Beneath the Heavenly Screen, the people of Konoha watched the situation on the battlefield with bated breath. When they saw Naruto pinned to the ground by Deva Path Pain's black rods and heard the announcement, "The Nine-Tails has been captured," the entire village fell briefly silent before erupting into heated discussion and concern.
"Whoa! Is that me? I'm actually that amazing in the future!" Naruto pointed at the Heavenly Screen and jumped up in excitement, waving his arms and shouting. His face was full of pride and excitement, as though he could already see the day he became the strongest in the Shinobi World.
However, when the Heavenly Screen showed Deva Path Pain pinning him to the ground with black rods and announcing, "The Nine-Tails has been captured," Naruto's expression instantly froze. His eyes widened even further, and his face went from red to pale, then from pale to red again.
"What?! I got captured in the future? You've got to be kidding!" Naruto grabbed his hair and shook his head wildly, as though unable to accept it. He pointed at the Heavenly Screen and shouted furiously, "Hey, hey, hey! This has to be fake! How could I lose to a guy like that?! What am I doing in the future?!"
Beside him, Sasuke shot him a cold glance, the corners of his mouth curling into a mocking smile. "Hmph, dead last. Looks like you're still useless even in the future."
Naruto bristled at once. He jumped up, pointed at Sasuke's nose, and roared, "What did you say?! You smug bastard, Sasuke! I'm obviously that strong in the future, I just got caught off guard! Just you wait, I'll definitely become stronger than the me on the Heavenly Screen!"
Sakura pressed a hand to her forehead helplessly and sighed. "Naruto, could you be a little quieter? Everyone's watching the Heavenly Screen."
But Naruto didn't listen at all, still caught up in shock and indignation. He clenched his fists and shouted at the Heavenly Screen, "Future me! You listen up! I'll definitely surpass you! Six Paths of Pain, Deva Path, whatever—I'll beat them all! I'm the man who's going to become Hokage!"
Kakashi, who had gathered Team 7 together, stood to the side and couldn't help smiling at the sight of Naruto. He closed the copy of Icha Icha Paradise in his hand and said lazily, "Naruto, instead of shouting here, why don't you go train? Your future self is fighting for his life."
Naruto perked up immediately. He clenched his fists and said with a determined look, "That's right! Kakashi-sensei is right! I'm going to train right now! If future me can be that strong, how can I lose to him now?"
With that, Naruto dashed off toward the training ground, muttering all the while, "Rasengan! Senjutsu! I have to learn Ninjutsu that amazing!"
The images on the Heavenly Screen continued to play, while Naruto had already begun his frantic training. He moved swiftly across the training ground, as though determined to leave his future self far behind.
Sasuke stood on the training ground, staring coldly at the images on the Heavenly Screen. His gaze was complicated, holding both envy for Naruto's strength and a trace of barely perceptible concern. He muttered, "Hmph, dead last..." Even so, his fists clenched involuntarily, as though he were suppressing some emotion.
Kakashi fixed his single eye on the image of his own death on the Heavenly Screen. His expression was grave, and he had long since put away Icha Icha Paradise. He murmured, "Obito, Rin."
The Third, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood atop Hokage Rock, his brow furrowed and his gaze grave. He sighed deeply and said in a low voice, "Naruto, you've already done very well... but this battle is far from over. The future of Konoha must not be destroyed like this." A trace of determination flashed in his eyes, as though he had made some decision.
Hinata stood in the crowd, her hands clasped tightly in front of her chest, her eyes full of worry and anxiety. Her face was pale and her lips trembled slightly as she whispered, "Naruto-kun... please be safe..." Images of Naruto protecting her kept flashing through her mind, and a powerful urge welled up inside her—she wanted to rush onto the battlefield and help him, even if her own strength was insignificant.
As the battle played on the Heavenly Screen, the other major ninja villages also quickly obtained information on the people shown through their intelligence networks. When they learned that the person displaying such formidable combat power was merely a recently graduated Genin from Konoha, the leaders and ninja of every nation were shocked and incredulous.
Raikage A of Kumogakure sat in his office, watching the images on the Heavenly Screen with a deeply furrowed brow. He said in a heavy voice, "A Genin from Konoha? You've got to be kidding! Even a Jonin would struggle in a battle at that level. Just how much strength is Konoha hiding?" His fist slammed down on the desk, clearly wary of Konoha's potential.
Mizukage Mei Terumi of Kirigakure watched the Heavenly Screen thoughtfully and said softly, "That boy called Naruto can actually fight a powerful person on his own... Konoha's younger generation really can't be underestimated." A trace of admiration flashed in her eyes, but she was also worried about the Akatsuki's strength.
Kazekage Rasa of Sunagakure stood on high ground in the village, his gaze fixed on the images on the Heavenly Screen. His expression was complicated, his brow furrowed, and his heart full of confusion and unease. The fierce battle between Naruto and the Six Paths of Pain shown on the Heavenly Screen had clearly exceeded his expectations. He murmured, "Is this the future? Or some kind of Genjutsu? If it's the future... do we need to reconsider our plan?"
Rasa quickly replayed the plan to cooperate with Orochimaru in his mind. Under the original plan, Sunagakure would join forces with Orochimaru to launch a surprise attack on Konoha during the Chunin Ninja Exams, attempting to weaken Konoha and perhaps even destroy this powerful opponent in one stroke.
"If this is a glimpse of the future, then Konoha is far stronger than we expected," Rasa muttered. His gaze remained fixed on Naruto on the Heavenly Screen, and he couldn't help feeling wary. A recently graduated Genin could actually stand against a formidable enemy like the Six Paths of Pain in the footage, and had even gained the upper hand for a time. Such potential was enough to strike fear into any opponent.
In Iwagakure, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, appeared even more contemplative. He sat in his chair with his hands clasped, staring gravely at the Six Paths of Pain on the Heavenly Screen. The black cloaks patterned with auspicious clouds that Pain wore kept replaying in his mind, and a sense of foreboding gradually rose in his heart.
"That clothing... isn't that the Akatsuki's emblem?" Ōnoki murmured. His brow furrowed ever more deeply as a terrible suspicion gradually formed in his mind. Did the Akatsuki, the mercenary organization he had hired many times to carry out secret missions, really possess such terrifying strength?
Ōnoki recalled his past dealings with the Akatsuki and couldn't help feeling a chill. He had thought the Akatsuki were merely a group of missing-nin who acted for money, never imagining they had concealed such tremendous power. And now, Pain, the leader of the Akatsuki, had openly attacked Konoha and even attempted to capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. What exactly was their goal?
If the Akatsuki's targets are the Tailed Beasts... will they go after the other villages next? The thought flashed through Ōnoki's mind. His expression grew grave as he realized that the Akatsuki posed a far greater threat than they had anticipated.
"We can't stand by and do nothing any longer." Ōnoki rose and said to his assistant, "Convene a meeting of the leadership immediately. We need to reassess the threat posed by the Akatsuki and formulate a strategy to deal with them. Also, contact the other ninja villages and see if they've realized how serious the situation is."
The images on the Heavenly Screen of the Six Paths of Pain attacking Konoha and trying to capture the Nine-Tails not only shocked the Shinobi World's major ninja villages, but also drew widespread attention within the Akatsuki. Its members were scattered across various locations, but through the Heavenly Screen, they clearly saw their leader Pain's formidable strength and ruthless methods. The scene sparked discussion among the Akatsuki, and each member reacted differently.
Deidara sat atop a giant clay bird, watching the images on the Heavenly Screen excitedly, his eyes shining with fervor. He laughed and said, "Hahaha! Look, big brother Sasori, that's our leader for you! That artistic destructive power is incredible! Yeah!" As he spoke, he kneaded the clay in his hand, as though considering how to put his own art on the same level as Pain's power.
Sasori watched the Heavenly Screen coldly, his voice low and raspy. "Pain's strength really can't be underestimated. But such a crude fighting style is rather lacking in beauty." He stroked the puppet in his hand, seemingly considering how to use a more refined technique.
Hidan walked through a forest, brandishing his bloody Triple-Bladed Scythe as he laughed wildly. "Hahaha! The boss really is amazing! But that fighting style is so boring! If I were there, I'd make those Konoha bastards feel Lord Jashin's pain!" His eyes were full of fervor, as though he couldn't wait to join the battle.
Kakuzu calmly calculated the details of the battle on the Heavenly Screen and said in a low voice, "The leader is certainly powerful, but Konoha's resistance can't be underestimated either. This battle will probably consume considerable resources. It seems we need more funds to keep the organization running." A trace of greed flashed in his eyes; he had clearly begun considering how to profit from the battle.
Kisame carried Samehada over his shoulder and grinned, baring his sharp teeth. "That's Boss Pain for you. That kind of strength is worthy of the Akatsuki's leader. But that Nine-Tails Jinchuriki kid is pretty interesting too." His gaze was fixed on Naruto on the Heavenly Screen, as though Naruto's potential had piqued his interest.
Uchiha Itachi stood quietly to the side, his gaze deep and calm. As he watched Naruto's tenacious resistance on the Heavenly Screen, a trace of complicated emotion flashed in his eyes. He murmured, "Naruto... have you grown this much?" He felt both admiration for Naruto and a faint trace of concern. He knew Pain's strength went far beyond this, and that Naruto would face greater challenges in the future.
He slowly rose from the ground, an eerie smile on his black-and-white face. His voice was low and raspy, carrying an elusive undertone. "Hehehe, Nagato's strength truly is astonishing. That Nine-Tails Jinchuriki kid has finally been captured." His words were full of teasing and hidden meaning, as though hinting at something. Yet inwardly, he was far less calm than he appeared. Though a smile hung on his black-and-white face, a complicated light flickered in his eyes.
My plan... is finally going to succeed, Zetsu murmured to himself, his voice carrying excitement and anticipation he could barely conceal. His gaze was fixed on the image of Naruto pinned to the ground by Pain's black rods on the Heavenly Screen, as though he could already see the results of his years of planning.
Konan stood beside Nagato's real body, silently watching the Heavenly Screen, her eyes full of trust and determination. She said softly, "Nagato, you will change this world." She knew Pain's true goal well and understood the meaning behind this battle.
Though the Akatsuki members had different personalities, every one of them acknowledged Pain's strength. Naruto's performance on the Heavenly Screen, however, had also come as a surprise to them. A recently graduated Genin had actually fought the Six Paths of Pain head-on and even gained the upper hand for a time. Such potential forced the Akatsuki to reassess the threat posed by the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
Deidara said excitedly, "That Nine-Tails kid is pretty interesting! Yeah! If I run into him, I'll show him what my art can do! Yeah!"
Kisame grinned. "Hmph, that kid's Chakra is pretty interesting. Samehada should love it."
Itachi silently turned around and murmured, "Sasuke..."
Meanwhile, the leaders of the other ninja villages also began to act. The Akatsuki's formidable strength and mysterious goals had unsettled the entire Shinobi World. They realized that this battle was not just a crisis for Konoha, but a threat to the entire Shinobi World.