Konoha: Naruto's abnormal life choices

The Raikage already knew there were two Yukitos behind him, but precisely because they were Yukitos, he had let his guard down.

Even if Killer Bee himself had come and warned him that Yugito would betray him, he wouldn't have believed it. Not before this moment.

After all, Yugito had lived in the Hidden Cloud Village for over twenty years.

But the blood spilling from his chest now served as undeniable proof of her betrayal.

"Puff!"

The blade was pulled out slightly, then thrust in again. Blood streamed down his muscular frame, staining the ground like a red spider lily in full bloom.

Stab after stab—the tip of the blade thoroughly shattered the Raikage's heart. His eyes widened as he turned around with his final breath.

There was still a look of hesitation and guilt on Yugito's face. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she softly whispered, "I'm sorry," and then swiftly swung the blade, severing the Raikage's head from his body.

Boom!

His powerful body crashed to the ground with a loud thud. His head was held in Yugito's hands, eyes still open in death.

Naruto approached calmly, took the Raikage's head from her hands, and gently wiped the blood from her face with his sleeve.

Yugito's eyes snapped to Naruto's. She stepped over the corpse, panicked. "Naruto-sama, please don't misunderstand! I'm not sad for him!"

"It's alright," Naruto replied with a warm smile. "Even if you are, I wouldn't blame you. You've known each other for so long—I understand."

Truthfully, Naruto didn't feel any anger at all. If anything, he felt a little guilty toward her.

Yugito had made an enormous contribution to this victory. Without her, who knew how much longer the fight with the Raikage would've dragged on?

Yugito visibly relaxed at Naruto's gentle response—but then, worry quickly returned to her face.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked, sensing her hesitation.

Before he could react, Yugito raised her blade—and swung it hard.

"Puff!"

Blood splattered all over Naruto.

"Lord Naruto, I'm sorry... I got you dirty..." Yugito's voice trembled, growing weaker like petals drifting on the wind.

She guided Naruto's hand to the hilt of the blade that pierced her, then collapsed against him, vomiting blood.

Only now did Naruto freeze in shock.

But quickly, the reason behind her actions became clear.

She wasn't trying to die out of guilt—she wanted to end her role in the war, to stop fighting her fellow villagers. By severely injuring herself, she'd force the Hidden Cloud Village to retreat.

With one of their top warriors dead and another incapacitated, only Killer Bee remained. They wouldn't have the strength to continue the fight.

Even if they didn't want to retreat—they'd have no choice.

"Idiot."

Naruto moved his lips to curse at her... but didn't speak.

Because he realized—he was becoming an idiot too.

Battlefield – The Frontlines

The earth trembled. Trees, soil, and rocks were hurled as weapons. Everywhere the ninja passed, devastation followed—within minutes, the landscape became nothing but rubble.

Lightning flashed, fire exploded, and thunder roared through the mountains.

Boom!

Tsunade was an unstoppable force. A jonin-led force wasn't nearly enough to pose a threat to her. Not even the flashy blond jonin could endure more than a few of her punches.

Still, with superior numbers, the enemy managed to hold her off for a while.

After all, rivals in the same field often hate each other—and women with similar personalities clash just as much.

Both were blonde. Both were powerful. Both were beautiful.

The two brightest flowers from Konoha and Kumogakure naturally detested each other.

Samui swung her blade. "I'll cut your grandmother down!"

Tsunade slammed her fist. "Watch me! I'll smash your grandma into pieces!"

From beyond the grave, the spirits of Uzumaki Mito and Samui's grandmother must've wondered:

"What did we do to deserve this?"

As the two women traded trash talk and fierce blows, a gust of wind blew away the thick gunpowder ash.

Suddenly, the battlefield fell quiet.

All eyes turned toward the center—where Naruto and the Raikage had been fighting. It had always been the noisiest point on the field.

Now it was dead silent.

As the smoke cleared and two silhouettes slowly emerged, everyone's expression changed.

"Hahaha! Looks like that bastard Uzumaki Naruto's finally been taken down by Lord Raikage and Yugito!" Samui laughed gleefully. "Once they're done here, we'll crush Konoha!"

Her mood soared as she saw the figures. Her blade felt lighter in her hand.

After all, both the Raikage and Yugito were the Hidden Cloud's top-tier fighters. No one would believe that they could lose—not even to the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.

Samui pressed forward. "Now that it's over, you're next, Hokage-sama!"

Her psychological tactics were working—Tsunade faltered.

In her eyes, Naruto was still a child. Talented or not, it was hard to believe he could win against both the Raikage and Yugito.

She hadn't even had time to intervene before it was over.

Pain gripped her chest like an iron chain. Her eyes welled with tears, as memories of her little brother and her first love rushed in.

So distracted, she didn't dodge Samui's slash.

Her shoulder was struck. A mid-tier jonin had actually landed a blow on the Hokage.

Samui was ecstatic. She had landed a strike and watched Naruto fall—life couldn't get any better.

Flush with confidence, she raised her blade to strike again—

Just then, the smoke fully cleared.

And standing in the center was Uzumaki Naruto.

His body was soaked in blood. In one hand, he held the blade that had pierced both Yugitos. In the other, the severed head of the Raikage.

A lifeless, blackened body lay at his feet.

The battlefield was stunned.

Konoha erupted in cheers.

No one expected Naruto to overcome two of Kumogakure's greatest warriors on his own.

"Naruto!"

Tsunade cried out in joy. Tears burst from her eyes.

She didn't know how he had done it—but it didn't matter.

He was alive.

She reignited her chakra, healed her wound instantly, and charged Samui with renewed fury.

Damn it! Tsunade thought, You scared me half to death!

Boom!

Samui barely dodged. Tsunade's punch sent another Cloud Ninja flying skyward.

Had that hit her, she would've been pulverized.

Samui gritted her teeth and backed off—not to flee, but to regroup for a final, desperate assault on Naruto.

And she wasn't alone.

Cloud ninjas all around felt the same way.

Including the last powerhouse standing—Killer Bee.

Having watched his elder brother fall, Killer Bee lost control.

He couldn't accept it.

He gave full control of his body to the Eight-Tails.

The Eight-Tails and Bee shared a telepathic bond. It knew Bee's pain—and it responded with rage.

"Stop him! Stop the Eight-Tails!"

"Where's the Sealing Team?!"

"Kamui!"

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Shouts erupted all over the battlefield. The berserk Eight-Tails was the final obstacle. If they could overcome it, the battle would be Konoha's.

But taming a tailed beast wasn't easy.

Before, Bee had held back, fearing collateral damage.

Now, the Eight-Tails rampaged, killing indiscriminately—seventeen or eighteen Chunin were trampled to death instantly.

It didn't care who was in its path.

Cloud Ninjas scattered in terror, praying they had enough legs to run.

But many were wounded, and couldn't flee. They could only close their eyes and wait to die—

Until a voice cried out.

"Killer Bee, snap out of it!"

"Have you gone mad?!"

Yugito spat blood, pushed Naruto aside, and transformed into her full tailed beast form to block the Eight-Tails.

Darui and Samui's eyes widened—they thought Yugito was dead!

They had both been prepared to die avenging her. Now she was alive!

"Killer Bee, the Raikage is dead. We've lost."

"Right now, our priority is helping our comrades retreat. You and I will hold the line."

"Lord Raikage wouldn't want the Hidden Cloud Village to fall. Retreating now is the wise choice."

Her words awakened something in Bee—and in the other Cloud Ninjas.

"Lady Yugito!"

"She's still fighting for us!"

"Stop gawking and retreat!" Yugito shouted.

Killer Bee regained control. A tear rolled down from beneath his sunglasses.

"Brothers and sisters—fall back! Yugito and I will cover the retreat!"

In most battles, retreating signals the start of slaughter.

Konoha didn't plan to be the exception.

Tsunade wanted Naruto to block the Eight-Tails while the Sealing Team subdued the injured Yugito.

But as she approached, Naruto suddenly collapsed into her arms—unconscious.

She examined him quickly: his chakra was completely depleted. Only the tailed beasts' chakra kept his body functioning.

She didn't question it—he had just killed the Raikage, after all. She assumed he had used a forbidden technique that drained him completely.

"Rest well... you've earned it."

Tsunade cradled Naruto's peaceful body and gave the order: no more pursuit.

They had lost many comrades already.

Victory was enough.

This battle would be remembered throughout the ninja world—proof that Konoha still reigned supreme.

No village would dare challenge them again without thinking twice.

The era of the Third Hokage's diplomacy was over.

Within the Sealed Space

It turns out pretending to be unconscious is surprisingly effective for a Jinchūriki.

Naruto simply used up his own chakra and withdrew his consciousness into the tailed beast's space.

Even a top-tier medic like Tsunade couldn't tell the difference.

"With the curse mark's blessing, Yugito should escape with the remaining Cloud forces."

"Now it depends on whether she can take power in the Hidden Cloud. If not... we'll go with Plan B—build a new village with her."

Naruto contemplated in the Tailed Beast Space.

By the time he woke, it was dawn.

And he was wrapped in something very soft and warm.

Purple hair spilled across the bed. Mao Yue Xiyan slept beside him, her breath soft and rhythmic. Her black pajamas were unbuttoned, collar open, a pale expanse of skin exposed.

"When did Sister Xiyan get here?"

Naruto had a habit of morning "exercise." He couldn't resist such a beautiful scene.

He leaned in, inhaled her fragrance, and his hand gently stroked her soft curves—

But just then, her grip snapped onto his ear.

The peaceful Sister Xiyan vanished.

In her place was one very angry blonde woman—Lady Tsunade, grabbing his face and rubbing it harshly.

"What do you think you're doing, you little brat?!"