Both start in hell: but their talents are multiplied a hundredfold.

Orochimaru chuckled softly behind Shen Jue, his voice deep and lingering, as if he were savoring a wonderful plot.

His snake-like eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't speak. He simply watched with amusement as his former teacher questioned him amidst the ruins, enjoying the spectacle.

Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his gaze shifting between Shen Jue's back and the Third Generation behind the lenses, a cryptic smile playing on his lips.

The wind and sand swept across the ruins, swirling up charred ash that danced in the air.

Shen Jue's hand remained on Mao Xuan's head, her fingers gently running through her hair.

He slowly raised his head under the gaze of the third generation, the smile on his face not yet completely gone, but his eyes...

Those deep, unfathomable eyes had regained their former tranquility.

He patted Mao Xuan on the shoulder, signaling her to let go.

Mao Xuan reluctantly took a half step back, but her hand was still clutching Shen Jue's clothes.

Shen Jue stood in the void, looking down at the numerous ninjas of Konoha.

He looked down at the Third Hokage, down at Might Guy, down at the ruins ravaged by his daughter's battle.

Then he spoke.

"Sandaime."

His voice wasn't loud, but it made everyone present tense up.

"This is not betrayal."

After saying this, Shen Jue raised his right hand.

The movement was so slow that everyone could clearly see every inch of the trajectory of his fingers.

Magnetic Chakra condensed in his palm.

He slowly combed his hair from front to back with his palms.

The magnetic field flowed through his hair with his movements, and every strand of black hair was rearranged under the pull of the electromagnetic force, combed meticulously from his forehead to his back.

His long hair, which was slightly disheveled from the aftermath of the battle, was smoothed by an invisible hand and neatly swept back, revealing his smooth forehead and his deep, unfathomable eyes.

Only a wisp of hair remained on her forehead, falling between her eyebrows.

His face was naturally very handsome, but it had always been overshadowed by his aloofness that kept people at arm's length.

At this moment, when all the stray hairs that had been covering his face were gathered up, what was revealed was a face with distinct features yet a handsome appearance.

His high brow bone, deep-set eyes, and the faint smile at the corner of his mouth made him look less like a ninja.

The magnetic field spread from his palm to his entire body.

The ordinary Chunin uniform he was wearing began to change under the influence of electromagnetic force. The fiber structure was rewoven by the electromagnetic field, and the fabric flowed, stretched, and reshaped like a living thing.

The originally loose and casual robe became crisp and fitted, with the hem flowing down to the ankles like water.

On the pure white fabric, golden patterns, like growing vines, spread up from the hem of the garment, outlining an intricate and ancient sun pattern along the collar, cuffs, and neckline.

These sun patterns are somewhat similar to the religious symbols of the Sun God Cult under Shen Jue's command in the horror movie.

The hand that was tugging at his clothes was gently pushed away by a soft electromagnetic force.

She looked down at herself, and the same changes were happening.

Her clothes, damaged in the battle, decomposed and reassembled in the electromagnetic field, the fabric turning pure white, with golden electric arc patterns spreading from the neckline to the hem of the skirt.

Finally, she was dressed in a white robe with the same pattern as Shen Jue's robe, the golden sun pattern shining brightly on her lapel.

She paused for a moment, then looked up at Shen Jue's back.

Mao Xuan's eyes lit up.

Pure joy welled up on Mao Xuan's face.

She looked down at the golden sun pattern flowing on her clothes, then looked up at the same pattern on Shen Jue's back, which was shimmering slightly in the wind, and couldn't help but smile.

That's right, according to the knowledge passed down from my father, this is a matching set for parents and children.

After glancing at the ninjas present, Shen Jue slowly said, "Konoha is too small."

His voice echoed over the ruins, as if stating a simple fact.

This was not Shen Jue's explanation or defense of his former companions, but simply a statement of fact in Shen Jue's mind.

"From as far back as I can remember, I was taught to seek power."

Shen Jue's gaze shifted from the Third Hokage, passing over Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai Yuhi, and other ninjas whose names he could or could not recall, before finally settling on Might Guy.

He glanced at Matt Kee, just once, and then looked away.

"The power of ninjas is too weak."

The words came out of his mouth in a calm tone, yet they sounded arrogant.

But everyone present felt the weight of those words.

Shen Jue's words were not simply arrogant and contemptuous, but rather a heartfelt exclamation from someone standing in a higher dimension looking down.

"I've learned a lot during my years in Konoha."

"But only for a moment, so-called ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu."

"And the will of the ninjas has become incredibly narrow."

From the moment he returned from the white space, he became the Hokage Shen Jue, with a superimposed collection of Shen Jue's memories, powers, and 1800 times his talent.

I felt the insignificance and fragility of ninjas.

Shen Jue raised his right hand, his five fingers slightly spread, and a ball of Yuan Magnetic Chakra condensed in his palm, suspended, and slowly rotated.

The Yuan Magnetic Chakra flowing quietly in Shen Jue's palm was like a tamed star.

"This is all the Konoha can teach me."

He closed his fingers, and the energy silently dissipated, turning into tiny specks of light that slipped through his fingers.

"Kage-level strength, bloodline limit, forbidden technique secrets."

"What is considered the pinnacle of power in the ninja world is nothing more than mediocre knowledge in my eyes."

"The ninja's power system is too weak."

Shen Jue paused for a moment, then his gaze returned to the Third Hokage.

"Third Generation, you ask me what my purpose is."

"My goal is simple: to gain greater power."

"But Konoha can't give me these things."

The wind and sand blew across the ruins, swirling up charred ash between the two men.

The Third Hokage didn't speak, but his fingers gripped the Vajra staff so tightly they turned white.

Shen Jue raised his hand and gently placed it on the back of Mao Xuan's hand, which was gripping his clothes.

"So I chose to leave."

His movements were gentle, but his tone was resolute.

This is someone who has already made a decision informing others of their decision.

Just then, a sound rang out from the ruins.

"Brother Shen Jue!"

Naruto staggered forward a few steps and stood on the scorched earth where the battle had stripped away several layers of the ground.

His clothes were tattered, his face was covered in ash, and the red aura of the Nine-Tails' chakra still lingered around him.

But his eyes, those deep blue eyes, were fixed on Shen Jue's figure, filled not with fear or hatred, but with an almost stubborn unwillingness to accept defeat.

"I don't understand what you're saying!" Naruto's voice was hoarse but loud, as if he had put all his strength into every word.

"I don't understand any of that stuff—the power system is too weak, the Leaf Village is too small! But!"

He took a deep breath, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"But when you treated me to Ichiraku Ramen, all that kindness and care! Was it all fake?!"

"You were clearly on our side! You clearly cared about us! Why are you acting all high and mighty now and just walking away like that?!"

Naruto's voice echoed over the ruins, carrying the recklessness and sincerity unique to a young man.

"If you really didn't care about anything, you wouldn't have touched Maoxuan's head!"

"Why don't you teach me how to gain great power! You're not that kind of heartless person at all!"

He took another step forward, his foot crushing a patch of charred, cooled lava.

"Brother Shen Jue! Let's talk!"

The legendary talk-no-jutsu master, Naruto Uzumaki, launched a verbal attack on Shen Jue.