"It really is Nagato!!!"
Seeing the image, Jiraiya stood frozen in shock, unable to speak for a long time. Only after a while did he finally mutter those words.
Though Nagato's appearance had changed, Jiraiya could still recognize him from the contours of his face—it was indeed the student he hadn't seen in years.
"How… how could Nagato become like this? No, I have to find him and ask him myself!"
He couldn't comprehend what had happened that could twist his former disciple into such a figure—the infamous leader of the Akatsuki.
"If you confront him now, you'll die for sure," Fugaku Uchiha cut in firmly. "And if you believe he'll spare you for the sake of your old bond as teacher and student, you're gravely mistaken."
"He's no longer your disciple. He's the leader of Akatsuki, the man who makes the entire shinobi world tremble. If you rush into Amegakure to find him, it will only end one way—your death."
"What on earth happened to him… how could Nagato end up like this?"
Jiraiya's expression fell, weighed down by grief. It felt as though a pillar of his beliefs had collapsed. To realize that his own student had become the one stirring chaos across the shinobi world—it was a truth he couldn't bring himself to accept.
It took some time before Jiraiya managed to compose himself again. Fugaku, watching him regain a measure of calm, said:
"Nagato's path can no longer be reversed. Focus on guiding Naruto. Without proper guidance, he could very well become another Nagato."
These words were not just advice, but also a way to dissuade Jiraiya from throwing his life away in Amegakure. Their relationship wasn't close, but Fugaku still valued Jiraiya as one of Konoha's rare high-tier powers—losing him to Nagato would be a needless waste.
"I won't let Naruto become another Nagato," Jiraiya answered firmly, his face hardening.
He had already failed once with a student who strayed down a dark path. He would never allow the same to happen again.
Seeing that Jiraiya had abandoned the reckless thought of seeking Nagato, Fugaku shifted the conversation.
"Akatsuki is moving forward with a massive conspiracy. The situation in the shinobi world is grim. I want you to persuade Tsunade to return to Konoha. At this time, the village must unite every ounce of strength we can."
"I'll try. But I can't promise I'll succeed," Jiraiya admitted.
Before, he would have outright refused. But after this talk, his perspective shifted. His opinion of Fugaku might not have been high, yet he couldn't deny that the man was fulfilling his role as Hokage.
The fact that Fugaku, despite their strained relationship, still stopped him from rushing into Amegakure to die was proof enough—he placed Konoha's survival above all else.
"That's enough," Fugaku nodded. Convincing Tsunade to return would never be easy. The fact Jiraiya was willing to make the attempt was already progress.
Konoha Training Grounds
Two boys clashed fiercely—a black-haired one and a blond one.
The dark-haired youth was Uchiha Sasuke. The blond was none other than Naruto Uzumaki, who had just returned to the village.
"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
With a burst of chakra, dozens of Narutos appeared, swarming toward Sasuke.
"Sharingan!"
Sasuke's eyes spun, three tomoe glowing in each. With his enhanced perception, his already sharp taijutsu grew even deadlier.
Boom! Boom! Boom!Each strike dispersed a clone, Naruto's army thinning quickly.
"Rasengan!"
Realizing clones alone weren't enough, one Naruto began forming a swirling blue sphere in his palm. With it charged, he lunged at Sasuke.
"Chidori!"
Sensing the Rasengan's dangerous chakra, Sasuke formed seals. Lightning flared violently in his right hand, shrieking like a thousand birds.
Crack!Arcs of lightning tore through nearby clones, erasing them instantly.
Boom!Rasengan and Chidori collided. The ground cracked beneath the clash, both boys thrown backward from the shockwave.
From the sidelines, their peers watched in awe.
"Who is that guy? He's actually keeping up with Sasuke!" Kiba exclaimed, his white dog perched on his head.
"Hmph, no way he can beat Sasuke," Sakura shot back, annoyed.
"That's right," Karin chimed in, adjusting her glasses. "Sasuke will win soon enough."
"That's Naruto… I didn't think he'd gotten this strong," Shikamaru muttered, surprised.
"Ha! I won!"
As Sasuke staggered, a Naruto appeared behind him, pressing a kunai to his throat with a smug grin.
"Idiot," Sasuke smirked. The 'captured' Sasuke vanished, only an illusion.
In reality, Sasuke had slipped behind Naruto and now held a kunai at his back. Naruto had fallen into a genjutsu.
"Looks like Sasuke wins!" Sakura cheered, while the other girls clapped. The boys, however, looked more soberly at Naruto. Even in defeat, his strength was undeniable.
Unseen, Fugaku and Jiraiya stood atop a nearby rooftop, watching the spar.
"Impressive power," Fugaku said, eyes on Naruto. Years of training under Jiraiya had made him far stronger than most at his age.
"And your student isn't bad either," Jiraiya replied, acknowledging Sasuke. For someone to best Naruto—he had to be exceptional.
"I'll be leaving soon to search for Tsunade. Naruto's safety will be in your hands."
"Don't worry. As long as he's in Konoha, Akatsuki won't touch him," Fugaku said with calm certainty.
Days later
Kakashi and Guy's rescue team returned from Sunagakure.
"What happened to Guy?" Fugaku asked, noticing Kakashi alone.
"He opened the Eight Gates and suffered injuries, but nothing life-threatening. He's recovering in the hospital," Kakashi replied.
"And the mission?"
"…We failed. Shukaku was extracted from Gaara."
Fugaku nodded grimly. He hadn't held out much hope—the delays made saving Gaara unlikely.
"And Gaara himself?"
"…Dead, after the extraction," Kakashi said tightly, fists clenching. The thought of Naruto suffering the same fate chilled him.
'Dead? In the original line, Gaara was saved… Did Chiyo refuse to sacrifice herself this time?' Fugaku thought. Without her guilt over Sasori, there was no reason for her to give her life.
"Akatsuki has clearly set their sights on Jinchūriki. Hokage-sama, I request we secure Naruto inside Konoha immediately," Kakashi urged.
"There's no need. Naruto is already back in the village," Fugaku reassured him.
Relief washed over Kakashi. At least here, Naruto was safe. No other village could compare—Konoha had the Fifth Hokage, whose power even Akatsuki feared.
He then produced a scroll.
"Hokage-sama, this was entrusted to me by the Fourth Kazekage."
"From Rasa?" Fugaku took it, read quickly, then looked up.
"Sunagakure and Kirigakure are calling for a Five Kage Summit. They've requested that next month, in the Land of Iron, all five leaders gather to discuss how to confront Akatsuki."
"A Five Kage Summit?" Kakashi was taken aback.
Such a meeting hadn't occurred since the era of the First Hokage. But with Akatsuki's terrifying strength and their sinister plans, the call made sense.