Naruto, my father's name is Uchiha Madara.

Page 201

"The movement speed is not fast!"

Without hesitation, Sasuke sped off in the direction Naruto pointed.

Sakura followed closely behind.

Just as Naruto was about to follow, his gaze fell upon the entrance to the passageway below the platform.

The figure leaning against the rock wall, pale-faced, clutching his chest and breathing heavily—

It was none other than the guard captain, Ashiho.

He had clearly witnessed Naruto's godlike battle just now.

"Hey! Are you alright?" Naruto jumped off the platform and landed next to Ashiho.

"Cough...cough...Thank you...thank you for saving my life..."

Azusa struggled to lift her head and look at Naruto, her eyes filled with gratitude and a hint of awe.

"I...I'm fine, just a few superficial wounds...Quick...Quickly, go protect Lady Shion...she..."

He struggled to stand up, but the movement aggravated his wound, causing him to wince in pain.

"You stay here and tend to your wounds; we'll find her."

Naruto said quickly, while giving Sakura a wink.

Sakura immediately understood, crouched down, and her hands glowed with a soft green medical chakra: "Don't move, let me stop the bleeding and stabilize your injuries first!"

Naruto didn't waste any more time and flashed off in the direction Sasuke was heading.

Ziyuan struggled forward on the rugged mountain road.

She remained silent, her purple eyes lowered, as if she were indifferent to everything around her.

Soon, three figures appeared in front of them like a gust of wind, blocking their way.

It was Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.

"Lord Shion!"

When Ashiho, who had been carried on Sakura's back, saw that Shion was safe and sound, she breathed a sigh of relief and struggled to bow.

Ashiho introduced them to Shion: "Lady Shion, they are all ninjas from Konoha."

Sasuke's voice was cold, and his gaze fell directly on Shion: "We are the ninjas sent by Konoha to protect you, Team 7."

"By order of the Fifth Hokage, we are escorting you to the Sealing Shrine in the Land of Swamps. Please come with us."

Ziyuan slowly raised her head, her empty purple eyes sweeping over the three people in front of her.

Her gaze lingered for a moment on the dashing Sakura, then swept over the aloof Sasuke.

Finally... the image freezes on Naruto, with his blond hair and a cheerful smile on his face.

When her gaze fell upon Naruto, something unexpected happened!

Ziyuan's body trembled violently!

Those empty eyes were instantly filled with an extreme fear and pain!

It's like seeing the most terrifying sight in the world!

Her slender fingers gripped her chest tightly, her face instantly turning ashen, and her lips trembled violently.

"what--!!!"

A piercing scream, so sharp it was inhuman, shattered the silence of the forest!

"Lady Shion!" Ashiho exclaimed in shock, wanting to step forward to help her up.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura immediately became alert, thinking that an enemy was launching a sneak attack.

However, Shion's gaze was fixed on Naruto, filled with despair and sorrow.

With all her might, she pointed at Naruto, her voice sharp and trembling, like the most vicious curse:

"You will die! You will die to protect me!"

"Pierced through the chest...swallowed by darkness...I saw it!"

"I see your death! In the near future! Clearly! I cannot change it!!"

Ziyuan's shrill, piercing prophecy, like a curse.

Like a cold, poisonous thorn, it instantly pierced the silence of the forest.

It also pierced the hearts of the three students in Class 7.

Naruto's smile froze instantly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his azure eyes.

Sasuke frowned, his Sharingan activating instinctively, his crimson pupils scanning his surroundings, wary of any potential sneak attacks.

Sakura covered her mouth, her emerald green eyes filled with disbelief and worry—

Predicting death the moment you meet?

What's wrong with this witch?

Chapter 226 The Spoiled and Willful Shion

"Hey! Don't joke like that!"

Naruto snapped out of his daze, scratched his head, and tried to dispel the sudden heavy atmosphere with his usual optimism.

He stepped forward, wanting to pat Ziyuan on the shoulder to comfort her: "Don't worry! We're strong! With us here, we definitely won't let you die! We certainly won't..."

However, before his hand could touch Shion, it was urgently stopped by Ashiho beside him.

"Lord Naruto! Please do not come any closer!"

Zui's face was pale, but her eyes were unusually serious.

He bowed deeply to Naruto, his voice filled with apology and a profound sense of powerlessness: "I'm so sorry to have startled you."

"But Lady Shion... she wasn't joking, nor was she frightened."

"This is Lady Shion's innate ability—'Death Prophecy'."

"Death...prophecy?"

Sakura's voice trembled slightly. As a medical ninja, she believed in pathology and chakra.

They instinctively felt resistance and unease towards this almost cursed supernatural ability.

Foot Feather nodded heavily.

With a complex look, she looked at Shion, who was still trembling violently and whose eyes were empty and desperate: "Yes."

"Lady Shion can clearly foresee future scenarios where others die while protecting her."

"And...her prophecies have never failed. Once she so clearly proclaims someone's death, then..."

He paused, his voice strained: "...Then that person is destined to die in the way she foresaw and could not change, while protecting her."

"This is... a predetermined fate."

"That is to say..."

Naruto pointed to his nose, a bizarre expression on his face: "Me, to protect this Shion, to have someone pierce my chest and die soon? 100% sure?"

Ashiho's voice was deep and certain, carrying an undeniable weight: "Lady Shion's prophecy is absolute."

A brief, deathly silence fell over the forest.

The only sounds were the rustling of the wind through the leaves and Aster's suppressed, fearful gasps.

Sakura's heart clenched instantly.

She looked at Naruto, her eyes filled with deep worry.

She believed in Naruto and Sasuke's strength, but faced with this prophecy that they would "definitely die," even the strongest strength seemed pale and powerless.

She instinctively took a step closer to Naruto, as if that would keep her away from danger.

Sasuke's crimson Sharingan shifted slightly, his sharp gaze scrutinizing Shion.

What he hates most is being bound by so-called "fate"!

But the shrine maiden's state and Ashiho's desperate tone didn't seem fake.

He quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind—

If the prophecy is true, sending Naruto on this mission would be tantamount to sending him to his death!

Should Naruto be forced to withdraw from the mission?

Just as Sasuke and Sakura were lost in their own thoughts, and the atmosphere became extremely tense.

Naruto, the person involved, made a reaction that surprised everyone.

He showed no anger, no fear, and not even much surprise.

He simply crossed his arms over his chest, squinted his deep blue eyes, and tilted his head, as if pondering a very serious philosophical question.

A few seconds later, he lowered his hand, and his signature carefree, bright smile returned to his face.

With his hands casually clasped behind his head, he spoke in a relaxed tone, as if discussing what to eat tomorrow:

"Well... it doesn't matter!"

He shrugged, a frank smile on his face: "Anyway, I already have two dead fathers in my family, so having one more doesn't seem like a big deal. There's absolutely no need to worry!"

Sakura almost burst out laughing, but was quickly replaced by a deeper sense of helplessness.

Is this guy just incredibly carefree, or is he just ridiculously optimistic?

How could someone make such a joke at a time like this!

She looked at Sasuke and noticed that even on Sasuke's perpetually icy face, the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

A helpless smile, as if to say "I knew it," flickered across his eyes.

Sasuke's hesitation was dispelled by Naruto's "open-minded" attitude.

Should we get this guy to quit?