Inside the Hokage's office.
"What?!"
Naruto looked utterly shocked.
"Old Sage of Six Paths, did you say there's been a subtle genjutsu in my brain all this time, constantly amplifying my selfish desires?!"
When the Sage of Six Paths was revived, he immediately sensed something wrong inside Naruto.
"No! It's not a genjutsu, it's hypnosis!"
The Sage of Six Paths appeared in Naruto's mind with a dark expression, the familiar ocular power around them making his face look extremely grim.
"This is a hypnotic dojutsu from another world's Uchiha Shirou. We all underestimated him! We thought it was fine after escaping back to this world, but didn't expect he left a backup.
If my soul hadn't been residing in your body, Naruto, I wouldn't have noticed this extremely subtle hypnotic presence either."
Hypnosis differs from genjutsu: genjutsu uses chakra to create illusions, while hypnosis repeatedly and secretly tells you something, causing you to deceive yourself. Thus, hypnosis is even more deeply hidden.
"And this hypnosis is even more insidious—it keeps amplifying the darkness and desires within you."
After hearing the Sage's explanation, Naruto appeared in his mind. When he saw the subtle hypnosis around his brain, his expression became extremely ugly.
"Dammit! Old Sage, quick! Let's break this hypnosis together."
Naruto joined forces with the Sage of Six Paths, and together they managed to break the hypnosis in his mind.
As the ever-growing darkness was dispelled, Naruto immediately felt his head clear. Then, a look of astonishment appeared on his face.
"This... Old Sage, why do I feel something's changed?"
Seeing Naruto's confused expression, the Sage sighed helplessly and shook his head:
"Naruto, think carefully about how your dark desires have changed over the past year. Hypnosis isn't like genjutsu; after you break free, you wake up immediately.
The scary thing about hypnosis is that it silently amplifies a particular desire. Even after breaking it, you need to realize which desires were amplified and then suppress them with your will."
Inside his mind, Naruto's face turned ugly. He reached out and touched his memory scroll—a visualization of his memories.
In an instant, the giant memory scroll began to spin. Huge screens appeared around his mind, displaying various private desires from the past year.
On every screen were Naruto's comrades and even his wife.
"What is this?!"
Even the Sage of Six Paths, who resided in Naruto, was stunned by these scenes.
So these are Naruto's dark, shameful desires!
On the screens, Yamanaka Ino, Tenten, Temari, and even his wife Hinata, and even Hinata's younger sister Hanabi, were all forcibly assigned secret missions by Naruto.
At first, everyone looked unwilling and troubled, but eventually, under Naruto's authority as Hokage, they each gritted their teeth and nodded their heads.
"I never thought Naruto's dark desires would be these."
The Sage was shocked and surprised, but then secretly breathed a sigh of relief—these were minor things.
The screens showed Naruto peeping, even dragging Shikamaru down with him, like it was part of his nature.
Or maybe it was a desire to skip classes with Shikamaru and the others, just like when they were kids.
Naruto certainly wouldn't miss out on such things with his good friends.
Sure enough, led by Naruto, Shikamaru and the others hesitated at first, unsure how to refuse.
But gradually, under the pressure of Naruto's authority and their darkness, they were dragged by Naruto to a hotel to meet a dozen beautiful hostesses.
Once their desires were unleashed, it was like a floodgate had opened; once desires are released, it's hard to rein them in.
"These... are my desires?!"
Naruto looked shocked at the scenes, seeing his own flushed, excited, and ugly expression.
For some reason, even though he knew these were amplified by hypnosis, Naruto couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement inside.
Even though the hypnosis was broken!
"Naruto!"
At that moment, the Sage of Six Paths shouted sternly, his voice booming like a great bell, instantly snapping Naruto back to his senses.
"Sage, I..."
Naruto lowered his head in shame as if his darkest secrets had been seen by others, and he'd enjoyed it.
"Naruto, think of your ninja way. This is going to be a tough challenge for you. Use your will to reel back these unleashed desires—only then will you truly become stronger."
Moved by the Sage's continued faith in him, Naruto felt his eyes fill with tears and nodded repeatedly.
"Don't worry, Sage! I'll stick to my true self and won't fall for Uchiha Shirou's tricks again."
Naruto's face was now full of resolve. He believed he could return to his old self, but didn't realize that others had already been affected and changed.
"Naruto, there's more. Kaguya has been unsealed. Back then, you and Sasuke sealed her in the origin sphere space.
According to your previous intel, the enemy's target is Uchiha Sasuke—or rather, Sasuke's eyes. Only then can they reach the origin sphere space. You need to prepare to face even stronger enemies."
The Sage's face grew grave. A single Kaguya was already enough trouble, let alone two new helpers.
"Sage, Sasuke met the enemy before—there were two of them. One showed his power, the other seemed to hold a higher status.
But since the other didn't act, we don't know his abilities, though he's probably not weak. With the rescued Kaguya, our enemies are now number three."
Naruto, now more mature and steady, shared this information with a serious expression.
But the Sage shook his head after nodding, and said in a deep voice:
"When you and Sasuke removed all nine tailed beasts, Kaguya—even if rescued—won't be as strong as before. Right now, Naruto, your top priority is to notify all the tailed beasts: either gather in Konoha or hide, but don't let anyone find them."
"I understand, Sage! I'll immediately send word to all the ninja villages to hide the tailed beasts."
…
As Naruto and the Sage discussed how to respond in the Hokage's office, meanwhile, in the origin sphere space...
A giant stone orb cracked open like an egg, huge pieces of rock crumbling and clattering to the ground.
"Mother, we're saved!"
The first to be unsealed was Black Zetsu, his face full of tears. He hadn't expected to escape after being sealed.
This agonizing darkness had only lasted a short while for him, but his mother had been sealed for a thousand years.
As the very center of the stone sphere shattered, a goddess radiating moonlike light was revealed inside.
Kaguya now had her eyes closed, and within her was a new consciousness from another world's Kaguya.
This connection allowed this world's Kaguya to understand the differences of another timeline, and also that Naruto and the Sage's interference in that world caused all this.
"So that's how it is."
In the origin sphere, as Kaguya slowly opened her eyes, she had lost the tailed beasts and wasn't as strong as before, but was still at Six Paths level.
"I'm finally free."
Kaguya opened her eyes and quietly looked at Shirou, her gaze calm—she seemed to already know everything.
By nature, Kaguya was serene, but after a moment's thought, she nodded and softly said:
"We have a common enemy. When you married the other world's me, our enemy was the Otsutsuki clan. So, I hope you can treat me as you did her.
Let's build a clan strong enough to resist the power of the Otsutsuki main family."
Goodness, classic straightforward Kaguya—so direct.
Since it was her other self's choice, and the current choice was right, she naturally agreed. At least it was better than creating an army of White Zetsu.
"Welcome home, Kaguya."
Shirou opened his arms and smiled. Under Black Zetsu's stunned gaze, his mother was embraced by a man.
So fast?
But only those who understood Kaguya's loneliness and pain could understand.
Never knowing when she'd die, wandering in loneliness—now she'd finally found a solution.
Plus, her other self had already tried this, so it was the right direction.
And her other self had invited her to build a strong clan together, so she gladly agreed.
"But Kaguya, the enemies you fear have already arrived: Momoshiki and Kinshiki Otsutsuki are in this world, and their current goal should be Konoha's Nine Tails."
Hearing the names Momoshiki and Kinshiki, Kaguya's pupils widened in panic and she looked up.
"Husband, if we can't win now, let's return to your world. By my calculations, we have more than ten years there. If we work hard during that time,
Me and my other self can at least have two children together. With our dedicated training, they'll surely become our helpers."
Kaguya's logic is something else.
In her eyes, Shirou's perfect genes meant their children would be highly talented. If they trained them well, they'd help at the crucial moment.
"Kaguya, the time-travel artifact is still with Sage Hagoromo, so for now we should hide and recover our strength."
Shirou and Kaguya discussed their plans, while Black Zetsu went from shock to excitement.
"Don't worry, Father. I'll hide well and gather intel."
"Black Zetsu, your stealth is special, but there are many powerful people in the ninja world now, so hide well and use White Zetsu's splitting ability…"
Shirou planned his next steps with a serious expression.
Momoshiki and Kinshiki were his chosen prey.
Kaguya also understood, nodding gravely:
"In the Otsutsuki clan's past civil war, the current main family is self-styled as the main house, and the branch families are their guardians. Each branch family is a guardian of the main house.
But when necessary, the branch's guardians become chakra fruit for the main house, to increase their strength."
At the mention of being devoured, Kaguya's face showed fear. This was why she rebelled.
Not only as a princess of the original Otsutsuki clan but more importantly, the clan treated her as food for the God Tree.
Faced with death, either way, Kaguya naturally fought back.
"The Otsutsuki's unique sensing ability means that the moment I leave the origin sphere, I'll be detected, so I'll hide for now and wait for your plan, husband."
Inside the sphere, Shirou and Kaguya made plans, with Black Zetsu excitedly joining in.
He would get revenge—on Sage Hagoromo, the traitor, and Naruto for sealing him.
…
Back in the Hokage's office in Konoha.
"Jonin Keyaru, I need you to personally go to Tanzaku Quarters and bring back the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade. With the Chunin Exams coming up, we need the Fifth Hokage for such a grand occasion."
Naruto put on a fake smile as he looked at the handsome Keyaru, but couldn't help thinking of another scene.
He imagined this handsome man riding Hinata, with Hinata's face full of satisfaction, while he secretly watched in the shadows.
Dammit! I can't think like this!
Naruto shivered and quickly pushed aside those bad thoughts.
Shirou took the mission scroll with a gentle smile.
"I understand, Seventh Hokage. I will depart at once and complete the mission."
"Good."
Shirou smiled as he took the scroll, but as he turned away, though the smile remained, he sneered internally.
So, the hypnosis has been broken, but those desires, once unleashed, are like a flood; it's not easy to put them away.
After Shirou left, Naruto's expression grew complicated. He sighed:
"Sage, am I right? Even though he looks just like the Uchiha Shirou from the other world, his chakra is completely different.
Keyaru has always been in Konoha. He was at a hotel with Kurotsuchi and the others when Kaguya was released, so he can't be the same person.
He's just an ordinary Jonin, maybe a descendant of Uchiha Shirou from another world."
Naruto had tested him for a year, or maybe he already knew the truth, but he desired to drag such a person into depravity.
After all, the guy looked just like Uchiha Shirou.
Living among women every day, that's all he'd ever amount to.
The Sage inside Naruto frowned and shook his head:
"It is a different chakra... but Naruto, your methods…"
Though he didn't finish, Naruto was embarrassed. After all, using women to corrupt suspects was fine in politics.
Politics is dirty, but using your wife to seduce someone... even the Sage shook his head.
But he didn't say more.
Naruto's expression was complicated. He also wanted to send Jonin Keyaru away for now, to use the time to try to regain Hinata's forgiveness.