Naruto, my father's name is Uchiha Madara.

Page 417

He had already accompanied his father, Fugaku, to Kumogaku Village to attend the Allied Forces' specific tactical coordination meeting.

With her excellent medical ninjutsu and calm mind, Sakura was appointed as a squad leader in the logistics medical unit.

Right now, they are probably busy at some temporary medical point, checking supplies and training personnel.

Looking around, it seems that only he, the guy regarded as the "ultimate weapon," can temporarily "do nothing" and take a walk here.

A mix of loneliness, helplessness, and anxiety about the future permeated his heart.

He wandered aimlessly, his gaze sweeping over the closed shops and empty training grounds, finally settling on the familiar Hokage Rock in the distance.

He wanted to imprint all of this deeply in his mind.

Just then, a slight commotion came from not far ahead.

Naruto looked up and saw a woman with short blonde hair, round-framed glasses, and a gentle demeanor, leading several young children, seemingly preparing to head to the shelter.

The children, their faces showing obvious unease and fear, huddled tightly around the woman.

"Teacher...I...I'm scared..."

A little girl, her voice trembling with tears, clung tightly to the woman's clothes.

Naruto recognized the blonde woman—Yakushi Nonou.

It was this former "walking witch" whom he had rescued from the ruins of the Root organization years ago, who had lost her memory.

Nono also noticed Naruto standing alone on the street corner.

She patted the little girl's head reassuringly and said a few words to the children.

Then he walked towards Naruto, with his usual gentle smile on his face.

But behind that smile lay a hint of worry about the war.

"Naruto-kun, it's been a long time," Nonou greeted softly.

"Nonou-neechan, it's been a long time."

Naruto suppressed his somewhat downcast mood and forced a smile: "Are you... taking the children to safety?"

Nono nodded, glanced back at the anxious children, her eyes filled with maternal love: "Although I lost my memory, after all these years, I still ended up at the orphanage to continue taking care of these children who lost their families for various reasons."

"It feels like... this is what I was destined to do."

Her tone was calm, but Naruto could feel the certainty and warmth in her words.

Even though she had forgotten the past, the kindness and sense of responsibility deeply rooted in her soul still guided her onto a path similar to that of the past.

Nono paused, as if remembering something, her brows furrowed slightly, and she said with a hint of confusion and worry, "However, there's something that's been bothering me... Over the years, I've had the same recurring dream."

"In my dream, there was a child named 'Dou,' who seemed to be living a very painful and confused life..."

"I could feel him struggling in the darkness, and I really wanted to reach out and help him, to pull him up..."

"But every time I wake up from the dream, apart from the name and that feeling of heartache, there are no other specific clues."

She sighed: "I've mentioned it to Mr. Shikaku and Lady Tsunade, but after checking the records, all they know is that this child named 'Kabuto' went to another ninja village as a spy many years ago and never came back."

Naruto's heart skipped a beat when he heard the name.

Silver hair, glasses, former spy, whereabouts unknown...

When these keywords were put together, a figure instantly appeared in his mind.

Kabuto Yakushi, the gloomy and dangerous man who always followed Orochimaru!

Naruto immediately pressed on, "Nonou-neechan, is the Kabuto you're talking about someone with silver-white hair who always wears glasses?"

Upon hearing this, Nono's eyes widened slightly, and a look of surprise and urgency appeared on her face: "Yes! That's right!"

"Although the face in the dream was a bit blurry, it was definitely silver-white hair and glasses! Naruto-kun, you...you know him? Do you know where he is?"

It really was him! Naruto's suspicions were confirmed.

That Yakushi Kabuto is actually the child that Nono-U's older sister has always been worried about!

Looking into Nono's eyes, which were filled with expectation and worry, Naruto was at a loss for words.

Should we tell her that the child she so desperately wants to help has become a dangerous figure who could start a war?

This is too cruel.

This is probably why Granny Tsunade and the others didn't tell Nono the real information!

But seeing the pure worry in Nono's eyes, Naruto couldn't bear to hide it completely.

He took a deep breath and carefully chose his words, saying, "Nonou-neechan, I... do know someone named Yakushi Kabuto, whose characteristics are exactly the same as your description."

"but……"

He paused, his tone becoming heavy: "His situation is... very complicated; he's gotten involved in some really bad things."

He didn't explicitly say that Kabuto was an enemy, but he believed that with Nono's intelligence, she would understand the deeper meaning behind his words.

Upon hearing Naruto's words, Nono's face paled slightly, and a hint of pain and understanding flashed in her eyes.

She was silent for a moment, then raised her head, her gaze becoming firm again. She gently grasped Naruto's hand, her tone carrying a hint of pleading:

"Naruto-kun, I understand... Thank you for telling me all this."

"If...if you encounter him on the battlefield, if possible...please tell him for me..."

Her voice was choked with emotion, but she tried to remain calm: "Tell him that I... still remember him."

"No matter what he has become now, no matter what he has done..."

"If he feels pain, if he still remembers even a little bit of the warmth he once felt... please ask him... to look back."

"The orphanage... will always be his home."

These words carry a teacher's deepest love and tolerance, transcending the barriers of time and memory.

Naruto felt as if something was blocking his throat. He nodded forcefully and solemnly promised:

"Yes! I'll remember that, Nono-neechan! If... if it's possible, I'll definitely pass on your words to him!"

Nonou gave a tearful, relieved smile and gently patted Naruto's hand: "Thank you, Naruto-kun. Please... come back safely."

After saying that, she turned and walked back to the children, leading them into the flow of people heading to the shelter, gradually disappearing at the end of the street.

Naruto stood there, gazing in the direction they had left for a long time, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

The cruelty of war lies not only in the fighting on the battlefield.

More importantly, it ruthlessly involves the lives, emotions, and hopes of countless ordinary people.

The story of Nono and Kabuto is just a small microcosm of this huge storm.

He raised his head, looked up at the gray sky, and clenched his fist tightly.

This war must end as soon as possible!

In order to protect these ordinary yet precious moments of warmth, and so that Nono-neechan, the children, and everyone else can benefit.

They can all return to the sunlight and live peaceful lives.

Chapter 442 Obito: How could you even notice that?

In a certain part of the ninja world, there is a desolate valley shrouded in the shadow of war but temporarily unaffected.

The wind howled, stirring up dust from the ground, making the scene appear particularly desolate.

Kabuto sat casually on a heavily weathered boulder, his brand-new and eye-catching attire standing out starkly from the dilapidated surroundings.

A large, dark red robe, as dark as congealed blood, completely enveloped his entire figure.

A hood of the same color was pulled low, covering most of his face.

Only his taut chin and his signature round-framed glasses were visible.

He was toying with an old pocket watch in his hand; the case had lost its luster and even had a few tiny cracks.

The hands of the clock have long since stopped turning, frozen in a moment that has long since passed.

His fingertips gently caressed the cool metal watch case, and a rare, undisguised, deep longing appeared on his face.

Those eyes hidden behind the lenses seemed to see, through this stillness of time, some distant and blurry warm scenes.

But this tenderness lasted only a very brief moment.

He snapped the pocket watch shut and clutched it tightly in his hand.

When he looked up again, all the emotions on his face had faded, leaving only an almost inhuman calmness and emptiness.

He pushed up his glasses and met the gaze of Uchiha Obito, who had appeared in front of him at some point and was coldly staring at him.

Obito still wore that white swirling mask, his purple robe swaying slightly in the wind, and the only Rinnegan he revealed radiated an indifferent light.

"You contacted me from all this way in such a secretive way, and then summoned me to this godforsaken place,"

Obito's voice came through the mask, carrying undisguised impatience and coldness: "It couldn't be just for catching up, could it, Kabuto Yakushi?"

Kabuto put on his usual professional smile, tinged with feigned respect: "Of course not, esteemed 'Mr. Ban.' I'm here... to discuss cooperation with you."

Obito let out a contemptuous sneer, emanating a powerful aura of oppression: "Do you think that I, with the Rinnegan and the Gedo Mazo, would need to cooperate with a coward like you, hiding in Orochimaru's shadow?"

"Of course."

Kabuto's tone was unhurried, carrying an unsettling certainty: "After all..."

Before he could finish speaking, he slammed both hands on the ground!

"Psychic Technique: Reincarnation from the Dirty Earth!"

A complex black magic spell spread rapidly from the center of his palm, crawling across the large area of ​​ground in front of him like a living thing.

Immediately afterwards, a dull thud came from the ground.

Wooden coffins, inscribed with eerie runes, emerged one after another from the ground, like tombstones crawling out of the depths of hell.

They were neatly arranged in front of Obito, exuding a strong sense of death and ominousness.

"Crunch - crunch -"

The coffin lid slowly slid open, revealing the figures inside.