CHAPTER 332

Might Guy and Kakashi

After barely blocking the attack with his crossed arms, Naruto quickly distanced himself.

The person standing between him and Kakashi was none other than Konoha's Eternal Genin, the Blue Beast of Konoha, Might Guy, an elite jōnin renowned for his unmatched taijutsu prowess and mastery of the Eight Gates Release.

With his current strength, Naruto wasn't even close to competing with Guy using the Sixth or Seventh Gate, let alone the Eighth Gate, which grants power beyond the Five Kage at the cost of the user's life.

After all, in terms of raw physical ability, Might Guy was unparalleled. His overwhelming speed and strength rendered most genjutsu and ninjutsu ineffective against him.

After repelling Naruto with a single strike, Guy did not immediately press the attack. Instead, he turned to the wounded Kakashi, concern evident in his voice.

"Kakashi! Do you still have the strength to fight? Let's take down the enemies attacking the village together!"

Kakashi, sitting up with visible effort, shook his head.

"He's not an enemy. He just wants to leave the village."

Guy's thick eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he studied Naruto.

"Who is he? I don't recall a jōnin like him in Konoha. Could he be one of Lord Hokage's or Danzo's subordinates?"

Kakashi coughed before responding, a trace of awkwardness in his voice:

"Naruto is a student at the Academy. He isn't a full-fledged ninja yet. That's why you don't recognize him. His identity is… complicated."

Guy glanced at Naruto again and realized that the boy was still just a child, his expression shifting slightly.

"Kakashi, it seems that while we were busy training, a new generation of youth has risen! But guiding the misguided is also part of the path of youth!"

With that, Guy clenched his fists, his fighting spirit igniting as he prepared to teach Naruto a lesson through battle.

However, Kakashi scratched his head and sighed in exasperation:

"Guy, while you were making your speech, Naruto already escaped. The one in front of you is just a shadow clone."

Guy's eyes widened in surprise, then he clenched his fist in determination:

"Kakashi, summon your ninja hounds! If we track his scent, we might still catch up!"

But Kakashi, standing up slowly, gave the shadow clone a long, thoughtful look before shaking his head.

"Forget it. If Naruto is determined to leave, we don't need to stop him. The Third Hokage is his guardian. We'll report this to him and let him decide."

Guy was visibly puzzled, but he trusted Kakashi's judgment.

"His guardian is Lord Third?"

He felt that the situation was becoming more and more complicated, but tracking wasn't his specialty anyway. Whether a student at the Academy counted as an official ninja was a matter for the Hokage to decide.

Kakashi, gazing at Naruto's shadow clone, murmured:

"Not just the Third Hokage. Naruto also has ties to the Fourth… If that Rasengan had actually landed, I'd be in the hospital for half a year."

Hearing this, Naruto's shadow clone remained silent. He simply relaxed his stance and lowered the kunai in his hand, then slowly walked toward Kakashi.

Guy prepared to intercept him, but Kakashi stopped him with a tired sigh.

"Do you have anything else to say? We've been friends for at least half a year, haven't we?"

Naruto smirked meaningfully:

"Kakashi-senpai, I look forward to the day you defect."

Kakashi's expression darkened for a moment, but then he chuckled wryly.

"Defect? There's nowhere for me outside Konoha. This is the only place I belong."

Naruto's clone shook his head:

"You say that now, but deep down, I think you hate this village as much as I do. If you knew the truth, you'd leave, too—"

Before he could finish, a gust of chakra pressure surged through the air, and Naruto's clone dispersed into smoke.

Kakashi and Guy turned sharply toward the source of the suppression.

Standing there, his bandaged face partially shadowed, was Danzo Shimura—the leader of Root. Behind him, a squad of ANBU in blank masks had arrived.

Danzo's cold gaze swept over them before he spoke:

"Why did you let the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki go? He attacked the Hokage Building—he is now a traitor. He must be executed."

Kakashi's expression remained neutral, but his tone was firm:

"Danzo-sama, only the Third Hokage has the authority to decide whether Naruto is a traitor."

Danzo's eyes narrowed, but he did not argue. He already knew Naruto's identity and value—unlike Kakashi and Guy, he saw the Jinchūriki as a weapon to be controlled.

Turning sharply, Danzo led the Root operatives into the forest, their figures vanishing into the darkness.

Kakashi and Guy exchanged glances. After a long pause, Guy sighed:

"Kakashi, what now? The Third Hokage isn't at the Hokage Building."

Kakashi, fatigue visible in his lone eye, muttered:

"He's near the Uchiha district… but before that, you should take me to the hospital. I don't think I'll last much longer."

Guy hesitated, then nodded solemnly. He may have been obsessed with training, but he wasn't oblivious—something strange was happening in the village.

For now, he would trust Kakashi's judgment and stay out of it.

---

Within the Uchiha District

With the support of Yashiro Uchiha, Inabi, and other clan elites, Shisui Uchiha had successfully seized the position of clan leader.

His rise was partly due to Fugaku's inaction—the former clan head's failure to act decisively had allowed this power shift to occur bloodlessly.

As soon as he took command, Shisui made a shocking announcement:

The Uchiha would evacuate Konoha.

This declaration caused an uproar. Many among the Uchiha had been preparing for a coup, and abandoning the village was the last thing they expected.

However, Shisui was not interested in debate.

"Those who wish to leave, follow me. Those who wish to stay, do so at your own risk."

Without waiting for further objections, he dismissed the clan assembly and led his followers toward the Konoha Police Force headquarters, where preparations for the evacuation were underway.

Even with pre-arranged plans, a movement of this scale took time, and they needed a decoy team to distract Konoha's upper echelons.

Shisui himself would lead this high-risk team.

Just as they prepared to depart, a distortion in space twisted before the security building's entrance.

A figure clad in black robes, wearing a tiger-striped mask, emerged from the swirling void.

Without hesitation, the masked man wielded a large scythe and lunged at Shisui.

Clang!

Shisui drew his kodachi in an instant, blocking the strike with one hand while thrusting a kunai at the intruder's side.

However, as the blade connected, Shisui felt something off—the sensation was not that of cutting through flesh and bone.

His instincts flared. He vanished with the Body Flicker Technique.

"He possesses time-space ninjutsu. Only the moment of his attack is real."

Shisui gritted his teeth as he addressed his comrades:

"Stay alert and work together—this enemy is dangerous."

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