Enma, Become the Adamantine Ruyi Staff!

"Ah!"

Orochimaru shrieked as his entire body disintegrated into a mass of writhing snakes in an instant.

"What are you screaming for? Can't you perform hand seals with your feet?"

Naruto grabbed one of the snakes and crushed it to death.

Given Orochimaru's methods, there hadn't been a true physical body of his here since the moment the battle ended.

"If you ask me, you look more like a snake now that you're just legs and a torso."

Naruto watched as the sealing barrier dissipated.

On the rooftop.

The fallen Hiruzen Sarutobi had already stopped breathing.

Even his soul had been taken away by the Death God.

It was only because Naruto had arrived early that he managed to rip off a pair of Orochimaru's arms.

That guy Orochimaru is far too cautious. It's a pity his soul has been weakened so much by his own experiments, otherwise, this Substitution Style of his wouldn't be half bad.

Naruto reverted to his normal form.

Countless gazes converged upon the rooftop.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was dead!

The security of Konoha was rapidly slipping away.

[Detected that the host failed the mission to save Gaara, incurring 200 Punishment Points.]

[Detected that the host failed to turn the tide; the death of the Third Hokage cannot even save the wicked host, further increasing the penalty to 500 Punishment Points.]

So the mission failed, huh?

Naruto looked at the spinning wheel.

"Give me a five-time draw!"

Naruto crossed his arms; there were only five prizes left in the pool.

Even the worst one was "Try three more times."

A mournful wind blew through the forests of Konoha.

Everyone's spirits were exceptionally low.

Except for Danzo.

"Hiruzen, this is truly tragic!"

Danzo kept his hands hidden in his sleeves.

He almost couldn't hold back a laugh.

Who else had seniority like his now?

The position of Hokage was practically within his grasp!

"Konoha is due for a fresh start, with Root taking the helm."

Danzo looked out at the desolate streets.

Naruto was currently eating Takoyaki.

"Damn it! Is that Minato Namikaze's son?"

The mere thought of Naruto's performance in the battle earlier made Danzo feel deeply uneasy.

Naruto Uzumaki, who had fought alongside Hiruzen Sarutobi to defeat Orochimaru.

What a nuisance!

There must never be a second Minato Namikaze.

"Danzo, the meeting has begun. Since Jiraiya has refused to become Hokage, we must discuss a new strategy."

What Jiraiya?

Danzo's face darkened instantly.

I'm standing here ready to ascend to the throne, and you're all planning to make Jiraiya the Fifth Hokage?

Not a single person cared about Danzo Shimura!

But since Jiraiya had refused, the position of Hokage would surely belong to him!

"Jiraiya has recommended Tsunade! It seems Konoha is saved!"

Hearing his old friend say this, Danzo's face turned livid once again.

So none of you care about me at all!

Ichiraku Ramen.

Naruto ate over a dozen bowls as usual.

"Naruto, you haven't eaten much today."

The man named Teuchi, long since known as Ichiraku, sensed the sorrow in Naruto.

"The passing of the Third Hokage is indeed hard for many to accept, but one must keep on living."

Indeed.

Naruto finished his fifteenth bowl of noodles.

After paying the bill, he walked out of the ramen shop with his head bowed.

His appetite was truly poor today, which was why he had eaten so little.

Why was that?

It was all because of the five-draw pull from last time.

[Host is extremely evil; the prizes this time are too unbearable to look at]

[Taijutsu: Painful Sky Leg]

[Summoning Technique: Enma]

[Sealing Technique: Dead Demon Consuming Seal]

[Five Elements: Great Barrage Technique]

[Draw Three More Times]

Naruto immediately used the "Draw Three More Times" option.

However, after spinning once, the prize pool turned completely gray.

[Two draw opportunities remain unused]

[Punishment Points prize pool has entered the upgrade phase; the Epic Prize Pool will open in three days]

"So frustrating."

For the past few days, Naruto had been unable to eat or sleep, doing nothing but practicing his new ninjutsu.

He was just waiting for the system prize pool to finish its upgrade.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's funeral began.

Everyone had arrived.

Behind the rows of figures, Danzo watched in silence.

Heavy rain poured down.

Everyone in Konoha stood in the rain.

Jiraiya stared at his teacher's tombstone.

Countless doubts filled his heart.

Where was the Child of Prophecy, and when would the endless chaos of the Ninja World finally cease?

Would the day of peace in the Ninja World ever truly arrive?

Konohamaru wept bitterly.

He was crying uncontrollably.

"The Hokage wouldn't want to see you looking so sad."

Iruka had expected Naruto to be devastated and was just about to offer comfort.

Instead, he saw that Naruto's eyes were not only devoid of tears but were actually burning with intensity.

"Iruka-sensei, why hasn't everyone gone to take revenge yet?"

"Konoha is being far too cowardly!"

Naruto felt no sorrow.

The dead could not return to life; one should simply take revenge rather than waste time being sad.

Naruto had no emotional attachment to Hiruzen Sarutobi; in fact, due to the accumulation of evil, dark power, he felt a bit of loathing.

But what were these people doing?

In his current state, couldn't Jiraiya go find Orochimaru and slaughter him?

When it came down to it, the ones with real backbone were the generation of the Konoha 12.

When Asuma died, the first thing Shikamaru did after recovering from his grief was to seek revenge.

When Jiraiya perished in the sea, Naruto also emerged from his sorrow to find ways to grow stronger and exact his vengeance.

Naruto did not understand the considerations and inner conflicts of the older generation of ninja, nor did he care in the slightest.

"No, that's not how it is."

"Orochimaru was a traitor to begin with. We have been tracking his movements all these years, but he is simply too powerful; it is difficult to find him."

Iruka still wanted to explain, hoping to prevent Naruto from becoming too distraught and consumed by hatred.

"It's too strange."

"Everything in the Ninja World is a mess—the intelligence, the factions, the clans."

Naruto muttered to himself.

A Ninja World like this must be completely purged!

"Naruto!"

Iruka turned around only to find that Naruto had already vanished without a trace.

Strange.

Why is this child acting so weird today?

He had always been strong, but before, he was like a blazing fire driving away the cold, occasionally having his flames extinguished by rain before finding another chance to burn.

The current Naruto was like a block of ice, freezing even the rain that poured down upon him!

The next period of time would be spent in desperate training!

Naruto practiced every ninjutsu he had acquired.

He also frequently sparred with the Nine-Tails.

Naruto utilized the Nine-Tails' chakra for three specific purposes.

First, conversion, to be used in tandem with his own chakra.

Second, storing it in the Strength of a Hundred Seal after conversion, to be used for healing.

Third, preserving the pure Nine-Tails' chakra to activate the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.

Furthermore, since Naruto possessed all five chakra natures—Wind, Lightning, Water, Fire, and Earth—he quickly mastered the Five Nature Transformations.

Today, he was practicing Summoning Jutsu at home.

It was not Toad Gamabunta, Katsuyu, and certainly not the family of berserk rabbits.

It was Enma!

"Where am I?"

Enma had been in a terrible mood ever since Hiruzen Sarutobi died.

He had not expected to suddenly reappear in Konoha.

"Are you that brat who fought side-by-side with Hiruzen Sarutobi?"

Enma had not expected that the one who learned this Summoning Jutsu would not be from the Sarutobi clan.

It was Naruto Uzumaki!

Could this be Hiruzen Sarutobi's dying wish?

Enma could not help but tear up; even in death, he wanted to leave a legacy of will for Konoha.

Strange.

Enma felt that something was not quite right with Naruto; why did his little expression look somewhat unkind?

"Enma, transform into the Adamantine Ruyi Staff quickly!"

Naruto accelerated his training speed.

Because tomorrow, a guest would be arriving.

The Returning Traitor, Itachi Uchiha!