High above the sky, a pitch-black rift silently split open behind Naruto. Ōtsutsuki Hamura stepped out like a phantom and struck toward Naruto's back with a raised palm.
In the sa instant, Naruto spun and threw a punch.
Fist t palm—
Hamura imdiately vanished back into the rift, disappearing without a trace. Naruto, however, stiffened all over, straining with all his might to twist his head and look behind him.
What he saw made his breath catch.
Behind him, a colossal demonic figure sat cross-legged in the void. Its hair cascaded over its shoulders, brows knitted in fury, eyes blazing. Resting upon its shoulders were a golden blazing sun and a pitch-black crescent moon. Two heaven-supporting hands pressed together and slamd down toward Naruto—
and he was like a mosquito, pinned helplessly between the demon god's palms, with no possibility of escape.
"Starting off with Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei? That's really playing dirty…
So this is what a seal ford from manifested Yin–Yang power looks like?"
The next mont, all strength drained from his body.
Countless massive stones rose from the ground like a torrential rain, flying toward him from every direction.
Darkness swallowed his vision—
and Naruto returned to the initial space of the Mirror World.
Congratulations! You have gained experience being sealed by Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei!
Congratulations! You have gained experience with Hamura's Phase-Shifted Instant Movent!
Congratulations! You have gained—
Ignoring the reward notifications, Naruto raised his right hand.
Two symbols slowly surfaced in his palm:
A black crescent moon—
and a crisp white circle.
"If I had used Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei just now… what would've happened?"
He smiled faintly.
The scenery instantly changed.
Before him stood a towering gate over ten ters tall. Fine cracks split along all four sides. Beyond the door lay a sea of stars, and within it, a blue planet floated quietly in the void.
"Now that I've mastered Yin–Yang Release and remain in Sage Mode at all tis, the efficiency of converting chakra to power the World Gate has increased significantly…
But it's still too slow."
He shook his head slightly.
"And Hamura's Tenseigan energy can't be touched freely for now. Spatial curvature is still the problem. Even if I can repair it myself, it's far too troubleso."
With that, Naruto withdrew from the Mirror World.
The scene shifted.
He stood quietly on the moon's surface. His eyes had reverted to their original state; Toneri's Tenseigan had already been completely drained of its energy a few days earlier, reduced to dust.
After a mont of thought, a black gateway appeared in front of him. Naruto stepped through.
In the next instant, he erged inside the space where the Giant Tenseigan floated.
This was one of the Tenseigan's abilities—Phase-Shifted Interstice—remarkably similar to Kaguya's Yomotsu Hirasaka. It allowed free movent within the sa space, access to the Tenseigan's personal sub-dinsion, and transfer to other locations.
Back then, Hamura had used this very subspace to transport his entire bloodline to the moon in one go. The Tenseigan could also construct spatial transfer pathways through barrier formations.
At that mont, a shadow clone flew in from the other side.
"Toneri's newly transplanted Byakugan does show a resonance—almost like fetal movent—with the Giant Tenseigan," the clone reported.
"But it's completely different from the previous awakening. His chakra is only increasing the purity of the Byakugan. There's no sign of a second Tenseigan awakening at all."
Naruto's expression tightened.
"Cloning limitations might be understandable, but in canon, even the Rinnegan has appeared in more than one person. There's no way the Tenseigan is limited to a single pair."
By now, the space housing the Giant Tenseigan had been transford into a full laboratory. Toneri lay on a steel bed not far away, while dozens of shadow clones moved briskly among precision instrunts.
"Looks like I'll need to bring a Hyūga clan mber up here and try having them absorb Toneri's chakra," Naruto muttered.
"And it's about ti I headed back."
Just then, a strange alert ca from the Mirror World.
Akatsuki has recruited a new mber.
And that person possessed a space–ti ninjutsu similar to Kamui.
Naruto's thoughts shifted. He took over another strand of consciousness left in the Mirror World and focused on the displayed footage.
Akatsuki was in a eting.
The new mber—introduced by Zetsu—called himself Tobi. He had short black hair and wore a single-holed spiral mask. His height and attire were identical to Obito's. Pain paired him with Kakuzu.
In the final fras, the two left the cave housing the Demonic Statue. Tobi waved and said he'd head out first—
then vanished into a distorted vortex.
According to the data Naruto received, when Black Zetsu first brought this "Tobi" to et Pain, he had appeared in the statue's cave in exactly the sa way.
The na Tobi belonged to another White Zetsu who enjoyed drawing poop—Naruto knew that much.
What was interesting was that this one could use a space–ti technique nearly identical to Obito's.
"Could it be… him?"
A certain person ca to Naruto's mind.
A portal of light opened, and Orochimaru stepped out, his deanor respectful.
"Naruto-kun. Sasuke's Mangekyō Sharingan clones are complete."
"Take a look at this person."
Naruto rewound the footage to the mont Tobi joined Akatsuki.
"…Hm?"
When the image froze, Orochimaru spoke hesitantly.
"That movent thod… could it be Shin?"
Naruto's lips curled into a faint smile. "Are you asking ?"
"Ah—no!" Orochimaru hurriedly corrected himself. "I can find him."
"You can only find him?" Naruto asked calmly.
Orochimaru's heart skipped a beat. "I can capture him. However, his eyes possess space–ti ninjutsu—"
Naruto smiled. "You can transplant two Kamui Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Then there's no problem," Orochimaru said, exhaling in relief.
He hesitated, then added carefully, "Judging by the situation, he's likely struck so kind of deal with Black Zetsu. If Naruto-kun could spare a few helpers, I might be able to capture Zetsu as well."
Naruto nodded lightly. "The Edo Tensei forr Kage can accompany you."
Orochimaru's eyes lit up. "I'll depart at once."
Land of Grass.
In a barren, lifeless valley, space twisted like a whirlpool above the western cliff. A man in an orange, single-holed spiral mask and an Akatsuki cloak stepped out onto a stone platform.
He removed the mask, revealing a pale face. Each eye bore a crimson Sharingan.
With a poof, his appearance changed drastically.
His right eye socket looked like a torn patchwork, his black hair vanished, and in its place, multiple Sharingan rotated across his scalp.
"The power of the Rinnegan truly can't be underestimated," he muttered to himself.
"I don't know if what that man said was true—but if Itachi really died at Konoha's hands, then I'll inherit his will!"
"From today onward—I am Uchiha Shin!"
A declaration.
"Hehehe You're just as obsessed with Itachi and the Uchiha na as ever"
A strange, eerie laugh echoed through the valley.
"That voice—Orochimaru!"
Shin looked up sharply.
Five figures stood at the edge of the ravine above him. One of them was Orochimaru—and to Shin's horror, Orochimaru too had crimson Sharingan in his eyes.
The platform beneath Shin's feet shook violently.
BOOM!
It exploded apart.
Yet strangely, Shin himself remained suspended in midair, his right arm raised—revealing a prosthetic limb made entirely of black blades.
The familiar warped vortex appeared again.
One breath later—
Shin was kneeling in a dimly lit room.
Hiss—
"How is this possible?!" he gasped, disbelief plastered across his face.
"Hehe~ For soone without Uchiha blood to grow to this extent is quite the surprise," Orochimaru said from behind him.
"Now then… it's ti you ca back to the lab with ."
"No!!!"
After one final, unwilling roar, the room fell silent.
Several hours later, Konan t Pain atop a tall tower.
"This just arrived," she said, handing him a transparent glass vial containing a miniature scroll.
"I sensed it already," Pain replied calmly. "Orochimaru again. I wonder what he's sent this ti."
He crushed the scroll.
Smoke burst forth, and a body wearing an Akatsuki cloak appeared on the ground.
At first, both Pain and Konan looked puzzled—
then their expressions changed.
On the corpse's left hand was a familiar ring—the very one Pain had personally given that long-uncontacted "Madara" earlier that morning.
In an instant, many things beca clear.
Pain examined the body. Its skull was riddled with holes; both eyes had been removed.
"It seems he really was dead long ago," Pain said flatly.
"Otherwise, Zetsu wouldn't have sought out such a counterfeit."
"Whoever he was, he was never Madara. Otherwise, he wouldn't have died at Orochimaru's hands. More importantly—how exactly is Orochimaru obtaining the organization's intelligence? That's the real issue."
Konan nodded slightly. "What do we do about Zetsu?"
"Leave him for now," Pain said calmly.
"Let him find the Six-Tails first. I also want to see whether he can co up with another impostor."
"Prepare yourself. We're going to Kumogakure."
"To capture the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails? Now?" Konan asked, surprised.
"It's ti the world understood the existence of god," Pain replied indifferently.
"Orochimaru has already captured five tailed beasts and repeatedly provoked us. He's clearly trying to force negotiations."
"Judging by the circumstances under which he joined Akatsuki, his goal must involve my Rinnegan and the Demonic Statue. Otherwise, he wouldn't compete with us for tailed beasts."
"Once I capture the remaining ones, he'll co to on his own."
Konan frowned slightly. "Should we inform Zetsu and Kakuzu?"
"No."
Pain turned and walked back into the tower.
Back in the Land of Grass, Zetsu—his yin–yang face split—stood in the sa valley where Shin had vanished.
Black Zetsu's eye was filled with anxiety.
"Damn it!"
"The spores attached to him aren't responding," White Zetsu said. "He might've noticed sothing and gone into hiding."
"No," Black Zetsu snapped. "I've got a bad feeling. He's probably already fallen into Orochimaru's hands."
"Eh? You really think so?"
"Don't forget—he said it himself. Think about his relationship with Orochimaru. If Orochimaru found out he joined Akatsuki, he'd never let him go."
"But how would Orochimaru know?" White Zetsu protested. "We only found him this morning. Kakuzu's been under our spore surveillance the whole ti—he couldn't have leaked anything. Unless…"
"…Unless it was Pain?"
"Yes!" Black Zetsu hissed. "When that snake defected, he took the ring required for the Astral Projection Technique!"
"Uh… I was just guessing. You don't seriously think Pain is working with Orochimaru, do you?"
"Who knows?"
"…."
Night.
"Why do you think I can save him?"
"Because besides you, I don't know anyone else who can."
"Why didn't you go to Orochimaru?"
"He said there was nothing he could do. And half a month ago, you had Minato-senpai tell that neither Edo Tensei nor Rinne Tensei can summon souls from the Pure Land anymore. That leaves only your unique resurrection thod."
Land of Spring. Naruto's ho.
Naruto and Sasuke stood beside a bed.
Lying on it was Itachi.
Just minutes earlier, Naruto had still been on the moon. While he was arranging for Orochimaru to send Shin's corpse to the Land of Rain, his mother contacted him urgently, asking him to return to Earth at once.
When he arrived, he found Sasuke had brought Itachi to his guest room.
Naruto had felt sothing was off. The lab still had Itachi's body data from his revival—by all accounts, Itachi should have had several years left to live.
But now, Naruto could tell—
Itachi had only a few months at best.
"Why won't you fuse with his eyes and obtain the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan?" Naruto asked.
After viewing Itachi's mories, he already knew the reason.
"…I knew I couldn't hide anything from you," Sasuke said, staring at the sickbed with a complicated expression.
"I don't want his eyes. But I don't know what he did—even with normal eating and treatnt, his condition keeps deteriorating."
"Even using One's Own Life Reincarnation to transfer life force from Danzō under my control didn't help."
Naruto nodded lightly. "Of course it didn't. He's using a forbidden technique to forcibly unseal and overdraw his dōjutsu power. That's suicide. There's no saving him."
"A forbidden dōjutsu-unsealing technique?" Sasuke's gaze sharpened. "Isn't there so way—"
"There's no way," Naruto said calmly.
"Because his eyes are gone, he can still live a few months."
As he spoke, Naruto noticed a faint smile appear on Itachi's face.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly—this legendary little-brother fanatic truly lived up to the reputation.
"What price do I have to pay for you to save him?" Sasuke asked painfully.
"There's nothing left on you that I want," Naruto replied with a smile.
"And you already owe more favors than you can count. Asking about a price now, Uchiha Clan Head—don't you think that's a bit shaless?"
"What price do I have to pay for you to save him?"
Sasuke repeated the sa words, as if he hadn't heard anything else.
"I can save him," Naruto said evenly. "But what's the point of saving soone who wants to die? Even if he lives, won't he just kill himself again?"
"What price do I have to pay for you to save him?"
Again.
"Naruto."
Kushina and Minato walked in, followed by Fugaku and Mikoto.
"Mother," Naruto said, turning around.
Seeing his parents' sympathetic expressions toward Sasuke, Naruto then looked at Fugaku and Mikoto—people who had once died at their own son's hands. Their faces were filled with pleading.
Naruto shook his head and chuckled.
"Go clone a new body for him yourself."
Sasuke lowered his head. "Thank you."
Two days later.
Morning.
Inside an unusually vast laboratory, Naruto stood at the center. Countless pea-sized black particles rapidly materialized around him, densely filling almost the entire room.
Suddenly, Naruto frowned.
His consciousness snapped into the Mirror World.
Kurama and Shukaku were already there, both staring grimly at the floating display panel.
"Pain really went to Kumogakure?" Naruto asked.
On the screen, ruined buildings lay in rubble. The Raikage and Killer B, cloaked in tailed-beast chakra, launched the Lariat together—
only for Tendo Pain to repel them with a single Shinra Tensei, sending them flying into the wreckage. Monts later, both leapt back out unhard.
Naruto turned. "When did this happen?"
This wasn't discovered by the consciousness he'd left in the Mirror World—at the ti, that fragnt had been reviewing Kakuzu's mories.
"Data synced two minutes ago! I found it!" Shukaku screeched.
"If you don't go now, Matatabi and Gyūki are finished!"
Kurama shot him a look and said in a low voice, "Naruto… they're in real trouble."
Naruto smiled faintly. "It'd take less than a blink to get there. Even if they're captured and taken to Agakure, I can still bring them back."
"And you're all on the moon right now. Panicking won't help."
Just then—
a voice sounded behind him.
"Mortals should not defy the gods who uphold order."
"…Hmm?"
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