Chapter 415: Target: Kamui Cannot Hide Tears
"..."
Naruto fell silent.
That overly scorching love that would incinerate even the self wasn't "almost"—she'd made him the sole meaning of existence. This "gift" carried far more than just a thread of flame or an ability. It was placing the ultimate modification rights to her entire body, will, and even soul unreservedly into his hands.
He still wanted to refuse. In his heart, Satsuki didn't need to be "modified" in the slightest—she as she was now was his most beloved, most cherished form.
"You're not allowed to refuse."
Satsuki preempted his hesitation, interrupting words not yet spoken.
"I know Naruto loves me most... so this is also 'insurance.'"
"Insurance?" Naruto froze slightly.
"Yes." Satsuki nodded, gaze drifting toward the window, searching for an appropriate metaphor. "It's still an 'if'... just in case some particularly troublesome situation occurs? Like... like... amnesia?"
"...That reason is way too forced." Naruto couldn't help but retort, though warmth and amusement flickered in his eyes.
At his words, Satsuki felt somewhat embarrassed, pressing her lips together as her ears reddened. Indeed, with her current strength and obsession, the probability of "losing memory and forgetting Naruto" was probably lower than a meteor hitting their house.
This excuse really had no persuasive power.
"This... anyway!" She raised her volume slightly, trying to cover that trace of awkwardness, putting on her "I'm very serious" expression again. "A gift once given, I absolutely won't take back! Or is it..."
She looked up at him, deliberately making her tone aggrieved. "Naruto... are you going to throw away my 'feelings' like garbage?"
This little "moral blackmail" technique indeed left Naruto in a dilemma. A flash of "plan succeeded" with small satisfaction crossed Satsuki's eyes.
He finally sighed, reaching out to gently pinch her cheek. "But I really think..."
"It's fine." Satsuki immediately continued, seizing the opportunity to grasp his hand. "If Naruto truly feels guilty... you can compensate me with 'that' method."
"...Eh?" Naruto froze, then his face rapidly heated. "N-now? It's still afternoon... isn't it a bit too early... I-I'm not unwilling! It's just..."
His voice grew smaller and smaller, face redder and redder.
"This kind of 'compensation,' no matter how you look at it, I'm the one taking advantage... It's too unfair to Satsuki."
"Unfair?" Satsuki tilted her head gently, leaning close to him, warm breath intertwining with his. "Because Naruto is too cute... I can barely restrain myself anymore."
The possessiveness in her eyes surged like a dark tide. Yet strangely, this highly aggressive emotion didn't make Naruto feel pressure but instead brought a sense of reassurance.
"If you really feel bad about it..." Satsuki's voice lowered, carrying coaxing gentleness. "This time, let me decide the rules."
As she spoke, she suddenly turned around, pulling from deep within her carried ninja pouch a rather large, tightly wrapped box.
Naruto watched curiously as she unwrapped it—inside neatly arranged was an entire box of those small items commonly used between couples for protective measures... prepared by Uchiha Mikoto.
"...Satsuki, you're really thoroughly prepared." Naruto couldn't help but marvel, the blush spreading from his face all the way to his neck. Satsuki's ears were equally translucent red, yet she forced composure, responding with a simple "Mm."
The two returned to their room, atmosphere quietly heating in the stillness.
Naruto couldn't help recalling these past days' intimacy—though he and Satsuki had been intimate many times, each time between them there had been no "barrier." (they've been raw dogin it, lol)
He'd actually noticed this long ago. Some corner of his heart had vague thoughts about it, yet somehow both had tacitly avoided directly facing this issue.
Until now, when Satsuki formally brought these things out. An extremely faint sense of loss inexplicably rose in Naruto's heart, but he still reached out, preparing to open one—
"We don't need to use these."
Satsuki gently pressed down on his hand.
"...Eh?" Naruto looked up, somewhat confused.
Satsuki leaned close, eyes flickering with sweet yet dangerous light.
"Those... are just for counting."
"I don't want any 'barrier' between me and Naruto."
She kissed the corner of his mouth, breath warm and clinging.
"Tonight's goal... is to empty this box. Before we finish, you're not allowed to stop..."
Naruto's brain exploded with a "boom," blown completely blank by this straightforward yet temptation-filled declaration. He looked at Satsuki's eyes so close, brimming with moisture and desire, finally obediently closing his eyes, completely handing over control, responding lowly.
"...As you command."
---
He had to resolve everything completely.
This thought pressed heavily in Naruto's heart. Satsuki had entrusted her entire self to him.
From body to soul, from past to future, even placing that power capable of rewriting "concepts" as "insurance" inside him. This trust was scorching, obsessive, leaving no room for retreat.
He had to respond.
Not with verbal promises, not with daily intimacy, but truly, thoroughly sweeping away all shadows that might threaten this tranquility.
Those shadows from beyond the stars—the Otsutsuki. According to vague memories, they might descend in over ten years.
Naruto had tried. With the [Star Eye] and [Yomotsu Hirasaka], he could indeed step into space, but space... was too vast.
He'd floated in vacuum, witnessed countless galaxies spread like dust to the edge of vision—brilliant, cold, silent. Forget locking onto Otsutsuki traces; he hadn't sensed any other form of life signs. Searching for specific targets in the vast sea of stars was hundreds of millions of times harder than finding a needle in a haystack.
So he decided to return his gaze to the ground beneath his feet.
Take the initiative, resolve threats at hand.
Obito. Black Zetsu. Those remnants lurking in the ninja world's shadows, attempting to stir up storms. And the possibly deeper crisis they might trigger prematurely.
He had to be fast.
This was the most basic yet most urgent "compensation" he could give Satsuki—a wedding without lingering concerns, daily life not requiring constant vigilance against shadows.
Failure not permitted. Only success.
So he mobilized those powers following "Menma." Those ninja gathered under [Ember]'s banner for various reasons, possessing extraordinary skills or bearing pasts.
The immortal ninja, the tailless tailed beast, the demon, Shisui of the Body Flicker, the explosion release ninja, even one of the former Sannin.
An infiltration and annihilation operation premised on absolute intelligence and combat power superiority was put on the agenda.
The action plan was clear—all [Ember] combat personnel, including leader "Menma" himself, would silently seep like a dark tide beneath that eternally weeping sky.
Target: Hidden Rain Village.
Two targets must be killed.
Uchiha Obito, and Black Zetsu clinging to history's reverse side.
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