Naruto's shadow clone dispersed in a puff of smoke.
The memories flooded back into the original instantly, his expression turning colder as he processed everything.
Without wasting a second, his remaining clones activated their Flying Thunder God marks and vanished.
---
Kabuto stood frozen as multiple Naruto clones appeared around him in an instant.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Hey Naruto… how are you he—"
Before he could finish—
A Fuinjutsu barrier spread beneath his feet, sealing the entire area.
The clones didn't give him time to react.
One of them raised his hand calmly.
"Rasenshuriken."
A compressed sphere of violently spinning wind formed in his palm, humming with terrifying power. Without hesitation, he threw it directly into the sealed barrier.
Kabuto's pupils shrank.
The moment it detonated—
Countless microscopic wind blades erupted in every direction, shredding everything inside the barrier. Flesh, bone, and chakra—everything was annihilated at a cellular level.
There was nothing left.
The barrier faded.
The clones disappeared.
Naruto received the memories in silence.
---
At Naruto's house, space warped slightly.
A shadow clone appeared alongside Karin.
Karin looked around cautiously, her red eyes scanning every corner of the unfamiliar place.
"Where… are we?"
The clone scratched his cheek lightly.
"Well, I'm just a clone, so you'll have to wait for the original to explain everything."
He gestured toward the interior of the house.
"You can use the kitchen, eat whatever you want. Just don't leave the house, and you'll be safe."
Karin nodded slowly.
Her Kagura Mind's Eye was already active, and she could tell he wasn't lying. His chakra still lingered in the air—warm, soothing, and overwhelmingly alive.
Her body felt… perfect.
Completely healed.
And now—
She was hungry.
The clone dispersed, leaving her alone.
Karin walked through the house, observing everything carefully. It was clean, organized, and surprisingly peaceful.
"Another Uzumaki…"
She muttered softly.
"So I finally met one."
She paused, her expression softening slightly.
"Will he… be my sun?"
---
Back in the Forest of Death, Team 7 moved swiftly through the trees.
After defeating another team, they had successfully acquired the Earth scroll they needed. Their path toward the central tower was now clear.
Naruto suddenly stopped.
"Hey guys, I need a break."
Without waiting for a response, he moved into the woods.
Moments later, a shadow clone returned in his place.
"Sorry about that."
Sakura nodded without suspicion.
"It's okay, Naruto. Let's keep going."
Sasuke didn't question it either, and the team continued toward the central tower.
---
Meanwhile, the real Naruto moved silently through the forest.
His eyes sharpened as he locked onto a specific chakra signature.
His presence disappeared into the shadows as he advanced.
Let's see who this is…