From the perspectives of Might Guy and Kakashi Hatake, Naruto was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, his figure instantly annihilated by the terrifying Tailed Beast Ball.
However, in reality, Naruto caught the Tailed Beast Ball barehanded.
The equipment defense effect of the Dragon Slaying Set was completely activated.
A set of Light gold translucent light armor appeared on Naruto's body.
But very quickly, the Dragon Slaying Set's defense couldn't hold up. With a 'crack,' it shattered, and the light and shadow vanished like a bubble.
The Tailed Beast Ball continued to press forward, moving only an inch, before it solidly collided with Naruto's palm.
Devastating power continuously impacted Naruto.
But Naruto held on!
Naruto truly caught the Tailed Beast Ball barehanded, and the sleeves of his arms instantly turned to dust.
"Get up there!" Naruto roared, raising his leg and delivering a knee strike, directly sending the Tailed Beast Ball high into the sky.
"Boom!!!"
The Tailed Beast Ball completely exploded, and the aftermath transformed into a pure white halo sweeping across the sky, tearing a huge azure gap in the gloomy clouds shrouding Konoha!
Sunlight, like a sword of divine punishment, pierced through the haze, showering down from the sky and illuminating Naruto's figure standing bathed in light.
With a 'whoosh,' after deflecting the Tailed Beast Ball, Naruto instantly arrived at Ichibi Shukaku's forehead. Gaara's sleeping face was close at hand, painfully distorted by Shukaku's resentment.
"Had enough sleep, have you?" Naruto murmured indifferently, a needle-thin golden glow condensing at his fingertip, which he gently touched to Gaara's brow.
"Pfft."
There was no wound, only a ripple of soft golden light spreading out!
That was pure life force, combined with Naruto's dispelling talent.
It could break the Fake Sleep Jutsu and pull the rampaging Gaara back.
"Roar—!" Shukaku let out an unwilling wail, its massive sand body trembling violently, and the curses disintegrated inch by inch.
Its giant claws futilely grasped at the void, only to scatter into ordinary sand in mid-air.
Finally, its entire body collapsed like a crumbling sandcastle, revealing the small figure falling within.
Naruto caught the unconscious Gaara in mid-air, landing as lightly as a feather.
He casually placed a sealing jutsu on Gaara's body, directly suppressing the rampaging Tailed Beast Chakra and re-sealing Ichibi Shukaku.
"He—he suppressed a rampaging Tailed Beast by himself?!"
"How is that possible? Is Konoha Village's Jinchuriki that strong?"
"Could it be that he has already become a Perfect Jinchuriki!"
Temari and Kankuro were both dumbfounded.
After suppressing the rampaging Ichibi Shukaku, Naruto did not end his actions.
More accurately, dealing with Ichibi Shukaku, released by Gaara, was just something he did on the side, not his main objective.
"You two—" Seeing Temari and Kankuro rush over to protect the unconscious Gaara, Naruto merely swept his gaze over them, causing goosebumps to rise on both Temari and Kankuro, who dared not make any move.
They couldn't even muster the thought of resistance in their hearts.
It was exactly like when Sasuke and Sakura first encountered Orochimaru in the Death Forest.
"Forget it, someone else will handle you. I don't need to worry about it." Naruto withdrew his gaze and flashed away.
Seeing Naruto leave, Temari and Kankuro finally breathed a sigh of relief, exchanging glances.
The difference in strength was simply too vast!
Just for a moment, when Naruto revealed a hint of killing intent, hundreds of death illusions flashed through Temari and Kankuro's minds.
"Too—too terrifying..."
"What is going on with this guy? Is it just because he's the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki?" Temari collapsed onto the ground, drenched in sweat, speaking with lingering fear.
They had already lost the will to resist, allowing the arriving Konoha Anbu to apprehend them.
Meanwhile, Naruto arrived on the rooftop of a building outside the arena, looking out at the chaotic Konoha Village.
The attack by Otogakure and Sunagakure indeed caused considerable impact and destruction to the unsuspecting Konoha Village.
But Konoha Village, strong as it was, being the head of the Five Great Hidden Villages, still had its strength. Once Konoha Village's Anbu and other military forces were fully mobilized, it was only a matter of time before this war was quelled.
The key lay in the battle between Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru.
According to the original plot, Hiruzen Sarutobi was naturally destined to die, and Orochimaru's arms would be crippled by the Reaper Death Seal.
Naruto had no intention of interfering or deliberately rewriting Hiruzen Sarutobi's fate.
If Third Hokage had been a little kinder to Naruto, perhaps there would have been a different outcome.
Unfortunately, there are no 'ifs' in this world.
Naruto would not kick someone when they were down, nor would he assist Orochimaru in his villainy. Everything would be left to fate. Perhaps Hiruzen Sarutobi would change his fate, just like Dosu Kinuta.
"I've only learned the Sixth Gate of Eight Gates Formation. There are still two most important gates I haven't learned yet. I need to finish learning them."
"I can't wait until the ninja war breaks out and Might Guy transforms into Kai Huang, almost kicking out the ending, before I finish learning the Eight Gates Formation."
The only time all Eight Gates were fully opened was when Might Guy used 'Night Guy' to nearly defeat Uchiha Madara.
Naruto naturally wouldn't wait until then.
Fortunately, the Eight Gates Formation, this heaven-defying forbidden jutsu, was recorded in the Scroll of Seals.
"Although the Scroll of Seals is hidden, for me, finding it isn't difficult."
"First, I'll accumulate some prestige and create an alibi at the same time." Naruto formed hand signs, and beside him, 'poof, poof, poof,' a large cloud of white Chakra mist exploded.
When the mist cleared, it revealed hundreds of Naruto's Shadow Clones.
"Go save the villagers and move them to a safe place," Naruto said.
Accumulating prestige, killing Sand Ninjas, and Otogakure was not the priority; the priority was saving people.
If you kill an enemy, the villagers might not remember you.
But if you save their lives, they will definitely be grateful to you!
"Swish, swish, swish." Each Shadow Clone scattered into afterimages, rushing in all directions, beginning to rescue villagers in danger and guide everyone to safety.
After performing Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, Naruto activated his stealth skill, lowering his presence to the minimum.
Then, he deployed Dark Dusk Court and Shadow Instant Kill Array, instantly teleporting to the Hokage Building.
Next were Kagura Mind's Eye and Transparent World.
The vast Hokage Building held no secrets for Naruto.
All secret rooms, barriers, and seals were completely exposed, appearing in Naruto's mind.
"The Scroll of Seals, found it." Naruto instantly appeared out of thin air in a secret room.
No matter how many perception barriers and seals were set up outside the secret room, they were all useless to Naruto.
Naruto directly picked up the Scroll of Seals, unrolled this giant scroll, and began to read it.
Four Symbols Seal!
Eight Gates Formation!
Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags!
Edo Tensei!
Reaper Death Seal!
Flying Thunder God Technique!
All the forbidden jutsu recorded in the Scroll of Seals, Naruto learned and mastered them all with just a quick glance or two!
"The apperceiving god's rune of wisdom is still very useful. With this, there's nothing much left to see."
Naruto rolled up the Scroll of Seals and put it back in its original place, his eyes sparkling in the dim secret room.
"Only one last thing remains."