Naruto, born from the world of his parents.

There are limits to being a ninja, and Minato Namikaze understood this when he was eighteen.

At eighteen, his glorious beginnings began. That year, he had already made a name for himself in the ninja world. That year, he had gradually begun to master the forbidden technique called Flying Thunder God. That year, he was growing into a towering tree at an astonishing speed.

But it was also in that year that Minato found his progress was starting to slow down.

Unlike the development cycle of ordinary people, a ninja's peak period is around the age of twenty. At the age of twenty, with the complete end of physical development, the accumulation of chakra also officially stops.

Before the age of twenty, a ninja will undergo a new change every year, but after the age of twenty, this leapfrog progress will stop, and what remains is only the accumulation of experience and the refinement of skills.

When he turned eighteen and officially stepped into the threshold of becoming the strongest person in the world, Minato's progress began to slow down.

Only after completely devouring that unknown soul did Minato realize that the limits that bound him had disappeared without him noticing.

……

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."

The lungs, like a broken windmill, constantly inhale and exhale oxygen.

After lying on the ground for about ten minutes, Naruto felt the pain from the deepest part of his mind begin to slowly dissipate.

As the pain gradually subsided, an indescribable coolness surged from my mind, conveying a refreshing sensation similar to that of mint leaves.

The euphoric feeling after the pain made Naruto want to groan.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, suppressed the lingering discomfort, and stood up.

"I'm sorry, Naruto-sama, I went a bit too far."

Upon hearing Itachi's voice, Naruto opened his eyes, turned his head, and looked at the guilt on Itachi's face, and he actually laughed.

"Too much? How could that be, Itachi-nii?"

Feeling the chakra flowing through his body, Naruto's smile grew even brighter.

"This is probably one of the happiest things that have happened to me in a long time."

The extreme pain brought about the extreme progress. Naruto clenched his fists, feeling every cell in his body leaping with joy and cheering.

He glanced at Itachi's eyes, now devoid of their blood-red color, with a hint of regret.

If his mind hadn't truly reached its limit and he couldn't bear it any longer, he really would have liked to try that illusion again.

At the same time, Minato's image in Naruto's mind became even more glorious and majestic.

"That's an incredible method."

Naruto couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

In reality, the gains Naruto made in just the blink of an eye far exceeded those from months of arduous training.

Moreover, besides the improvement in chakra brought about by this pain, Naruto also vaguely felt that his future seemed to have become broader.

……

"I see, thank you for your hard work."

After listening to Itachi's report, Minato nodded and thanked Itachi.

"These were all Hokage's orders; I only did some insignificant things."

Upon hearing Itachi's words, Minato smiled noncommittally.

Because of Naruto, he developed an even deeper bond with this junior he already admired.

Therefore, he was willing to say things to Itachi that he wouldn't normally say.

"Itachi, gentleness and humility are excellent qualities for a leader, but they are by no means everything."

"Lord Hokage?"

"Ninjas aren't people you can deal with just being gentle and humble. Come with me."

As he spoke, Minato's signature smile vanished completely, replaced by a deep, unreadable expression.

He strode out of the office, with Itachi following closely behind.

To his surprise, the already incredibly busy Hokage Building became even busier after Minato's arrival.

This is not a performance to appease the leader, but a kind of tension that comes from the heart.

Seeing this scene, Itachi couldn't help but think of his father.

In his eyes, Minato's current expression was exactly like his father's usual appearance.

As he left the Hokage Building, Minato maintained a tense expression the entire way, only nodding slightly in response to the greetings from villagers and ninjas.

His serious expression instantly made the village tense.

This Hokage, so different from the usual one, really made people wonder. Although there was no news, everyone who saw Minato this morning had a vague idea in their minds.

"Something bad is about to happen."

In this atmosphere, the village, which should have been bustling with activity, was instead unusually quiet.

The sun hung high in the sky, casting endless light upon the world. This extraordinarily white light fell on the uneven, multicolored ground, resembling snow that had accumulated overnight.

Konoha, a courtyard.

Ninjas were hidden almost everywhere in the courtyard, watching the people inside the house with emotionless indifference, like wood and stone.

Inside the room, the Third Hokage of Iwagakure, Onoki, knelt before the tea table, leisurely brewing tea with a calm expression. He didn't seem to be being watched, but rather like an old man being protected.

He brought the steaming teacup to his lips and took a small sip of the tea, which had almost cooled down.

A slight bitterness mixed with the fresh scent of herbs instantly filled his mouth, and feeling the sweet aftertaste on the tip of his tongue, the imprisoned Rock Shadow couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"It's truly enviable that Konoha possesses such a rare treasure."

Onoki trailed off in a long, drawn-out tone, sighing softly with a calm and composed expression.

But he was not as calm inside as he appeared.

Thinking of Minato Namikaze's overwhelming power a few days ago, a barely perceptible shadow crossed the eyes of the old man, whose age was similar to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Why do monsters keep appearing in Konoha?

That day, Minato Namikaze's awe-inspiring presence even reminded him of the legendary ninja he had met when he was thirteen years old, Madara Uchiha.

No, it might even be more terrifying than freckles.

The fact that this young Kage of Konoha could instill fear in him, a man in his sixties who had served as the Rock Kage for decades, suggests that he might even be stronger than the Madara he had encountered.

After all, he is no longer the boy who could only stand behind his teacher.

But is that even possible? Could there really be someone stronger than that monstrous Uchiha Madara?

Onoki gently shook his head, trying to dispel this unbelievable thought, but some thoughts, once they arise, will not stop.

It's like moss in rock crevices, grass between stones, and bamboo shoots waiting to grow in the soil; once it takes root, it's destined to spread.

Why is Konoha so quiet today?

Onoki tried to distract himself, but discovered something new.

Whether it was a deliberate arrangement by the Hokage or not, the place where Onoki was imprisoned happened to be right in the heart of the village.

Normally, at this time of day, the bustling noise of the street would intrude into this courtyard, but today, it was eerily quiet.

"What happened?" Ohnoki frowned.

But the next moment, his gaze was drawn to the figures in the courtyard.

"Ohnoki-senpai."

The person inside the courtyard had an excessively young and handsome face, but there was no trace of the characteristic gentleness on that face.

The face that had lost its gentleness, leaving only determination and depth, startled Onoki, but he still greeted it without showing any emotion.

The Fourth Hokage.

Onoki nodded to the newcomer, then casually asked, "Has the matter been investigated?"

Minato shook his head and said something that made Onoki lose his composure.

"No, but you can leave now."

"What do you mean by that?"

Although Onoki tried to remain calm, even Itachi behind Minato could hear the composure hidden in his aged voice.

Standing in the dazzling, almost pale sunlight, Minato Namikaze's usually gentle face was now as cold as the sunlight itself. He stared silently at Onoki until the old man was about to lose his temper, at which point he uttered the sentence that utterly shattered him.

Minato's voice was as gentle as ever, but the content was like a heavy punch, like the cold wind of early spring, striking Onoki's seemingly strong heart.

"Prepare for war."