Naruto: The Last Harbinger of Storm

Naruto: The Last Harbinger of Storm

Chapter 73: Glimpse of the Kami no Shinobi

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Author's Note:

Dear readers, 📝✨

As I kick off the second volume of this series and embrace the energy of the New Year 🎉, I realized I didn't post here. On my paid site i sarted posting from 6th. But fear not, I'm back! 💪 The new schedule is Wednesday and Sunday📅, and if possible, I'll even have fixed posting time. That's for another day, though. For now, I'll be posting today, tomorrow, and Wednesday to compensate for the two extra chapters I shared on the paid site. 🔥🔥

I think the second book I'm working on is shaping up amazingly. While the start wasn't my favorite 😅, it's beginning to take a form I'm proud of. Once again, thank you for sticking with me through this journey. 💖 Your enthusiasm and support keep me going, even during the most exhausting moments. 🙏✨

Until then, happy reading! 🌟📖😊

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"The strength of a leader is not in their power alone but in their ability to rise above weakness and safeguard hope for tomorrow."

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Last time on NTLHOS:

A shadowy figure stepped forward. "He has become a significant obstacle." Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with sinister intent.

"Then it's time we reminded him why snakes are not to be trifled with."

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Now:

The crackling of the small campfire was the only sound in the stillness of the forest. Naruto sat cross-legged under the canopy of a gnarled pine tree, his sharp eyes scanning the scroll in his hands. The flame's flicker cast shifting shadows over his face, but his expression remained unreadable, his attention locked on the words before him.

The headline at the top was unmistakable, written in bold characters that seemed to radiate gravity:

"Hiruzen Sarutobi's Unprecedented Battle at Kumo's Borders."

Naruto's fingers tightened imperceptibly around the scroll. He exhaled deeply, steadying himself before delving into the account. He knew the Third Hokage was powerful—he had been on the receiving end of that power, after all—but what could have happened to warrant such a dramatic title?

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Reports detailed a monumental battle between Hiruzen Sarutobi and the forces of Kumogakure. The very idea of the old man taking the battlefield personally was almost unfathomable. For decades, the Third had stood as a symbol of peace and diplomacy. Yet, here he was—facing not only the Raikage but also the Eight-Tails jinchūriki, Killer Bee.

The scroll painted a vivid picture of Hiruzen's unmatched prowess. When the Eight-Tails had fully manifested, the Third had shown why he was still called the God of Shinobi. Five shadow clones, each wielding mastery over one of the elemental natures, had moved like extensions of his will. Together, they performed a symphony of techniques that few could even imagine. He combined SS rank jutsu like children mixing water and lighting.

"Elemental Annihilation"—a technique that merged Fire and Wind into a blazing hurricane, Water and Lightning into a torrent of electrified rain, and Earth as stabilizing pillars erupting from the ground—was said to have shaken the whole lands themselves. Witnesses claimed that the Eight-Tails staggered under the onslaught, its colossal form visibly damaged despite its regenerative capabilities.

But the Eight-Tails was notorious for its regenerative abilities. Each wound inflicted seemed to heal almost instantaneously. Realizing this, Lord Third unveiled a jutsu that had not been seen in decades—so rare that few alive could claim to have witnessed it. A technique said to drain even Hiruzen's immense chakra reserves to the brink. But it was his trump card, the "Forge of Destruction," that truly stole Naruto's breath. It had been used only once before, earning Hiruzen the moniker of the "Second Coming of the God of Shinobi."

The jutsu involved Hiruzen's five clones converging to compress their elemental chakra into a single, dense sphere of pure energy. Before the elemental chakra could fully manifest in its individual forms, it was combined within the so-called forge. The resulting pebble-sized orb defied understanding—some claimed it lacked any elemental nature, while others speculated it contained all five natures fused in perfect harmony. What was certain, however, was that it was raw power incarnate.

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Naruto paused, lowering the scroll slightly. His mind raced to process the sheer magnitude of such power. A technique that combined all five elements into pure energy? It sounded impossible—no, it sounded beyond impossible. Yet, if anyone could pull it off, it was Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He continued reading.

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While the Third clashed with the Eight-Tails and the Raikage initially, the Raikage was eventually drawn away and kept at bay by an unexpected trio: Uchiha Fugaku, Shisui Uchiha, and Danzo Shimura. The coordination between the three was described as masterful. Fugaku, wielding the Sharingan, countered the Raikage's blindingly fast taijutsu with precision, erecting walls of fire that forced him into defensive positions. Shisui's famed Teleportation Technique kept him in constant motion, allowing him to stay in close quarters, delivering swift, disruptive strikes while weaving occasional genjutsu that disoriented the Raikage. Meanwhile, Danzo's Wind Release: Vacuum tore through the battlefield, creating cutting gusts that confined the Raikage's movements and provided cover for his allies, the battlefield strategically limiting the Raikage's armour.

Despite their efforts, it was the Third Hokage who decisively turned the tide of the battle. When the Forge of Destructiondetonated, its raw, incomprehensible power obliterated several of the Eight-Tails' massive tentacles. The sheer force of the jutsu forced the beast to revert back into its jinchūriki form. The attack was not just destruction—it was a deconstruction of everything it touched. Objects caught in its path were broken down into their elemental constituents, while in the mid-zone, the energy was further dispersed into its five elemental natures, radiating outwards in all directions like a starburst of pure elemental chaos.

As the battlefield trembled in the aftermath, Hiruzen fell to one knee, visibly drained from the monumental exertion. Summoning his remaining strength, he unsealed a thin staff—Adamantine—and with precise, calculated force, hurled it at the unconscious jinchūriki. The staff pierced Killer Bee's right shoulder, pinning him firmly to the ground like a spear of divine judgment.

The Raikage, sensing his brother's dire peril, erupted in a furious burst of chakra. Shattering the trio's barricade with unrestrained rage, he charged toward the fallen Killer Bee. But before he could reach his brother, he was intercepted by Monkey King Enma in his true form, the colossal creature standing as an immovable wall of defense between the Raikage and his target.

Enma's Adamantine Prison Wall erected an impenetrable barrier around the almost unconscious Hokage, shielding him from the Raikage's furious assault. Left with no choice, the Raikage retreated, carrying his injured brother with him.

The next day, as the dawn broke over the ravaged battlefield, Hiruzen Sarutobi regained consciousness, his aged body still weary from the monumental effort of the previous day. The sight of the Third Hokage rising brought renewed morale to the Konoha forces, who had held their positions throughout the night despite their leader's exhaustion. By his side stood Jiraiya of the Sannin, his imposing presence a clear statement to both allies and enemies: the might of Konoha had not diminished. Together, the two legends approached the negotiation table with a quiet but unyielding determination, their very presence commanding respect.

Faced with the combined might of Hiruzen and Jiraiya—and the absence of Iwagakure's support—the Raikage found himself cornered. Iwa's decision to remain uninvolved had tipped the scales irrevocably. Without Onoki, one of the few capable of challenging Hiruzen directly, Kumo's position crumbled under the weight of Konoha's tactical and military superiority. Reluctantly, the Raikage was forced to sign a peace treaty, a document that not only ended hostilities but required an official apology from Kumo for its provocations. It was a bitter pill for the Raikage to swallow, but with Killer Bee injured and Kumo's forces severely depleted, he had little choice. The treaty stood as a stark reminder to the world that while Konoha might preach peace, it was still capable of unparalleled strength when provoked.

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Naruto rolled up the scroll slowly, letting its weight settle in his lap. His thoughts swirled like a maelstrom. The Third Hokage had stood against one of the strongest jinchūriki and the Raikage and forced the Raikage himself to retreat. More than that, he had done so while coordinating his forces against odds.

"Third Hokage… for all my disagreements with you… you truly are something else," Naruto murmured, his voice barely audible over the crackling fire.

Leaning back against the tree, he stared up at the canopy. His mind wandered to the implications of such a battle. The world was shifting, teetering on the brink of chaos. If the Third Hokage could unleash such power, Naruto knew he had to tread carefully.

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He rose to his feet, tucking the scroll into his pack. With a single hand seal, he released a Water Release: Drizzle Technique (Suiton: Amayadori no Jutsu), extinguishing the campfire in a light spray. Darkness enveloped the clearing as he adjusted his cloak and turned toward the path ahead.

"Time to keep moving," he muttered.

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The journey from the Land of Demons was fraught with exhaustion, but Naruto's resolve remained unbroken. He had just completed a task that would leave a mark on the history of the region—a sealing ritual that not only bound an ancient, malevolent entity but transformed the very temple that held it into a beacon of purity and power.

The request had come from Priestess Miroku herself, the guardian of the temple. Her faith in Naruto had been unwavering, even when many of her attendants remained skeptical of entrusting such a sacred duty to an outsider. There was one month left before the old seal would fail—a precarious window in which the beast's influence grew stronger. Some among the temple's residents, corrupted by whispers of the entity, had attempted to sabotage the ritual, hoping to break the seal and unleash the beast for their own gain.

Naruto handled the resistance with ease. His years of experience navigating the schemes of men and beasts alike served him well as he incapacitated the rebels with minimal force. "The real fight," he had said to Miroku with a small smile, "isn't against them—it's against what they've let control their hearts."

With the area secured, Naruto set to work preparing the temple. He carefully inspected every seal, noting the points of weakness. This wasn't just about brute force or chakra; it was a delicate art that required precision and reverence. He invoked the ancient traditions of the Uzumaki Clan, taught to him by the old man in the forest—a method that intertwined sealing with ninshū, the spiritual connection that transcended ordinary chakra use.

When the day of the sealing arrived, Naruto stood before the temple clad in traditional ceremonial attire with bare chest and thick beaded mala in his shoulder. It was a striking departure from his usual appearance. The long robes bore the Uzumaki clan's spiral sigil, and his face was painted with intricate patterns of red and white. He moved with purpose, each step calculated as if guided by an unseen hand.

The Binder Mask, the relic of his clan, rested in his hands. It was a tool not just for battle but for binding spirits of unimaginable power to a greater purpose. As he donned the mask, a shift in the air was palpable. Even those who had no sensory abilities felt it—a wave of energy so profound that it made them bow instinctively.

Naruto began by purifying the temple grounds. Using a combination of seals and hand signs, he created a massive sealing array around the central chamber where the entity was bound. The symbols glowed with a radiant, golden light, growing brighter as he infused them with chakra.

Then, the Binder Mask activated. From it emerged a spectral figure—an ethereal representation of the binder spirit. Its presence was vast and otherworldly, and yet, there was a strange serenity about it. Naruto directed the spirit with unwavering confidence, guiding it toward the chamber where the entity raged against its constraints.

With careful precision, Naruto used the Binder Mask to draw the entity into submission. Its roars shook the ground, but the spirit of the Binder overpowered it, wrapping the beast in chains of pure, radiant energy. "You will serve a greater purpose now," Naruto said, his voice calm but resolute.

Rather than simply imprisoning the entity, Naruto did something unprecedented. Channeling the lessons taught to him by the Sage, he purified the beast's energy, transforming it into a perpetual source of power for the temple. The malice that had once corrupted the land was converted into a force of healing and purification.

The temple itself became a sacred ground unlike any other. Visitors who entered its halls felt their burdens lifted and their spirits cleansed. The purification energy radiating from the temple seemed to touch everyone within its vicinity, instilling a profound sense of peace and elevation.

When the ritual was complete, Naruto removed the Binder Mask and stepped back, his robes shimmering faintly in the residual light of the sealing. For a moment, the air was still, as if the world itself had paused to acknowledge what had just occurred.

Then, slowly, the people around him knelt. Not just the priestesses but every onlooker—those who had doubted, those who had resisted, and those who had come simply to witness. Even those without sensory abilities could feel the divine nature of what had transpired. Sensors, however, were left utterly speechless. To them, Naruto's presence was overwhelming, akin to standing in the presence of a god.

Miroku approached him, her hands clasped in reverence. "Lord Uzumaki," she said, her voice trembling. "You have not just saved this land—you've sanctified it. The people of the Land of Demons will never forget this day."

Naruto, ever humble, shook his head. "I'm no god, Priestess. Just a man doing his part. The power you feel—it's yours now. Use it to protect your people and elevate them."

But the people of the Land of Demons had already made up their minds. From that day forward, Naruto Uzumaki was revered as a divine figure, his name spoken with awe and gratitude. And though he left the land shortly after, his presence lingered, woven into the very fabric of the temple and its people.

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Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his chamber of his mansion, the air thick with the unspoken truths of their meeting. The elders of Konoha surrounded him. Their faces bore the marks of age, wisdom, and the scars of countless battles, but it was Hiruzen who carried the heaviest burden.

From his seat, Hiruzen's gaze wandered to the window. The village he had given his life to protect stretched out before him, bathed in the pale light of the moon. Yet his eyes drifted downward, to his own hands. He clenched and unclenched them slowly, feeling the ache in his joints and the stiffness that no amount of chakra enhancement could fully mask.

"I have grown old indeed," he murmured, his voice soft but heavy. His hands clenched into fists, then relaxed again. "Even with enhancements, I am not in my prime. Using the Forge of Destruction... I could only manage one. And even then, it was far from the mark."

Alaruya, the ever-practical elder, waved a hand dismissively. "So what? You couldn't perform it as you used to, but we still won the battle. Kumo retreated. That's all that matters."

Hiruzen's expression remained stoic, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—regret, perhaps, or frustration. "You don't understand," he said quietly. "I used that jutsu only after years of perfecting it. I've unleashed it only three times in my life. The first was against sensei."

He paused, the weight of memory pressing against him. "Back then, it wasn't as refined or as powerful as it is now. Yet even then, the Sensei countered it with a technique I'd never seen before, I don't even know what it was. He neutralized it entirely. The second time was during the Five Kage War."

The room grew silent, the elders listening intently as Hiruzen continued. "I used it against the other Kage in a desperate attempt to turn the tide. It was only thanks to the efforts of the previous Raikage and Ōnoki that they survived. And now, this third time... If I were in my prime, it would have been enough. The Eight-Tails would have died at the lest and the Raikage would not have walked away unscathed. He would have been mortally wounded."

Sukino snorted softly, leaning forward with a sharp look in her eyes. "Don't start moping, Saru. You've never been one to wallow. Find a way forward."

Hiruzen gave her a faint smile, but his expression quickly hardened again. "This isn't about moping, Sukino. It's about acknowledging reality. If we're to protect Konoha, we need more than just strategy. We need strength. And I..." He trailed off, looking at his hands again.

It was Danzo who broke the silence, his tone as cold and calculated as ever yet there was hint of hesitation. "I may have a solution."

Hiruzen's eyes turned to him, narrowing slightly. "I know you, Danzo. There's always a catch. What are you proposing?"

Danzo didn't flinch, his visible eye meeting Hiruzen's gaze with unwavering confidence. "There is a plasma solution. A synthesis created from the cells of the First Hokage and the father of the patient that is your father's— Lord Sasuke Sarutobi. It's not a miracle, but it can regenerate your vitality, perhaps restore a few decades of mobility and stamina. You wouldn't gain any of the Senju abilities, but it would give you the energy and strength you've lost without any draw back."

The other elders exchanged glances. Koharu's brow furrowed. "A treatment like that... it sounds dangerous. What's the price, Danzo?"

Danzo's lips curved into the faintest smirk. "There is 'no' catch... per se. Only people with extremely high chakra can undergo the treatment and its very painful. The solution can only be used once. It will reverse your aging to a certain point—wherever the vitality solution stabilizes. From there, you will begin to age again, but at a rate appropriate to your restored vitality. It's not eternal youth, Hiruzen. Just a second chance."

Hiruzen studied Danzo for a long moment, his eyes sharp, piercing through the man's carefully constructed composure. "And you? I know you've used something similar before. How do I know this isn't some scheme of yours to claim power in the long run?"

Danzo chuckled, a low, humourless sound. "Believe me, Hiruzen, if I wanted power, I wouldn't need schemes at this point. You're the one sitting in that chair, doubting your ability to hold it. This is a pragmatic solution. Take it or don't—but don't waste time questioning motives when Konoha hangs by a thread."

The room fell into a tense silence. Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled as he considered the proposition. He glanced at Sukino, who gave him a sharp nod. Koharu and Homura exchanged worried looks but said nothing.

Finally, Hiruzen sighed. "I'll think about it. But make no mistake, Danzo—I will not allow this village to be compromised, even for the sake of my own strength."

Danzo bowed slightly, a mockery of deference. "As you wish, Hokage-sama. The choice is yours. Just remember... Konoha's enemies will not wait for you to regain your strength."

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NTLHOS: Chapter 72: The Silent Rebellion IS OUT!

NTLHOS: Chapter 73: Glimpse of the Kami no Shinobi IS OUT !

NTLHOS: Chapter 74: Tempest of Despair and Hope IS OUT!

NTLHOS: Chapter 75: The Great Assembling IS OUT!

NTLHOS: Chapter 76: The Whirlpool's Dominions IS OUT!

NTLHOS: Chapter 77: The Grand Ploy IS OUT!

Chapter 79: Part -II- A Pawn Crosses the Board to Become a Queen IS OUT !

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NTLHOS:Chapter 81: The Past Collides With The Seeds Of The Future. IS OUT!

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NTLHOS: Chapter 83: I Don't Know!

NTLHOS: Chapter 85: The Coronation Begins IS OUT!

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