Immortality begins with the ninjas of Konoha

"You wretched brat!!"

Omoi, who also used Shadow Clone Technique, stopped wasting time, and the two engaged in a fierce battle. Just as the smoke was about to dissipate, a strange sound startled Omoi.

The smoke from the Fire Release technique dissipated instantly, and Konohamaru, who had been flung into the air by the Shadow Clone Technique once again, produced a blue chakra ball in his right hand and charged straight at his opponent from above.

"Spiral pills!"

Omoi's pupils contracted. That was the Fifth Hokage's technique. The fact that the boy in front of him could still use this technique after using Shadow Clone Jutsu and many other ninjutsu was completely beyond his expectations.

Just as Omoi was about to gather chakra on his blade to block, he was suddenly enveloped by clear water and then blasted backward by the Rasengan.

"Oh!!"

Above the stands, the audience gasped in amazement once again. This kind of ninjutsu was quite rare. When someone introduced it as a ninjutsu used by the Hokage, applause and cheers resounded throughout the arena.

Kneeling on the ground, Konohamaru, pale-faced, gasped for breath, his right hand trembling uncontrollably—the consequence of overworking his cells.

Omoi, who was lying on the ground, groaned in pain. The expected excruciating pain did not occur. He struggled to sit up and soon saw the water flow gather into a human shape.

The black markings on Hozuki Mangetsu's body were fading away. After releasing the cursed seal, he patted his shoulder, where the wound had begun to heal.

Konohamaru looked on in disbelief when he saw this. He knew how powerful the Rasengan was, yet the white-haired young referee had taken his attack so easily.

"The victor is Konoha ninja, Sarutobi Konohamaru!"

Hozuki Mangetsu raised his voice to announce the results. When he walked up to Konohamaru, he saw that the other man was just too exhausted. A slight smile appeared on his lips as he whispered his praise:

"As expected of Konoha's secret medicine, the side effects are controlled exceptionally well."

"How...how could you?"

Konohamaru asked in surprise, but Hozuki Mangetsu did not answer. He turned into a puddle of water and disappeared again, and the arena erupted in deafening cheers.

The boy, not yet 11 years old, defeated many older opponents to reach the top, and the genius ninja of the Konoha Sarutobi clan amazed many viewers.

Asuma, leaning on the railing and watching his nephew below clench his fist in celebration, lit another cigarette, a complex expression on his face. Rasengan, the ultimate technique Jiraiya left for Konohamaru.

Thinking of Jiraiya, who had disappeared for many years, Asuma couldn't help but think of his father again. Even now, he still couldn't let go of the choice he made back then.

I thought you would complain.

"The Cloud Village ninjas never make excuses; the secret medicine is the result of your research and development."

Killer Bee responded to Asuma in a strange tone. The secret medicine of Konoha has never been able to replicate its perfect effects, and the ninjas of Kumogakure have always longed for this power.

Seeing the boy happily hugging his two companions, Ebisu suddenly began to doubt his own teaching.

Can pure ninjas truly adapt to the future? After the complete collapse of the mission system, what will become of pure ninjas? Will the Kage system continue?

"Don't overthink it. Just stick to your teachings! Ninjas of the new era do need to learn more."

Asuma patted his classmate, who had also experienced a period of confusion. However, after witnessing the transformation of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, he stopped deliberately searching for so-called "meaning".

Focusing on the present moment is far more important than worrying about the future. Asuma suddenly thought of the increasingly mature and beautiful Kurenai Yuhi and muttered to herself:

"Perhaps I should take action too."

...

As night fell, the dark clouds of the Otsutsuki clan did not affect the nightlife of the capital of the Land of Water in the slightest, and tourists and ninjas from various countries were all immersed in a joyful mood.

In this country, as long as you have money, you can enjoy the ultimate service. Some scenes that make people blush have caused many young people to show embarrassed expressions.

The brightly lit commercial street was so dazzling that the young people from Konoha felt they couldn't take it all in. Even though Konoha ninjas earned a lot, their daily lives weren't extravagant. The girls' eyes sparkled when they saw the pretty accessories.

"Sasuke, what do you think...?"

Wearing a red sleeveless jacket, Sakura took off her ninja headband and put on a pink ribbon. A blush appeared on the girl's face as she looked at her beloved with some anticipation.

"A headband is more convenient; it can also block attacks when necessary."

Sasuke, dressed in a modified blue kimono, gave a casual reply, then lowered his head to continue thinking. He saw Hozuki Mangetsu's cursed seal, and compared to a few years ago, that special power seemed to be even stronger.

"Humph!"

Sakura didn't get the response she expected, and couldn't help but let out a soft hum.

She was told that she would be able to move freely after the Otsutsuki descended. This was such a rare opportunity that the girl had fantasized about it many times, but Sasuke still didn't understand her feelings.

Seeing this, Ino chuckled to herself. For these new generation ninjas, life was great now. They could pretend that aliens didn't exist and that was no problem.

"Hey, Shikamaru! You're not really going to marry him, are you?"

"Why did you spend the whole afternoon with the Iwagakure ninja? Uncle Shikaku didn't agree to it!"

Ino, who was helping to pick out a gift, gave her friend a sidelong glance and made a sarcastic remark. Shikamaru awkwardly scratched his head. He wanted to deny it, but Kurotsuchi was indeed very cute, had a great figure, and her strength was undeniable...

Shikamaru stammered for a long time, and in the end, Choji came to his rescue:

"If Kurotsuchi could become the Tsuchikage, Shikamaru would be the bridge for communication and cooperation between Iwagakure and Konoha. Wouldn't that be great?"

"Choji, tell the truth! Who told you that?"

"That's what Dad says at home, but Uncle Inoichi seems to be on Uncle Shikaku's side and doesn't quite agree with it."

"Huh?! Father disagrees? What an old fogey! In another ten years, the ninja village might even disappear!"

Ino complained to her father in an annoyed tone. She was a staunch reformer and believed that pure ninjas had no future. Medical ninjas like her friend were the future trend.

"My dad never objected, and besides, we haven't...we haven't been dating..."

"In short, they're still young, so don't get any wild ideas from them!"

After regaining his composure, Shikamaru responded immediately. Ino shoved the gift she had chosen into her friend's hands, then leaned closer, nudged him twice, and asked with a mischievous grin:

"Where have you progressed to?"

"What...what, which step!"

Ino burst into laughter at her friend's embarrassed state, and Choji also smiled and swaggered around with potato chips. Just as he was about to speak, a mocking voice suddenly came from beside him.

"I hate you guys from Konoha! You're nothing like ninjas!"

"He even needs to take secret drugs for exams; he only knows how to use that fake power!"

Wearing a white headscarf, Karui stood beside the group with a provocative expression. The dark-skinned girl with red hair stood with her arms crossed, looking dashing, which left Choji stunned.

"Apologize immediately! Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're a woman!"

Sai, who arrived in front of the three using the Body Flicker Technique, said with a smile the words that made the Cloud Village ninja nervous. The handsome, blond-haired Hii, shielding his juniors behind him, responded with a smile:

"Jonin don't need to get involved in things that Genin do."

"We're both Jonin, how about you have a match with me and experience just how powerful fake power really is?!"

Sasuke, having activated his three-tomoe Sharingan, immediately arrived in front of Nozomi. As an ANBU ninja, he had read Nozomi's intelligence; she was proficient in genjutsu and medical ninjutsu, and was not the type of person an ordinary ninja could handle.

Seeing that the ninjas were about to clash, the onlookers not only didn't run away in fear, but instead gathered around even more enthusiastically, with a kind-hearted uncle constantly reminding them:

"Sign a 'life or death' agreement and you can fight to your heart's content! There's a arena for resolving disputes not far away!"

"It's Uchiha Sasuke, Itachi-sama's younger brother!"

"Sharingan?! I bet the Uchiha will win!"

The inexplicably fervent atmosphere around them made both the Konoha and Kumogakure ninjas feel inexplicably awkward.

Although Sasuke had lived here for a long time, his desire to fight vanished almost entirely when he heard that everyone wanted to "watch the show" again.

"Seriously, we're ninjas..."

"It was my fault, Lord Xi, I apologize, but I will not take back my previous opinion. You are just stronger because of the secret medicine. Omoi is the true champion!"

Seeing that something was wrong, Karui took the initiative to step forward and apologize. At the end, she stubbornly raised her head and stared at the Konoha ninja in front of her. She just didn't like the way those people were acting; they didn't look like ninjas at all.

"Never mind, Sai, Sasuke! I can understand if our teammates lose the game."

"Konohamaru will only be 11 years old at the end of the year. I would not be happy if he lost to a child like that."

"However, power has no such thing as real or fake. The secret medicine was developed by the village at great expense, so that we could survive better in battle."

"This is the ninja of the new era. Perhaps there will be even more support drugs and equipment in the future!"

"I hope that the Hidden Cloud Village can keep up with us. The era of brutal plundering is long gone."

Shikamaru's words made Hiyori's eyes twitch slightly, and the Cloud Village ninja behind him also showed displeasure. They all supported the policies of the Third and Fourth Raikage and did not think there was anything wrong with plundering.

"You bastard!"

Karui grew increasingly angry and was about to step forward to argue when Choji, relying on his large frame, quickly squeezed to the front, waved his hand, and loudly explained:

"Um...Shikamaru meant no harm!"

"We might even collaborate in the future, so there's no need to keep arguing. How about we go out for a seafood feast? It's on me!"

Choji blushed as he looked at Karui. The Cloud Village ninja noticed this, and their previous tension immediately vanished. The young men began to tease him:

"Hey! You didn't fall in love with Karui at first sight, did you?!"

"You guys from Konoha, have you felt the allure of the Cloud Village ninja?!"

"A ninja from the Akimichi clan? Karui, can you get a discount on secret medicines? You should do something about it!"

Choji, at a loss, turned increasingly red. Sai and Sasuke exchanged glances and fell silent, while Shikamaru covered his forehead.

Sakura and Ino looked at the dark-skinned girl with strange expressions, seemingly puzzled by their friend's taste.

"What are you idiots talking about!"

"Damn it! I'll definitely win next time!"

Under the cover of night, Karui's face flushed, but it was hidden by her skin color. The girl turned away in embarrassment, and the onlookers scattered with a jeer.

Having experienced the Fourth Shinobi World War, hope wore a bitter smile. He had never imagined that the Hidden Cloud Ninja would become like this. In his opinion, the new generation of ninjas from any village lacked ninja etiquette.

"Have fun, everyone from Konoha!"

hope shook his head, said goodbye, and left. Sasuke also closed his Sharingan. Sai, standing to the side, squinted and waved goodbye. Ino, at this moment, held her hands and exclaimed with starry eyes:

"Sasuke is so handsome! Sai is also a handsome guy if he doesn't fake his smile!"

"I wonder if I'll be as charming as Master Xiu when I grow up. Compared to Yunyin, we're obviously much happier!"

Shikamaru, too lazy to correct his friend's "handsome guy theory," saw Choji still gazing longingly into the distance and immediately sighed, reminding him:

"Everyone's gone now, Choji. Next time you ask someone out, remember to find a less crowded place."

"I...I didn't want to go on a date..."

Choji's round, chubby face turned bright red with embarrassment, a sight that made Sakura cover her mouth and laugh. Suddenly, the girl realized something and subconsciously sighed:

"I wish Naruto were here too. He loves lively environments."

Upon hearing the familiar yet unfamiliar name, the young man's smile faded considerably. Sasuke pursed his lips, clenched his fist, and immediately turned to leave, saying in a low voice:

"That guy won't die, those monsters can't kill him!"

Sakura realized she had said the wrong thing and lowered her head guiltily. Ino put her arm around her friend's shoulder, her memory of Naruto still stuck on their graduation day, and could only offer quiet words of comfort:

"We're still young, Naruto will get rid of that monster."

Shikamaru and Choji also lost their smiles. The happier and more joyful their lives were now, the more they felt sorry for Naruto. The son of a hero should not have suffered such a fate.

...

Under the same night sky, Naruto sat atop the towering experimental building. Ever since he realized he could fly, he had enjoyed sitting on the edge, relishing the thrill.

Under the cool moonlight, Naruto looked up at the full moon, missing his father and mother, his friends and the Konoha ninja, and everything that had happened before.

Jiraiya appeared behind Naruto, and seeing the young man's lonely figure, his emotions grew increasingly complex. Finally, he spoke up to remind him:

"A fierce battle may break out tomorrow, Naruto, take care of yourself."

"Never give up on your beliefs. As long as you persevere, you will definitely return to Konoha and to Minato and Kushina's side."

Naruto, whose strength had greatly increased, had already sensed Jiraiya. Upon hearing these words, he immediately smiled, turned around, gave a thumbs-up, and replied with a smile:

"Don't worry about me, you weirdo!"

"I am the son of a hero, and I will protect the village just like my father."

"But you, old man, should really stop using that divine technique. Your chakra is starting to feel strange; it seems to have changed again."

"Sasuke always said that if you want to gain power, you have to pay a price. I'm starting to understand that now. You old geezer, you're paying the price for divine magic right now."

As Naruto finished speaking, his expression became extremely serious, his azure eyes fixed on Jiraiya. Every time they met, he could sense the changes in the other's chakra.

Jiraiya, wearing a mask, lowered his head. In fact, he had already realized that at first he thought it was the dream interfering, and then he thought it was a side effect of the divine magic.