Secretly laughing to himself, his body, however, honestly handed Wugou over to his clone, simultaneously opening a teleportation gate beneath the clone's feet. The moment Wugou showed any tendency to transform into Wu, he would immediately be sent to the glaciers of the Land of Snow and buried.
Wu could perceive fear and predict attacks. Unless Naruto himself became completely detached from desires or fell in love with Wugou like Ryuzetsu, he truly couldn't defeat him. Or, he could ask the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox to fight on his behalf.
The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox could indeed defeat it. After all, so far, the only things that could scare the fox spirit were a certain red-eyed individual from the past and the Reaper summoned by the Fourth Hokage.
It might not even be afraid of the First Hokage. It had been sealed inside Mito's body for quite some time and had seen the First Hokage many times. And the First Hokage's goofy personality, once you spent enough time with him, truly made it difficult for the fox to feel fear.
But after waiting and waiting, Naruto saw no movement from Wugou. He didn't even blink.
Could I be opening it the wrong way?
After much thought, Naruto could only come up with this one reason. In the original story, Wugou was wished out of the box by his father, but now, Naruto had pulled him out with a hook.
Touching the dark, hard box, Naruto had a bold idea.
If it wouldn't transform into Wu, didn't that mean this box was particularly suitable for imprisoning Akatsuki members?
Naruto didn't want to kill the Akatsuki members either. Each of them had a story and had once moved him. But they were different from Zabuza. Zabuza could abandon his mission, and they could still be good friends. As for the Akatsuki members, they wouldn't give up until they got their hands on the fox spirit.
But killing them? Maybe one day they'd just pop out as corpses to force a round of flashbacks and inflate the chapter count, which would be quite annoying. Better to just lock them up.
Could Obito teleport out? Then just dig out his Sharingan and store it with Kakashi.
It would be perfect to pull them out during the Infinite Tsukuyomi to let them have a beautiful dream and see the world. By then, if Konan and Nagato didn't awaken, he'd send them back to be locked up. If they did awaken, he'd hand them over to Jiraiya.
As for Obito, Naruto planned to leave the decision to Minato and Kushina.
All in all, Naruto didn't really hold much hatred for them. If they hadn't wanted to fight, Naruto would have treated them as mere passersby.
Of course, these were all plans. As for whether he accidentally held back a little too much and Kisame died, or if his hand slipped and he only knocked out Konan, that would all depend on fate. No big deal.
Actually, Naruto found it quite vexing. You guys want to capture the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox Jinchuriki, but what does that have to do with me, Uzumaki Naruto? I'm a Demon Pig, okay?
"Hey, wake up, I'm here." Tenten waved, rousing Naruto from his daze.
"Good you're here." Naruto handed her a new oxygen tube and said, "Then let's begin."
"Wait, how big is this one?" The tunnel was only human-height, so Tenten couldn't see the full scope of the Box of Ultimate Bliss, only its dark iron walls.
Naruto estimated the volume and replied, "Half the size of that snake from last time."
"That's easy to say." Tenten tore open a sealing scroll. "Oh, right, this time I want to exchange for something else."
"Tell me."
Tenten pulled out a mithril kunai and dangled it in front of Naruto, saying, "I want something liquid."
"What's wrong?"
Tenten, with deep resentment, bent the mithril kunai and said, "You wouldn't believe it, but a few days ago, the Land of Snow Daimyo sent a letter giving our team a designated mission. Lady Tsunade actually agreed... Although there's still some time, it's the Land of Snow, full of snow mountains. What if we encounter an avalanche? So I want to forge some sturdy protective gear."
Avalanches weren't terrifying for ninjas. What was terrifying were her teammates. If an avalanche occurred, the first thing she'd hear would definitely be, "Rock Lee, this is Youth's trial for us!" "Guy-sensei!!" Then the two of them, snot running down their faces, would charge towards the avalanche, while Neji silently shielded her.
This was what Tenten didn't want. I'm improving too! Don't always be the ones protecting me!
So she wanted to create some ninja tools that could withstand an avalanche, but unfortunately...
She slammed the kunai to the ground and complained, "But this thing, it just won't melt!"
To melt this mithril, her family's blacksmiths had already burned out three furnaces, but not even an edge had melted in the end.
Naruto chuckled. "So you ninjas also have times when you're stumped by physics? I thought you were just messing with physics to break all the rules."
"You're still laughing." Tenten made to retract the scroll. "Do you have a way to melt it?"
Naruto thought for a moment and replied, "Yes, give me three days. If I can't, I'll personally forge a piece of protective gear for you."
Although personally forging a piece of equipment that could hold four people and withstand an avalanche would be a bit of a loss, based on the causal relationship from that Chunin Exam, if his brother-in-law (Neji) didn't kick the bucket due to unforeseen circumstances, then Tenten would likely be his sister-in-law in the future. Since they were family, there was no need to dwell on who was losing out or gaining an advantage.
"That's great then!" Tenten's face lit up with a smile. She pressed the scroll onto the box and whispered, "Go!"
Five seconds later, nothing happened. Tenten tilted her head. "Huh?"
"What's wrong?"
Tenten checked both sides of the scroll, confirming she hadn't picked up the wrong one, and asked doubtfully, "It seems... it won't go in..."
"Then forget it." Naruto waved his hand. The Box of Ultimate Bliss was a Six Paths ninja tool, quite special. If it couldn't be sealed, he'd take it away another way, for example... carry it back.
"How can there be something I can't seal?!" Tenten's little temper flared up. She pressed the scroll against the box, first pushing hard, then using her back, her shoulder, lying down and stomping with her feet, trying various postures.
It was as if she was looking for a "sealing sensation."
Naruto and his clone watched the entire process, even pulling out an apple.
Ten-odd minutes later.
Tenten was so exhausted she had to lean on the wall. She tremblingly handed Naruto the scroll and complained, "Why does it feel like I'm always losing out whenever I make a deal with you?"
The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox observed Tenten through Naruto's vision and remarked, "This little girl, she's not simple."
She actually unknowingly sealed away an item left by the Old Man that possesses sealing capabilities?
However, remembering Shukaku, its lips curled in disdain, and it redirected its gaze back to the Land of Snow to continue watching the drama. Weaklings are weaklings. Possessing innate sealing abilities, yet still getting sealed.
Of course she's not simple, Naruto thought. She's someone who can use Six Paths ninja tools.
Seeing the weakened Tenten, Naruto offered his arm. "Want to replenish your energy?"
"No need. Guy-sensei says regularly training to this limit can increase my chakra reserves." Tenten shook her head, then pointed to the underground chamber Mui's disappeared box revealed and asked, "What is this?"
"Don't ask. People will be here soon." Naruto opened a teleportation gate.
"Huh? Did you steal this?" Tenten, pulled by her corner by the clone, asked incredulously. She couldn't see the environment before and thought Naruto had dug up some treasure, but now it seemed this thing had an owner?
"Not stolen, exchanged." Naruto pointed at Wugou, though it was an exchange made after the fact, like getting on a train and buying the ticket later.
After sending Tenten off, Naruto pulled Ryuzetsu over, placing the young man and woman flat on the experimental bed in the basement. Naruto transformed into a passerby and sat nearby, waiting for Mui.
Around 8 PM, footsteps echoed through the passage.
Naruto first used chakra to release Ryuzetsu from the genjutsu, then cut Wugou's wrist, holding a kunai to his neck.
"Wugou!!" x2
Even after eight years, both immediately recognized him and spoke in unison.
Then came disbelief, but seeing the blood flowing from Wugou's wrist, they dismissed the idea of it being a transformation jutsu and, once again, spoke in unison: "Who are you?"
Naruto asked in a hoarse voice, "Since you two have such close ties with him, how about we discuss a trade?"
Seeing Mui's intention to attack, Naruto pressed the kunai further, breaking the skin on Wugou's neck. "You can try."
Mui, as the city lord, certainly had strength. Naruto remembered him as an elite jonin from the Grass Hidden Village. Defeating him wouldn't be difficult for Naruto, but doing it silently without alerting anyone would be a bit challenging.
Since it was challenging, why not calmly sit down and have a good talk?
The dripping sound of blood from Wugou's wrist pressured their nerves. A moment later, Mui was the first to ask, "What do you want?"
"It's not about what I want, but what you have."
Naruto eyed the blood on the ground. "Speak quickly. Ninjutsu, secret techniques, family land deeds, anything is fine. Hurry, he might not have enough time."
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