Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou-Chapter 355: Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou []

Hokage Building, Rooftop.

Surrounded by elite Anbu on high alert, Tsunade calmly watched the black smoke rising from several battlefields across Konoha.

Standing tall on the rooftop, Tsunade surveyed the situation in Konoha with a composed expression, but her fists were clenched tightly.

"They dared to attack Konoha! How presumptuous!"

This was practically a slap in the face for her, the Fifth Hokage, making the always proud Tsunade even more furious.

"Lady Tsunade, all the villagers have been evacuated, Katsuyu has already gone to the battlefield, and all injured ninjas have received timely medical attention. There's even a Katsuyu stationed in the shelters on standby..."

Shizune reported gravely on the situation in the village. Thanks to the timely response, the enemy hadn't caused much destruction inside the village.

It was just some buildings lost, but more importantly, it was a blow to their pride.

The Akatsuki had openly attacked the center of Konoha. Since the founding of the Five Great Ninja Villages, no one had ever dared such a thing—only Akatsuki would.

"All ninjas below Jonin rank are to withdraw from this battle. Notify the Barrier Team to activate the barrier and contain the fight within a certain area."

"Yes!"

As the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade looked over the besieged village with authority, issuing orders calmly. Just then, a figure charged angrily toward the Hokage building.

This action, and the jutsu used to fend off pursuing ninjas, made all the Anbu tense up.

"Hokage-sama!"

"Lady Tsunade, the enemy is using Wood Release!"

Shizune cried out in shock. From their vantage point on the rooftop, they could see clearly that the enemy was Sarutobi Konohamaru. However, his face was twisted and abnormally pale.

Facing his pursuers, Konohamaru roared madly and unleashed the legendary Wood Release.

Seeing this, Tsunade raised an eyebrow and sneered.

"How strange—every rogue ninja in this village is risking their lives to master Wood Release, yet our people can't use it."

Her mockery was biting as if to say: no wonder the Third Hokage's regime was so rotten—none of them are innocent.

"Lady Tsunade!"

Shizune tried to say more, but Tsunade threw off her coat and shouted with authority:

"All Konoha Anbu, follow me and crush the bastards attacking Konoha! Activate the barrier around the Hokage building!"

"Yes!"

From afar, Konohamaru, rushing toward the Hokage building, glared with hatred at the figure in the distance and screamed:

"It's you! You stole my grandfather's title as Hokage! You killed my clan! Tsunade! You bitch, I'll make you pa—"

Before he could finish, Tsunade frowned in disgust, stomped her foot, and shattered the ground. A huge boulder shot up, and with terrifying control, she punched it—it didn't break, but flew like a cannonball.

This wasn't just strength; it was terrifying control!

The stone hurtled forward, tearing the air. Konohamaru, shocked and furious, instinctively threw several kunai with explosive tags.

But the boulder was faster, smashing right in front of him.

The roar of exploding tags was drowned out by the impact of the stone.

With a single blow, the furious, vengeful Konohamaru was sent flying, his courage beaten out of him.

"Cough, cough... No... Impossible! How can she be this strong..."

From the ruins, Konohamaru crawled out, trembling and battered, watching as Tsunade and the others ignored him and left.

As the barrier around the Hokage building activated, terror and helplessness filled Konohamaru's eyes.

That blow snapped him out of it!

He now saw the gap between himself and true strength—and came face-to-face with death.

"No! I can't die yet! I haven't destroyed filthy Konoha yet, I—"

With a hoarse, angry scream, Wood Release cells in his body went berserk, and he howled in pain.

At that moment, Naruto Uzumaki, Kiba Inuzuka, and others arrived, quickly surrounding him.

But unlike the others, Naruto, seeing Konohamaru's agony, shouted:

"Konohamaru!"

Kiba barked coldly:

"Kill Sarutobi Konohamaru!"

"Kiba!" Naruto glared at his teammate, clearly questioning him.

But after losing Akamaru, Kiba had no compassion left for Naruto; only coldness.

"Naruto Uzumaki, you're just a genin! This is an order!"

Kiba referred to his rank and Naruto's lower rank.

Ninja world rules: on the battlefield, unless you are on a mission, genin must obey a higher-ranked ninja.

Unless you have another mission.

"No! I can't die yet—I haven't finished my revenge..."

But at that moment, Konohamaru screamed in pain—his thigh exploded, blood spraying everywhere, as the Wood Release went berserk.

Everyone gasped, but Kiba spat coldly:

"Serves him right! The brat was devoured by the Wood Release cells. Be careful, everyone!"

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!"

Konohamaru, eyes bloodshot, charged at Kiba and the others.

But he was met with a flash of lightning—faster than anyone could react, and a bolt of lightning pierced straight through Konohamaru.

"No! Konohamaru!"

Naruto couldn't believe his eyes. The lightning-clad Kusanagi sword pinned Konohamaru to the ground.

Konohamaru cried out in pain, glaring with hatred at everyone, roaring:

"Damn it! You all deserve to die, hahaha, I just regret I didn't kill enough..."

His voice grew weaker and weaker. In a panic, Naruto shoved the others aside and rushed to him, shouting:

"Get out of the way!"

"Konohamaru! Wake up!"

Tears streamed down Naruto's face. The little brother he once knew now lay in a pool of blood. Konohamaru looked at Naruto, showing a desperate desire to live.

"I don't want to die... cough cough... I want to live... They're the ones who won't let me..."

Konohamaru was coughing up blood, his eyes pleading for survival. But the Kusanagi sword had pierced a vital spot, and vines were already growing out of his lower body.

"Big bro Naruto... I don't want to die..."

Clinging to Naruto as his last hope, Konohamaru begged for life.

But the other Konoha ninja looked on coldly. Kiba, especially, sneered as he glanced at the distant battlefield:

"Looks like before the barrier went up, Sasuke saw what was happening and threw the Kusanagi sword to finish this brat off. He was probably worried you'd lose control again, Naruto."

Seeing Konohamaru's state, Kiba felt satisfied—his Akamaru had died because of this brat.

"Heh, you should have died a long time ago. How many people in Konoha did you kill? How many ninjas died because of your three clans? Tch!"

As Kiba spat at Konohamaru, Naruto, hugging Konohamaru, turned around in a rage, revealing a terrifying, furious face, and roared:

"Shut up! Don't you dare mock Konohamaru!"

His roar shocked all the ninjas, and they saw Naruto's pupils turn to beast-like slits, red Nine-Tails chakra swirling around him.

"Naruto, you—!"

Seeing Naruto's savage expression, Kiba was startled, but then remembered Akamaru and snapped back:

"Naruto Uzumaki! Are you crazy? That brat just killed so many of our comrades, even Iruka-sensei and the others..."

"Shut up!"

Naruto roared, baring his fangs, and two tails of chakra burst out behind him. In his arms, Konohamaru wept with regret.

"B-Big bro Naruto, I didn't mean to... believe me... I didn't want to hurt everyone... I don't want to die..."

His broken, pained pleas were truly remorseful—he realized he was dying.

So he regretted it all—being driven by hatred, acting recklessly. If only he had escaped Konoha, hidden away, trained until strong, and then returned for revenge.

Then he wouldn't have died!

"Konohamaru!"

As Naruto screamed in anguish, the Konoha ninja around them shouted, "No, get back!"

In an instant, Konohamaru screamed in agony as the Wood Release cells went out of control, and terrifying vines burst out, knocking Naruto aside.

Before everyone's eyes, Konohamaru was enveloped by the rampaging vines, leaving only his head exposed, which looked pleadingly at Naruto.

"Big bro Naruto, save me! Save me! I don't want to die..."

Pop!

With the vines' terrifying growth, Konohamaru's head was crushed.

Like a watermelon, it burst open with a splatter of red and white, covering Naruto's face.

"K-Konohamaru..."

Naruto's pupils shrank as Konohamaru's desperate cries for help echoed in his mind, his head being crushed again and again.

"That brat deserved to die. Did he think the First Hokage's cells were that easy to control?!"

Kiba sneered as if avenging Akamaru.

"Naruto, orders from the Hokage. You must return to the Hokage building immediately—Anbu will protect you!"

At that moment, an Anbu's cold voice rang out. Clearly, with Konoha in crisis, the Akatsuki's real target was the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki.

There was no way Konoha would hand over the Nine-Tails so easily.

"Naruto!"

With Konohamaru dead, Kiba's hatred lessened. Though still cold to Naruto, as a ninja, he carried out his duty.

But Naruto suddenly roared in anger!

"Damn it!"

"Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable!"

With a roar, a third tail exploded from Naruto, stunning everyone.

Kiba shouted, "Naruto if you lose control now, you can't even be a Konoha ninja anymore!"

"I'll stake everything! I'll stake my ninja way! I, Naruto Uzumaki, will never back down—not one step! I will never forgive those Akatsuki bastards!"

With a furious roar and three tails swaying, Naruto burst out, heading straight for the battlefield.

"Naruto!"

"Damn it! He's crazy! Naruto, what's wrong with you?!" Kiba shouted, his face ugly with anger and helplessness.

He just couldn't understand Naruto anymore.

...

"As expected of Jiraiya-sensei. I didn't think your Sage Mode would be this powerful."

After a terrifying exchange of jutsu, even Deva Path Pain was shocked, seeing his other five bodies destroyed.

Jiraiya had targeted the Hell Path, which had the resurrection ability, crippling Pain's ability to repair the others.

"I don't know what happened all these years, why you've become like this, but anyone who destroys Konoha is my enemy!"

In Sage Mode, Jiraiya roared determinedly. Though exhausted, he showed no weakness.

Even against the strongest Deva Path, Jiraiya could feel the threat of death.

"Jiraiya-sensei, it seems the mission to capture the Nine-Tails has failed this time."

Deva Path Pain, with his Rinnegan, surveyed Konoha calmly. Kisame, after a massive Water Release, was drained of chakra and had failed.

Elsewhere, the masked Madara was trapped by Sasuke Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake, unable to move.

Though fighting, Pain had been secretly observing Madara, gathering intel.

Madara wasn't as strong as he expected. The strangest thing was his Mangekyō Sharingan space-time jutsu.

"Failed, huh? But the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki isn't the only one here!"

Pain said coolly. There was no point in staying in Konoha any longer. His true body had already learned, from talking with Uchiha Shirou, about another potential jinchuriki.

Sora from the Fire Temple—the pseudo-Nine-Tails jinchuriki.

"Jiraiya-sensei, it seems this is goodbye for now. But I believe we'll meet again soon."

Pain floated into the air. Jiraiya could only look on helplessly.

...

Outside Konoha, inside a tree hollow.

"Since you've all decided to go down this dark path, I won't stop you. The info about the pseudo-Nine-Tails jinchuriki is real.

But your real enemy now should be that masked man."

In the hollow, Shirou, Nagato, and Konan chatted like old friends.

Ninja who reach this level have firm resolve; they rarely change their path unless truly defeated.

Nagato still hadn't given up on his plan to create the ultimate weapon by gathering all nine tailed beasts.

"Lo... Mr. Shirou."

Konan hesitated, not calling him 'Lord Shirou,' but with more respect in her eyes.

"We're prepared to deal with the masked man."

Shirou smiled and nodded.

"We're not enemies, but I don't think you'll be a match for him. If you lose, don't blame me for taking you away."

Before Konan could reply, Nagato nodded solemnly.

"Mr. Shirou, if I fail, I entrust Konan to you. But I believe we won't lose!"

Nagato, in his wheelchair, stared at Shirou, surprised Shirou hadn't attacked him.

Or maybe, they'd made a deal.

Shirou believed they wouldn't be able to defeat the masked man, and if they failed, he'd take Konan and the Rinnegan.

Nagato, though unsure of the future, couldn't turn back after so many years. He would keep going until he had nothing left.

Konan, too, was resolute—not with grand ambitions, but just wanting to protect her friends.