In Konoha, This Naruto Has Decided To Take It Easy

The valley shook violently on both sides, leaving Temari and Kankuro stunned as they watched the rock walls collapse and the stones tumble down.

"Run!" Temari was the first to react and shouted at Kankuro.

Each of them grabbed Gaara, who was still unconscious, and jumped at the very moment the rocks started falling. They needed to escape the valley before being buried alive, or else all their skills would be in vain.

However, the falling rocks only increased in number, and under the Chakra of the three Jonin, the entire valley began collapsing rapidly.

Temari looked up, and upon seeing the sky filled with falling rocks and massive chunks of earth, her expression turned to despair.

In the face of life and death, the whole world before her seemed to become crystal clear, with all surrounding sounds amplified infinitely. The heart pounded, and blood surged through the veins.

'This might be the end. Even if Konoha's Shinobi arrived, they would likely only be able to dig our bodies out of the rubble.'

"What's that noise?" Kiba abruptly stopped. His instinct is warning him that there was danger ahead!

"Not good! The valley up ahead is collapsing." Veins bulged around Neji's eyes. "Our targets are in the valley, surrounded by Sunagakure's Shinobi. They're trying to bury the three of them alive!"

"We can't make it!" Hinata also activated her Byakugan, her small face filled with shock.

"The valley's already collapsing, we can't get them out." Shino continued running forward, but his words indicated that he was ready to give up, and he's just waiting for Shikamaru's decision.

Lee had charged ahead. If anyone had to take the risk to go in and save people, he would be the most suitable person.

Everyone looked at Shikamaru as time ticked away, each second feeling like an eternity. It was as if a tortoise was crawling across the clock face.

The team with triangular formation continued to advance rapidly toward the valley.

Bit by bit, the valley appeared before them, only to crumble piece by piece. Even from a few kilometers away, they could feel the ground shaking, the danger ahead visible to the naked eye.

Shikamaru gritted his teeth, unwilling to let the mission end in failure. He clenched his fists as he looked at the valley in front of him, which was falling apart like a brittle ice cream cone.

"Everyone, stop!" He shouted, "We'll circle around and check it out from a different angle!"

Upon hearing this command, Lee immediately halted. The others did the same, coming to a stop after a few more steps. At this point, there was no other choice.

When Sasuke defected, they did not receive support from Sunagakure, because Sasuke and Naruto had previously broken all of the weapons of the Sunagakure's siblings.

Because of that incident, the Konoha Twelve had never truly interacted with the Sunagakure's siblings. To them, they were merely the mission's objectives.

It would be best if they can complete the mission, but if they can't, it's not worth risking their life.

The valley collapsed. First, it was too late in time. Second, this was beyond the scope of any ordinary Ninjutsu to fix. Moreover, they were just Genin, not magical beings from a wishing well who could conjure miracles with a flash of golden light.

If someone were to look down from above, they would see that the valley resembled a certain shape, it was almost like spotting Marilyn Monroe on a map.

The narrow valley continued to crumble, with dust clouds rising tens of meters into the air. The sun watched silently from above.

"I have a solution!"

A figure dashed forward, passing the others, shouting indistinctly as he accelerated toward the half-collapsed valley. Shikamaru's pupils widened, his heart instantly leaping into his throat.

"Naruto, get back here!"

'This was bad. Failing the mission was one thing, but losing Naruto would be disastrous! The enemy clearly had a plan, otherwise, they wouldn't have chosen this specific location or timed their Ninjutsu so perfectly.;

'The mission plan might have already been leaked, and the enemy could have included all of us in their calculations. The best course of action now was to observe and retreat at the first sign of trouble.'

"Shikamaru, stop him!" Neji's urgent voice cut through, "There are at least three Jonin on the other side, stop him quickly! Don't let him go!"

'You've got to be kidding me.' Neji nearly shouted those last words.

'Did it really take three Jonin to chase down a few Genin? And they just so happened to block their path in front of them? The whole thing reeked of conspiracy.'

Sunagakure's interception clearly meant they had received intel about Konoha sending team composed of Genin to rendezvous with the siblings, and they had planned this all along, turning it into a burial spectacle.

It's obvious even to a fool what Sunagakure intends. They want to pin this on Konoha to divert internal conflict!

Now the situation is almost over. Either they stop the collapse or they leave quickly and pretend they have never been here.

Under the bright sunlight, Shikamaru felt a chill deep in his heart at this moment, 'Sunagakure's tactics were utterly shameless.'

'Sunagakure is really born of wretched bastards!'

'If the targets died in the valley, right in front of them, and the culprits dragged us out afterward, it would be undeniable evidence of guilt!'

"Damn it! Naruto, stop!" Shikamaru roared, his hands forming seals even before the words left his throat.

His shadow, like a thin line, shot out behind Naruto, rapidly extending. He had to stop him. If they didn't turn back now, they wouldn't make it!

As for the other option, Shikamaru didn't even consider it.

Rescue them? Is that even possible? The valley had already crumbled that much, and even if Naruto made it in time, he'd still be one step too late, unless he could teleport them out.

Otherwise, not only would there be no chance of survival, but Konoha would also fall into Sunagakure's trap!

Seeing the shadow couldn't keep up, Shikamaru took a deep breath, then turned his head to shout.

"Ino!"

Ino understood what he meant immediately. Her hands quickly formed hand seal, then she used the Mind Body Switch Technique toward the sprinting Naruto. She aimed to take control of Naruto's body to stop him from going further.

Her fingers flew, and as the Ninjutsu took effect, Ino's spirit entered Naruto's body. She intended to take over, but instead found herself in a vast space.

Unlike all the souls she had encountered before, Naruto's interior wasn't a realm of darkness with a weak, shrunken soul hiding in a corner.

Instead, it was a forest of withered bones, rivers of blood, and a colossal shadow standing like a mountain. It touched the sky, and its eyes shone like massive stars.

At that moment, Ino was shocked to her core and her Mind Body Switch Technique was gently pushed out.

She had failed.

Ino's whole body trembled and her eyes were dazed, but she was not hit by the backlash of her Ninjutsu.

Naruto noticed Ino's Ninjutsu, but he had no time to dwell on it, nor did he know what she had seen. With a casual, light push, he ejected her from his mind.

He had always known his soul was a bit stronger than others, enough to grapple with someone like Kato Dan bare-handed, but he hadn't paid much attention to it.

After all, besides Orochimaru, who has a fondness for tinkering with souls, it seemed most in the Shinobi World who dabbled in soul had already met their end. So, it hadn't concerned him much.

Initially, he wasn't keen on saving the Sunagakure's siblings, planning to stay on the sidelines, but then the system pinged annoyingly once again.

Without a second thought, not even glancing at the options, he rushed out to save them. After all, if the siblings didn't make it, then there would be nothing left to say, no choice to make.

Outside the valley, Naruto leapt high into the air, clapping his hands to activate a technique.

[Kurosuki Raiga's Funeral!]

A group of figures dressed in black robes appeared in the center of the valley, their wailing mournful cries piercing the air. Ignoring all physical obstacles, they swiftly placed the Sunagakure's siblings into white coffins without hesitation.

The massive sand and rocks passed through the funeral procession, their cries undeterred. They lifted the white coffins, unbothered by the falling debris, their forms phasing through the colossal chunks, burying them underground.

Seeing this, Naruto was filled with excitement, clenching his fist and shouting!

"Whoo-hoo! Kurosuki Raiga, you're godly!"

Temari was stunned, and Kankuro, in a critical moment, had summoned his puppet to shield the three from a falling boulder. But with three more boulders descending, Temari's energy was also depleted.

In their moment of despair, the three were suddenly enclosed within coffins, plunging them into darkness.

Hearing the continuous rumble of falling rocks, Kankuro initially struggled, but upon realizing they were unharmed, he immediately calmed down.

'Creepy! This is too creepy!' Kankuro thought to himself, 'Were they really mourning us? Who's the idiot that buried us?'

'But hey, great burial, good brother!'