Chapter 133 - 33

Chapter 33: Wisdom King Armor Activation!Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy froze in place; the Raikiri in their hands quietly dissipated, and the green steam around their bodies slowly receded.The two stared at Naruto in the center of the arena, who was clad in wooden armor, wielding a massive blade and a giant shield, looking like a demonic god stepped out of myth. For a moment, they were completely at a loss.This had completely exceeded the scope of an "assessment"!They looked up simultaneously toward the high observation room, waiting for new instructions."Continue!"Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice, carrying an imperceptible tremor, yet filled with resolute determination, came down through the amplification device.He had to confirm further!Confirm the authenticity, stability, and... Naruto's control over this Wood Release!This intelligence was too shocking; once leaked, it would surely stir up the entire Ninja World!At the same time, he gave an imperceptible nod to Danzo Shimura beside him, whose face was so gloomy it seemed ready to drip water.The meaning in his eyes was crystal clear: Lockdown! Highest-level intelligence lockdown! The scope of those who knew must be strictly contained within this very room!Danzo's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and the corner of his mouth twitched."Damn you, Hiruzen! Making me play the villain again! You take the benefits, and I take the blame!"He took a deep breath, suppressing the jealousy and frustration in his heart that Wood Release had appeared on Naruto instead of under his own control, and spoke in his signature cold, raspy voice:"Ahem... Everyone, you all know the rules."His single eye swept across every face in the room—some shocked, some fanatical, some thoughtful—especially Uchiha Fugaku and Hiashi Hyuga."This matter concerns Konoha's highest secret, the rise and fall of the Village for the next few decades! No one is allowed to leak a single word of what you have seen and heard today, in any form! Violators..."He paused, slamming his cane down heavily, his voice like ice from the netherworld, "The Root will handle it personally! I trust that none of you clan heads would want your own families to suffer unnecessary losses because of a'slip of the tongue' by some individual, right?"The atmosphere in the room plummeted to freezing point.The heads of the various clans changed expressions slightly; they were well aware of the Root's fearsome reputation and Danzo's methods."Enough, Danzo!"Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke up at the right moment, tapping his pipe. His face showed displeasure, but his voice was loud and filled with "righteousness"—"Everyone present here is a pillar of Konoha, the backbone of their respective clans! Their loyalty to the Village is beyond doubt! How could they do anything to harm Konoha's interests? I believe that for the sake of Konoha's future, everyone will consciously keep this secret; there is no need for such..."He stood by the window, where the afternoon sunlight happened to shine through the high clerestory window onto him, illuminating his Hokage robe and casting his aged yet straight figure in a remarkably "magnificent" light.Hiruzen Sarutobi, you dog!Danzo's eye twitched violently, his chest felt stifled, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood."You get to play the good guy, while I have to bear all the infamy!"But in the end, he just let out a heavy snort through his nose, sat back down with a gloomy face, and said nothing more.The heads of the various clans were crystal clear in their hearts—Wood Release had reappeared, and it had appeared on Naruto, who had a special background (orphan of the Fourth Hokage), outstanding talent (suspected perfect Jinchuriki), and seemed about to be heavily cultivated by the Hokage faction...What did this series of factors mean?The successor to the next Hokage might still have variables, but Naruto had almost certainly become a core candidate for future Hokage, perhaps even the only one!His political status—the son of the Fourth Hokagewho sacrificed himself to protect the Village—was only now truly "acknowledged" and "blessed."Some quick-witted clan heads couldn't help but glance at Uchiha Fugaku and Hiashi Hyuga.Uchiha clan head's child, Uchiha Itachi, recognized Naruto as his sworn younger brother, and they lived under the same roof...The eldest daughter of the Hyuga main house, Hyuga Hinata, also seemed to have a favorable impression of Naruto, and the Hyuga Clan head's attitude toward this was ambiguous...They were worthy of being long-standing great clans! Their vision was truly ruthless!Two old foxes!They moved so fast!The various clan heads all despised such behavior, but immediately began to calculate rapidly—What did Naruto like? What did he value?For someone like him who grew up alone, what he craved most was not wealth that could rival a nation, nor monstrous power, but—True companionship and friendship!Since ancient times, heroes have had difficulty passing the beauty trial...Especially for such a young genius who lacked family warmth and desperately craved recognition and bonds! As long as one started early enough, and invested deeply enough in emotions...The Uzumaki Clan's powerful life force and Chakra, combined with First Hokage-level Wood ReleaseBloodline Limit...If these talents could be stably inherited by future generations...Even without understanding advanced genetics, these long-standing clans deeply understood: powerful bloodline talents were the foundation for a clan's continuation and rise!In an instant, in the eyes of all the clan heads, Naruto changed from a "Jinchuriki" who needed to be guarded against into a walking "Clan Revitalization Gift Package" radiating an alluring light!What Demon Fox? That was all in the past!This was clearly a once-in-a-millennium opportunity for clan revitalization that must be tightly grasped!Invest! Must invest! At worst, just start by hanging out!Most clan heads seemed to have misunderstood the situation with the Uchiha and Hyuga Clans and decided to follow the trend and place their bets.And the two old fathers, who were receiving the complex gazes of envy and jealousy from the other clan heads, couldn't help but start calculating this unexpected change—Uchiha Fugaku secretly peeked at Uchiha Itachibeside him, and when he noticed, he quickly withdrew his gaze:A difference of less than ten years, that's not too much. Being older means he'll know how to care for others. Plus, Naruto hasn't had a mother since he was little, which is actually a plus. Uchiha Itachi's personality really needs someone to keep him in check; it's truly a good combination...Hiashi Hyuga also thought of his own timid daughter, who had no talent; for the main house, this was a disgrace!He could still suppress these voices now, but if...Naruto was certainly capable of protecting her; at the very least, she wouldn't end up being branded with the Caged Bird seal...The situation on the field soon became clear again—Naruto, clad in "Wisdom King Armor Activation," had his defense, strength, and the quality and quantity of his Chakra terrifyingly enhanced once again.Kakashi Hatake's Raikiri struck the wooden armor, only leaving deep scorch marks, unable to truly pierce through.The heavy blows from Might Guy after opening the Third Gate were also cushioned and dispersed by the thick wood and the Chakra circulating within.And the Guan Dao in Naruto's hand, when swung, was heavy and powerful, carrying the unique weight and resilience of Wood Release, forcing the two of them to spend more energy dodging.Occasionally, wooden spikes and vines would suddenly grow from the gaps in the armor, the shield, or the blade, which were even harder to guard against.In the "Wisdom King Armor Activation" state, Naruto was already able to steadily suppress the combined efforts of Might Guy, who had opened the Third Gate, and Kakashi Hatake, who had not used his Mangekyo secret techniques!