"If that's the case, then that would be wonderful..."
In the forest near Konoha, Naruto let out a sigh of relief. A pleased smile curled across his lips as he spoke softly to Neji.
Shikamaru, Ino, and the others nearby also watched the scene with relief.
Meanwhile.
Far away from Konoha.
"Hey! Hey!... Are you sure we really have to do this!?"
"If that happens, and that guy keeps us in his lair, we might end up living in Hell forever! You have to think this through!"
In a mountainous region filled with crimson rocks, a young man with a few freckles on his face wore a horrified expression as he spoke with a slight tremor in his voice to the slender figure before him.
Hearing him, the slender figure suddenly turned around. His crimson eyes stared directly at him as he said calmly.
"If we don't do this, when do you think we'll be able to escape this damned place at our current pace, Fu Ryosuke?"
Fu Ryosuke, whose face was speckled with faint freckles, fell silent at those words. Like a deflated balloon, his shoulders slumped as he lowered his head dejectedly.
"Probably a very long time..."
Hearing that, Sasuke, standing before him, looked at him calmly and spoke in a cold voice.
"Why did you come to the Hollow Spirit Empire, Fu Ryosuke?"
Fu Ryosuke froze slightly. After seeming to think back for a moment, his face reddened somewhat as he said.
"I wanted to break free from the mediocrity of my past. As a ninja, I really don't have much talent or any abilities to be proud of. After hearing about the Hollow Spirit Empire, I thought this was my only chance to change my current fate..."
Hearing him, Sasuke seemed to recall something. A