The Animal Path Pain formed a summoning seal, and with a thunderous bang, three massive summoned beasts erupted onto the battlefield. In response, the Three Great Toads of Mount Myōboku—Gamabunta, Gamaken, and Gamahiro—leaped into action, weapons drawn and battle-ready.
The clash between the six titanic beasts was ferocious. But it became apparent quickly: the monstrous summons from Pain were being overpowered by the coordinated might and experience of the three Toad Sannin.
Their defeat was inevitable—it was just a matter of time.
But Naruto Uzumaki wasn't concerned with the summoned beasts. His focus was entirely fixed on the six Paths of Pain before him—particularly on Tendo Pain.
Now armed with knowledge about Pain's secret, Naruto was seething.
His fists clenched tightly as he glared across the battlefield. Rage burned in his eyes, deadly and cold.
Whoosh!
In a flash, Naruto vanished.
No—he didn't vanish.
He moved so fast that no one could track his movement with the naked eye. In the blink of an eye, Naruto reappeared in front of the Preta Path and swung his fist. Though it didn't make contact in the conventional sense, the result was devastating—Preta Path was sent hurtling through the air, spiraling uncontrollably before crashing into the ground with a heavy thud, motionless.
"This... what just happened?"
Mifune of the Land of Iron watched in shock from the live feed. Naruto hadn't even touched the enemy, yet it was as if an invisible force had landed a crushing blow.
"An unseen strike... such a technique is lethal to a swordsman who relies on close-quarters combat...!"
"Could this be... Sage Mode?" someone whispered.
Jiraiya's eyes glimmered with pride and astonishment.
"It's the power of Sage Chakra... Naruto has done it."
Even though the natural energy flowing around Naruto wasn't visible to most, Jiraiya knew what he was seeing. Only someone who had mastered Sage Mode could perform such an attack—where the energy around them extends the reach and force of their blows.
And Naruto hadn't just learned it.
He surpassed Jiraiya.
The realization left the old Sannin in stunned silence.
Every disciple he'd trained… had already surpassed him.
---
"Senpō: Fūton – Rasen Shuriken!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Naruto raised his hand and formed a glowing spiral shuriken infused with wind nature and Sage Chakra—his most devastating technique to date.
He hurled it at the Paths of Pain, the whirling mass of destruction soaring with terrifying velocity. The six Pains tried to evade, but the Rasen Shuriken halted mid-air—then accelerated instantly, crashing into the Human Path.
There was no time to react.
The Human Path was cleaved in half with surgical precision, and then—
Boom!
A cataclysmic explosion followed, the unleashed Sage-infused chakra expanding like a vortex of destruction, forcing the remaining Pains to retreat further.
---
This… This… THIS!!
Everyone watching from across the shinobi world was dumbfounded.
Uzumaki Naruto… was this powerful?
He had been on the battlefield for less than two minutes and had already taken down half of the Six Paths of Pain.
One punch obliterated the Asura Path who had attacked Tsunade.
Another punch eliminated the Preta Path—immune to chakra-based ninjutsu.
And now, he unleashed a precision, Muji-type Sage Art that annihilated the Human Path.
This was no longer just impressive.
It was terrifying.
This strength... even overshadowed the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade.
Could it be…
Was he the Sixth Hokage in waiting?
Across the shinobi world, the name Uzumaki Naruto etched itself into the minds of every shinobi and leader watching the live broadcast.
A rising star had emerged—brilliant, unignorable, and dangerous.
---
In Iwagakure, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, turned pale.
"…Tch."
This was the same brat he mocked just minutes ago—said that if Minato Namikaze couldn't return, then at least Naruto should hurry up and grow stronger.
Well…
He'd grown.
Too fast.
And now, Ōnoki was eating his words.
Naruto Uzumaki's strength was not just a threat in the next war—it was enough to end it before it even began.
Ōnoki glanced at Kurotsuchi, who watched the screen with admiration twinkling in her eyes.
"Hmm…"
The old Tsuchikage frowned, then nodded to himself with sudden clarity.
He needed to act now.
If the Shinobi Alliance was to survive against the Akatsuki and Konoha's rising power, sacrifices had to be made.
Even… sending Kurotsuchi to Konoha.
What if…
What if she returned with a golden son-in-law?
Thinking quickly, Ōnoki approached his granddaughter and patted her on the head with forced tenderness.
"Kurotsuchi… You've shown Chūnin-level ability for a while now, but never officially tested. I've decided. You'll participate in the Konoha Chūnin Exams this year."
Kurotsuchi looked surprised, but the grin on her grandfather's face said more than words.
He was matchmaking.
---
Meanwhile, back in the exam space, Nagato observed the stunned crowd and murmured to himself.
"It's useless."
He spoke aloud, breaking the tension.
"No matter how strong he is, it's meaningless. Pain cannot die. They are not harmed."
Nagato's voice was calm, but his mind was racing.
He hadn't expected Naruto to be this powerful.
Still—Nagato's ace remained.
Tendo Pain was about to use the technique… That technique.
With that, they would capture Naruto.
Retrieve the Nine Tails.
But something wasn't adding up…
Why had Naruto, his former comrade, strayed so far?
Why… was he now a Konoha loyalist?
Nagato frowned deeply. Doubt clawed at him.
---
In the real Konoha, Naruto was jumping around like a child high on sugar, cheering at the live feed.
"Yeah! That's me! So coooool!"
His eyes sparkled.
"Just wait… I'll really be this awesome someday! Then no one will bully me again!"
Outside the screen, Naruto was celebrating.
Inside, the battle raged.
The toad sages—Fukasaku and Shima—began supporting Naruto with powerful support techniques. Shima summoned a cloud of paralyzing genjutsu; Fukasaku laid down cover with stones and oils.
Naruto used the moment to vanish into a dust cloud.
"Fourth!" shouted Gamabunta.
Naruto darted beneath the Animal Path's blind spot, channeling chakra into both hands—two Rasengans flaring.
Bang! Bang!
The Animal Path didn't stand a chance—its chest torn through, the body collapsed.
Naruto melted into the sandstorm once again, waiting to strike.
Even Ibiki Morino—Konoha's top interrogator—watched from afar, jaws clenched.
He couldn't believe it.
Naruto wasn't just strong.
He was lethal.
He was unstoppable.