Naruto: Linked to Kaguya, Corrupting the Ninja World

In the silent night, the sharp clang of steel meeting steel rang out.

Compared to the perilous battle Jiraiya and Yugao were in, where sparks flew endlessly, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Naruto—both severely injured and unable to use chakra—looked like a couple of clumsy weaklings flailing at each other.

Hiroki smirked faintly.

After all, Hiruzen had been through countless battles and was known as the "Professor"; even stripped down to pure taijutsu, how could he possibly look so clumsy?

Each time he managed to wound Naruto, it always stopped just short of being fatal.

All of this was obviously calculated.

Unfortunately, how could an academy student like Naruto tell the difference?

Naruto's emotions darkened more and more.

Grandpa Third really wants to kill him!

After blocking for what felt like the thousandth time, Naruto gritted his teeth and lunged toward Hiruzen's chest.

Slightly pleased inside, Hiruzen effortlessly dodged the attack.

"Naruto, since the Third Hokage wants to live, why won't you leave that chance for him?" Hiroki suddenly interrupted.

Already in a terrible mood, Naruto instantly snapped back with furious resentment. "Why should I do that?!"

Yes... why should I...

It's the old man Third... He's changed...

He's not the man I thought he was...

Is he worth me sacrificing myself for?

Bitter thoughts churned in Naruto's mind, feeding his growing fury. His grip tightened around the kunai as he struck harder.

Pu...

At one moment, Hiruzen's body seemed to collapse under pressure—he suddenly coughed up a large mouthful of blood, his stance unsteady now, swaying left and right.

"What...?"

By instinct, Naruto leaned forward, unable to stop his thrusting motion immediately. His eyes widened as he watched the sharp kunai pierce straight into Hiruzen Sarutobi's throat.

Thick streams of blood uncontrollably gushed out like a broken faucet, soaking his clothes, spreading rapidly, staining everything red, even dripping onto the ground.

"There's no need to feel guilty... Jiraiya, Naruto..."

Hiruzen calmly closed his eyes, relaxing his entire body as he let himself fall lifelessly to the ground.

Thud!

That was the sound of his body hitting the earth directly.

Dust kicked up from the impact swirled into his eyes. Gripping the blood-covered kunai tightly, Naruto dropped down with a heavy thud, falling to his knees.

His lips quivered continuously, as if wanting to say something, but nothing came out.

"It's done. Return, Yugao," Hiroki said calmly.

Yugao deflected Jiraiya's strike with a sweep of her blade, then flashed back to Hiroki's side with a burst of speed.

Jiraiya sensed what was coming. He trudged forward like his legs were made of lead, his face frozen in shock.

Hiroki hoisted up Hiruzen's still-warm body.

"The killer... is Naruto Uzumaki."

Upon hearing these words and confirming Hiruzen's death, tears rolled down Naruto's face.

Hiroki: "You may leave now. But Naruto Uzumaki, don't fool yourself into thinking the Third actually lost to you. After all, he was merely a Kage, while you're not even a ninja. You're nothing but a burden."

In that instant, it hit Naruto like a bolt of lightning—everything suddenly made sense.

Shortly after, his body began trembling and he started sobbing.

Hiroki: "Naruto Uzumaki, another life now weighs upon your shoulders. Live well—never betray others' expectations of you."

[Narrator: By the way, the best current audiobook-reading app is YeguoReader. Download the latest version at .yeguoyuedu.]

Naruto Uzumaki was overwhelmed with grief.

Worried he might lose control, Jiraiya immediately knocked him unconscious and threw him over his shoulder.

"Master Jiraiya, this was originally your responsibility, but you passed it onto Naruto Uzumaki."

After speaking, Hiroki took one last glance at the tear-streaked face of Naruto, then turned to walk away alongside Yugao.

On the road, Yugao suddenly said, "I've just realized how heartless you can be."

"Huh?" Hiroki tilted his head. "It wasn't me who killed anyone."

"That person… He's genuinely terrifying," Yugao's expression grew complicated. She sighed unexpectedly. "Please, can't you stop doing this?"

"Don't worry, don't worry."

Jiraiya stood still, staring at the bloodstain on the ground for quite some time before finally walking off carrying Naruto.

Once both groups had disappeared from sight, Kabuto Yakushi and Sasuke stepped out from hiding.

Kabuto gazed in the direction Jiraiya had left and said to Sasuke, "Let's go. We should follow them."

Sasuke remained silent for a moment before shaking his head. "If you won't come with me, just tell me where Orochimaru is. I'll go by myself."

"Why?" Kabuto asked, confused.

"I simply don't want to follow them," Sasuke replied softly.

Upon hearing those words, Kabuto became even more puzzled. "You'd be in danger alone."

"I just don't want to follow them."

Sasuke repeated himself.

Kabuto didn't respond immediately; he simply waited silently for Sasuke to continue.

"That person..." Sasuke lowered his head slightly. "The Hyuga clan member was right. Naruto Uzumaki never needed to bear such guilt. Jiraiya has been running from it."

A slight surprise flickered across Kabuto's face. "So...you hate him? You despise someone like that?"

Sasuke remained silent.

"Fine then. I'll give you the address—but don't get yourself killed." Kabuto teased.

"Hmph," Sasuke grunted coldly.

Inside the Hokage's office,

Tsunade placed a mask designed in the style of Peking Opera face patterns on the table.

"This must belong to the Root Division, right?"

Danzo Shimura nodded.

"As far as I know, Root should have been officially disbanded?"

Danzo nodded again.

"Were the people who stormed the prison and released the inmates former Root ninjas as well?"

Danzo nodded a third time.

...

Leaning back, Tsunade fell silent.

She'd expected Danzo to deny everything and had already braced herself for whatever came next.

But his blunt confession threw her completely off—it was like punching thin air.

Shizune also had a strange expression on her face. Was Danzo simply giving up completely?

"So, this attack was all your doing..."

As Tsunade was speaking, she suddenly noticed that Danzo Shimura was unwrapping the bandages from his head.

Danzo Shimura felt a bold idea forming in his mind.

He still didn't fully understand how it worked—Jiraiya's claim that one person could become another, that Tsunade could turn into Otsutsuki Kaguya.

But based on what Jiraiya explained...

In short, Tsunade could become insanely powerful.

So if he managed to control her, wouldn't that give him the strongest possible ally?

He wasn't daring to imagine permanent control—but a few years would be enough.

If successful, with her strength, wouldn't anything be possible?

And even if he failed, things couldn't really get much worse than they already were.

Tsunade certainly wouldn't have treated him kindly anyway.

Thinking thus, Danzo Shimura's heart pounded wildly.

The bandages wrapped around Danzo Shimura's head came off one layer at a time, revealing his right eye.

Tsunade blinked, surprised—and slightly disgusted at the same time.

She let out a quiet sigh.

For the first time, she realized—this Sharingan thing actually looked kind of ugly?!

Guess looks really do matter in the end!

Seeing Tsunade standing there completely unguarded, Danzo Shimura laughed maniacally inside.

The three Tomoe within his right eye began spinning rapidly, eventually converging into a blade-like shape.

Shisui, let me see your power!

[Kotoamatsukami!]

Kaguya: "..." What exactly are you showing off?

Tsunade paused, clearly confused. "Where the hell did you get that eye?"

Instantly sobered up, Danzo didn't even bother explaining—he turned and fled without looking back.

Tsunade: "..."

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