Chapter 85: Naruto’s Identity Exposed, the Shinobi World Shaken, the Actions of the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Stone

Near Naruto’s home.

A large number of Konoha villagers had gathered here.

Most of them had come because they wanted to apologize to Naruto.

However, they were all stopped by the Anbu.

After all, no one knew whether enemy spies from other villages might be mixed among them.

Now that Naruto’s identity had been completely exposed, he was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and the orphaned son of the Fourth Hokage.

Either of these identities alone was enough for other villages to send people to assassinate him.

As for Naruto...

At this moment, he felt completely lost.

From the fragmented conversations of the people in the distance, Naruto learned bits and pieces of the truth.

His father was the Fourth Hokage.

That great Hokage had sealed the Nine-Tails Fox inside him before his death.

And the rumors in the village that he was the Nine-Tails Fox had actually been spread by the Third Hokage Grandpa, whom he respected the most!

How was that possible?!

How could Hokage Grandpa do something like that?!

If he was the Fourth Hokage’s son, why had he been given such a fate?

Naruto could not accept it at all.

He jumped onto the roof of his house and stared toward the Hokage Rock.

At times, he looked at the stone face of the Fourth Hokage.

At other times, he looked at the stone face of the Third Hokage.

His mind was a complete mess.

When Izumo Shintaro and Aoba Yamashiro arrived, this was the scene they witnessed.

"Shintaro, you came too."

Kakashi greeted the two of them and directly had the Anbu let them through.

Standing beside Kakashi was Iruka Umino.

Both of them were worried about Naruto and could not bring themselves to leave him alone.

"What’s wrong with Naruto?"

Aoba asked curiously.

He knew a little about Naruto’s usual behavior.

The boy often played all sorts of pranks throughout the village, apparently trying to attract people’s attention.

He probably wanted to change the situation of being coldly ignored by everyone.

But now that the villagers wanted to apologize to Naruto, Naruto himself could no longer accept it?

"Well, anyone would have trouble accepting such a huge change in the people around them immediately."

Kakashi exuded an air of dejection.

After personally killing Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, he felt completely empty inside.

He had come here thinking that he could at least take care of his teacher’s orphan.

Yet Naruto now did not want to get close to anyone.

"Although Naruto is young, his feelings are complicated."

"He wants others to genuinely accept him. He can’t immediately accept the villagers’ apologies now."

Iruka sighed as he explained.

Just as he finished speaking, two figures, one large and one small, approached from ahead.

The Anbu hesitated for a moment, unsure whether they should stop them.

It was Fugaku Uchiha and Sasuke Uchiha.

It was worth mentioning that Sasuke also looked mentally exhausted at this moment, his expression listless.

His older brother had become a traitor who had betrayed the entire clan and had even intended to slaughter them all!

He wanted to ask his brother why he had done it, but he had heard that Itachi had been taken away by a mysterious person.

Fortunately, Sasuke usually had a good personality and was well-liked among the Uchiha clan.

The clan members were not about to take their anger out on a child.

"...Reiji said that Sasuke should go and... keep Naruto company. Perhaps the two of them can help each other feel a little better."

Fugaku Uchiha conveyed Reiji’s words in his usual rigid manner.

"Sasuke? But Naruto and Sasuke are always arguing at the Ninja Academy."

Iruka was somewhat confused.

Wouldn’t having Sasuke comfort Naruto have the opposite effect?

Still.

They had no other solution anyway, so they might as well give it a try.

Before long, the two little boys were sitting together.

Naruto said, "The Hokage Grandpa I respected the most turned out to be an unforgivable villain."

Sasuke said, "The older brother I admired the most turned out to be a traitor who betrayed the entire clan."

Both were equally confused.

Both were equally dispirited.

Yet gradually, the two began talking.

Kakashi, Iruka, and the others exchanged glances.

It actually worked?!

The tremendous changes that had occurred in Konoha quickly spread throughout the entire shinobi world.

Hidden Stone Village.

"That fellow Sarutobi Hiruzen was actually killed by a junior from his own village, right inside the village?"

Ōnoki sneered.

He and Sarutobi Hiruzen were roughly from the same generation.

But!

He was different from that useless Sarutobi Hiruzen!

Throughout the entire Third Shinobi World War, he had remained active on the front lines.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, on the other hand, had stayed in the village and directed things from behind the scenes, never going to the battlefield himself.

How could Ōnoki possibly respect someone like that?

"According to our informants in Konoha, Uchiha Reiji, who killed Sarutobi Hiruzen, used a strange ninjutsu. It was a golden giant formed from chakra, several stories tall, with tremendous strength and seemingly unstoppable power."

Ōnoki’s son, Kitsuchi, reported seriously.

Hearing this, Ōnoki’s eyes immediately narrowed.

A giant formed from chakra?

Could it be...

"...Susanoo!"

Ōnoki squeezed the word out with difficulty.

His mind immediately recalled a humiliating incident from the past.

Back then, he had gone to Konoha together with his teacher, the Second Tsuchikage, to sign an alliance agreement with Konoha.

Instead, Uchiha Madara had directly activated Susanoo and humiliated them.

"There is no alliance. In the face of Konoha’s power, all you can do is submit."

Those were Uchiha Madara’s words at the time.

Ōnoki still remembered them clearly.

Back then, he and Mū, who had not yet become the Second Tsuchikage, had been completely powerless in the face of that overwhelming force!

"Konoha really does produce a lot of geniuses."

Ōnoki shook his head and dispelled those memories.

His strength had long since surpassed what it had been back then.

Even if he encountered Uchiha Madara’s Susanoo again, he could at least fight back with Dust Release!

Unfortunately.

The Hidden Stone Village was nothing like Konoha.

There were simply no geniuses capable of inheriting his Dust Release.

"Prepare to launch a war against the Land of Fire. Bring that brat Deidara along as well!"

After thinking for a moment, Ōnoki issued his order.

Konoha had just undergone such a tremendous upheaval.

Of course they had to take advantage of the situation!

Hidden Sand Village.

The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, did not make any moves.

The Hidden Sand Village was already so poor that it was barely able to survive.

He could only personally mine gold in the desert to maintain the village’s expenses.

Even if he wanted to attack Konoha and make some gains, he first had to see how the situation developed.

The only thing he felt was regret over was the truth behind the death of the Konoha White Fang.

He had never expected such a powerful shinobi to have died because of political scheming, driven to suicide by deliberately spread rumors.

Likewise.

In the Hidden Mist Village of the Land of Water, even the Mizukage was currently under Obito’s control.

Unless Obito issued an order through the Mizukage, the Hidden Mist had no spare capacity to launch an operation against Konoha.

Hidden Cloud Village.

"Uchiha Reiji... Is that the brat who defeated Darui?"

The Fourth Raikage quickly recalled the name.

Back then, he had wanted Darui to take first place in Konoha’s Chunin Exams and humiliate Konoha.

Instead, Darui had been eliminated during the very first match of the third stage.

And the person who eliminated Darui was precisely this Uchiha Reiji!

At the time, it had made him so furious that he smashed his desk!

"That’s right."

The Raikage’s aide, Dodai, answered:

"Sarutobi Hiruzen was killed, and the entire Sarutobi clan was wiped out."

"Before that, Danzō and his Root organization were also completely wiped out by Uchiha Reiji."

"That brat’s strength has increased far too quickly."

The Fourth Raikage could not help but feel wary.

Darui, whom he had placed great hopes in, had only just reached the level of an elite jonin.

Yet Uchiha Reiji had already reached the point where he could kill the Hokage inside Konoha Village!

It had only been a few years ago that the two of them had participated in the Chunin Exams together!

If Uchiha Reiji were allowed to grow for a few more years, who knew what level his strength would reach?

The Fourth Raikage pondered for a moment before asking:

"What’s the situation in Konoha now? Who will take over as Hokage? That brat Uchiha Reiji?"

"That... We haven’t received any news about that. But one thing is certain: Uchiha Reiji has not taken over the position of Fifth Hokage."

Dodai frowned as he answered.

He also could not figure out what was happening in Konoha.

The Uchiha clan’s coup had already succeeded.

The Third Hokage had been killed.

And Uchiha Reiji still did not intend to become Hokage?

What exactly was that brat planning?

"Then what are we waiting for?!"

The Fourth Raikage immediately made his decision.

"Prepare to invade the Land of Fire!"

Konoha did not even have a Hokage right now.

If they did not invade the Land of Fire while they had such a perfect opportunity, it would be a waste!

Soon.

Large numbers of shinobi began mobilizing in both the Hidden Stone Village and the Hidden Cloud Village.

One force moved from the direction of the Land of Grass.

The other moved from the direction of the Land of Hot Water.

Yet both had the same target.

The Land of Fire.

Konoha!

If you want to read 60 Chapters ahead of the public release, head over to: Patreon.com/RedString