Real Shinobi World
As dawn broke, the soft light of day gently enveloped every corner of the Shinobi World like a veil. The morning dew had not yet dried, and the mist in the forest had not yet dissipated, but the Shinobi World continent had already awakened from its slumber and begun its daily routine, which was repetitive yet never repeated.
In Konoha, early risers set up their stalls, the clanging of metal and shouts weaving together the symphony of the morning; in Sunagakure, children rubbed their sleepy eyes as they headed towards the Ninja Academy, the sand crunching under their feet; in Kirigakure's harbor, fishing boats had already set sail, their oars cutting through the calm water; beneath Iwagakure's towering walls, patrolling ninjas had just changed shifts; and in Kumogakure's Raikage's Office, the lights that had burned all night were finally replaced by the morning light.
On this ordinary morning, the sky suddenly changed.
"Look! The Heavenly Screen has reappeared!" A sharp-eyed Genin from Konoha exclaimed, pointing to the sky.
The mysterious Heavenly Screen that had appeared several times in recent months unfolded once more, like an endless transparent canvas covering the entire sky.
This time, a huge countdown number appeared again in the center of the Heavenly Screen— "59:59"—the bright red number seemed to be written in blood, and it was particularly dazzling in the morning light.
The numbers began to decrease slowly but steadily, each tick like the relentless turning of the gears of fate.
"Here we go again...?" The Fifth Hokage Tsunade, stood atop the Hokage, her golden ponytail swaying gently in the morning breeze. She squinted, crossed her arms, and the Yin Seal on her forehead shimmered faintly in the sunlight. "What kind of future will she show this time?"
Behind her, Shizune, holding the little Tonton, frowned. "Lady Tsunade, should we convene a Jonin meeting immediately?"
"Not for now." Tsunade's expression turned serious.
At the same time, the Kage of the other Four Great Shinobi Villages also stopped what they were doing and looked up at the Heavenly Screen.
Land of Wind - Sunagakure
Acting Kazekage Baki and Gaara stood atop the highest watchtower in Sunagakure. The gourd behind Gaara whistled softly in the wind. His gaze was as deep and calm as the desert, but his slightly clenched fingers betrayed the turmoil within him.
Land of Water - Kirigakure
Mizukage Mei Terumi stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of the Mizukage Building in Kirigakure, her fingers lightly tapping the window frame. "Ao, what do you think?" she asked.
The one-eyed Qing activated his Byakugan, carefully observing the Heavenly Screen: "My intuition tells me that this time the content will likely be even more... shocking."
Land of Lightning, Kumogakure
Raikage A slammed his fist heavily on the desk, causing several fine cracks to appear on the thick solid wood surface. Outside the window, blood-red countdown numbers flashed above Kumogakure —59:47...59:46...
"Here we go again!" he growled, his bronze muscles taut beneath his white cloak, veins bulging on his forehead. The morning sunlight streamed through the window, but could not dispel the gloom on his face.
Secretary Mabui just pushed open the door carrying a freshly brewed cup of tea when the sudden tremor nearly knocked the tea tray over. "Lord Raikage, please calm down..." she sighed, carefully placing the tea on the only intact corner of the table. "Otherwise, we'll have to get a new table again."
"Hmph! Let's see whose battle will be shown this time," Raikage A strode to the window, his sharp gaze piercing through the morning mist and staring straight at the Heavenly Screen. "Hopefully, it won't be someone from Konoha again."
During this period, the content displayed on the Heavenly Screen almost became a special performance by Konoha Ninjas — Naruto Uzumaki's Nine-Tails Mode, Sasuke Uchiha's Susanoo, Might Guy's Eight Gates... and the one that was shown the most was Madara Uchiha, one of the founders of Konoha.
Land of Earth, Iwagakure
Mornings in Iwagakure mountains slice the first rays of sunlight into fragments, dappling the staggered stone buildings. Ōnoki stands before the large floor-to-ceiling window of the Tsuchikage's Office, hands behind his back, squinting at the gradually brightening sky in the distance.
"Father, you're up so early." Kitsuchi pushed open the door and entered, carrying two steaming cups of tea. This burly Iwagakure walked Jonin a steady gait and a gentle smile on his face.
"I'm getting old, I can't sleep that long anymore." Ōnoki took the teacup, sipped it lightly, and a satisfied look appeared on his wrinkled face. "Where did that girl Kurotsuchi run off to again?"
"He went to the Training Ground early this morning, saying he wanted to try out the newly developed Ninjutsu." Kitsuchi stood beside his father, also looking out the window. "Young people are always full of energy."
As the two were chatting, a strange change suddenly occurred in the sky. The gradually brightening morning light was covered by a strange light curtain, and the bright red number "59:59" appeared prominently, then began to decrease second by second.
"Oh? It's happening again?" Ōnoki showed no surprise, but rather a childlike excitement, his teacup hovering in mid-air. "What will they play this time? I'm really looking forward to it."
Looking at his father's shining eyes, Kitsuchi couldn't help but smile. He remembered how the old man had been so nervous when the Heavenly Screen first appeared that he immediately summoned the entire village to be on alert. Now, his attitude was like that of an audience member waiting for a play to begin.
"Does Father seem expectant?" Kitsuchi asked deliberately.
"Hmph, that 'future performance' last time, while unpleasant, was indeed..." Ōnoki stroked his beard, his gaze never leaving the Heavenly Screen, "Especially seeing the Five Kage up against that Madara Uchiha guy, it reminded me of the first time I saw him when I was young."
Kitsuchi was slightly taken aback. His father had never brought up the crushing defeat against Madara Uchiha before; it was a shadow that had haunted him for decades. The appearance of the Heavenly Screen seemed to have truly changed many things.
"By the way," Ōnoki suddenly turned and asked, "What has Han been doing since he came back? He's been so secretive all the time."
Kitsuchi put down his teacup and recalled, "After Lord Han returned, it seemed he wanted to take on a few disciples to train, and he frequently went to the Ninja Academy and Training Grounds to scout for them. Yesterday I even saw him at the Training Ground instructing a few Genin Chakra control."
"Oh?" Ōnoki raised his eyebrows, his wrinkles smoothing out. "It would have been better if you'd done this sooner, but it's not too late now. Let's nurture more future generations for the village."
Looking at his father's kind profile, Kitsuchi was filled with emotion.
During this time, the Tsuchikage has become increasingly amiable, and the appearance of the Heavenly Screen has changed many things. The old man's views are no longer so stubborn, and he has even begun to actively support the innovative ideas of young ninjas. This would have been unimaginable in the past.
The countdown had reached 58:24, Iwagakure was gradually awakening. Ninjas leaped onto the rooftops, while ordinary villagers gathered in the streets, their voices faintly audible.
"Should we hold a Jonin meeting?" Kitsuchi asked, habitually preparing to record the order.
Ōnoki waved his hand. "No rush, let's see what the Heavenly Screen is going to display this time. Last time we overreacted, causing chaos throughout the whole village." He floated to the desk, picked up a document, and said, "Speaking of which, what new developments have occurred in other villages recently?"
"According to the Intelligence Division's analysis," Kitsuchi opened his notebook, "Konoha has strengthened its border patrols, Sunagakure seems to be secretly developing new types of Puppets, Kumogakure seems to be secretly researching something. As for Kirigakure..."
The sky over the Land of Snow has a peculiar pearly white hue, and the sun, during the polar day season, hangs low on the horizon, casting endless light upon this snow-covered land.
The glacier shimmered with a sapphire-like luster under the sunlight, the coniferous forest was covered with a thick coat of snow, and occasionally a few snow hares darted through the forest, leaving a trail of tiny footprints.
"Haha! Behold my new technique! Snow Release: Super Giant Snowball Technique!"
Naruto Uzumaki's blond hair reflected the sunlight as he spun rapidly across the open ground, each hand gripping a massive snowball. The snowballs grew larger with centrifugal force. Finally, he hurled them, and the two snowballs collided in mid-air, exploding into a shower of snowflakes.
"You idiot Naruto, that wasn't Ninjutsu at all!" Karin pushed up her red-rimmed glasses, her red hair standing out vividly against the snow. She wrapped her green cotton coat tighter around herself, her breath condensing into tiny water droplets in the air—"It was just throwing a snowball."
"Tch, what do you know!" Naruto made a face, the fox-like markings on his face twitching with his expression. "These are my own creation!"
His words came to an abrupt halt. The three of them were simultaneously drawn to the sky—the once pearly white Heavenly Screen was suddenly covered by a strange membrane of light, revealing the bright red numbers '59:59', which then began to decrease second by second.
"Here we go again." Jiraiya's long white hair was casually tied back. He put down his notebook and looked at the sky with a complicated expression. In the past few months, the appearance of the Heavenly Screen had allowed them to see many fragments of the future that they shouldn't have known.
"Hey! Pervy Sage! Karin! Look!" Naruto jumped up excitedly, pointing to the sky, "The Heavenly Screen has started again! This time it'll definitely be showing my heroic figure again!"
Jiraiya couldn't help but laugh out loud, patting Naruto's head. "You're quite confident, aren't you? Come on, let's find a spot with a good view." He pointed to a flat glacier not far away, "That's a good spot."
The three of them trudged through the thick snow to the glacier. Naruto plopped down impatiently, his blue eyes sparkling; Karin elegantly straightened her clothes before kneeling down; Jiraiya stood behind the two, arms crossed, his expression seemingly relaxed, but his eyes unusually sharp.
"What do you think they'll release this time?" Jiraiya asked deliberately, trying to gauge their thoughts.
"Of course!" Naruto lay on his back on the ice, hands behind his head, "That'll definitely be my coolest look as Hokage! Maybe even my newly developed Rasengan techniques!"
Jiraiya looked at his disciple's energetic appearance, feeling both gratified and worried. Naruto had indeed performed amazingly in the last scene shown on the Heavenly Screen, especially in the final battle with Sasuke at the Valley of the End.
"Karin, what do you think?" Jiraiya turned to the red-haired girl.
Karin just smiled without saying a word, her fingers unconsciously twirling the ends of her hair.
Meanwhile, on a secluded island on the edge of the Land of Water, Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi stood before an observation table in their laboratory. Orochimaru's golden, vertical pupils were fixed on the changes in the Heavenly Screen, and his long tongue unconsciously licked his lips.
"I wonder what interesting content they'll be showing this time, Dou-kun?" His hoarse voice was filled with barely concealed excitement.
Kabuto Yakushi adjusted his glasses, the lenses reflecting the red light of the Heavenly Screen: "Most likely it's about the future."
"Hehehe..." Orochimaru let out a low laugh. "The script of fate is unfolding before our eyes. What a wonderful moment."
Outside the laboratory, Sasuke leaned against a large tree, his dark eyes as deep as the night sky. He looked up at the Heavenly Screen, his expression indifferent.
"Hey, Sasuke, what do you think they'll release this time?" Hozuki Suigetsu asked lazily, carrying his Kubikiribōchō. "It's not going to be another bromance scene between you and Naruto, is it?"
"Shut up, Suigetsu," Sasuke said coldly, but his gaze never left the sky.
Jūgo stood to the side, gently advising, "Suigetsu, stop fooling around. Sasuke is contemplating the true meaning of this Heavenly Screen."
"Hmph, whatever the meaning," Suigetsu pouted. "I just want to know when we can leave this wretched island. We still haven't caught that disgusting Fish-Man from last time!"
Sasuke ignored his companion's complaints; his thoughts drifted into the distance.
The last time the Heavenly Screen showed his final battle with Naruto at the Valley of the End, the outcome of which was completely different from what he had anticipated... If that is the true future, then does he need to adjust his current path?
The countdown had reached 55:23, and the entire ninja world held its breath. Ordinary villagers stopped what they were doing, ninjas paused their missions, and everyone looked up at the sky, waiting for their unknown fate to be revealed.
At the Ninja Academy in Konoha, Iruka-sensei had to interrupt the class because all the students crowded around the windows.
"Keep order, everyone!" he shouted, but his gaze was involuntarily drawn to the Heavenly Screen. In the crowd, Konohamaru clenched his fist, his eyes flashing with the same light as Naruto's. "One day, my Ninjutsu will appear on the Heavenly Screen!"
The ninjas of Kirigakure gathered in the plaza. Standing on the platform, Chōjūrō nervously adjusted the bandages on his twin swords, Hiramekarei, wondering what would be shown this time.
He was the only one on the platform. Most of the other Kirigakure Ninjas were gathered in the village square, eagerly discussing the reappearance of the Heavenly Screen. But Chōjūrō preferred to be alone, especially when he needed to think.
A gentle breeze blew by, lifting the hem of his dark blue kimono. He subconsciously touched the twin swords Hiramekarei on his back, the legendary Ninja Blade that were proof of his status as one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and also the source of his often immense pressure.
Land of Rain, Amegakure
Rain, rain that never stops.
Fine raindrops pierced the gray waters of Amegakure like silver needles, and the towering iron towers appeared and disappeared in the rain, like sharp swords pointing towards the sky.
In the room atop the Deva Path, Pain stood silently before the floor-to-ceiling window, his purple Rinnegan reflecting the blood-red numbers in the sky—59:37...59:36...59:35...
"It's starting again." Konan stood beside him, light blue paper flowers trembling gently in her hair. She played with a white paper rose in her hand, but her gaze never left the Heavenly Screen.
"Hmm." Pain's voice was as cold as raindrops striking metal. "I wonder which ninjas they'll showcase this time."
In the shadows deep within the room, Nagato, in his wheelchair, slightly raised his Nagato, his thin, bony fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. He didn't need to look out the window—through Pain's perspective, he could clearly observe everything. His dry, red hair hung over his shoulders, and in his deep-set eyes, his Rinnegan gleamed with a dangerous light.
"The content shown last time... was very interesting." Nagato's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping, "Six Paths Madara and Might Guy with the Eight Gates."
The paper rose in Konan's hand suddenly turned as sharp as a knife. "Unfortunately, those are all enemies."
"It's not all bad." Pain continued gazing out the window, "At least we've seen the enemy's strength."
Amegakure remained as quiet as ever. The common people stayed at home, cautiously peering at the Heavenly Screen through their windows; patrolling ninjas hid behind the rain curtain, alert for any unusual movements. This was the order Nagato had created—peace on the surface, control in secret.
Nagato's thoughts drifted away. He had recently dispersed the Akatsuki members again. These dangerous missing-nin had been gathered in one place for too long; trouble was inevitable. Kakuzu and Hidan had almost fought in Amegakure last time, only Pain intervened in time...
"After this presentation, it's time to hold a meeting," Nagato suddenly said, his voice strangely a blend of weariness and authority.
Konan turned to look at her best friend in the shadows. "Should we call everyone back?"
"No." Nagato. "Remote communication is sufficient. It was the right decision to let them leave the Land of Rain last time; these guys would cause trouble sooner or later if they stayed in one place."
Pain continued gazing at the Heavenly Screen: "It's time to give them another good talking-to."
"Especially that madman Hidan." Konan sighed. "Last time he pulled some kind of Jashin ritual in the Land of Hot Water, he almost exposed his whereabouts."
Nagato's fingers tightened and then loosened. "We can't let them cause trouble outside. Their deaths are no big deal..." His voice suddenly became sharp as a knife, "But losing a member means I have to find a replacement, which is too much trouble."
The coldness behind those words made Konan glance at him slightly. But she knew that Nagato was telling the truth. Every member of Akatsuki was a carefully selected pawn, and replacing them was indeed time-consuming and laborious.
Konan suddenly thought of something, "Speaking of which, have you found any new people worth recruiting recently?"
Nagato was silent for a moment, his tone clearly showing dissatisfaction. "Recently, there hasn't been a single outstanding figure. And the powerful figures shown on the Heavenly Screen are all from the Five Great Shinobi Villages."
"Kisame is somewhat reliable," Pain suddenly said, "But the others..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear. Deidara was too crazy, Sasori was too withdrawn, Kakuzu cared about money, Hidan was a complete madman... Although the Akatsuki members were powerful, few of them were truly reliable.
Nagato suddenly coughed, his thin shoulders shaking violently. Konan immediately went to his side, but was stopped by a raised hand.
"It's nothing," Nagato said breathlessly, "It's just that this body... is becoming increasingly useless."
A flicker of pain crossed Konan's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. She knew Nagato didn't want pity, especially not on the path to achieving his dreams.
"Furthermore," Nagato's voice grew even more somber, "Notify all members that no unauthorized actions are permitted. Especially Hidan —if he dares to perform any more Jashin rituals and expose our whereabouts, let Kakuzu collect his bounty."
Pain added, "Kakuzu too, tell him the black market isn't doing well lately, so kill fewer bounty targets."
Konan chuckled softly, "He'll be furious."
"Let him be," Nagato said coldly, "As long as it doesn't affect the plan."
Pain remained standing by the window, raindrops trickling like tears across the glass. His Rinnegan reflected the constantly fluctuating numbers on the Heavenly Screen.
Konan stood between the two, paper butterflies fluttering around her. She looked at her best friend's distorted face and Pain's cold back, a barely perceptible sadness flashing in her eyes.
Rain, rain that never stops. And beneath this curtain of rain, conspiracies and ambitions grow quietly like vines.