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The once serene landscape had transformed into a scene of utter devastation, resembling the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Naruto's Great Spiral Rigna had been unleashed at full strength, and even Uchiha Itachi's Susanoo—his ultimate defense—had been utterly destroyed.
Now, the battlefield lay in ruins. Fragments of Susanoo's ethereal armor scattered the ground, the once-imposing figure now reduced to remnants. The dust finally settled, revealing a silent wasteland.
Kisame's presence had vanished.
However, amidst the destruction, Itachi's shadow flickered and solidified.
Naruto hovered in mid-air, using the Ultra Light Rock Technique to remain suspended. His eyes were closed, not out of fatigue but as a deliberate countermeasure.
This wasn't perception in the traditional sense—it was something far more refined.
Prediction.
By relying on pure combat instinct and experience, Naruto could assess Itachi's condition without needing to see him.
The reason was simple: If he opened his eyes, Itachi could ensnare him in a genjutsu instantly.
A moment later, Naruto exhaled, relieved.
"You really don't go down easily, do you, Uchiha Itachi?" he remarked. "You actually survived that."
Below, Itachi stood amidst the rubble, one eye closed, his body battered. He surveyed the wasteland left in Naruto's wake and felt an inexplicable sense of emotion stirring within him.
He wasn't one to dwell on sentiment, but at this moment, something was different.
Naruto's voice drifted down from above.
"Uchiha Itachi," he said, eyes still closed. "Go."
Itachi's fingers tensed.
"Your life was never meant to end here," Naruto continued. "It should end at his hands… not mine."
Itachi's breath hitched slightly.
He knows.
For the first time in years, true surprise flickered across Itachi's face.
Naruto knew about his plan.
How?
Only a select few had any inkling of the truth behind his actions. He had never confided in anyone—not even his allies in the Akatsuki. His mission, his sacrifice… only someone with immense analytical ability and deep insight could have pieced it together.
Orochimaru had once come close to understanding his intentions.
But now, Naruto had done the same.
Itachi took an unconscious step back. Despite his weakened state, he was always cautious when faced with the unknown.
But Naruto made no further moves.
He was serious about letting him go.
Realizing this, Itachi didn't waste another second. He turned and fled.
He had a mission to fulfill. A duty that only he could carry out.
Naruto, sensing Itachi's chakra signature disappearing into the distance, finally allowed his state of enhancement to fade.
His Lightning Style armor flickered out.
Kurama's chakra had been exhausted.
The prolonged battle, combined with the high-speed pursuit, had drained a considerable portion of his reserves. Even with his Uzumaki bloodline and Senju lineage, the repeated use of large-scale techniques had taken its toll.
Despite his fatigue, he still maintained the Ultra Light Rock Technique effortlessly, floating midair as he searched for a place to rest.
Inside the Land of Rain – Akatsuki's Response
Within the hidden Rain Village, a woman with striking blue hair and paper wings extending from her back observed the situation through a veil of falling rain.
Konan.
Her sharp eyes caught every detail.
Itachi and Kisame had attempted to lure Naruto away from their borders, ensuring the battle did not cause destruction within the Land of Rain.
Seeing their dire situation, Konan didn't hesitate—she relayed the information to Nagato.
Nagato, connected to his Six Paths of Pain, immediately sent them toward the battlefield.
By the time Pain arrived, however, the scene had already been wiped clean.
The battlefield was empty.
Naruto, Itachi, and Kisame had all disappeared.
A failure.
Pain stood amid the wreckage, his Rinnegan scanning the area. The sheer level of destruction spoke volumes about the battle's intensity.
"…Naruto Uzumaki."
Nagato whispered the name, his tone unreadable.
Konan hovered nearby, silent.
The encounter had passed, but the war between them was far from over.
Conflict in Konoha – The Mission to Retrieve Naruto
Back in Konoha, a squad of Anbu had been dispatched to Sunagakure with a single mission—to retrieve Naruto Uzumaki.
But Naruto refused.
Among the team was Haruto, who, frustrated by Naruto's defiance, attempted to use force to bring him back.
That proved to be a grave mistake.
Naruto swiftly defeated Haruto and his team, making it clear that he would not return to the village on their terms.
Only through the intervention of Luna, who had accompanied the squad, were they able to avoid a worse fate.
Luna had always been different from her teammates. Unlike the others, she didn't view Naruto as a mere rogue ninja—she understood that there was more to his actions than the village's orders dictated.
Because of her, the team managed to leave Sunagakure alive.
On the way back to Konoha, however, the tensions within the team erupted.
Haruto turned to Luna, his expression twisted with frustration.
"This is your fault," he accused. "If you had been firmer, we could have completed the mission!"
Luna's eyes narrowed.
"What did you just say?" she asked coldly.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
If it weren't for her, they would have all been killed by Naruto.
And now, Haruto had the audacity to blame her?
Haruto's reasoning was clear—by shifting blame onto her, he could avoid scrutiny when they reported their failure to the Hokage.
"When we return," he declared, "I'm reporting everything to Lord Hokage."
Luna's lips curled in disgust.
"As Anbu," she said icily, "I will never lie to the Third Hokage. But don't you dare twist the truth."
Konoha – Sarutobi Hiruzen's Plan
Back in the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen listened to the report with a weary sigh.
He finally understood.
Naruto had left Konoha because his life had been made unbearable.
And he, the Hokage, had allowed it to happen.
The weight of his mistakes pressed heavily upon him.
"Leave," he muttered weakly, dismissing Haruto and the others.
Haruto, satisfied that he had deflected blame from himself, left without another word.
Only Luna remained.
Hiruzen rubbed his temples, deep in thought. After a long silence, he spoke.
"…Luna, I must ask something of you."
She frowned. "What is it?"
Hiruzen looked at her solemnly.
"To bring Naruto back… we must use guilt."
Luna's breath hitched.
Guilt.
A weapon stronger than any jutsu.
A psychological burden that could break even the strongest of warriors.
Hiruzen's plan was cruelly simple:
Strip Luna of her Anbu position. Make it seem as though she had been punished because of Naruto's actions.
Spread rumors—whisper that Luna's failure to "control" Naruto had forced him to flee Konoha.
Let Naruto hear of it. A kind-hearted person like him would inevitably feel responsible.
Once he returns, Luna would tell him the truth, and with the help of others close to Naruto, they would convince him to stay.
A perfect manipulation.
Luna clenched her fists.
This was wrong.
But… she was a shinobi.
A kunoichi of Konoha.
"…Fine," she whispered.
In just a few days, rumors spread like wildfire.
Luna became the scapegoat, the target of public condemnation.
Even those closest to her—Moonlight Hayate—began to doubt her.
All while Naruto remained unaware, resting in a hotel in the Land of Grass.
The trap was set.
And soon, guilt would begin to take its toll.
To Be Continued…
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