These True Heroes

Chapter 39: These True Heroes

This time, Shen Mo used visual effects that were more advanced than the ones he had shown Tsunade before.

They were three-dimensional.

What appeared before their eyes was a blazing sea of fire. The flames, billowing like demons, radiated despair, and they could even hear the terrified screams of countless people.

As the scene zoomed out,

Naruto could not help widening his eyes. He saw panicked mothers clutching sobbing children and men being engulfed by collapsing buildings as they screamed.

With only a few images, the despair of the scene seemed to seep right out of the screen.

It was a disaster.

And then,

a violent whirlwind forcibly scattered a vast expanse of flames.

An exceptionally tall and powerfully built man descended from the sky.

He had golden hair with two upward-pointing bangs, along with a confident smile that left an unforgettable impression at first glance.

"It's All Might!"

"All Might is here!"

"We're saved!"

"You finally came, All Might!"

The instant this man appeared,

the atmosphere of despair seemed to reverse in the blink of an eye.

The men even ignored the still-raging flames and cheered with excited, tearful voices. The women collapsed to the ground as though they had exhausted every ounce of their strength. Even though they were still surrounded by the sea of fire, they seemed to have already been saved.

Even the children stopped crying.

They stared at the blond man with wide eyes, gazing at him curiously.

Naruto's breathing grew somewhat rapid.

The reason was the way these people were behaving.

Even he

could see that this man was hope in the midst of despair. Merely arriving and standing there, without doing anything at all, was enough to draw cheers and make those trapped in desperate circumstances feel completely reassured.

What kind of trust was this?!

Naruto clenched his fists and watched without blinking. His heart gradually grew excited along with the images.

Then—

the most stirring moment arrived.

The man's voice, accompanied by his clenched fist, rang throughout the entire scene.

"It's all right now! Why, you ask? Because—I am here!"

The cheers almost drowned out the sound of the flames. The man named All Might transformed into a whirlwind, and the phantom of his somewhat ridiculous red, white, and blue uniform became the most beautiful sight in the disaster.

Terrifying speed and highly efficient movements.

With nothing but the force of his punches, he scattered flames and shattered debris.

One person after another was rescued.

He truly did what he had said. From the moment he appeared, no one suffered any further injuries, just as the confident smile he always wore seemed to promise.

"All Might." Shen Mo's voice carried a hint of emotion as he spoke. "He isn't the strongest hero I've ever seen, but he is the hero I've seen who inspires the most recognition and trust. Naruto, do you see his smile? In that world, that smile is a symbol of protection. Whenever he appears, no matter what kind of enemy or disaster they face, people always believe in him completely."

Heroes existed in many different worlds.

Yet Shen Mo had chosen to show Naruto All Might first.

Because he knew

that Naruto yearned to be acknowledged. Even his dream of becoming Hokage had been born from that desire. For now, his longing to be trusted and recognized even surpassed his desire to protect others.

All Might's ability to inspire people would undoubtedly move him deeply.

And that was exactly what happened.

Naruto stared intently at the image, at the powerfully built man who made people feel inexplicably safe. He even clenched his fists and began cheering at the top of his voice.

"This is just—amazing!"

"He truly is a real hero." Hiruzen Sarutobi took a leisurely drag from his cigarette, a trace of emotion showing in his eyes as well.

He even began to wonder.

As Hokage, had he given the people of this village the same confidence?

The answer was no.

It had nothing to do with strength and everything to do with will. Although he was respected, he could not possess the conviction and confidence to say, "I have arrived, so everything is all right." He even had to sacrifice some people in order to protect the village.

"Naruto." Shen Mo's voice rang out again, carrying a hint of reminiscence. "I've visited many worlds and witnessed countless heroes. Some of them weren't entirely pure of heart, while others even faced misunderstanding and hatred. But most of them shared one common trait: the will to protect others, and—the power to do so!"

Shen Mo snapped his fingers.

A second image appeared.

It was another sea of fire, and another muscular man in a tight-fitting uniform. Facing the flames, this man shot into the sky and reached a lake at a speed that created a sonic boom. With nothing more than a breath, he froze the entire surface of the lake, turning it into a sheet of ice.

Then—he lifted the ice covering the entire lake!

That's right, he lifted it into the air and flew with it. The contrast in size created an intense visual impact.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils contracted slightly.

What astonishing strength.

The melting ice easily extinguished the fire. If All Might had shocked them with his reputation, then this man represented an almost unbelievable level of power.

Shen Mo snapped his fingers again.

A third image appeared.

This time, a meteor was falling from the sky. Beneath it lay a vast, flourishing city, while several exhausted heroes stood below, powerless to do anything.

That man—the bald man—shouted, "Don't casually fall on my city!" Then, in an utterly shocking display, he tore through the sky and threw a single punch, forcibly shattering the enormous meteor—

with one punch!

Then came the fourth image: a man holding a shield. The fifth image showed a knight in the darkness.

Some people were not especially powerful, while others possessed strength so incredible it defied belief. Apart from the sounds coming from the images, the entire scene fell silent.

Naruto was already too excited to contain himself.

These people were true heroes!

They stepped forward when people were in despair, using their fists and power to protect cities. Their resolute gazes brimmed with explosive strength, and their recognized reputations—all of it stirred Naruto's most fervent hopes and yearnings.

They were just too cool!

He was so dazzled by their coolness that he was almost crying with envy.

"I want to!" Naruto shouted in a trembling voice. "I want to become a hero like them! I want to protect Konoha just like they do! I will definitely be able to do it!"

And it was not only Naruto.

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, Tsunade, Kakashi, Sakura, and even Sasuke

were moved after seeing so many spectacular moments.

So—

in other worlds, there truly were so many real heroes like these.