BOOM!
As if answering the cry, a massive puff of white smoke exploded outward, billowing across the area like a tidal wave, obscuring everyone's vision.
Three colossal toads—purple, orange, and green—descended from the sky, crashing onto the ruins of the crater below, shaking the very ground.
And perched atop the orange toad was a much smaller toad, and upon it stood a lone figure, facing the wind!
All eyes were instantly drawn to him.
When the people of the Shinobi World finally made out the figure, they saw it was Naruto, with a scroll on his back, his Sage Mode already activated.
His eyes had turned into golden horizontal pupils, surrounded by dark rings, and dark eye shadow circled his eyes like some kind of totemic marking. The six whisker-like marks on his cheeks grew more pronounced under Sage Mode.
His entrance alone stunned the entire battlefield. Standing atop the toad, wind billowing through his cloak, his two headband straps streaming behind him; he stood like a banner.
[Age 16, and Sage Mode is his signature.]
[Undoubtedly, this battle is one of the most spectacular fights in Naruto's career after leaving the village and finishing his training.]
[This was Naruto's first time using Senjutsu, first time being the strongest player on his team, and first time going up to Six-tails. His opponent at the time was also the seemingly invincible Six Paths of Pain, and just that Shinra Tensei alone—tell me that's not despair-inducing.]
[Although Naruto benefited from Tendo Pain being on cooldown and from prior intel, he was, at the end of the day still facing a higher-level opponent. And throughout the fight, his Sage Mode consistently delivered impressive results in the early stages.]
[Preta Path Pain was taken down in an instant by Naruto's Frog Kata, and the other Paths were successively defeated in short order. Naruto even managed to trace Nagato's real body location using the black rods. At this point, Naruto's strength had clearly reached peak Kage-level. In this battle, Naruto not only refined his application of the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, but also pushed the sensory abilities of Sage Mode to their absolute limit; making this one of the most iconic milestones in his personal growth.]
[Objectively speaking, this battle officially elevated Naruto to the ranks of the Shinobi World's top-tier fighters, completing his transformation from a dead-last to a hero of Konoha.]
On the screen, after Animal Path Pain used its summoning Jutsu, all Six Paths of Pain had gathered at the bottom of the crater, six pairs of Rinnegan staring in unison at Naruto above.
Just then, Tsunade also emerged from somewhere and stood firmly in front of the three toads, placing herself before Naruto.
"I have no business with you… the one I'm looking for—" As Tendo Pain spoke, Asura Path Pain had already launched itself at Tsunade.
Its body shot forward like a projectile, its arm transforming into a blade aimed straight at her throat.
Just as it was about to hit her, a figure flashed past at blinding speed, moving so fast it was almost impossible to catch with the naked eye.
Crunch!
A dull, heavy impact rang out, and Asura Path Pain was smashed to pieces on the spot, its parts scattering in all directions.
"Is me, right?!"
By the time everyone saw clearly who had arrived, Naruto was already standing steadily in front of Tsunade.
In Tsunade's incredulous gaze, she saw shadows of Minato and Jiraiya in Naruto's back. The same upright posture, the same determination to risk everything to protect those important to them.
---
[Konoha, Year 48. Hokage Office]
Sitting in the Hokage office, Kushina stared at the figure on the screen, the one who had leaped from the toad's head and smashed Asura Path Pain with a single punch, and shot up from her chair in excitement.
"SO COOL! Naruto! That was so cool!"
Her voice was a bit high-pitched, startling Minato beside her.
Still, the corners of Minato's mouth couldn't help but curl upward too, his eyes brimming with pride. That was his son—at just sixteen, in Sage Mode, taking down a Pain puppet with one punch.
But Minato also felt a hint of confusion. Naruto had fought well in the beginning, so why did he end up in such a rough state later, to the point where Hinata had to save him?
He furrowed his brow slightly, but said nothing.
Kushina noticed her husband's expression and nudged him: "Minato, what are you thinking?"
"Nothing." Minato shook his head and smiled again. No matter what happened later, at this moment, Naruto was already the hero of Konoha.
---
[Konoha, Year 60. Land of Waves, Tazuna's House]
Naruto watched himself smash Asura Path Pain with one punch on the screen and leaped up in excitement—both feet off the ground, arms flailing in the air.
"Hahaha! Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi-sensei, did you see that?! Sage Mode! One punch, completely wrecked! Aren't I so cool?!"
He grabbed Sasuke's arm and shook him vigorously: "Sasuke, did you see?! Peak Kage-level! In three years, I'll be peak Kage-level—way stronger than your Cursed Mark!"
Sasuke was shaken dizzy by him and threw his hand off: "Yeah, yeah, I saw it. Now, let go."
Naruto didn't care in the slightest and kept bouncing around the room, muttering nonstop: "Sage Mode! One punch! I'm too amazing!"
Sakura giggled to the side, but she was also thinking: 'If I had been there at the scene, could I have helped?'
She looked at her future self on the screen, standing behind Tsunade, hands over her mouth, eyes full of fear and helplessness—she didn't want to become that person.
She wanted to face Pain herself; even if she couldn't win, she at least wanted to be able to participate in the battle instead of just crying for help!
"Sakura, what's wrong?" Naruto noticed her expression.
"Nothing." Sakura clenched her fists. "I was just thinking... my future self is way too weak."
Naruto was stunned for a moment, then grinned: "It's okay, I'll protect you!"
Sakura shot him a glare: "I don't want you to protect me, I want to become strong myself!"
Naruto sheepishly shrunk his neck.
Sasuke, meanwhile, stared at Naruto's Sage Mode on the screen, a flicker of envy passing through his eyes.
Orochimaru's Cursed Mark was far inferior to the purity of this natural energy from the world itself.
He had to learn Sage Mode. And once he mastered it, he'd be Kage-level too!
*****
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