Facing Naruto's assault, Rasa manipulated massive quantities of gold sand, wrapping it tightly around his body as a defensive shell.
Naruto's attack—an enormous Rasengan primarily composed of Nine-Tails chakra and enhanced by senjutsu—carried power comparable to the impact of a small meteor.
The instant Naruto's Tailed Beast Rasengan made contact with the gold sand, cracks spread rapidly across its surface. The sand began to fracture and fall away in chunks.
Rasa let out an enraged roar, desperately manipulating more gold sand to replenish what Naruto's attack was tearing apart.
Naruto's expression remained utterly calm—so still that no emotion could be read from his face.
Just as Rasa thought he had successfully endured the attack, a sudden change occurred.
Another Nine-Tails chakra arm formed behind Naruto. In its palm appeared a small Rasengan, infused with senjutsu chakra.
Collapse.
Like the final straw breaking a camel's back, the moment the small Rasengan struck the gold sand, the entire defense shattered completely.
Rasa was swallowed by a violent explosion.
The ninjas watching from below were utterly dumbfounded.
The most shocked of all was Jiraiya.
He had never imagined that Naruto could combine senjutsu chakra and tailed beast chakra—much less unleash such terrifying power.
Yet deep down, Jiraiya felt uneasy.
Danzō had once said that Naruto could only maintain clear consciousness up to the Four-Tails state.
But now… Naruto had entered the Five-Tails form.
A figure fell from the sky.
It was Rasa.
Just before hitting the ground, he manipulated gold sand to cushion the fall, landing unsteadily but safely.
Chiyo broke free from her battle with Asuma and the others and rushed to Rasa's side, her body battered and wounded.
"Rasa, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki's strength far exceeds anything we anticipated. What's worse—he retains full consciousness even while transformed. This battle is already lost. If we continue and Konoha reacts fully, and Shukaku gets sealed, everything will truly be over."
Rasa understood this as well.
But the fact that a mere child had turned the tide of the entire war filled him with unbearable resentment.
Chiyo's younger brother, Ebizō, also withdrew to Rasa's side and urged him:
"Don't bury the future of the Sand Village here. As long as we're alive, one day we can return!"
Rasa's eyes were terrifyingly fierce—but there was nothing he could do.
He never imagined that Konoha had hidden its trump card so deeply.
The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki was able to perfectly control his tailed beast—just like the Jinchūriki of the Hidden Cloud.
Now that Naruto had entered the battlefield, the Sand Village's already fragile advantage vanished entirely. Their morale collapsed, and they began retreating step by step.
With great difficulty, Rasa gave the order:
"Retreat."
As the Sand Village ninjas withdrew under Rasa's command, the Leaf shinobi chose not to pursue.
Victory belonged to Konoha.
Cheers erupted among the Leaf's forces as they shouted Naruto Uzumaki's name again and again.
Jiraiya walked up behind Naruto and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Well done, Naruto!"
Suddenly—
Jiraiya leapt backward, rapidly increasing the distance between himself and Naruto.
Might Guy, confused, asked,
"Jiraiya-sama, what's wrong?"
Jiraiya didn't answer.
He stared gravely at Naruto in the distance.
In Naruto's right palm, a Rasengan was spinning violently.
Had Jiraiya reacted a moment later, it would have struck him.
Jiraiya demanded sternly,
"Naruto—what are you trying to do?"
Naruto turned around, his gaze sweeping coldly across the Leaf shinobi.
"Heh… isn't it obvious? The people in my way are gone. So now—my revenge begins."
"Revenge? Why revenge? Everyone here is your comrade!" someone shouted.
Naruto sneered.
"Comrades? Don't make me laugh. Every single one of you treated me like a weapon. The only difference now is that this weapon has turned its blade toward you."
"Naruto, didn't you tell me you wanted to become Hokage? To protect Konoha and your comrades? Have you forgotten?!"
Naruto mocked him mercilessly.
"You actually believed that lie? No wonder you never managed to bring Orochimaru back. When those idiots in Konoha humiliated me, did they ever see me as one of their own?"
Jiraiya looked pained.
"So it's true… you're still trapped by the past. Naruto, no one understood your circumstances back then. That's why they acted the way they did."
Naruto laughed coldly.
"So 'not knowing' makes it okay? You abused me—and now I'm supposed to kneel down and thank you for it?"
Jiraiya spoke earnestly.
"I know we can't undo the suffering you endured. But all of us—we can apologize. We can make it right through our actions."
"Forgiveness?" Naruto's eyes burned.
"Why should I forgive you? You should suffer the same pain I did—that's the only apology that counts!"
Among the Leaf shinobi, one ninja couldn't help but sneer:
"A demon fox will always be a demon fox. It never changes."
In an instant, a Nine-Tails chakra arm shot out from Naruto's tailed beast cloak.
Before anyone could react, the Leaf ninja was seized midair.
He struggled desperately, screaming,
"Let me go!"
Naruto stared at him darkly.
"I remember you. You're the one who hit me in the head with a stone back then. It hurt for a long time."
Sensing Naruto's killing intent, the man screamed in terror:
"Someone help me!"
"Naruto, don't!" Jiraiya rushed forward, trying to stop him.
But he was too late.
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter!"
Razor-sharp wind chakra sliced through the air—
—and the ninja was cleaved cleanly in two.
Blood sprayed across Naruto's face.
The horrific scene stunned every Leaf shinobi into silence.
Jiraiya was overwhelmed with grief.
"Why… why have you become like this, Naruto?"
Naruto licked the blood from his face with a crazed smile.
"Isn't this what's normal? Jiraiya, you didn't seriously think that after enduring that kind of pain, I'd turn out gentle like a rabbit, did you?"
His gaze swept over everyone present before finally settling on Jiraiya.
"No wonder Minato Namikaze abandoned you all. You hypocrites—just looking at you makes me sick."
Jiraiya's body trembled.
"Could it be… Naruto, you—"
"That's right. I've known for a long time. Minato Namikaze was my father."
Kurenai Yuhi hurriedly turned to Asuma for confirmation. As the Third Hokage's son, he would know the truth.
Asuma nodded heavily.
"Yes. Naruto Uzumaki is the son of the late Fourth Hokage."
The Leaf shinobi were struck speechless.
Many of them—though restrained by the Third Hokage's orders from physically harming Naruto—had still discriminated against him and insulted him relentlessly.
Now, learning that Naruto was the orphaned son of the Fourth Hokage…
Overwhelming guilt washed over them, and one by one, they lowered their heads in shame.
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