Chapter 5: That Is, The Death Knell I Sound for Them

Chapter 5: That Is, The Death Knell I Sound for Them

"It's time. Let's go see little Naruto."

The Third Hokage took off his official Hokage robes, changed into casual clothes, and put on his usual kind and benevolent smile.

Anyone who didn't know him would just see him as an ordinary little old man.

At this moment, Uzumaki Menma's hand movements paused, seeming to have sharply sensed something.

"Someone's coming?"

He closed his eyes, opening his Mind's Eye. Instantly, all movements within a ten-kilometer radius centered on little Naruto were registered in his mind.

This was the Uzumaki clan's exclusive sensory ninjutsu, "Kagura Shingan."

If he knew a specific chakra signature, Menma could even sense detailed location and movement.

Upon opening his Mind's Eye, he indeed found a chakra signature "heavy with the air of twilight" above Hokage Rock.

This chakra, decaying like rotten wood, was all too familiar, and all too disgusting to him.

"This old undying peeping tom is here again."

Menma clicked his tongue in annoyance, turning to Naruto: "Don't tell anyone about what happened here."

"Huh? What..."

Ignoring little Naruto's shocked and regretful expression, Menma waved his hand, kicking him out of the seal space.

"You're just letting that brat go out like that? No matter how precocious he is, he's just a three-year-old brat. It'd be easy for someone with ill intentions to pry his mouth open, right?"

Hearing the Nine-Tails' loud voice, Menma's smile didn't falter as he said gently: "Of course, I'm confident. Naruto is a very smart child. I believe he won't tell."

This was a lie.

Menma wasn't confident in the young Naruto; rather, he wouldn't place absolute trust in anyone.

However, he had long used the "Book of the Crimson Moon" to reshape this seal space into his own domain. The authority he possessed far exceeded that of Naruto, the actual host.

If he detected any risk of exposure, Menma would warn Naruto before he could reveal anything, even forcibly pulling him back into the seal space.

After all, he currently only possessed a "frail" soul body, and the waters of the real world ran deep, with quite a few cunning old foxes and undying old menaces.

Kaguya, Black Zetsu, Madara, Obito, Danzō, plus the Old Man of Six Paths hiding in the Pure Land, the Three Great Sages dwelling in their Sacred Grounds, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki hiding somewhere...

If he wanted to continuously advance and grow stronger, transforming this world economically, technologically, ideologically, and institutionally into the image he desired, then making a fortune quietly while keeping a low profile was the correct path.

This wasn't the small Tsukuyomi World; relying solely on himself would make it difficult to deal with that group of cunning old foxes and undying menaces.

Therefore, he needed power, and he needed to bring more geniuses under his command. The first target, naturally, was Uzumaki Naruto, the "Child of Prophecy."

As if thinking of something, the corners of Menma's mouth curled up slightly, becoming somewhat playful and pleased.

"I really want to quickly see the scene of Naruto chatting while standing on the ruins of Konoha, hahaha!"

...

"Where is this..."

On Hokage Rock, little Naruto opened his eyes blankly and slowly sat up.

What greeted him were the blue sky, white clouds, rocks, and the noisy crowd below...

This was Konoha, the place he had lived his whole life yet felt no sense of belonging.

*Bang!*

As if jolted awake from a dream, Naruto sprang up, eyes wide, scanning his surroundings.

No beach or sea, no Menma-nii with his gentle and friendly smile, and certainly no gluttonous big fox feasting away!

"What happened!? Was I just dreaming?"

Thinking this, little Naruto instantly deflated like a punctured balloon, his expression becoming listless.

*Yeah, I should have known. How could anyone possibly like me?*

*How could such a beautiful and peaceful place like a dream exist?*

*And how could the terrifying Nine-Tailed Demon Fox from the adults' stories possibly be a harmless, gluttonous big fox?*

*It was just a dream, a beautiful but false dream.*

"But, but, it still hurts so much..."

Little Naruto's chubby cheeks quivered slightly, his mouth pouted, but a layer of mist still couldn't help but well up in his eyes.

That was the first big brother who truly acknowledged him.

The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox wasn't some ferocious monster that devoured people and drank blood, and he wasn't some evil Demon Fox Incarnation either.

But now it was all gone!

Just as little Naruto was sniffling, tears about to spill...

"Naruto."

A familiar magnetic voice seemed to reappear in his ears.

No, it sounded more like it appeared directly in his mind.

Little Naruto's tearful expression froze instantly, looking quite dazed and comical.

Coming back to his senses, he spoke cautiously, as if afraid to break the illusion: "...Menma-nii?"

"You don't need to speak aloud. Just think the words in your mind, and I can hear you. My voice cannot be heard by anyone other than you."

Little Naruto nodded cluelessly, then asked silently in his mind again: "Menma-nii, are you there?"

"I am."

"...Menma-nii?"

"...I am here, Naruto. I'm always here."

One could tell Menma was a bit exasperated, but he still responded with warmth and a hint of laughter in his voice.

Suddenly, his tone shifted, teasing with a smile: "But right now, Naruto, if you don't go catch some fish, you'll have an empty stomach tonight."

*Gurgle gurgle~*

As soon as the words fell, a sound echoed in agreement.

Little Naruto's face flushed red. Clutching his stomach, he ran towards the river in embarrassment.

Meanwhile, inside the seal space, the smile on Menma's face gradually faded, his eyes narrowing slightly.

The Book of the Crimson Moon hovered before him, reflecting the scene outside the seal space like a mirror.

"So noisy..."

The bustling crowd below Hokage Rock now sounded somewhat grating to his ears.

They conventionally adorned themselves, only tasting the bitterness of the world within their comfortable havens.

They were blessed with peace and joy, dozing off amidst the beautiful lights of countless homes, carelessly wasting things easily obtained.

This was Konoha, the strongest ninja village established by the First Hokage Senju Hashirama and the Asura of the Ninja World, Uchiha Madara.

Rich in talent and resources.

It remained strong even after experiencing three Shinobi World Wars. Every year, every generation, geniuses emerged out of nowhere, turning desperate tides and saving the village from collapse.

Senju, Uchiha, Hyūga, Ino-Shika-Chō, Aburame, Kurama...

The First and Second Hokage, the White Fang of the Leaf, the Sannin of the Leaf, the Yellow Flash...

If he hadn't appeared, there would later be Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke.

Uzumaki Menma admired their willpower and Ninja Way, but looking at these ignorant fools, were they truly worth sacrificing lives to protect?

"Kurama..."

Menma looked down at Konoha below, his gaze distant as he murmured: "Do you hear it?"

"Hmm?" the Nine-Tails responded quizzically.

"That is... the death knell I sound for them."

Menma's eyes were profound, as if seeing into a more distant future.

The old era was about to meet its end.

The shinobi of the old era were about to meet their god.