Sarutobi Hiruzen stood alone amid the ruins for a long while.
Wind poured through the enormous hole blasted open by Shinra Tensei, fluttering his tattered Hokage Haori and stirring up dust across the ground.
"Lord Hokage!"
Several Anbu arrived with the Body Flicker Technique. Looking at the devastation before them, as if a meteor had struck, none of them could find a word to say.
Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't turn around. His voice was hoarse, like two sheets of sandpaper scraping together.
"Seal off the Hokage Building and announce that it's undergoing emergency repairs. Everything that happened here today is to be classified as top-secret, S-rank information. Anyone who leaks it will be treated as a traitor to the village."
"Yes, sir!"
"Also," Sarutobi Hiruzen paused, "keep an eye on Danzo. From this moment on, no one from Root is allowed to leave their base without authorization. Anyone who disobeys is to be killed on sight!"
The order was delivered with absolute certainty, without the slightest hesitation.
The Anbu departed to carry it out, leaving Sarutobi Hiruzen alone in the ruins once more.
He slowly walked to the shattered window and looked down at the village, where order had been restored, though many people were still pointing at the Hokage Building and talking.
Amegakure... a junior...
The two words kept circling through his mind.
A junior of Uchiha Madara? Which Uchiha could he call a junior... who else was there?
A terrifying thought surfaced, beyond his control.
Could it be... Obito, who had died in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge?
No, impossible!
He shook his head, forcing the absurd thought down.
But another question took its place.
Uchiha Madara had returned.
Should he tell the Uchiha Clan?
Tell them that their legendary ancestor had returned—and was as powerful as a god?
That would be like throwing a torch onto a pile of dry wood.
The Uchiha Clan was already seething with resentment after being kept out of the village's power structure for so long.
If they learned of Madara's existence... the consequences would be unimaginable.
But if he didn't tell them, how long could he keep it secret?
You couldn't keep a lid on what had happened here today.
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt utterly powerless.
For the first time, the Third Hokage, who had governed Konoha for decades, realized that he had lost control of the village's future.
Meanwhile.
In a dense forest hundreds of miles from Konoha.
Space twisted, and a figure stumbled out of the vortex, tumbling onto the ground and landing hard on his backside.
"Aw, shit!"
Lin Feng grimaced and rubbed his rear. The once-imposing "Lord Madara" was now a complete mess.
"System, what the hell was that? Why does this space transfer feel like riding in a washing machine? I nearly threw up my breakfast!"
[Simulated Kamui Dimension transfer consumes immense energy. Mild side effects are normal.]
The system's cold notification rang out.
"Mild side effects?" Lin Feng stood up and dusted himself off. "You call that mild? Do that to me again and I'm filing a complaint!"
Grumbling, he quickly surveyed his surroundings. Only after confirming that it was safe did he let out a long sigh of relief.
He leaned against a tree and finally relaxed.
"Whew... that was thrilling. So damn thrilling!"
Thinking back to how he'd laid waste to the Hokage's office, Lin Feng's heart was still pounding.
That hadn't been a game or a movie.
That had been the real Third Hokage, real Anbu, and real S-rank jutsu!
If he'd flubbed a line or let his expression slip, the laws of the world would probably have erased him by now.
[Host acting evaluation: S-rank. Character consistency: 98%. Reward: Chakra recovery speed increased by 10%.]
[Highlight reel:]
[1. "Monkey brat": A precisely targeted attack on the character, instantly establishing psychological dominance.]
[2. "Shinra Tensei": A perfect display of power, breaking through by force and setting the tone for an overwhelming victory.]
[3. "Wood Release Throne": A satisfying climax, completely crushing Danzo's psychological defenses. Excellent results.]
[4. "Amegakure": An excellent long-term plot hook, successfully diverting the Ninja World's attention and buying the host time to grow stronger.]
Looking at the system's string of glowing reviews, Lin Feng grinned with satisfaction.
"Of course. Do you even know who I am? I'm a veteran Naruto fan with a flair for acting. Playing Lord Madara was a piece of cake!"
"But speaking of that..." Lin Feng rubbed his chin. "Did I go a little too far when I improvised that last line about Amegakure?"
He'd only said it off the cuff to muddy the waters and set a trap for Obito.
But now that he'd calmed down, he realized Amegakure was no safe haven.
It was Hanzo the Salamander's territory, a place where it rained year-round, cut off from the outside world and steeped in an oppressive atmosphere.
More importantly, the young members of the Akatsuki—Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan—should be active there.
If he went there under the identity of "Lord Madara," he could easily end up facing Nagato's genuine Rinnegan.
A counterfeit, resurrected through Impure World Reincarnation, up against the real owner of the Rinnegan—if his cover was blown...
"No, I need to get there right away!"
Lin Feng suddenly jolted.
His character was Uchiha Madara!
He was the mastermind who had "given" Nagato the Rinnegan!
According to the original story, before Madara died, he awakened the Rinnegan himself and transplanted it into the young Nagato, making him a pawn in his resurrection plan.
Now, wearing Madara's identity, he'd said he was going to Amegakure to see his "junior."
To the Third Hokage and the others, that "junior" almost certainly meant Nagato, the one who possessed the Rinnegan!
It was a huge misunderstanding, but also a huge opportunity!
Before anyone caught on, he had to get to Amegakure first and find Nagato, making the misunderstanding stick!
He'd turn the script from "I gave you the Rinnegan" into "I'm back to check how you're using the Rinnegan I gave you"!
If he played his cards right, he could not only dupe Nagato, a hugely powerful fighter, but also solidify his image as "Lord Madara"!
With that, Lin Feng didn't hesitate any longer.
He figured out which way to go, gathered his immense Chakra beneath his feet, and shot toward the Land of Rain like a streak of light.
The Land of Rain was battered by endless rain.
Cold rain washed over everything, while towering steel buildings stood silently in the downpour. The entire country was shrouded in an oppressive atmosphere that warned strangers to stay away.
A secret Akatsuki base in Amegakure.
Inside an unremarkable cave, candlelight flickered.
"Yahiko, are we really going to work with Hanzo the Salamander?" Konan looked at the red-haired young man seated at the head of the room, worry in her eyes. "I don't know... I just don't trust him."
Yahiko wore a confident smile. "Don't worry, Konan. Hanzo has accepted our ideals and is willing to support us in changing this country peacefully. This is our best chance to make our dream come true!"
He stood up and spread his arms, brimming with confidence.
"With Hanzo's support, we can end the endless wars in the Land of Rain and bring peace! Then Nagato won't have to use the power of those eyes anymore!"
In the corner, a pale, gaunt young man silently lowered his head. His purple Rinnegan looked especially dim in the gloom.
His name was Nagato. He was the one who possessed those eyes, but he hated the destructive power they brought with them.
Just then.
BOOM!!!!
An unprecedented explosion sounded outside the base, and the cave shook violently. Fragments of stone rained down from above.
"What's going on?!" Yahiko's expression changed.
"It's an explosion! Someone's attacking our base!" Countless sheets of paper began gathering in Konan's hands as she tensed.
The three of them immediately rushed out of the cave.
The sight before them left them sucking in a sharp breath.
Over the lake outside their base, an enormous sphere made of rock was slowly floating in the air.
A man stood atop the rocky sphere.
He had long black hair and wore ancient armor, his arms folded across his chest. He stared down at them coldly, as if they were insects.
"W-who is that?" Yahiko's voice was dry.
He could feel the faint pressure coming from the man. It was more terrifying than any powerful shinobi he'd ever seen, even Hanzo the Salamander!
Konan's paper was ready to fly, but she couldn't bring herself to attack.
A woman's intuition told her that the man before them was extremely dangerous!
Only Nagato was completely stunned the moment he saw the man.
He clutched his eyes. An unprecedented, searing pain surged through his Rinnegan, as if they were resonating with something in the distance!
"T-these eyes..." Nagato fell to his knees in agony.
In the sky, Lin Feng watched the three of them and felt nothing at all.
Devastating Planetary Destruction was just a little trick he'd casually whipped up to make a flashy entrance.
He had arrived.
He had come to see his "disappointing" junior.
His gaze passed over the bewildered Yahiko and Konan, landing directly on the Uzumaki descendant kneeling on the ground.
Then, in a tone that brooked no argument, as if a senior were scrutinizing a junior, he spoke slowly.
"Nagato."
"It seems you haven't been using the eyes I gave you properly."
"As punishment..."
Lin Feng paused, his Rinnegan narrowing slightly.
The next moment, an invisible force struck Nagato!
Snip!
The shockingly long red hair that marked Nagato was sheared off in a single stroke before the horrified eyes of Yahiko and Konan, scattering across the ground.
As the red hair fluttered down, Nagato's pale, stunned face was revealed.
Lin Feng looked at his handiwork and nodded with satisfaction. Then, in Lord Madara's voice, he delivered his next line.
"Let's start with your hair."
Before you continue