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

Chapter 468 From this day forward, Grell will be your name.

"Huh...huh..."

'Lei' stood still, gripping the blood-dripping stone blade, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for breath.

The surroundings were deathly silent.

The only sounds were the patter of rain and the heavy, terrified breathing of the crowd.

A moment later, an older member of the tribe broke the silence with a trembling voice.

“Lei! You, you actually…” He pointed at Lei, his finger trembling, “You actually killed the clan leader!”

"Clan leader?"

Lei's face, stained with blood and mud, twitched, and he said in a hoarse voice, "When he used Amu as a shield, did he ever think about being the clan leader?"

"A guy who only dared to hide behind my father to survive when facing the Black Stone Tribe, and who only climbed up by brute force after my father's death, does he deserve to be called a tribal chief?"

'Lei' didn't look at them again, nor did he pay any attention to the cold corpses on the ground.

He looked at the figure not far away, and then, under everyone's gaze, he knelt down on the ground without hesitation with a "plop".

His forehead was almost touching the cold, slippery ground, and his hands were outstretched with palms facing up, making a gesture of submission in the tribe.

"If you don't want to die..." He glanced at the stunned and bewildered members of his tribe out of the corner of his eye, and whispered, "Kneel down with me!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback, but before they could react...

"Your head is held too high." A calm, cool voice reached their ears.

The next moment, an invisible, cold and powerful aura surged from not far away.

Everyone, including 'Lei', froze abruptly, as if they had been doused with ice water from head to toe, their blood freezing and their hearts almost stopping!

Like a weak rabbit facing an incomprehensible predator at the top of the food chain, this is an instinctive fear etched deep in our genes.

thump……

Some people's legs went weak, and they could no longer support their bodies, instinctively collapsing to their knees like thunder.

However, some people were overwhelmed by this sudden fear, their reason was overwhelmed, and they lost their ability to think due to the instinct for survival, leaving their minds blank.

He turned around without a second thought, and with all his might, he took off running for his life into the depths of the dense jungle!
However, just as these people turned around, 'Lei', who had been kneeling on the ground with his head down, subconsciously raised his eyes and looked at the figure not far away.

He witnessed a scene he would never forget.

The figure simply stood still, slowly raising its pale, slender hand, and then gently brushing it across its face, as if brushing away non-existent dust.

呲!
With a barely audible sound, Lei and the others felt an invisible, intangible wind silently sweep past their heads.

Immediately, apart from the sound of pouring rain, the scene fell into a deathly silence.

Pfft... Pfft...

A chilling voice came from behind 'Lei' and his group.

Everyone kneeling on the ground, including 'Lei', trembled slightly and moved stiffly, turning their heads little by little to look behind them where the voice came from.

The figures that were sprinting away just a moment ago were now frozen in place, their backs to them, still running forward.

However, under the horrified gazes of the crowd, a very thin line of blood appeared on the necks of those torsos.

Boom!
Several heads, following the blood trail, slowly slid off the necks, their faces still frozen in the last moment of terror, falling to the ground with a dull thud.

The headless torso stood frozen in place for a moment before collapsing limply to the ground, blood gushing from its neck like a fountain, instantly staining a large patch of mud red.

"Gudong!"

Someone swallowed a mouthful of saliva, which was particularly clear in the deathly silence.

Fear overwhelmed them like a tidal wave, causing their bodies to tremble uncontrollably, their teeth to chatter, and even breathing to become incredibly difficult.

"..."

'Lei' slowly turned his head, and a figure had appeared in front of him at some point, hovering on the ground without getting muddy.

A pale white lightning bolt streaked across the distance, casting a long shadow that enveloped 'Lei', causing his breath to catch in his throat and his heart to nearly leap out of his chest.

But he clenched his teeth, forcing his body to stop the pointless trembling, and lowered his head even further, almost burying it in the mud.

Do you hate me?

A calm, cool voice rang out, in a language he could understand.

"Even wild beasts can sense the difference in strength, but those stupid creatures cannot. They have angered the gods and deserve to die."

'Lei' pressed his forehead tightly to the ground, his voice hoarse with fear: "Please, Your Majesty, calm your anger. It was our ignorance and foolishness that led us to offend you."

“We are willing to offer our lowly souls and bodies, begging to become your most loyal and obedient servants. We swear by the blood of our tribe that we will never betray you and will serve you.”

There was only the sound of rain, and the silence was absolute.

“As a human being, you are very intelligent,” the calm voice said again. “Raise your head.”

Upon hearing this, 'Lei' slowly raised his head and saw a pale, slender finger extended in front of him, gradually reaching towards his forehead.

Lei's body tensed instantly, his teeth chattering. He wanted to escape, to hide, but reason made him hold his body firmly in control.

He kept his eyes wide open, using all his strength to force himself to remain motionless, letting the finger get closer and closer until it stopped in front of his forehead.

"Since you have sold your soul to me and willingly become my servant," Otsutsuki Kumoshiki said coldly, "then I will grant you power beyond the mortal realm."

As soon as he finished speaking, the finger that had been resting on Lei's forehead began to crack open at the base, and a drop of bright red blood slowly seeped out and gathered at the fingertip.

Divine Art: High Soul Protection.

"hiss……"

In the already deathly still air, even the sound of rain seemed to have weakened.

All the surviving natives, including 'Ray', instinctively held their breath, their eyes uncontrollably drawn to the drop of blood.

They couldn't hear each other's breathing, only the uncontrollable pounding of their own hearts, thumping and pounding against their eardrums and their souls.

That drop of blood possessed a magnificent yet eerie color, like a work of art; it was not the dark red of ordinary blood, but a rich, lustrous crimson.

Like dewdrops condensing on branches and leaves at dawn, casting bright red and colorful beautiful light and shadow, exuding a unique and enchanting beauty.

The next moment, the drop of blood containing powerful life energy gently dripped down, landing on Lei's forehead, spreading slightly on Lei's skin, and was gradually absorbed by him.

"Ahhhhh!!"

'Lei's' body stiffened abruptly, then burst into a shrill, inhuman wail, collapsing to the ground and curling up, rolling and convulsing wildly in the mud.

On his exposed skin, bluish veins bulged out, protruding and wriggling like earthworms, as if countless live worms were crawling under his skin trying to break free!
His skin was cracked, with fine cuts from which blood seeped. It was as if a raging fire was burning inside his chest, and a scorching stream of air rushed out from his throat, making his throat feel like it was on fire.

pain!

Indescribable pain!

It felt as if every muscle was being torn apart and dissolved by brute force, every bone was being crushed and reassembled, and every nerve was being scorched by fire and then doused with ice water!

but……

"strength!"

A frenzied, bloodthirsty light ignited deep within Lei's eyes.

This is the feeling of power surging in, this is the power he has always longed for!

Hang in there!

We must hold on!

This is a gift from the gods!
"Ho!"

Lei's teeth were clenched tightly together, blood seeping from his gums. His face was twisted and ferocious, and his once smooth teeth began to become sharp and pointed, like those of a wild beast.

His heart was beating more and more violently inside his chest.

The heavy, powerful heartbeat even pierced through the barriers of flesh and bone, resounding clearly in the silence, causing others to look in horror at the figure writhing in pain on the ground.

Visible changes were taking place within his body. Catalyzed by that drop of blood, bones, muscles, fascia, and even deeper cellular tissues were being torn apart and remodeled.

The formation of stronger and denser bones, with muscle fibers coiling and solidifying, deeply embedded beneath the newly formed bones and skin, brings an explosive sense of power.

It didn't last long, but for 'Lei', it felt like several years had passed.

As the excruciating pain slowly receded like the tide, it was replaced by an unprecedented sense of power that filled every cell in my body, burning hot and surging.

"Huff! Huff... Cough cough!"

'Thunder' stopped rolling and convulsing, panting heavily, each breath exhaling a scorching stream of air.

"So powerful, such incredible strength..."

He propped himself up, knelt on the ground, and looked down at his hands, his skin faintly glowing with an inhuman red light.

He tried clenching his fist and could clearly feel that his blood had turned into scorching magma, containing explosive energy, surging endlessly in his blood vessels, bones, and muscles.

Pumped by that throbbing, fiery heart, it reached every corner of my body, raising my temperature to an unbearably hot level for an ordinary person, evaporating even the falling raindrops.

"Thank you, Supreme God, for granting me new life and strength!"

He forcefully suppressed the howl that was about to burst out, straightened his knees again, lowered his head deeply, and said in a trembling, extremely respectful voice, "This humble servant begs for a name."

Otsutsuki Kumoshiki slowly withdrew his hand, looked down at the boy at his feet, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

He raised his gaze, looking past the kneeling crowd before him, towards the verdant land further away where mineral veins lay hidden.

Otsutsuki Kumoshiki thought of the murals in the ruins that he had seen through Orochimaru.

[This is from Chapter 185, "Orochimaru, those who invade the Hollow World, die!" If you've forgotten the foreshadowing, you can go back and take a look.]

Those murals record the rise and fall of an ancient kingdom.

The first mural depicts a towering figure with an obscured face standing in the air, looking down at a frail person below, who is prostrating himself in worship.

The second mural depicts a bare-chested, muscular king holding aloft a radiant stone, illuminating the thousands of worshipping subjects below.

and so……

"From this day forward, Grell will be your name."

Otsutsuki looked down at the boy and said calmly, "With the power I have bestowed upon you, and the treasures buried here, you will establish a kingdom that lasts for a long time."

"I need you to dedicate your life and the foundation you have built to searching for and excavating all the relics on this land for me in the long years to come."

"Whether it's ruins buried deep underground, caves hidden in the mountains, or things that might exist in legends..."

“Anything that is different must be examined for its mark, and all that is found must be presented to me.”

To establish a nation?

'Thunder'... no, Grell's body trembled slightly.

Although he didn't understand what "kingdom" meant, he could grasp the general idea; it probably referred to a larger tribe.
"Yes, thank you, Supreme God, for bestowing upon me a name and granting me new life and great power."

Without any hesitation, he bowed his head respectfully and said, "Greel, I will serve you for all eternity, until the very end of my life, as your humblest and most loyal servant."

"Your will is the meaning of my existence."

"Where your gaze falls is where I will tear at you."

Upon hearing this, Otsutsuki Unshiki gave him a deep look, his gaze calm yet seemingly able to penetrate the skin and see into the depths of the soul.

“Remember what you said today, Grell.”

His tone remained cool and indifferent, yet it seemed to carry an invisible weight, pressing down on Grell: "If... you forget..."

The words stopped abruptly, unfinished, but the unspoken meaning was more chilling to the boy than any threat, as if an invisible blade was hanging over his head.

Grell remained in a prostrate position, his forehead pressed tightly against the cold, slippery mud, without moving for a long time.

After a long while, until the suffocating atmosphere completely dissipated, he cautiously raised his head. All that remained before him was the pouring rain, and the figure had vanished.

"call……"

He exhaled, stood up, looked down at his hands, exerted a little force, his knuckles cracked slightly, and the blood containing surging power within his body flowed endlessly.

He could feel that his vision, hearing, and even his perception of the surrounding environment had become more acute than ever before, and he could even sense the lingering sense of terror in the air.

This is the power that has been bestowed.

This is what it means to be reborn.

“Grell…”

He repeated the new name bestowed upon him by the gods, his voice soft: "'Ray' is dead. From now on, I am Grell."

With that, Grell's lips twitched upwards into a wildly joyful smile, which looked particularly ferocious against the backdrop of blood and grime on his face.

boom!
He suddenly twisted his waist and spun around, his right fist clenched tightly, a faint red glow emanating from under his skin. All the muscles in his body tensed up instantly, and he slammed his fist hard into the giant tree next to him that required several people to hug!

The giant tree, which had grown for who knows how many years, had a crater burst open in its trunk, sending wood chips flying in all directions. Rainwater poured down from its branches and leaves, as if a sudden downpour was taking place.

Click! Click!
Spiderweb-like cracks spread, and the entire giant tree snapped in two.

The thunderous roar of the punch jolted the tribesmen from their daze.

What are you all still standing there for?

Grell withdrew his fist, no longer looking at the tribesmen whose faces showed horror and fear because of his punch, and turned to point into the distance, to the verdant land that Otsutsuki had once gazed upon.

"Look there!" Grell's voice suddenly rose. "The 'treasure' that the great god spoke of is buried there!"

"That is a 'treasure' that can change our destiny, free our tribe from oppression, and grant us boundless power!"

He paused, then slammed his fist into his chest with a dull thud, his eyes burning with ambition: "As long as we get the 'treasure'!"

"As long as you master the power and guidance bestowed by the gods!"

"We will no longer be a weak tribe driven by the Blackrock Tribe, hunted by wild beasts, and struggling to survive in the mud!"

"We will become the most powerful tribe in this mountain forest, on this land!"

"We will rule the entire land, making all tribes tremble at our feet, and all prey, wealth, and women will belong to us!"

Upon hearing this, everyone trembled involuntarily. The blankness and fear in their eyes receded like a tide, replaced by a burning greed, desire, and fervor!
They gazed at Grell's body, which seemed to shatter giant trees and possess boundless power, followed the direction of his finger, and listened to his vivid descriptions of a tangible future...

“Ray…no, Chieftain Grell! Chieftain!” An older member of the tribe was the first to react, his voice trembling with excitement, “We will follow you!”

"Yes! Treasure! Power!"

"The strongest tribe!"

"We are the ones chosen by the gods!"

"Kill those Blackrock Tribe scum!"

"We stole their prey and their women!"

The others also seemed to wake up from their daze, struggling to get up, their faces filled with excitement, fervor, and anticipation.

As Grell watched the flames rekindle in the eyes of his people and sensed the change in their attitude, the smile on his lips deepened.

"very good!"

He turned again, facing the verdant land, his eyes gleaming with a determined light: "Let's go and take back our 'treasure'!"

"Roar!" The tribesmen let out a low, excited roar.

Meanwhile, outside the ninja world, in the dark and boundless starry sky.

Otsutsuki Kumoshiki stood silently on the moon, gazing at the blue planet, where clouds churned and the outlines of continents and oceans were clearly visible.

His main purpose for this trip was to "reverse cause and effect," making past lies seem true, but he also had other needs and considerations.

"The body of Otsutsuki Shibai..." Yun Shi murmured to himself.

(PS: Don't rush to vote with your monthly tickets on the 1st, there will be a bonus chapter for monthly tickets later.)
(End of this chapter)