65: Chapter 65 An Ally Named "God"The wind stopped, and the entire canyon seemed to shut down.
"The Kazekage exists to protect the village."
Gaara's voice echoed through the desolate valley, each word like a wedge driven into the rock.
"And you have given Fengying another chance to protect."
The red-haired boy slowly bent his knees and knelt on one knee before the genin from another village, under the watchful eyes of hundreds of his subordinates.
Gaara slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with pure determination: "Naruto, you gave me my life.From now on, your enemy will be the mortal enemy of Sunagakure."
Temari slammed her huge iron fan against the rock with a loud crash.
She opened her mouth wide, her two rows of teeth chattering uncontrollably.
This is a traitorous village.
This is handing over Sunagakure's decades-long independence and sovereignty to a genin from another village.
This is a traitorous act worthy of being nailed to the pillar of shame and cursed by thousands.
She subconsciously glanced at Kankuro beside her, only to find that the expression on her younger brother's face was not anger, but a sense of relief at surviving a disaster and.fervor.
Then look at the elders who are usually the most stubborn and power-hungry.
These old guys had their heads bowed lower than anyone else's, as if they wanted to burrow into the sand and kiss Naruto's feet.
In the face of absolute miracles, political stances are as fragile as a soaked sheet of paper.
It can resurrect the dead, create forests at will, and pull people back from the brink of extinction.
Following such a being is not a disgrace, but a blessing bestowed upon us by the ancestral graves of Sunagakure.
Kakashi pulled down his mask, his palms covered in cold sweat.
This is a huge problem.This is no longer a diplomatic incident; this is a diplomatic nuclear explosion.
If this message gets back to Konoha, that old bastard Danzo will probably go crazy on the spot, and the advisory group will hold an emergency meeting overnight to discuss how to "deal with" Naruto.
A Nine-Tails Jinchuriki who possesses military command authority over another country poses a threat to the Konoha leadership that even surpasses that of Akatsuki.
[Ding!A dramatic shift in the geopolitical landscape has been detected!]
[Ding!You have received 45,000 of Temari's ultimate [Worldview Collapse]!]
[Ding!You have received 52,000 "Extreme Worry" from Kakashi Hatake!]
[Ding!You have received 6,800,000 [Blind Worship] from all the ninjas of Sunagakure!]
Naruto looked at the crowd kneeling at his feet.
There was no such thing as being "overwhelmed with gratitude".
He just took it for granted.
I saved your shadow, and incidentally, I'll take over your village.That's fair.
But he can't be too blatant.
The old fogies in Konoha still need to be appeased; he still needs Konoha's protection.
"Gaara." Naruto reached out his hand, but didn't actually help him up; he just pressed lightly into the air.
That invisible sense of oppression made everyone lower their heads even further.
"Sunagakure and Konoha are allies.I accept your promise as a 'friend'."
friend.
He emphasized those two words.
Gaara raised his head, and a glimmer of enlightenment shone in his turquoise eyes.
He understood.This was a private pledge of allegiance, a contract that superseded the official village documents.
As long as Naruto is still in Konoha, Sunagakure will be Konoha's most loyal ally.
If Naruto were to pass away one day.Sunagakure would be the sharpest blade in Naruto's hand.
"Yes." Gaara lowered his head again."Friend."
The return journey became extremely strange.
Originally, it was supposed to be the Konoha support team escorting Gaara back to the village, but now it's completely reversed.
Led by Gaara, hundreds of elite Sunagakure ninja formed a top-level honor guard, escorting Naruto and his group to the border of the Land of Fire.
No ninja dared to breathe loudly while Naruto was resting.
The water and food that were delivered underwent three rounds of poison testing.
Even the empty water bottle that Naruto casually discarded was secretly collected by several Sunagakure ANBU members as if they were fighting over a sacred relic.
Sakura felt uncomfortable walking in the middle of the group.
She couldn't help but rub her arms, where a layer of fine goosebumps had risen.
The way those Sand Village ninjas looked at Naruto wasn't like they were looking at a benefactor; it was more like they were looking at a living totem.
This frenzy suffocated her, and she even had an urge to escape.
"Kakashi-sensei…" Sakura's voice trembled, "This…this is too abnormal."
Kakashi watched Naruto's retreating figure, his deadpan eyes filled with complex emotions.
"Get used to it.From the moment he reversed life and death, he was no longer a human being in these people's hearts."
The border of the Land of Fire.
Dense forests meet barren deserts here.
"Let's leave it here."
Naruto stopped and turned around.
Hundreds of Sand Village ninja stopped in unison, their movements so precise they seemed to have been carved from the same mold.
Gaara stepped forward, took out a scroll from his robes, and presented it with both hands.
"These are the puppetry scrolls passed down through generations of Sunagakure, and.Granny Chiyo's research notes on reincarnation ninjutsu.I think they might be useful to you."
This means they've laid bare their entire fortune.
Naruto casually took it and stuffed it into his ninja tool pouch.
"Go back.Keep an eye on the village.Don't lose it again."
"Yes." Gaara bowed deeply.
Even after Naruto's figure disappeared into the depths of the forest, the Sand Village team remained bowed, not straightening up for a long time.
Konoha Gate.
The two Chunin guarding the gate were yawning listlessly.
The figures in the distance gradually became clearer.
"They're back!It's Kakashi's team!"
The news spread like wildfire to the Hokage Building.
Inside the Fifth Hokage's office.
Tsunade sat behind her large desk, her knuckles rhythmically tapping the surface.
Shizune stood to the side, holding Tun Tun, not daring to breathe.
The mission report had been delivered in advance by Ninja Hawk, but it was too brief, only stating that "mission accomplished, Kazekage recaptured, two Akatsuki members killed."
As for the process, not a wordNot mentioned.
The door was pushed open.
Naruto walked in front, with Kakashi and Sakura following behind.
"Grandma, I'm back." Naruto casually pulled up a chair and sat down without caring that this was the Hokage's office."Remember to double my travel allowance this time."
Tsunade ignored his rudeness.
She suddenly stood up, placed her hands on the table, and stared intently at Kakashi with her amber eyes.
"The report says that Gaara had one of his tails removed."
"Yes." Kakashi nodded.
"A Jinchuriki whose tailed beast has been extracted is certain to die." Tsunade's voice rose a few decibels."But Gaara returned to Sunagakure alive.What about that old woman Chiyo?Did she use the Reanimation Jutsu?"
This is the only explanation.
As an expert in medical ninjutsu, Tsunade knew of the existence of that forbidden technique.
Kakashi was silent for two seconds.
"No." He said with difficulty, "Chiyo did want to use it, but Naruto refused."
Tsunade was stunned."Refuse?Then who saved her?"
"Naruto," Kakashi pointed to the blond boy who was idly playing with a kunai, "He didn't pay any price.He just put his hand on it, and then… Gaara came back to life."
Click.
The pen in Tsunade's hand was crushed into powder.
Black ink dripped down her fingers and onto the table, a shocking sight.
She wasn't naive.She was one of the Legendary Sannin, the strongest medical ninja in the ninja world.
She can bring someone back from the brink of death and rebuild shattered nerves.
But she cannot "resurrect without paying a price".
That is the realm of God.
Even the Impure World Reincarnation technique developed by my second grandfather requires living people as sacrifices.
"You all go out first." Tsunade took a deep breath, her chest heaving."Naruto, stay."
Kakashi gave Naruto a "good luck" look, then pulled the still somewhat dazed Sakura out.The heavy wooden door closed.
Only two people remained in the office.
Tsunade walked around the desk and stood in front of Naruto.
She looked down at the little brat she had watched grow up, trying to find a trace of unfamiliarity in that familiar face.
"Naruto Uzumaki," Tsunade's voice was terrifyingly low, "What exactly are you?"
It's not about "what you did", but "what you are".
Naruto stopped spinning the kunai with his fingers.
He raised his head, his deep blue eyes calmly meeting Tsunade's gaze.
There was no dodging, no fear, and even a hint of mockery.
"I am a Konoha ninja, your subordinate, and the future Hokage," Naruto answered flawlessly."Is there a problem with that?"
"Don't try to fool me!" Tsunade slammed her fist into the back of the chair next to Naruto's ear, sending splinters flying.
"That's resurrection!It's a trampling of the laws of life and death!Where did you get this kind of power?Nine-Tails?Impossible!Nine-Tails only has destructive chakra, not the ability to create life!"
Naruto was not frightened by this sudden outburst of rage.He didn't even change his posture.
"Grandma," Naruto said softly, his voice carrying a strange rhythm.
Do you believe in God?
Tsunade froze.
god?
To ninjas, the Sage of Six Paths is a god.
But that's just a legend, a myth.
In reality, there are only strengths and weaknesses, not gods.
"I don't believe it." Tsunade gritted her teeth.
"I didn't believe it before either." Naruto stood up; he was almost as tall as Tsunade.
He leaned close to Tsunade's ear and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"But sometimes, when you stand on the mountaintop and look down at the people below who are busy like ants, and life, old age, sickness and death are all within your control.you will find that the so-called gods are just people who stand higher."
This is an extremely arrogant statement.
But when combined with the fact that he had just resurrected Gaara, this statement became a chilling truth.
[Ding!You have received 38,000 [Awe] from Tsunade!]
[Ding!You have received 42,000 [Fear] from Tsunade!]
Tsunade stared intently at Naruto, the veins on her forehead throbbing.
She wanted to argue back and use the Hokage's authority to suppress this arrogant brat, but reason told her that Konoha could not afford to lose the Nine-Tails, much less fight against a monster capable of reversing life and death.
She took a deep breath, her nails digging deep into her palms, and finally, as if her spine had been removed, she slumped back into the chair.
"As long as you are from Konoha.as long as you don't betray the village.I'll pretend I know nothing."
This is a compromise.
It was the Hokage's compromise with his subordinates.
Naruto smiled.
It was a bright, sunny smile, exactly the same as the silly, bottom-of-the-class guy from before.
"Don't worry, Grandma, I love Konoha the most."
Of course I love it.
This is his base, his pasture, and the foundation for his future ascent to the top.
"Here you go." Tsunade opened a drawer and tossed a sealed document onto the table."This is information I pried out of that guy named Sasori.Although he destroyed his core, he still spilled some information before that."
Naruto picked up the document and opened it.
"Ten days later.At the Tenchi Bridge in Kusagakure." Tsunade rubbed her temples, looking extremely tired."Sasori planted a spy there, originally to monitor Orochimaru.This is the only clue to finding Orochimaru, and also to finding Uchiha Sasuke."
Upon hearing that name, Naruto paused for a moment.
Uchiha Sasuke.
That simpleton, burdened with a destiny of revenge, who, in his pursuit of power, willingly joins the ranks of a mad scientist.
He is also the most important second male lead in his "savior" story.
"I understand." Naruto closed the file and put it in his pocket."I'll take this mission."
He turned and walked towards the door, his orange divine robes billowing.Swinging behind.
"Naruto," Tsunade called out from behind him.
"Um?"
"Don't die."
Naruto didn't turn around, he just waved to her with his back turned.
"God does not die."
I walked out of the Hokage Building.
The sunlight was a bit too bright.
Naruto stood on the rooftop, overlooking the entire Hidden Leaf Village.
A bustling crowd, peaceful and contented civilians, and patrolling ninjas.
He took the intelligence report out of his pocket and gently stroked the three characters "Heaven and Earth Bridge" with his fingers.
"Orochimaru.and Sasuke."
Naruto muttered to himself, a cold smile slowly curving his lips.
It wasn't a longing for past bonds, nor was it anger towards the rogue ninja.
That kind of gaze is like that of a shrewd investor examining how much the potential stock they've nurtured for three years has actually appreciated.
"Let me see, Sasuke."
"How much have you improved in those years in that snake pit?If you're still so weak."
The camera zooms in at this moment, focusing on Naruto's cold, emotionless blue eyes.
"Then don't blame me for completely destroying you, this worthless defective product."
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