A sudden torrential downpour blanketed Konoha in a heavy, oppressive curtain of rain.
Raindrops hammered against the windows.
On the top floor of Konoha Hospital, inside a double intensive-care ward…
On the bed near the door, Sasuke lay hooked to an IV drip, having just finished recounting his battle with Akira.
Kakashi, Shikamaru, and Konohamaru—who were present—were all drenched in cold sweat.
"Reversing time… that ability is far too outrageous," Kakashi said quietly.
"Compared to that, even Obito's Kamui seems underwhelming."
Since stepping down as the Sixth Hokage, Kakashi rarely involved himself in village affairs.
But this incident was too serious.
His opinion was needed.
Above his mask, his dark eyes carried more restraint and composure than in his younger years.
He asked Sasuke carefully,
"Are you certain? The technique Akira used to pierce your chest at the end… was it?"
Sasuke replied firmly,
"Yes."
"No hand seals. No ocular assistance."
"And a piercing force far beyond Chidori or Lightning Blade."
"It was Purple Lightning. Without a doubt."
Kakashi fell into deep thought.
It had been barely five years since he created Purple Lightning.
In that time, only Sasuke had mastered it on his own.
Apart from that, it had only been used recently in cooperation with Konoha's Scientific Ninja Tool Division for testing.
There was no way…
Could someone have secretly stood beside me while I trained and copied it?
Impossible.
No one could get that close without being detected.
So…
Did Akira figure out Purple Lightning on his own?
With ocular techniques that included "portable barriers," "time reversal," "True Dharma Eye Treasury," and "object annihilation"…
With Sage Mode…
With the talent to create original super–S-rank techniques…
The ninja world truly never lacked monsters.
Sasuke spoke with lingering fear.
"To be honest, surviving feels unreal."
"Thinking back, it's still terrifying."
"If Uchiha Akira had reversed time once more at the last space portal…"
"Naruto and I would've died there."
Kakashi pondered.
"The fact that he didn't rewind time then suggests two possibilities."
"Either he couldn't."
"Or he didn't want to."
"We can analyze his situation from those angles."
"There's actually another possibility," Shikamaru spoke up.
"That he didn't dare to."
Naruto turned his gaze toward him.
"What do you mean?"
Shikamaru replied,
"Akira was afraid Sasuke might still pose a threat to him."
Konohamaru looked shocked.
"A threat? But Sasuke-sensei was already exhausted back then. He couldn't even maintain his eyes."
"I'm getting to that," Shikamaru said.
"From Sasuke's description, I'm convinced that Akira's time reversal is restricted by causality."
"If he reversed Sasuke's time, the chakra cost of opening the space portal would be reflected back through causality."
"At that point, realizing escape was impossible, Sasuke would've used that chakra for a desperate final counterattack."
"That price was probably something Akira couldn't afford."
"That's reason number one."
Naruto asked,
"And the second?"
"Second," Shikamaru nodded,
"Uchiha Akira doesn't have the nerve to kill two Kage of Konoha."
"If he did, he'd become the enemy of the entire shinobi world."
"He'd face a coalition led by the Five Kage."
"There would be no place left for him."
"So he didn't dare to truly go for the kill."
Konohamaru was filled with admiration.
As expected of Shikamaru.
Naruto's greatest strategist.
With surgical precision, he had dissected the enemy's psychology.
Naruto turned to Kakashi.
"Sensei, what do you think?"
Kakashi lowered his gaze.
It makes sense… but something feels off.
Still, if it's Shikamaru's judgment, there must be solid reasoning.
He replied carefully,
"Perhaps Shikamaru is right."
"But Akira has too many mysteries surrounding him."
"Until we fully understand him, we shouldn't provoke another conflict."
"I think we should start by investigating his Sage Technique."
"Naruto, what do you think?"
Naruto nodded.
"That makes sense."
He closed his eyes in thought.
"Akira's Sage Mode allows him to use taijutsu similar to Frog Kata."
"When it hits, my body produced acid-secreting slugs."
"Combined with his abnormal calmness in Sage Mode…"
"It has to be Slug Sage Mode from Shikkotsu Forest."
Kakashi was startled.
Shikkotsu Forest…
Ever since the Warring States era, no one had mastered Katsuyu's Sage Arts.
And Akira had done it?
Sasuke yanked the IV needle from his wrist.
"I can't waste time. I'll go ask Sakura to summon—"
Thud!
Before he could finish, he swayed and collapsed beside the bed.
"Sasuke!" Kakashi rushed over to support him.
"You've overused your ocular power and just recovered from severe injuries."
"Rest properly."
"This can wait."
"But…" Sasuke struggled.
"Knowing someone that dangerous is out there, doing who-knows-what…"
"I can't sit still—cough! Cough!"
Pain flared in his chest.
Blood seeped from his lips.
"Sasuke. Sit down."
Naruto's low voice echoed.
"Naruto?"
Naruto continued,
"First, Sakura exhausted herself treating us."
"And if Akira really is Katsuyu's disciple…"
"Using Sakura to summon a slug just to investigate him would be rude."
"There was already a slug clone in your courtyard today."
"It didn't react when Akira's name was mentioned."
"That already says a lot."
"If we're going to ask…"
"We should go to Shikkotsu Forest ourselves."
"To speak with Lady Katsuyu."
"For now, rest."
Sasuke sighed and lay back down.
"Looks like I have no choice."
Kakashi thought silently—
Years as Hokage had truly made Naruto more mature than Sasuke in dealing with people.
Naruto removed his IV and walked to the window.
Through the rain-streaked glass, he saw his own haggard reflection.
Irritation welled up inside him.
He opened the window.
Splash!
Boruto, who had been secretly eavesdropping between the roof and the window, hurriedly scrambled back up.
(Yes, this fits the Boruto-era timeline.)
In the curtain of rain, the faces on Hokage Rock looked as though they were weeping.
Naruto clenched the window frame.
This village…
Was like a train speeding along its tracks.
It couldn't stop.
And it wouldn't stop for anyone.
"Chunin Exams are coming."
"A joint event of the Five Nations."
"And I still have countless unresolved cases."
"I need a shadow clone in the office…"
He formed the hand seal ingrained in his life.
"Ah…"
The smoke faded.
No clone appeared.
Naruto slumped to the floor.
"Naruto!" Shikamaru rushed over.
"You've been overworking nonstop!"
"Then there was Shin, then Akira!"
"You were badly injured and just recovered!"
"Stop thinking about work!"
"I'll handle it. I'll work overtime!"
Naruto sat on the floor, staring blankly at his bandaged right hand.
"For the first time…"
"I really feel like I'm not young anymore…"
Creak.
The door opened.
A man in a white lab coat, wearing glasses, with a square face walked in.
"You are…?"
The man bowed politely.
"Seventh Hokage, allow me to introduce myself."
"My name is Tōno Katōsuke."
"I'm the head of Konoha's Scientific Ninja Tool Division."
"I heard that you and Lord Sasuke were defeated by someone named Uchiha Akira. Is that true?"
"News travels fast," Naruto muttered.
After steadying himself with Shikamaru's help, he faced Katōsuke.
"That's correct. What's your point?"
Katōsuke adjusted his glasses and took out a sophisticated wrist-mounted device.
A confident smile appeared on his face.
"If you and Lord Sasuke were equipped with our latest scientific ninja tools…"
"Dealing with Uchiha Akira would be effortless."
…
Origin Space.
"Achoo!"
Akira suddenly sneezed.
"Caught a cold?" Madara asked.
"No."
"Feels like some tiny parasite brushed against my nose hair."
Rumble…!!
Above them, amid thunderous roars, a massive white silhouette began to emerge from the crumbling celestial body.
The three brothers looked up together.
"That's it, right…?"
"Yeah. Has to be."
"No doubt about it."
"That's…"
"Kaguya's true body—the Rabbit Goddess."
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