Early the next morning,
With Iruka's guidance, Naruto dressed himself using the clothes Kushina had bought for him.
After that, he finally gathered the courage and headed toward the Hyūga Clan compound.
However…
"Huh? Hinata isn't home?"
Naruto looked confused as he stared at the little girl in front of him.
"Yeah. My sister left early this morning, and I don't know where she went."
Then she tilted her head curiously.
"But why did you come here?"
Hanabi Hyūga looked at Naruto with suspicion.
"I see…"
Naruto lowered his head in disappointment.
He had finally worked up the courage to come see her—yet Hinata wasn't home.
Just then, Neji Hyūga walked over.
"Naruto? What brings you here so early?"
"Oh, right. Lee is looking for you later to train at the mountain behind the village. Are you going?"
"Yeah! Let's go then."
Naruto left together with Neji.
Meanwhile…
Uzumaki Residence
Hinata was hiding behind an electric pole not far away, secretly observing Naruto's house.
She murmured to herself in confusion.
"That's strange… Naruto usually wakes up around this time."
"Is he not home today?"
Chat Reactions
[Kushina Uzumaki: Ahh! They were so close! What a pity!]
[Kakashi Hatake: Seriously… they just barely missed each other like that. Even novels wouldn't write something this ridiculous.]
[Jiraiya: Sigh… looks like Naruto is finally getting lucky with women.]
[Tsunade: What? Are you jealous?]
[Jiraiya: Ahem… not exactly. You know, Tsunade, I've always felt that you and I—uh…]
[Tsunade: Enough. At your age, stop saying such disgusting things.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Um… Hinata… I…]
[Hinata Hyūga: N-Naruto, I—I—I—! Ugh…]
[Sakura Haruno: Uh… Hinata fainted.]
[Ino Yamanaka: Her CPU probably overheated.]
The Screen Continues…
Uchiha Residence
Ding-dong.
Sasuke opened the door.
Seeing Sakura standing there, he asked flatly:
"What do you want?"
"Um, Sasuke… I brought some rice balls. Would you like one?"
"No. Take them away."
He refused without hesitation.
But Sakura immediately opened a sealing scroll, pulled out a rice ball, and waved it in front of his face.
"Sasuke… are you sure you don't want one?"
"I said I—"
Suddenly—
The scent of the rice ball reached his nose.
A flood of memories he had long buried suddenly surged back.
He remembered how his mother used to make his favorite bonito rice balls.
Back then, Mikoto would gently wipe the crumbs from his mouth after he finished eating.
Sakura smiled.
"So? Do you want one?"
Sasuke nodded subconsciously.
Living Room
Sasuke took a bite.
The moment the flavor spread in his mouth—
Tears began flowing uncontrollably.
"…It's delicious."
As he ate the bonito rice ball, Mikoto's gentle figure slowly appeared in his mind.
Sakura took out more rice balls.
"You know that yesterday Naruto and I swapped places with people from another world, right?"
Sasuke nodded silently.
"We went to a world very similar to ours. But in that world…"
"The Fourth Hokage is still alive."
"And Sasuke… your clan, your parents… they're all alive there."
Sasuke looked at Sakura in shock.
Sakura continued:
"I know you love bonito rice balls the most. So I asked Aunt Mikoto to make these for you."
"She even taught me how to make them."
"Though… my cooking probably isn't nearly as good."
But then—
Sasuke smiled.
"Sakura… thank you."
"!!!"
That single smile made Sakura feel that all the effort she had put in over the past few days was completely worth it.
"…It tastes like Mom's cooking."
Sasuke closed his eyes.
His mind sank into childhood memories—
Into the warmth of the motherly love Mikoto once gave him.
After a long time, Sasuke slowly opened his eyes.
Buzz—
Suddenly—
A surge of dark purple chakra erupted from his body.
Mountains' Graveyard
Obito returned.
In his hand, a person was bound tightly.
Black Zetsu asked:
"How did it go?"
"Failed. Something went wrong with the Limited Tsukuyomi experiment."
"But it doesn't matter. This time I gained something else."
Black Zetsu looked at the unconscious figure on the ground.
"That is… Konoha's Wood Release ninja."
"Yeah. Yamato."
"The only survivor of Orochimaru and Danzō's Wood Release experiments."
"With him, the White Zetsu army can be strengthened again."
"I understand."
Black Zetsu nodded.
"Also, I've already had the White Zetsu collect many genetic samples from powerful shinobi of every village."
"This time, I will use Impure World Reincarnation to help you."
"I know."
Obito removed his orange spiral mask and replaced it with a white mask.
"Once I fully adapt to this Rinnegan, and after the White Zetsu army is strengthened…"
"It will be time to start the Fourth Great Ninja War."
"Mm."
Time Passed Quietly
The nuclear research project had temporarily concluded.
Nagi spent his time quietly cultivating in Konoha.
One day, while meditating, he suddenly sensed something watching him.
Following the connection—almost like tracing a signal through a network—
He located the source.
Mount Myōboku
"PUAH—!"
Blood suddenly sprayed from the mouth of the Great Toad Sage, Gamamaru.
"Great Toad Sage!"
Jiraiya hurried forward in panic.
Fukasaku and Shima quickly checked his condition.
Gamamaru slowly stood up, his face filled with disbelief.
"Impossible… how could a human reach such a level?"
"I… I cannot foresee his future."
This was the first time he had ever encountered such a situation.
At that moment—
A voice echoed directly in his mind.
"Toad of Mount Myōboku…
If you continue to interfere with the future of the human race at will,
I don't mind turning all of you back into ordinary toads."
Gamamaru immediately took out his crystal ball and tried to observe the situation.
But then—
"…!"
He saw Nagi looking directly toward him.
The next moment—
CRACK!
The crystal ball exploded.
Seeing this, Gamamaru fell silent.
His appearance suddenly seemed far older than before.
After a long sigh, he said:
"…In the end, this world belongs to humanity."
Chat Reactions
[Jiraiya: Nagi… that's disrespectful to the Great Toad Sage.]
[Tobirama Senju: What did you just say, you idiot? Say that again!]
[Jiraiya: Uh… Second Hokage-sama, I mean—]
[Tobirama Senju: Shut up! You expect my disciple to show respect to some animal?!]
[Orochimaru: Jiraiya, sometimes you truly have no brain. Nagi is practically the representative of humanity now. Why should he respect a toad from Mount Myōboku?]
[Jiraiya: I…]
[Madara Uchiha: Hmph. In this world, power is everything. If the toads of Mount Myōboku dared to act arrogant in front of me, I wouldn't mind exterminating them.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Jiraiya, are you a shinobi of Konoha or a servant of Mount Myōboku? Get that straight.]
[Jiraiya: I…]
[Kaguya Ōtsutsuki: Heh. You're all the same. Possessing great power yet obeying a mere toad. Hagoromo, Hamura—you two are truly foolish.
I have lived far longer than that toad ever has.]
[Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki: ...]
[Hamura Ōtsutsuki: ...]
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