The next morning, inside the Hokage's Office.
Morning light streamed through the tall windows of the Hokage's Office, illuminating the grave faces within.
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi sat on his desk, his brows tightly furrowed, tapping his pipe lightly between his fingers.
An emergency report lay open on the desk before him. It detailed the previous night's incident-Qingxue Uchiha had clashed violently with Konoha ninja, and the situation had nearly spiraled out of control.
Jiraiya stood nearby, looking unusually serious.
He had personally inspected the scene the night before. The scorched ground and shattered buildings had left even a seasoned legendary ninja like him uneasy.
The door creaked open, and Naruto Uzumaki walked in, looking somewhat exhausted.
He had fought with almost everything he had the night before. Although Qingxue had never truly tried to kill him, the oppressive power of her Mangekyō Sharingan still left him shaken.
"Naruto."
The Third Hokage spoke, his tone gentle but steady. "We'd like you to give us a detailed account of Qingxue Uchiha's actions last night."
Naruto paused, then nodded.
"...She's strong. Absurdly strong."
As Naruto spoke, a trace of remembered shock flickered involuntarily in his eyes. "Her Fire Release could practically destroy an entire block. Her Body Flicker Technique made it impossible for me to tell where she was, and those eyes..."
Naruto unconsciously touched his arm, where the chains had grazed him the night before.
"That ability called 'Red Chains'... left me completely unable to move."
The Third Hokage and Jiraiya exchanged glances. The Third Hokage murmured, "Even more obsessive and unstable than Uchiha Itachi was back then..."
Jiraiya sighed helplessly as well. "If such an unstable Mangekyō Sharingan wielder completely loses control, she's no different from a bomb that could explode at any moment."
But the Third Hokage pressed further.