It's better to be a rebel ninja than to be a Hokage

As he rushed through the battlefield, the scenes he saw were more tragic than those three years ago...

The people who created all this are the same as three years ago,

——Naruto.

Sakura was slightly distracted, but quickly forced herself to concentrate and listen to the conversation between Shikamaru and Jiraiya.

"If the barrier that sealed the Fifth Hokage is the same type as the one that sealed the Third Hokage three years ago, then based on the intelligence from three years ago, it is conservatively estimated that there are at least five intruders in the barrier."

Shikamaru analyzed the information about the Four Purple Flame Formation. It took four people to maintain the barrier, and they could not take part in the battle during this period.

This means that other people are needed to fight against the Fifth Hokage Tsunade.

"Who do you think will be fighting Tsunade?"

Jiraiya looked at Shikamaru, just as Tsunade had always said, Shikamaru's son was an extremely good ninja.

"……Naruto."

"I also think so."

Jiraiya confirmed Shikamaru's speculation, his eyes looking towards the Hokage's office which was getting closer and closer.

The purple barrier made Jiraiya feel more and more uneasy.

The Four Purple Flame Formation appeared in the Hokage's office in an instant. Jiraiya had only seen this kind of "deep behind enemy lines" behavior in the fighting style of his disciple Minato Namikaze.

The means that enabled Minato Namikaze to do this was the space-time ninjutsu, Flying Thunder God, developed by the second generation Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

In today's ninja world, Naruto is the third ninja who can use Flying Thunder God.

If the enemy in the barrier is really Naruto... Tsunade can't defeat him.

There was no need to think too much, Jiraiya had already made a judgment in his mind.

Jiraiya knew best that Tsunade's hemophobia, which she had suffered from for many years, had not been effectively treated.

Although she is also known as one of the "Three Ninjas" in the ninja world, Tsunade is now unable to display her full strength.

The longer Tsunade remains isolated and helpless within the barrier, the more danger she will be in.

But perhaps God is still blessing this master who, according to the prophecy of the Great Toad Sage, is responsible for teaching the son of prophecy who will determine the future of the ninja world.

The situation improved slightly in an extremely unexpected way.

"There's something going on up ahead... It's Miss Shizune!"

After the crisis at Konoha Hospital was resolved, the ninjas who joined Jiraiya in the Hokage rescue plan included Sakura, Shikamaru and Ino from Team 10, as well as Neji, Rock Lee and Tenten from Team 3.

Neji, who was using his Byakugan to scout, spotted Shizune on the way to the Hokage's office.

As the secretary of the Fifth Hokage and also the eldest sister who learned from Tsunade like Sakura, Shizune, who was inseparable from Tsunade, is now alone, seriously injured and in a coma.

Without hesitation, everyone ran towards Shizune's direction.

It was this action that allowed Tsunade, who was trapped in the Four Purple Flame Formation, to escape.

……

……

Psychic art!

According to Jiraiya's plan, Sakura used Tsunade's blood on Shizune's face as a medium to form the ninja seal of the summoning technique.

"Success!"

Sakura exclaimed.

Just as Jiraiya expected, Tsunade, who was originally trapped in the Four Purple Flame Formation, broke free from the seal of the barrier with the help of space-time ninjutsu such as the Summoning Technique.

However, before Sakura could check on Tsunade's condition, a familiar figure followed closely behind Tsunade!

Naruto!

As expected, he placed the Flying Thunder God Mark on Tsunade during the battle with her!

But Jiraiya was prepared.

Summoning Tsunade out of the Four Purple Flame Formation is only the first step.

Naruto, who was chasing through Flying Thunder God, also noticed Sakura in front of Tsunade. With just one glance, Naruto determined that the person in front of him was not the real Sakura.

Naruto's judgment is more based on experience than intuition.

The feeling that Sakura in front of him gave Naruto was exactly the same as the tactical strategy of Yamanaka Fuu and Aburame Togen when they "exchanged" bodies three years ago!

"Ino!"

The Sakura in front of you is indeed Sakura, but the spirit within her is Yamanaka Ino, who possesses the heart-transmitting series of secret techniques!

The art of confusing the mind and body!

"Sakura" stretched out the thumbs and index fingers of both hands, and the rectangular frame formed by the fingertips locked Naruto's body.

Just control Naruto for 1 second, no! Just a moment will do, as long as Naruto realizes that he has fallen into the trap and cannot use Flying Thunder God to escape immediately!

The fleeting opportunity created by Sakura and Ino was seized by Jiraiya, who had made all the plans!

At the same time that Ino performed the Heart and Soul Technique through Sakura's body, Sakura's shadow suddenly changed from pitch black to an unignorable white.

That's the color of Jiraiya's hair!

Jiraiya had already hidden in Sakura's shadow using the "Toad Shadow Manipulation Technique" and was waiting for his chance to strike!

"Naruto, you really used Flying Thunder God to chase!"

Feeling thankful that his plan had gone off without a hitch, Jiraiya formed the ninja seal.

His eyes were fixed on Naruto, and he completely broke away from Sakura's shadow and grabbed Naruto's body.

Immediately afterwards, the ninjutsu was activated, and a gourd toad with a wooden cork with the word "wine" in its mouth appeared out of thin air. The red-skinned gourd toad spit out the cork and sucked Jiraiya and Naruto into its stomach.

When the wooden cork returned to the gourd toad's mouth again, the gourd toad that sealed Jiraiya and Naruto in its belly turned into a wisp of white smoke and disappeared from Konoha in an instant.

Jiraiya's barrier ninjutsu against Naruto was completed.

"Sakura" who witnessed everything collapsed to the ground, which was a foreshadowing of the end of the Heart Turn Technique.

Sakura, who had regained control of her body, stood up from the ground and looked at Ino who had emerged from her hiding place.

Sakura wanted to say something, but she keenly noticed that Ino's expression was quite unpredictable at the moment.

A feeling of uneasiness suddenly arose in Sakura's heart.

"The Heart-Ran Body Technique did not work on Naruto..."

"Everything happened in an instant. I didn't have time to warn Master Jiraiya."

Before Sakura could ask, Ino took the initiative to explain the reason, confirming Sakura's uneasiness.

"But Naruto was just..."

Sakura's tone was filled with disbelief.

If Naruto was able to resist the Shinranshin Jutsu, then why did he actively walk into it when he knew he was in a trap?

However, Sakura didn't have time to think about Naruto's thoughts.

The crisis is not over.

"Sakura!!!"

Ino's panicked cry and the whistling of the wind entered Sakura's ears at the same time, interrupting her thoughts.

The breath of Naruto, who was supposed to have disappeared in Konoha, was suddenly sensed by Sakura again.

His chakra was so close to him.

So close that it was right behind Sakura.

Sakura turned her head and a rapidly rotating ball of chakra came into her sight - Rasengan!

The whistling sound of the wind that Sakura heard was the vibration caused by the rotation of the Rasengan interfering with the flow of air and the friction of the air.

Naruto——I——

Too late to react to Naruto's attack, Sakura simply glanced past the Rasengan and looked at Naruto's face.

Naruto's face was surprisingly calm.

There was no trace of ferocity, no sign of anger or hatred.

His target wasn't even Sakura, but because Sakura happened to be standing in front of Tsunade, Naruto included Sakura in the attack range of the Rasengan.

"I……"

Sakura opened her mouth, wanting to say something to Naruto in the end.

But with Naruto's attack speed, there was no way Sakura could express her thoughts to him.

Everything seemed to be coming to an end here, and what Sakura wanted to do - bring Naruto and Sasuke back to Konoha, try to understand their pain - these seemed to have never been completed in the end, and Sakura was about to die with regrets.

However, purple lightning suddenly appeared in front of Sakura, blocking the attack of the Rasengan in Naruto's hand.

Kakashi Hatake, the jonin in charge of Konoha's Team 7, protected Sakura behind him at the critical moment.

"Kakashi-sensei..."

Sakura looked at Kakashi's back, and the next moment, a tall earthen wall with a dog's head carved on it separated Sakura, Ino and Tsunade from the battle between Kakashi and Naruto.

"Hey! Stop being in a daze and get out of here!"

Kakashi's ninja dog Puck spoke to Sakura from behind the earth wall.

Not only it, but also Blue, the largest of the eight ninja dogs controlled by Kakashi, supported the dazed Tsunade and came to Sakura and Ino.

"You won't be able to participate in the upcoming battle, so don't bother Kakashi and Gai here."

Puck indicated that Kakashi didn't save them just to leave them here and do nothing.

"Teacher Kai is here too?!"

Puck no longer responded, but asked Blue to take Tsunade, Sakura and Ino away from behind the earth wall to avoid being involved in the battle.

At the same time, the confrontation between Kakashi and Naruto also saw a turning point.

"Naruto, you attacked Sakura without hesitation."

Kakashi stared at Naruto's left eye, angry and saddened by Naruto's previous attack.

"After seeing what Konoha is like now, why do you think I would show mercy?"

Naruto looked curiously at the Lightning Release Ninjutsu in Kakashi's hand that was similar to Raikiri. The power and method of casting the purple lightning made Naruto think that it was Raikiri. However, the purple lightning that Kakashi was using now no longer required the assistance of the Sharingan.

However, the purple lightning in Kakashi's hand was obviously not fully developed. Facing the pressure of Naruto's Rasengan, Kakashi hardly held on for long before falling into a disadvantage.

However, the main force fighting against Naruto was not Kakashi who had lost his Sharingan.

Apart from saving Sakura and the others from Naruto, his appearance was only a feint attack.

Therefore, even though he was suppressed by Naruto, Kakashi was not panicked.

"Naruto, I am just as good at using shadow clones to fight as you are!"

Kakashi suddenly stopped maintaining the purple lightning and allowed the Rasengan in Naruto's hand to pierce his chest.

There is only one possibility for this kind of "suicidal" behavior!

The Kakashi in front of him is not his real self, but his shadow clone!

And when Naruto touched Kakashi's shadow clone's body, Kakashi's shadow clone instantly turned into strong lightning, shocking Naruto's entire body!

Lightning Escape: Thunder Clone!

This is the Shadow Clone Technique that Kakashi is extremely good at.

On the basis of the shadow clone, the property change of thunder attribute is applied, so that the shadow clone can turn into thunder and lightning for the final attack when it is broken!

And the real main attacker is already in place!

"Hirutora!"

The physical boxing technique used by Might Guy to open the seventh gate of the Eight Gates of Ninjutsu actually materialized into a giant white tiger.

Naruto was hit the moment the punch was swung!