Naruto: I, who fooled the ninja world, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 418 Listen Up, You Fools Fighting Inside Yourselves
"Medical supplies inspection complete!"

"Grain inventory complete!"

"Headbands being distributed..."

The vast plains outside the capital city are no longer as empty as they used to be.

Instead, there was an endless expanse of people and tents, which had been transformed into a temporary supply distribution point for the Allied Shinobi Forces.

Tens of thousands of ninjas gathered here. Uchiha Sasuke stood in the slowly moving ranks, his black stand-up collar shirt bearing the Uchiha clan's fan crest, which was particularly eye-catching.

Compared to the group of adult ninjas of varying builds from different villages around him, he appeared rather thin and frail.

But the youthful innocence on his face had faded, and he no longer possessed the exuberance expected of someone his age. Instead, he displayed a calm composure that came with experience, moving forward with the flow of people and glancing around at his surroundings.

At dozens of makeshift supply points, logistics ninjas were distributing supplies: explosive tags, kunai, shuriken, first-aid kits, and brand-new headbands...

"Next!" the genin in charge of distributing headbands said without looking up.

As the person in front left, Sasuke stepped forward and gave his name and code.

The genin's gaze paused briefly on the name "Uchiha Sasuke" on the list, then he looked up and sized up the young genius before handing him a headband.

"Thank you." Sasuke reached out and took it, the coldness of the metal headband seeping into his fingertips.

He looked down at the new headband, which no longer bore any familiar patterns, but only the character "忍" (endure). His fingertips unconsciously traced the engraving, and a complex look flashed in his eyes.

"Next!" the ninja continued to shout.

Sasuke gripped his headband tightly, silently walked to the side, tied it to his forehead, and raised his eyes to scan the scene before him.

Ninjas dressed in various styles of ninja attire mingled together, their distinct styles of clothing coexisting under the same sky.

This was the first time Uchiha Sasuke had realized it so clearly.

In the war to come, there will be no more distinctions between individuals, families, and villages; everyone will be integrated into the community of "ninjas" and "humans".

Many people cast curious glances at him; his youthful appearance was indeed striking in this area where Chunin gathered.

Compared to the Fourth Shinobi World War in the original work, the current Fifth Shinobi World War is three years earlier, and Sakura Haruno, Shikamaru Nara, and others are still just inexperienced genin.

Sasuke, at only thirteen years old, had already become a Chunin after awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan, and had also taken over the position of Uchiha clan leader, which was temporarily held by Uchiha Yakumi.

If it weren't for the fact that promotion to Jonin requires sufficient experience and mission contributions, he would have been eligible for a Jonin nomination long ago, given his current strength and status.

But Sasuke felt no pride, only a heavy sense of urgency.

That man became a Chunin at the age of ten, and by thirteen he was already a captain of the Anbu, committing the crime of massacring his clan.

And Naruto, at that age, mastered the power of the Nine-Tails, single-handedly stormed into the Daimyo's mansion, killed the Daimyo in full view of everyone, and then defected...

The thought of Naruto brought to mind his resolute figure, causing Sasuke's heart to clench and a dull ache to rise within him. His fists clenched silently at his sides, his knuckles turning white.

"Wow! This is the Allied Shinobi Forces' new headband, it's pretty good!"

A slightly eccentric voice entered Sasuke's ears, interrupting his thoughts and causing him to subconsciously turn his head to look at the boy and girl behind him.

The girl had her hair in two buns, while the boy next to her was wearing a green bodysuit, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. He was examining the headband he had just received with an excited expression.

The two looked to be around his age; were they also Chunin?

Sensing Sasuke's gaze, the boy with thick eyebrows turned his head sharply and saw the clan crest on Sasuke's clothes; his eyes lit up instantly.

"Oh!"

He rushed over in one stride, almost touching Sasuke, and exclaimed with delight, "You wouldn't happen to be that Uchiha clan genius, Uchiha Sasuke, would you?"

This guy's speed...

Sasuke's pupils contracted slightly, and his tense body instinctively leaned back.

"Li! That's incredibly rude!"

The girl with the bun quickly stepped forward and pulled the overly excited Rock Lee back a bit.

Immediately, she turned to Sasuke with a smile, bowed slightly apologetically, and said, "I'm sorry, he's always so impulsive. My name is Tenten, and his name is Rock Lee."

Sasuke Uchiha snapped out of his daze, regained his balance, and put on a polite smile: "I am Sasuke Uchiha, hello."

He paused for a moment, then realized the two looked familiar and asked, "Are you... graduates a year ahead of me?"

"That's right!"

Tian Tian nodded repeatedly, then said somewhat dejectedly, "When we graduated, we hadn't yet experienced the later reforms of the Ninja Academy, so we started missions right after graduation."

After saying that, she looked at Sasuke with some curiosity and asked, "Sasuke, what about you? Your year should have been affected by the school's restructuring, which allowed you to extend your graduation time, right?"

"Why didn't you choose to continue your studies? You went to the battlefield so early?"

Sasuke's smile faded slightly. After a moment of silence, he said in a low voice, "Because there is someone I must bring back personally."

Hearing this, Rock Lee and Tian Tian exchanged a glance. Rock Lee grinned, revealing a set of white teeth: "What a coincidence! We also have someone we must bring back personally!"

Uchiha Sasuke paused for a moment, his mind flashing with memories, and blurted out, "The person you want to bring back is Hyuga Neji?"

Almost simultaneously, Tenten also spoke up: "The person you want to bring back is Naruto Uzumaki?"

After they finished speaking, the two looked at each other with helpless smiles on their faces, as if they were both feeling helpless about having such a troublesome friend.

"No problem, Sasuke! You're a genius among geniuses, I believe you can definitely bring your friend back!"

Rock Lee patted Sasuke's shoulder hard, encouraging him with great enthusiasm: "Tenten and I will also do our best, risking everything, to bring Neji back!"

The force of the pat on the shoulder made Sasuke's eye twitch involuntarily.

"A genius...?" He shook his head. "I'm not a genius."

Once upon a time, he also thought he was a genius. He awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan at the age of twelve, far surpassing his peers and being regarded by his clan as the future of the Uchiha clan.

But until that dusk, on the edge of the cliff, watching that figure disappear into the darkness of the night, I couldn't even stop him.

At that moment, Sasuke realized that he had been immersed in his own world all along, and had been taken care of by Naruto all along, but had been completely unaware of Naruto's pain and struggle.

The strength that one is so proud of is utterly insignificant in the face of the opponent.

But these eyes I possess now...

Sasuke unconsciously raised his hand and gently brushed his lower eyelids.

These Mangekyou Sharingan, which harbor immense power, did not originate from hatred.

Rather, it is the power that arises from the desperate attempt to salvage one's situation after recognizing one's own weakness, powerlessness, and arrogance, amidst regret.

This power is not for proving any genius, but for one sole purpose.

Find Naruto.

See clearly the path he has walked, and understand everything he has carried.

Then stand before him, and with these eyes, with this powerful force, bring Naruto back.

Seeing the complex look in Sasuke's eyes, Tenten sighed softly and said, "Whether it's Neji or Naruto, they must have their own reasons."

"But we believe that as long as we meet and can still have a conversation, there is definitely room for reconciliation."

“That’s right!” Rock Lee nodded emphatically, his fist clenched. “This is youth! No matter how difficult it is, as long as you don’t give up, you can definitely do it!”

Just then, the various squads began to assemble, and the once noisy camp was now filled only with the sound of hurried footsteps.

"It's about to begin." Tian Tian's expression turned serious.

Rock Lee extended his fist to Sasuke, his eyes burning with determination, and said, "Let's work hard together, Sasuke! On the battlefield, you'll show me the true strength of this Uchiha genius!"

As Sasuke watched the fist, covered in old and new scars and calluses, extend towards him, he paused slightly, then raised his hand and gently touched the fist.

The three nodded to each other, then turned and walked towards their respective teams, merging into the rapidly forming square formations.

Sasuke glanced to the side and saw Tenten walk into the second division, which was designated as the "mid-range combat squad".

Rock Lee then walked towards the "Third Division - Close-to-Mid Range Support Squad," which was the most physically demanding, and stood in front of Might Guy, who was wearing the same green bodysuit, gesturing as if to say something.

"So he really is a taijutsu ninja?" Sasuke thought to himself, realizing, "Might Guy's disciple?"

He didn't immediately recognize the name, but when he saw Rock Lee's iconic green bodysuit, he remembered.

This guy often goes on all sorts of exaggerated physical training with Matt Kai around the village, from frog jumps to handstand walking, they do everything they can, from morning till night.

These two were a unique "landscape" in Konoha.

Might Guy, as the owner of "Gluttony," single-handedly fought against "Espada Seven" during the Akatsuki invasion, earning him a formidable reputation in Konoha and even among the Allied Forces.

However, in the eyes of most people, including Sasuke, Might Guy, who honed his taijutsu to a monstrous level, was a unique and unrepeatable exception.

Therefore, Sasuke hadn't paid much attention to the boy who was always by Guy's side, who seemed equally "overly enthusiastic."

but……

Sasuke glanced at the shoulder where he had just been patted; there seemed to be a lingering pain there.

I recall Lee Rock's hands, which, despite being only fourteen years old, were already covered with thick calluses and various small scars, and his knuckles were unusually large...

If I'm not mistaken, Rock Lee is probably carrying an extremely terrifying burden.

Sasuke had been used to being praised as a "genius" from all sides since he was a child, but Rock Lee's performance was different from everyone he had ever met.

He didn't see the usual admiration, envy, or longing in Lee Rock's eyes; instead, he saw an extremely pure desire to challenge.

The way Rock Lee looked at him was like he was looking at prey.

"That guy is a madman who treats geniuses as rivals and prey," Sasuke thought to himself.

Before Neji Hyuga defected, Rock Lee must have regarded that universally acknowledged genius of the Hyuga clan as a target he had to strive to catch up with.

Although Sasuke left Konoha for the capital shortly after Neji Hyuga's defection, he did not witness Rock Lee's subsequent condition.

But he was almost certain that after losing that respected rival and close friend, this madman must have undergone even more rigorous, insane, and possibly self-destructive training.

because……

He did the same thing himself.

After witnessing Naruto's departure, feeling powerless and regretful, and after awakening his Mangekyou Sharingan, Sasuke also threw himself into hellish training.

He wasn't just getting used to new eyes; he was pushing himself to the limit in every aspect that could improve his strength, including physical skills, archery, spearmanship, and ninjutsu.

That burning desire to become stronger, strong enough to reverse the established facts and bring his misguided best friend back on track, was the same as Rock Lee's... "Fifth Division, assemble!" A shout interrupted Sasuke's thoughts.

Sasuke took a deep breath, suppressed the thoughts in his mind, calmed his eyes again, and strode towards the Fifth Division.

Whether the opponent is the Evil God Cult, the Akatsuki, the Espada, or anything else, he is prepared.

Use these eyes to see the truth and change your destiny!
Bring back that fool who thinks he can shoulder everything alone!
"Sasuke!"

Just then, a surprised female voice came from the side. Sasuke turned his head and saw Yamanaka Ino running towards him.

Behind him followed Nara Shikamaru, who looked lazy and rested his hands on the back of his head, and Akimichi Choji, who was stuffing a handful of potato chips into his mouth out of nervousness.

"Sasuke, you're from the Fifth Division too!"

Ino Yamanaka ran up to him and naturally reached out to hug Sasuke's arm, laughing, "If Sakura knew, she'd be so envious of me."

Even back in his time at the Ninja Academy, Sasuke had become accustomed to the affectionate gestures of several girls, including Ino Yamanaka, and didn't react much to them.

"Is Sakura in the 8th Division, which is in charge of medical logistics?" he simply asked.

"Yes."

Ino nodded, somewhat gloating, and said, "She has to follow the combat troops around, ready to provide support at any time, after all, she has great stamina."

"Come on, do you think our Fifth Division will have it any easier?" Nara Shikamaru's helpless voice rang out at the right time.

He walked closer, glanced at the assembled troops around him, and said, "Nothing is surprising in war."

"Even if we divide the responsibilities among the squads, it's impossible to follow the plan exactly when a battle actually starts. We'll definitely have to adjust our deployment based on the battlefield situation. It's such a hassle..."

"Hey, Shikamaru!" Ino released Sasuke, put her hands on her hips, and said with displeasure, "Can you please not spoil the fun at a time like this!"

Choji noticed Sasuke looking at him, hesitated for a moment, and then handed the nearly empty bag of potato chips in his hand to Sasuke, his small eyes filled with reluctance.

Sasuke looked at him, said nothing, only said "thank you", and then took out two or three pieces from the open bag.

Seeing that there were still quite a few chips left in the bag, Choji, who had been staring intently at the chips, breathed a sigh of relief and a happy expression appeared on his face.

"By the way," Sasuke asked Shikamaru, "do you know who the captain of our Fifth Division is?"

Upon hearing this, Shikamaru's expression turned somewhat strange. Just as he was about to say something, a noticeable commotion suddenly arose in the distance, and someone shouted, "They're here!"

Shikamaru gestured towards the direction of the sound with his chin and said lazily, "Look, isn't that it? See for yourself."

Sasuke and the others simultaneously raised their heads and looked up at the towering walls of the capital.

Under the watchful eyes of countless people, seven figures stepped out from behind the wall, lined up in a row, and looked down at the assembled, dark mass of the Allied Ninja Army below.

"Second Division, mid-range combat squad leader, our Konoha Jonin, Hayate Gekko," Nara Shikamaru introduced in a low voice, his eyes narrowed.

Sasuke saw that somewhat thin, sickly figure who coughed lightly from time to time.

"Third Division, Close Combat Squad Leader, Jonin of Iwagakure, Huang Tu." That was an exceptionally burly and tall Iwagakure man.

"Fourth Division, Close-to-Mid Range Support Squad Leader, Hatake Kakashi." Kakashi stood there, still looking listless.

"And then, there's our Fifth Division, the captain of the long-range combat squad..."

At this point, Shikamaru paused for a moment, his expression somewhat subtle, and said, "The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi."

Sasuke's gaze fell on the aged figure clad in light black armor, his eyes flickering.

He never expected that Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been sidelined since Danzo's defection, would make a comeback.

"Sixth Division, Special Combat Squad Leader, General of the Land of Iron, Mifune." A samurai general with a serious face and a solemn aura.

"Finally, it's the Allied Forces Command..."

Shikamaru paused for a moment, looking at the leading figure, then gave a helpless "I knew it" look, muttering under his breath, "That Raikage is really lazy..."

The person in charge was not the Fourth Raikage, who theoretically should be in that position.

Instead, it was Hyuga Kumokawa, the supreme commander of the Allied Shinobi Forces.

"This is getting a bit complicated," Nara Shikamaru sighed.

As if to verify his idea, a commotion broke out in the allied forces.

This arrangement is clearly not something everyone can accept readily.

"whispering sound!"

From the ranks of the Third Division, a loud, undisguised smacking of the lips could be heard.

"What's going on? Shouldn't it be Lord Raikage?"

Karui crossed her arms, her face full of displeasure, and complained, "Does that Hinata Kumokawa really like to show off?"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it sounded somewhat harsh.

However, no sooner had she finished speaking than a cold female voice came from behind her.

"What did you say?"

Upon hearing this, Karui frowned and turned to look, seeing a girl dressed in dark, tight-fitting clothes, with white bandages wrapped around her hands and her calves tightly bound, staring coldly at her.

The girl's long hair was tied back, revealing a face covered in frost and a pair of pure white eyes.

"Huh? You and that guy are from the same clan, right?"

Karui's face immediately showed a cold smile, and he said sarcastically, "You haven't forgotten so quickly what your Konoha hero did to our Kumogakure back then, have you?"

"Azi died at that guy's hands. If it weren't for him, how could Lord Samui have become..."

"I think it's your Hidden Cloud Village that has forgotten?"

The girl with the white eyes said coldly, "We, the Hyuga clan, have never forgotten the fact that they tried to kidnap me back then, and after failing, they threatened us with war to force us to hand over the murderer."

Upon hearing this, Karui paused for a moment, squinting at the girl: "I thought it was someone else, but it turns out to be the eldest daughter of the 'main family'."

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she exaggeratedly slapped her forehead: "Oh, sorry, sorry, I forgot."

"I heard that something happened to your Hyuga clan. It seems that there are only a few people left in the main family, right? You can't really be considered a young lady anymore."

Without a doubt, the girl in front of me, exuding an aura of coldness that keeps strangers at bay, is Hinata Hyuga.

The upheaval in her family, the tragic death of her father, and the betrayal by her trusted brother had long since sharpened the once timid and gentle young lady into a ruthless blade.

Karui's words undoubtedly struck Hinata's deepest wound, making her eyes turn dangerous.

Such tense scenes are not isolated incidents.

Almost at the same time that Hinata and Karui were confronting each other, similar quarrels and chaos broke out in many places within the Allied Forces.

"You bastards from Konoha! What are you looking at?!"

"You want to fight, huh? You Cloud Village bastards! We're not afraid of you!"

"Hmph, who knows if you guys will stab me in the back again once a fight breaks out!"

"Hey! What are you saying? Do you want to die?"

"My brother was killed by Iwagakure! We haven't settled that score yet!"

The hatred, suspicion, and old grudges that had accumulated between ninjas from different villages for decades were like a dry powder keg, easily ignited by a tiny spark.

The scene quickly descended into chaos, with shouts, curses, and even the sound of weapons being drawn filling the air.

"These guys..."

On the high wall, a hint of helplessness flashed in Kakashi Hatake's dead fish eyes as he looked at Hyuga Kumokawa, who stood in front of him seemingly indifferent.

Watching the commotion spread rapidly around them, Yamanaka Ino frowned with worry and said in a low voice, "It seems that it won't be so easy to really unite everyone."

“There’s no way around it. The five great nations have been enemies for decades, with blood debts accumulating. It’s not so easy to let bygones be bygones,” Uchiha Sasuke said.

"Especially between our Konoha and Kumogakure..."

As he spoke, his gaze swept past the commotion of the crowd and landed in Hinata Hyuga's direction.

Hinata Hyuga's eyes suddenly bulged with veins as she stared at Karui: "As expected, it will be much quieter if we get rid of you menaces first."

Karui was equally defiant, grabbing the hilt of the sword behind her back and sneering, "I couldn't be happier!"

The air seemed to freeze, and a fight was about to break out...

hum! !

At this critical moment, a terrifying pressure that almost materialized suddenly crashed down without warning!

In that instant, everyone clearly felt the "gaze".

A pair of eyes watching, looking down from the sky, looking down from a high place.

That gaze wasn't fierce, yet it seemed to pierce through one's soul.

Under their gaze, everyone felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over their heads, instantly extinguishing their anger, hatred, and agitation.

A primal shiver ran up the spine, sending chills down everyone's spine and making their hair stand on end.

silence.

It swept through the entire coalition at an incredible speed.

The scene, which was as noisy and chaotic as boiling water just a second ago, froze completely at this moment. All the arguing, shouting, and drawing of knives were frozen in place.

The group, including Hinata Hyuga and Karui, looked up stiffly at the figure on the high wall.

"Listen up, you idiots who are fighting amongst yourselves."

Hinata Kumokawa's voice clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

"This is not an exercise, not child's play, not a conflict or friction, and certainly not a game of make-believe."

"This is war!" he said coldly.

"The war between mankind and the gods has begun."

(How can anyone still think I'll ruin the ending? I've already written the outline, I've already written the ending, and I've made sure the logic of the whole book is coherent. Just read it with confidence.)
(I just feel so bad having to write during the Chinese New Year. I originally thought I could finish writing and have a good holiday during the New Year, but now I have to work hard writing during the New Year. lol)

(End of this chapter)