Konoha.
Ninja Academy.
Naruto was both shocked and enraged.
"What is this?! Why isn't there a turning point?!!"
At this moment, the screen didn't seem like a benevolent elder.
It was more like a cruel enemy.
Displaying an annihilation.
Although Naruto was quite shocked by the Ten-Tails, deep down, he still held onto hope.
Light Screen Naruto was still there, so there was hope!
But the screen mercilessly conveyed information.
Uncle Shikaku and Senior Inoichi were all sacrificed in that damned Tailed Beast Ball in the future.
This instantly jolted Naruto awake!
It shattered his belief in Light Screen Naruto's eternal trustworthiness.
It showed that sometimes, Light Screen Naruto couldn't protect his companions behind him.
It was as if a needle pierced his heart.
Making Naruto on the Observation Deck fear his own premonition.
Was this just an accident?
Would there be even more sacrifices?
Naruto dared not imagine further... Shikamaru and Ino's expressions were so heavy at this moment, unlike people their age.
Their fathers would be sacrificed in the future.
The content displayed on the screen was like a sword piercing their hearts.
Making them breathe rapidly, feeling suffocated.
Shikamaru was currently thinking about whether it was possible to change this future.
But unfortunately, with his current abilities,
He couldn't change it at all.
By that time, his father would still be the supreme commander.
And Madara or Obito would still choose to eliminate the supreme commander first.
It was impossible not to take on the role.
Shikamaru knew his father had such a will.
To face death unflinchingly for the future of the Ninja World.
Shikamaru was disheartened for a moment.
His intelligence was useless at this moment... Ino, needless to say.
If Sakura hadn't been comforting her, she would surely have found a place to cry alone.
Even if it wasn't reality,
The content on the screen was so real, and the feeling was just as real... Jiraiya looked at the somewhat heavy atmosphere on the Observation Deck.
He slowly said, "If sacrifice is necessary, then all sacrificed Ninja are heroes. Nara Shikaku and Inoichi Yamanaka are heroes of the screen."
Jiraiya himself would also choose to sacrifice himself when necessary.
He still had that will at this moment.
"And you all seem to have forgotten that almost inaudible sentence on the screen."
"At the last moment, Shikaku said this:"
'I've come up with a strategy to stop the Ten-Tails.'
[A voice came from above the Ten-Tails' head.]
["Continue, I will tell them in great detail."]
["What despair is."]
["Wood Release: Cutting Sprigs Jutsu."]
[The voice faded.]
[The Ten-Tails' ten giant tails transformed into giant hands.]
[Ten giant hands lined up, covering the sky.]
[Countless sharp, hard wooden stakes shot out from them at extremely high speed.]
[Endless.]
[Denser than a downpour.]
[Attacking the Shinobi Alliance in a blanket fashion.]
[Countless Ninja fell to the ground, impaled with wooden stakes.]
[—]
[On the battlefield of countless towering wooden stakes.]
[Naruto held Hyuga Neji.]
[And Neji was impaled by a fatal wooden stake.]
["Why... How could you die here..."]
[Naruto spoke, his voice also beginning to tremble.]
["You, towards the Hyuga..."]
["Why did you sacrifice yourself for me..."]
["Protect me with your life..."]
[By the end, Naruto's inner pain overflowed from his eyes.]
Neji clearly always had his own obsession with the Hyuga clan.
Hoping to change the shackles between the Main House and Branch House.
He hadn't achieved it yet, hadn't seen such a future.
After experiencing so many things together... [A disgusting voice came.]
["Didn't you say you'd never let your companions be killed?!"]
["Naruto!!!"]
[Obito stood on top of the Ten-Tails' head, gritting his teeth as he shouted at Uzumaki Naruto, who was holding Neji's corpse.]
This scene, how familiar it was to him!
That kind of pain, how could he not empathize.
The more he understood, the more he despaired of the world.
Despaired of such reality!
[Naruto was first enraged, then immediately sensed Neji's temperature gradually fading.]
[He was instantly stunned.]
[He couldn't help but recall his previous promise.]
To help Kakashi-sensei recover quickly.
The promise he made.
'I will never let anyone kill my companions.'
[Obito continued to question, striking at his heart.]
["Never let companions be killed!"]
["You said it yourself!"]
["Come, look around."]
[Around him were the corpses of fallen Shinobi Alliance Ninja.]
[As far as the eye could see, all were gone.]
["Say it again!!!"]
[Heart-piercing words, like thorny vines, whipped Naruto's heart again and again.]
[At this moment, his pupils contracted, staring blankly at Neji's corpse.]
Yes, he had broken his promise.
[Watching Naruto finally experience despair.]
[Obito glared over.]
["I'm telling you to say it again!!!"]
["Feel your companion's body slowly grow cold, and truly experience."]
["Death!!!"]
All of this was reality.
Completely laid out before Naruto.
The person who once said he would become Hokage, who said he would protect his companions.
Where was he now?!
Was he underestimating his own promise?!
[Obito continued to shatter Naruto's psychological defenses.]
["Death will continue."]
["Your reckless words and ideals will all become lies."]
["This is the result of speaking of ideals and hope."]
["This is reality."]
[Every word etched into Naruto's heart.]
["Naruto, what exactly is in such a reality?"]
["There is no father or mother, and no Jiraiya-sensei."]
["And as long as you continue to oppose me,"]
["Your companions will also die one by one, just like him."]
["A world where no one acknowledges you."]
["And what awaits you at the end of this..."]
["Is what you are most familiar with, and most afraid of..."]
["Loneliness!!!"]
[Obito deeply understood Naruto.]
[The 'Obito' who once died, and the current Naruto.]
[Indulging in illusory dreams.]
Naruto, born of loneliness.
Never wanted to be Hokage from the start.
Loneliness was the thing Naruto feared most.
Even if he was scolded, or disliked,
He didn't want others to ignore his existence.
To continuously disregard him, to distance themselves from him.
Speaking of his Hokage dream would make people laugh.
But this allowed him to escape loneliness.
Because becoming Hokage would earn him everyone's recognition.
And also allow him to escape loneliness.
The most optimistic Naruto was also the Naruto most afraid of loneliness.
[And Uzumaki Naruto, at this moment,]
[Seemed to feel loneliness once again.]