Arisu stood in the center of the Pure Land plaza, looking at everything around him filled with laughter and joy. A trace of deep reluctance flashed through his eyes.
With his own hands, he had given everyone the perfect ending they wanted.
There was no war, no hatred, only eternal joy and reunion.
At this moment, every regret had been made whole, and every grudge had faded away.
Just then, the system's cold notification suddenly rang out in Arisu's mind.
[10 seconds until the world resets!]
10...
9...
8...
7...
Arisu stood quietly, his gaze sweeping across every familiar face.
6...
5...
4...
Madara Uchiha's family was still chatting with smiles on their faces. The Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan were living together in harmony.
Indra and Ashura were sparring with Arisu watching over them. Sakumo Hatake's laughter was still bright and open. In Mount Myoboku, Uchiha Hikari was quietly copying...
3...
2...
1...
The countdown ended.
BOOM!
The entire scene instantly began to collapse.
The sky cracked apart like shattered glass, splitting into countless black rifts. The earth shook violently, and space and time began to twist and flow backward.
Everything was rapidly reversing.
Everyone froze where they stood, happy smiles still on their faces.
Then their bodies began to twist and stretch, breaking apart into countless specks of light like a crumpled painting before gradually disappearing into the void.
Only Arisu remained standing in the center, completely motionless.
He quietly watched everything around him change beyond recognition.
Mountains and rivers receded into nothingness. Palaces and pavilions crumbled into dust. The lively laughter turned into the silence of death.
Looking at the completely empty Pure Land, Arisu only felt the enormous emptiness that came after the excitement had faded away.
The plaza that had once been filled with voices and constant laughter was now nothing but a silent void.
Those familiar faces, those warm laughs, the fragrance of wine from raised cups, all seemed to linger in the air, yet they could never be touched again.
Arisu let out a quiet sigh and murmured to himself, "Let's just treat it as a dream... Waking up still leaves me deeply moved..."
As the words fell, Arisu closed his eyes, but the corners of his lips lifted into a faint smile of relief.
The complicated feelings in his heart, satisfaction, reflection, and reluctance, gradually settled at this moment.
The entire world had fallen silent. Only he remained, quietly waiting for the next cycle to begin.
"Everyone... I'll see you in the next reincarnation..."
Arisu said softly. He raised his hand and gave a gentle wave, as though saying goodbye to everyone.
In the end, the Pure Land completely collapsed, becoming an endless expanse of darkness.
———
[Time: The Era When Kaguya And Isshiki Descended]
Arisu slowly opened his eyes. His appearance changed, and he became a kind-faced old man with white hair and beard, sitting leisurely by a lake with a fishing rod in hand.
The lake shimmered under the light. A gentle breeze swept across its surface, carrying the fresh scent of the ancient era.
Arisu took a deep breath.
"It's been a long time since I've smelled the air of this era..."
Suddenly, footsteps came from not far away.
A boy of about sixteen was looking around as though searching for something.
Arisu glanced at the boy. A trace of surprise flashed through his eyes.
The boy's clothes were clearly out of place in this era. The fabric and design were strange, with clean, neat tailoring that was nothing like the clothing of this primitive age.
After approaching, the boy politely asked, "Sir, do you know how to get to Mount Myoboku?"
Pretending to be surprised, Arisu stroked his beard and asked, "My young friend, what kind of place is Mount Myoboku?"
The boy patiently explained, "It's where a bunch of toads live. There should be some really amazing... umm... techniques there?"
Seeing Arisu's confused expression, the boy secretly shook his head and smiled helplessly.
"Forget it. You probably don't know."
Just then, the boy's stomach suddenly growled.
"Grr..."
He immediately looked embarrassed.
Arisu smiled faintly and said kindly, "My young friend, would you like to have some fish with me? This old man just caught a few. They're as fresh as can be."
The boy hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.
The civilians in the Naruto world really are kindhearted, he sighed inwardly.
The two sat by the lakeside and roasted fish together.
Looking at Arisu's kind and gentle appearance, the boy let down more than half of his guard.
"My young friend, what's your name? Judging from your accent, you don't seem familiar with the language here."
Arisu casually asked while turning the grilled fish.
The boy shook his head with a bitter smile.
"I'm from somewhere else, a place called Earth. I only arrived here not long ago. Let me introduce myself. My name is Reki!"
Hearing that, Arisu revealed a warm smile.
"Hello, Reki."
But in his heart, Arisu couldn't help smiling to himself.
'Another transmigrator, just as expected.'
This transmigrator seemed to have received a script similar to his own, actually arriving at such an early point in time.
And his way of thinking was the same as Arisu's had been.
The first thing he wanted to do was find Mount Myoboku and learn Sage Arts.
After Arisu and Reki finished eating the grilled fish, the boy patted the dust off his clothes and stood up.
"Sir, I'll be on my way."
"Also, I want to tell you something. Before long, two aliens and a huge tree will probably descend on this place. Things probably won't be peaceful after that. You should leave as soon as possible."
Reki cupped his hands and spoke with a serious expression.
"Oh? Really?"
Arisu stroked his beard, putting on a surprised expression as he smiled.
"Yes!"
Reki nodded firmly, sincerity filling his eyes.
He took out the last silver coin from his pocket and held it out to Arisu.
"Sir, thank you for treating me to fish. This is money. If you take it into the city, you should be able to exchange it for a lot of money."
After saying that, Reki spoke no more. He turned and strode away from the lakeside, continuing toward Mount Myoboku.
Arisu remained seated, watching the boy's departing figure. As he played with the silver coin in his hand, he smiled faintly.
"A silver Coin? Looks like he's not from my hometown, but a transmigrator from a parallel Earth..."
The breeze from the lake swept past, and a hint of amusement flashed through Arisu's eyes.
He put away the silver coin. Though he still wore the appearance of a kind old man, he quietly shook his head to himself.
'Interesting.'
Another young man carrying a "script" had stepped into this ancient era.
"But, kid, you probably won't have the kind of luck I had..."
"If you hadn't run into me, you really might have become Sage Reki."
Arisu put away his fishing rod and slowly rose to his feet, looking toward the direction where Reki had disappeared.
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