Naruto: The Information Broker from the Uchiha Clan.

Chapter 297 Opening Eyes

Is this what death is?

My chest feels cold, and I'm finding it increasingly difficult to breathe.

A bright light appeared, and Hinata frowned.

Will there still be light in the Pure Land after death?

Being able to die alongside Naruto-kun is already a great blessing.

But the village...

And there's Father, Neji, and Hanabi is still so young. I hope that in the end, Kumo-nii can defeat those enemies...

and many more!

Hinata suddenly felt the warmth in her palm. Was that Naruto?

In the seventh training ground, Naruto, leaning against a wooden stake like Hinata, had a furrowed brow.

Even with the Fox Boss's power, am I still no match for those people? Or is my body too weak to withstand even the Fox Boss's power?

otherwise……

I'm sure I can protect Hinata!

"If you're awake, open your eyes. This isn't some kind of paradise; it's just that the midday sun is a bit strong and dazzling."

The sudden sound startled Naruto. Was it Brother Yun's voice?

How is that possible?

Even someone with Brother Yun's strength couldn't defeat that group of people?

"Bang."

A sudden pain shot through his forehead, and Naruto's brows furrowed even more. How could someone who's already dead still feel pain?

Yun crouched down and looked at Naruto, frowning as he said, "Ichiraku Ramen is having a big promotion today: buy one bowl, get one free! Limited to the first fifty people, first come, first served."

As soon as he finished speaking, Naruto opened his eyes and tried to exert himself, but found that he couldn't muster any strength.

"Help me up, I'm going to eat Uncle Ichiraku out of house and home."

Naruto looked at Yun, his mind blank for a moment, and didn't react: "Yun... Brother Yun? There's Ichiraku Ramen in the Pure Land? Uncle Ichiraku can actually open a branch in the Pure Land?"

At that moment, Hinata, who was standing nearby, also opened her eyes. After looking around, she asked with the same confusion, "We...we're not dead?"

Yun stood up and smiled at the two of them: "Congratulations, you passed the test!"

???

Naruto and Hinata exchanged a glance, both somewhat bewildered.

After thinking for a moment, Naruto said to Hinata, "I heard Dad mention something before. Akatsuki's plan is to pull everyone in the world into a genjutsu. So... even those who are already dead will be dragged in?"

Naruto ignored Yun's dark expression as he spoke, but Hinata hesitated for a moment before saying, "But... we were indeed taking our graduation exams before those people attacked the village. Could it be...?"

Yun reached out and tapped Naruto's forehead again: "I think there might still be some problems with your brain. You need to go back to school for further studies. I can take care of the two members of Team 7, but you should repeat the year. I'll tell your mom about it later."

???

In an instant, the scene of Kushina roaring appeared in Naruto's mind.

It's absolutely... chilling.

Naruto shuddered, scratched his head, and chuckled, "Just kidding... Brother Yun, you've already used this kind of genjutsu to test us, so it's not too much for me to joke around, is it?"

Yun remained expressionless: "But I really want to send you back to stay for another year. Do you think I'm joking?"

"Brother Yun...I was wrong!!"

TO

……

After a long while, Naruto and Hinata finally recovered somewhat.

On the seventh training field, Naruto looked at Sasuke, who was still unconscious: "So Sasuke's test isn't over yet?"

Naruto then looked at Itachi and said, "If it's just a genjutsu by Brother Kumo, Brother Itachi doesn't need to be so nervous, does he?"

Yun handed Naruto a water bottle and a bento box: "Eat something to recover. You're pretty smart as long as you don't act silly."

At this point, Yun sighed, his six-tomoe Rinnegan still maintaining the output of his ocular power.

"This assessment was actually prepared for Sasuke. He and Itachi were under a lot of pressure, and they are also the backbone of the fight against those people in the future."

After a moment's thought, Naruto replied, "Sasuke is indeed getting anxious because he hasn't awakened his Sharingan yet. After all, without using the power of the fox boss, I might not be able to defeat Sasuke..."

Hinata, standing to the side, looked at Yun, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "The eyes of Uzumaki Sora in the genjutsu... are they the same in reality?"

Yun nodded: "The so-called ultimate power of the Byakugan, the information about these eyes we obtained entirely from Uzumaki Sora. It was based on this that we finally allowed you to awaken these eyes."

"But Uzumaki Sora definitely knows more about it than we do. And the chakra of the Sage of Six Paths' offspring within Naruto and Sasuke must also be there."

"In reality, Uzumaki Sora's power is only stronger than in the genjutsu space. Having obtained the power of Yang Release chakra like the First Hokage, these eyes are no burden to him at all."

Yun paused here, then added, "Furthermore... in these three years, it seems that Uzumaki Sora's transactions did not take place in Konoha. We have no idea what new powers he has gained."

As soon as he finished speaking, both Naruto and Hinata had serious expressions.

As the new Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Naruto is well aware of the power of the fox boss within him.

It's just that my body couldn't handle it; otherwise, I might not have lost to those people in the illusion.

But even with this power, it was only half of the Nine-Tails' chakra. Uzumaki Sora, on the other hand, possessed the entire Nine-Tails' chakra.

Hinata, standing beside her, felt the same way. She could sense the power contained in those eyes, much of which she had yet to discover.

She still can't fully grasp even simple repulsive and attractive forces.

But the other party... obtained this power because of what happened to me back then.

……

"Brother Yun..."

Naruto looked up at the clouds: "So the real purpose of this test for Hinata and me is to let us know how strong the enemy is, right? Also... there are the consequences of failure."

Naruto glanced at Hinata as he said this.

Although it was just an illusion, he really didn't want to experience the pain of losing Hinata a second time.

Yun nodded slightly: "In terms of both potential and existing combat strength, the Seventh Class is the strongest class yet."

"Your days of dominating the school should have made you realize this very clearly. Even with some bursts of power, the two squads of Akatsuki in the illusion just now wouldn't have been a match for you."

"But such a smug feeling is not suitable for you, because the enemies of Class 7 are not just those you can defeat."

At this point, Yun also looked at Sasuke.

"You are all special. You and Sasuke inherited the chakra of the Sage of Six Paths' two sons, and Hinata inherited the ultimate power of the Byakugan. All three of you possess the power that Uzumaki Sora coveted."

"I need you to understand who your true enemy is. After the graduation exam, you will be true ninjas. In this battle that concerns the survival of the ninja world, failure means losing everything..."

"The village, family, lovers, partners with whom you've formed bonds... all these things will be lost. I think you should understand that now."

After he finished speaking, Naruto and Hinata were both momentarily stunned.

Recalling the scenes in the illusion space, the village was destroyed and everyone was killed—these were the consequences of failure.

Naruto laboriously raised his hand, looking at the center of his palm: "I understand."

Naruto looked up at Yun and said, "The reason we can live peacefully in the Ninja Academy is because of Brother Yun, Dad, and you who are resisting the enemies outside."

"And now... Sasuke, Hinata, and I are special, and we are the backbone of the village in the future."

"From today onwards... I will work even harder. It's not just those who are recognized who can become Hokage; only those who can protect this village can hold the position of Hokage."

At this point, Naruto looked at Hinata beside him: "Hinata, forgive me for not protecting you this time. Even though it was only in the genjutsu space, I still failed to keep my promise."

Naruto held Hinata's hand: "Believe me, there won't be a next time."

Hinata's face turned bright red: "Naruto-kun... I... I believe in Naruto-kun."

Seeing this scene, Yun smiled like an aunt. In her memory, the people who eventually ended up together understood each other's feelings from the very beginning, which was indeed much better.

……

Meanwhile, within the illusion space.

Sasuke, who had been thrown into the ruins, slowly regained consciousness; the force he had just experienced was simply too strong.

Such power...

How can I stop him?

"puff!"

He spat out a mouthful of blood, but the next moment a suction force suddenly appeared.

"Whoosh."

Sasuke's body was sucked out of the ruins and immediately grabbed by the neck by Pain.

"Your teammates are all dead. Leaving you alive alone is incredibly cruel. Only by killing you can we find relief..."

Sasuke was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, and his hands, which had been resisting, suddenly stopped.

Because in his perception, Naruto and Hinata's chakra were indeed gone.

and many more!

Sasuke's gaze fell behind Pain, where two corpses lay on the ground, holding hands as if they would never want to be separated.

Naruto... is dead?

And the guy in front of him was the one who killed him?

In an instant, due to the intense emotional fluctuations, a special power appeared in Sasuke's mind and surged directly into the optic nerves of his eyes.

"Buzz!"

Two tomoe appeared in Sasuke's eye sockets, his scarlet pupils fixed on Pain, the Deva Path, before him.

"Damn it! How could someone like you possibly understand anything about bonds?"

Tendo looked at Sasuke indifferently: "A Sharingan with two tomoe? Activating it under these circumstances, it seems that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is very important to you."

"But... what can you do? You don't even have a kaleidoscope, so it's not really of any use."

Sasuke glared at him angrily, and suddenly his lightning-style chakra erupted.

It wasn't Chidori, but rather a crude transformation of lightning-attribute chakra into a lightning chakra pattern similar to that of the Hidden Cloud Village.

However, just as the lightning erupted, Pain released his grip.

Taking advantage of the instant it fell, the black iron rod thrust straight in.

"Squeak squeak squeak!"

A thunderous roar erupted, and in this near-self-destructive state, Sasuke's reaction speed was significantly faster.

"boom!!"

The lightning of Chidori collided with the black iron rod, and Sasuke was sent flying by the impact.

All things guide the heavens!

Sasuke, who was knocked away in mid-air, stopped for a moment, and then sped toward Pain.

As the black iron rod drew ever closer, the lightning around Sasuke's body slowly dissipated.

Is it about to collapse?

Is that it...? I just graduated from the Ninja Academy, and this is the end of it?

He had no strength left in his body, and his chakra was completely depleted. There was no way for him to dodge this attack.

"Bang!"

Black flames suddenly appeared, forcing the Universal Guidance to stop.

However, a figure appeared in front of Pain, the Deva Path, whose outstretched hand absorbed all of Amaterasu's flames.

"elder brother!"

Sasuke, who had fallen, knelt on the ground, his cries filled with the aggrieved voice of a child.

Never before had he so desperately wanted someone to appear and help him...

"Take good care of yourself."

Itachi's voice carried a hint of worry.

Sasuke could also tell that his brother seemed to have lost his usual composure.

Could it be... that even my brother and the others have lost?

"Uchiha Itachi, leaving the central battlefield at this time and losing your fighting power is not a good thing for the Fourth Hokage and the others."

Itachi frowned slightly and replied, "They are the future of the village, and we cannot afford to lose them."

With an expressionless face, Tendo shook his head slightly: "The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and that girl from the Hyuga clan are both dead. He is merely an Uchiha who has just awakened his Sharingan, and is no longer worthy of being called the future."

Sasuke's gaze fell once more upon the corpses of Naruto and Hinata beside him, and the two tomoe in his crimson Sharingan spun rapidly.

"Naruto... Naruto and Hinata... have both been killed by him."

In an instant, Sasuke's eyes filled with tears.

Itachi sighed and said, "Sasuke, take care of yourself."

No sooner had he finished speaking than several shuriken flew toward his opponent.

However, just as the shuriken reached it, it was repelled by a repulsive force. The Shura Path, who had just arrived, stretched out his hand, and several rockets suddenly flew towards Itachi.

Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Technique.

As it was pushed out by the repulsive force, the moment the repulsive force stopped, the shuriken flew out, flames enveloping the shuriken, and crashed straight into the Asura Path's rocket.

"Boom boom boom..."

A violent explosion rang out in mid-air.

Amidst the dust, streaks of cold light flashed by.

Flames then rose along the steel wire, the short knife slashed down, and the steel wire tightened rapidly in response.

Behind the bound Preta Path, Itachi's figure appeared: "Your basic abilities have all been exposed. You are merely puppets, not even worthy of being called opponents."

As soon as he finished speaking, the head of the hungry ghost fell to the ground.

As the dust settled, Pain, the Deva Path, watched everything unfold expressionlessly.

"Uchiha Itachi... you should know very well that there's no need to struggle any longer."

"Uchiha Kumo is no match for Uzumaki Sora, and it's only a matter of time before the Hokage is defeated as well."

……

(End of this chapter)