By dawn of the following day, news of Konoha's sudden attack during the third round of the Chunin Exams had spread like wildfire throughout the Land of Fire. The tragic events couldn't be contained—after all, among those who had come to observe the prestigious competition were prominent ministers from the Daimyo's court and nobles from neighboring nations. While some of these distinguished guests had perished under Nagato's devastating jutsu, their surviving retainers and bodyguards ensured that word of the assault spread with alarming speed.
The shinobi from various hidden villages who had sensed the intense battle between Minato and the mysterious masked man wasted no time gathering intelligence. Within hours, detailed reports were being dispatched back to their respective villages through their fastest messengers and communication networks. The implications were clear to every village leader who received these reports—the delicate balance of power in the ninja world was about to shift once again, and turbulent times lay ahead.
Sunagakure and Kirigakure were naturally the first to receive comprehensive intelligence, given their representatives' direct involvement in the events.
The Sand Village's response was swift and decisive. The council of elders immediately dispatched a high-ranking diplomatic envoy to Konoha, bearing both condolences and urgent questions about the fate of their Kazekage. Simultaneously, every available Sand ninja was mobilized for an unprecedented search operation. Teams spread out in expanding circles from the village gates, conducting a methodical sweep of the desert terrain in hopes of recovering the Fourth Kazekage Rasa's remains. The importance of this mission couldn't be overstated—without proper confirmation of their leader's death and a ceremonial burial, the village's political stability hung in the balance.
Kirigakure's reaction proved equally urgent. Upon receiving detailed reports from her shinobi, Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi worked through the night, consulting with her advisors and strategizing their village's response. By early morning, she had composed a formal request for mutual assistance, which was immediately delivered to the Daimyo of the Land of Water. The message was clear: whatever force had been capable of orchestrating such a devastating attack on Konoha posed a potential threat to all the great nations.
Within the damaged walls of Konoha, Uchiha Yoruki stood before Minato in what had once been the Hokage's office, now relocated to a hastily constructed temporary building. His usually composed demeanor showed signs of the long, sleepless night he'd endured.
"We found remnants of the coffin," Yoruki reported, holding up a piece of splintered wood that had clearly been subjected to intense heat and pressure. "My team and I searched throughout the night, covering every inch of the area where you fought that masked individual. These fragments match the description of what we observed during the battle, but..." He paused, his dark eyes reflecting his frustration. "There's no trace of any body in the vicinity. No blood, no tissue, no remains of any kind."
Minato examined the charred wood fragment, his blue eyes narrowing as he processed the implications. "Tell me honestly, Yoruki—within the Uchiha clan's archives, is there truly no record of any eye technique capable of bringing the dead back to life?"
The Uchiha operative shook his head slowly, his expression troubled. "I've consulted with our eldest clan members and reviewed every accessible scroll and document. However..." He hesitated before continuing, clearly reluctant to voice his suspicions. "According to our oral traditions, when Madara left the village all those years ago, he didn't depart empty-handed. He allegedly took several ancient documents from our clan's most restricted archives—scrolls that supposedly detailed techniques so dangerous and morally questionable that they were classified as forbidden, even by Uchiha standards."
"Forbidden techniques," Minato murmured, the weight of those words settling heavily in the temporary office. The few surviving Uchiha elders who might have possessed knowledge of such dark arts had long since passed away, taking their secrets to the grave. Even Fugaku had been unable to provide useful information, as the previous clan leader, Uchiha Kailin, had deliberately chosen not to share these particular secrets before his death.
It seemed these forbidden techniques were connected to a chapter in Uchiha history so shameful that the clan's ancestors had made a conscious decision to let that knowledge die with the passage of time.
"Could it be true?" Minato wondered aloud, his voice barely above a whisper. "Is that man actually still alive?"
His eyes took on a steely quality as he contemplated the disturbing possibility. Based on all available evidence, the masked individual he had defeated might indeed have been resurrected through some unknown means. And if that was the case, then the identity he had instinctively rejected from the beginning—could it actually be the truth?
Had Uchiha Madara somehow survived to the present day, sustained by some forbidden ocular technique that defied death itself?
"Even if that person truly is Uchiha Madara," Yoruki said, his voice carrying a note of pragmatic confidence, "he shouldn't pose an immediate threat to us now."
His reasoning was sound—if the masked man had indeed been Madara, his power in life would have been no less formidable than his legendary reputation suggested. Yet Minato had managed to kill him, and if resurrection came at a significant cost as logic suggested, then even if he returned once more, he would likely be substantially weakened.
"Consider this," Yoruki continued, "after the First Hokage's death, Madara possessed more than enough strength to destroy Konoha entirely if he had chosen to act openly. Instead, he remained hidden in the shadows, orchestrating elaborate schemes and working through intermediaries. This suggests that either his power was already diminished, or that resurrection itself requires tremendous sacrifice."
Yoruki's analysis concluded with a strategic assessment: "Now that you've defeated him a second time, even if he manages to return through the same mysterious means, the cost would be exponentially higher. For the immediate future, we should focus on addressing our village's needs while remaining vigilant. Once we've stabilized the situation here, we'll need to take proactive measures to locate and eliminate this threat permanently."
Minato nodded in agreement, recognizing the wisdom in Yoruki's counsel. The priority now was to restore order and begin the massive undertaking of rebuilding their home.
Despite the devastation that had befallen the village, one landmark remained miraculously untouched—the carved faces of the previous Hokage that overlooked Konoha from the mountainside. This natural monument would serve as both a symbol of continuity and a practical advantage in Minato's reconstruction plans.
The first phase of his strategy involved utilizing the expansive flat areas above the Hokage Monument to construct temporary housing. Teams of earth-style users worked alongside conventional builders to create sturdy but simple dwellings that could accommodate both displaced civilians and the many shinobi whose homes had been destroyed. These structures, while basic, were designed with expansion in mind—they could serve as foundations for more permanent buildings once materials and time permitted.
While some ninja focused on construction, others undertook the more somber task of search and recovery. Teams carefully excavated the rubble-strewn areas of the village, working with painstaking precision to locate and recover the bodies of those who had perished in the attack. Each victim would receive proper burial rites according to their family traditions and the village's customs—a crucial step in maintaining morale and honoring the sacrifice of those who had died defending their home.
The reconstruction effort itself would begin once the immediate needs of shelter and proper burial had been addressed. Engineers and architects were already drawing up preliminary plans for a rebuilt Konoha that would incorporate the lessons learned from this devastating attack, with improved defensive positions and more resilient infrastructure.
These ambitious plans would require weeks, if not months, to fully implement. For now, the focus remained on the immediate needs of survival and recovery.
As the first day of intensive recovery work came to an end, the exhausted Konoha shinobi were granted a well-deserved respite. In a hastily assembled communal kitchen area, the sound of conversation and the aroma of simple but satisfying food provided a small comfort in these trying times.
"Mom, these rice balls are absolutely delicious!" Naruto exclaimed, holding up a partially eaten onigiri with obvious delight. Despite everything that had happened, his irrepressible enthusiasm remained undimmed.
Kushina smiled warmly at her son's praise, wiping flour from her hands with a cloth. "I'm glad you like them. I've prepared quite a large batch—enough for you to share with everyone who's been working so hard today."
Throughout the day, she had employed dozens of shadow clones to work tirelessly, transforming rice salvaged from the village ruins into hundreds of nourishing rice balls. The cooking facilities were makeshift at best, with limited pots and utensils available, but Kushina had made do with characteristic determination. While shinobi were accustomed to surviving on military rations and compressed food tablets during missions, the civilian population—particularly the children and elderly—needed more familiar and comforting sustenance.
"I'll help distribute them," Naruto declared, his sense of responsibility evident despite his youth.
Chiharu, who had been quietly observing the conversation while helping to wrap rice balls in protective paper, nodded in agreement. "I'll ask Hinata and the others from our class to help too. With more people, we can make sure everyone gets their share more efficiently."
"That's very thoughtful of you both," Kushina replied, her maternal pride evident. "And make sure to take some to Gaara as well. Your father mentioned that the young man isn't in good condition, and from what I observed, the other Sand Village shinobi seem to be keeping their distance from him."
This observation troubled Kushina deeply. She had witnessed firsthand during the battle how the other Sand ninja had reacted to Gaara's presence—with fear rather than camaraderie. For a young person to be so isolated, especially during such a traumatic time, seemed particularly cruel.
"That's true," Chiharu confirmed sadly. "I noticed it too. The Sand Village people treat him like he's dangerous, even though he's on their side."
"In that case, I should probably get Dad's permission first," Naruto reasoned. "The Sand ninja are technically under guard right now, so we might not be able to get close to them without official clearance."
Kushina's expression brightened. "Actually, I've already spoken with your father about this. He's given his approval and instructed the ANBU guards to allow you passage."
"Perfect!" Chiharu beamed. "That makes everything much easier."
"Alright then, let's get started!" Naruto announced, jumping to his feet with renewed energy.
He quickly formed the familiar hand seals, his chakra flaring as he called out, "Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
Dozens of identical Narutos materialized throughout the kitchen area, each one immediately grabbing armfuls of the carefully wrapped rice balls. The original Naruto coordinated their efforts like a seasoned commander, directing the clones to different areas of the temporary settlement to ensure comprehensive distribution.
As evening settled over the damaged village, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple that seemed fitting for the day's bittersweet progress, Naruto and Chiharu made their way toward the designated area where the Sand Village shinobi had established their temporary camp. The ANBU guards, true to Minato's word, allowed them to pass without interference, though they maintained their vigilant watch from the shadows.
The siblings navigated carefully around the perimeter of the Sand ninja encampment, noting how the temporary shelters were arranged in a defensive formation despite being within Konoha's protection. They could see small cooking fires and hear the subdued conversations of homesick shinobi who were undoubtedly anxious about their village's future leadership.
"Why are they here?"
The voice belonged to Temari, who looked up in surprise as she spotted the approaching Konoha siblings. Beside her, Kankuro's expression showed a mixture of wariness and confusion. Both Sand siblings had been engaged in a quiet conversation with their younger brother, but the arrival of unexpected visitors immediately put them on alert.
Gaara, who had been sitting silently and staring at the ground with his characteristic indifference to the world around him, slowly raised his eyes. When his gaze met Naruto's, there was something complex in his expression—a mixture of curiosity, suspicion, and perhaps something else that was harder to define.
"Hey there! Good evening!" Naruto called out cheerfully, raising his hand in a friendly wave that seemed to light up the growing darkness around them.
Chiharu accompanied her brother's greeting with a warm, genuine smile that reached her eyes. Her relaxed demeanor stood in stark contrast to the tension that had characterized most interactions between the villages' representatives.
Kankuro, however, still maintained his distance from Chiharu, his body language betraying the psychological impact of their encounter during the preliminary matches. The memory of her overwhelming power during their brief combat had left a lasting impression that he couldn't easily shake off.
"What brings you here?" Temari asked, her tone cautious but not unfriendly. Her attention was drawn to something wrapped in oil paper that both siblings were carrying in their hands.
"Our mother made rice balls for everyone who's been working hard today," Naruto explained with his characteristic directness. "She specifically asked us to bring some over to share with you and your team."
As he spoke, Chiharu carefully unwrapped the oil paper, revealing perfectly formed rice balls that still radiated warmth and carried the comforting aroma of home-cooked food.
This unexpected gesture of kindness left both Temari and Kankuro momentarily speechless. They had encountered Naruto's mother during the chaotic battle the previous day—her intervention had quite literally saved their lives when they had been caught in the crossfire of Nagato's devastating techniques. Without her protection, they would almost certainly have perished alongside the other casualties of that terrible conflict.
The fact that such a formidable kunoichi—someone whose power they had witnessed firsthand—would take time during this crisis to perform such a simple, caring act was difficult for them to comprehend. In their experience, powerful ninja typically focused solely on matters of strategy and combat, leaving mundane concerns to others.
As they processed this unexpected kindness, Naruto stepped forward and selected one of the rice balls from the collection. With a genuine smile that held no trace of pity or condescension, he extended it toward Gaara.
"Here, this one's for you. My mom's rice balls are really something special—I think you'll like them."
The simple offer hung in the evening air, representing something far more significant than just shared food. In that moment, it was an extended hand of friendship across the divide of villages, a gesture of pure human kindness in the aftermath of tragedy and loss.
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