A figure fell from the sky—
like a shooting star.
Boom!
The newcomer slammed straight down onto Shukaku's head, as if a mountain had crashed onto it.
Shukaku's massive body couldn't withstand the force. It was smashed flat into the arena, limbs snapping as it collapsed, completely pinned.
The Tailed Beast Bomb it had been forming was forced back down its throat and detonated inside its body.
A horrifying scream tore through the air.
"Listen carefully, little thing," the newcomer said calmly.
"I already told you—if you want freedom and peace, Konoha is the only place you get it."
The boy wore a crimson cloak and a Leaf forehead protector.
His face was still youthful, but his eyes were deep as the sea and bright as the stars.
Just one person.
A single teenager.
Yet the entire arena fell silent.
Everyone—civilians, shinobi, even the Five Kage—felt an overwhelming pressure just from his presence.
The tailed beast that had terrified everyone moments ago was utterly helpless beneath his foot.
"Uzumaki Naruto!"
"Uzumaki Naruto?!"
"Uzumaki Jonin!"
"Lord Uzumaki!"
Raikage A, Kazekage Rasa, and countless Konoha shinobi cried out in shock as they recognized him.
Jiraiya and Tsunade finally relaxed, releasing the techniques they had prepared.
"So this is Uzumaki Naruto… Konoha's genius jonin?"
"He took down the One-Tail in a single move?"
"They say he's only twelve… Twelve?! He looks fifteen!"
"Even at fifteen, this is terrifying. Strength like this doesn't leave room for ordinary ninja to survive."
Those from the other great villages stared at Naruto with fear in their eyes.
Konoha's shinobi, on the other hand, were overjoyed.
Just his arrival alone steadied everyone's hearts—like a pillar holding up the sky.
Shukaku let out a low whimper.
At some point, its shattered limbs had regenerated, and it struggled weakly beneath Naruto's foot.
"Behave," Naruto said flatly.
He lifted his foot slightly—and stomped down.
Boom!
The entire arena shook as if struck by a massive earthquake.
A colossal crater formed at the center. Shukaku was driven deep into it, its body cracking apart, its head nearly shattered.
It screamed again.
This time, it wasn't fear.
It was pain.
Real pain.
Only then did Shukaku fully remember the terror it felt the first time it faced Naruto.
That single stomp burned the fear permanently into its soul.
It wailed, its massive body rapidly shrinking, retreating straight back into Gaara.
The sealed space that once felt like a suffocating prison now felt like heaven—
a place to hide, to lick its wounds, to escape that overwhelming existence outside.
Naruto lifted Gaara out of the crater and tossed him toward Genma.
"Watch him carefully," Naruto said.
"He's a jinchuriki. Don't let your guard down."
"Yes, Lord Uzumaki!"
Even the normally arrogant Genma answered with complete respect.
"Gaara…"
Temari looked anxiously at her unconscious brother, but didn't dare step forward—let alone try to take him back.
"Mizukage-sama. Tsuchikage-sama," Naruto said calmly.
"Kirigakure and Iwagakure helped Konoha just now. We won't forget that."
Yagura and Onoki both replied, their expressions complicated.
"With you here, Uzumaki Jonin, Konoha was never in real danger," Yagura said honestly.
Onoki, however, was screaming internally.
So this is it… This is what felt wrong.
Uzumaki Naruto was hiding this the entire time.
He was baiting everyone.
Drawing all enemies out—then wiping them out in one stroke.
Another Madara? No… worse.
He's only twelve!
At that age, Madara wasn't even close.
Naruto turned his gaze toward Kazekage Rasa.
"Kazekage-sama. Sunagakure was once Konoha's ally," Naruto said coldly.
"Now you tear off that mask and invade our village. Are you declaring war?"
His voice carried the authority of someone who had just crushed a tailed beast.
Rasa's face darkened. His teeth clenched.
"I won't waste words," Naruto continued.
"Surrender. Even if this becomes a war, Sunagakure will lose."
"With me here, you will never harm Konoha."
Naruto sneered slightly.
"Surrender?" Rasa roared.
"Uzumaki Naruto, you're arrogant beyond belief! You think you alone can force Sunagakure to kneel?!"
His temper finally snapped.
Even without Shukaku, countless Sand ninja were already invading Konoha.
As long as he could regroup with them, retreat was still possible.
Chakra surged from his body. The wall behind him transformed into golden sand, opening a massive hole.
"Move!"
Rasa turned to flee with his subordinates.
"Leaving already?" Naruto chuckled.
"Not that easy."
"Ninja Art—Four Red Yang Formation!"
Four towering red barriers erupted into the air, sealing the entire arena airtight.
At each corner stood a Naruto clone, calmly maintaining the formation.
Rasa lunged forward—then instantly retreated, face livid.
"Four Red Yang Formation?! You can do this with clones?!"
"How much chakra do you even have?!"
Cold sweat ran down his spine.
That formation normally required four Kage-level ninja working together.
And Naruto had done it casually—with clones.
A terrifying thought crossed Rasa's mind.
The Naruto I fought before… was that even the real one?
Even Raikage A felt a chill watching this unfold.
Everything he had done—
it felt like he had walked straight into Naruto's trap.
In the stands, awakened civilians whispered excitedly.
"So Sunagakure betrayed Konoha while we were unconscious?"
"And Cloud Village too?"
"The monster earlier was suppressed by Lord Uzumaki… and now it's Kazekage's turn?"
"Look at Rasa's face"
"Can Uzumaki-sama really handle two Kage?"
"Relax. Jiraiya-sama and Tsunade-sama are still here."
"So Konoha really survived an invasion by two great villages?"
"Konoha is terrifying."
"Where's the Third Hokage?"
"He's on the roof—fighting Orochimaru."
"What?! The Hokage is dealing with Orochimaru alone?"
"Shh! Orochimaru was his student. Of course it's personal."
The audience buzzed with excitement.
Five Kage.
The Sannin.
Orochimaru.
Uzumaki Naruto—the prodigy of legends.
The grudges between them were deeper than mountains.
It was unbelievable to witness.
As for their own safety?
They weren't worried at all.
With Konoha's shinobi everywhere—and Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Uzumaki Naruto standing tall—
the audience felt safer than ever.
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