IN NARUTO AS KURAMA

The training ground was eerily quiet, the air heavy with tension. Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura stood frozen, their eyes wide as they took in the destruction. The bamboo forest lay in ruins, charred and slashed from the intense battle.

Haruno Sakura swallowed hard, her voice trembling. "Is Naruto really... that strong? He's fighting like a Jonin!"

Sasuke, still stunned, stared blankly at the scene. "I don't know," he muttered. "I didn't expect him to be hiding this much power."

Suddenly, a sharp sound broke the silence. A thin line of blood appeared on Naruto Uzumaki's body, a shallow cut leaking crimson. Though the wound wasn't deep, it was enough to show that the battle had pushed him to his limits.

Across the battlefield, Hatake Kakashi clutched his chest, his breath uneven. He fell to one knee, clearly suffering from internal injuries.

High above, Shiro watched the battle, his gaze calculating. "Naruto's Six Paths Rasengan," he thought, "has already surpassed my expectations. That's a technique meant for the endgame of his journey, yet he's using it now. His talent is... astonishing."

Shiro sighed in relief, knowing that he had intervened just in time to suppress the full force of Naruto's attack. "If that Rasengan had landed with full power, Konoha would have been obliterated."

His figure suddenly materialized in the training ground, standing between Kakashi and Naruto. The fox mask on his face glinted in the sunlight, immediately drawing Sasuke's attention.

Sasuke's eyes widened in recognition. "That mask... he's the one connected to my father!" he thought, his heart racing. "That's the man from the shadows. The one behind my father!"

Unable to contain his curiosity, Sasuke began stepping toward Shiro, but before he could get far, Shiro's cold gaze locked onto him and Sakura.

"Stay where you are," Shiro said, his voice as sharp as a blade. "Take one more step, and I'll make sure it's your last."

The icy threat froze Sasuke and Sakura in their tracks, a chill running down their spines.

Turning his attention back to Kakashi and Naruto, Shiro knelt beside them. With a gentle touch, he infused his chakra into their wounds, healing them at a speed visible to the naked eye.

As the two fighters regained their strength, Shiro glanced at the sky, raising his middle finger in a brazen display.

In the Hokage's Office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, was watching the battle unfold through his crystal ball. His jaw dropped as Shiro's rude gesture filled the view.

"What...?" Hiruzen began, but before he could finish, the crystal ball began to heat up unnaturally.

"No, no, no!" he exclaimed, scrambling to grab it.

With a loud bang, the crystal ball exploded, sending shards flying across the office. A guard burst into the room moments later.

"Hokage-sama! Are you alright?"

Hiruzen waved him off. "It's fine, it's fine. Just an accident."

The guard nodded and turned to leave, but Hiruzen stopped him. "Wait, Kozuki, I have an assignment for you."

"Yes, Hokage-sama. What are your orders?"

"You understand the matter concerning... that, correct?" Hiruzen asked, his tone serious.

The guard's expression turned grim. "I understand. I'll handle it immediately."

"Good," Hiruzen said, waving him off. "Go now."

As the guard departed, Hiruzen turned to the window, looking out at the bustling streets of Konoha. His face was lined with worry. "No matter how prosperous this village becomes, the shadows beneath it remain."

A voice interrupted his thoughts.

"What's got the great Hokage so troubled?"

Hiruzen spun around, his heart skipping a beat. Sitting in his chair was Shiro, casually spinning the Hokage's chair as he admired the room.

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. "To sneak into my office without a sound... his strength is on par with a Kage."

Shiro chuckled, tapping his fingers on the desk. "Quite the view from up here. But tell me, Hiruzen, have you ever thought about the darkness hidden beneath all this light?"

The room's atmosphere grew heavy, cracks forming in the Hokage's desk under the pressure of Shiro's aura.

Hiruzen's face hardened. "My duty as Hokage is to lead this village to prosperity. Those who dwell in darkness handle the shadows. That's the balance we've maintained."

Shiro laughed, the sound cold and mocking. "The Will of Fire, is it? Tell me, Hiruzen, would you give up your position as Hokage to prove your commitment? Would you let the Sarutobi clan take the frontlines in every battle?"

Hiruzen's expression darkened. "Enough games. Why are you here?"

Shiro stood, his movements slow and deliberate. He ran his fingers along the edge of the desk, his gaze never leaving Hiruzen.

"You already know why," Shiro said.

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Instead, he lit his pipe, his mind racing.

Shiro smirked, removing his mask and revealing his face. "What's the matter, old man? Has the so-called Professor of Ninjutsu grown complacent?"

Hiruzen's eyes widened. "You... you're so young."

"Oh?" Shiro sneered. "Would you prefer I be as old and feeble as you? Let me tell you something, Sarutobi. If you lack the strength to protect this village, then don't waste your breath lecturing me. I won't let the Third Hokage, revered as an idol, be reduced to a fool in front of his people."

The air in the room grew colder as Shiro's expression turned deadly serious.

"I'm here to make one thing clear," Shiro said. "Remove all Anbu stationed near Naruto Uzumaki's home. If I find a single guard there, I'll ensure their bodies are returned to you in pieces."

The ground trembled under Shiro's chakra as the room shook violently. The floor cracked beneath his feet, and with a final glare at Hiruzen, Shiro vanished.

Hiruzen stood in silence, his pipe shaking in his hand. "Who is this man... and how much does he know?"