Naruto: Fooling the Ninja World, I'm Hailed as a Savior

In the rain, a visible bubble rapidly expanded, its surface covered in prickly mist. The eyes of the Konoha and Hidden Cloud ninjas reflected a blinding firelight, like a fountain composed of flames and light erupting.

Just as the firelight surged, engulfing the Konoha ninjas, Akimichi Doto turned around, presenting his broad back to the explosion's impact.

"Partial Expansion Jutsu!" Akimichi Doto roared, his voice resolute against the deafening blast. Simultaneously, two other voices unexpectedly erupted.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

"Rotation!"

Boom!!

It was as if a small sun had suddenly exploded before them. The close-range light and roar blinded and deafened everyone. In the silence, a rampant heat wave surged towards them.

The impact of the explosion instantly shattered all the glass. Broken wood and stones splattered everywhere, shrieking sounds filled the air. If a person stood in front of them, they would undoubtedly be penetrated as easily as paper.

But the Konoha ninjas were merely sent flying, as if hit head-on by a giant elephant running at high speed. They tumbled backward through the air, rolling until they crashed onto the ground outside the inn.

Crack! Snap!

Their bodies emitted a sickening sound of cracking bones. Intense pain surged through the Konoha ninjas' bodies. They lay on the ground, groaning in agony, feeling only ringing in their ears and dizziness. The explosion happened very suddenly and quickly. After about ten seconds, black smoke slowly settled, and the tremor gradually subsided.

"Pfft!"

Aburame Ryoma, who had been slammed to the ground, spat out a mouthful of blood, clutching his chest, feeling as though his internal organs had shifted. After a long while, his vision, which had darkened to white, began to recover slightly.

Images gradually emerged from the countless snow-like static, the first color he saw was orange—firelight—the lingering embers of the flames covering everything before him. A sharp ringing in his ears also began to subside, replaced by the crackling of burning debris and groans.

"Cough cough! What the hell happened?!"

Thick black smoke filled his nostrils, causing him to cough. Aburame Ryoma struggled to get up, looking at the collapsed inn in the distance and seeing the charred corpse of his giant insect.

That was his summoned beast. If he hadn't remained vigilant and reacted in time, instinctively using his Summoning Jutsu, he, being so close, would likely be dead or crippled now. And there were two people even closer than him.

Crack!

A black arm stretched out from the rubble, then suddenly heaved a large amount of bricks, climbing out from under the debris. It was Akimichi Doto, who had been closest to the explosion. Having used his Partial Expansion Jutsu, he bore the brunt of the impact and blocked the force of the explosion. If he hadn't been at the very front, the others wouldn't have just been thrown back; they would have faced the full force of the blast.

Thud!

The act of climbing out of the rubble seemed to exhaust his remaining strength. His gradually shrinking body collapsed forward onto the ground, his back covered in charred, swollen burns.

However, being from the Akimichi clan, renowned for their physical secret techniques, even a close-range explosion like that didn't kill him outright; he was merely severely injured and unconscious from the impact on his internal organs and brain.

In comparison, the Hidden Cloud ninjas inside the inn weren't as lucky. Black smoke and white mist filled the inn like a curtain, and the heat warped the air, obscuring the vision of all Konoha ninjas.

But soon, a figure was seen flying out of the thick black smoke, crashing beside Aburame Ryoma with a pained groan. Recognizing the person beside him, Aburame Ryoma's eyes widened suddenly.

"Hyuga Kawa?!"

How is that possible? This guy was so close, how could he still be alive?!

He was merely covered in dirt and blood, his exposed skin cracked, as if a large number of capillaries had ruptured from the shock, but there were no severe burns. A bloody streak ran diagonally across his chest, tearing his clothes, looking more like a sharp weapon's cut than a scratch from debris.

"You…"

Looking at Hyuga Kawa, who was in pain and unable to get up for a long time, Aburame Ryoma suddenly recalled the low growl that erupted when the explosion went off.

Rotation: at the moment of an attack, a large amount of chakra is released from the chakra points in the body, and then a circular spinning motion is performed like a top, which can deflect all physical attacks.

Hyuga Kawa, this overlooked Branch House member, actually learned a secret technique of the Hyuga Main House?

"Cough cough!"

Hyuga Kawa's face was gashed with two gruesome cuts. He suddenly reached out and grabbed Aburame Ryoma's arm, his voice hoarse. "Ryoma-senpai, quickly take Doto-senpai and go. That Hidden Cloud guy hasn't…"

Before he could finish, a hoarse, terrifying roar interrupted him.

"Damn you all! I'll kill you!!"

As the words fell, a black shadow followed closely, bursting through the thick smoke. The black shadow was utterly unrecognizable from its appearance, looking like a charred corpse, still emitting black smoke and even a scent of burnt flesh. But it was still alive, albeit in immense pain, severely burned all over, almost driven mad by the agony. The reason was the trickling iron sand around him, which had absorbed most of the impact but failed to prevent the burns.

"Wait! Hold on!"

Aburame Ryoma instantly realized something was wrong. With his internal injuries, he couldn't move. He quickly shouted, "Calm down, we didn't do this. We were also caught in the blast. Someone is deliberately instigating this!"

At these words, Toroi, who was about to strike in fury, paused. His gaze swept over the Konoha ninjas, who had also lost their combat capabilities. But just before he could calm down, eight black figures suddenly body-flickered from various directions. These were the Root ninjas who had accompanied Aburame Ryoma, hidden in the shadows.

"Don't attack!"

Seeing Toroi clench the shuriken in his hand, Aburame Ryoma immediately roared. Two of them instantly moved to treat the unconscious Akimichi Doto, while three others stood tense on either side of Toroi, wary of him.

However, the other three figures approached Aburame Ryoma and, without hesitation, simultaneously threw their kunai.

"You…"

This scene instantly made Aburame Ryoma's eyes widen in terror. He had never expected the Root ninjas to disregard his orders. The Anbu ninjas who were still conscious beside him also looked at Aburame Ryoma with surprise and suspicion, instantly realizing his true identity.

No wonder, no wonder there was that familiar chilling aura. So Aburame Ryoma truly is a Root ninja?

Realizing this, the Konoha ninjas instinctively assumed that the phrase "Don't attack" was actually a signal to Toroi to lower his guard, an implicit command for the Root ninjas to "attack." "Root… no, it's Danzō! Danzō's evil intentions haven't died, he wants to sabotage the negotiations and ignite a war between the two nations!" This thought suddenly surged into their minds. It was no wonder they thought this, given their familiarity, as Anbu ninjas, with the "Shinobi of Darkness"'s past misdeeds and character.

But Aburame Ryoma himself knew all too well that he had given no signal to attack!

To the side, Hyuga Kawa's head was lowered, the shadow cast by the firelight on his face, a smile nobody noticed appearing on his lips.

"Shameless Konoha ninjas! You truly have ill intentions!"

Watching the Konoha ninjas throw kunai at him, Toroi's last shred of hesitation completely vanished, replaced by towering rage that finally made him act.

Buzz! Buzz!

The moment the words fell, Toroi flung three giant shuriken from his hand, producing several sudden buzzing sounds! Their cold, gleaming blades tore through the black rain curtain. Two of the giant shuriken not only blocked the kunai but even instantly cut the three attacking Root ninjas in half at the waist.

And the last giant shuriken…

The two Root ninjas who were helping Akimichi Doto felt their hairs stand on end. In their peripheral vision, they saw the several shuriken flying towards them from behind. Their hearts felt enveloped by an overwhelming cold, their bodies even stiffening.

But the next moment, a figure appeared before them.

Eight Inner Gates Release: Second Gate, Gate of Healing. Open!