The sky over Konoha burned with orange light as the sun sank behind the western hills. The village was quieter than usual, its usual rhythm dimd by recent loss. The wind carried the faint scent of dust and leaves as it moved through the trees surrounding the old training grounds.
Naruto walked the dirt path leading to Training Ground Seven. His steps were slow, his hands buried deep in his pockets. He didn't stop by Ichiraku or the park. He didn't even look toward the Hokage Tower. He just kept walking until the familiar field opened before him, the sa one where Team 7 once trained, argued, and laughed.
The wooden posts still stood, weathered but strong. A torn red cloth from so past exercise hung loosely from one of them. Naruto stopped beneath the tall tree near the edge of the field. He climbed halfway up the trunk and settled onto a thick branch, legs dangling, staring down at the clearing below.
The grass swayed lightly in the evening wind. The sound of leaves brushing together reminded him of laughter, Sakura shouting at him, Sasuke's quiet replies, Kakashi's lazy drawl. His throat tightened. He looked away, toward the fading sun.
"Pervy Sage…" he murmured. "If I'd been stronger… you wouldn't…"
The words broke off. He clenched his fists against the bark, breathing through his nose. A long silence followed, broken only by the rustling air. Then, with a deep exhale, he looked up.
"Gaius… Big Sis Diana," he whispered. "Please co."
From a nearby tree, Kakashi watched quietly. His visible eye was calm but alert. He'd followed Naruto since the eting with Tsunade, knowing the boy wouldn't sit still for long. He didn't interfere, just watched, keeping his distance.
Back at the Hokage Tower, Tsunade stood before the crystal ball once used by the Third Hokage. Shizune hovered beside her, both won watching the sa scene unfold, Naruto alone at the training ground.
"He said he'd asked for help," Tsunade muttered. "from his Friends."
Shizune frowned. "Do you… think, Naruto really has friends that can help him?"
Tsunade didn't answer. She only folded her arms, eyes narrowing. "I don't know, but if they really can, I want to see it with my own eyes."
~~~
The quiet was broken by a deep hum, low at first, then rising into a bright flash of golden light that washed across the clearing. The air rippled like heat over sand. Naruto shielded his face, blinking through the glare.
When the glow faded, two figures stood before him.
The first was towering, over three ters tall, encased in shining blue and gold armor that caught the sunlight and scattered it like fire. His warhamr rested against one shoulder, its faint glow pulsing gently. The second figure, a woman, stood beside him. She was tall, graceful, her armor bronze and crimson, the golden eagle crest bright across her chest. Her eyes were calm, her bearing strong.
Naruto's mouth fell open. "Gaius! You ca!"
Gaius studies him, impressed. Despite his loss, the boy hasn't lost his fire. He gives a single, respectful nod.
Naruto grinned wide, relief washing over his face. "Thank you, Gaius… really."
He turned quickly toward the woman beside him, blinking. "And you, Big Sis Diana? Whoa, you look amazing! Totally different from before!"
Since when they first t on Gaius's broadcast, The clothes DIana was wearing are her work clothes.
Diana smiled softly. "sa person."
Naruto scratched his cheek, grinning sheepishly. "You look like a hero from a storybook."
She chuckled, then stepped closer and rested a hand on his shoulder. "I'm glad you're strong enough to smile, Naruto."
Her tone carried a quiet warmth, the kind that made Naruto's chest tighten. He nodded, forcing a small grin as he swallowed hard. "Of course I am. I'm Uzumaki Naruto, I'll be Hokage one day."
Gaius watched silently. The boy's will impressed him.
From the shadows, Kakashi's Sharingan narrowed. He'd seen the light, felt the shift in the air, but there had been no summoning signs, no chakra release. Just appearance, like teleportation.
He dropped silently to the ground behind Naruto, kunai drawn.
"That… looked like the Fourth's jutsu," he muttered under his breath.
Naruto turned, startled. "Kakashi-sensei?"
"Step back," Kakashi said quietly. "Now."
Naruto hesitated. "It's fine, really—"
"I said step back." His tone was calm but firm.
The towering figure turned his head toward Kakashi, motion smooth and precise. The glow of his armor reflected faintly in Kakashi's single eye. Behind him, the woman moved half a step, her stance shifting ever so slightly.
Kakashi's fingers tensed around the kunai. His instincts scread danger.
"They're my friends!" Naruto shouted, stepping between them. "Please, Kakashi-sensei, don't!"
"Friends?" Kakashi's voice sharpened. "Naruto, do you even know, Who they are?"
"I know them, they are not an enemy!"
The two stared at each other, tension thick in the air. Kakashi didn't lower his guard, but he didn't attack either. He could see it, the look in Naruto's eyes. Pure conviction.
Back at the tower, Tsunade's eyes widened at the sight of the two strangers through the crystal's glow. She didn't hesitate.
"Alert the ANBU," she ordered. "We move out."
Within monts, the training ground filled with silent movent, masked figures flickering into position among the trees. Then, with a rush of displaced air, Tsunade and Shizune arrived, landing between the lines of shinobi.
The Hokage's eyes locked imdiately on Gaius. She had seen monsters and warriors in her life, but never sothing like this. His armor seed alive with energy, the warhamr glowing faintly at his side. Diana stood beside him, less imposing but equally striking.
Tsunade straightened. "Naruto. Co here."
Naruto turned, hesitant. "Granny Tsunade… they're my friends."
"Now," she said again, voice low, unyielding.
Naruto shook his head. "No. They're here to help."
The ANBU remained in the trees, poised to strike. The air felt heavier with each passing second. Gaius turned his head slowly, scanning the treeline. The faint hum of his weapon deepened, more felt than heard.
Diana senses his rising irritation, she steps forward before he can move, Her tone was calm, asured.
"We are not enemies," she said, her voice clear. "We ca because Naruto called for help. Nothing more."
Kakashi's kunai didn't lower. "How do we know that?"
Diana's gaze flicked toward the trees. "You could start by asking your hidden allies to remove themselves. Their presence is… unsettling my friend."
Gaius didn't move, but the weight of his presence filled the air. Even without hostility, it was like standing near a storm.
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. After a pause, she lifted a hand. "Stand down."
The ANBU flickered away one by one, lting back into the shadows. Silence returned, heavier but calr.
Diana stepped closer, offering her hand to Tsunade. "I am Diana Prince. We are here because Naruto asked for aid to avenge his teacher's death. We accepted."
Tsunade studied her for a long mont, then took the offered hand. Her grip was firm, her expression unreadable. She turned her gaze to Gaius.
He stood still, massive yet silent, the light of the setting sun glinting off the gold of his armor. He hadn't spoken since his arrival. His presence was both awe-inspiring and disquieting, like a mountain that could move at any mont.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. Too large… too slow, she thought. Yet even she could see that the man's strength went beyond muscle and size. There was a weight to his presence, steady, unshakable. Still, with his build and stature, he didn't seem suited for the fast, fluid pace of ninja combat. Or so Tsunade believed.
Her gaze drifted to Diana. Precise. Controlled. A fighter with poise, perhaps similar to Mifune in strength, especially seeing she also has a sword. Still… Tsunade exhaled softly through her nose. Even with that kind of skill, she doubted anyone here could have faced the one who killed Jiraiya.
Tsunade released Diana's hand. "Avenge Jiraiya? Even with your strength, that's not enough. You don't understand what kind of enemy took his life."
At that, Gaius finally took a step forward. The ground gave a faint crunch under his boot. The sound alone made several nearby shinobi tense again.
The giant's voice rumbled softly.
Gaius: "Then tell us."
He stepped forward, slow but steady. Each footfall echoed like distant thunder.
Kakashi and the ANBU tensed, ready to move.
Tsunade's eyes narrowed, watching every motion.
Gaius stopped a few steps away, towering over her. His tone stayed calm, deep, unwavering.
Gaius said to her "Our purpose is to avenge Naruto's teacher. To do that, we'll need information."
End of Chapter 72 – "The Visitors."
~~~
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