Naruto, my father's name is Uchiha Madara.

Page 247

He left behind the message: "Kakashi-sensei, Naruto will wake up soon! I'm going to chase after that bastard!"

Before he finished speaking, a blinding burst of lightning erupted from his body once again.

His figure transformed into a streak of blue lightning, closely following Deidara's clay giant bird as he burst out of the cave!

With Deidara and Sasuke gone, the cave became much quieter.

All that remained was the occasional rustling sound of gravel sliding down, and... that suffocating, cold, confrontational atmosphere.

Kakashi's Sharingan scanned Sasori warily, while also diverting some of his attention to protect the unconscious Naruto.

He knew that the enemy hidden in the puppet was more dangerous and deadly than Deidara!

Granny Chiyo walked step by step toward the Hiryu Kou puppet shrouded in a black cloak.

Her steps were heavy and slow, each step seemingly landing on her heart.

His cloudy old eyes were fixed on the scorpion tail painted with dark purple venomous lacquer under the cloak, and his body trembled slightly from extreme emotion.

Chiyo's voice was dry and hoarse, as if she had used all her strength to squeeze out the name: "Why...did it have to come to this?"

"Why betray the village? Why join Akatsuki? Why... hurt your own comrades?"

Every question was like a knife, cutting into her already wounded heart.

The Hiruko puppet made no movement; only its cold eyes beneath the cloak "stared" at Chiyo without any emotion.

After a long silence, the cold, metallic sound slowly began to ring out, carrying a chilling indifference:

"Why? Grandma, don't you think it's ridiculous to ask such a question?"

“The village? Companions? Those hypocritical, fragile things, full of betrayal and scheming… what is there to miss?”

"Eternity...is the only truth."

"Eternal art, eternal life, eternal... silence."

"As for the damage?"

Sasori's voice seemed to carry a faint hint of mockery: "Kankuro is too weak, so weak that he doesn't even qualify to become one of my collectibles."

"As for Gaara... he's just a mission target."

Granny Chiyo abruptly interrupted Sasori!

A raging fire and a deep pain erupted from his cloudy old eyes!

"They are your juniors! They are your compatriots! How could you... how could you be so cold-hearted?!"

"Has your heart... truly become a puppet?!"

Scorpion's voice remained cold and calm, even carrying a hint of doubt: "That useless burden that only brings pain... I abandoned it long ago."

"Now I am truly perfect. There is no pain, no sorrow, only eternal art."

"Perfection? Abandoning the heart?"

Grandma Chiyo looked at her "grandson," who was made of cold puppets, and tears finally welled up in her eyes.

"No! Scorpion! You're wrong! Utterly wrong!"

"Without a heart, without emotions, even if one possesses eternal life and so-called art, one is nothing more than a...walking corpse!"

“A cold… puppet!”

She abruptly raised her hand, pointing to Gaara's cold corpse on the ground, her voice filled with heart-wrenching grief and indignation: "Look at him! Look at this child!"

"He was willing to give his life to protect the village and the people he cherished!"

"This is true power! This is... the meaning of life! Scorpion!"

Chiyo's accusations echoed in the cave, filled with her grandmother's despair and grief.

The Hiruko puppet remained silent, its eyes beneath the cloak seeming to flicker slightly, but its icy aura did not diminish.

Kakashi gripped the kunai in his hand tightly, his Sharingan locked onto Sasori.

He knew that this showdown between grandfather and grandson was unavoidable.

Chapter 269 Come on! Enjoy hell!

The embers of crimson chakra slowly dissipated within the golden sealed space, leaving behind a deathly stillness reminiscent of a catastrophe.

Naruto's consciousness was like that of a drowning person sinking into the deep sea.

Slowly lifted up by a gentle yet firm force, they regained their sight.

He slowly opened his "eyes" and saw the familiar, huge cage, and the concerned figures in front of it.

The gentle gaze of his father, Minato Namikaze.

The anxious, tearful face of her mother, Kushina Uzumaki.

The nine-tailed beast's eyes, though weary, remained sharp.

And... Madara Uchiha's eternally scrutinizing crimson kaleidoscope.

Ban's cold voice rang out first, breaking the silence in the space: "Awake?"

The tone of his voice revealed neither joy nor anger, but carried a sharpness that pierced the soul.

Naruto opened his mouth, his voice dry and hoarse.

The memories he had before falling into a coma overwhelmed him like a raging tide—

Gaara's cold corpse, his own out-of-control rampage, that heart-wrenching despair and destructive urge...

A surge of intense shame and self-loathing instantly gripped his heart.

He lowered his head, unable to meet the gazes of his parents and Ban: "I...I've let you down..."

Minato's figure appeared instantly beside Naruto's consciousness.

A warm hand gently pressed on his shoulder, and a soft yet powerful voice said, "Naruto, lift your head."

"There is nothing wrong with being angry for your friends and erupting to protect them."

"No one will blame you for this. This sentiment is your most precious quality."

Kushina rushed over and hugged Naruto tightly, tears streaming down her face again: "Silly boy! What do you mean by disappointed!"

"Mom is just worried about you! Seeing you like that...it breaks my heart!"

"Promise Mom you won't scare me like that again, okay?"

Her voice was trembling with sobs and lingering fear.

However, to everyone's surprise, Madara Uchiha's cold voice rang out again.

This time, however, it carried an indescribable, almost understandable calm:

"This kind of thing... is only human nature. Everyone has moments like this."

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding within the space of consciousness!

Minato, Kushina, Kurama, and even Naruto himself looked at Madara in disbelief.

That cold-blooded, ruthless Uchiha Madara, who regarded all things as straw dogs, would actually say something like this... almost comforting?

Ban's Eternal Kaleidoscope turned slightly, seemingly piercing through time and space to see the distant past.

It was as if he wasn't comforting Naruto, but rather whispering to his past self.

Back then, Izuna was critically injured and on the verge of death by Tobirama Senju's Flying Thunder God Slash.

The excruciating pain of watching helplessly as your beloved brother dies in your arms.

That boundless fury and madness was enough to incinerate the entire world...

He understood that feeling better than anyone else.

If Hashirama hadn't used his overwhelming power to wake him up and forcibly pull him back from the brink of destruction, perhaps...

He would really go to any lengths to drag the entire ninja world down with Izuna.

He had tasted that darkness, swallowed by despair and anger.

After a brief silence, Madara's eyes became sharp and cold again, and his domineering aura returned.

He looked at Naruto, his crimson eyes holding an undeniable judgment:

"But out of control is out of control."

"As punishment, you will be the one to deal with that brat hiding in the puppet outside—Sasori of the Red Sand."

Naruto suddenly raised his head, flames burning in his azure eyes: "I..."

Madara interrupted him, his voice resolute: "Rule: Sage Mode is prohibited. No matter what happens, the rest of us..."

His gaze swept over Minato, Kushina, and Kurama: "None of us will intervene. This is your battle alone, and the price you pay for losing control. Do you understand?"

Naruto didn't hesitate at all; his voice was as firm as iron!

He needed an outlet, a chance to avenge his friends, and a battlefield to prove that he could control his power and take responsibility!

Scorpions are his target!

"Wait! Mr. Madara!"

Kushina immediately panicked, releasing Naruto and standing in front of him: "This is too dangerous! The opponent is a full member of Akatsuki! He's the most talented puppeteer in Sunagakure! Naruto just..."

Minato also objected in a deep voice: "Mr. Madara, I have no information about Sasori. It's too risky for Naruto to face him alone! Besides, he can't use Sage Mode..."

Madara snorted dismissively, his gaze sweeping over Minato and Kushina.

A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Danger? Were those two pieces of trash who got beaten down by this kid not from Akatsuki? Hmm?"

Kushina and Minato were speechless for a moment.

Yes, Kakuzu and Hidan are both official members of Akatsuki, and their strength is renowned.

It was especially troublesome after being resurrected by Edo Tensei, but Naruto and Sasuke managed to solve it, didn't they?

Although the process was perilous, the outcome was beyond doubt.

Ban's words silenced all their objections.