Danzo Shimura's disappearance had left a void in the political heart of Konoha. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, though relieved of Danzo's corrupting influence, now faced the challenge of reorganizing the Root and consolidating power.
The revelation of Danzo's implanted Sharingan had created an uproar in the village and forced Hiruzen to reassert his authority and reassure the clans, especially the remaining Uchiha, however few they were. Trust in the higher echelons had been shaken, and the Hokage spent days at a time in meetings, trying to restore stability.
The shadow of Gojo Satoru, the catalyst for it all, loomed over every discussion, an incomprehensible power that had acted like a surgical scalpel on Konoha's political body.
Meanwhile, at an isolated training camp, Gojo Satoru's "training" with Naruto Uzumaki had taken an even more... exotic turn.
"Gojo-sensei! I can't feel it!" Naruto shouted, frustrated, as he tried to focus on a point in the distance.
They had been practicing accessing Kurama's chakra, which was already surprisingly cooperative, but now Gojo had given him a new assignment: "bullying without using chakra."
Gojo, his blindfold covering his eyes, sat on a rock, swinging his legs.
"It's like a muscle, blondie. You have it, but you don't know how to use it. It's your will. Your presence. When you're the strongest, the world knows it. And it bends."
With the acquisition of Emperor's Haki: Perfected, Gojo was eager to experiment. He watched Naruto, who was attempting to "bully" a tree, with laughable results.
"Watch this," Gojo said. He raised a finger, and his focus shifted toward a group of small birds flying carefree over the field.
He released no chakra, there was no breath of wind, no explosion. Just the pure manifestation of his overwhelming will, unleashed through Emperor's Haki.
Suddenly, the birds fell from the sky like stones, fainted by the sheer intensity of Gojo's presence.
They landed on the grass without a scratch, but completely unconscious.
Naruto blinked, then his eyes widened. "Woah?! What was that, Gojo-sensei?! The birds fainted!"
"That, blondie, is Emperor's Haki," Gojo explained with a smug grin. "It's the power of will. With this, you can make weaklings faint without even touching them. It's like a super-cool genjutsu, but without the hassle of hand seals!"
Naruto looked at the fainted birds, then at Gojo. "Awesome! I want to learn that!"
""Of course," Gojo said. "Though it will take a while. It requires a kind of... arrogance. One you have in abundance, but you lack the finesse for it."
Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared on the training grounds. It was Kakashi Hatake, who had come to supervise (and perhaps interrogate) Gojo's training.
Seeing the fainted birds and Gojo explaining "Emperor's Haki," Kakashi's visible eye narrowed.
"Gojo-san, what are you doing now?" Kakashi asked, sounding exhausted.
Gojo turned to him. "Ah, Kakashi! Just in time. I'm teaching Naruto how to be the strongest. Want a demonstration?" It's not chakra, so your Sharingan won't do you any good!"
Kakashi, not knowing what to expect, braced himself. Gojo released another wisp of his Haki, subtly directing it toward the jōnin. Kakashi felt an immense pressure, a wave of overwhelming authority that tried to crush him.
It was as if the air had turned solid, pushing him down. His heart raced, and for a microsecond, he felt the instinctive urge to kneel. His mind screamed in protest, fighting the feeling of utter helplessness.
It was a force he couldn't block or dodge, a direct attack on his will.
Gojo withdrew it just before Kakashi lost consciousness. The jōnin gasped, sweating, the Icha Icha book fallen to the floor. His legs trembled slightly.
"Woah! "Kakashi-sensei almost fainted, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed, astonished.
"My, my, Kakashi," Gojo said with a mocking smile. "You have a surprisingly weak will. You need more of that. Here's a free trial!"
Kakashi composed himself, his eyes fixed on Gojo. He had felt a force beyond anything the Sharingan could copy, or any chakra could resist.
A force that had pushed him to the edge of consciousness without a single movement.
"Gojo-san..." Kakashi began, his voice a little hoarse.
"I know, I know! I'm amazing, aren't I?" Gojo interrupted. "Now, blondie, focus. You're going to try to make that tree faint. With sheer willpower!" And don't worry, Kakashi, I'll make him stronger so he doesn't faint again!"
As Gojo went back to "training" Naruto, Kakashi stood there, processing reality. Gojo had not only eliminated Danzo, but he was now teaching Naruto a skill that defied all known laws of their world. The future of Konoha, and Naruto himself, had become infinitely more unpredictable and, for Kakashi, exhausting.