https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-243-Target-Jinchuriki-of-the-Nine-Tails-Uzumaki-Naruto-/12553585/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-245-What-Environment-Do-Toads-Prefer-to-Live-In-/12553587/
Chapter 244: Do You Want to See Konoha in Ruins?
Chapter 244: Do You Want to See Konoha in Ruins?
Konoha, the Hidden Leaf Village, was usually bustling with activity, but lately, it had become unusually quiet due to the frequent deployments of its ninjas.
The elderly villagers, wise from experience, furrowed their brows as they stocked up on large quantities of food. The current atmosphere in the village reminded them of the days leading up to the Great Ninja War.
"Are we going to war again?"
Wearied and confused voices echoed through the streets and alleys.
People in Konoha were changing, their emotions were changing, and the very air of the village was changing.
Yet, one thing remained constant: Konoha's two gatekeepers, Tekka Uchiha and Kuniyuki Izumo, steadfastly guarding their post.
The previous intrusion by the Uchiha clan had not resulted in any reprimand for them. After all, any other Konoha ninja placed in their position would have fared no better.
Moreover, with Konoha currently short-staffed, they couldn't afford the luxury of assigning a jonin to guard the gates.
And so, Tekka and Kuniyuki continued their vigilant watch.
Due to the unusual frequency of comings and goings by Konoha ninjas lately, the gatekeepers' workload had increased significantly.
Just as Kuniyuki was about to stretch his lazy bones after filling up a thick registration book and reach for a new one, a hand suddenly clamped down on his pressure point.
"Enemy!"
Kuniyuki's face twisted in alarm, and he instinctively tried to retaliate, only to find himself unable to move.
As he was about to lose consciousness, he mustered his remaining strength to roll his eyes, catching a glimpse of Tekka beside him, immobilized in the same way.
Kuniyuki's last vision was of a ring on the hand that had clamped down on his pressure point.
Who could it be?
Carrying this deep doubt, he flipped his eyelid and lost consciousness.
"Has Uzumaki Naruto not left the village recently?"
Yuyi Xuan Yue's voice sounded from behind the two gatekeepers.
With one hand holding each of their heads, he was using the Human Path's Heart Layer Diving Technique to thoroughly read their memories.
Soon, having learned the comings and goings of many Konoha ninjas from their memories, and having found no trace of Naruto for a long time, he released his hands.
Leaving the two guards limp and unconscious on the table, Yuyi Xuan Yue looked inward towards the village.
Naruto had been absent from several missions undertaken by Team 7 and the Konoha Twelve, leading Yuyi Xuan Yue to surmise that Konoha was deliberately keeping him protected.
But where could he be hiding?
Yuyi Xuan Yue's figure flashed, moving so swiftly that he seemed to teleport as he weaved through Konoha.
Along the way, he encountered Iruka and appeared behind him. Without Iruka noticing, Yuyi Xuan Yue clamped a hand on his head and read the memories within.
"I haven't seen Naruto for a long time either."
Plop.
Iruka collapsed, eyelids flipping.
Yuyi Xuan Yue reappeared inside Ichiraku Ramen.
"Welcome—hey? Where'd they go?"
Ichiraku was about to greet his customer enthusiastically, but the person had vanished.
Before he could rub his eyes in confusion, he lost consciousness.
Yuyi Xuan Yue soon removed his fingers from Ichiraku's head.
"The same. Uzumaki Naruto hasn't visited Ichiraku Ramen in a long time. That's unusual for him."
"There's only one explanation."
After a gust of wind, Yuyi Xuan Yue stood on the cliff of the Hokage Rock, overlooking the dense cluster of buildings that made up Konoha below. With a sweep of his Rinnegan, he confirmed, "Uzumaki Naruto is not in Konoha."
"As for where he's gone..."
At present, Konoha had joined forces with Kumo, but they had not yet been pushed to the point where the Jinchuriki of Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails had to flee together to Turtle Island to evade capture.
Given his personality, there was no way the Hokage or his captain would agree to that so readily.
So, it was highly likely that he went to train on Mount Myoboku.
"He's been there longer than expected, but there's indeed been no sign of the Nine-Tails' chakra within the range of Konoha, leaving only that possibility. Am I right, Kakashi Hatake?"
Yuyi Xuan Yue asked without turning his head.
Behind them, hidden behind a large rock several dozen meters away, Kakashi, who knew he was no match for the intruder, was about to slowly back away to alert the village. But upon hearing Yuyi Xuan Yue's words, his body trembled, and without a moment's hesitation, he drew a signal flare to shoot into the sky.
Snap!
A hand clamped down on his wrist.
Yuyi Xuan Yue appeared in front of Kakashi in an instant, glanced at the signal flare in his hand, and said indifferently:
"Do you want to see Konoha in ruins?"
In another timeline, when Pain invaded Konoha, he did so only to find Naruto at first and didn't intend to raze the entire village to the ground.
Who would have thought that Tsunade's tongue-lashing would be so powerful?
Ignoring the massive chakra consumption and even the cost of reducing his lifespan, Pain rose into the sky and performed a Super Shinra Tensei, making Konoha experience what true pain was.
If not for that Super Shinra Tensei, even with Pain at his peak, Naruto would have had a hard time defeating him even if he had returned.
In a sense, the entire Konoha bore the brunt of the attack for Naruto, thus paving the way for his subsequent heroics for the village.
Although Yuyi Xuan Yue was more magnanimous than Pain, the delay in capturing the tailed beasts did not mean he had no temper.
Especially since he could perform the Super Shinra Tensei without such a huge cost.
The biggest difference between humanity and beastliness is that one binds itself with rules and regulations, while the other breaks free from all constraints.
With strength far surpassing others and a good nine years of compulsory education, Yuyi Xuan Yue had always suppressed the beastly nature that his power craved, and his actions were filled with humanity.
However, now that he was about to achieve his lifelong pursuit, even after living his life again, he found that some things remained unchanged.
If someone were to present a huge obstacle, he couldn't guarantee that he would remain the same as before.
Because some things, no matter what, must be obtained at all costs.
So...
It was best not to do certain things.
Kakashi understood Yuyi Xuan Yue's warning and deeply sensed the true meaning behind his words.
Crack!
He crushed the signal flare in his hand, and his free hand swiftly drew a kunai, calmly launching an attack at Yuyi Xuan Yue.
Yuyi Xuan Yue flicked his finger, easily deflecting the incoming kunai.
Kakashi took the opportunity to counter-grab the restrained hand, then stepped forward, his hand, elbow, knee, and leg lashing out like a storm toward Yuyi Xuan Yue.
Bang bang bang bang!
Amid the rapid succession of attacks, Kakashi, who was gradually unable to keep up with the rhythm, barely blocked, and his body quickly retreated.
When he stabilized his stance and looked at Yuyi Xuan Yue, who was standing in front of him without a single wrinkle on his clothes, especially when he saw the purple whirlpool in his eyes.
"Those eyes... Their insight even surpasses the Sharingan!"
Kakashi, who had already unlocked the Mangekyo Sharingan in his left eye, felt his heart sink into the abyss.
(End of Chapter)
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