Raiden Ei

Sitting cross-legged on the floor in deep thought for a long while, Naruto Uzumaki muttered to himself, "Perhaps... I should find a suitable time, a time when it is absolutely impossible to be spied upon."

The night was dark and silent.

Three-thirty in the morning.

Naruto Uzumaki suddenly jolted awake from his sleep, bolted upright, clutched his stomach, and sprinted to the bathroom.

Immediately after, the sound of a toilet flushing echoed through the room.

Outside the window, the two Anbu responsible for surveillance saw this and whispered to each other.

"This brat... has the runs?"

"It would be a miracle if he didn't, considering all the junk food he ate yesterday."

"True..."

Neither Anbu thought much of it, nor did they have any intention of following him inside to peek; they even wanted to move further away to avoid the stench.

In the bathroom.

"At this hour, the Third Hokage shouldn't be peeking, right..."

If he were still spying at this hour, Naruto Uzumaki would admit defeat, and it would be only fair if the Rinnegan were discovered.

After all, he was a normal person, and a normal person... could not outwit a pervert.

Naruto Uzumaki activated the Rinnegan and unleashed a dōjutsu.

--Kamimusubi!

A green orb of light, brimming with vitality, appeared in mid-air and merged into the wooden carving of the Raiden Shogun.

A few seconds later, under Naruto Uzumaki's expectant gaze, the wooden carving moved.

It raised its head, its hollow, lifeless eyes meeting Naruto Uzumaki's gaze.

After staring at each other for a few minutes, Naruto Uzumaki couldn't help but say, "Could you at least move a little?"

The wooden carving obediently moved once, then froze, appearing like a stiff puppet.

Naruto Uzumaki blinked, seemingly realizing something, and said to the wooden carving, "Say something."

The wooden carving replied in a voice devoid of any emotion, "Something."

"Walk."

The wooden carving walked forward, each step precise and identical.

"Jump."

The wooden carving jumped upward.

"Do a dance to Gokuraku Jodo."

This seemed to exceed the wooden carving's range of understanding; it stood in place, motionless.

"So that's how it is... life, soul, it really doesn't work if even one is missing."

--Ukanomitama!

A white orb of soul light appeared in mid-air, containing Naruto Uzumaki's memories of the Raiden Shogun, including but not limited to games, anime, and even fan fiction.

As the soul orb entered the wooden carving, the first thing to change were its eyes.

The hollow gaze became dazed, then lively and spirited, and immediately after, it turned cold and heartless.

Subsequently, the wooden carving's gaze alternated between cold indifference and lively spirit, leaving Naruto Uzumaki completely stunned.

"What's going on?!"

The wooden carving suddenly spoke, replying, "Creator, it is I who am wrestling for control with the Shogun."

"Creator? Is that how you address me..."

Naruto Uzumaki was enlightened, then asked, "What do you mean by wrestling for control?"

"As the creator, you have forged two consciousnesses. I am Raiden Ei, Beelzebul, while the other is the Shogun, the consciousness of the puppet. We are contending over who shall be the primary consciousness from now on."

So it was my fault... no, that's not a fault, that's high-purity cosplay.

Only by combining Ei and the Shogun could they form the Raiden Shogun in Naruto Uzumaki's mind.

"Then I'll call you Ei from now on. Ei, so you have gained control now?"

The wooden carving—no, it should be called Ei now—nodded and said, "That is correct. In the settings, I was originally the primary consciousness; it was the Shogun who overstepped."

Naruto Uzumaki's eyes were deep in thought: "Settings? It seems you are also aware of your own nature... then do you feel you are the true Raiden Ei?"

"I..."

As a creation, Ei knew clearly that she was a being born only minutes ago, not that most noble Narukami Ogosho.

However, her memories told her unequivocally—you are the Raiden, the most supreme and noble body in the mortal world.

The tearing between memory and reality left Raiden Ei at a loss, unable to speak.

At this moment, the voice of the Raiden Shogun echoed in her heart.

"Let me handle this."

Raiden Ei was stunned, then promptly handed over the initiative.

According to her programming, things she wasn't good at should be handled by the Shogun.

Therefore, she wasn't running away; she was simply following her settings.

Yes, that was exactly it.

In an instant, the Raiden Shogun came online, looked at Naruto Uzumaki, and said with an indifferent expression, "Creator, she might not be Raiden Ei, but I am definitely the Raiden Shogun, because..."

She was a puppet before, and she is still a puppet now; aside from the difference in strength, there isn't much else that has changed.

The Shogun couldn't finish that sentence because Raiden Ei shoved her aside.

Raiden Ei thought angrily, "What are you saying? Weren't you supposed to come out and help? Why did you suddenly stab me in the back..."

The Shogun replied calmly, "I did not stab you in the back; I was merely stating the truth."

Raiden Ei didn't want to deal with the Shogun anymore, so she turned to Naruto Uzumaki and said, "Creator, I believe I am the true Raiden Ei, at least... in this world, that is the case."

When the original no longer exists, the only copy in the world becomes the original.

Besides, Raiden Ei had finally figured it out: the meaning of her existence was to be Raiden Ei.

Since that was the case, why should she struggle? It would only add to her troubles.

"That makes sense." Naruto Uzumaki nodded in agreement; a cosplayer must have the attitude of truly believing in their role.

If you don't even believe it yourself, how can you expect others to believe it?

"By the way, stop calling me Creator, and don't be so respectful; it ruins the immersion. Just call me Naruto, and treat me like an ordinary friend."

Hearing this, Raiden Ei recalled the memories in her mind and probed, "Naruto, are you an enemy of eternity?"

Naruto Uzumaki was unsatisfied: "The tone is too soft. Be colder, have a condescending attitude, be majestic, inviolable..."

Understood, so the Creator is a pervert, Raiden Ei noted to herself.

Her expression became indifferent and ruthless, she glanced at Naruto Uzumaki coldly, and said, "The eternal path is magnificent, the Narukami Ogosho is eternal! I am the Narukami Ogosho, Naruto. You who have offended the majesty of a god, are you prepared to die?"

Naruto Uzumaki was excited and clapped his hands: "Yes, that's the flavor, let's do it again."

"Na... Naruto-kun, um... did you not sleep well last night?"

Looking at Naruto Uzumaki, who was slumped over the desk yawning, Hinata looked worried.

After more than a month of getting to know each other, the little girl had finally become a bit more normal.

Although she was still shy and prone to fainting, at least she could finish a complete sentence.

Naruto Uzumaki nodded, looking lethargic: "Yeah, I didn't sleep well. I had an upset stomach and was up for a long time in the middle of the night."

It was his first time creating a person, and he had been too excited, playing until dawn and only sleeping for a little over an hour. He was exhausted now.

Hinata didn't know the truth, but hearing that Naruto Uzumaki had an upset stomach, she immediately became nervous and said with a blushing face, "Um... do you want to see a doctor? I have a doctor at home..."

Go to your house?

You filial daughter, don't set your father up; if I go to your house, there's no telling who might end up dead.

Naruto Uzumaki shook his head and refused: "Thanks, but there's no need. I'm much better now, just a little sleepy. I need to take a nap."