22: Chapter 22 The Fall of the Land of Waves, New PrestigeSnowflakes fell silently, their cold touch landing on the scalding blood with a faint sizzling sound.
The bridge was a mess.
Kakashi Hatake was panting heavily, but his crimson three-tomoe Sharingan was fixed on Naruto Uzumaki.
He watched Naruto calmly gaze at Zabuza, watched him hand over the kunai, and watched him utter the cruelest words in the most indifferent tone.
Throughout the entire process, the blond boy showed not a trace of anger or sadness, only a detached indifference, as if he were watching a drama that had nothing to do with him.
Uchiha Sasuke struggled to sit up from the ground, the excruciating pain in his chest causing every breath to tug at his nerves.
He watched Naruto's retreating figure, watching how that guy he had always considered a loser ignited Zabuza's final madness with just one sentence.
He witnessed Zabuza's gruesome battle and Naruto's unwavering calm.That calmness sent a chill down his spine, even more intense than Zabuza's fury.
Sakura Haruno and Tazuna huddled together, their bodies trembling with fear.
The bloody hell before them was beyond their comprehension.
But what they found most unbelievable was the blond boy standing calmly amidst the pool of blood and corpses.
Naruto ignored the complicated gazes behind him.
He crouched down, placed his hand on Bai's face, and completed the absorption of the bloodline and the evolution of the armor.
Then, he stood up, shouldered the Executioner's Blade, and with a strength beyond his years, dragged the weapon in front of Kakashi.
"Kakashi-sensei, shall we take this big guy back?" He put on that innocent, even somewhat foolish smile again.
Kakashi looked at him, momentarily at a loss for words.
At the other end of the bridge, villagers from the Land of Waves, armed with hoes and sticks, charged forward led by Inari.
They saw the horrific scene on the bridge, the dead Kado and his henchmen, and the blood-soaked Squad 7.After a brief moment of terror, deafening cheers erupted.
The nightmare of the Land of Waves has come to an end.
The atmosphere in Dazner's home was oppressive.
Inari sat alone on the steps of the corridor, burying his face in his knees, his shoulders trembling slightly.The bloody scene of the day and Zabuza's final lament had deeply impacted his young mind.
Naruto sat down next to him, carrying a bowl of hot soup.
"Crying won't solve the problem."
Inari suddenly raised her head, her red-rimmed eyes filled with confusion and pain."But.that older brother, he's dead.That demon uncle, he's dead too.They.they were so."
He couldn't continue.
Naruto didn't explain Zabuza and Haku's identities, nor did he mention any definition of a hero.He simply pushed the bowl of soup in front of Inari, then looked up at the sky that was beginning to clear.
"Inari, this world is not black and white.There are bad people, and there are bad people who want to do good but end up doing bad things wrong.There are heroes, and there are heroes who can shed tears, suffer pain, and fall down."
His words were soft, yet carried an undeniable power.
True strength is not about never falling down, but about getting back up every time you fall.It's about standing up again to protect your loved ones, even if you're covered in mud and have shed countless tears.
Naruto turned his head, his face displaying his signature warm and pure smile.
What kind of person do you want to be?
Inari stared blankly at him, at those clear, bright blue eyes.
He remembered the story Naruto had told him about that idiot, and that idiot's unwavering determination to become a hero.The layer of despair deep within him melted completely at that moment.
Instead, a torrent of lava, called hope and courage, surged forth.
[Ding!You have received 3000 units of Ultimate [Hope] from Inari!]
[Ding!You have received 2500 ultimate [Courage] from Inari!]
[Ding!You have received 4000 units of ultimate [Adoration] from Inari!]
[Glory Points +9500!]
The next day, Inari stood before all the villagers and, in a voice still a little childish but incredibly firm, relayed Naruto's words to everyone.
After enduring long periods of oppression and despair, the people of the Land of Waves have finally found their own reason to stand up.
They wanted to complete the bridge, for themselves and for the ninjas who brought them hope.
A few days later, the bridge was officially completed.
At the inauguration ceremony, Dazner solemnly announced this in front of everyone.
"This bridge will connect our past and future; it symbolizes hope and courage.I've decided to name it 'Naruto Bridge'!"
Cheers resounded through the sky.
[Ding!You have received 15,000 units of gratitude from all the villagers of the Land of Waves!]
[Ding!You have received 12,000 [Admiration] from all the villagers of the Land of Waves!]
[Ding!You have received 18,000 [Hope] from all the villagers of the Land of Waves!]
[Glory Points +45,000!]
Naruto stood in the crowd, flashing a bright, dazzling smile at the villagers who were waving at him.
In his mind, however, he was calmly calculating the enormous profits from this mission.
This land has been completely transformed into his "Glorious Farm".
Team 7 embarked on their journey back to Konoha.
Along the way, countless villagers spontaneously lined the road to see them off, stuffing the Seventh Class's luggage with their best food and fruit, and every face was filled with sincere gratitude.
Uchiha Sasuke remained silent throughout.
His physical health has largely recovered, but the trauma in his heart is far deeper than the physical wounds.
He kept going back the whole way.He recalled the scene where Naruto stood in front of him, using that invisible armor to deflect all the senbon needles.
Recalling Naruto's seemingly casual punch, the sheer power that sent him flying through the ice mirror.
Recalling Naruto's words, "A realm you can never reach."
Humiliation, jealousy, resentment.
These emotions still burned in his chest, but they were no longer blind anger.
He began to think.
Naruto concealed his true strength, a strength so powerful it was unbelievable.
Meanwhile, he himself was still basking in his own pride at having awakened the Sharingan.
ridiculous.
He needs power, even greater power.
By any means necessary, regardless of the cost.
Sakura Haruno walked in the middle of the group, her gaze involuntarily drifting towards the blond boy at the very front, waving enthusiastically to the villagers.
In her mind, the images of Naruto and Sasuke kept overlapping and separating.
Sasuke was trapped inside the ice mirror, covered in blood, and powerless to resist.
Naruto rushed in, dismantling the desperate situation without getting hurt, and even saving Sasuke.
This stark contrast caused her infatuation with Sasuke to waver for the first time.
Naruto is not only not stupid, he is even stronger than she can't comprehend, and in the most crucial moments, he is far more reliable than anyone else.
A feeling mixed with dependence and curiosity quietly sprouted in her heart.
[Ding!You have received 2000 [Craving for Power] from Uchiha Sasuke!]
[Ding!You have received 800 [Dependence] from Sakura Haruno!]
[Ding!You have gained 500 points of [Affection] from Sakura Haruno!]
Kakashi walked at the back, his single eye filled with complex emotions.
This mission completely overturned his understanding of Naruto.
That uncanny absolute defense, that terrifying brute force, and that calmness and cunning completely out of character for his age.
He couldn't understand this student at all.
He even began to suspect that the "golden mark" claim was just a cover-up to conceal the truth.
But Naruto ultimately showed a willingness to protect his comrades, which brought him a sense of relief, but also made him even more confused.
What exactly is this child?
Upon returning to Konoha, Kakashi immediately went to the Hokage's office.
He reported everything that had happened in the Land of Waves to Hiruzen Sarutobi in great detail.
It particularly emphasizes Naruto's ability to withstand the Demon Mirror's ice crystals and his unusual action of handing the kunai to Zabuza at the end.
After hearing the report, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent for a long time.
The crystal ball in his office was emitting a faint glow, and the image inside was of Naruto Uzumaki back in his apartment, tidying up his room.
The child looked the same as usual, humming an off-key song and moving around carelessly.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart sank.
Kakashi's description led him to upgrade his assessment of Naruto from "a hero's orphan, whose fate is full of unknown variables" to something else entirely.
An unknown entity disguised as a teenager, which he may no longer be able to control.
[Ding!You have received 8000 units of ultimate [Fear] from Hiruzen Sarutobi!]
In Naruto's apartment.
He closed the door, cutting off all outside prying eyes.
The smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold, calm expression.
He sat on the bed and opened the system panel.
Shadow Points: 102940
Glory Points: 89050
An unprecedented bumper harvest.
Without the slightest hesitation, he focused his attention on the newly evolved armor.
"System, perform a deep adaptive enhancement on [Evil Spirit Possession - Ice Demon]."
[Confirmed consumption of 50,000 Shadow Points?The enhancement will increase the fusion between the armor and the host's soul, and unlock the exclusive ability of the 'Ice Demon' form: Extreme Cold Domain.]
"confirm."
A cold yet powerful force flowed through the depths of his soul, and the form of the armor became more solid in his consciousness, with the frost patterns covering its surface becoming increasingly intricate.
"System, exchange for [Spellbook]."
[Confirmed consumption of 1000 Shadow Points?Exchange for [Spellbook], which can hide objects within a certain range.]
"confirm."
A surge of unique knowledge flooded into Naruto's mind, and this gain made him feel refreshed.
After sorting through his loot, Naruto slowly raised his head.
The Chunin Exams are about to begin.
That Jinchuriki from the Sand Village, whose body was filled with hatred and loneliness, and who saw killing as proof of his existence.
Gaara.
The next fantastic stage, and the most premium "emotional ingredients," are about to take the stage.
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