The fact that Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke had disobeyed orders and left their unit wasn't made public. As commander, Hyuga Hiashi granted the two teenagers considerable leeway. Technically, their actions bordered on betrayal, but Hiashi didn't press the issue, and few in the camp even knew.
The day after Team Seven arrived at the frontlines, the situation on Konoha and Cloud's battlefield drastically changed. Nohara Rin, now a Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails, officially entered the battlefield.
Under Raiden's guidance, Rin had spent years developing control over the tailed beast's power. Though her mastery was still limited, ordinary shinobi were no match for her. Once she entered the battlefield, Konoha gained an overwhelming advantage, and the frontlines steadily pushed into the Land of Lightning.
By the end of January, Konoha had wrested control of the Land of the Moon from Cloud. From that point, the entire region fell under Konoha's control.
After securing the Land of the Moon, Hiashi scaled back operations and assumed a defensive stance at the border, holding position until Raiden's main forces arrived. The plan was to regroup and launch the next offensive together. Sensing Konoha's intentions, Cloud began rapidly increasing its numbers—Raikage Ai even recalled retired shinobi to the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Raiden's forces had successfully subdued the Land of Iron. Though casualties among Iwa shinobi were not light, they managed to break through after losing around a thousand troops and pushed onward toward Otogakure.
In the depths of the forest, Raiden leaned against a large tree with his eyes closed, resting quietly. A blond youth emerged from the woods and stepped up to him, speaking in a low voice.
"The main Oto forces have been eliminated. We're ready to advance."
Raiden opened his eyes and looked at the young man with a calm smile. It was Deidara, a former Iwa shinobi and user of explosive-style techniques. After Iwa's fall, Deidara had been absorbed into Raiden's army.
Unlike many others from Iwa, Deidara had little attachment to his village. He followed Raiden purely because of his superior strength and the freedom he was given. As Raiden's scout and vanguard, he had performed well, thoroughly enjoying the chaos of war as fuel for his artistic inspiration.
"Losses?"
"Minimal—under a thousand casualties. With me on the field, it's only natural," Deidara said confidently.
"Under a thousand... Oto was stronger than I thought," Raiden muttered, then nodded. "Send the order. Move into Otogakure. We'll rest there."
Two days later, countless white clay birds soared over Otogakure, dropping explosives like rain. After the aerial bombardment, Raiden's forces marched in, claiming the village as their new command post. A two-week period of rest and reorganization began.
The war among shinobi deeply affected not just villages but ordinary civilians. On the border of the Land of Sound, Raiden's troops conducted purge operations, targeting all defiant Oto shinobi. Civilians loyal to the former regime who tried to shelter these fugitives often became collateral damage.
These cleansing efforts led to the deaths of numerous Oto civilians.
Learning that Raiden was resting in Otogakure, Naruto, who had left the front lines, immediately rushed there with Sasuke, hoping to convince Raiden to end the war.
But as they entered the Land of Sound, the devastation they witnessed far surpassed that of the Land of the Moon. Entire towns and villages had been razed. Along their journey, they saw nothing untouched. Every settlement bore the scars of conflict, and countless people had lost everything.
"Hey, Konoha shinobi spotted!"
"You two—state your names, destination, and purpose!"
Naruto and Sasuke were intercepted in a wasteland near Otogakure by a four-man Iwa squad. Their leader, a bloodstained Jōnin, had noticed them while returning from a mission.
"I—" Naruto started, but Sasuke tugged his wrist and interrupted.
"We're headed to Otogakure. We have important business with Lord Raiden," Sasuke answered casually, eyeing the Iwa shinobi. Though their ranks were unclear, their presence exuded the aura of battle-hardened veterans.
"With Lord Raiden?" the leader echoed with sudden enthusiasm. "We're heading there too—let's travel together!"
The young commander, around thirty, warmly clasped Naruto's hand. The others relaxed and smiled, seeing the opportunity to serve Raiden by assisting two Konoha shinobi.
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances, unsure, but nodded in agreement. Naruto was touched by their enthusiasm; Sasuke, meanwhile, was curious to observe the mindset of these Iwa shinobi under Raiden's command.
The group of six moved on and eventually stopped at a small village near Otogakure to rest.
This village had been purged earlier. Blood had been cleaned, damaged roads and homes partially repaired. Civilians walked the streets, and some signs of normalcy had returned.
But the moment Naruto and the others entered, the atmosphere changed. Shops quietly closed, pedestrians scattered to the sides, and all eyes turned on them—full of fear and hate.
The Iwa shinobi were used to it and walked unfazed, but Naruto and Sasuke felt the weight of every stare like a blade on their backs.
"Big brother… please… money… I haven't eaten in three days…"
Naruto flinched as a ragged girl, maybe eight years old, clung to his leg. Her dirty face looked up at him hopefully. Behind her, two younger boys—silent, frail, barely four or five—watched expectantly.
"Uhhh…" Naruto hesitated, then pulled out his frog wallet. He reached in for some coins—paused—then instead handed the entire wallet to the girl.
"Take it. Feed the others," he said gently, squatting to her level.
The girl beamed. "Thank you, big brother! You're a good person!"
Grabbing the two boys' hands, she turned to leave.
But Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He stepped forward, grabbed the girl by the collar, and ripped open her shirt.
Underneath, on her white underclothing, four or five half-burned explosive tags were pasted.
"Detonating tags!" the Iwa commander shouted. He immediately grabbed Naruto and jumped back. The others followed suit.
"Chidori Stream!" Lightning flared in Sasuke's palm as he struck the tags directly, neutralizing the seals before they could trigger.
But then—he noticed something in the corner of his eye. The two boys.
Without hesitation, Sasuke grabbed the girl and leapt away.
A moment later—BOOM!
A powerful explosion engulfed the street, flames roaring outward.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" one Iwa shinobi sealed off the blast with a quick jutsu. When the smoke cleared, a deep crater remained. The boys were gone—obliterated in the blast.
Sasuke returned slowly, the girl limp in his arms.
"Sasuke! Are you alright?!" Naruto ran to him, relieved.
"I'm fine," Sasuke muttered, but as he crouched to set the girl down, pain flickered across his face.
Naruto, alarmed, checked Sasuke's back. His shirt was shredded, and the Uchiha crest nearly gone. Beneath it, flesh and blood were torn open.
"You call that 'fine'?! That's serious!"
"It's nothing," Sasuke replied coldly. "It'll heal."
He turned to the girl and asked softly, "Are you okay?"
The girl was speechless, trembling with shock. Then, tears poured down her cheeks, and she clung to Sasuke, sobbing uncontrollably.
The Iwa shinobi looked at the crater with grim faces. Their expressions turned cold as they surrounded the girl.
"What are you doing?!" Naruto stepped in front of Sasuke and the child.
"This is the first suicide bombing we've encountered. She must be connected to some organization—probably Oto remnants."
"We need to interrogate her. Find out who's behind this."
The Iwa commander advanced.
"Stop!" Naruto shouted. "She's a victim too! Didn't you see the tags on her?! She's just a child!"
"You think a girl that young knows anything worth torturing out of her?"
"Even if you're Konoha, this isn't your call," the Iwa leader said coolly. "Now's not the time for misplaced sympathy."
But before he could move again, Sasuke stood and placed the girl gently in his arms. She had fallen asleep crying.
Sasuke's Sharingan activated. Scarlet eyes glowed, tomoe spinning.
"Sharingan?! You're Uchiha?!"
The Iwa shinobi froze, stunned. The commander fell silent and stepped back. Everyone else followed.
They knew the power of the Sharingan—not just in combat, but in interrogation. If a Uchiha said she knew nothing, there was no point in pressing further.
"We'll report this incident to our superiors."
"Sorry. We'll be leaving—we can't stay here anymore. It's not safe."
Without another word, the Iwa team departed, leaving Naruto and Sasuke alone.
"What do we do now?" Naruto asked.
"I don't know," Sasuke replied, glancing down at the sleeping girl. "We'll wait until she wakes up. I don't want to leave her alone."
(End Of Chapter)
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