Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 432 Explanation to Naruto

Karin was taken aback by Hinata's sudden display of power, then gave a disgruntled snort, habitually pushed up her glasses, and retorted, "Hmph, as if nobody cares."

"Take good care of yourself, young lady~"

She emphasized the words "young lady," with a clear sense of provocation.

The two girls' eyes met in mid-air, instantly sparking invisible flames that crackled and popped.

Menma looked at this scene and shook his head with a mixture of helplessness and amusement.

He knew that the eldest sister was always prone to being competitive in certain ways, especially when it came to matters involving him.

However, at this moment, this competition actually made him feel more at ease. They would keep an eye on each other and protect Naruto more diligently.

He said no more, his gaze passing over Gaara and landing on Sasuke on the other side.

At this moment, Sasuke, protected by Sai and Shigaraki Tanuki, was clenching his fists tightly, his scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan staring intently at them, his eyes filled with incomprehension, vigilance, and a sense of anxiety.

Shikamaru and Ino, protecting the unconscious Choji, stood not far from Sasuke and the others, their brows furrowed, looking like they were in deep trouble, while quickly analyzing the strange situation before them.

Further away, Samui, Omoi, Karui, and Atsui from Kumogakure, and Ao, Suigetsu, Chojuro, and Hinokami from Kirigakure, were all on high alert, weapons held horizontally in front of them, chakra surging, as if facing a formidable enemy.

As they watched Menma interact familiarly with Gaara, Karin, and the others, and observed Hinata's strange changes in demeanor, combined with Gaara's undisguised identity as a Jinchuriki and the Land of Stars' stance, a terrifying thought began to surface in their minds.

This boy named Menma is definitely inextricably linked to the Land of Stars and this attack!

They might even be key figures!

"Urashiki and Jigen's auras have already appeared outside the venue... faster than expected..." Menma's "Kagura Mind's Eye" clearly captured the two strange chakra energy reactions.

"That's fine, saves me the trouble of looking for it again."

If Orochimaru's "Konoha Crush Plan" was an eruption of the conflicts of the old era...

The arrival of the Otsutsuki clan was both a threat from outside the world and an excellent opportunity.

An opportunity to demonstrate to the entire ninja world the existence of an "enemy from beyond the heavens," to show the old order's inability to cope, and to raise the most legitimate and indisputable banner for the Star Country's great cause of unifying the ninja world!

Having thought this through, Menma had already made up his mind.

"Brother Menma?" Naruto looked at the changing expressions on Menma's face, then at the tense standoff around him, and at the explosions and loud noises coming from outside. His unease grew stronger.

He couldn't help but step forward, his azure eyes filled with confusion and worry: "Where...where are you going? It's so dangerous outside! Shouldn't we be helping Kakashi-sensei and the others together?"

Menma, upon hearing this, withdrew his gaze and looked back at Naruto.

Looking at that face that always wore a bright, sunny smile, and sometimes even seemed a little silly, and at those clear eyes that were now filled with unwavering trust in him, Menma felt a complex mix of emotions.

There is warmth, there is apology, and there is also lingering concern about the potential impact of the truth that is about to be revealed.

He reached out and, just like countless times when he was a child, gently placed his hand on Naruto's brilliant blond hair and ruffled it.

"Naruto."

Mianma's voice was very soft, yet it seemed to reach the depths of people's hearts.

A gentle smile appeared on his face, as if all his burdens had been lifted.

That smile was so dazzling that Hinata and Karin, the two older sisters standing nearby, were momentarily stunned.

"After today..." Menma looked into Naruto's eyes and said, word by word, "You will know the truth about many, many things."

"About Konoha, about your parents, about your background..."

"All the answers you've ever wondered about, sought, and longed to know will be laid out before you."

"My...parents? My background?" Naruto's eyes widened suddenly, his azure pupils contracting sharply!

parents……

This is the deepest loneliness and pain in his heart from childhood to adulthood, during countless lonely nights and when he was pointed at and called a "fox demon" countless times. It is also the mystery that he has been eager to solve for more than ten years!

Brother Mianma knew all along?!

Shock, ecstasy, bewilderment...

A flood of emotions surged toward Naruto.

He opened his mouth wide, but couldn't make a sound; he could only grip Mianma's arm tightly.

Menma let him hold her, her gaze gentle, and continued, "The time will come when you will need to make your own choice. Whether you choose to follow me or stay in Konoha... it's all up to you."

Menma wanted Naruto to make his own choice, not only because "an egg cracked from the outside is food, and cracked from the inside is new life," but also because Menma wanted to see how much of an impact the so-called "reincarnation of Ashura's chakra" would have on Naruto.

Moreover, Mianma also has a backup plan.

"But now..." He gently patted Naruto's hand that was gripping his arm tightly, his tone both reassuring and extremely solemn.

"Please stay here. The enemy that is about to come outside is not someone you can handle right now, nor is it someone Kakashi-sensei and the others can deal with."

"Stay here, trust your comrades. Protect yourself, and... watch closely what's about to happen."

After saying that, he didn't wait for Naruto, whose mind was almost blank, to process the information, nor did he care about the surprised and suspicious looks that Sasuke and Shikamaru suddenly gave him.

Menma turned around to face the other side of the barrier, where the ninjas from Kumogakure and Kirigakure stood.

His gaze swept over Samui's cold face, over Qing with transplanted white eyes, and over Hozuki Suigetsu with a mouthful of sharp teeth, and over every face that looked like it was facing a formidable enemy, yet was also full of confusion.

Then, Mianma raised his voice, his voice piercing through the faint noise of the arena and clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"Everyone from Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Konoha—"

"The chaos outside and the invasion of the Sound Ninja are just appetizers. The true enemies of the ninja world, those invaders from beyond the heavens, are about to arrive. Their strength is beyond your imagination, and their target is definitely not just Konoha Village."

He paused.

"If you don't want to die here for no reason, becoming an insignificant speck of dust in this battle, then stay in this area. This is a well-intentioned piece of advice."

Samui frowned and gripped the short knife in his hand tightly.

Blue's white eyes bulged with veins as he tried to see through Menma's true nature, but he only felt that the chakra in the other's body was a vast ocean with no bottom!

Hozuki Suigetsu broke out in a few beads of cold sweat on his forehead, grimaced as if he was about to say something, but was gently pulled by Chojuro beside him.

Menma ignored their reactions and continued solemnly, "After today, everything you have seen here will be revealed—"

"Bring it back to your village exactly as it is, tell your shadow, tell your great name."

His gaze swept over the crowd again, as if he were conversing with the entire ninja world:

"Let them make the choice!"

"They will continue to wallow in the conflicts and suspicions of the old era, fighting each other in the face of the impending catastrophe that will engulf the entire ninja world, and ultimately disappear like dust in this unprecedented upheaval."

"Let's put aside our arrogance, face reality, and make a different choice for survival and for the future of all mankind."

After saying that, Mianma stopped talking and offered no further explanation.

He turned and walked towards the empty arena outside the barrier.

"Brother Menma! Wait! Explain yourself! What about my parents...?" Naruto finally snapped out of his shock and shouted hoarsely, trying to rush over, but Hinata, the eldest sister, grabbed his wrist.

"Idiot! Didn't you hear what Menma said?! Stay here!" Hinata's hand was like a pair of pliers, gripping Naruto tightly. Although her eyes were also full of worry for Menma, they were even more full of trust in Menma.

"Hey! What nonsense are you spouting?!" Sasuke couldn't help but shout at him.

Shikamaru's expression was terribly grave. He muttered to himself, his voice barely audible to Ino beside him: "An enemy from beyond the heavens? A true catastrophe? A choice?"

"Menma... what are you talking about...?"

Under the focused gazes of the crowd, whether in shock, anger, confusion, or deep thought, the golden barrier seemed to possess a spirit. As Mianma approached, it automatically parted to reveal a gap, leaving only his back to the crowd.

After stepping out of the barrier, Menma raised his right foot forward and took a step.

There was nothing beneath his feet.

However, it was as if something appeared out of thin air beneath his feet, firmly supporting him.

Without pausing for a moment, Mianma's steps followed immediately, his left foot stepping onto an invisible step of an even higher level.

One step, two steps, three steps...

Under everyone's incredulous gaze, Menma walked as if strolling on invisible steps, calmly and unhurriedly ascending step by step towards the sky above the competition venue, which was slightly reddened by the smoke and fire!

A gentle breeze ruffled his short black hair and the hem of his clothes. As the camera rose higher, his figure appeared even more upright, lonely, and detached.

"Menma-nii-san—!!!" Naruto screamed with all his might, a tear appearing in the corner of his eye.

The ever-reliable, ever-gentle, brother-like older brother Menma had become so mysterious at this moment, leaving him in turmoil and with a vague sense of unprecedented panic, as if he were about to lose something important.

Sasuke's Sharingan almost popped out of its sockets, the three tomoe trembling!

Walking on air?!

Just how much strength is Menma hiding?!

Shikamaru looked up at the figure that was rising higher and higher, seemingly about to merge with the sky, and for the first time felt how powerless his intelligence and analytical abilities were in the face of absolute power.

He shook his head with a wry smile, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders: "Damn it, could this guy be the mastermind behind everything?"

Samui, Ao, Hozuki Suigetsu, and other ninjas from Kumogakure and Kirigakure were all speechless, their faces filled with horror.

Throughout the entire ninja world, those who can fly are among the most powerful ninjas, and even many village kage cannot do this!

This Konoha genin actually possesses such terrifying strength?!

But what exactly is this so-called "extraterrestrial enemy"?

Under the gaze of countless shocked, horrified, bewildered, and fearful eyes, Mianma's figure grew taller and taller, gradually turning into a small black dot as he walked towards the sky above the arena.

……

At the very top of the competition venue, within the Four Purple Flame Array barrier, a sea of ​​trees filled the area.

Purple flames burned silently on the barrier wall, distorting and blurring the scene inside. However, the constantly erupting chakra light, the deafening roar, and the terrifying sounds of wood release growing, water flowing, and flames exploding all indicated the intensity of the battle.

Under the constraints of the Impure World Reincarnation and Orochimaru's control, Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju were transformed into tireless, perfect killing machines.

Despite the occasional warnings they uttered and the occasional flashes of complex emotions in their gray eyes, every ounce of strength and every wisp of chakra in their bodies was ruthlessly squeezed out, transformed into perfectly coordinated attacks, wave after wave crashing down on the already teetering figure.

At first, Orochimaru seemed to be somewhat interested in testing the precision of his control over the Impure World Reincarnation technique, as well as having a wicked sense of pleasure in seeing his teacher in such a sorry state.

Although the attack was fierce, it was not unleashed at full power, allowing Hiruzen Sarutobi to rely on his rich experience and familiarity with his two teachers' fighting styles, and with the help of the Vajra Ninja Staff, he managed to barely hold his own.

But soon, as Orochimaru became more and more accustomed to the "vessel of youth" and more and more adept at controlling the two reanimated Hokage, that last bit of "room for maneuver" disappeared.

The attacks became like a storm, relentless, precise, and deadly.

Tobirama Senju's figure left countless afterimages within the limited space of the barrier.

His water-based attacks were no longer just large-scale area attacks, but transformed into the sharpest killing weapons.

A "Water Severing Wave" was compressed to its limit, only as thick as a thumb, yet it contained terrifying penetrating power. It came silently, and if it weren't for the timely warning and block from the Monkey Demon in the Vajra Ruyi Staff, Hiruzen Sarutobi would have been pierced through long ago.

The other move, "Water Wall," was no longer used for defense. Instead, it transformed into a high-speed rotating tornado of sharp water blades, attacking from all directions and forcing Hiruzen Sarutobi to continuously consume chakra to use Earth Flow Wall for defense, leaving him in a sorry state.

Hashirama Senju's attacks carried a crushing, despair-inducing force.

Each of his physical attacks was as heavy as a thousand pounds, and the glazed tiles beneath his feet and the giant trees that grew later using Wood Release techniques were as fragile as tofu in front of him.

What's even more terrifying are his wildly growing Wood Release techniques, which pierce, entwine, and strike from all angles, making them more deadly than any kunai or shuriken.

Under Hashirama's manipulation, they sometimes transformed into tough vines to bind Hiruzen Sarutobi's movements, sometimes into sharp wooden spikes to launch surprise attacks, and sometimes suddenly expanded into huge wooden fists or palms to strike.

Hiruzen Sarutobi wielded the Vajra Staff, its shadow flashing as it continuously broke and swept away the attacking branches. But as soon as he broke one, ten or a hundred more would sprout from other places, endlessly, as if the entire forest was against him.

"Monkey, watch out behind you!"

"left!"

"Get out of the way!"

The two teachers' warnings would still sound, but they would often coincide with the attack, or even be slightly delayed.

Hiruzen Sarutobi could only react with the slightest precision, relying on his combat instincts honed over decades on the brink of life and death and the aid of his Vajra Staff.

Sweat mixed with blood soaked through his tattered combat uniform, his gray hair clung to his forehead, and his breathing was heavy and labored.

His wounds were increasing in number and becoming deeper.

His left shoulder was grazed by a splinter, tearing away a piece of flesh; his right leg was slashed by a water blade, leaving a deep wound that exposed bone; and his back took a powerful elbow strike from Hashirama, the sound of bones cracking clearly coming from his ribs, his internal organs trembling, and a mouthful of blood welled up in his throat, which he forced down.

The anxious voice of the Monkey King echoed from the Vajra Staff: "Hiruzen... this won't do! Their chakra is almost limitless, and they're immortal... we must find a way to attack the caster!"

How could Hiruzen Sarutobi not know this?

However, every time he tried to lock his gaze onto the "young Orochimaru" in the shadows of the distant trees, who was leisurely enjoying everything with a smile on his lips, he was forced to defend himself by the extremely sharp attacks of Hashirama or Tobirama, and had no chance at all.

Moreover, even if he could get close, could he really defeat Orochimaru, who possesses many forbidden techniques?

"I know... Enma..." Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was panting.

"But for now... all we can do is hold on... and wait..."

Waiting for what?

Waiting for reinforcements?

Waiting for a miracle?

He didn't know it himself.

He instinctively used his last bit of strength to wield the Vajra Ruyi Cudgel in his hand, trying to fend off the merciless attacks from his two most beloved teachers.

Every block and every dodge drained his already dwindling stamina and chakra.

He could feel his aging body rapidly approaching its limit.

Outside the barrier, Yamato, wearing a mask, and several elite members of the Dark Guard were extremely anxious, like ants on a hot pan.

The Four Purple Flame Formation was more sturdy than they had imagined. They tried several methods, including bombarding the weak points of the barrier with ninjutsu and attempting to interfere with the Sound Ninja Four who were maintaining the barrier, but all to little avail.

"Hasn't the main force of the Anbu and the village's support arrived yet?!" Yamato finally couldn't hold back and turned to an Anbu ninja in charge of communications beside him, growling anxiously.

The ANBU ninja, with a miniature communication device hanging from his ear, was sweating profusely. Hearing Yamato's question, his expression darkened further, and he reported rapidly:

"Report! Most of the ANBU squads inside the competition venue have been attacked by the Sound Ninja and the Star Country ninjas. They are evacuating civilians and fighting independently, unable to regroup!"

"The brothers we sent out for help... several signals have disappeared!"

"The Dark Side base has also been confirmed to have been attacked by an elite squad from the Land of Stars, and internal communications were temporarily disrupted!"

"Kakashi, Might Guy, Asuma, and the other Jonin are tied up by the 'Ninja Swordsmen' of the Land of Stars and several powerful Jonin, and they can't break free!"

"Jonin Shikaku is leading a newly assembled contingent of ninja troops in a desperate fight against the invading Sound Ninja forces and the giant summoning snake. The battle is fierce, and he is temporarily unable to send reinforcements here!"

"What about the private soldiers of the other families?"

"What about the village's regular garrison? Root..." Yamato subconsciously wanted to ask about "Root," but he swallowed the words back.

He already had a bad feeling.

It has been quite a while since the attack began; if the village's internal defense mechanisms were functioning properly, reinforcements should have arrived long ago.

Unless... the village's power is intentionally or unintentionally delayed or restricted by certain individuals.