Meeting Across Time
Accompanied by a burst of shifting time and space, both Naruto Uzumaki and Nagato found themselves returning to their respective eras.
After a brief moment of eye contact, the two instinctively distanced themselves, retreating to opposite corners of the Dragon Vein Altar. The time-space continuum remained unstable. If the Dragon Vein were disturbed again, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Nagato's sharp gaze landed on the twisted corpse sprawled on the ground. His brow furrowed as he muttered, "The face is numb… That body—Danzo Shimura? Did you kill him in the past?"
Naruto gave Nagato a wary look before replying with measured curiosity, "You were after Danzo, too?"
Nagato nodded. "I came here to eliminate him, but it seems you got to him first. Did anything interesting happen while you were there?"
Naruto narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable. "Aside from dealing with Danzo, I avoided interfering too much. Tampering with the past could disrupt the present beyond repair—it's not worth the risk."
He had no intention of letting Nagato uncover too much about the past, nor did he want him meddling with history.
Nagato considered this for a few moments before shifting his attention to the pulsating energy at the altar's center. "What do you plan to do with the Dragon Vein Core? If it falls into the wrong hands, history itself could be rewritten."
"The Dragon Vein's remaining power isn't enough to facilitate another time jump. It'll take decades to recover. I plan to use the Uzumaki Clan's sealing techniques to lock it away, preventing anyone from exploiting it."
Seal it off… and then use it in secret?
Nagato wasn't convinced. He doubted Naruto would truly seal away such a power. After all, who could resist the ability to alter the past?
Even so, the Dragon Vein's energy was significantly depleted—only about 30% of its original chakra remained. The possibility of future time travel still lingered, stirring a sense of anticipation within Nagato.
However, without contact with his Six Paths of Pain, he was currently at a disadvantage. Naruto was not an opponent he could take lightly.
After a moment's contemplation, Nagato abandoned the idea of seizing the Dragon Vein. Instead, he remarked, "I trust you'll guard the Dragon Vein well. You've seen what happened to Danzo—this kind of power isn't something to covet recklessly."
With that, Nagato stepped away from the altar and disappeared into the shadows, fading into the night.
Once Nagato was gone, Naruto relaxed slightly. Had they been anywhere else, he wouldn't have hesitated to fight, but the risk of battle near the Dragon Vein's core was too great. A misstep could distort the timeline beyond repair.
Getting trapped in the past means never returning.
If not for the necessity of eliminating Danzo, Naruto wouldn't have risked it.
Nagato must have realized this as well, which was why he abandoned the fight.
Pushing aside his lingering thoughts, Naruto glanced down at his stomach. There was something far more important to check.
Entering his sealed space, he exhaled in relief as he saw Kurama—the Nine-Tails—reappear within.
"Nine Lamas, I'm glad you're okay."
Kurama snorted and shoved Naruto back with a paw. "What are you babbling about? I've been here the whole time. Or did I suddenly disappear just now?"
Naruto's expression shifted slightly. He had just witnessed something in the past, something involving Kurama.
The great fox held his chin with one claw, mulling over the situation. "I don't know much about the Dragon Vein, but… maybe it's connected to the Ten-Tails and the Divine Tree."
Then, with a sly smirk, Kurama added, "Kid, without my power, you're nothing special. You even struggled against Danzo—it's embarrassing for a Jinchūriki."
Naruto shot back instantly, hitting Kurama's weak spot. "Oh? And yet you still got wrecked by Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha back in the day."
Kurama's ears twitched, irritation flashing in his eyes. Naruto had struck a nerve.
The Nine-Tails crossed his arms and huffed, "Ninjas shouldn't dwell on the past. They should focus on the future."
Deflecting again. Naruto smirked. He knew Kurama despised Hashirama, Tobirama, and Madara the most. The two shinobi and the Second Hokage had kept him chained in one way or another.
While Kurama's words were wise, Naruto wasn't expecting much useful information. If anything, he knew more about the world's secrets than Kurama did. After all, he was aware of Black Zetsu's schemes within Akatsuki and the Sage of Six Paths' quiet presence.
Shaking off his thoughts, Naruto exited his sealed space. He still had work to do.
He picked up Danzo's lifeless body and made his way toward the exit of the Lost Tower.
Outside, Shisui Uchiha was waiting. A slain Root shinobi lay at his feet.
Upon seeing Naruto, Shisui quickly straightened. "Lord Mianma, you're finally back."
"How long was I gone?"
"About an hour or so… Wait, is that—?" Shisui's eyes flickered toward the body in Naruto's grasp. "Is that Danzo?"
Naruto didn't bother hiding it. He casually tossed the corpse toward Shisui and remarked, "You guessed right. That's Danzo's body. He and the leader of Akatsuki got caught in a time-space shift. Danzo didn't make it."
Shisui exhaled sharply, his gaze locked onto Danzo's lifeless face. The man who had persecuted the Uchiha Clan, manipulated his allies, and stolen Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan—was finally dead.
For the first time, the Uchiha could exist without fear of Danzo's plots.
It was proof that Shisui had made the right choice—to trust Naruto Uzumaki, to leave Konohagakure, and to help build Uzushiogakure's resurgence.
Then, as if recalling something, Naruto turned to Shisui. "Oh, by the way, I took back Kotoamatsukami from Danzo. I'll need a few days to examine it, but after that, it's yours."
Shisui blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected Naruto to willingly return it.
After all, Kotoamatsukami—the most powerful Genjutsu, capable of altering free will—was a technique worth keeping.
Naruto, however, had outgrown it.
Years ago, he had taken Shisui's Sharingan to counter Genjutsu and protect himself from Kurama's influence. But now, his bond with the Nine-Tails had changed. He had even mastered Sage Fox Mode.
A Perfect Jinchūriki like him was resistant to almost all Genjutsu. And after fighting Danzo, he had realized that Kotoamatsukami wasn't as unstoppable as people believed—it could be countered with preparation.
Instead of hoarding a power he barely needed, he preferred to return it to Shisui, strengthening Uzushio's overall forces.
Friendships could waver, but power was an enduring bond. As long as the Uchiha thrived under Uzushio's banner, Shisui would never betray him.
At that moment, Shisui asked, "Lord Mianma, what's our next move?"
Naruto's gaze flickered toward a figure hiding among the ruins.
"Search the area. Make sure no Root remnants remain. I have an old friend to meet."
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