Naruto: Starting with Snatching the Mangekyō Sharingan

Not long after, the two figures arrived in front of a standalone apartment building near the center of the village.

As the child of the Fourth Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto naturally warranted dedicated care and protection.

However, Hiruzen understood the dangers of overprotection. Excessive security measures would only attract more attention from spies, increasing the likelihood of infiltration.

Thus, the overt security around Naruto was relatively modest—publicly, his caretaker was merely a Chūnin acting as his nanny. Behind the scenes, however, a four-man squad of ANBU was stationed to ensure his safety.

For Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, even the current quality of Edo Tensei they were bound to was sufficient to bypass the ANBU unnoticed.

Through the gaps in the apartment's fence, the two caught sight of a small yard. Inside, a lively one-year-old blond toddler crawled around, sucking on a milk bottle.

Not far from the child stood a woman in her thirties. She looked on helplessly as she called out to the boy, but he paid her no attention, fully absorbed in playing with his toys on the ground.

"...Naruto…" Kushina murmured softly, her voice barely audible as she gazed at her son.

Minato remained silent, his eyes filled with affection as he watched Naruto.

After observing for a while, the two exchanged a glance, then disappeared from their spot without a sound.

Moments later, a silver-haired ANBU appeared where the couple had stood, scanning the area with a vigilant expression.

Sensing nothing unusual, the ANBU murmured in confusion, "Was it just my imagination? I could've sworn someone was here…"

Meanwhile, Minato and Kushina had returned to ShinTen Biotech's private laboratory, where Akira awaited them.

Seeing them enter, Akira smiled. "Fourth Hokage, Kushina, I wasn't lying to you, was I?"

Minato sighed heavily. "It's hard to believe how much has changed in the village in just one year."

Kushina squeezed his hand tightly, her tone comforting.

"Minato, we're no longer among the living. It's time to let go and trust our successors to handle things."

"I suppose so." Minato's response carried a bitter smile, though it was unclear whether he felt resignation or acceptance.

"Akira," he said, turning to the scientist, "please, let us return to our rest."

"Of course. I'll see to it right away," Akira reassured them, but before proceeding, she added, "There's just one thing I'd like to ask you, Fourth Hokage."

Minato's expression remained calm. "What is it?"

"I'd like to know more about Sage Mode," Akira said earnestly.

"Sage Mode?" Minato nodded in understanding. "While I'm far from a master, I do know a bit. Go ahead and ask. I'll answer to the best of my ability."

"Hokage-sama, how does one sense natural energy without external assistance?" Akira asked directly.

On the surface, mastering Sage Mode seemed straightforward: sense natural energy, draw it into the body, and balance it with one's physical and spiritual energies in a 1:1:1 ratio to create senjutsu chakra.

However, Akira had hit a roadblock. He couldn't even sense natural energy, let alone progress to the next steps.

Minato frowned, contemplating the question for a moment before replying, "While natural energy is omnipresent, humans need external assistance to perceive it when first starting out. When I trained, I relied on Mount Myōboku's toad oil to sense natural energy for the first time."

He looked at Akira apologetically. "I'm sorry, Akira. I'm afraid I can't help you here."

Akira wasn't too disappointed; he'd asked on a whim, hoping for an unexpected solution.

He sighed. "I wonder how the First Hokage managed to master Sage Mode on his own."

Minato's expression turned thoughtful before he said, "It's said that the First Hokage had a unique constitution, one inherently attuned to natural energy. That allowed him to create his own version of Sage Mode without external help."

"For everyone else, however, it's impossible to sense natural energy unaided. External assistance serves as a bridge, carving a path through a natural barrier. Once that path is established, one can sense natural energy independently."

"Ah, so that's the key." Akira finally understood why his efforts had been futile.

After this discussion, Akira didn't keep the couple any longer. At their request, he summoned the coffins of Edo Tensei and returned their consciousness to rest.

Elsewhere, a Kumogakure emissary quietly arrived at Iwagakure and was granted an audience with Ōnoki in the Tsuchikage's office.

Behind his towering desk, Ōnoki's diminutive frame radiated authority. He scrutinized the tall emissary from Kumogakure and demanded, "What business does Kumo have with Iwa? Relations between our villages are far from amicable."

The emissary, a towering man with a dark complexion named Anrei, smiled faintly. His deep voice resonated as he replied, "Tsuchikage-sama, I come bearing a proposal from Raikage-sama. He wishes to invite Iwagakure to join Kumogakure in dividing the spoils of Konoha."

"Divide Konoha?" Ōnoki scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain. "The Raikage has a bigger mouth than his father. Even his father didn't dare dream so big. It seems your Fourth Raikage's courage outweighs his strength!"

Anrei, unfazed by the insult, replied evenly, "Tsuchikage-sama, I assure you this is no mere boast. Konoha is at its weakest now, presenting us with the perfect opportunity to conquer it and share the wealth of the Land of Fire."

Indeed, from the perspective of other villages, Konoha was at an unprecedented low point.

In just one year, they'd lost Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and his wife, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, Kushina. One of the Sannin, Orochimaru and Danzo infamous as the "Darkness of the Shinobi World," were soon to be executed for his forbidden experiments.

Four Kage-level figures gone in a flash, compounded by the lasting toll of the Third Shinobi War, had left Konoha undeniably vulnerable.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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