AI Model: gemini-3.1-flash-liteNaruto stood in the very center of the ruins, with charred wooden beams at his feet. Aside from the occasional "crackling" sound of embers, there was only dead silence.The night wind swept across the scorched earth, kicking up fine ashes.On the cliff in the distance, a Shadow Clone stood guard over the mother and daughter, the three of them watching this side quietly.Naruto stood in the center of the wreckage and walked over to a half-collapsed house. He bent down, pulled out a relatively intact wooden board from the ruins, laid it flat on the ground, and extended his left hand—using the tip of a Kunai to crookedly carve into the board.After carving the final stroke, he stood the board up and jammed it heavily into the scorched earth."Sshhh—"The bottom of the board sank into the baked earth. As the night wind blew, the board swayed slightly in the smoke, the crooked, large characters upon it faintly visible under the moonlight.After finishing all this, Naruto brushed the non-existent dust from his hands."There, a souvenir for having been here."He turned around, his figure flashing and vanishing from the spot.The next second, he had already appeared on the cliff. The Shadow Clone nodded at him and dissipated into a puff of white smoke with a "pop." Kana stood up, holding Karin. Both mother and daughter looked at Naruto, their eyes devoid of fear, filled only with deep gratitude and a sense of relief from having finally been liberated."Let's go," Naruto said briefly.He extended both hands.Kana hesitated for a moment before gently taking Naruto's left hand. Karin timidly grabbed his right wrist; her small hand was ice-cold and still trembling slightly, but she held on very tightly."Close your eyes," Naruto said.The mother and daughter closed their eyes simultaneously."Flying Thunder God Technique."When they opened their eyes, the three of them were standing in a dense forest. The tall trees blocked out the sky, with moonlight only leaking through the gaps in the branches as a few silver spots. The night wind blew through the treetops, bringing the sound of crashing waves from the distance.This was the southern part of the Land of Fire, less than ten miles from the port.Kana stared blankly at the change in the surrounding environment. Her lips moved, but she said nothing.Karin's eyes were wide, her small face filled with disbelief—just a moment ago they were by the ruins reeking of burnt smells, and in the blink of an eye, they were in a forest with sea breezes?The world of Ninjas was still too unfamiliar to them.Naruto didn't give them too much time to be dazed."We need to jump one more time." He loosened his wrists and took their hands again."O-Okay..." Kana nodded hurriedly.Karin also gave a soft "Mm," her small hand gripping even tighter.The scene before them switched abruptly. The ground underfoot turned into rough rock, a salty, damp sea breeze rushed against their faces, and the rhythmic sound of waves "whoosh—whoosh—" reached their ears.They had arrived."Th-This place is?" Kana looked around in surprise."An uninhabited island I discovered." Naruto let go of their hands and walked to the edge of the beach. He bent down, cupped a handful of seawater, and tasted it. "The seawater is salty—but there's a freshwater spring in the center of the island, enough to drink."He turned to lead the way, his footsteps making a soft rustling sound on the sand. Kana followed with Karin in her arms. The mother and daughter's steps were still a bit unsteady, but at least they could walk on their own.The forest was dark, but Naruto seemed very familiar with the place. He led them through a patch of bushes, and the view suddenly opened up—a small clearing in the forest with a bubbling spring in the center, a simple tent set up nearby, and several sealed wooden crates piled in the corner."There's a moisture-proof mat in the tent, and the crates have dry rations, clean water, clothing, and medical supplies." Naruto walked over, opened one of the crates, and took out a few bags of sealed food. "This is enough for you for a week."Kana stared blankly at all of this.She had thought that after being rescued, they might have to hide in a cave or sleep in the wild—but the scene before her looked as if someone had prepared everything for them in advance."You..." Her voice trembled. "You prepared all this a long time ago?"Naruto nodded, his tone very natural. "I discovered this island a long time ago; it was originally intended to be used as a secret base."In truth, the process was more complicated. A few months ago, Naruto first transformed into an ordinary passenger and boarded a merchant ship. Halfway through the journey, he secretly threw a wooden barrel inscribed with a Flying Thunder God Mark into the sea. The next night, his Shadow Clone teleported to the location of the barrel, took out a small wooden boat prepared in a sealing scroll, and used the Rasengan as propulsion to push the boat forward.Drift for a night, then throw the barrel again, repeating the process.Two and a half months later, even he didn't know the exact location. He only judged by the Flying Thunder God Marks he had left on islands along the way—when he was very far from the nearest mark, he discovered this island, which he named Nianbo Island.It was about two kilometers long and nine hundred meters wide, oval-shaped, with dense forests, a spring in the center, and a hidden small cove on the east side."I will come over periodically to replenish supplies." Naruto took clean clothes from the crate and handed them to Kana. "You two should focus on recovering your health first. Once you've recovered enough, I'll arrange what comes next."Kana took the clothes, her fingers gripping them tightly."Thank you..." Her voice choked with emotion. "Really... thank you so much..."Naruto waved his hand and looked at Karin again. The little girl was hiding behind her mother, revealing only half of her small face, her red eyes blinking as she looked at him."Oh, right," Naruto suddenly remembered something. "Next time I'll bring hair dye. Red hair is too conspicuous; we need to dye it."Kana nodded vigorously.At this moment, Naruto dispelled his Transformation Jutsu.Kana froze.Karin also widened her eyes.Under the moonlight, Naruto's figure rapidly shrank within the smoke. The black hair faded away, returning to a dazzling gold, and the silhouette of a twenty-year-old youth contracted into the appearance of a six-year-old boy—still that same face with baby fat, his blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight.Naruto stretched his neck and gave them a brilliant smile. "Let me reintroduce myself—my name is Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm six years old."The air was silent for a few seconds.Kana opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She looked at Naruto's youthful face, then at the carefully prepared camp around them, her mind in a state of confusion."...My mother is Uzumaki Kushina," Naruto added.Kana shuddered."Lady Kushina..." she murmured, tears welling up again. "We... we originally... originally wanted to go and seek refuge with her..."Her voice grew lower and lower, until finally, it was almost inaudible."But later we heard... she had passed away..."The atmosphere fell silent.Naruto didn't speak, just watched her quietly; he knew Kana needed time to process this.At this moment, Karin suddenly spoke in a small voice.She tugged at her mother's hem, her red eyes still fixed on Naruto, and whispered in a breathy voice:"So... so tall..."Kana was stunned.Naruto also blinked, looking down at himself—indeed, at six years old, his height was already close to 1.3 meters, significantly taller than other children his age. But Hinata, Ino, and the others hung out with him every day and were long used to it, so no one had ever paid it any mind.But in Karin's eyes, this "six-year-old" savior was a bit taller than what she could comprehend.Naruto couldn't help but laugh."Is that so?" He scratched his head, his smile as innocent as a normal child's. "Maybe I just eat a lot."Karin looked at him, a tiny bit of curiosity finally appearing on her small face. She quietly shifted out from behind her mother a little, her fingers still clutching her hem, but at least she dared to look him in the eye now.Kana watched this scene, the sense of absurdity in her heart gradually being replaced by warmth.She took a deep breath, hugged her daughter closer, and bowed her head deeply toward Naruto."Lord Naruto," her voice was very soft but firm, "from today on, our lives are yours."Naruto waved his hand. "Don't be so serious. Rest well first and get your health back."He walked to the side of the tent, pulled back the curtain to look inside—the moisture-proof mat was laid out very neatly, and a small oil lamp and matches were placed in the corner."Make do with this for tonight; I'll help you build something more comfortable tomorrow." Narutosmiled back at them. "Rest assured, it's very safe here; I've set up a barrier, so outsiders can't get in."Kana nodded vigorously.Moonlight spilled down through the gaps in the forest, casting a layer of silver gauze over the spring water. The sound of waves was like a gentle lullaby, and the cries of seabirds occasionally drifted from the distance.Naruto stood by the tent, watching Kana hold Karin as they crawled inside and carefully pulled the curtain shut. He turned and walked to the spring, crouched down, and cupped a handful of water to wash his face.He looked up at the sky—the moon had shifted to the west; dawn was approaching. Back in Konoha, his Shadow Clone should still be "fast asleep," and no one would discover he had been gone for the entire night.As for that wooden board in the ruins of the Village Hidden in the Grass...Heh, that was a big gift for someone.
AI Model: gemini-3.1-flash-liteChapter 17: Aftermath (Part 2)In the Hokage Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his chair, his pipe rotating slowly between his fingertips, the embers glowing intermittently.Before him lay the urgent intelligence just delivered by the Anbu, with photographs of the scene attached.Danzo stood opposite the desk, his expression so grim it seemed as if it could drip water."Did you... really do this?"Danzo slammed his cane hard against the floor. "Hiruzen! Have you lost your mind?!""You have read the Anbu report as well."His voice was low, laced with the annoyance of being made a scapegoat. "It would require at least two squads of Jonin-level elites coordinating their efforts—one skilled in Fire Release and Water Release, the other skilled in Lightning Release, especially that final Lightning Release..."Although Danzo had shouldered countless scapegoats in his life, this time, he truly hadn't done it.His words echoed in the office. Hiruzen did not respond. He knew in his heart that while Danzowas radical, he was not foolish enough to carry out such a massive massacre near his own sphere of influence, nor would he leave behind such obvious "evidence."The job was done too crudely.Perhaps? Was it precisely because of this crudeness that the matter had become even more troublesome?"Then who do you think it was?" Hiruzen slowly exhaled a puff of smoke."The Uchiha!" Danzo said decisively. "That group of red-eyed freaks has been unusually well-behaved lately; they must be plotting something! They're colluding with the Kumogakure ninja—yes, Kumogakure ninja are skilled in Lightning Release. They want to stir up trouble and pin the blame on me in the process!""The Uchiha, you say..." Hiruzen murmured, then shook his head. "They have been very well-behaved lately.""Well-behaved?" Danzo sneered. "When have the Uchiha ever been well-behaved? Hiruzen, you are simply too soft-hearted—""Enough."Hiruzen interrupted him. His voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority. He picked up another document from the table and tapped his fingertip on the location of the Village Hidden in the Grass on the map."I have already ordered Kakashi to lead a team to the northern border to stand guard and closely monitor the movements of the Kumogakure and Iwagakure ninja." He looked up at Danzo, his tone calm. "During this time, the Root should also restrain itself; do not give anyone any leverage."Danzo's expression grew even uglier.He was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly stepped forward again, his cane pressing against the edge of the desk, his voice lowered even further. "The Jinchuriki is hanging around with Tenten and the little girls from the Hyuga and Yamanaka clans, and recently, another little girl from the Ninja Academy has joined them,""...He is about to enroll soon. Hiruzen, hand him over to me. The Root will train him into a qualified weapon—""No."Danzo's pupils contracted, and he pressed his cane down with a bit more force. "You are still so naive! Leaving a Jinchuriki in an ordinary environment will only waste his potential!"Hiruzen placed his pipe back on the table and looked up at Danzo."Danzo, I am the Hokage.""Hiruzen, you will regret this.""Bang—!!!"The door to the Hokage Office was slammed shut.Meanwhile, in Kumogakure, at the Raikage Office.The Fourth Raikage sat in a large chair, his muscular arms resting on the armrests, his fingertips tapping rhythmically on the wooden surface. Several subordinates stood before him, one of whom was reporting intelligence from the Village Hidden in the Grass."...The degree of destruction at the scene is extremely high. It is estimated that at least large-scale Fire Release and Water Release Ninjutsuwere used, especially the final Lightning Release, the power of which has already reached S-rank."The subordinate paused and looked up at the Raikage."Lord Raikage, this is an opportunity. We can use this to pressure Konoha and test their reaction—""Strengthen border security."The Raikage interrupted him.The subordinate was stunned. "Just... security?""Yes." The Raikage stood up and walked to the window. Outside the window were the iconic towering peaks and thunderclouds of Kumogakure. "Now is not the time."With his back to his subordinate, his voice was steady, lacking any of his usual irritability and recklessness.At a time like this, using the name of the "Darkness of the Ninja World," Danzo, it was obvious that someone wanted to stir up trouble."Lord Tsuchikage, should we take action?" In the Tsuchikage Office, a subordinate asked cautiously.Ōnoki snorted and tossed the scroll onto the desk."Action? What action? To go and be a scapegoat for Danzo?""Water Release, Fire Release, plus Lightning Release... Hmph, the Uchiha of Konoha are skilled in Fire Release, the Kirigakure ninja are skilled in Water Release, and the Kumogakure ninja are skilled in Lightning Release. This dirty water has been splashed quite evenly." The old man sneered. "Someone wants to use this incident to provoke conflict between the ninja villages. Do they really think I am a senile old fool?"The subordinate quickly lowered his head. "Then...""Strengthen border surveillance." Ōnoki waved his hand. "Especially in the direction of the Land of Rain. The Village Hidden in the Grass is so close to the Hidden Rain Village, yet that demigod of the Hidden Rain has made no move at all—don't you find that strange?"Intuition told him that the matter was not that simple.No matter who was pulling the strings behind the scenes, trying to drag Iwagakure into the water, they would have to get past him first.Hidden Rain Village, base.Pain stood at the head of the room, his purple Rinnegan emitting a cold, faint light in the dim environment. Konan stood quietly by his side.Kakuzu leaned against the wall, his green eyes half-closed in the shadows—he was calculating how much the time wasted on this meeting was worth in money.Biwa Jūzō carried the Kubikiribōchō on his shoulder, grinning and revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth.Zetsu slowly emerged from the ground, his half-black, half-white body appearing exceptionally eerie under the lights."Has the matter at the Village Hidden in the Grassbeen investigated clearly?" Pain's voice was devoid of inflection."At least a squad of Jonin-level elites." Zetsu replied in that sticky, viscous tone. "Additionally... there is a Kage-level powerhouse skilled in Lightning Release."The meeting room went silent for a moment.Kakuzu said in surprise, "Kage-level?""Especially the final Lightning Release; the power exceeded the scope of conventional Lightning Release. It can be confirmed as an S-rank Lightning Release Ninjutsu," Zetsu added.Pain was silent for a few seconds."Continue to monitor it." He finally spoke. "If you discover this powerhouse, see if they can be recruited into the organization."Brief, cold, and unquestionable.The meeting ended, and the figures disappeared one after another.Nagato opened his eyes in the depths of the dim base, his Rinnegan reflecting the curtain of rain outside.A Kage-level powerhouse, huh...If they could be recruited, it would be a great help in advancing the plan.On the other side, Obito walked out from the Kamui dimension and stood before Zetsu."What is the real situation?" His voice was deep, his single eye under the mask staring at Zetsu.Zetsu grinned, his black and white halves simultaneously making an eerie smile."The final Lightning Release... was not caused by Chakra."He paused, his voice lowering further, like some kind of damp whisper."It seems to carry... the aura of Natural Energy."Obito was silent.Natural Energy; that was already beyond the scope of a normal Kage-level. When did such a person appear in the Ninja World?"Keep investigating." After leaving these words, Obito's figure submerged back into the space vortex.
The morning sun slanted through the small apartment window, cutting a bright patch of light across the bed.Naruto hugged his quilt and rolled over, burying his face in the pillow."Hmm..."He mumbled vaguely, lingering for a full three minutes before slowly sitting up. His golden hair was a messy nest, his blue eyes half-open, and he remained in a dazed, post-sleep state.He let out a long stretch.His bones cracked twice, and he finally woke up completely. He rubbed his eyes, and a smile unconsciously tugged at the corners of his mouth—Shadow Clone really is the strongest cheat in the Ninja World; nobody in Konoha noticed anything unusual.Memories from last night flooded back like a tide: the ruins of the Village Hidden in the Grass, the terrified yet grateful eyes of Karin and her mother, and the sound of waves on Nianbo Island.Oops, I might have gone a bit too hard with that.A six-year-old body is still a bit of a stretch. Although my Chakra is infinite, using Flying Thunder God for long-distance transport with people takes a heavy toll on the mind.He crawled up slowly, walked barefoot to the sink, and turned on the tap.The icy water splashed onto his face, waking him up more than halfway.The face in the mirror, still with its baby fat, was dripping wet, his golden hair was sticking up in a chaotic mess, but his blue eyes were startlingly bright.Naruto grinned at the mirror.That mess at the Village Hidden in the Grass? Heh, none of my business.The Cloud and the Rock? Raikage A might act hot-headed on the surface, but he's sharp on the inside. Rash as he may be, he's a man who has the interests of his Village carved into his bones; how could he possibly go to war with Konoha for some inexplicable reason?The Third Tsuchikage goes without saying—that old fox who has lived from the Sengoku era to the present, what kind of conspiracy hasn't he seen?The Sand... they aren't even qualified to get involved.The Mist, their Mizukage is still being controlled by Genji, so they won't get involved either.The higher-ups in Konoha will likely never guess that the 'powerful force' they are cautiously guarding against is actually just a smoke bomb thrown out by a six-year-old kid.As for Amegakure...Naruto stuffed the last bite of bread into his mouth.The smoke bomb I left behind is enough for those guys in the Akatsuki Organization to speculate about a 'Kage-level powerhouse' proficient in Lightning Release for years to come.He picked up his glass of milk and drank it in one gulp, his Adam's apple bobbing.Naruto brushed the breadcrumbs off his hands, stood up, and stretched.Alright, time to get down to business.Over the past half-month, Naruto had sent another batch of supplies over. Karin and her mother had completely settled in. Their red hair had been dyed silver—white hair and red eyes, which really fit Naruto's preferences.Kana and Karin's mental state had improved significantly, and there was color in their cheeks.This time, Karin even dared to take the initiative to talk to him. Although she was still a bit shy, at least she would secretly stare at him, and if caught, she would immediately turn her head and pretend to look at the scenery.Of course, this batch of supplies and the previous ones were all requested from Hiashi, that convenient father-in-law.As for the reason: "I am the Sixth Hokage...""Give me some supplies first, and when I... the Hyuga will definitely become the strongest in Konoha..."Naruto painted a big picture; whether Hiashibought it, Naruto didn't know, but in the end, Hiashi still handed the supplies to Naruto with a dark face.Anyway, these supplies wouldn't enter the market, and anyone interested wouldn't be able to trace them.In the morning, just as Naruto walked out of his apartment door, he saw Ino running over excitedly."Naruto—!" The little girl was wearing a pale purple dress today, her blonde hair tied in a high ponytail that swung behind her head. As she ran over, the hem of her dress fluttered like a butterfly rushing toward him. Hinata followed behind, her steps a little slower, her small hands nervously clutching the hem of her clothes, her eyes sparkling."Slow down." Naruto smiled and reached out. Inograbbed his arm, pressing her whole body against him."It's so annoying!" Ino puffed out her cheeks and complained. "The clan's special training was supposed to end, but then the incident at the Village Hidden in the Grass happened. Father said something about 'tense situation' and extended it for many days! It's training every single day, my head is about to explode!"Hinata stood to the side and whispered, "I, I was also asked by my father to strengthen my Taijutsu training..."Naruto let Ino pull his arm, and with his other hand, he naturally took Hinata's."You've worked hard." His tone was gentle, like coaxing a child. "What do you want to play today? My treat."Ino's eyes lit up instantly.The three of them wandered through the streets of Konoha just like that."I want to eat takoyaki!" Ino's voice brought Narutoback to reality. "And candied apples!""Cot, cotton candy..." Hinata whispered.Naruto nodded: "Alright, all you can eat today."The piping hot takoyaki was soon served, drizzled with sauce and bonito flakes, smelling delicious.Ino took the paper box, couldn't wait to fork one, and stuffed it into her mouth, blowing air because it was hot: "Huhu—so hot!"Hinata blew on hers in small breaths, eating cautiously.Naruto ate his own portion unhurriedly, his eyes shifting between the two, a smile hanging on his lips the whole time.This is probably what they call 'the joy of raising'.After finishing the takoyaki, they bought candied apples and taiyaki, and finally, each held a ball of cotton candy.Ino's cotton candy was pink, Hinata's was white, and Naruto chose blue for himself—three cloud-like tufts of sugar shimmering in the sunlight."Whoa, it's sticky..." Ino licked her fingers, her blonde hair swaying lightly in the wind.Hinata nibbled at the cotton candy, and a sugar thread stuck to the corner of her mouth. Her face flushed red, and she hurriedly wiped it off with the back of her hand.Naruto smiled and reached out, gently wiping the remaining sugar off her face with his thumb.Hinata's entire little face turned bright red, and steam started rising from the top of her head.Ino watched from the side, pouted, but didn't say anything, just handed the rest of her cotton candy to Naruto's mouth: "I can't finish it, you help me eat it.""Alright."Naruto lowered his head and took a bite, pink sugar tufts sticking to the tip of his nose.Ino giggled and reached out to help him wipe it off.The sunlight was warm, and the three small shadows on the ground stretched long, standing very close.As the sun set, the sky was dyed a gentle orange-pink.Naruto and Hinata walked Ino to her doorstep. The small courtyard gate was open, and one could see the neatly trimmed flower beds inside."Did you have fun today?" Naruto let go of their hands and turned to look at the two girls."Today was su—per fun!" Ino said with a smile, "Let's play together next time!"Hinata whispered: "Thank you, Naruto-kun..."Naruto nodded, then naturally leaned in and lightly kissed Ino on the cheek.The movement was as fast as a breeze.Ino froze.She blinked, her cheeks turning bright red like a ripe tomato, but she didn't pull away, just stared at Naruto with her mouth open, dazed. A few seconds later, she suddenly lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt, her voice as soft as a mosquito."Stu—, stupid..."Hinata stood to the side, eyes wide, watching this scene, her fingers nervously touching each other, her eyes watery, and her cheeks flushed red.Naruto turned to look at her.Hinata stiffened, subconsciously wanting to retreat, but her feet felt nailed to the ground and she couldn't move.Naruto walked up to her, bent down slightly, and also lightly kissed her on the cheek."!"Hinata instantly petrified.Then her entire little face turned red to the roots of her ears, a large puff of white steam erupted from the top of her head, her eyes turned into swirls, and her body swayed, almost falling—Naruto hurriedly supported her."Hinata? Hinata?"Hinata only came back to her senses after being shaken twice. She covered her face with both hands, peeking at Naruto through her fingers, her voice thin as a thread: "Nar, Naruto-kun..."At this moment, the door to Ino's house creaked open.Inoichi Yamanaka stood in the doorway holding some documents, and then he saw this scene at the door.In the sunset glow, Naruto was supporting Hinata, who was still emitting steam from her head, while holding his own daughter, who also had a flushed face.His mouth twitched violently.His gaze swept back and forth between Naruto, Ino, and Hinata several times, finally fixing on Naruto's face.Naruto looked at him and gave him a brilliantly bright smile: "Hello, Uncle Inoichi!"He took a deep breath.Slowly exhaled.In the end, he said nothing, just turned around silently and walked back into the house, leaving behind a very faint, seemingly resigned sigh."Sigh..."