Konoha Crush Plan: I'm Here to Spread Warmth

Naruto rose to his feet and dusted himself off.

His gaze crossed the chaotic crowd and layers of buildings, landing precisely on the Hokage's office.

The most precious forbidden treasure in all of Konoha was hidden there.

The Scroll of Seals!

He had stolen it once in the original story, but in this life, he had not yet had the chance to study it properly.

Perfect.

Konoha was in chaos.

It was the ideal time to fish in troubled waters.

Someone at the edge of the stands toppled over stiffly, their head striking the steps with a dull thud, yet no one had time to cry out.

"Not good! It's the Nirvana Temple Sleep Technique!"

Kakashi yanked down the mask covering the lower half of his face, and his crimson Sharingan abruptly contracted.

Pale blue chakra burst within his eyes like a stone dropped into a lake, instantly shattering the genjutsu invading his mind.

He drew a kunai with his backhand and shouted sharply, "All Jonin! Dispel the genjutsu! Protect the civilians!"

Asuma's chakra blades instantly left their sheaths. Kurenai rapidly formed hand seals, while Might Guy slung the exhausted Rock Lee over his shoulder. For the first time, the green-eyed man's gaze held none of youth's fiery passion, only icy killing intent.

The ground at the center of the arena suddenly split apart.

A massive white snake burst from the earth, its tongue hissing as its cold vertical pupils swept across the entire stadium.

Orochimaru, draped in the Kazekage's robes, slowly rose atop the snake's head, a sickly smile curling across his pale face.

"Long time no see, Professor Sarutobi."

The Third Hokage abruptly stood up, his pipe falling to the ground. His aged eyes were filled with shock and grief.

Gekko Hayate pressed a hand to the sword at his waist and flashed in front of Maki. His pale face was utterly bloodless, but the hand gripping his sword remained steady as a rock.

Konoha's sky had fallen.

Meanwhile, there was not a single patrolling ninja in the corridors of the Hokage Building.

With Sage Mode chakra under his feet, Naruto slipped into the Hokage's office like a rat stealing oil. He lightly tapped the bookshelf, and a hidden compartment popped open.

The Scroll of Seals, bound in a gilded cover, lay quietly inside.

"Got it! Hehe..."

Naruto yanked out the scroll and eagerly unfurled it.

His eyes swept over the first page, and he curled his lips. "Impure World Reincarnation? I learned that ages ago."

He turned the page.

"Flying Thunder God? The system gave me a more complete version than this."

Another page.

"Eight Gates? Tch, I can already open six gates."

He flipped through it while muttering to himself, his fingers swiftly tracing over the densely packed ninjutsu formulas. "With the Basic Sage Body supporting me, opening six gates is nothing. If the Nine-Tails gives me another shot of life, I can force myself through seven gates too. Another trump card, nice."

When he turned to the next page, his eyes suddenly widened.

"Holy shit! Dead Demon Consuming Seal? Four Symbols Seal?"

"Aren't these two the mutual-destruction duo?"

"I'm learning them, I'm learning them. What if I have to die together with that old bastard Danzo someday... Forget it, forget it. I'm not learning them yet. Bad luck."

He hurriedly flipped past it, only for the next page to make him suck in a sharp breath.

"Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags..."

"Fuck... I'm looking at a walking six hundred billion. Goodbye! Not learning it!!"

Naruto swallowed and hurriedly memorized every single word on that page.

He continued flipping through the scroll, still grumbling, "An upgraded Harem Technique? Did that really need to be written in the Scroll of Seals? I knew it when I was three."

"Wood Release? Forget it. That old bastard Danzo's arm is practically an exhibit of Wood Release and Sharingan. I don't want tree branches growing all over me."

"Spirit Transformation Technique? Sounds pretty creepy. Learning it."

In less than five minutes, he had finished flipping through the entire Scroll of Seals.

"I've memorized everything that's valuable to me. The rest is just useless junk."

Naruto patted the scroll in satisfaction, rolled it up, tucked it into his clothes, and turned toward the door.

The instant he stepped out of the Hokage's office.

Whoosh—

Five gleaming kunai were aimed at his throat at once.

Icy killing intent poured over him from head to toe like freezing water.

Naruto: "..."

He remained frozen mid-step, the smile on his face stiffening.

Fuck! I got so excited that I forgot to turn on my senses!

Five Root ninjas surrounded him in a flawless formation. Black masks concealed every expression, leaving only their eyes exposed.

Chakra coiled around his limbs like venomous snakes. If he dared move even slightly, five kunai would pierce his throat at once.

Naruto silently rolled his eyes.

Had Danzo's Root infiltrated the Hokage Building like a sieve?

How the hell did you become Hokage, old man Third?

Five hundred meters beneath Konoha, at Root headquarters.

The cold, damp air reeked of disinfectant and blood.

A masked Root member knelt on one knee, his voice completely flat. "Lord Danzo, Orochimaru has launched the Konoha Crush Plan, and the Third Hokage has personally entered the battle. Should we go provide support?"

Danzo sat upon a throne in the darkness, his right eye and entire right arm wrapped in thick bandages. He lightly tapped the armrest, his voice hoarse and low. "No need."

"Let them make as much trouble as they like."

"It will conveniently clear out some disobedient trash. Everything is for Konoha."

A secretive smile curled at the corner of his mouth, as though he could already see the Third dying in battle and himself ascending to the position of Hokage.

Just then.

He suddenly turned toward the Hokage Building.

The Sharingan beneath his bandages began spinning sharply.

"Hm?"

"Interesting."

"That Nine-Tails brat has run into my men..."

In the corridors of the Hokage Building, the air had frozen solid enough to wring water from it.

Three seconds later.

Naruto slowly raised both hands, forcing a smile brighter than sunlight onto his face.

He discreetly hid the Scroll of Seals behind his back and spoke with utmost sincerity.

"If I said I'm not here to steal the scroll, but to spread warmth, would you believe me?"

The Root ninjas: "..."

Their answer was five kunai thrusting out simultaneously.

Cold light tore through the air with the deadly howl of wind.

"Fuck! You're actually serious?!"

Naruto pushed off the ground, his entire body drifting three meters backward like a ghost as he narrowly evaded the fatal strike. The kunai grazed the tip of his nose and embedded themselves in the wall with dull thuds.

As he dodged the shuriken raining down around him, he still found time to talk trash. "Are all Root ninjas this rude? You don't knock before entering, and then you try to stab someone right away!"

"Is this what Danzo usually teaches you?"

"I'm telling you, this is illegal detention! Intentional assault! I'm reporting all of you to the Third!"

One Root ninja abruptly accelerated, his short blade slashing toward Naruto's head with a piercing whistle.

Naruto dodged sideways and drove a backhanded punch into his chest.

Boom!

The ninja flew away like a kite with its string cut, slammed into the wall, then slid to the floor unconscious.

Naruto shook out his fist, his face full of disdain. "That's it?"

"What kind of crooked trash did Danzo raise? You can't even take one punch from me?"

The remaining four Root ninjas exchanged glances and formed hand seals simultaneously.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

Four heavy earthen walls rose at once, trapping Naruto in a cramped space.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Four enormous fireballs shot in from every direction, instantly turning the entire space into a sea of flames.

The blazing heat warped the air, and the walls crackled as they burned.

"Tch, so you're playing dirty."

Naruto's voice came from the center of the inferno, carrying a hint of amusement.

The next second.

A golden chakra barrier exploded outward, instantly knocking every fireball away.

The Basic Sage Body's chakra surged out like a tsunami, and the four earthen walls instantly crumbled into powder.

Naruto floated in midair, golden chakra slowly flowing around his body while his Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun coldly in its sockets.

He spread his hands, looking helpless. "I wanted to get along with you as an ordinary person, but all I got in return was a manhunt."

"No more pretending. I'll come clean."

"I'm here to steal the Scroll of Seals."

"And I've already finished reading it."