What Konoha?
Minato swiftly grabbed Koki, who was eager to uncover the truth. Koki turned around, her eyes sparkling with eagerness and curiosity.
However, upon seeing Minato's stern face, those impulsive sparks were instantly replaced by calm.
Minato deftly took a mask from his pocket and handed it to Koki.
Koki immediately understood what he meant, obediently took the mask, and carefully placed it over her face, leaving only her bright eyes visible.
Minato's gaze was fixed on the receding figure like that of a hawk. He turned his head slightly, signaling to Koki to wait patiently.
Koki nodded slightly, suppressing the turmoil in her heart.
At this moment, the doubts in their hearts were like a thick fog, and the unexpected appearance of the boy made them temporarily abandon their original mission of pursuing the mystery of the Queen of Roran.
They exchanged a knowing glance, deciding to first reveal the boy's identity and purpose, and then silently followed him.
Naruto walked steadily toward the magnificent complex of buildings. When he stopped and looked up at the towering spire that pierced the clouds, a hint of amazement and awe flashed in his eyes.
"Wow, that's amazing! It's spectacular!" The boy's voice was clear and melodious.
However, in that instant, crisis descended like a sudden storm.
A swarm of puppet insects surged out, baring their fangs and claws, exuding a chilling aura.
Naruto was a completely different person from when he casually dealt with a single puppet insect; he was now clearly in a tough fight.
His gaze instantly sharpened like a knife, and he swiftly conjured a Chakra Blade in his hand, its blade gleaming with blue light.
Naruto wielded his Chakra Blade and engaged in a thrilling battle against the swarm of puppet insects.
He fought and retreated, his agile figure weaving through the swarm of insects, but the swarm was vast in number and its attacks were fierce.
Naruto gradually felt his strength waning, and beads of sweat slid down his forehead.
The puppet insects relentlessly pursued him, determined to kill Naruto.
During a series of fierce battles, Naruto was caught off guard and struck by a puppet insect, falling heavily into a pile of rubble.
"It hurts so much." Naruto groaned in pain, clutching the bloody wound on his leg with both hands.
Koki watched anxiously from a distance, her body involuntarily leaning forward, eager to go out and help Naruto.
Minato pulled him back tightly, gently shook his head, and gestured for him to remain calm.
Naruto struggled to stand up, but the intense pain made his movements slow and difficult.
The swarm of puppet insects approached again, staring menacingly at him, while Naruto gripped his Chakra Blade tightly, preparing to face the new challenge.
At the critical moment, Koki's inner anxiety burst forth. He disregarded everything else and resolutely broke free from Minato's grasp.
In a flash, Koki, like a sharp arrow piercing the air, bypassed the sharpness of the puppet insect 'Chakra Threads and, with a light princess carry, snatched Naruto back from the clutches of death. In an instant, the two arrived at a quiet place.
Minato Menchu sighed helplessly, revealing his figure with a resigned expression. At this moment, he could no longer conceal his whereabouts.
Faced with those rampant puppet insects, he moved with agility, effortlessly and casually annihilating them.
Faced with Minato's unparalleled strength, the puppet insects were like candles flickering in the wind, collapsing one after another.
At this moment, Naruto's only concern was his savior. He completely disregarded his own injuries and anxiously wanted to see what Koki looked like.
When he looked up, his bright eyes met Koki's clear, watery eyes. Those eyes were so captivating that Naruto felt a warmth in his heart, and a familiar emotion surged within him.
Who are you? Do we know each other?
Koki Naruto's anxious look, Mitsuki smiled slightly and prepared to gently put Naruto down.
"Why don't you introduce yourself first?"
Naruto eagerly grasped Koki's hand. "My name is Naruto."
It really was him!
Koki felt a slight jolt in his heart as the boy before him gradually overlapped with the Naruto he remembered.
Naruto's hands were large, with slightly hard finger bones, and his palms were dry and warm, as if they could completely envelop Koki's hands.
Koki struggled subtly, trying to break free from Naruto's grasp, but his grip only tightened.
"Why did you save me?" Naruto's gaze was fixed on Koki.
After a moment's thought, Koki said, "It was just something I did on the spur of the moment."
Naruto clearly didn't believe Koki's explanation. "There must be a reason. Do you know me?"
Koki fell silent again. He couldn't let Naruto know his identity, nor could he change the course of history.
Just as Naruto was about to ask further, a warm and firm hand covered his shoulder.
This hand possessed a soothing magic, instantly calming the turmoil in Naruto's heart.
Immediately, a calm and deep voice rang out. "Don't panic, take a look at your wounds first."
Naruto found the voice incredibly familiar and quickly looked up.
Amidst the turbulent wind, a tall figure stood quietly beside him.
Beneath the mask's shadow, the pair of blue eyes reflecting the faint light, and the golden strands of hair by her ears, shimmered in the sunlight.
The man said, "Are you Konoha ninja? We are also Konoha ninjas."
In a split second, Naruto snapped out of his shock and asked, his face full of confusion, "What Konoha!?"
The air seemed to freeze at that moment, and a deathly silence enveloped them.
Naruto doesn't even know Konoha. What does that mean?
Countless terrifying speculations flashed through Koki's mind in an instant.
What happened? Does Konoha no longer exist? Then where are they?
He gripped Naruto's shoulders tightly. "You don't even know Konoha?"
Naruto, confused, scratched his head and explained, "Konoha has long since vanished, and now..."
Before he could finish speaking, Minato quickly regained his senses, gripped Koki's hand tightly, and tried to stop Naruto: "Shut up, don't say another word!"
Naruto seemed startled, staring blankly at the two of them.
He grew up in a laboratory and, despite having met very few people, felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity with these two, as if they were meeting in a dream, making him want to get closer to them.
Having finally recovered from her shock and trying to gather her thoughts, Koki heard Naruto utter a truly shocking question, "Are you my parents?"
These words struck like a bolt from the blue, plunging Koki and Minato into a deep abyss of shock once again.
They remained silent, unsure how to respond.
What are you saying?
Naruto lowered his head, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.
Seeing you all always gives me a strange feeling, as if you are the people closest to me.
Above the ruins, sunlight struggled to penetrate layers of dust, leaving only dappled light to adorn the surface. A somber atmosphere permeated this desolate land, as if time had stood still.
At that moment, the appearance of Shibi Aburame and Akimichi Chōza attracted everyone's attention.
Following the clues left by the Minato, they braved many dangers to finally reach this place, encountering countless attacks from puppets along the way.