Speedrunning Naruto to the Top

Land of Wind – Sunagakure

The desert nights in Land of Wind are freezing, with cold winds howling. Apart from the patrolling shinobi, every household has turned out the lights and gone to sleep. On the streets, only certain inns remain lit, serving drunks. The roads are practically empty at this hour.

In such a peaceful night, even the patrolling shinobi can't help but slack off.

Just then, a fist-sized black hole suddenly appears in the center of Sunagakure's main street.

Three figures emerge from it: a wood clone of Nagato, along with Deidara and Sasori—the artist duo.

"I'll leave the One-Tail Jinchūriki to you," Nagato says to Sasori and Deidara, "I'll dispatch a Edo Tensei squad to assist you."

"Leave it to us, Leader," Deidara grins.

"I heard that the Fifth Kazekage's just some kid who only recently took office. He shouldn't pose much trouble. I alone can handle him."

"Don't get overconfident. The Fifth Kazekage is around the same age as the Sixth Hokage. Among the three Kage candidates, he's the most suited for the position," Sasori says grimly, "Underestimate him, and you'll suffer."

"Sasori's right. Don't underestimate anyone," Nagato nods in agreement, "Once you engage, you must take down the One-Tail Jinchūriki as quickly as possible. Izayoi's main body can always join forces with him at any moment, which would be troublesome."

At this, Deidara and Sasori both tense up.

Over the years, the four super-spec fighters have long curbed the arrogance of the Akatsuki's rogue-nin.

They fully grasp that, if that map-rewriting power intervenes, they might not even have the chance to flee.

"Got it, Leader," Deidara says solemnly.

"Move out!"

Sasori unfurls a large scroll, calling them to action.

Boom!

An explosion and flashes break the stillness of the night.

Sirens ring out, rousing villagers and shinobi—some had been chatting, others already asleep.

A series of alarms scream through Sunagakure's streets.

"Ninja Art: Four Violet Flames Formation!"

Four Edo Tensei reanimated shinobi, all cracked and scarred, each stand at one of the four cardinal directions—east, south, west, and north—of the Kazekage building. They quickly form hand seals, erecting a purple transparent barrier around the Kazekage Residence.

"It's the Four Violet Flames Formation—Enemy attack!"

"Is it the puppet army of that Otsutsuki Toneri again?"

"Move the civilians to the shelter, and gather all units to support Kazekage-sama!"

Shinobi, rushing out to see the large purple barrier, initially suspect that Toneri's puppet army has come again.

But arriving at the barrier's perimeter, these higher-ranked Sunagakure ninja realize the truth:

"No, it's not the puppet army this time—it's Edo Tensei!"

"It's the Akatsuki's leader—target is the Kazekage-sama!!"

"Somebody go inform the Elders!"

At that moment, a massive blast demolishes the Kazekage building—

But a figure on a cloud of sand flies out through the rubble, crashing straight into the barrier.

"Sand Binding Coffin!"

Gaara raises his hand toward one of the Edo Tensei undead below, commanding the sands beneath the target's feet to spiral upward, entomb, and crush it.

Without the Edo Tensei caster's backup, that newly formed barrier collapses back into nothingness.

"Looks like it won't be a quick, decisive fight,"

Deidara remarks, having bombed the Kazekage building with his explosive clay. He momentarily forgot Nagato's reminder and booms with excitement, "A big battlefield like this is truly worthy of my grand performance, un!"

That said, Deidara rides his white clay bird to pursue Gaara overhead.

"Idiot. Let's hope he won't slip up."

Sasori shakes his head yet cooperates seamlessly, controlling his puppet army to pin down the Sunagakure ninja who attempt long-range attacks on Deidara, letting Deidara go all out.

An Edo Tensei squad also arrives to assist Sasori.

A battle similar to the original storyline thus unfolds.

…

Simultaneously, other major villages are being attacked.

Not only the Five Great Shinobi Villages— even Takigakure is targeted.

In this alternate timeline affected by Izayoi's butterfly effect, Nagato once captured the Five-Tails and Seven-Tails as "spare batteries" before the "final showdown," but then—after awakening from his illusions—voluntarily released both Jinchūriki.

At that time, Madara also didn't press, avoiding early alarm.

Hence the major villages, worried about their strategic weapons getting kidnapped again, have all recalled their Jinchūriki to guard them in a time of strange peace.

For instance, after taking office about two years earlier than canon, Terumī Mei pardoned the Rokubi Jinchūriki, Utakata, summoning him back to Kirigakure. Without that, the Kirigakure's overall power was too weak. During Toneri's puppet army raid, they lost Ao's prized Byakugan. Lacking top-tier power, Kirigakure was in a miserable state, forcing Utakata's recall to fill the gap.

But doing so also put Kirigakure on the radar for the Akatsuki's new Edo Tensei operation.

Thus, under Nagato and Obito's wood clones, plus the rest of Akatsuki, these respective villages are suddenly beset.

First, they deploy barriers to try a quick snatch.

But having developed various counters to the Four Violet Flames, the Edo Tensei squads must fight after those barriers get undone.

Although Nagato originally wanted minimal casualties, once the barrier is broken, they can only commit the Edo Tensei horde.

Numbers in the tens of thousands.

Longing to see Madara as the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki—

Nagato has no choice but to sacrifice smaller battalions for the "greater good" of the world.

…

Nighttime across the ninja world is now ablaze with war.

Meanwhile, on the Moon, using the Rinnegan Tenseigan to project the ongoing battles, Izayoi sits atop his throne, gazing calmly at Madara's image:

"Your moves are swift. But I'm curious— how do you plan to deal with the Nine-Tails?"

he asks.

"No need for you to worry," Madara answers curtly.

"You probably saw from last time how prepared I am. The Nine-Tails is no obstacle."

Observing him, Izayoi snorts, "We'll see. Up there fighting that guy— are you sure you can handle him?"

"Heh, not sure," Madara replies, changing the subject,

"But you've changed a lot these two years. Where's your real body, and what's with those eyes?"

Madara's brow furrows. He sees only Izayoi's "clone" aura rather than the main body.

It's not on Earth or the Moon.

That worries him. If the real body appears at a critical moment, that would trouble Nagato's squads.

He inwardly regrets bringing his main body to the Moon. If only he'd just sent a clone here, letting the real body stay below and contain the rest.

But for now, at least, Izayoi's clone doesn't seem to be attacking, so the situation is not entirely lost.

Just then, Izayoi's clone addresses him:

"Remember the first and second times we met, when I said the same thing to you?"

Madara frowns. "What are you talking about?"

Izayoi's lips curl into a mocking smile:

"As a half-blooded Ōtsutsuki, you need tremendous pain— losing dear ones or discovering deep love— merely to awaken your Mangekyō Sharingan. Then you still require an equal's eyes to achieve the Eternal Mangekyō."

"Even so, your power remains below the top rung. To step into that higher realm, you either rely on luck or become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki in your old age, barely crossing that threshold. Had your resurrection failed, the Rinnegan would have been your limit."

"Even resurrected at full strength, without the Sage of Six Paths' "gift," you wouldn't easily unlock Six Paths Sage Mode— unless you become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki. That's your best outcome as a half-blood."

Madara's heart sinks.

Izayoi gives a thin smile, "I once told you: The two-step evolution that required old age for you— the so-called ultimate eyes that demanded so much agony— was just a trivial matter for me, a pure-blooded Ōtsutsuki, years back."

"But there's also another harsh truth I withheld... which you likely realized from the illusions, yes?"

Madara recalls the illusions in that ephemeral "genjutsu world." His expression darkens.

Izayoi, reading it, smiles:

"So you have realized it. That's the difference between half-blood and pure-blood. The final goal you had to chase with fortune and hardship was merely my starting point."

"Like a slow-moving process, you crawled up from the bottom rung. Me? I began at your 'peak.'"

Furious, Madara narrows his eyes. "You're implying—?"

"My eyes' name should be obvious,"

Izayoi remarks.

Shoom—

Madara hurls a Truth-Seeking Ball at him, crackling with pure white incandescence.

It streaks forward, fast as a meteor.

Yet Izayoi's clone seems to anticipate it; he remains seated, raising a single fingertip. Space itself splits in a black gash, forming a "mouth" that swallows the rushing Ball. That "mouth" shuts, leaving no explosion at all.

Seeing that, Madara grows more serious than ever.

Yes, Izayoi's new eyes have integrated powers of space-time far beyond before.

Still, Madara steels himself: he must test more to see if Izayoi has also gained Six Paths Sage Mode or not.

So, brandishing the Sage's staff, Madara lunges forward, four invisible shadows trailing—

Just as the "Battle of the Moon" ignites.

…

Meanwhile, the rest of the shinobi world descends into chaos.

Because a third party has joined the fray!

One black rift appears overhead, opening into a huge, square-shaped void.

From it pours the puppet army Toneri once fielded— only improved.

Unlike two years ago, they arrive with a terrifying aura.

These last two years, Izayoi has refrained from major actions so as not to trigger bigger butterfly effects that would hamper his own evolution.

Now fully evolved, he and Madara have both sounded the final warhorn. Izayoi certainly won't miss the chance. Even small fry yield points—he needs barely tens of thousands more to upgrade yet another red-tier skill to rainbow-tier.

Thus, as the puppet army reappears, every major village except Konoha and Amegakure plunges into turmoil, much like before.

Takigakure, having had its Seven-Tails kidnapped, remains mostly intact.

In battles across multiple fronts, rubble spreads rapidly.

Only Konoha and Amegakure remain calm for now.

But at Izayoi's residence in Konoha:

Madara's wood clone senses something and his expression darkens.

"Seems your main body's not doing so well,"

Izayoi quips between bites of his meal.

Madara's clone remains silent, hesitating whether to leave and gather Tailed Beasts— but that would free Izayoi's real self to do as he pleases.

Just then, Yūgao Uzuki appears before Izayoi, kneeling on one knee, voice trembling:

"Lord Hokage—something's happened."

"I know. I've seen," Izayoi calmly replies, "I can't leave just yet— fetch the Chakra TV for me."

"Yes, sir!"

Glancing warily at Madara's wood clone, Yūgao vanishes again.

Within minutes, Konoha, too, is thrown into agitation…

~~~

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