Konoha: Superman template, the spoiled brat becomes strong.

"Hmph... I will protect you..." Sasuke's voice was arrogant, but full of concern.

"Kakashi-sensei..." Naruto looked at Kakashi.

Kakashi felt a surge of warmth in his heart as he looked into Naruto's determined eyes.

He patted Naruto on the shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Naruto."

Suddenly, Naruto felt a powerful force coming from his companions' hands. This force was warm and firm, dispelling the fear in his heart.

He raised his head, and golden chakra burned fiercely on his body, illuminating the surrounding darkness.

"I..." Naruto took a deep breath, his eyes shining brightly, "I will never give up!"

An old and hoarse voice suddenly rang out: "It seems... you haven't realized... true despair..." Golden chakra erupted from Naruto's body like a volcanic eruption, and the dazzling light dispelled the surrounding darkness, illuminating the faces of his companions with a golden glow.

He could feel the power emanating from his companions, warm and unwavering. This power merged with the chakra within him, forming an unprecedentedly powerful synergy, like a rushing river, roaring towards the dark forces.

The dark forces trembled before the combined might, emitting a piercing scream like a wounded beast.

It struggled and tried to resist, but all its efforts were in vain.

Golden light pierced the darkness like a sharp sword, and the dark forces began to retreat. The despair that had enveloped everyone gradually dissipated, replaced by the light of hope.

"We...won!" Sakura shouted excitedly, tears blurring her vision.

"It's not over yet!" Kakashi said in a deep voice, his Sharingan locking onto the shrinking dark power. "Now's the time to attack the sealing array with all our might!"

With everyone working together, they concentrated all their chakra into a huge energy ball, which they slammed into the sealing array.

The sealing array emitted a deafening roar and shattered like glass.

A dazzling light illuminated the entire sky, and the surrounding scenery was completely destroyed by the powerful force, with debris flying everywhere and dust billowing, as if the end of the world had arrived.

The breaking of the sealing array also means the crisis is over.

The crowd cheered and jumped for joy, their happiness overflowing.

The relief of surviving the ordeal and the camaraderie forged in battle brought them together in a tight embrace.

However, amidst the joy of victory, Naruto suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He looked down at the broken sealing array at his feet, his brows furrowed.

He sensed an unusual chakra fluctuation, completely different from the previous dark power chakra fluctuations—more ancient, more profound, and more…

evil.

"Kakashi-sensei..." Naruto said softly, his voice tinged with doubt and unease, "I feel... something's not right..."

Chapter 156 Adjusting Positions

The dazzling light gradually faded, and the dust slowly settled, revealing a devastated land.

The air was filled with the smell of scorched earth, mixed with a faint stench of blood, which was nauseating.

The joy of victory hadn't fully blossomed on everyone's faces when it was shattered by Naruto's low shout.

"Kakashi-sensei... I feel... something's not right..."

Naruto stared at the broken sealing array beneath his feet, his brow furrowed.

An unusual chakra fluctuation, more ancient, deeper, and more malevolent than the previous dark power, was emanating from that shattered center.

The feeling was like a lurking beast slowly opening its eyes, sending chills down one's spine.

Before Kakashi could ask any further questions, a powerful suction force suddenly erupted from the broken part of the sealing array.

The surrounding air seemed to be swallowed by an invisible giant mouth, forming a violent vortex that roared towards the center.

Caught off guard, everyone stumbled and nearly got caught in the commotion.

"What's going on?!" Sakura exclaimed in surprise, gripping a protruding rock tightly with both hands, her face deathly pale.

The suction force grew stronger and stronger, like a giant black hole, threatening to devour everything.

Everyone tried their best to circulate their chakra to resist, but found that the chakra in their bodies poured out like a flood bursting its banks, yet they still could not resist this terrifying suction force.

“Chakra… is being drained!” Shikamaru’s expression was grave, and large beads of sweat slid down his forehead.

Kiba held Akamaru tightly, both of them struggling desperately, yet they were still slowly dragged toward the center that was devouring everything.

Fear spread like a plague, and despair was written on everyone's face.

Flying sand and rocks, the sky is dark and the earth is dark.

The surrounding trees were uprooted, the houses were torn to pieces, and everything was caught in this terrifying vortex.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, his Sharingan spinning rapidly as he tried to find the source of the suction force.

However, his vision was blocked by the turbulent airflow, and he couldn't see anything.

"Damn it!" Sasuke growled, a wave of helplessness washing over him.

Just then, Kakashi suddenly shouted, "Everyone, grab my hands!"

Kakashi concentrated his chakra in his hand, firmly gripping a boulder, while extending his other hand toward the crowd.

Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and the others grabbed Kakashi's hand without hesitation, their hands clasped tightly together, forming a fragile lifeline.

However, the suction force was so strong that even Kakashi felt powerless against it.

His arms trembled, his face was pale, and his chakra was being depleted at an increasingly rapid rate.

“Kakashi-sensei…” Naruto looked at Kakashi’s pained expression, his heart filled with fear and worry.

Just when everyone thought there was no way out...

Kakashi suddenly looked up into the distance, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"catch!"

Kakashi suddenly looked up into the distance, a resolute glint in his eyes.

However, just as he was about to take a desperate gamble, Shikamaru, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: "Wait! Kakashi-sensei, I might have a way..."

Although Shikamaru's voice was weak, it was unusually firm, igniting a glimmer of hope in the hearts of the desperate crowd.

"Speak quickly!" Kakashi urged impatiently.

Shikamaru took a deep breath and quickly said, "The place we're standing in now seems to be on the edge of the sealing formation, where the suction force is relatively weak. If we can adjust our positions to form a formation similar to the Bagua formation, perhaps we can use each other's strength to offset some of the suction force..."

Although everyone was puzzled by Shikamaru's suggestion, they had no choice but to trust him in this life-or-death situation.

Under Shikamaru's command, the group struggled to adjust their positions, supporting each other and trying to maintain their balance.

Naruto and Sakura held Sasuke's hands tightly, while Sasuke was connected to Kakashi, forming a ring.

Kiba and Akamaru are positioned at the center of the formation, playing a core role.

As the formation gradually improved, a strange power began to flow among the people.

The originally violent suction force actually weakened, and to their surprise, they found that the chaotic energy around them was slowly flowing towards them, being absorbed and transformed into their own power.

"My chakra... is recovering!" Naruto exclaimed in surprise.

"Me too!" Sakura excitedly chimed in.

Although Sasuke didn't speak, his clenched fists and the light flashing in his eyes showed his inner excitement.

Kakashi was also filled with shock.

He never expected that Shikamaru, who usually seemed so lazy, would come up with such a brilliant idea at such a crucial moment.

However, when the suction completely stopped and the surrounding dust settled, everyone discovered that the environment had undergone a dramatic change.

The familiar forest has disappeared, replaced by a desolate plain.

The ground was covered with dense runes, emitting an eerie glow.

These runes resembled some kind of ancient script, yet they were unlike any script they knew.

Everyone looked at each other, their hearts filled with confusion and anxiety.

"What is this..." Sakura murmured to herself, her eyes fixed on the mysterious runes.

Kakashi frowned, walked to a rune, slowly squatted down, and reached out to gently touch the surface of the rune.

A cold sensation came over him, making him shiver involuntarily.

He raised his head, looked at the crowd, and said in a deep voice, "Be careful, these runes... are very strange..."

A gentle breeze blew by, making the runes' shimmering light even more eerie, and an indescribable sense of oppression filled the air.

Kakashi stood up, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and said in a deep voice, "We..."

Chapter 157 Choosing Sides, Forming Two Factions

On the desolate plains, countless runes, like lurking giant beasts, emitted a chilling light.

A gentle breeze carried sand and gravel, creating a soft, rustling sound that accentuated the eerie stillness of the area.

Kakashi's gaze was as sharp as a hawk's. He crouched down and gently traced the edge of a rune with his fingertips. The icy touch spread from his fingertips throughout his body, making him shiver involuntarily.

Naruto stared wide-eyed at the runes on the ground, scratching his head and muttering to himself, "What is this? It looks like earthworm tracks." Sasuke, on the other hand, looked arrogant, arms crossed, while Sakura bit her lip tightly, her brows furrowed, glancing around anxiously, clearly also startled by the sudden turn of events.

Shikamaru leaned lazily against a bare tree trunk, squinting as if deep in thought, while Akamaru barked uneasily at his feet, occasionally letting out a low growl.

Kankuro, Gaara, and Temari also stood in a row, their cold aura, unique to Sunagakure ninjas, complementing the eerie atmosphere around them.

“These runes may contain some kind of power.” Kakashi stood up and said in a deep voice, which was particularly clear on the silent plain.

Upon hearing this, everyone gathered around, their eyes fixed on the glowing runes, as if they were gazing upon some ancient secret.

Iruka looked at his students with concern and observed the strange occurrences around him with worry; he sensed that the situation was very bad.

“We must decipher these runes as soon as possible,” Kakashi continued, his tone carrying an undeniable firmness.

However, at that moment, a cold voice broke the silence.

"Hmph, what's there to fear from mere runes? We'll just break through them by force!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Danzo had somehow moved to the front of the group. His wrinkled face was filled with greed and ambition, and his single eye gleamed with a chilling light.

He desires the power of the runes and cannot wait any longer.

Kakashi frowned even more deeply, staring directly at Danzo with a hint of displeasure in his voice: "Lord Danzo, the origin of these runes is unknown. Acting rashly could be dangerous. We should explore them cautiously."

"Cautious? Hmph, your so-called caution is nothing but cowardice!" Danzo sneered, making no attempt to hide his disdain for Kakashi. "Opportunity knocks but once, and when will we act?!"

A flash of anger crossed Kakashi's eyes. Suppressing his displeasure, he tried to persuade Danzo: "Lord Danzo, we cannot act rashly. We must first understand the meaning of these runes..."

"Enough!" Danzo rudely interrupted Kakashi, his old face full of impatience. "I've made my decision. Anyone who dares to stop me, don't blame me for being impolite!"

The atmosphere quickly became tense, and people took sides, forming two distinct factions.

The ninjas, led by Kakashi, believed they should proceed cautiously and first ascertain the details of the runes, while Danzo and his group were eager to acquire the power of the runes and were willing to take risks.

The argument between the two sides escalated, and the air was thick with the smell of gunpowder.

Just as the two sides were deadlocked, Itachi Uchiha slowly walked to the front of the group. His gaze calmly swept over everyone and finally settled on Danzo. He slowly said, "I have a question."

Danzo's single eye gleamed with a sinister light. Ignoring Kakashi's advice, he walked straight toward the shimmering runes.

He stretched out his withered palm to touch one of the runes. Just then, the runes on the ground suddenly trembled as if they were alive, and an invisible energy wave spread violently outward from the runes.

"Watch out!" Kakashi shouted suddenly, forming hand seals as he tried to use his chakra to block the sudden shockwave.

However, the force was too strong. Kakashi felt a tightness in his chest and his body involuntarily retreated.

"Ah!" "Ugh!" A series of exclamations rang out as the weaker ninja trainees, such as Sakura and Kiba, were all knocked to the ground by the energy fluctuations.

Gravel flew everywhere, their clothes were tattered, their faces were pale, they clutched their chests in pain, and blood slowly seeped from their mouths, arms and other places.

Akamaru let out a low whimper, clearly having also suffered a considerable impact.

The suppressed groans sounded particularly jarring on the open plain, making one feel suffocated.

Danzo staggered back a few steps from the impact of the energy. A look of surprise flashed across his old face, but it was quickly replaced by greed.

"Are you all alright?!" Naruto looked at his comrades lying on the ground, writhing in pain. A surge of emotion welled up inside him. He clenched his fists and shouted, his cheeks flushed red. "We can't fight amongst ourselves here! The power of the runes is dangerous. We must unite to get through this together!"

Naruto's voice was loud and clear, like a morning horn, dispelling the gloom in everyone's hearts.

His words were simple and direct, yet powerful, inspiring everyone present.