Time flies, and years slip by unnoticed. A full half-month has passed since the last Five Kage Summit, and the Shinobi World seems to have returned to its former tranquility.
However, beneath this seemingly calm surface, an undercurrent is surging.
Suddenly, the Heavenly Screen above the Shinobi World lit up without warning. People looked up in astonishment, staring at the Heavenly Screen that had reappeared, their hearts filled with vigilance and excitement.
On the Heavenly Screen, a huge countdown number appeared prominently, clearly visible—"59:59." The number began to slowly decrease, causing everyone's heartbeats to quicken involuntarily. The Shinobi World exchanged bewildered glances, having assumed the Heavenly Screen had disappeared after the last broadcast, but it had suddenly reappeared. They wondered what would be shown this time.
After the countdown on the Heavenly Screen ended, several lines of large text slowly appeared.
[TOP3 Naruto Uzumaki VS Sasuke Uchiha]
[The order is not ranked; it only indicates the sequence.]
[Main Character: Naruto Uzumaki reincarnation of Asura. I will put an end to the fighting between brothers!]
[Indra reincarnated Sasuke Uchiha: My motto is revolution!]
The sky over Konoha, which had been a clear, azure blue, suddenly Heavenly Screen like water, once again covering the Shinobi World. Pedestrians on the streets stopped in their tracks, and ninjas leaped from rooftops everywhere. Everyone's gaze was drawn to this familiar yet unfamiliar sight.
"It's here again! It's that Heavenly Screen!" a dumpling vendor shouted, pointing to the sky.
The villagers' discussions spread rapidly like a tidal wave. Three months ago, it was this Heavenly Screen that displayed the terrifying images of Akatsuki 'Pain invasion of Konoha and the battles between various powerful figures, changing the entire Shinobi World's perception of the future.
"How did they start fighting? Sasuke, he..."
In the lounge of Konoha Hospital, Sakura Haruno dropped the medical scroll in her hand with a thud. Her pink hair fluttered slightly in the wind, her emerald eyes were fixed on the sky, and her lips trembled involuntarily.
"Sasuke-kun... and Naruto..." Her voice was barely audible, and her fingers unconsciously clutched the hem of the white coat.
Beside her was Ino Yamanaka, who had come to see her. She patted her shoulder, "Sakura, are you alright?"
Sakura didn't answer. Images flashed through her mind of Sasuke's defection that night in the Land of Snow, Naruto's resolute gaze before his departure, and her own helplessness in the face of the two. Now, the Heavenly Screen was about to display a scene of them facing each other in the future? Was Sasuke truly never going to return?
"I knew the Uchiha Clan was all bad!" came an angry shout from a villager down the street. "First Uchiha Itachi, now Sasuke, they're born traitors!"
In the Hokage's office
Tsunade slammed her fist on the windowsill, instantly cracking the window frame. "Shizune up! Immediately send people to maintain order and forbid anyone from making inappropriate remarks about the Uchiha Clan! Also, notify the Jonin Commander to hold a meeting!"
"Yes!" Shizune, carrying the little Tonton, quickly left, her brow furrowed.
A few minutes later...
Tsunade glanced at the Jonin in the office. Kakashi leaned against the wall, his exposed eye never leaving the Heavenly Screen; Asuma had a cigarette in his mouth, his expression solemn; Guy, unusually quiet, just stood there silently.
"It seems we're about to witness another chapter of the future," Tsunade said gravely. "This time, it involves our village's ninjas again, so the impact will be even more direct."
Kakashi finally looked away. "Naruto went out with Lord Jiraiya to train and search for Sasuke, never imagining that they would end up like this..."
"A battle?" Asuma interjected, "Or rather, a life-or-death struggle?"
"What do Asura and Indra mean before Naruto's and the others' names?" Guy asked, puzzled.
At the other end of the street, Kiba Inuzuka, carrying Akamaru, squeezed through the crowd and leaped onto the Hyuga Clan's wall. "Hinata! Did you see that? Naruto is actually going to fight Sasuke!"
Hinata Hyuga's fair face flushed slightly, but her eyes remained unusually determined. "Naruto-kun... he must want to bring Sasuke-kun back."
"Bring him back?" Kiba scoffed. Akamaru barked in agreement at his feet, "That guy's already defected to Orochimaru; he's clearly determined to be missing-nin! If you ask me, Naruto should just punch him awake!"
Shino Aburame silently appeared behind the two. "Based on current data, Sasuke already demonstrated Jonin -level strength when he defected. If the Heavenly Screen is showing future battles, the extent of their growth is worth noting."
Shikamaru Nara sat on a tree not far away, hands behind his head, and sighed, "What a nuisance... Why those two troublesome guys of all people?"
Choji Akimichi was munching on potato chips next to him. "Shikamaru, do you really think Sasuke won't come back?"
Shikamaru gazed at the Heavenly Screen, narrowing his eyes. "The human heart is even more unpredictable than the Shadow Technique..."
At the Training Ground on the edge of the village, Might Lee and Tenten stopped sparring. Lee's thick eyebrows were tightly furrowed. "Sasuke-kun is actually going to fight Naruto-kun... Is this the cruel test of youth?"
He wiped the Kunai in his hands Tenten and said softly, "Sakura must be very sad right now..."
In the woods above the Hokage Rock, a figure leaning on a cane stood quietly. Shimura Danzō narrowed his one eye, gazing at the Heavenly Screen and the commotion in the village below.
"That evil Uchiha brat... he's really following the same path as his brother." He muttered to himself. "Hiruzen, it seems your indecisiveness back then will cost the village dearly again."
Back on the hospital rooftop, Sakura finally found her voice. "Ino, I... I have to go find Lady Tsunade."
Ino looked at her friend with concern, "Are you sure you're in the right state..."
"I have to go!" Sakura suddenly raised her voice, her fists clenched. "If this really is Naruto and Sasuke's future... I need to know... is there any chance I can still salvage things...?"
Her voice trailed off, the last few words almost inaudible. Ino sighed and reached out to grasp Sakura's trembling hand.
"I'll go with you."
Just then, the scene in the Heavenly Screen gradually became clear: a desolate battlefield, with several blurry figures appearing.
The entire Konoha fell silent instantly. Everyone held their breath, waiting to witness something that had not yet happened and might be happening in the future.