Chapter 49 – The Truth Cuts Deeper Than Any Blade
"Wood Style: Great Ranked Spear Technique!"
A massive wooden shield shaped like a fanged demon face rose up.
It effortlessly swallowed every single one of Hiruzen's five-element barrage.
Hiruzen didn't care.
He had only needed those few seconds.
"I'm sorry, Lord First… Sensei…"
Guilt and resolve mixed on his face.
He began the seals for the technique that would cost him his life.
"That seal pattern…"
"He's really going to use it."
Enma, perched on the King Kong Staff, sighed.
He already knew how this ended.
Just as everything was about to reach its climax,
two familiar figures appeared outside the barrier.
"Uzumaki Naruto! Uchiha Sasuke!"
"What the hell are you doing here?!"
The ANBU tensed instantly.
Hostility poured off them, especially toward Naruto.
The village was already in chaos.
To them, the "demon fox brat" was just another walking disaster.
Shukaku's rampage had only reinforced that belief.
Naruto was used to it.
He gave them a lazy smile.
"Came to see if the old monkey's dead yet."
"If he's still breathing, we'll finish the job."
Light tone, heavy killing intent.
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!!"
"As expected from the demon brat!"
"You killed the Fourth, and now you want the Third dead too?!"
"Everyone—kill this cursed monster!!"
The words "cursed monster" were the final straw.
Naruto's smile vanished.
A Rasenshuriken spun to life in his palm, shrieking with destruction.
"That's bad! Don't let it hit you!"
An ANBU captain's face went white.
"Everyone scatter—NOW!!"
Too late.
Naruto flicked his wrist.
BOOOOOOM!!!!!
A blinding dome of wind and chakra swallowed the area.
When the light faded, several ANBU squads were simply gone.
Only a massive crater remained.
Inside the barrier, Hiruzen stared at the culprit in disbelief.
"N-Naruto…?!"
His voice cracked with pain.
"Why are you doing this?!"
"They were your comrades!!"
Comrades?
Naruto almost laughed.
How many years of delusion did it take for the old man to say that word with a straight face?
When had he ever had comrades?
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed in realization.
"So it really was you two."
"I wondered what you were plotting back in the Forest of Death."
"Never thought I'd be the one used as a distraction."
He shot his former teacher a mocking glance.
"And I'm guessing the explosions were your work too?"
Hiruzen's eyes snapped to the boys, pleading for a denial.
Naruto crushed that hope instantly.
"We didn't plant the tags—someone else did."
"But we're the ones who lit the fuse."
Hiruzen finally broke.
"WHY?!"
"Naruto… Sasuke… WHY?!"
"For revenge, obviously."
Sasuke stepped forward, hatred burning in his eyes.
"You and the elders ordered Itachi to slaughter the Uchiha clan."
"So I burned your pre
cious village to the ground."
His words didn't just stun Hiruzen.
Even Edo Hashirama, who still had a sliver of consciousness, froze.
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