The next day.
At Team 7's private training ground.
Bang!!!
Sasuke Uchiha was viciously kicked away like a battered sandbag, plowing a trench more than ten meters long across the ground. Every bone in his body felt as though it were about to fall apart.
He struggled to his feet and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. Yet there was not the slightest trace of discouragement in his scarlet Sharingan. Instead, they were filled with morbid fervor and calm analysis.
"Again!"
His voice was hoarse, but exceptionally resolute as he stared fixedly at the figure standing in place, who had not even taken a heavy breath.
Inside Sasuke's mind, his Sharingan frantically replayed the moment he had been struck—His method of exerting force changed. It was more restrained, power erupting instantly from the core of his waist and abdomen... I couldn't catch the trajectory at all!
This mountain... has grown taller again!
He wiped away the blood at the corner of his mouth, roaring inwardly: Not enough... this level of training is still far from enough!
I have to see through everything about him and steal everything from him!
Naruto, I must personally climb over a mountain like you to gain the power to kill that man!
Naruto stood with his hands in his pockets and yawned lazily.
This one-sided beating was indeed getting more and more boring.
Just as he was about to give Sasuke another Heart Flying Kick, the long-absent, crisp and pleasant system notification suddenly exploded in his mind without warning!
[ Ding! Warning! The host forcibly activated the source ocular power of the 'Pure Byakugan,' causing an overload impact on the eye meridians and Sage Body chakra circuits! ] [ To protect the host's foundation and carry out a higher level of bloodline assimilation, the 'Pure Byakugan' will enter a thirty-day 'Assimilation Metamorphosis Phase'! ] [ During the metamorphosis period, the 'Pure Byakugan' and related bloodline-pressure abilities will be temporarily sealed. The host may rely on the Perfect Sage Body, taijutsu, and other mastered ninjutsu in battle. ]
Naruto paused slightly, then grinned.
Fine by him. Playing a "mortal" once in a while would keep this game from ending too quickly.
Then the system spoke again.
[ A large number of high-potential, high-quality, high-rarity bond targets (Karin Uzumaki, Temari, Mitaraishi Anko, and others) have been detected rapidly approaching Konoha! ] [ Host! The great moment to revive the Uzumaki Clan has arrived! Prepare your strength, and in this grand feast, conquer, plunder, and seize everything that belongs to you! ]
At last, the crisp and pleasant system notification in his mind faded away.
On the training ground, Naruto slowly withdrew the foot he had planted on Sasuke and yawned lazily.
Sealed?
Fine by him. He had been using the map-hack-like full-field view of God's Perspective for so long that playing a "mortal" once in a while and reasoning with them using his fists would keep the game from ending too quickly.
He glanced at Sasuke, who had plowed a trench more than ten meters long and looked as if every bone in his body had come apart, yet still stared at him with scarlet Sharingan full of fervor mixed with calm analysis. Naruto curled his lip.
"That's enough for today, Mr. Sandbag."
With his hands in his pockets, Naruto turned and walked away, his voice lazy. "Remember to soak in hot water when you get back, or you won't even be enough for me to warm up with tomorrow."
"Big brother!"
Sasuke struggled to his feet and spat out bloody saliva. His hoarse voice was full of stubbornness. "I felt it! The way you exerted force in that kick was different from before again! More restrained—it was power that erupted instantly from the core of your waist and abdomen... I couldn't catch the trajectory at all!"
"Of course," Naruto said, waving a hand without looking back. "I grow stronger every second, while you're only chasing my shadow."
Watching Naruto's arrogant back vanish at the far end of the training ground, Sasuke was not discouraged in the slightest. Instead, he clenched his fists, and a fire called "obsession" burned in his scarlet eyes.
This mountain had grown taller again!
But he had to climb over it!
Konoha's main gate.
The sun scorched the earth, and even the air carried a trace of restlessness.
A ninja squad with an obvious foreign air strode arrogantly into the village beneath the reverent and curious gazes of the Konoha villagers.
At the front was a tall girl who had tied her flamboyant blond hair into four spiky bunches.
She carried an enormous Three-Star Fan wrapped in bandages over her shoulder, her emerald eyes filled with undisguised arrogance and scrutiny.
She was the princess of Sunagakure, the Fourth Kazekage's daughter—Temari.
"Hmph, so this is Konoha?"
Beside her, a boy with purple face paint and a strange puppet scroll strapped to his back—Kankuro—said in a provocative tone, "It doesn't look like much. So soft and limp, without even a trace of killing intent."
"Shut up, Kankuro."
At the back, the red-haired boy with dark circles around his eyes and a huge gourd on his back—Gaara—spoke in a hoarse voice devoid of any emotion.
Kankuro immediately shuddered and shut his mouth awkwardly.
Temari frowned and looked around.
Peaceful, comfortable, even somewhat lazy... That atmosphere gave her an inexplicable sense of irritation.
This was the ninja village that had produced countless legends?
What a disappointment.
Meanwhile, at another corner on the other side of the village.
Several Genin wearing Kusagakure forehead protectors walked timidly down the street, utterly out of place among the people around them.
Within the group, a frail girl with distinctive red hair and black-rimmed glasses nervously clutched the hem of her clothes, constantly looking around with extreme unease.
It was Karin Uzumaki.
At this moment, her powerful sensory ability inherited from the Uzumaki Clan had become a form of torture.
The powerful, restrained, and evil chakra presences throughout Konoha were like needles constantly pricking her sensitive nerves.
This place... is full of monsters!
"Hey! Karin! What are you useless trash dawdling for?!"
The Grass Ninja leading the group turned around and barked impatiently, "Keep looking around, and I'll gouge your eyes out!"
Karin flinched in fright and hurriedly lowered her head, not daring to make any unnecessary movements.
She felt like a sheep that had accidentally wandered into a pride of lions, liable to be torn to pieces at any moment.
At the same time, in a dark alley not far from them.
A long crimson tongue slid across pale lips devoid of any color.
A pair of golden, vertical snake pupils pierced through gaps in the crowd and locked firmly onto the black-haired boy walking toward the training ground in the distance.
Sasuke Uchiha!
"Hehehe... What a perfect body, what pure blood..." Orochimaru, disguised as the leader of the Kusagakure team, murmured with satisfied greed. "The last Uchiha survivor... you are destined to belong to me!"
Then, as if sensing something, his gaze shifted toward another direction in the village.
Before you continue