After securing the money and the ninjutsu notes, Haruno Shō made his way to the next sealed compartment—the bedroom.
This particular hidden space lay beneath the tatami mats. If not for Shō's exceptionally sharp sensory abilities, he would never have detected the anomaly concealed below.
Yet the very skill that allowed him to discover it… was also what doomed him. The sealing barrier, designed to protect the compartment, made its presence unusually conspicuous to someone with heightened sensory perception.
"What on earth…? This is insanely complicated! What kind of sealing technique is this?"
Could this be a secret art of the Uzumaki Clan?
The seal on the bedroom compartment was so intricate that Shō could not immediately think of a way to open it quietly. But under the current circumstances, he no longer feared drawing attention. So—he chose brute force.
"Water Release: Water Fang Blade!"
This jutsu was an evolved application of the Water Release: Water Ball Technique, allowing him to condense water in his hand into a spiraling blade that could be launched outward. Its destructive power rivaled that of an A-rank jutsu.
Shō had developed this technique purely by chance, but despite its strength, it consumed very little chakra—and it required no hand seals at all, only exquisite chakra control.
"Burst!"
The jutsu shot from his hand with explosive force. With a thunderous crack, the sealing barrier beneath the tatami shattered, revealing the contents below.
Inside stood a tall cylindrical scroll rack. On it hung a golden-crimson hair ornament engraved with special runes—its markings vaguely reminiscent of Minato's Flying Thunder God seal.
"Damn it! I must've alerted someone this time…"
Even if Minato doesn't have time to come back, there's no guarantee he didn't assign someone before he died. I can't waste time!
Although he knew the Fourth Hokage and his wife were certainly in no condition to interfere, Shō quickly slung the massive scroll onto his back and rushed into the study.
The next hidden compartment was built into the wall—so again, he went with violent demolition.
"Water Release: Water Fang Blade!"
"Burst!"
But the moment the barrier shattered, a violent explosion erupted within the wall. Anticipating danger, Shō instantly used Body Flicker to escape before the blast engulfed him.
Once the smoke cleared, he returned to find the storage chamber inside had been completely obliterated.
What a waste. Judging from what's left… this one must've held intel connected to the village.
He wasn't disappointed for long. Without hesitation, he turned to leave.
Of course, before departing, he didn't forget to destroy the entire house. If he was already committed to this crime, he might as well go all the way—otherwise, he risked being exposed.
After all, not every member of Konoha's ANBU was incompetent—especially the Inuzuka Clan, who excelled at tracking.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Burst!"
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire!"
Bang! Bang…
"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"
Originally Shō possessed only four chakra natures—Water, Earth, Yin, and Yang. But over the years, he had developed Lightning and Fire as well. Now, he needed only Wind Release to become a true all-rounder.
And thanks to his job, where he constantly consulted patients of various backgrounds, he'd learned countless basic jutsu. Fire-style techniques naturally posed no challenge to him.
"Don't blame me… Fourth Hokage."
Under Shō's relentless C-rank fire jutsu, the Fourth Hokage's residence was soon engulfed in towering flames. To onlookers, it seemed destined to collapse into ash.
"Since Sarutobi Hiruzen refused to let young Naruto live here… then let this house leave the world along with you."
"Dust to dust… ash to ash."
With those words, Shō's figure slowly sank into the earth, leaving behind only a burning, crumbling structure consumed by fire.
The house is gone, and I've dealt with my scent traces. No one in Konoha should be able to link this to me…
After hiding the stolen items in a secure location and carefully changing his appearance, Haruno Shō returned to the village, helping the wounded lying outside the ruins.
As for those trapped under debris—only later rescue teams could reach them. For now, Shō focused on stabilizing those who could still be saved, preventing them from dying due to their injuries.
"Thank you, shinobi-sama!"
"If you hadn't shown up, I don't know what we would've done…"
"Izumi! Hurry—thank this honorable man!"
"He saved your father!"
A young woman—beautiful and exhausted—bowed deeply with gratitude as she saw her husband receiving treatment. She tugged her daughter beside her to bow as well.
"Thank you so much!"
The little girl, still shaken from nearly being separated from her family, followed her mother's actions automatically.
What kind of monster was that earlier…?
But this onii-san is so handsome…
Scenes like this were only a fraction of the lives Shō saved during the Nine-Tails' assault. He rarely had time to respond to their gratitude. After finishing here, he had to rush to the next disaster zone. The destruction was too widespread; entire districts lay in ruins, casualties countless. He had no time to rest.
"Ah… another day begins."
Despite working past midnight at Konoha Hospital, Shō still had to report to duty at dawn. His home, fortunately, was located on the village outskirts and had been spared from the attack.
Lucky him.
If he hadn't mastered the genjutsu technique that induced deep sleep, two hours of rest would never have been enough to restore him.
"Haruno! Over here—we need help!"
"Ah—coming! I'm coming!"
Once back at his post, Shō was immediately called over by a group of medical ninja. Without complaint, he resumed treating the endless stream of patients.
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Building, Konoha's top commanders, clan leaders, and several jōnin gathered to discuss the aftermath of the Nine-Tails disaster.
"Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen and Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato have both fallen. Konoha cannot function without a Hokage. Therefore, I nominate Orochimaru as the Fifth Hokage…"
"Besides him, I see no one else capable of taking the position!"