parents' bodies.
Obito took most of the Uchiha clan's three-tomoe Sharingan.
Now Danzo was furious. So was the Hokage.
In their eyes, all those Sharingan should've been Konoha's property.
So on the day Gen'ō was captured, the Third sent a direct order to Jiraiya—go to the Land of Rain and uncover everything about the Akatsuki.
Now Naruto was truly worried.
If Jiraiya obeyed that order and went to the Land of Rain…
He might die.
The key to the seal wasn't the issue—Jiraiya was cautious.
He'd probably have his scroll-carrying toad send it back to Mount Myōboku first.
But retrieving the key afterward would be difficult.
Minato had told him the route to Myōboku—but the place was sealed with powerful barriers. Without a summoning contract, he might not even get through the entrance.
Maybe he could force his way in by unleashing Tailed Beast Chakra near the entrance?
Still, that old toad who could see the future gave Naruto the creeps.
He needed to prepare multiple backup plans.
After all, there might be ways to remove the Nine-Tails without relying on the key.
In a flash of thought, Naruto pieced everything together and exited the seal space.
He didn't even notice Shikamaru murmuring nearby, sharing his theories.
His eyes were fixed…
On Sasuke.
(To be continued…)
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/FinalArcHero789