Chapter 44: Naruto Uzumaki, with his Heart Set on the Empire! The Unstoppable Empire!

Chapter 44: Naruto Uzumaki, with his Heart Set on the Empire! The Unstoppable Empire!

"He could even give Kakashi a run for his money? Impressive!" Tsunade exclaimed in awe.

"Hey now, why does everyone with strength always want to pick a fight with me? I've been beaten black and blue lately!"

Kakashi sighi, a mix of exasperation and resignation in his voice.

After training with Naruto for nearly three years, he had thought he'd caught a break, only to have the genin back for more sparring after just two months.

Did he really look that easy to bully? Was this the treatment he got for being one of Konoha's good guys? Sheesh!

"Because you're Kakashi Hatake, Konoha's elite jonin, Copy Ninja, and exceptional technician! Sparring with you is the best way to gauge our true strength!"

Naruto grinned, giving a thumbs-up to a disgruntled-looking Kakashi.

"Well, I certainly appreciate the vote of confidence!" Kakashi replied, rolling his eyes.

"Lady Tsunade, do you believe us now?" Yamato interjected.

"While you have presented your so-called evidence, it's still difficult for me to wrap my head around such outlandish claims," Tsunade frowned, hesitating before shaking her head.

"Darn it! Why won't Granny Tsunade believe us? Captain Yamato, why don't we just call Tang, Hinata, and Ren over here to meet with Lady Tsunade? Maybe if she sees them, she'll believe what we're saying!" Naruto suggested, a hint of frustration in his voice.

"Tang, Hinata, and Ren?" Tsunade furrowed her brow, confusion evident on her face.

"Lady Tsunade, they are Lee Rock from the Divine Martial Empire, Hinata Hyuga, and Tobirama Senju. They arrived in Konoha alongside us," Yamato explained.

As his words landed...

Kakashi's body tensed, and he immediately appeared in front of Yamato, gripping his shoulders with a mix of excitement and urgency.

"What did you say? Tobirama? Tobirama Senju?"

"Kakashi-sensei, let me explain..." Naruto began, seeing how agitated and tense Kakashi had become.

After hearing the whole story...

Kakashi's expression softened, and he asked, "Another world? The Divine Martial Empire? A million versions of me? And another Tobirama? Do such worlds truly exist?"

"That's right! While it may sound far-fetched, it's the truth. In that world, Kakashi-sensei, you don't even wear a mask, and you're quite the looker! Oh, and you're married to a woman named Lin Yuan, and you have a child together—a son named Chewy Chewy!" Naruto explained enthusiastically.

"I see... So, in that world, I'm married to Lin, and we have a child?" Kakashi's mouth curved upward beneath his mask, and a hint of longing flashed in his eyes as he imagined the happy life his alternate self seemed to be leading.

"Tobirama Senju... What a strange yet familiar name," Tsunade mused, her brow furrowed. "And you say this child, Chewy Chewy, is a shadow-level powerhouse at just twelve years old? Naruto, you're far too gullible. You don't just believe everything you're told, do you?"

"A twelve-year-old jonin is already impressive, but a shadow-level powerhouse is simply impossible!" Nara Yukimaru shook his head in disbelief.

"Darn it! Granny Tsunade, Uncle Yukimaru, if you had seen the might of the Empire, you'd believe me! Especially the other me and that good-for-nothing Sasuke—they're so strong, they're practically inhuman!" Naruto huffed, a mix of annoyance and exasperation in his voice.

"Lady Tsunade, I think it's time we meet these visitors from the Divine Martial Empire—Lee, Hinata, and Tobirama," Yamato suggested, recognizing that no amount of explanation from them would be enough to convince the Hokage.

"This matter is indeed a bit far-fetched. If the roles were reversed, I wouldn't be able to believe it either."

"What is the purpose of their visit to Konoha? Little Lee, Neji, and Obito from another world..." Tsunade asked.

"...!"

Here it comes! This question finally arrived! Yamato took a deep breath and replied solemnly, "They want Konoha to join the Empire."

"Join the Empire? In other words, they want us to surrender to them?" Nara Shikaku inquired.

"You could say that," Yamato nodded.

Tsunade glanced at Naruto, Sakura, and Sai, noticing a slight change in their expressions, but they didn't seem angry. It was evident that the three of them were also aware of their companions' intentions.

"So... even though you knew they wanted us to surrender, you still brought them back to Konoha?" Tsunade asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Granny Tsunade... joining the Empire is not a bad thing. The Empire is very technologically advanced. The ordinary people there each have an intelligent butler. It's a kind of puppet with its own thoughts that can help you with anything—cooking, laundry, making dishes, boiling water, cleaning dishes, and more. There are also thousands of delicious food varieties. Transportation includes airplanes, high-speed rails, and subways, making it easy for ordinary people to travel thousands of miles to other continents and tourist destinations. The people have beautiful clothes and abundant food, and they treat everyone with friendliness, like family..." Naruto explained earnestly.

However, before he could finish, Tsunade interrupted him with a wave of her hand. "I don't know if the claims about the Divine Martial Empire are true or not. But enough! Naruto! Your heart is no longer with Konoha! You've changed!"

"I... I will always be a part of Konoha! It's just... the Empire is truly wonderful! Over there... Uncle Minato and Aunt Kushina are still alive... There is no war, and everyone is happy..." Naruto trailed off, his eyes reflecting a mix of reminiscence and envy.

"...!"

This statement left Tsunade silent. Konoha owed Naruto too much.

"Lady Tsunade... whether you choose to accept it or not, what we're saying is the truth. Another reality is that once the Empire enters our world, unification is inevitable. It's not just because they have a million elites like Kakashi-sensei... but also because they possess the power of Naruto Uzumaki and Uchiha Sasuke.

It's no exaggeration to say that either Naruto Uzumaki or Uchiha Sasuke alone could rival the entire ninja world combined. Their strength is akin to that of a god! It's a power beyond imagination, something you can't possibly fathom until you've witnessed it!" Yamato explained, his face gradually reflecting the awe he felt as he recalled the terrifying scenes of Empire Sasuke's sword sweeping across the land and Empire Naruto's fist shattering the heavens.

"Yamato, you're underestimating the Kage! And what you said about the strength of the other Naruto and Sasuke is impossible! I think you must have been under some sort of genjutsu at the time!" Nara Shikaku frowned.

"No! It's just that you haven't witnessed the Empire's might and felt it directly. And we're certain that we weren't under any genjutsu!" Yamato shook his head, his expression resolute.

"Captain Yamato is right! Granny Tsunade, Uncle Shikaku, why won't you believe us?" Naruto complained.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end