On the streets of Konoha, countless people collapsed to the ground. Their legs gave out, and many even lost control of their bodies in sheer terror.
Terrifying.
Absolutely horrifying.
Why—why did Konoha provoke such a terrifying individual?
"Where is Naruto Uzumaki?! Naruto Uzumaki?! Why hasn't he come yet? Didn't he say he would save us? Is he waiting for us to die before showing up?!"
In the heart of Konoha, a middle-aged woman screamed, completely collapsing from fear after watching the live broadcast.
"It'd be better if we just handed Naruto Uzumaki over! Sacrificing one person to protect everyone in Konoha—what's wrong with that?!"
"Why hasn't he come yet?! He's doing this on purpose. It's revenge! That monster is getting revenge! Sure, we may have treated him a little badly before, but now he wants us dead!"
"And Tsunade—the Fifth Hokage! She's protecting that monster! She wants to sacrifice all of us to save one monster!"
"Bah! Tsunade is a heartless woman! The Senju clan's gone, and now she's dragging Konoha down with her! How did someone like her become Hokage?!"
"That's right! Exchange the monster's life for peace in the village! Even if he dies, at least he'll have done something good for Konoha!"
"He's a walking sin. Dying for us would at least cleanse some of that sin!"
"Yes, exactly!"
At that moment, the emotions of the crowd boiled over. Their admiration for Tsunade from moments ago turned into fury.
A conspiracy.
It had to be a conspiracy!
Otherwise, why hadn't Naruto been handed over yet?
Even if they didn't know the full truth of Naruto's origins—if he were just an ordinary civilian, would the Hokage still protect him so adamantly?
No!
Absolutely not!
The woman's voice struck a chord with the terrified masses. Her words awakened others who had been paralyzed with fear. They joined the crusade, one after another.
Humans… once again showing their blindness and narrow-mindedness.
Some of the ninjas booed the crowd. They knew more than the civilians. But even knowing Naruto's identity…
If the Fifth Hokage had known from the start how powerful Pain truly was—
Would she still have insisted on protecting Naruto?
They couldn't say. And perhaps even Tsunade herself wouldn't know the answer.
—
At the gates of Konoha, Naruto Uzumaki watched the broadcast with an expression of boredom.
Why hadn't he shown up yet?
Had he gotten lost?
That worried Naruto a bit.
As for the destruction of Konoha shown in the vision—it didn't faze him.
Because he already had a solution.
After all…
The Exam Space had said it would stop future events. When that day came, he just had to return early.
Suddenly, there was a commotion.
Naruto heard someone calling his name.
His eyes lit up, and he started running in the direction of the voice.
Had everyone realized he saved them in the future? Were they here to thank him?
But then he heard what they were actually saying—and he froze.
They wanted him handed over?
They were willing to trade his life for their safety?
And their reason? That he deserved it?
In that instant, the mask Naruto always wore—the cheerful, goofy persona—shattered.
Tears streamed down his face as he looked around in confusion.
He wasn't some future genius, not yet. Right now, he was just the loser of the Ninja Academy—the prankster, the outcast.
His pranks, his smile, all of it had been an act—a desperate attempt to gain acknowledgment.
What had he done wrong?
Why did he deserve this abuse over and over again?
Why did the other kids have families and friends, while he had no one?
Why did he only eat instant noodles that made his stomach hurt, and drink expired milk?
Naruto didn't know.
He didn't even know who to ask.
He'd been born parentless. He didn't even know who his parents were. But he was still a child!
The tears poured down harder. He just didn't understand.
He tried so hard not to cause trouble. All he wanted was recognition.
Was that so much to ask?
For a long time, he just stared up at the screen in numb disbelief.
Was a village like this even worth saving?
—
Back in the broadcast, Tendo Pain descended from the sky and landed in a massive crater.
Decades of Konoha's history were reduced to ashes by his hands.
A strange emotion stirred in his heart.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Figures appeared on the crater's rim, looking down at the two Pains below.
Sunlight reflected off the leaf forehead protectors. Their eyes were filled with fury.
"Those bastards! Bastards!"
On a rooftop, Hiruzen Sarutobi clenched his teeth.
He had never expected them to show up now—after the destruction of Konoha.
Especially when he saw Danzo, flanked by Konoha's Anbu, standing there with a single eye exposed.
Sarutobi's rage erupted.
Those bastards from the council—still alive!
Damn them!
The clan leaders staying idle was bad enough. But Danzo?
Again!
Again he chose to stand by while the village was in peril!
Was the ROOT division only good for targeting Konoha's own people?
Sarutobi clenched his fists.
Right now, he wanted to turn back and tear into Danzo—he wanted to drag every clan leader into a room and bash their heads together.
But he couldn't.
Not yet.
None of this had happened yet.
If he acted now, he would lose the dignity and composure befitting a Hokage.
He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. Slowly, his rage subsided.
Then, the screen shifted again.
Swish!
A figure leapt down from above, driving a powerful kick at Tendo Pain.
Pain leapt back, effortlessly dodging the attack.
BOOM!
Tsunade's kick smashed into the ground, carving a massive trench several meters deep.
"Konoha isn't a place where you can rampage freely!"
Tsunade's body was battered and bloodied. She looked like she'd fall over any moment.
"You can't stop me."
Pain's voice was cold and indifferent, as if destroying a village was a mere errand.
"There are only two of you left. We have the upper hand."
Tsunade's eyes burned with resolve. She believed Pain had burned through most of his chakra with his earlier technique.
Now was the best chance to strike back!
She formed hand seals, raised them to her brow, and shouted:
"Yin Seal: Release!"
Swish!
A mystical symbol bloomed on her forehead.
The secret technique activated. All the cells in her body began generating chakra, regardless of cost.
Her wounds healed rapidly before everyone's eyes.
Finished with the activation, Tsunade looked up at Pain with determination. She would end this now.
But then her eyes widened in horror.
Six!
There were six Pains again!
They had been revived!
Off-screen, everyone in the ninja world watched as the previously idle Pain summoned a monstrous creature—and the other Pains, the ones thought dead, emerged from its mouth.
All six Paths of Pain stood together once more.
"What kind of jutsu is that?!"
"Damn it! As long as that Pain survives, the rest will just keep coming back!"
"With an enemy like that, Konoha is doomed!"
As the audience panicked, Tsunade stared into six pairs of merciless Rinnegan eyes—and her heart sank.
"It seems... this is it."
She gave a sad smile. But her eyes—her heart—had never been clearer.
With Konoha gone, she no longer had to carry its burdens.
All that remained... was the duty of a Hokage.
Yes—Hokage die in battle!
Determined, Tsunade braced herself.
Shuradō, the Asura Path, looked at Tsunade with contempt.
He stomped the ground, spiderweb cracks exploding outward.
Using the recoil force, he shot forward like a missile.
A weapon emerged from his arm.
If it landed—it would be a one-hit kill!
He was too fast. Tsunade couldn't react. The air pressure from his strike was already cutting her face.
Her expression changed.
"Damn it! I can't dodge!"
Swish!
Just as the fatal strike was about to land, an orange-red figure descended from the sky.
He stood before Tsunade like a god from the heavens.
He stared calmly at the charging Shuradō—and threw a single punch.