[NTU] [ARC-26] Chapter : 347

A squad of three figures raced across the battlefield toward the Allied Shinobi Forces’ front lines. Upon arrival, they quickly split up to begin their missions.

"Alright! My turn at last!"

In the middle of the fray, Naruto Uzumaki arrived with his usual burst of enthusiasm. Surrounded by wary shinobi still unsure of who to trust, he couldn’t help but grin as he prepared to show them what he could do.

"Watch me!"

A golden glow erupted from his body as he entered Sage Mode, his senses sharpening instantly. Closing his eyes, Naruto extended his awareness outward, feeling for even the faintest flickers of hostility or ill intent.

Whoosh!

In a flash of golden chakra, he vanished—then reappeared beside a seemingly normal coalition ninja, driving a fist into the man’s chest.

"Y-You… actually sensed us..."
The imposter gasped, disbelief written across his fading features—before transforming into a mass of tangled green branches and collapsing into a wooden stump.

"Excellent work, Naruto!"
A nearby Konoha shinobi cheered, eyes lighting up with hope. "This is going to change everything for us!"

Naruto turned, beaming at the familiar voice.

"Shikamaru! You’re still the same—lazy, but somehow always in the thick of it!"

Naruto’s longtime friend gave a sigh, brushing off the praise with a half-hearted wave of his hand.

"Tch. Troublesome, huh? If it weren’t for Dad nagging me day and night, I’d be napping under a tree right now... not trudging through the Rain Country fighting weird chakra monsters."

As always, Shikamaru's words were laced with annoyance, but the gleam of resolve in his eyes said otherwise.

Naruto laughed, then turned to spot another familiar face approaching.

"Choji! Wow, you’ve really packed on the pounds lately. Keep going and you’ll turn into a full-blown fat pig!"

He grinned teasingly, clapping his friend on the shoulder. Choji, always good-natured, just chuckled.

"It’s the Hokage’s fault!"
He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Thanks to him, the world’s been at peace, and ninja payouts went up. We’ve had more food than ever. I guess I went a little overboard..."

He smiled warmly, not the least bit offended by the jab. Having grown up during a time of hardship, Choji associated the term "fat pig" less with insult and more with abundance—a far cry from his family's former struggles.

Little did he know, it was the very same Fifth Hokage who had once been the cause of his family’s decline… a truth still hidden in the shadows.

"Alright, I’ve got to cover more ground. No time to chat!"
With a quick nod to the quiet Ino standing nearby, Naruto took off again, a streak of golden chakra disappearing into the distance.

"Mom, we’re moving too slow like this. Let’s split up for real this time—maybe add some Shadow Clones?"

Naruto called out over his shoulder to Kushina, who had just finished dealing with her own opponents. The battlefield was vast, and even with her help, progress was sluggish.

"Good idea!"
Kushina stepped up and ruffled his hair affectionately, pride sparkling in her eyes.

"Do whatever you think is best. You’ve already mastered Sage Mode—I trust you."

Naruto gave a loud, “Yeah!” and dropped into a cross-legged position, quickly focusing on the natural energy in the air. His plan was simple: create a wide network of Shadow Clones using Sage Mode to cover as much territory as possible—snuffing out hidden enemies before they could act.

He inhaled deeply.

The storm of war raged around him—but Naruto was calm, steady, and ready.

—

A Hidden Canyon on the Border of the Land of Rain.

Nestled between jagged cliffs, the narrow canyon was so remote and elevated that even birds struggled to soar overhead. A silence hung thick in the air—ominous, expectant.

"We’re almost there..."

In the heart of the canyon, Nagato stood before the massive Outer Path Gedo Statue, his Rinnegan eyes gleaming with restrained anticipation. His voice trembled slightly, betraying a rare flicker of excitement.

"After all these years... my dream is finally within reach."

The hulking Golem crouched motionless, its enormous form blending eerily with the surrounding rock. From afar, it could be mistaken for some grotesque idol—worshipped by madmen or forgotten cults. But the nine monstrous eyes on its forehead, most of them wide open and glowing faintly, shattered any such illusion.

Behind Nagato, Zetsu observed silently, his usually carefree demeanor tinged with solemnity. His gaze swept over the Golem's unsettling eyes, each one pulsing with chakra—each one representing a sealed tailed beast.

"If only we had the complete chakra of the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails..."
His voice was low, almost wistful. "We could’ve begun the final phase by now."

Of the nine giant eyes, seven were fully open, their dark pupils shifting slowly, as if the statue were scanning the terrain. The eighth eye remained half-lidded, while the ninth was barely cracked open—a narrow slit that hinted at potential, not yet realized.

Nagato’s eyes narrowed.
"What’s the status on the front lines?"

He didn’t look back as he addressed Black Zetsu, his tone cold and commanding.

"The Golem’s nearly ready," he continued. "We can’t allow the enemy to interfere now."

Black Zetsu shook his head. "The situation isn’t ideal. Our clone infiltration tactics are losing effectiveness. At first, our impersonations caught the Alliance off-guard—but they’ve adapted. Especially since Naruto and Kushina entered the battlefield. Their chakra perception completely nullifies our disguise technique."

Nagato’s lips pressed into a thin line.
"What about Kabuto? Is his backup plan ready?"

A mischievous grin crept across Zetsu’s face.
"He’s finishing up his personal matters, but yes—he’s prepared to move. The moment we give the word, his Edo-Tensei army can be deployed."

Nagato exhaled slowly, his eyes once again drifting to the Golem's massive open mouth. Within its maw, a strange vortex pulsed—like it was inhaling something unseen. Even with the power of the Rinnegan, the source of the energy remained elusive. But the signs were there.

The disturbance in the air.
The fading vitality of nearby trees.
The subtle shift in water currents and soil density.

The Golem was absorbing something—drawing life from the very world around it.

"So that’s how it feeds…" Nagato murmured, more to himself than to Zetsu.

He watched as faint trails of near-invisible energy funneled into the statue, its chakra reserves steadily growing. Nature itself was being siphoned—converted into raw power.

Zetsu stepped forward. "Kabuto has also reported that Sasuke has been captured. With his ‘errands’ done, he’s ready to deploy the reanimation jutsu at a moment’s notice."

Nagato gave a quiet nod, his eyes still locked on the statue.

"Good. Get everything in place."

"Understood!"
Zetsu obeyed immediately, though his gaze lingered on Nagato’s still form for a beat longer.

'Is he… hesitating?'

No matter. The arrow had already been drawn. The war was in motion. Even if Nagato faltered, there were… contingency plans.

The Golem’s eyes pulsed again.
The final storm was coming.
And the world would never be the same.