Konoha.
"Sasuke, the enemy's ability is too strange—they stripped your bloodline power, so you had to get ordinary arms. Plus, your body is still hurt from severe injuries…"
In a secret Anbu room, Seventh Hokage Naruto spoke gravely about the tricky situation.
Lying on the hospital bed, just waking up, Sasuke felt the joy of having hands again—a joy you only know after losing them.
Even though these hands were weak, Sasuke wasn't bothered. Instead, he was filled with concern about the enemy.
"Naruto, this enemy is just like Otsutsuki Kaguya—we must be careful. Especially since I've lost my Mangekyo and Rinnegan, my power is greatly reduced."
Seeing Sasuke's worry, Naruto gave his trademark passionate smile. Since becoming Hokage these years, the burden on his shoulders had grown.
Only with Sasuke could he feel this happy, like returning to his youth.
"Haha, don't worry, Sasuke. As long as we're here, nothing will happen to the Konoha or the ninja world."
Naruto's passionate smile infected Sasuke, and the two exchanged smiles.
"As for other injuries—"
Sasuke's gaze slid down, naturally seeing the bandages below. As the second-strongest in the ninja world, even without his bloodline, he could still feel what he had lost.
"Sasuke!"
Seeing Sasuke's gaze, Naruto felt uneasy, but Sasuke calmly nodded.
"A ninja's life is always in danger. So what if I lost a bit of useless flesh? It doesn't matter."
"Haha, true. Anyway, you haven't come home in years—Sakura won't notice."
To be fair, Naruto had become steadier as Hokage, but his passionate, carefree side hadn't changed—it just depended on who he was with.
Upon hearing this, Sasuke frowned. This was something no man wanted to be exposed to.
He didn't care for romance, but Sakura definitely couldn't find out about this.
"Sasuke, don't worry. Leave it to me."
Seeing Sasuke's concern, Naruto patted his chest with a big smile.
"You've been away for years, and Sakura already has issues. I'll quietly assign her someone in the village.
And I'll remind her that you're always away to protect the village, so she'll forgive you—Sakura's that type."
In just a few words, Naruto, as the Hokage and head of the Konoha, had already planned everything.
Sasuke felt a bit jealous at the mention of introducing someone else to Sakura, but seeing Naruto's grin and his injuries, he sighed and nodded:
"It can't be helped. I hope Sakura will understand."
"But Naruto, be careful. If the enemy is Kaguya's kin, they'll try to rescue her. I even suspect they took my eyes for that purpose."
Matters concerning the peace of the ninja world made Sasuke and Naruto serious, putting aside all other concerns.
"Yeah, I understand. Sasuke, focus on recovering—we'll fight together soon."
"Mm!"
…
Meanwhile, the Konoha was bustling.
Envoys from the Five Great Ninja Villages had arrived, including their Kage. This time, the other four Kage wanted to maintain good relations with the Konoha—or rather, with Naruto.
In a hotel where the Cloud Village envoys stayed:
"Fifth Raikage, are you satisfied with our Konoha hospitality?"
In a dim, luxurious room, the air smelled of wine. Nara Shikamaru, Naruto's strategist, smiled and joked.
Raikage Darui's face was flushed with alcohol, and he nodded enthusiastically.
"Satisfied, very satisfied. I didn't expect Shikamaru to also enjoy this."
Laughter filled the room. In the dim light, several hostesses kept them company.
Darui, with a hostess on each arm, had started reserved, but with alcohol and seeing Shikamaru's openness, he relaxed.
Shikamaru, with his lazy smile, stretched out his arms, enjoying the company of three hostesses.
Even Konoha ninja acted like this—why should Darui pretend? He let himself enjoy it too.
"I didn't expect you to know how to enjoy yourself, Shikamaru."
Though Shikamaru was soft below—no matter how the hostesses tried, he couldn't get it up—he still enjoyed it spiritually.
"Of course. These hostesses are great to talk to and serve you well. Even if I can't perform, they still pamper me. My wife at home can't compare."
Shikamaru squinted, smiling, speaking bluntly.
Darui got the message: his wife was just for keeping up ties with the Sand Village.
That's politics!
"Haha, true. Those in power have more to consider."
Darui laughed, secretly realizing: even the most upright person, once in power, eventually gives in to private desires.
Otherwise, what's the point of living?
"Temari, the Kazekage's sister, isn't just any kunoichi, Shikamaru—you should be careful."
Darui smiled as a hostess straddled him, reminding Shikamaru kindly.
Shikamaru, however, just smiled indifferently.
"Temari is always so high and mighty, forget about her."
He was dissatisfied with Temari.
Especially a year ago, after Naruto issued the secret mission, Temari's first reaction to a task assignment was anger.
She mocked Shikamaru as not a real man, and they had a huge argument. In her rage, Temari took things too far.
That stark contrast angered Shikamaru, and their relationship broke down completely.
The real reason for their split was Temari's constant sarcasm and disdain—it was too hurtful.
Not to mention, for more than half a year, she often went out at night, coming home with torn clothes and stockings.
After each return, Temari would look satisfied and intoxicated, then sneer at Shikamaru:
"You loser."
Over and over, the word "loser" made them strangers, each with their secrets.
"I see. You've had a hard time, Shikamaru."
Darui nodded—no man could take that.
...
Hokage's Office.
"As long as everyone is happy, that's good."
Sitting in his office, Naruto smiled after hearing the Anbu's report.
"As long as everyone likes our gifts, we'll make it happen."
The Seventh Hokage Naruto's face beamed. Seeing the orders come back, he realized: although everyone says it's for peace, each person has their little secrets.
Those don't affect the big picture, but it comforted Naruto to know everyone was the same.
He wasn't alone—they were all alike.
Raikage Darui was still normal, at least not pretending.
Fifth Tsuchikage Kurotsuchi had been led astray by Temari and Ino, and learned to enjoy things too.
Only Gaara was still restrained, but even he was starting to have some subtle thoughts.
Naruto believed Gaara would one day be just like him, not hiding his desires.
"Now, we can better maintain peace in the ninja world. That's great."
Just as Naruto was basking in the warmth of these relationships, the sleeping Sage of Six Paths inside him suddenly awoke.
"This is bad! Naruto, I sense Kaguya's seal has been broken!"
A voice sounded, pulling Naruto's consciousness into the seal.
In the huge prison space, the white-haired, bearded Sage of Six Paths looked shocked and angry—Kaguya's seal was broken.
Naruto was shocked but seemed unsurprised.
"Grandpa Sage, a lot has happened in the ninja world while you slept. Especially when Sasuke was investigating Kaguya's ruins recently, he found…"
As Naruto reported, the Sage of Six Paths was shocked: "What?! My mother's clansmen? How is that possible?! Did what she said back then turn out to be true?!"
"Grandpa Sage, what do you mean?"
Naruto was startled. The Sage's face turned grim and hoarse:
"My mother once said she would face mighty enemies in the future. I never thought it would be her kin from another world… This is bad!"
While the Sage's face darkened, he suddenly sensed something. After all, he was only alive because he was sealed in Naruto.
"Naruto! What's going on with your body?!"
The Sage's face was full of shock. He could sense that Naruto was still Naruto, but there was also a subtle will in his mind, constantly hypnotizing and amplifying Naruto's desires.