The day Konoha burned

The outskirts of the Forest of Death had become a battlefield.

Gaara of Sunagakure had undergone Complete Tailed Beast Transformation. The One-Tail, Shukaku, rampaged through the forest, his massive hands of sand hammering Konoha's defenses. Konoha's ninja struggled to hold him back with barriers and ninjutsu, but Shukaku was too powerful. Their defensive line was crumbling.

Elsewhere, two members of the Akatsuki-Deidara and Sasori-were fighting Konoha's jonin.

Riding a Clay Giant Bird, Deidara kept dropping explosive clay. "Art is an explosion! Detonate!"

Explosions erupted one after another, bringing down Konoha's buildings. Sasori controlled the Third Kazekage Puppet, raining enormous needles of iron sand down on them. Each needle could pierce several ninja.

"Damn it... these two are too strong!" a Konoha jonin said through gritted teeth.

"Hold on! Lord Kakashi and Lord Jiraiya will be back soon!"

"By the time they get back, there won't be a Konoha left!"

Just as despair set in, a voice rang out.

"Everyone, fall back."

It was the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi. Dressed for battle, he held the Adamantine Staff, his gaze resolute.

"Lord Third!"

"Leave this to me. Evacuate the civilians and reinforce the barriers," the Third Hokage said. "Shukaku must not reach the center of the village."

"But..."

"Follow your orders!"

"Yes, sir!"

The ninja withdrew. The Third Hokage looked at Shukaku, then at Deidara and Sasori.

"The Akatsuki, Sunagakure... did you think this would be enough to destroy Konoha?" The Third Hokage formed hand seals. "Summoning Technique: Enma!"

Boom! Enma appeared in a cloud of white smoke. "Hiruzen, this doesn't look good."

"No. We'll have to fight with everything we've got," the Third Hokage said. "Enma, transform into the Adamantine Staff."

"Understood!"

Enma transformed into the Adamantine Staff. The Third Hokage gripped it and charged at Shukaku. He had to deal with the greatest threat first.

"The old man's still got some fight in him." Deidara laughed. "Sasori, should we go help?"

"No need. Shukaku can handle him," Sasori said. "Our mission is to collect tailed beast chakra, not kill people. Let's use this chance to capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."

"Where's the Nine-Tails brat?"

"Over there, with the Uchiha Orphan."

Deidara looked toward Lin Ye. An Anbu ninja was carrying Lin Ye on their back, hurrying toward the battlefield.

"Oh? The blind guy's here too. Perfect. We'll take them both."

The two rushed toward Lin Ye. The Third Hokage saw them and tried to intervene, but Shukaku's sand held him back.

"Lin Ye, watch out!" the Third Hokage shouted.

Though Lin Ye couldn't see clearly, he sensed the danger. He jumped off the Anbu ninja's back and formed hand seals. Even without his Sharingan, he could still use basic ninjutsu.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

A fireball shot toward Deidara. He easily dodged it and dropped a Clay Spider. "Detonate!"

An explosion erupted beside Lin Ye, and the blast sent him flying. The Anbu ninja tried to save him, but Sasori's puppet kept them occupied.

"Got you!" Deidara swooped down and reached for Lin Ye.

But just then, a streak of golden light flashed past.

"Rasengan!"

Naruto dropped from the sky, slamming his Rasengan into Deidara's clay bird. The bird exploded, forcing Deidara to jump away.

"Lin Ye, are you okay?" Naruto helped him up.

"Naruto... what are you doing here?"

"Sasuke and Sakura are evacuating the civilians. I came to help you!" Naruto said. "Leave these two to me!"

"Be careful. They're Akatsuki members, both at Kage Level."

"I'm not scared!" Naruto formed hand seals. "Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"

Hundreds of Narutos appeared and lunged at Deidara and Sasori. Deidara laughed. "Think numbers will help? Art is all about quantity! Detonate!"

Clay spiders, little birds, and grasshoppers exploded nonstop. Naruto's shadow clones vanished one after another, but his real body moved incredibly fast, steadily closing in on Deidara.

"Annoying brat." Sasori controlled the Third Kazekage Puppet. "Iron Sand Drizzle!"

Iron needles rained down in a torrent. Naruto used his shadow clones to block them, but there were too many. He was wounded.

"Naruto!" Gritting his teeth, Lin Ye forced out what little eye power he had left. "Divine Dominion!"

A faint defensive field spread out around Naruto. But it shattered after only a second, and Lin Ye coughed up blood.

"Lin Ye!"

"I'm fine..." Lin Ye panted. "Naruto, use that move."

"But your eyes..."

"We can't worry about that now. Use it. End this quickly."

Naruto hesitated for a second, then nodded. He bit his finger and formed hand seals. "Summoning Technique!"

Boom! Gamabunta appeared in the smoke.

"Boss Gamabunta, help us!"

"Oh? Nine-Tails brat, who's the enemy?" Gamabunta looked at Deidara and Sasori. "Akatsuki, huh? This'll be trouble."

"Let's use combined ninjutsu!"

"Got it!"

Naruto jumped onto Gamabunta's head and formed hand seals. Gamabunta spat out oil, and Naruto breathed fire.

"Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet!"

An enormous fireball engulfed Deidara and Sasori. But Deidara's voice rang out from within the smoke. "C2 Dragon!"

A giant clay dragon burst out of the flames and charged straight at Gamabunta. He blocked it with his short sword, but the dragon exploded, injuring him.

"Boss Gamabunta!"

"I'm fine, but this guy won't be easy to handle."

Elsewhere, the battle between the Third Hokage and Shukaku reached a fever pitch. The Third Hokage attacked repeatedly with the Adamantine Staff, but Shukaku's sand defenses were too strong for him to get close. Worse, Shukaku was absorbing natural energy, preparing a Tailed Beast Bomb.

"Damn..." The Third Hokage gritted his teeth. If Shukaku unleashed that Tailed Beast Bomb, Konoha would be finished.

I have to stop him.

The Third Hokage formed hand seals, preparing to use the Reaper Death Seal. But just then, a voice rang out.

"Father, let me handle this."

It was Asuma Sarutobi. He had arrived with Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino.

"Asuma, why are you..."

"Kakashi sent word. Orochimaru has left the Land of Fire, and they're on their way back. Until then, we have to defend Konoha." Asuma lit a cigarette. "Shikamaru, give us a plan."

Shikamaru quickly assessed the battle. "Shukaku's weakness is sealing jutsu, but we'll need time. As for the two Akatsuki members, Deidara is vulnerable to Lightning Release, and Sasori's real body is inside his puppet. Here's the plan: Choji and Ino hold Sasori back, Asuma-sensei handles Deidara, and Naruto, Lin Ye, and I figure out how to seal Shukaku."

"All right!" Asuma charged at Deidara. "Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning!"

Ash filled the air, then ignited in an explosive blaze. Deidara hurriedly flew higher, but Asuma's Wind Release: Whirlwind Fist caught up and knocked him down.

"You're so damn annoying!" Deidara snarled. "C4: Garuda!"

Microscopic clay bombs filled the air, ready to explode if inhaled. But Asuma had been watching for this move and scattered them with Wind Release.

Elsewhere, Choji used the Multi-Size Technique and smashed his enormous fist toward Sasori's puppet. Sasori defended with iron sand, but Ino activated her Mind Body Switch Technique, briefly taking control of the puppet and giving Choji an opening.

"Human Bullet Tank!"

Choji rolled toward Sasori, forcing him back. But the Third Kazekage Puppet unleashed the Iron Sand World Method. Iron spikes erupted from the ground, injuring Choji.

"Choji!"

"I'm fine... keep going!"

The battle reached a stalemate. Meanwhile, Lin Ye, Naruto, and Shikamaru worked out a plan to seal Shukaku.

"Sealing Shukaku will take powerful sealing jutsu and chakra," Shikamaru said. "Lin Ye, can you still use your Sharingan?"

"Not right now, but Karin's sealing jutsu could work."

"Karin's at the hospital. There's no time to get her." Shikamaru frowned. "There's another option, the Reaper Death Seal, but..."

"No. The price is too high," Lin Ye said. "I have a way, but I need time. Naruto, how long can you hold Shukaku back?"

"As long as you need!" Naruto formed hand seals. "Shadow Clone Technique!"

Over a thousand shadow clones appeared and rushed at Shukaku. He attacked with his sand, but there were too many Narutos. They kept him occupied.

"Now!" Shikamaru used the Shadow Imitation Technique, holding Shukaku still for a second. Lin Ye rushed up to Shukaku and pressed both hands against his head.

"What are you trying to do?!" Shukaku demanded.

"Help you," Lin Ye said. "Shukaku, you want freedom too, don't you? You don't want the Akatsuki to capture you and drain your chakra, do you?"

"Hmph. Humans can't be trusted."

"But I'm the Uchiha Orphan. I have the Wish System, and I can see your pain." Using Chakra Information Vision, Lin Ye saw Shukaku's chakra filled with the anger and loneliness of a thousand years of captivity. "Work with me, and I'll help you gain your freedom. Not now, but in the future, when I break every curse."

Shukaku fell silent. He could sense that this human wasn't lying. And there was something familiar inside this human-the presence of the Sage of Six Paths.

"Can you really do it?"

"I can. I swear."

"...Fine. I'll trust you this once," Shukaku said. "But I'll only help you this one time. After that, I want to see you act."

"Deal."

Shukaku's chakra began to recede, and Gaara reverted from his Tailed Beast Transformation. He was still unconscious, supported by the sand.

"It worked!" Naruto exclaimed in delight.

But the danger wasn't over. Seeing that Shukaku had been brought under control, Deidara and Sasori realized things had gone wrong and tried to retreat. It was already too late.

"Sage Art: Goemon!"

Jiraiya's voice rang out. A combined sage technique of oil, fire, and wind poured down from the sky, engulfing Deidara. He screamed as the flames severely burned him.

"Sasori, retreat!" Deidara used his last remaining strength to unleash C0: Self-Destructing Clay, but Jiraiya blocked it with a sage art barrier.

Sasori tried to escape, but Kakashi's Lightning Blade pierced his puppet's core.

"Got you," Kakashi said.

Sasori's real body emerged from the puppet: a red-haired youth. He had turned himself into a Human Puppet as well. But at that moment, Tsunade's Monster Strength Fist smashed him apart.

"It's over," Tsunade said.

Of the two Akatsuki members, one was dead and the other gravely injured. Konoha's crisis was over-for now.

But Konoha lay in ruins. More than half its buildings had collapsed, civilian casualties were devastating, and countless ninja had been killed or wounded. The greatest loss of all was that Orochimaru had captured Fū, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki.

"Count the casualties, treat the wounded, and rebuild Konoha," the Third Hokage said wearily. "Also, inform the other ninja villages, especially Takigakure. We... owe them an explanation."

Konoha spent the night in mourning. Lin Ye sat on the hospital roof, looking up at the stars. Though he couldn't see them clearly, he could sense them.

"Lord Lin Ye, your medicine." Karin climbed onto the roof and handed him a bottle of medicine.

"Thank you." Lin Ye drank it. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better. Lady Tsunade said I'll recover completely after another week of rest." Karin sat beside him. "Lord Lin Ye, about Fū..."

"I'll save her," Lin Ye said. "But not now. Konoha needs to rebuild, and we need to get stronger. Besides, Orochimaru must have a reason for capturing Fū. He might want to trade her, or use her for research. Until then, she should still be safe."

"What do we do next, then?"

"Fulfill wishes, collect fragments, and get stronger," Lin Ye said. "Then we'll go to Otogakure, rescue Fū, and kill Orochimaru."

"I'm going with you."

"All right." Lin Ye nodded. "But first, I need to restore my eyes. Ten more wishes, and I'll get an Eye Power Crystal."

"I'll help you!"

Over the next seven days, Konoha rebuilt while Lin Ye and Karin fulfilled wishes. Though Lin Ye's impaired vision made things difficult, Karin's sensory abilities and sealing jutsu proved invaluable during their wish missions. They fulfilled ten wishes and helped rebuild Konoha, completing many "hidden wishes" along the way-the wishes of Konoha's civilians to rebuild their homes.

By the evening of the seventh day, his wish count had reached 400.

[Ding! Completed 100 wishes. Special reward obtained: Eye Power Crystal ×1]

[Eye Power Crystal: Instantly restores eye power upon use and increases maximum eye power by 30%. Has a chance to evolve the Mangekyo. However, the process is extremely painful, requiring the user to endure pain akin to having their soul torn apart.]

[Use now?]

"Use it." Lin Ye didn't hesitate.

He pressed the crystal against his eyes. A second later, searing pain struck, as though someone had driven red-hot iron rods into his eyes and was stirring them around in his sockets. He clenched his teeth, refusing to make a sound, but his body shook violently.

"Lord Lin Ye!" Karin tried to help him, but a force threw her back.

The pain lasted a full ten minutes. When it finally subsided, Lin Ye opened his eyes.

The world had never been so clear.

The Mangekyo patterns slowly rotated in his eyes, but their design had changed. The intricate mandalas had become ripples resembling the Rinnegan, though tomoe remained at their centers. This was a form between the Mangekyo and the Rinnegan.

[Mangekyō Sharingan (evolving)]

[Eye power restored: 100%]

[Maximum eye power increased: 30%]

[New ability unlocked: Kamui (basic)-briefly transfers the user or objects into another dimension. Limited to three uses per day, each lasting no more than three seconds.]

[New ability unlocked: Amaterasu (weakened)-releases black flames capable of burning all things. Extremely costly to use. Limited to once per day.]

[Vision restored: 100%. Also grants the "Transparent World" ability-allows the user to see the internal structure of objects and sense life energy.]

"This is..." Lin Ye looked at his hands. He could see the blood vessels beneath his skin, the texture of his muscles, and the flow of chakra.

"Lord Lin Ye, your eyes..." Karin exclaimed in delight.

"Yes. They've recovered, and they're stronger now," Lin Ye said. "But it's still not enough. I'll need more power to defeat Orochimaru and rescue Fū."

He looked at the system panel. He now had 60 Rinnegan Fragments. He was still far from 1,000, but at least there was hope.

"Next, we're going to Otogakure," Lin Ye said.

"When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow. Tonight, I'll see the Third Hokage and apply for a mission outside the village."

That night, in the Hokage's office.

"You want to go to Otogakure?" The Third Hokage looked at Lin Ye. "It's too dangerous. Orochimaru's stronghold is bound to be heavily guarded. Besides, Kakashi and Jiraiya are already investigating. Wait for their report."

"I can't wait," Lin Ye said. "Every extra day puts Fū in greater danger. Besides, I have a reason I have to go."

"What reason?"

"Orochimaru has relics left behind by the Uchiha and the Uzumaki. Those are the key to fulfilling their final wishes," Lin Ye said. "Besides, Orochimaru has ties to the Akatsuki and might know more details about the Eye of the Moon Plan. I have to go."

The Third Hokage fell silent for a long while before finally sighing. "All right, but you can't go alone. Take Karin, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura with you. I'll also send Tenzo to protect you from the shadows. Remember, your mission is reconnaissance and rescue, not direct combat. If you find Orochimaru, retreat immediately and notify us."

"Understood."

Early the next morning, the five-person squad assembled: Lin Ye, Karin, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. Tenzo followed them from the shadows.

"Our destination is Otogakure in the Land of Rice Fields," Lin Ye said. "Our mission is to rescue Fū, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, and gather intelligence on Orochimaru. Remember, Orochimaru is a Kage Level fighter. He has the Sound Five under his command, along with all kinds of forbidden jutsu. Don't let your guard down."

"Understood!" Naruto said excitedly. "We're definitely bringing Fū back this time!"

Sasuke said nothing, but his gaze was resolute. Sakura was a little worried, but seeing Lin Ye's restored eyes renewed her confidence.

"Then let's move out."

The five left Konoha and headed toward the Land of Rice Fields.

What they didn't know was that Orochimaru was waiting for them in Otogakure.

In the laboratory, Fū was imprisoned in a specially made sealing container as the Seven-Tails' chakra was continually extracted. Orochimaru watched the data on the screen and smiled in satisfaction.

"Uchiha Ye, you came after all. This time, I'll have your eyes, your body, your everything."

"Kimimaro, prepare to welcome our guests."

A white-haired boy stepped out of the shadows. "Yes, Lord Orochimaru."

The storm was gathering once again.

And this time, the battle would decide their fate.