Being a rogue ninja is worse than being Hokage.

Shikamaru formed hand seals, and the dark shadow beneath his feet changed shape, eventually transforming into a tangible black pillar that supported the ruins that buried Yamanaka Inoichi.

"father!"

Ino exclaimed and pulled Yamanaka Inoichi out of the ruins.

Yamanaka Inoichi was at the true epicenter of the explosion, and his injuries were even more severe than Choji's.

But he still managed to force himself to maintain his composure through sheer willpower.

"Ino, where's the dragonfly?"

Having been rescued, Yamanaka Inoichi was more concerned about his comrades in the intelligence department than his own safety.

The "dragonfly" he mentioned is actually named Tobitake Dragonfly. Three years ago, during the Chunin Exams, he was appointed as the proctor for the written exam. He was a man whose head was wrapped in white bandages and whose eyes were covered with a ninja headband.

As Yamanaka Inoichi's subordinate in the intelligence department, this time he, along with two other ninjas, Dokura Kyou and Seishimon, worked together to assist Yamanaka Inoichi in using the Mind-Reading Technique on Amegakure ninja Konan.

However, Ino was unable to answer her father's question.

His father, Yamanaka Inoichi, was able to survive the explosion because he received help from others.

When Naruto suddenly appeared in the interrogation room, the three closest to Yamanaka Inoichi were Tobitake Tobi, Dokuro Kyō, and Seishimon.

They had all died in the explosion, with Flying Bamboo Dragonfly's death being the most gruesome. He was inexplicably cut in half at the waist during the explosion, his body split in two.

"I'll give you emergency treatment now!"

Ino decisively changed the subject. Although her medical skills were not as good as Sakura's, it was enough to provide first aid and save Yamanaka Inoichi's life.

"His injuries are too severe; your treatment will be almost useless. You should hand him over to the Hokage for treatment."

Just as Ino was about to unleash her Palm Healing Technique, a deep voice sounded beside her.

In the blink of an eye, the ANBU ninjas wearing animal masks surrounded Yamanaka Inoichi and Ino.

Who are you?!

Immediately afterwards, Ino heard Shikamaru's wary question.

“We are not enemies. I am ‘Light’, a member of the Anbu Guard directly under the Hokage.”

The deep voice that had previously warned Ino immediately indicated that it meant no harm and reassured Shikamaru. He crouched down and observed Yamanaka Inoichi's condition further through his mask.

"Don't waste any more time! His head, hands, abdomen, and internal organs are severely damaged. If we continue to waste time like this, even the Hokage might not be able to save him."

Ino looked at Yamanaka Inoichi, who still retained his will but was already delirious, and decisively said, "I understand, thank you for your help."

With Ino's consent, who was a family member, Akari directed her subordinates to carefully protect Yamanaka Inoichi.

The next moment, they used the Body Flicker Technique to take Yamanaka Inoichi away from the ruins of the intelligence department.

Only the squad leader, Deng, remained in place.

He relayed the orders given to Shikamaru and Ino by the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade.

"You will now form a temporary ninja squad with me to prepare for the enemy's next attack!"

The lingering alarm sound prevented Shikamaru and Ino, both Chunin, from objecting to Akari's orders, who was a Jonin.

Then the lamp's gaze fell on Sakura, who was treating Choji: "As for you, you should be the Hokage's disciple, Haruno Sakura, right?"

Sakura's identity is different from Shikamaru and Ino's; she is a proper medical ninja.

In the heart of Konoha, which has become a battlefield, Sakura fulfills the duties expected of a medical ninja.

"The Hokage has already issued an order to coordinate the medical ninjas. You should also leave the front line immediately. If the enemy attacks again, the casualties will definitely be more than what we have now! As a medical ninja, your battlefield is in the rear."

"The medical ninjas in the rear shouldn't need me; I can fight on the front lines...!"

Unlike Shikamaru and Ino, Sakura strongly protested against the lantern's command.

"Sakura!"

Shikamaru interrupted Sakura.

He knew what Sakura was thinking, and Ino knew it too.

Knowing that Sakura is more inclined to preach than to Ino, who is reluctant to offer advice to her close friend, Shikamaru feels it is his responsibility to take on the role of lecturing Sakura among the group.

"The horrific scene before your eyes is real, and the one who caused this reality is Naruto."

Shikamaru stood up from the ground and revealed the truth deep in Sakura's heart that she couldn't bear to look at: "Right now, you have no chance of fighting Naruto."

"Shikamaru...you're too blunt!!"

Ino couldn't help but scold Shikamaru for his inconsiderate words towards Sakura.

"There's no time for roundabout advice right now. Ino, you should try to understand me sometimes. I'm trying to adjust my mood too."

Shikamaru's gaze fell upon the ruins of the intelligence department, which had stood just minutes before. Most of his comrades, who were alive and well a moment ago, were now buried forever under the rubble by Naruto's attack.

"Konoha taught Naruto what 'hatred' was in the past, and now Naruto brings 'revenge' back to Konoha... Naruto chooses to join the cycle called 'hatred.' When someone dies, someone else will feel hatred. Human beings' rich emotions mean that they are animals dominated by 'revenge.' Avengers all have their own legitimate reasons for 'revenge.' From this moment on, the relationship between Konoha and Naruto is no longer a simple matter of right and wrong, but simply that of enemies."

Shikamaru glanced at Choji one last time and said to Sakura, "If Choji had died in front of me to protect me, even I would have been furious with you."

That's all there is to say; there's no need to say anything more.

“You haven’t made a choice yet, so just ‘run away’ this time. Running away isn’t always shameful—I’m counting on you, Choji.”

Having witnessed Naruto's ruthless attack on his former Konoha comrade, Shikamaru has made his own choice.

He walked over to Ino and Akari, indicating that he was ready.

Before Naruto's next attack, which could happen at any time, they had to race against time to defend against it.

The hastily formed "Light" squad disappeared before Sakura's eyes, leaving only Sakura, who was still using the Palm Healing Technique, and Choji, who was unconscious from his injuries, on the ruins.

……

……

The Hokage's office, on the roof.

"Princess Tsunade, what are you doing?!"

Even with Tsunade, now the Hokage, ordering the entire Hidden Leaf Village to enter a state of combat readiness, an "outsider" still managed to disregard the Hokage's orders and appear on the roof of the Hokage's office, which is currently the most heavily guarded place.

His tone was even more accusatory towards Tsunade, displaying an attitude of superiority over Tsunade, who was the Hokage.

The white-haired man and woman are the two advisors of the Konoha Advisory Group. They are Konoha ninjas who were active during the time of the First Hokage and the Second Hokage, and were also teammates who fought alongside the Third Hokage—Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.

"Why are you still unmoved by Naruto Uzumaki's invasion of Konoha!"

Koharu and Homura, in turn, verbally pressured Tsunade.

"With the intelligence unclear at this time, it is easy for the enemy to turn the tables on us. It is not my responsibility to teach you this kind of thing."

Tsunade didn't even bother to look at the two senior advisors of Konoha.

Her dismissive attitude greatly displeased Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.

The three disciples of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, all had very similar attitudes towards them: Orochimaru ignored them, Tsunade looked down on them, and Jiraiya, who seemed easy to talk to on the surface but never listened to any opinions.

"Let's finish this inappropriate lecture later. If there's nothing else, why don't you two leave first? It seems you two haven't given up yet and are willing to contribute to Konoha at this moment, standing on the front lines?"

Tsunade has never liked these guys in the Konoha Advisory Council, and Shimura Danzo, who was not present at the scene, was the advisory elder that Tsunade hated the most.

Fortunately, Danzo did not come. Of the three senior advisors, only Danzo had the power to rival the Hokage faction, so his opinion needed to be carefully considered.

As for Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, Tsunade doesn't have time to argue with them right now.

"How's the situation? Mute it."

Sometimes, learning Orochimaru's attitude of ignoring things can indeed save you a lot of trouble. Tsunade left Koharu and Homura Mitokado aside and asked Shizune, who had just arrived on the roof.

"Yes! Mr. Inoichi's condition has stabilized. I have some information that Mr. Inoichi has obtained to report..."

Shizune spoke breathlessly, then she saw Tsunade leap into the air, raising her leg high to strike down at her.

The current situation was so inexplicable that Jingyin was at a loss as to how to deal with it.

Before Shizune could react, Tsunade's powerful, monstrous kick had already landed, causing a large-scale change in the terrain on the rooftop beside Shizune!

A warm, moist spray splashed onto Silent's face.

The concrete rubble destroyed by Tsunade's monstrous strength turned into sharp blades that slashed Tsunade's cheek.

The dampness on Shizune's face was the blood overflowing from the wound on Tsunade's face.

Tsunade, who possesses terrifyingly precise control over chakra, got so excited that she accidentally injured herself… Just who is she—

—The answer is obvious.

"Shouldn't we listen to the full report first? Perhaps Yamanaka Inoichi's report reveals my weaknesses, doesn't it?"

The boy's voice rang out.

That was a strange voice that Shizune had never heard before in Konoha.

"Uzumaki...Naruto!"

Tsunade turned her head and looked at the boy who had dodged her monstrous attack without a scratch.

Just as Jiraiya had said, the boy had the same yellow hair as his father, Minato Namikaze, but his appearance was more like his mother, Kushina Uzumaki.

The child of a hero who died protecting Konoha has become an enemy of Konoha, and now he is unleashing his hatred upon Konoha for the second time.

Tsunade trembled uncontrollably upon seeing Naruto suddenly appear before her.

The trembling wasn't due to fear of Naruto, but rather to hemophobia.

In the past, Tsunade's younger brother died in the war, and she witnessed her lover's death with her hands stained with his blood. All of this made it impossible for Tsunade, a medical ninja, to face death calmly.

He developed hemophobia.

The reason Tsunade's illness recurred was not the wound on her cheek that had been cut earlier.

Instead, it was Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, who had been chattering in Tsunade's ear, who were suddenly beheaded.

From their severed necks, copious amounts of blood flowed around Naruto's feet.

All of this indicates that Naruto was the culprit who caused the deaths of the two people.

Having spent many years with Tsunade and knowing her current condition best, Shizune immediately shielded Tsunade with her own body, protecting her from Naruto's extremely aggressive gaze.

The ANBU guards who had been protecting Tsunade also surrounded Naruto.

"Protect the Hokage, hold out until reinforcements arrive!"