At first, Naruto had no idea who the six attackers were.
However, after examining their bodies and discovering the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on each of their tongues, he immediately understood.
Damn you, Danzō.
Naruto cursed inwardly.
He assumed Danzō had sent them because of the Root operatives Naruto had previously killed, including Sai.
A cold smile appeared on his face.
But so what? If you want to keep sending me prey, I'll gladly take the points.
Sooner or later, Naruto would teach Danzō a lesson he would never forget.
What Naruto couldn't have known was that Sakura was the key to everything that had just happened.
—
Naruto and the others returned to Konoha the following morning.
They were reporting the results of their mission in the Hokage's office when another unexpected incident occurred.
For Konoha, it was a disaster.
For Naruto, it was a pleasant surprise.
Boom!
A bolt of lightning suddenly descended from the clear sky and struck the Hokage Building.
Flames immediately erupted across part of the roof.
Everyone rushed outside, believing Konoha was under attack. However, after a rapid investigation, the ANBU discovered that the lightning had been created by Yakumo Kurama.
Yakumo was the greatest genius born into the Kurama clan in generations.
The Kurama clan had once been a prominent clan within Konoha, renowned for its mastery of genjutsu. Unfortunately, it had gradually declined over the years. In recent generations, the clan had struggled to produce even a single jōnin.
Every few generations, however, a child would be born who awakened the Kurama clan's kekkei genkai.
Such a child possessed an extraordinary gift for genjutsu and could completely control the five senses of anyone caught within their illusions.
Yakumo was the one who had inherited that power in the current generation.
From the moment her talent was discovered, the entire clan placed its hopes on her. She became the Kurama clan's promised future, burdened with the responsibility of restoring its former glory.
The pressure had followed her throughout her childhood.
Unfortunately, Yakumo had been born with an extremely frail body. Prolonged physical activity placed her health at risk, and she wasn't even able to attend the Ninja Academy.
Her parents eventually invited Kurenai Yūhi to become her private instructor.
After examining Yakumo's physical condition, Kurenai concluded that she could not endure the training required to become a shinobi. She advised Yakumo to abandon that dream and live an ordinary life.
Yakumo's parents agreed. They loved their daughter and didn't want her to destroy her health by pursuing a goal her body couldn't withstand.
Yakumo, however, saw their decision as a betrayal.
Her disappointment, resentment, and hatred continued to grow until they created a second, malicious personality within her mind.
Its name was Ido.
When Yakumo once again begged her parents to let her become a shinobi and they refused, Ido broke free.
It used Yakumo's genjutsu to set their home ablaze.
Both of her parents died in the fire.
Unable to endure the truth, Yakumo's mind buried the memory to protect itself. She convinced herself that the Third Hokage had sent assassins to murder her parents and then tried to kill her as well.
Because of the danger posed by her abilities, Konoha placed Yakumo in a secluded villa on Satomi Hill.
Kurenai continued visiting her, but Yakumo's attitude toward her former teacher grew colder with every meeting.
Today, during a brief lapse in surveillance, Yakumo had used her genjutsu to call down lightning upon the Hokage Building.
An enraged Tsunade immediately summoned Kurenai and ordered her to deal with Yakumo's condition once and for all.
She still hoped Kurenai could eliminate the dangerous personality growing inside the girl.
Watching from nearby, Naruto's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile.
Letting talent like that go to waste would be a crime.
So what if Yakumo had a twisted monster living inside her?
That only made her more interesting.
As the saying went, heroes died young, while monsters endured.
Yakumo's kekkei genkai could dominate all five senses, reducing her victims to puppets trapped within a reality of her design.
She could construct an entire world through genjutsu. If she wished it, anything that occurred within that illusion could become real. Injuries suffered inside it could appear on the victim's actual body, while damage to objects—or even injuries to people—could potentially be restored.
Anything she painted on her canvas could become reality.
Her power was almost like the legendary ability known as [Fantasy Realization].
Yakumo Kurama will belong to me.
Naruto made his decision.
—
That night, Naruto arrived at the villa on Satomi Hill.
He easily subdued the ANBU operative and two medical-nin guarding the residence.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The villa was enormous, yet Yakumo lived there alone.
Its empty corridors felt cold and lifeless. Every one of Naruto's footsteps echoed through the darkness.
Despite the late hour, Yakumo had not gone to bed.
She was still inside her studio, painting.
Creak…
Naruto pushed open the door.
A thin girl stood with her back to him, silently moving a brush across a canvas. Rows of completed oil paintings covered the walls around her.
None of the lamps were lit.
Cold moonlight streamed through the windows and fell across the dark, distorted paintings, giving the entire studio a ghostly atmosphere.
Naruto remained completely unfazed.
A friendly smile appeared on his face.
"You've always wanted to become a shinobi, haven't you?"
Yakumo's brush stopped.
"Come with me. I can make you powerful."
She slowly turned her head and stared at him without emotion.
"You look like a Konoha shinobi around my age."
Her voice was flat and distant.
"Why should I believe you?"
Only then did Naruto see her face clearly.
Because of her weak constitution, Yakumo's complexion was already unusually pale. Under the cold moonlight, she looked almost like a ghost.
Naruto's gaze shifted to the painting in front of her.
It depicted the very scene unfolding inside the studio: Naruto standing at the door while Yakumo sat before her canvas.
There was only one difference.
In the painting, Naruto's head had been severed from his body.
"Heh."
Naruto grinned.
"So that's how you want to kill me?"
Yakumo gave him a dark look before turning back toward her canvas.
She dipped her brush into white paint and erased Naruto's feet from the picture.
Naruto glanced down.
His feet had vanished.
His entire body was immobilized, and even the chakra inside him refused to move.
He had already been pulled into Yakumo's genjutsu world.
Naruto showed no fear.
Instead, he continued smiling at her.
"There's a monster inside your heart."
Yakumo's hand froze.
"It's been controlling you all this time. It was also the one that killed your parents."
Her eyes widened.
Naruto stared directly at her.
"Come out, monster. Let's speak face-to-face."
Yakumo's body trembled.
The memories her mind had sealed away suddenly surged back all at once.
Her parents rejecting her dream.
The resentment she had felt toward them.
The flames consuming their home.
Their screams.
The truth struck her with unbearable force.
"I… killed them…"
Tears poured down Yakumo's pale face.
Pain, guilt, and regret overwhelmed her. She desperately tried to regain control of herself and resist the monster inside her mind.
Her trembling hand seized a sharp palette knife.
She raised it toward her throat.
Before she could drive it into her neck, a thin, pale hand caught her wrist.
Yakumo stiffened.
The hand had emerged from one of her self-portraits.
Under her horrified gaze, another version of herself slowly crawled out from the canvas.
The figure possessed Yakumo's body and wore the same clothes, but its face was monstrous. Two horns protruded from its forehead, giving it the appearance of a demon.
Ido had finally revealed itself.
Until now, it had remained hidden in the deepest part of Yakumo's mind. Naruto's words had forced her to remember it, allowing the monster to emerge.
The moment Ido appeared, it easily seized control of Yakumo's body.
Its demonic face turned toward Naruto.
"You called me out."
Its twisted smile widened.
"What do you want? Shall I kill you?"
"Nothing like that."
Naruto grinned at the monster.
"I came to invite you to become my subordinate."
Ido gave a disdainful snort.
"And what makes you think you're strong enough to command me?"