Under the cover of the Shadow Clone Jutsu in the Mirrored World, Naruto's real body forcibly broke through to Shikamaru. In the next instant, he drove the Kunai in his hand straight into Shikamaru's heart.
'Congratulations, you have gained training experience for the Shadow Imitation Technique.'
As the notification sounded, the scene shifted, and he and Shikamaru's Data Puppet had already exited the battlefield.
"It's been a whole week. Why are the rewards still this kind of thing?"
Naruto muttered to himself. For the past week, he had pretended to remain unconscious in a hospital bed, hoping to challenge Data Puppets in the Mirrored World and obtain Chakra of other attributes as soon as possible.
But so far, he had gone through every available opponent. The only reward involving Chakra of another attribute had been obtained during his previous battle against Itachi Uchiha's Puppet. Since then, he had received nothing of value.
Hoping to get lucky, Naruto had specifically spent a great deal of time on Itachi Uchiha's Puppet. In the end, he had not received a single ninjutsu reward, only a pile of miscellaneous rewards such as the Body Flicker Technique and Substitution Technique.
He had just farmed Shikamaru's Data Puppet again, but the result was as disappointing as before.
Just what principle did this reward system operate on? As Naruto pondered, he began examining the Data Puppet before him again.
"Naruto, that old man came by again. And it looks like those four medical ninja examining you can't withstand the pressure anymore."
It was Kurama's voice. With a thought, Naruto immediately arrived in the Sealed Space.
"Can't withstand the pressure? What pressure?"
After sensing the room, he discovered that there was no one else inside. Other than himself lying on the hospital bed, everyone was outside the door.
"Because you still refuse to wake up," Minato Namikaze said as he walked over to Naruto, his expression grave. "Those four medical ninja made a new suggestion to the Third Hokage."
Seeing that something was off about his father's expression, and that his eyes seemed filled with anger, Naruto followed up, "What suggestion?"
"A very excessive one!" Minato Namikaze said anxiously. "They suggested bringing over Ibiki Morino, the captain of the Anbu interrogation division, and Inoichi Yamanaka of the Yamanaka Clan to examine your condition. Both are elite ninja skilled in Mind Sealing Techniques."
"Inoichi Yamanaka in particular is not only highly skilled at ninjutsu that controls the mind, but also possesses the ability to probe others' thoughts and obtain intelligence."
Naruto's gaze abruptly sharpened. They were already treating him like a criminal.
They had come up with such a rotten idea just to wake him, the Jinchuriki, as quickly as possible. Even if those four doctors were incapable, couldn't the Third Hokage have someone contact his prized disciple Tsunade and bring her back?
"Did the Third Hokage agree?"
Minato Namikaze shook his head. "The medical ninja just said that the reason you could not wake up was mental trauma. They claimed they needed to know what had happened to your mind before they could treat it properly. The Third Hokage did not agree immediately after they proposed bringing those two over, but I felt that he was very tempted."
"Tempted?" Naruto sneered coldly.
If they truly dared invade his Mental World, then Konoha would have to lose two people. The Mirrored World could forcibly capture any will that invaded his Mental World.
But that would cause enormous trouble. With his current strength, he would definitely be captured and studied, perhaps even dissected.
It seemed it was time to go home. After thinking briefly, Naruto opened his eyes.
~~~~~~~~
"Lord Hokage, this is the Jinchuriki's data from the past week. You have seen it as well. His body is healthy to an abnormal degree."
Not far down the corridor outside the room, a medical ninja held a thick stack of documents and solemnly reported to the Third Hokage.
"There are only two possibilities for this kind of coma."
"The first possibility is that the Jinchuriki suffered mental trauma, and his self-awareness became trapped in some corner deep within his own mind. Ninja who survived the battlefield have experienced similar situations before, so we only need to have those two find the Jinchuriki's self-awareness and guide him out."
"As for the second possibility..."
At this point, the medical ninja suddenly hesitated.
"Hm? What is the second possibility?"
The Third Hokage stared at him with a stern expression and piercing gaze.
The medical ninja's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately responded, "It could be..."
Click—
Hearing the sound, everyone turned their eyes toward Naruto's hospital room and walked over.
Only that special hospital room was open in this corridor.
The door opened, and Naruto walked out in the pajamas he wore at home. Looking bewildered, he asked, "Is that Lord Hokage?"
The Third Hokage visibly relaxed, and a warm smile instantly appeared on his face. "Naruto, you're finally awake."
"Is this the hospital?" Naruto steadied himself and said, "Lord Hokage, I'm a little thirsty. Is there any water?"
~~~~~~~
Hokage's Office.
"You're saying I slept for an entire week?"
Naruto sat in a chair, looking somewhat confused. He had already changed into a set of clothes the Third Hokage had sent someone to retrieve from his small house.
"Hehe, yes." The Third Hokage sat in the office chair across from Naruto and nodded with a smile. "Do you still remember what happened that night? How do you feel now? Is anything uncomfortable?"
"I don't remember. I don't feel uncomfortable anywhere now." Naruto shook his head, then suddenly seemed to recall something. His expression changed as he asked, "Lord Hokage, what was that thing that appeared on me that night?"
"People keep calling me the Demon Fox. Does that have something to do with the thing that came out of me that night?"
"Am I really a monster?"
Naruto asked three questions in a row, but the Third Hokage's smile did not change. "Hehe, how could Naruto be a monster? Don't think nonsense. Go home and rest well for a few days. I've already had the village carpenters repair your wall."
"Also, take this."
As he spoke soothingly, the Third Hokage picked up a scroll from the desk and handed it to Naruto.
"What is this?" Naruto stood up, walked to the desk, and accepted the scroll.
The Third Hokage said with a smile, "Didn't I give you a Taijutsu beginner's scroll last time? This scroll contains the training methods for the Substitution Technique and Clone Technique."
Excitement flashed through Naruto's eyes. "Thank you, Lord Hokage! I'll definitely train hard when I get back!"
"Mhm, what a good child." The Third Hokage was very satisfied with Naruto's attitude, then added, "Oh, right, Naruto! Don't always stay at home. Didn't you say you made a friend?"
"Go out more in the future. You'll surely make new friends too."
Naruto froze upon hearing this. Had Shikamaru really not reported the contents of their conversation to the Third Hokage?
Then he recalled the data the Mirrored World had collected from his father, Itachi Uchiha, and Shikamaru. If he got to know more people...
"Alright, I'll go find Shikamaru tomorrow!"
Hearing that Naruto planned to see Shikamaru tomorrow, the Third Hokage's smile grew even wider. He stood up, personally took Naruto's hand, and escorted him out through the main entrance on the first floor of the Hokage Office Building.
After leaving the Hokage Office Building, Naruto wore a trace of joy on his face as he received countless frightened and disgusted looks along the way, eventually returning to his small building.
The moment he entered, Naruto's expression immediately darkened.
"Naruto, that invisible guy went up to the roof," Kurama's voice sounded the moment the door closed.
"I know. From the moment I entered the Hokage's Office, he had been hiding beside me." Naruto found a chair on the first floor and sat down, his consciousness directly descending into the Sealed Space.
"The Third Hokage still suspects me. Sending him here was probably meant to confirm something."
"He wanted to confirm whether you were acting just now." Minato Namikaze spoke with a grave expression. "Because the first thing he asked was whether you remembered what happened that night."
"Mhm. I said I didn't remember, and I didn't ask what had happened." Naruto's cold gaze was like a glacier. He weighed the scroll in his hand and said calmly, "I deliberately acted as if I knew nothing, then used that to ask about Kurama's Chakra possessing me."
"The Third Hokage did not answer directly. He also deliberately avoided mentioning what had been done to me, instead taking out this scroll to test me."
"Then he arranged for Gekko Hayate to follow me all the way home and observe my expression. You could say he spared no effort."
Minato Namikaze said worriedly, "I'm afraid Gekko Hayate will continue following you from now on."
"Roar! Naruto, why didn't you ask that old man to explain everything from the beginning?" Kurama asked with a frustrated roar after hearing all this.
Naruto drew a light breath. "The Third Hokage's refusal to mention it makes it obvious that he wants to cover up the fact that he placed a seal on me."
"And I refuse to mention it because I will remember it in my heart!"
Before you continue