One month later—
"Hey, Kakuzu! Are you actually taking the boss's orders seriously at all?! Who exactly are we working for right now?!"
"Of course we're working for the organization," Kakuzu replied coldly. "And I'm actively fulfilling the task of raising funds for it."
"Bullshit! We're supposed to be heading to Takigakure to capture the Seven-Tails! But you insisted on staying in the Land of Grass just to finish that bastard's bounty mission!"
"Money comes first. Wartime is the best opportunity to accumulate capital. And if I remember correctly, the Leader ordered us to wait until Iwagakure and Konoha actually go to war before completing our quota. Since they haven't started fighting yet, we can't move."
"Damn it! You've already handed over dozens of jōnin to that guy! Those were sacrifices I prepared for Lord Jashin with my own hands!"
"What's with that look? Besides, I bought twice the number from the bounty exchange to trade with you."
"Don't treat me like an idiot! Those cheap goods aren't even worth a fraction of your bounty reward! And when I refused the trade, you deliberately interrupted my rituals! I'm reporting you to the boss!"
"Go ahead. See what the Leader says. Also, watch your scythe—these are paid goods. I already took the advance. If you kill even one, I guarantee your next—and the one after that—rituals won't go smoothly."
"Bastard! Bastard! Bastard of a partner! Bastard of a boss! Bastard organization!"
"…"
The Land of Grass — On the Road to the Bounty Exchange
Hidan and Kakuzu walked side by side. Behind them trailed a tall prison wagon covered in black cloth.
Kakuzu walked on the left, expressionless, occasionally stopping to feed the ox pulling the wagon a pill. Hidan's veins bulged as he watched—he could tell at a glance those were soldier pills meant to restore chakra.
But he could only watch.
The ox, the pills, and even the prison wagon itself had all been provided by Kakuzu's mysterious employer.
Before long, they arrived at the entrance to the bounty exchange. Kakuzu had barely stopped when Hidan charged ahead, smashing his fist against the door.
Bang! Bang!
After only a few hits, the exchange manager hurried out, smiling politely.
"Honored guest, the main entrance can simply be pushed open."
Hidan slammed his triple-bladed scythe into the ground.
"Cut the crap! Tell that bastard to come out and pay up! I'm not going inside—this place stinks!"
"Ah… are you certain you want to conduct the transaction outside?"
"Ignore him," Kakuzu said, stepping forward. "Is the employer here?"
The manager nodded, stepped aside, and gestured for two attendants to receive the prison wagon.
Kakuzu frowned. "No inspection?"
The manager smiled thinly. "The employer trusts your reputation. Those two are his men."
"…Fine. But I still need to count the money."
Kakuzu entered the exchange. About an hour later, he emerged empty-handed.
Hidan's eyes lit up. "What? You didn't get paid?"
"We're going to Hōzuki Castle," Kakuzu said flatly.
"What?!"
Hidan exploded. "You bastard! What job did you take on without telling me this time?!"
The Land of Spring
In a vast open ground, twenty blindfolded bodies lay in a neat row. Naruto stood before them, with Keichirō and a group of researchers in white coats behind him.
These were jōnin Naruto had just received from Kakuzu in the Land of Grass—now all corpses. Most wore Grass Village headbands; a few bore Konoha and Iwagakure symbols.
Moments later, another Naruto appeared out of thin air, accompanied by a palm-sized Slug.
"Lady Katsuyu, I'll need your help with the inspection again."
Katsuyu's antennae swayed. She split into twenty smaller slugs that crawled over the corpses.
In the next instant, two twisted White Zetsu burst out of each body.
"Only forty this time, instead of eighty. Did Black Zetsu finally realize he's making a losing deal?"
Naruto waved dismissively.
"Thank you, Lady Katsuyu. You may return."
Poof!
The slugs vanished.
With a flick of Naruto's finger, steel wires shot out, binding all forty White Zetsu to the ground. They began screaming and cursing, but Naruto raised his hand—each mouth was immediately sealed by a fist-sized water sphere.
"Keep twenty. Take the rest."
"Yes!" Keichirō replied excitedly. "Including previous samples, we now have 180 original White Zetsu specimens."
Soon, only twenty remained.
Naruto unrolled a scroll on the ground—then paused.
Another Naruto appeared beside him, eyes glowing with red slit pupils, dragging a weapon covered in spikes.
It was a Nine-Tails–controlled shadow clone, holding Samehada, now fully restored.
"What's up, Kurama?" Naruto asked. "Looks like the sword's fixed. Yesterday it was still just a stick."
"That stupid tanuki insisted on seeing you," Kurama said smugly. "I agreed for you. He happily handed over his chakra."
"…Shukaku?"
Naruto sighed. "I told you three days ago to inform him we'd prepare a sensory-isolation barrier today."
He stopped, then laughed.
"You tricked Shukaku again. What does he want?"
"Heh. A good thing. You'll see."
Naruto narrowed his eyes. "He's giving me his chakra?"
"Yes," Kurama sneered. "He says once he gives it to you and you release him, they're even."
"That's strange," Naruto said quietly. "From Gaara's memories, Shukaku is extremely proud. Does he even understand the consequences?"
"He does," Kurama replied casually. "He just doesn't want to owe anyone."
Naruto shook his head and clapped his hands.
A black sealing array spread beneath the twenty White Zetsu.
Above the Clouds
A colossal, perfectly smooth plaza stretched across the clouds. Around it sat figures in black armor and dark masks. Along the edges stood members of the Hyūga clan—Hiashi, Hinata, and Hanabi among them—staring downward in shock.
Shouting echoed from the plaza's center.
Gaara was yelling at three Narutos.
"When is that damn fox's jinchūriki coming?!"
"No idea."
"He didn't say."
"Probably… soon?"
Flash!
Several figures appeared at the plaza's edge.
Gaara leaned forward, eyes bulging.
"Why is that Uchiha brat here?!"
"Relax," one one-eyed Naruto said, patting his shoulder. "With Naruto here, he won't touch you."
"You stupid turtle!" Gaara roared. "Are you saying I can't beat him?! I swear, once I'm free, the first person I kill is him!"
The other two Narutos sighed in unison.
Resurrection
Naruto soon arrived, having already Edo Tensei–summoned the twenty jōnin. After converting them into world subordinates and teaching them layered barrier techniques, Hiashi approached with Hinata and Hanabi.
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata greeted shyly.
Naruto smiled and nodded, then turned to Hiashi.
"Are you ready?"
"Neji has brought his father," Hiashi said.
Sasuke frowned. As far as he knew, Hyūga Hizashi had died long ago.
Recently, Sasuke had been buried in experiments, trying—and failing—to clone Mangekyō Sharingan. Naruto had suddenly appeared and asked if he wanted to witness an interesting forbidden technique.
Now he understood.
This was Edo Tensei.
Then a new question surfaced in his mind.
If Kabuto took over Orochimaru's bases… where did Orochimaru go?
The Extraction
Naruto approached Gaara.
"Fox's jinchūriki!" Gaara snarled. "You know my name now, right?"
"Yes," Naruto smiled. "But you don't know mine."
"I do! Uzumaki Naruto! I knew it back in the Chūnin Exams! I just didn't expect you to be the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki!"
"You understand the consequences of giving me your chakra, right?" Naruto asked.
The three Narutos nodded. "We explained."
"Enough!" Gaara shoved them aside and pointed at Sasuke.
"When I'm out, that guy has to fight me!"
"Not in the real world," Naruto replied calmly. "But I can let you settle it in another world."
Gaara's eyes bulged. "Not settle it—he's dead!"
"Can we begin?" Naruto asked, chakra already surging around his hand.
Gaara grinned savagely. "Do it!"
Naruto pressed his palm to Gaara's abdomen.
Red chakra exploded outward.
With a violent roar, a monstrous head tore free—followed by the full body of Shukaku, massive and covered in purple-blue sealing markings.
"I'M FINALLY FREE!!!"
Gaara collapsed lifelessly.
Naruto confirmed the absence of life, then vanished—reappearing beside Hiashi.
At Hiashi's feet lay another corpse—Hizashi, identical in appearance.
Naruto placed Gaara beside him.
Chiyo and Mukade knelt, placing their hands on the corpses' chests. Pale blue light flared.
Sasuke stared. "Medical ninjutsu works on the dead?"
"This is no ordinary medical technique," Naruto replied.
"It's a forbidden jutsu derived from it—Self-Life Reincarnation. Used on the dead, it drags the soul back from the Pure Land."
Sasuke's breath caught. "Resurrection…"
Minutes passed.
Naruto withdrew his hand. Mukade collapsed dead. Gaara opened his eyes.
"That's the cost," Sasuke murmured.
Then Chiyo faltered.
"My chakra… isn't enough!"
Hiashi knelt and placed his hand over hers.
"Use mine."
Blue light surged again.
Ten minutes later—
Hizashi's heart beat.
Chiyo collapsed, lifeless.
"It's dark…" Hizashi whispered, opening gray eyes.
Afterward
In the Mirror World—
"Uchiha brat! Fight me again in the desert!"
"No," Sasuke replied coldly. "Two battles are enough."
Shukaku screamed in frustration.
Back in the origin space, Kurama laughed.
"…You idiot. You still don't realize combat isn't allowed here."
Kurama issued a challenge.
Shukaku accepted.
They vanished in light.
Sasuke approached Naruto.
"I want that resurrection forbidden jutsu."
"You want to use it how?" Naruto asked softly.
"Itachi burned your parents' bodies to nothing with Amaterasu."
Sasuke stared. "If it were useless to me, you wouldn't have shown it."
Naruto nodded. "I have a theory. We'll know in a few days."
"To revive them, you'd need their personal genetic material."
Sasuke's eyes sharpened. "Edo Tensei."
"You're quick," Naruto praised. "But Danzō had your home scrubbed clean. There's nothing left."
Sasuke clenched his fists. "Then why tell me all this?!"
"Because right now, there's no chance," Naruto said quietly.
"But what if…"
He met Sasuke's gaze.
"…we could return to the past?"
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