Chapter 540
Sakura, you don't want to hold Naruto and Sasuke back, do you?
Kakuzu's two heart masks had already been burned off by Amaterasu, and he was desperately cutting off the tentacles that were wrapped in black flames.
Hidan was still suffering from the aftereffects of Tsukuyomi, kneeling on the ground and dry heaving.
Deidara retreated to the cave entrance, his fingers nervously rubbing the clay bag.
Sasori's Hiruko puppet was oozing more chakra threads, clearly preparing for an all-out battle.
Obito, with his single eye hidden beneath the mask, stared intently at Itachi's right eye.
"Ten-Seigan..."
he murmured.
"It seems you know quite a lot."
Uchiha Itachi turned to him, and the pattern on his left eye's Mangekyou Sharingan began to spin rapidly.
"Then you should understand that you can't take anyone away today."
"Insanity!"
Kakuzu's remaining three masks glowed simultaneously.
Lightning Release: False Darkness!
"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
"Fire Escape·Tou Ke Ku!"
The three ninjutsu were combined into a composite ninjutsu, which was then used to directly attack Uchiha Itachi.
But Itachi Uchiha only raised his left hand.
The Wood Release technique created tree trunks around him, forming an arc-shaped wooden shield in front of him.
The three escape techniques struck the wooden shield like waves crashing against rocks, scattering light but failing to penetrate it even slightly.
"..."
He gritted his teeth and took some soil.
"But how long can this level of defense last?"
"enough."
Before he finished speaking, dark red chakra surged from Itachi's body.
The chakra, like a burning flame, quickly condensed and took shape.
First came the ribcage, then the spine, sternum, and skull, followed by the muscles and meridians covering it, and finally, the deep red armor took shape in the chakra.
Susanoo!
A chakra giant, over ten meters tall, stands in the cave, its head almost touching the cave ceiling.
The giant held a shield of light shaped like a Yata no Kagami (a type of ancient Chinese mirror) in his left hand and a longsword burning with black flames in his right.
"Ten-Fist Sword..."
Uchiha Weasel struggled to his feet, a complex light flashing in his eyes.
"You've also reached this stage of development...?"
"more than."
Itachi's voice came from the head of Susanoo.
"Weasel, let me see your resolve. What exactly are you standing here for?"
Uchiha Weasel closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
When he opened his eyes again, there was no more hesitation in those kaleidoscope Sharingan eyes.
Red chakra shot into the sky!
The same sound of bones growing, the same covering of flesh, the same formation of armor.
However, the weasel's Susanoo is more slender and darker in color, and it wields the same chakra weapon in both hands.
The two Susanoo confronted each other in the narrow cave, and the collision of their chakra caused the rock walls to crack.
"So that Sasuke can live... so that Konoha won't be engulfed in war..."
Uchiha Weasel whispered, as if speaking to himself.
"They're all excuses."
Itachi Uchiha's voice came through Susanoo.
"You're just running away, running away from the feeling of powerlessness that you can't find a way to have the best of both worlds within the rules."
"And what about you?!"
Uchiha Weasel roared, and Susanoo's longsword pointed directly at its opponent.
"What have you done, standing on your moral high ground, judging me from another world's perspective?!"
"I did not exterminate the entire clan."
Itachi Uchiha's Susanoo activated.
As the Ten-Fist Sword slashed down, black flames boiled on the blade.
The weasel raised its shield to block, and the Ten-Fist Sword thrust out from the side of the shield.
The moment the two weapons collided, the entire cave trembled violently, and rubble rained down.
"My father taught me something."
While controlling Susanoo to attack, Itachi Uchiha said, "When everyone tells you 'this is the only way,' it often means that they are bound by old frameworks."
The shield and sword clashed once more.
"The conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha? Then create a new political structure that gives the Uchiha reasonable autonomy within Konoha."
Danzo Shimura's threat?
Then suppress him with force, restrain him with public opinion, and undermine him with new rules.
The Totsuka Blade deflected another Totsuka Blade and struck the purple Susanoo's shoulder armor. The armor shattered, but was quickly repaired by chakra.
"You make it sound so easy..."
The weasel gritted its teeth, and the Totsuka Sword suddenly grew longer, transforming into chakra that coiled around the red Susanoo.
"My world doesn't have Kiyoshi, doesn't have that overwhelming power."
So you've resigned yourself to your fate?
Itachi's Susanoo suddenly disintegrated, and his true form passed through the gaps in the chains, instantly appearing in front of the weasel.
"Accept the optimal solution with resignation, slaughter your people with resignation, and bear the burden of everything with resignation."
His palm was placed on the weasel's chest.
"Seal of the Dharma Realm".
The black runes spread like a spider web, instantly sealing off the weasel's chakra flow.
The purple Susanoo suddenly collapsed, turning into specks of light and dissipating.
The weasel's eyes widened, and its body went limp.
Itachi caught him and whispered:
"Accepting fate is the easiest choice, but my father said that a true strong person is one who can create a path when there seems to be no way out."
The cave was completely quiet.
Obito looked at the fallen weasel, then at Itachi, his expression hidden behind his mask.
After a long while, he slowly raised his hand, and space began to distort.
"It seems I really can't take you with me today."
His voice calmed down.
"However, Uchiha Itachi, tell Kiyoshi from that world that the game has only just begun."
The vortex of "Kamui" engulfed the Akatsuki members. Kakuzu, Hidan, Deidara, Sasori, and the unconscious Kisame Hoshigaki were all sucked into another dimension.
The last one to disappear was Obito himself, his one-eyed eye giving Itachi a deep look.
Only the weasel and the unconscious weasel nestled in his arms remained in the cave.
Itachi gently laid his parallel-world counterpart flat and checked his injuries.
The seal is only temporary and will be automatically lifted after twelve hours.
"Feel sorry."
He said in a low voice.
“But I must take you back. Father needs to understand the world… and perhaps you can find different answers in our world.”
He took out a specially made kunai from his pocket, the kind engraved with the Flying Thunder God Technique formula.
Chakra was injected, and the kunai began to glow.
A few seconds later, ripples appeared in the space.
Kiyoshi's voice rang directly in his mind:
"Mission accomplished? Bring him back."
"Yes, Father."
…………
At the same time, in Konoha Village.
Under the shade of the trees in the third training ground, the three members of the seventh squad were sitting together.
"Have you heard? Have you heard?!"
Naruto sat cross-legged, waving a copy of the latest issue of "Ninja World Science" in his hand, which contained an article about the theory of parallel worlds.
"The Hokage really did create a portal to other worlds, and Kakashi-sensei and the others went there!"
Sasuke, with his back against the tree trunk, opened his eyes upon hearing this.
He was wearing the modified dark blue training suit today. After several protests, Kiyoshi finally agreed to change the bright green to a more understated color, but retained the stretchy fabric and protective design at the joints.
"so?"
Sasuke's tone was flat.
"You want to go?"
"Of course I want to!"
Naruto jumped up.
"Just imagine, how interesting it would be to fight against yourself in a parallel universe."
As he spoke, an ice crystal lotus flower condensed in his palm.
Sunlight refracted through the ice crystals, creating a rainbow of colors that prompted Sakura to exclaim softly in amazement.
"Naruto, your Ice Release is getting more and more beautiful..."
"hey-hey!"
Naruto smiled smugly, then looked at Sasuke.
"So, Sasuke, how about we go ask the Hokage together? The three of us together can definitely be of help!"
Sasuke remained silent for a few seconds.
He was indeed interested, not just in the fight, but also in seeing what the world would be like without his father.
What would happen to the Uchiha clan in that world?
"You can give it a try."
Sasuke said in the end.
"But Father might not agree."
How will you know if you don't try!
Naruto pulled Sasuke up and then looked at Sakura.
"Sakura came along too. Maybe Sakura from a parallel universe is a martial arts master."
Sakura Haruno paused for a moment, then smiled wryly:
"I'll pass... I don't even have half your strength, I'd only be a burden if I went."
She was telling the truth.
Born into a commoner family, without a bloodline limit or family secrets, Sakura's only strengths are her theoretical grades and her gradually emerging talent in illusion magic.
However, compared to Naruto's Ice Release combined with Sharingan, or Sasuke's Byakugan combined with Senju physique, the gap is simply too large.
Don't say that!
Naruto scratched his head.
"Sakura's genjutsu is amazing! I almost fell for it during our last practice match!"
"That's because you weren't taking it seriously..."
Sakura whispered, her fingers unconsciously gripping the hem of her clothes.
Sasuke glanced at her and suddenly spoke:
"Let's do it together. Father said that in team operations, the importance of the illusion ninja is no less than that of the main attacker."
Sakura looked up and met Sasuke's dark eyes.
Those eyes remained calm, but seemed to hold something more than usual.
Is it an endorsement, or simply a statement of fact?
"Then... that's fine."
She stood up and patted the grass clippings off her skirt.
"However, if the Hokage disagrees, don't blame me for holding you back."
"No, no!"
Naruto hooked one arm around Sasuke's shoulder and tried to put the other arm around Sakura's shoulder, but Sakura dodged it.
"Our Class 7 is the strongest!"
Naruto smiled again.
When the three arrived at the Hokage Building, Kiyoshi had just finished a meeting with Nara Shikaku.
He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, looking down at the bustling crowds on the street below.
"Come in."
The door was pushed open, and the three children filed in.
Kiyoshi turned around and glanced at them.
Naruto looked eager to try, Sasuke seemed calm but there was anticipation in his eyes, while Sakura lowered her head nervously.
"Lord Hokage!"
"Lord Hokage!"
"Lord Hokage!"
The three of them spoke at the same time.
Kiyoshi walked behind the desk and sat down:
"what's up?"
Naruto spoke first, his words coming out in rapid succession:
"We've heard about the parallel world portal and want to help. Hokage, please let us go! The three of us working together will definitely be fine!"
Kiyoshi listened quietly without giving an immediate reply.
"You think you're so great?"
Kiyoshi said.
"I……"
Naruto was about to say something, but Sasuke interrupted him.
"We still have many shortcomings."
Sasuke nodded.
"But that's precisely why we need real-world experience. Enemies from parallel worlds should be a good whetstone."
A very clever answer. A hint of approval flashed in Kiyoshi's eyes, but it quickly disappeared.
"Naruto, how many Ice Release ninjutsu have you mastered?"
"Seven, seven."
Naruto puffed out his chest.
"I just learned 'Ice Release: Ice Clone' yesterday."
"What about chakra control precision? Is it possible to use other ninjutsu while maintaining Ice Release?"
"This one……"
Naruto choked. Kiyoshi then looked at Sasuke:
"Sasuke, have you learned everything I taught you?"
"not yet."
Sasuke pursed his lips and remained silent.
Kiyoshi looked at Sakura one last time:
"Sakura Haruno, you have the best theoretical score in illusion magic in your grade, but what is the probability of you succeeding in using it in actual combat?"
Sakura lowered her head.
A life-or-death battle is definitely different from a normal sparring match.
"Because your opponents are Naruto and Sasuke, they know your habits and will be on guard subconsciously."
Kiyoshi stood up and walked to the three of them.
"But if you're facing a completely unfamiliar enemy, in a life-or-death battle, there will be many variables."
Silence fell over the office.
Naruto clenched his fists, Sasuke turned his face away, and Sakura's eyes began to redden.
"Want to go to a parallel world?"
Kiyoshi's voice softened.
"We'll talk when you can last even a second against me."
Kiyoshi shook his head.
After all, they are only good at dealing with ordinary ninjas, and they are not enough to deal with stronger ninjas.
They are still too young.
So Kiyoshi walked to the window, with his back to them:
"Naruto, Sasuke, continue training. I want to see you master at least one compound ninjutsu before Kakashi returns."
"……Yes."
The two responded in hushed tones and turned to leave.
As they reached the door, Kiyoshi suddenly spoke:
"Sakura, stay."
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance and closed the door.
Only Kiyoshi and Sakura remained in the office.
The girl stood nervously, her fingers gripping the hem of her clothes tightly.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, gilding her pink hair with a golden edge.
"H-Hokage-sama..."
She whispered.
Kiyoshi walked back to his desk and took a scroll out of the drawer.
"Do you want to become stronger, Sakura Haruno?"
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Kiyoshi's lips.
"Do you want to catch up with Naruto and Sasuke, and truly become an indispensable member of Team 7?"
"You don't want to hold Naruto and Sasuke back, do you, Sakura?"
Sakura suddenly looked up, a strong longing flashing in her emerald green eyes:
"I want to catch up with them."
Even if it comes at a price?
"Any price is acceptable!"
Sakura practically shouted it out, then realized she had lost her composure and her face turned bright red.
"I'm sorry... I mean..."
Kiyoshi smiled.
He opened the scroll, which did not contain ninjutsu, but rather a special training method.
The diagram depicts a complex network of meridians in the human body, marking the nodes and frequencies of chakra flow.
"This is a ninjutsu technique I developed."
Kiyoshi said.
"The principle is to use my chakra as a catalyst to strengthen the practitioner's physical foundation, including bone density, muscle strength, nerve reaction speed, and most importantly, the upper limit of the chakra meridians."
Sakura's eyes widened even more.
"But there's a problem."
Qing Si closed the scroll.
"Accepting this enhancement means your body will gradually adapt to my chakra, in other words..."
He paused, looking at Sakura:
"Your chakra nature will gravitate towards mine, and your body will remember my chakra characteristics. This will make learning the techniques I develop much easier for you, but it might affect your learning of other people's techniques, and..."
Kiyoshi then looked at Sakura:
“Once you accept this transformation, you will be marked with my imprint, and your future cultivation path will be greatly influenced by me.”
Sakura's breathing became rapid.
Many thoughts flashed through her mind: the desire to become stronger, a vague affection for Sasuke, resentment at being a commoner ninja, and a complex mix of awe and admiration for the Hokage...
"I……"
She opened her mouth, her voice trembling slightly.
"I am willing."
Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow:
"Without clarifying all the consequences?"
"The Hokage wouldn't harm me."
Sakura mustered her courage and looked him straight in the eye.
"Moreover... this is my only chance, right? Without a bloodline limit, without family inheritance, the only way to catch up with those geniuses is to take an unconventional path."
A very clear understanding.
Kiyoshi's approval deepened.
After all, in this world, Tsunade did not take Sakura as her apprentice.
Her avenues for advancement were actually quite limited.
"A smart girl."
He stood up and walked over to Sakura.
"Then, let me try it on you first."
Sakura nodded.
Kiyoshi reached out and gently touched Sakura's brow with his index finger.
A gentle yet immense chakra slowly flowed in, coursing through the meridians to the limbs and bones.
At first, it felt warm, like soaking in a hot spring.
But soon, the warmth turned into scorching heat. Wherever the chakra passed, muscle fibers seemed to be torn and reassembled, bones made a faint cracking sound, and the pain of the expanding meridians made Sakura clench her teeth.
"Huh...huh..."
She was breathing heavily and almost couldn't help but let out a soft moan.
"Concentrate your mind and guide your chakra along the path of the diagram."
Kiyoshi's voice rang in my ears.
"Feel every change and remember this feeling. When you practice on your own in the future, you should be able to reproduce this process."
Sakura forced herself to calm down, closed her eyes, and focused all her attention on sensing the flow of chakra within her body.
The pain persisted, but gradually, she began to feel changes.
The muscles are firmer, the bones are stronger, and the flow of chakra is accelerating...
However, Sakura felt her body becoming somewhat sticky.
It appears to be sweat.
After an unknown amount of time, Kiyoshi withdrew his finger.
Sakura's legs went weak and she almost knelt down, but Kiyoshi caught her.
How are you feeling?
"Wow...that's amazing..."
Sakura steadied herself and stretched her arms.
It was the same body, but I felt much lighter and stronger.
She tried to gather chakra, and a ball of chakra quickly appeared in her palm.
Sakura could feel that she was gathering chakra much faster than before.
"This is just the first guidance session; the effects will last for a week."
Kiyoshi walked back to his desk and handed her the scroll.
"Practice for two hours every day using the method described above. I will check your progress after a while. Remember, this process cannot be interrupted, otherwise all your previous efforts will be wasted."
"Yes, thank you, Hokage-sama!"
Sakura accepted the scroll with both hands and bowed deeply.
When she looked up, her eyes shone with an unprecedented brilliance.
Kiyoshi looked at her thoughtfully.
Sakura Haruno is indeed a promising talent.
In the original work, she was a student of Tsunade and achieved remarkable success in medical ninjutsu and superhuman strength.
However, Tsunade in this world is often traveling, and Sakura lacks a guide.
Now, Kiyoshi intends to train her personally.
Not just because of her potential, but also because... she has a certain quality.
Don't let Sakura's lack of popularity fool you.
But his appearance is not bad.
In other words, she has a terrible personality but is good-looking.
The most charming moment of all was when she was a married woman named Sakura.
Compared to Hinata, who is also a wife, Sakura is better maintained and exudes a mature woman's charm.
Of course, these are still far from the future.
Kiyoshi wouldn't actually do anything, but would guide them step by step.
Time has lost its meaning in the face of Qing Si, whose lifespan is now unknown.
His Otsutsuki lineage is even stronger than that of many Otsutsuki clan members.
Moreover, its vitality is so strong that it has long been considered "immortal" to a certain extent.
The only thing they fear is the seal.
Unfortunately, Kiyoshi's sealing techniques were highly skilled, unlike Kaguya Otsutsuki, who was not very knowledgeable about sealing techniques.
Moreover, his eye technique can overwrite reality, allowing him to use his own world to override the rules of the real world.
If anything really happens, Kiyoshi has a way to get out.
Sakura, a married woman… Kiyoshi smiled to himself.
She's still a young, inexperienced girl, but her potential is already evident. With proper nurturing, she could become a valuable asset.
Of course, he wouldn't voice these thoughts.
"Go."
He waved his hand.
"Remember, keep this a secret for now. I'll tell Naruto and Sasuke when the time is right."
"I see!"
Sakura nodded, clutching the scroll as if it were a priceless treasure, and left the office.
After the door closed, Kiyoshi walked back to the window.
Downstairs, Naruto and Sasuke had already started a new round of sparring.
"It's so good to be young..."
He murmured to himself, a slight smile curving his lips.
This world has truly been transformed beyond recognition because of his influence.
However, Kiyoshi already sensed that the project was nearing its end.
All that's needed is to get his divine tree harvesting system on track.
This is also what Qing Si does most now.
…………
Konohagakure, Hokage's office.
As evening fell, the setting sun bathed the room in gold.
Just as Kiyoshi finished processing the last document, there was a knock on the door.
"Please come in."
The door opened, and Rin Nohara walked in.
She was wearing a white medical ninja uniform with a green vest over it, her short brown hair was combed behind her ears, and she had a gentle smile on her face.
Several years have passed, and time seems to have been exceptionally kind to her.
Although she is in her twenties and has given birth, Nohara Rin still looks young, with fair skin and a well-proportioned figure.
With a slender waist, a full heart, and a pert bottom, she exudes the charm of a mature woman.
That was due to the effects of Kiyoshi's blood.
Of course, it also owes much to the "youth preservation techniques" given by Kiyoshi.
"Seiji."
Lin walked to the desk and placed a report on it.
"This is Konoha Hospital's operational report for this quarter, as well as the progress of training a new batch of medical ninjas."
Her voice was soft, but very professional.
Kiyoshi took the report and quickly glanced at it.
"The mortality rate has dropped again, that's good. How are the clinical applications of the newly developed cell regeneration technology performing?"
"Better than expected."
Nohara Rin sat down in the chair opposite him, her legs together and crossed at an angle, in an elegant posture.
“Last week, three seriously injured ninjas received treatment. Their severed limbs regenerated completely without any rejection reaction. However, the chakra consumption was still too great. Currently, only Shizune and I can perform the surgery independently.”
"Take it slow, new technologies take time to become widespread."
Kiyoshi put down the report and looked at Rin.
Her cheeks were a little red, whether from rushing or something else, it was hard to tell.
"Is there anything else?"
"Um……"
Nohara Rin hesitated for a moment.
"It's about Mio."
Nohara Mio, Rin's daughter.
Or rather, it is a clone created by Kiyoshi using Rin's own cells, which can be considered Nohara Rin II.
"What's wrong with Mio?"
Qing Si asked.
He had also given Nohara Mio his blood, so Nohara Mio also awakened some bloodline limits. (End of this chapter)