Why?!

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think people who work hard at anything should be mocked, so..."

Naruto asked earnestly, "What's so funny? You keep making me laugh."

You're the one who keeps wanting to laugh, aren't you?

How did that become me trying to make you laugh?

"This is so boring."

Sasuke snorted and, unwilling to deal with the blond brat any longer, turned to leave.

Naruto reached out to stop him. "Wait, you're just leaving like that? Let's put aside the fact that I saved your life for now. What about you spying on my training?"

"Then what do you want?"

"What do you have?"

Sasuke thought seriously for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't have anything I can give you. The most valuable thing I have is my life, but I can't give it to you just yet. I have to kill that man... If I'm still alive after I kill him, you can have my life."

Inside the Sealing Space, Minato's expression froze when he heard that. "That man... Does he mean Itachi?"

"They're brothers, yet things have come to this..."

Kushina felt sorry for Mikoto.

Outside, Naruto nearly laughed in anger at Sasuke's words.

I don't actually want you to repay me, but do you really have to shamelessly weasel out of it like that?

Sasuke also thought it was wrong, but what else could he do?

He held his chin high and said nothing. That was his offer; take it or leave it.

Nothing could beat shamelessness. Naruto sighed helplessly. "Fine, you win. I don't want your life, but I have one condition: be my sparring partner. What do you say? Do you agree?"

"Be your sparring partner?"

Sasuke thought it over and decided that being Naruto's sparring partner would benefit him greatly and help improve his strength.

It was more appropriate to call it a reward than a condition.

"Why are you asking me?" Sasuke looked wary. Nothing fell from the sky without reason—unless there was some bigger scheme behind it.

Naruto answered matter-of-factly, "Because I need a punching bag with enough weight behind it. You're weak, but you're the heaviest punching bag around after me."

Sasuke felt deeply humiliated, but his suspicions were allayed. "I agree," he said coldly.

The two chatted for a while and agreed on a time to train.

Just as they were about to part and head home to change, Naruto's expression shifted. "You go on ahead. I have something urgent to take care of."

With that, Naruto sat cross-legged on the spot, and his consciousness entered the Sealing Space.

The next second, Shadow appeared.

Naruto asked with concern, "You were in such a hurry to contact me. Did something happen?"

Shadow shook her head. "Not to me. Something happened to someone else..."

Two minutes later, Naruto opened his eyes. Sasuke's figure came into view.

"Why are you still here?"

Seeing Naruto's look of disdain, Sasuke gritted his teeth. "What was so urgent? Let me help you."

The debt of saving his life was too great. He could repay it bit by bit.

"The best way to help me is to leave right now."

Sasuke ignored him. He was going to help with this, no matter what.

"Tsk, fine. Whatever you see, don't say a word. Pretend you didn't see anything, and keep it secret. If you don't, I'll beat you until you do."

With that, Naruto walked over to some nearby trees and knocked on them, forcing out six Anbu Ninjas.

One Anbu Ninja asked impatiently, "Kid, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"Nothing much. I just want to ask you all to look into my eyes."

As he spoke, Naruto opened his Rinnegan and used the Genjutsu he had obtained from Izumi Uchiha's mind. In an instant, he put all six of them under hypnosis.

"Continue your mission."

After sending the Anbu Ninjas on their way, Naruto reached toward the one o'clock direction and used Banshō Ten'in.

The next moment, a White Zetsu burst out of the ground and flew into his hand, looking completely bewildered.

"You've been spying on me for two months, and you still aren't satisfied? In that case, you're not going anywhere."

"Who are you—"

Crack!

Asura Path—Mechanical Armor!

A mechanical arm snapped White Zetsu's neck. Its head lolled to one side, and it died.

Sasuke walked over. Seeing this, he felt a chill run down his neck, swallowed the question he'd been about to ask, and resolved to never tell anyone what he'd seen today.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke but ignored him, using Kamimusubi and Ukanomitama on his own to revive White Zetsu.

"Continue your mission."

White Zetsu obeyed. Its body sank and disappeared into the ground.

Then Naruto used the Shadow Clone Technique and said to the clone, "Just in case, stay here and deal with the Third Hokage's inspection and..."

He turned to look at Sasuke.

Sasuke felt insulted, his face flushing red. "I'd die before I told anyone!"

"Perfect."

After thinking for a few seconds, Naruto transformed into Gilgamesh.

Then, before long, he was summoned away and disappeared from the spot.

Let's turn back time to five minutes earlier.

—Land of Earth—

Amid a wilderness of towering rocks, Shadow strolled along in a purple kimono when she suddenly heard the sound of weapons clashing in the distance.

"Another meaningless fight between ninjas? How boring..."

Shadow had no intention of investigating the unknown skirmish. She quickened her pace slightly and continued on her way.

In the more than two months since parting from Naruto, Shadow had encountered far too many bloody incidents.

On average, there was one every few days. Sometimes there were several in a single day.

People who saw Shadow and let their lust get the better of them; people who killed to vent their frustrations; people who murdered witnesses while carrying out missions; ninja from rival villages killing on sight...

In short, all kinds of absurd reasons led to fighting everywhere. It was truly exhausting.

Compared with this, the Teyvat Continent in Shadow's memories could practically be called paradise.

There were fights there too, but it was generally peaceful. Conflicts between people weren't as frequent as they were in the Ninja World.

"It's me, matron! It's Kabuto! Don't you recognize me? It's Kabuto!"

A desperate, anguished cry rang out. Shadow stopped, her brows furrowing slightly.

Kabuto?

She had heard that name before. Naruto had marked him as one of the villains she needed to watch out for.

"Is it him?"

A trace of killing intent flashed in Shadow's beautiful eyes.

A warrior should press straight ahead. Rather than constantly watching out for villains, cutting them down with a single stroke suited her better.

"Who... are you...?"

A blond kunoichi lay on the ground, a gaping hole in her waist as blood streamed out without end.

She was gravely injured and beyond saving.

Coughing up blood, she looked in confusion at the white-haired boy trying to treat her.

Do we... know each other? Aren't we enemies? Then why are you trying to heal me?

The white-haired boy remained frozen, kneeling on the ground, utterly overcome by despair.

"Why doesn't the matron remember me at all?! Why is this happening?"

"If I don't even exist in the matron's memories, then what am I?!"