Konoha Village, outside the temporary Hokage office.
At this moment, Edo Jiraiya and Naruto, who had suddenly come face-to-face, were still staring at each other with wide eyes.
"Jiraiya-sensei? Is it really you?!"
"Yo! Naruto, you…"
Jiraiya was stunned, unsure how to face Naruto; aside from Tsunade, this student was the one he loved and missed most.
Before Jiraiya could say anything, Naruto, confirming the identity of the Perverted Sage, lunged forward and hugged him tightly.
"Perverted Sage, I've missed you so much…"
"You, the hero of Konoha Village, why are you still like this?"
Jiraiya wanted to say more, but he saw Naruto's tear-streaked face, wet with emotion.
Only now did Jiraiya realize how much everyone had been relying on Naruto.
What he'd heard about Naruto's recent growth and strength was merely the result of external crises forcing him to mature.
At his core, Naruto was still a kid yearning for love and family.
All of Naruto's toughness and optimism were just another mask to protect himself. Only in front of family who truly cared for him would he drop everything and reveal his vulnerability.
Like the night of tears when he learned of Jiraiya's sacrifice, or the tears when he first met his mother, Kushina, in his mental space…
"Sorry, Naruto…"
Jiraiya hugged Naruto tighter, his heart heavy with sorrow.
If he could, he desperately wanted to see Naruto grow up, marry, have kids, and live a healthy, happy life…
But alas, the chaotic and cruel ninja world was no paradise for any ninja used as a tool.
Even someone as mighty as a Konoha Sannin was no exception.
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At the same time, Jiraiya's appearance drew the attention of others outside the room.
"That's…?"
"Shh—give them a moment."
Tsunade signaled to Sakura, hoping she wouldn't interrupt this touching moment.
Though she recognized Edo Jiraiya, the fact that he'd left Tsunade's room unharmed suggested he was a friend, not a foe, so there shouldn't be any major issues.
Their intentions were good, but the enemy didn't agree.
At that very moment, the Kyuubi in Naruto's mental space suddenly sensed something and roared in alarm.
The next second, Naruto snapped awake.
He pushed Edo Jiraiya aside, instantly entered Kurama Mode, and rapidly channeled chakra, completing a perfect Bijuu transformation.
In mere seconds, a massive chakra Kyuubi appeared in the center of Konoha Village.
The sight nearly scared every Konoha ninja nearby to death.
They mistakenly thought the Kyuubi was rampaging again, but upon closer inspection, they realized this Kyuubi was different—not fully physical, but a dense, dark orange chakra construct, with Naruto visibly encased within it.
The fully transformed Naruto had no time to worry about others, instead staring tensely at the distant sky.
According to the head, a conical Bijuudama capable of destroying all of Konoha Village was hurtling toward them.
In ten seconds, it might arrive and strike Konoha!
"Kurama, what do I do?"
"Quickly form a Bijuudama!"
"Huh?"
"Use your Bijuudama to deflect that conical Bijuudama, force it to land outside Konoha Village—don't you get it?"
"Oh!"
Naruto acted immediately, controlling the Kyuubi's body and beginning to gather a Bijuudama.
The size and chakra volume of Bijuudama can roughly be categorized as:
Mini Bijuudama < Standard Bijuudama < Large Bijuudama ≈ Conical Bijuudama < Giant Bijuudama.
The last two can only be unleashed by the Juubi. Even the Kyuubi typically can only form a Large Bijuudama.
Ordinary Bijuu require multiple tails combined to release a Large Bijuudama.
In mere seconds, a Large Bijuudama, comparable to the Kyuubi's body size, took shape.
At the same time, high in the sky.
The conical Bijuudama fired by the Juubi pierced the darkness of the night, slicing through clouds, and plummeted at high speed.
"Take this!"
*SWOOSH!*
Naruto aimed and fired his Large Bijuudama with a thunderous roar.
The next moment, the two Bijuudama collided precisely thousands of meters above!
The Large Bijuudama, hastily formed by the Kyuubi, was smaller than the Juubi's conical Bijuudama.
But it was enough, as Naruto had no intention of directly stopping the conical Bijuudama.
He only needed to use his Bijuudama to deflect it, forcing it off its original path to land far from Konoha Village.
The next second, the conical Bijuudama, its trajectory altered, crashed into the Forest of Death, ten thousand meters to the right of Konoha Village.
*BOOOOOOM!*
A colossal explosion surged skyward, blinding light erupting, fully illuminating the distant night sky. The surrounding space seemed slightly distorted, turning into a grayish-white blur reflected in the retinas of many Konoha ninjas.
An area spanning dozens of kilometers around the explosion was instantly reduced to ash, with even small mountains vanishing entirely.
Seconds later, an even more terrifying shockwave swept through Konoha Village, destroying and blowing away many temporary tents and shacks in an instant.
Fortunately, the thousand-plus ninjas remaining in Konoha were elites; otherwise, they might've been flung into the air.
That day, every Konoha ninja recalled the terror dominated by a Bijuudama!
But thankfully, due to the Kyuubi's warning and power, Naruto, in perfect Bijuu transformation, managed to stop the conical Bijuudama with his own deflection attack.
If it had landed in Konoha Village, aside from Naruto and Edo Jiraiya, everyone in the village might've died instantly!
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At the same time, through Edo Jiraiya's perspective, Nagato also witnessed Naruto transform into the Kyuubi and successfully deflect the conical Bijuudama.
Clearly, Edo Jiraiya wasn't just a chakra GPS but also served as a surveillance camera for Nagato's attack.
"Hmm?!"
"Naruto, a perfect Jinchuriki already? Truly mastering the Kyuubi's power?"
"So fast… Is he worthy of being my junior disciple?"
Nagato sighed slightly but wasn't too shocked, knowing Naruto would eventually become the Seventh Hokage.
As a child of prophecy, exceptional talent was expected.
"What? Naruto? He blocked a Bijuudama that big? Impossible… even I…"
Hearing this, Sasuke reacted emotionally first, doubting himself due to Naruto's remarkable performance.
That conical Bijuudama—Sasuke wasn't confident he could block it directly.
And Naruto, whom he hadn't seen in just a few weeks, how could he have managed it?
Could his power have surged again in such a short time? Surpassing him once more?
Then what was he?
Wouldn't he just be a clown again?
Sasuke couldn't accept it, refusing to believe…
"No matter, the Kyuubi can't compare to the Juubi."
"The next attack will surely destroy Konoha!"
Nagato waved his hand, signaling not to worry.
A conical Bijuudama could be deflected by a Large Bijuudama, but a Giant Bijuudama, dozens of times larger, couldn't be.
A standard Bijuudama before a Giant Bijuudama was as insignificant as an egg hitting a house-sized boulder.
So, once a Giant Bijuudama was unleashed, it would surely obliterate Konoha in one strike!
Thus, Nagato immediately controlled the Juubi, preparing to shift to its third form, capable of firing a Giant Bijuudama.
However, as it transformed, becoming more like the God Tree, the Juubi grew fiercer and harder to control.
Nagato, lacking a physical body, couldn't guarantee he could control the third-form Juubi for long.
Thus, the next attack would definitely destroy Konoha!