Inner World, Naruto of the Akatsuki, Huang Xiaoming!

Konoha, dusk.

The sky was stained a thick, warm gold. Clouds piled up like stacked quilts, and sunlight slanted through their gaps onto Hokage Rock.

The carved face of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, looked out over the village with his signature gentle smile. Then that smile shattered.

Green, orange, and yellow chakra erupted from inside Shadow Rock, like three beasts breaking out of cages that had held them far too long.

Rubble cascaded down the hundred-meter cliff, smashing into the residential district below.

Screams, sobs, and alarms erupted throughout the village. The ANBU poured out of the Hokage Building, only to stop halfway there.

They had seen the two Susanoo atop Shadow Rock, one emerald green, the other blood-red.

The two giants brought their swords down on the Fourth Hokage's carved face at the same time, splitting that smiling visage in half.

Rubble flew, the cliff face cracked, and enormous chunks of stone hurtled toward the village.

Tsunade rushed out of the Hokage Building and shattered a boulder larger than herself with a single punch. But when she looked up at Shadow Rock, the anger froze on her face.

Rubble was still falling. Dust obscured the summit of Shadow Rock, hiding whoever stood there.

A voice drifted down through the dust.

"Long time no see."

The voice was lazy, tinged with amusement, as though greeting an old friend. Yet every ninja in Konoha recoiled a step at the sound.

The dust cleared.

Two people were atop Shadow Rock.

The one on the left wore the Akatsuki's black cloak with red clouds, its front hanging wide open to reveal his muscular chest and a sinister pattern of sealing marks.

He sat casually on the edge of Shadow Rock, one leg dangling a hundred meters above the ground, the other bent