Mount Myoboku
Jiraiya arrived at Mount Myoboku through reverse summoning and immediately declared to the toads that he needed to see the Great Toad Sage.
The toads exchanged glances, unsure how to respond. Before they could act, a faint, ancient voice echoed in their minds—the voice of the Great Toad Sage.
The toad named Fukasaku froze, looking up at Jiraiya with a deep, knowing gaze. In a raspy, aged voice, he said, "Little Jiraiya, the Great Sage wants to see you."
"Got it!" Jiraiya nodded and headed off alone to meet the Great Toad Sage.
The Great Toad Sage was an enormous, orange-red toad, its body weathered with age, its face etched with deep wrinkles like ravines. Around its neck hung a string of prayer beads, with the largest, pale purple bead bearing a bold "Oil" character. The air around it carried the faint scent of sake—evidence of the Great Toad Sage's love for alcohol, with a bottle and cup resting nearby.
"Who comes before me?" the Great Toad Sage asked, eyes still closed, causing Jiraiya's mouth to twitch.
The old toad knew he was coming, yet it still played this game. Jiraiya had seen this act countless times and wondered why the Great Toad Sage never tired of it.
Taking a deep breath, Jiraiya's expression grew serious. "Great Toad Sage, back in the Leaf Village… I think I've found a clue about the Child of Prophecy you spoke of long ago. But I didn't uncover this myself—it was a young ninja named Uchiha Akainu who told me."
"He even knows about the Child of Prophecy you mentioned, and he claims to know their exact identity! I suspect his Sharingan might give him a prophetic ability similar to yours."
Jiraiya laid out everything he knew, holding nothing back.
The Great Toad Sage, serene and unmoved, cracked open its eyes just a sliver, peering down at Jiraiya. "This child you speak of… he foresaw the 'Savior'?"
"Yes!" Jiraiya nodded. "I could tell he wasn't lying. From what I know of him, he's not the type to lie at all."
"How surprising…" the Great Toad Sage mused. "Uchiha Akainu… in all the futures I've dreamed, I've never seen such a person…"
Jiraiya blinked, taken aback.
By all accounts, Uchiha Akainu had caused a massive stir in the ninja world. To Jiraiya, he was one of the era's most prominent figures, standing at the forefront of change. Yet, the Great Toad Sage had never dreamed of him?
This puzzled Jiraiya deeply.
Then, the Great Toad Sage spoke again. "If you've found a clue to the Child of Prophecy, why not take them as your disciple and guide them to make the right choices for the ninja world's peace?"
Jiraiya gave a wry smile. "Akainu wouldn't tell me who the Child of Prophecy is…"
He recounted every word Akainu had shared, without embellishment or omission.
The Great Toad Sage fell silent, pondering.
After a long pause, it said, "By all logic, I should have dreamed of such an exceptional young ninja. The only explanation is that this child is… unique. So unique that even the ninja world's destined path cannot fully capture him."
Jiraiya hesitated before saying, "Great Toad Sage, Akainu believes that if the twisted, diseased ninja world is restored to normal, anyone could become the Child of Prophecy, bringing true change. What do you think of his words?"
"There's some truth to what he says," the Great Toad Sage replied slowly. "But restoring peace to the ninja world without the pivotal Savior… how could that be achieved?"
Jiraiya fell into thought.
Even the Great Toad Sage found some merit in Akainu's words? But it didn't fully agree. The Sage believed that without a Savior, peace was unattainable—only a Savior's changes could bring harmony, paving the way for more Saviors. It just didn't elaborate further.
Akainu, on the other hand, believed his "Absolute Justice" could bring peace and prosperity to the ninja world, even without a prophesied Savior.
"I understand," Jiraiya said, his face serious. "We still need to uncover the true identity of the Child of Prophecy and train them to become the ninja world's Savior. That's the way to save it."
He exhaled softly. "Akainu's words weren't entirely useless. At the very least, they confirm he's come into contact with the Child of Prophecy."
"If we investigate the people Akainu has interacted with, we'll eventually find the Savior you foresaw."
The Great Toad Sage closed its eyes again, serene and silent.
Jiraiya took the hint and respectfully withdrew.
After he left, the Great Toad Sage opened its eyes once more, gazing at the clear sake in the translucent bottle beside it, its orange eyes reflected in the liquid.
Muttering to itself, it said, "I may not have dreamed of him, but 'Absolute Justice'… I've seen it in my dreams. This justice will bathe the ninja world in blood, shrouding it in the shadow of Absolute Justice."
"Yet…" it continued, "I can't tell if this is a good or bad thing. In all my years, I've never had a dream I couldn't decipher. No wonder little Jiraiya came rushing to me."
"Uchiha Akainu…"
"He's no ordinary man!"
Outside the Hyuga Clan Compound
Clang!
A bloodstained kunai hit the ground with a sharp sound. Sasuke swallowed hard, stumbling back a few steps. The warmth of the blood on his hands sent chills through his body, his breathing quick and uneven, his young face tinged with panic.
The sensation of the blade piercing flesh lingered in his mind, impossible to shake.
His wide eyes fixed on the corpse sprawled on the ground.
The body bore multiple wounds, two of them fatal. The first was a kunai lodged in the chest, not fully piercing the heart. The second was a gaping, bloody wound in the back—Sasuke's doing, a precise strike that had pierced the heart.
Sasuke's bruised face showed his pain, but he ignored it, turning his attention to Naruto, who was pinned beneath the corpse.
"Dobe, you okay?" he asked.
Naruto grimaced, shoving the corpse's arm aside and struggling to his feet. "How could I be okay?" he muttered. He was in worse shape than Sasuke, collapsing as he tried to stand, clutching his abdomen in pain. Lifting his shirt, he revealed a large, purplish bruise in the shape of a palm print.
Cough, cough, cough!
Naruto covered his mouth, coughing violently. When he looked at Sasuke, he saw the boy's worried expression turn to horror.
Confused, Naruto glanced at his hand and froze—he'd coughed up blood.
No wonder he felt so awful…
Was this a minor or serious injury?
"That guy was tough!" Naruto said, his face pale as paper. "Even together, we barely beat him. But… we did it. We took down a bad guy with our own strength."
"That jerk… he bullied a war orphan at the Ninja Academy, drove them to slit their wrists…" Cough! "The teachers told us not to spread it around, said the Academy would handle it seriously."
"But no matter how 'seriously' they handled it, they couldn't make him pay for a life. He's only three years older than us, after all."
"Senpai Izumi said… cough, cough! …only by making the culprit pay with their life can the victim rest in peace."
"Teme, we did it…"
"Teacher Akainu will definitely praise us."
"Stop talking!" Sasuke snapped, rushing to help the weakened Naruto to his feet. "I'm getting you to the Leaf Hospital!"
As Sasuke struggled to support Naruto, a sharp voice rang out.
"Stop right there!"
The commotion of attacking and killing a Hyuga clan junior outside their compound would've been impossible not to notice. Several Hyuga ninja rushed to the scene, spotting the cold corpse on the ground and two blood-soaked kids.
They quickly realized the body belonged to a Hyuga clan member.
And the kids' hands were drenched in blood.
"Did you kill him?" one Hyuga ninja demanded, glaring at Sasuke, who was supporting Naruto.
Logic told Sasuke that as a child, he could deny it and avoid harsh interrogation unless they resorted to torture. But his emotions took over. Tightening his jaw, he suppressed his nerves and said, "Yes! But… it's because his bullying drove an orphan at the Ninja Academy to suicide. Neither the Academy nor your Hyuga clan punished him properly. He still got to attend school like nothing happened, paying no price for his actions."
"We made him pay under the name of 'Absolute Justice.' Letting a villain like that live would only lead to worse crimes. Justice demanded his death!"
Sasuke's admission was bold, and from his perspective, his words rang with righteousness.
But to the Hyuga, it was a blatant provocation against their clan.
"Kid!" one Hyuga ninja growled, as they subtly surrounded Naruto and Sasuke. "Don't think wearing Uchiha clothes and spouting 'Absolute Justice' makes you Uchiha Akainu!"
"By killing a Hyuga junior in secret, your Uchiha clan is practically declaring war! You think you can just walk away after this?"
"Wait…" another Hyuga ninja interrupted, pulling the angry one back. His Byakugan fixed on the pale, weakened Naruto, his face heavy with realization.
"This blond kid… he's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—Uzumaki Naruto!"
The other Hyuga ninja froze in shock.
Then, the same ninja turned to Sasuke. "And this Uchiha kid, if I'm not mistaken, is the clan leader's second son—Uchiha Sasuke!"
The group was stunned again.
They'd assumed Sasuke was just an Uchiha based on his clothes, but his identity was far more significant.
The killers were the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and the Uchiha clan leader's son!
Suddenly, the Hyuga ninja's anger cooled. This was beyond their authority to handle.
"Report to Lord Hizashi!"
"Hah!"
"Hyah!"
"Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!"
A faint breeze brushed past Hyuga Neji as Hinata attempted an Air Palm from a distance, but nothing happened. Expressionless, Neji closed the gap, swiftly knocking her down with a kick and following with a palm strike.
"Ugh!" Hinata clutched her stomach, curling up in pain, her face contorted.
Neji stood tall, glancing at Hyuga Hizashi, who watched with disappointment, then down at the fallen Hinata.
"You haven't even mastered the Air Palm, yet you tried it against me," he said coldly. "Your combat sense is practically nonexistent. The ninja world isn't for you. You'd be better off staying in the clan as a sheltered princess."
Hinata bit her lip, struggling to rise.
At that moment, a Hyuga ninja rushed to Hizashi's side, whispering something in his ear.
Neji's attention shifted, noticing Hizashi's brow furrow deeply.
"You didn't touch those two kids, did you?" Neji overheard Hizashi ask quietly.
"No," the ninja replied.
Hizashi seemed to relax slightly.
"Take me to them," Hizashi said, his face stern.
"Yes!"
As Hizashi and the ninja left, Neji glanced at the struggling Hinata, scoffing with suppressed anger before quietly following Hizashi.
Soon, Hizashi and the ninja arrived at the scene. He saw the corpse of his clansman and the two boys—Naruto and Sasuke.
As clan leader, he should have had something to say, but in that moment, Hizashi found himself speechless.
The day he'd dreaded had come.
He knew Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, had embraced Uchiha Akainu's "Absolute Justice," as had Sasuke, Fugaku's second son. Their killing of a Hyuga junior meant "Absolute Justice" had now targeted the Hyuga clan.
Hizashi exhaled heavily and looked at Sasuke, who seemed in better shape than Naruto. "Even if it's for 'Absolute Justice,' you need a reason, don't you?"
Sasuke felt the weight of Hizashi's presence but stood his ground. "I… already explained it!"
A Hyuga ninja quietly filled Hizashi in, causing his brow to furrow again.
Before Hizashi could respond, he sensed something and looked up to see figures approaching rapidly—led by Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had just returned to the Leaf, followed by several Anbu.
Hizashi's heart sank.
This wasn't just about Uchiha Akainu's "Absolute Justice" anymore—it was tied to the Hokage himself.
"Naruto!" Hiruzen rushed to check on Naruto, his face paling at the sight of the boy covered in blood. He instantly grew wary, fearing Naruto's state could trigger the Nine-Tails.
"Grandpa Hokage… I'm… fine…" Naruto managed a weak smile, though his face twisted in pain.
"Medical ninja!" Hiruzen called, his expression grim, summoning an Anbu skilled in medical ninjutsu.
The Anbu began treating Naruto's wounds.
"Grandpa Hokage, him too," Naruto said, pointing weakly at Sasuke, who looked equally battered.
Hiruzen signaled, and another medical ninja stepped forward.
Once Naruto's condition stabilized, Hiruzen relaxed slightly. Then, he turned to Hizashi, his face cold. "Hizashi, you'd better have an explanation. Why is Naruto here killing someone? Why is he injured? That bruise on his chest—it's from your clan's Gentle Fist, isn't it? Do you realize what it means for him to be hurt this badly?"
Faced with Hiruzen's barrage of questions, Hizashi sighed inwardly but maintained his composed demeanor. "Lord Hokage, this was unexpected for me as well."
He explained everything he knew, concluding, "If you don't believe me, you can ask Naruto and Sasuke themselves."
Hiruzen's face froze.
He looked at Naruto, who, despite being only seven, eagerly chimed in, "He's right, Grandpa Hokage! Sasuke and I thought it wasn't fair. That guy caused someone's death—why should he get away without paying a price?"
So, Naruto and Sasuke had come to the Hyuga compound to execute "Absolute Justice" on a Hyuga junior who'd done wrong? And their injuries were from fighting him, trading blows for his life?
This… was tied to Akainu again!
Seeing the earnest look on Naruto's face and recalling his words, Hiruzen realized the boy was fully committed to the path of "Absolute Justice."
Akainu hadn't even been in the Leaf recently, yet Naruto was still influenced by this ideology? Enough to take such extreme actions?
He'd killed for "Absolute Justice"!
Didn't Naruto realize this wasn't something a kid his age should be doing? Was he mimicking Akainu's extreme personality, or just copying his actions?
Hiruzen couldn't wrap his head around it.
"Naruto," Hiruzen said, forcing a kind smile. "The Hyuga boy didn't directly cause that tragedy. His bullying was wrong and deserved punishment, but that punishment… shouldn't be death, right?"
Sasuke's young voice cut in. "Lord Hokage, are you saying that because he only indirectly caused an orphan's death, his crime doesn't warrant execution by justice?"
"Exactly!" Hiruzen glanced at Sasuke, thinking Fugaku's son seemed a bit more mature than Naruto—though only slightly.
If Sasuke were truly mature, he'd have stopped Naruto's recklessness instead of joining him.
"Lord Hokage, didn't the Daimyo of the Land of Fire also indirectly harm many through his actions?" Sasuke pressed. "Yet Teacher Akainu killed him. In the eyes of 'Absolute Justice,' the Daimyo's actions were malicious at their core."
"He may not have intended to kill at first, but his small malice led to great harm. Should he just get a slap on the wrist and act like nothing happened?"
Sasuke took a deep breath, his young face serious. "That's not fair to those who died because of him! That's why we believe someone like 'Hyuga Yata' had to pay with his life to let the victim rest in peace in the Pure Land."
"That's why we carried out justice!"
Hiruzen was stunned that a seven-year-old could spout such "justice-driven sophistry"—and it was unmistakably Akainu's style.
"Did… Akainu teach you to say that?" Hiruzen's kind smile stiffened.
"No!" Sasuke looked up. "These are things Senpai Izumi told us, plus some of my own thoughts."
Hiruzen was speechless.
He realized why Naruto and Sasuke were still influenced by "Absolute Justice" despite Akainu's absence. He'd forgotten about Uchiha Izumi, the girl who'd fully inherited Akainu's ideals.
"Uzumaki Naruto…"
"Uchiha Sasuke…"
From a distance, Hyuga Neji, only a year older than Naruto, watched the scene. Through the gaps between the adults' legs, he saw the bloodied corpse of a Hyuga clansman, recognizing the boy's face.
He knew him—a fourth-year Ninja Academy student, two years ahead of Neji, and a member of the Hyuga branch family, like Neji, marked with the Caged Bird Seal.
A pitiful soul trapped in a cage.
Neji vaguely recalled the boy's nasty personality. Not long ago, he'd caused a major incident at the Academy. If he hadn't been just ten years old, he'd likely be rotting in the Leaf's prison for years.
But Neji never imagined he'd die at the hands of these two kids.
"Cause someone's death… and you must pay the price?" Neji murmured, echoing Naruto's words.
"Only by making them pay with their life can the victim rest in peace in the Pure Land…" he repeated Sasuke's words softly.
For some reason, Neji felt a deep resonance.
"Father…" he whispered, biting his lip until blood trickled out.
His clenched fists trembled, his eyes burning with hatred. "They're right. Those who caused your death—even indirectly—must pay. I'll never forgive the main branch!"
In that moment, he found himself drawn to Naruto and Sasuke—or rather, to their ideals.
Akatsuki
"Nagato, why's he so interested in the Leaf's Uchiha Akainu?" Konan asked, her face cool and composed. "He's asking us to investigate Akainu, which is completely unlike his usual style."
Nagato, his face gaunt, paused before replying, "He says Akainu's existence could seriously disrupt our plans. His 'Absolute Justice' is fundamentally at odds with Akatsuki's ideals."
He continued, "The moment Akatsuki seeks to control the ninja world through absolute pain, Akainu, with his 'Absolute Justice,' will become our enemy."
Konan crossed her arms. "But when our plan moves forward, the entire ninja world will be our enemy. Why's Akainu so special?"
Nagato frowned, thinking. "Maybe a ninja with two kekkei genkai is a major threat in 'Uchiha Madara's' eyes. He sees Akainu as our greatest obstacle."
"That's not convincing enough," Konan said, shaking her head. "I suspect Akainu holds some secret tied to 'Uchiha Madara.' They're both Uchihas—there might be a connection."
"Only something like that explains why 'Madara' is so fixated on him. Whatever secret Akainu has, it's likely dangerous—dangerous enough that 'Madara' won't act against him alone."
Konan's words sent Nagato into deep thought.
He looked up at her. "You don't seem to trust our 'partner' very much."
Konan was blunt. "I've never trusted him from the start."
Not just distrust—she'd been secretly investigating "Uchiha Madara," treating him as a potential enemy of Akatsuki.
Nagato said, "Do what you need to, but don't forget our ultimate goal. If your actions risk our plan, stop immediately."
"I know," Konan replied. "I've already sent people to investigate Akainu, and I won't share the results with 'Madara' or his close ally 'Gen.'"
"If my timing's right, my people are already in the Land of Fire, maybe even near the Leaf. Don't worry—the ones I sent have clean records."
"From what I know, Akainu's 'Absolute Justice' only targets evildoers."
She paused, then added, "'Madara' knows too much about us, but we know nothing about him."
"I think… a little investigation will give us leverage if he ever shows his true colors."
Nagato nodded slightly.
The Leaf Village
As Neji was lost in painful memories, sudden footsteps behind him startled him. He whipped around to see a young ninja in Uchiha Police Force attire approaching calmly.
Behind him were two female ninja—one also in Police Force gear, the other in a Special Jonin vest. On the Uchiha woman's left shoulder perched an absurdly fat orange cat.
Neji noticed that the moment they appeared, everyone—Hiruzen, Hizashi, and the masked Anbu—turned to look at them.
"Akainu…" Neji faintly heard Hiruzen say, his eyes widening.
This was Uchiha Akainu?
Neji's gaze locked onto Akainu's face, but when Akainu's eyes met his, Neji faltered, his heart pounding with sudden fear.
"I… I'm scared?" Neji was shocked to realize he couldn't hold Akainu's gaze, overwhelmed by an instinctive dread.
At the same time, he wondered why this infamous man had glanced at him. Did he have something special that caught Akainu's attention?
Neji tensed.
He watched as Akainu passed by, his gaze seemingly withdrawn, and approached Hiruzen with an air of calm indifference.
Neji couldn't shake the feeling that Hizashi, the Hyuga clan leader, looked unusually uneasy when he saw Akainu—more so than when Hiruzen had arrived.
Neji was stunned.
"Teacher Akainu!" Naruto and Sasuke exclaimed in unison, thrilled to see him.
Akainu glanced at the corpse on the ground, then at Hiruzen. His calm, unwavering eyes made Hiruzen avoid his gaze.
"Third Hokage," Akainu said, "believers of 'Absolute Justice' carrying out their sense of justice in the Leaf—I see nothing wrong with that."
"It's just the death of a teenage villain. Does it really warrant such a fuss from the Third Hokage?"
The word "just" made Hiruzen's eyelid twitch.
"Akainu," Hiruzen said, taking a deep breath, his tone grave. "I won't debate whether your justice is extreme or whether the Hyuga boy deserved death. But your 'Absolute Justice' ideology has led Naruto to kill in the village, setting him on a dangerous path!"
"I've said before—Naruto's justice should align with the Leaf's, a justice recognized by the village, rooted in the Will of Fire."
"That's the justice best suited for Naruto. But now… he's killed someone. That changes everything! You know his identity is special. If the village learns he killed a Hyuga, will they still accept him?"
"His actions are being spurred by you, but his growth shouldn't be this extreme!"
"Akainu, if you cared about Naruto at all, you'd stop him from doing this!"
These were Hiruzen's heartfelt words. He genuinely believed he was looking out for Naruto, without any intent to exploit him.
But why couldn't Akainu or Naruto see his good intentions?
Hizashi, standing nearby, wanted to speak but held back. Hiruzen's words—dismissing the death of a Hyuga junior in front of the clan leader—felt like a slap in the face, especially with other Hyuga ninja present.
Hizashi could sense his clansmen's confused gazes, likely wondering why the Hokage was so dismissive of their clan. Hizashi himself didn't fully understand.
He could only guess that, in Hiruzen's mind, Uchiha Akainu and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki were far more important than the Hyuga clan.
It made sense. Akainu had killed Hiruzen's two sons, yet Hiruzen still restrained his anger. If the Hyuga had done that, their fate would likely be worse than the Uchiha's.
As Hizashi grappled with his mixed emotions, Akainu spoke. "Third Hokage, if you truly cared for Naruto, you'd let go of the leash you're holding. Naruto is walking the right path of justice."
"If he's done nothing wrong and the village doesn't accept his actions, that's their problem, not his."
"Why should a blameless person be chained? Should the good be held at knifepoint?"
"Why don't you turn your scrutiny on those who reject Naruto's justice? They're the ones with warped values."
Hiruzen was dumbfounded.
As he stood there, stunned, he noticed Naruto looking at him with a mix of confusion and hurt.
"Grandpa Hokage…" Naruto murmured, his voice small and aggrieved. "I didn't do anything wrong. If they don't accept me for this, I don't know what I need to do to earn their approval. Do I have to let a villain live to get it?"
"That kind of approval… I don't want it."
Hiruzen fell silent.
He wanted to tell Naruto that "approval" wasn't that simple. Doing the right thing didn't automatically earn the village's acceptance. He needed to be someone the village didn't fear, someone they loved and needed—someone who didn't alienate those in the gray areas of morality.
But he knew that saying this would only invite Akainu's immediate rebuttal.
Among everyone present, only Akainu showed no regard for him as the Hokage.
And yet… Hiruzen was powerless to do anything about it.
"Lord Hokage, Naruto's injuries have been treated, but medical ninjutsu isn't a cure-all. He'll need rest to fully recover," a medical ninja said, breaking the awkward silence.
Hiruzen forced a smile. "Naruto, Grandpa Hokage would never force you to do something you don't want. What happened today was too heavy for a kid like you, and with your injuries, you need to rest."
He added, "You too, Sasuke."
"Yoshinobu," Hiruzen called.
An Anbu, Yamanaka Yoshinobu, stepped forward reluctantly. "Lord Hokage."
"Escort Naruto and Sasuke back," Hiruzen ordered.
"Yes!"
Hizashi watched as Naruto and Sasuke, the ones who killed his clansman, were escorted away by Anbu.
As the Hyuga clan leader, he remained silent throughout.
"Hizashi," Hiruzen said, finally turning to him. "You know how to handle this little incident, don't you?"
"…I do," Hizashi replied in a low voice. "The Hyuga boy was in the wrong. His actions led to a child's death, and now he's paid the price."
"Naruto and Sasuke's actions—I have no objections. I believe the boy's parents, whose son deserved his fate, won't either."
Hizashi was even more cautious than Fugaku.
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