In the dark room, Karsten knelt on one knee, his voice suppressing excitement.
"Political Commissar! We are ready to join the fight at any moment! Please give the order!"
His gaze was fervent, filled with the adoration of a fanatic. It was as if a single word from Naruto would send him rushing to hell.
Naruto didn't answer immediately. He simply looked calmly at the soldier before him, at his freshly polished armor, at the burning fighting spirit in his eyes.
"Rise, Karsten," his voice was steady, betraying no emotion.
"Yes!" Karsten sprang to his feet with swift action, his body taut like a fully drawn bowstring.
"Your mission is to stand by," Naruto said. "In the future, in my homeland, there will be a crucial battle. At that time, I will need you."
Karsten paused, keenly catching a word. "We… the squad?"
Naruto nodded slightly, offering no further explanation.
This simple gesture, however, sent a shockwave through Karsten. Did the Political Commissar mean… he could not only summon him alone but even his entire squad? What immense power was this? It transcended the realm of psychic sorcery, bordering on a miracle.
He asked no further questions; all his doubts transformed into a deeper reverence.
"Soldier Karsten, and the Cadian 8th Stormtrooper Squad, await your command at any time!" He slammed his fist against his breastplate with a dull thud.
Naruto released the Summoning Technique, and the familiar black mist engulfed Karsten, returning the room to silence.
He didn't turn on the light, remaining in the darkness, like a statue merged with the shadows.
The essence of the Summoning Technique had been completely twisted by him. It was no longer a simple summon, but a stable, bidirectional "sub-space beacon"—a tactical entrance to another universe, capable of being opened at any time.
What did a well-supplied Astra Militarum assault squad, comprised of veteran soldiers, mean in this world?
It meant explosive rounds capable of pulverizing ordinary defensive Ninjutsu. It meant standard-issue armor sets capable of withstanding most Ninjutsu attacks. It meant a group of absolutely obedient, fearless killing machines, proficient in squad-based coordinated combat.
It was a trump card capable of turning the tide of battle at a critical moment.
Could this also be considered an S-rank Ninjutsu?
...Early the next morning, the first ray of sunlight pierced through the gap in the curtains, casting a narrow strip of light into the room.
Naruto opened his eyes, his ice-blue pupils devoid of any sleepiness, only clear awareness.
He walked to the window, and with his finger, he tapped three times in a specific sequence on an inconspicuous corner of the window frame. A wooden panel silently popped open, revealing a hidden compartment.
A homing pigeon, its feathers dyed grayish-brown, was quietly waiting inside.
Naruto untied a wax pellet, barely larger than a grain of rice, from the pigeon's leg, placed it in his palm, and melted it with his body heat. A tiny strip of paper appeared before him, bearing intelligence written in an extremely complex cipher.
The intelligence came from Haku.
The content was concise: over a month ago, Orochimaru was frequently active on the border of the Land of Grass, and several suspicious Ninja, confirmed to be Otogakure, had infiltrated Konoha in batches.
Upon seeing this, Naruto was not surprised.
But the last line of the intelligence made his eyes slightly narrow.
Haku mentioned that he had observed one of the infiltrating Otogakure Ninja having a very brief contact with a member of Konoha's "Root" organization at an abandoned pipe outlet in the Village. Although both parties quickly separated, pretending not to know each other, that deliberate act seemed even more like a message being conveyed.
Root, Danzo's private army.
Otogakure, dogs loyal to Orochimaru.
These two lines, which should not have intersected, touched.
Naruto placed the paper strip in an ashtray, and a small cluster of Chakra flame ignited on his fingertip, burning it to ashes.
Just as he was about to flush the ashes down the drain, a new report arrived.
A small piece of white, paper-like substance seeped out of the floor beneath his feet without warning, rapidly solidifying.
This was one of "Zero's" contact methods.
Naruto picked up the paper strip that had appeared out of thin air. The information on it was even more direct and startling.
"Anbu has deployed defenses against Orochimaru's infiltration plan. Danzo's 'Root' is responding passively. All elite squads, under the guise of 'clearing external threats,' have mostly been transferred out of the Village and have not yet returned. Their defensive posture is merely to appease the Third Hokage, but in reality, it is to preserve their strength."
Naruto looked at the paper strip, and the air in the room seemed to grow several degrees colder.
Root had contact with Otogakure.
Danzo, at the critical juncture when Orochimaru was about to make his move, was passively defending and holding back his main forces.
The two pieces of intelligence instantly connected in his mind, forming a complete logical chain.
Danzo, that old man with a bandaged face and only one eye showing, not only knew about Orochimaru's invasion but was even tacitly allowing it, or rather, expecting it to happen.
He wanted to watch the tigers fight from the mountain.
He would wait until Orochimaru and the Third Hokage were both severely wounded from their struggle, until Konoha's defense system was riddled with holes. Then, he would emerge with his unharmed "Root" as a savior, clean up the mess, and legitimately claim the Hokage position he had coveted his entire life.
What a brilliant move, watching the fire from the other side of the river.
A chilling coldness flashed in Naruto's ice-blue pupils.
He muttered to himself, as if pronouncing a judgment.
"In the Emperor's legions, those who preserve strength during wartime and disregard the greater good are as guilty as traitors."
His assessment of Danzo, at this moment, was formally changed from "political opportunist" to "latent internal threat." The priority for his elimination was instantly raised to the highest level.
Just as he was about to destroy the paper strip, the white substance, like a living thing, rapidly faded its writing, and new content appeared.
This time, it was no longer cold intelligence, but rather... a display of achievements. A "calling card" from "Zero," proving its capabilities and value.
The content was a long-buried old case.
Years ago, Konoha had a highly meritorious and prestigious hero, whose brilliance even once overshadowed the then-Hokage. Danzo, as his most direct competitor, had always been suppressed and unable to rise.
Finally, during a mission concerning the vital interests of the Village, that hero chose to abandon the mission to protect his comrades.
The mission failed, and the Village suffered huge losses.
Just as that hero was under immense pressure, Danzo's opportunity arrived.
He instructed members of "Root" to widely spread rumors in the Village, among the families of the victims of the failed mission, that "comrades are more important than the mission" was a coward's statement. He secretly instructed high-ranking officials of his faction to mercilessly attack and criticize that hero at every meeting.
Suddenly, the hero became a criminal.
The praise of yesteryear turned into vicious curses. Even the comrades he had saved began to accuse him under immense public pressure.
Ultimately, that hero, who had once illuminated the entire Village, broke down physically and mentally amidst endless slander and betrayal, choosing to take his own life.
The intelligence did not mention the hero's name at the end.
It only provided the time of the mission failure and the location where the hero committed suicide.
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