At this time, in another time and space in Rōran.
"Yeah! That's a lot, I just remembered something really important!" Yamato suddenly exclaimed, slapping his thigh.
This brought Naruto out of his daze.
"What's the matter, Captain Yamato?" Naruto asked, still somewhat overwhelmed by the recent events.
"Do you remember when we first arrived in Rōran? We found traces of charcoal hidden under the dust in these ruins!" Yamato's expression turned serious.
"Yeah, so what about it?" Naruto replied, confused.
"There's a significant problem! You know that I carry the genes of the First Hokage. Even though my Wood Style isn't as powerful as his, I still sensed a familiar energy in that charcoal!" Yamato said, his voice filled with melancholy.
"Wood Style? But what does that have to do with Rōran?" Naruto blinked, looking at Yamato with innocent confusion.
Yamato's face twitched with frustration.
He felt like he was explaining something obvious to someone who just wasn't getting it.
"Listen! Since the death of the First Hokage, the only one who has truly inherited his power is that man!" Yamato explained, struggling to keep his patience.
Finally, Naruto's eyes widened in realization.
"You mean the one who destroyed Rōran back then was, Aizen?!" Naruto shouted, jumping up in excitement.
"Exactly. I wasn't completely sure at first, but after we traveled back to that time and encountered Aizen, who was still on a mission in Rōran, it became clear. Aizen drained the Dragon Vein's energy and, to prevent any information from leaking, he slaughtered the entire city," Yamato sighed.
Considering the size of Rōran, there must have been tens of thousands of people living there.
Aizen wiped them all out, just to keep his secrets.
Yamato had heard of Aizen's ruthlessness before, but seeing the aftermath firsthand—the complete destruction of Rōran—made it all the more horrifying. Even with his experience as part of Root, Yamato couldn't help but feel shocked by the sheer brutality.
While Yamato was still processing Aizen's heartlessness, Naruto stood frozen, his mind racing.
Suddenly, Naruto ignored Yamato entirely and dashed off in a specific direction, running as if possessed.
"That's a lot!" Yamato yelled, bewildered by Naruto's sudden behavior.
Yamato wasn't worried about Naruto being alone, but something about his strange actions made him uneasy. He quickly followed, trying to catch up.
"What's wrong, Naruto?! Why did you run off? Where are you going?" Yamato called out anxiously.
Naruto didn't seem to hear him. Instead, he continued running, his speed increasing with each passing second.
Yamato sighed in frustration. "No choice. I have to catch up!" He gritted his teeth, sprinting after Naruto, worry etched on his face.
What Yamato didn't know was that, at this moment, words were echoing inside Naruto's mind.
"The kid who travels through time and space, you are still too young!"
"The reason you long to return to your time is because, for you, it is where those you love still exist!"
"So, even though you're proud of your strength at such a young age, you still haven't realized your true potential," the voice echoed in Naruto's mind.
"When the day comes that you realize the person you love doesn't matter as much as the person who loves you deeply, that's when you'll truly understand your purpose and your life."
"Only then will you grow up."
"I've prepared a small gift for you, its location is something you'll recognize."
"Though I don't know if you'll be completely reborn as I expect, or just a bit."
"But I believe you'll grow."
"Remember, while some memories are beautiful and worth cherishing, not all of them are necessary."
"Take, for example, the memory I just gave you."
"The more beautiful a memory, the more painful it can become over time."
"When you understand that, you'll grow faster."
"Don't thank me. This is what an elder should do."
"And finally, young man who travels through time and space, I look forward to seeing you again."
"I hope, when we meet again, you will show me a different side of you."
These were the parting words Aizen had left for Uzumaki Naruto through a spiritual message.
"That so-called gift." Naruto thought as he ran, fear and panic flooding his mind.
"No, it can't be, maybe I'm just overthinking it." he muttered, trying to convince himself, though doubt clung to him.
Naruto knew the location of the "gift" all too well. It didn't take long for him to arrive.
Yamato, who had been chasing him, finally caught up, puzzled by Naruto's destination.
"Isn't this where the Dragon Vein is sealed? Why did Naruto rush here so suddenly?" Yamato wondered, perplexed.
As Yamato approached, he spotted Naruto in a remote corner, digging furiously at the ground with his bare hands. The scene was shocking.
"What are you doing? Even if it's something important, why did you leave without saying anything?" Yamato asked, baffled.
But Naruto seemed completely unaware of Yamato's presence. He kept digging into the hard earth, oblivious to the blood now seeping from the wounds on his hands, staining the soil red.
"Naruto!" Yamato shouted, growing more concerned.
Seeing Naruto's frenzied state, Yamato was at a loss, unsure how to help.
"Maybe it's better to let him keep digging, whatever he's looking for, he'll stop when he finds it," Yamato sighed, watching helplessly.
After some time, Naruto finally stopped digging, standing still with a vacant look in his eyes. Yamato rushed over, his eyes quickly scanning the deep pit Naruto had dug.
And then, Yamato saw it.
The sight of what lay at the bottom of the pit struck him like a bolt of lightning, freezing him in place.