Stopping Naruto and Sasuke from Fighting Immediately

The Taiseki sphere sealed by Kaguya Ōtsutsuki floated silently high in the Sand Sea Space. The black and white sealing runes on its surface flowed slowly like living things, emanating a chilling aura of Six Paths Sage Arts. The Sand Sea had returned to its original battlefield, with only the occasional breeze blowing across it.

Neji stood at the edge of the giant crater, his long hair gently swaying in the hot wind. He looked up at the sealing stone sphere and finally breathed a sigh of relief. This conspiracy spanning a thousand years, this crisis involving the entire Shinobi World, was finally... temporarily over.

But the story isn't over yet.

Just as Kaguya was completely sealed away, nine Chakra fluctuations of varying strengths suddenly emanated from the air. Immediately afterwards, nine orbs of light of different colors separated from the stone sphere, fell to the ground, and condensed into nine enormous figures of different shapes.

One-Tail Shukaku, a fat tanuki-like creature, crouches on the sand, with yellow sand swirling around it.

Two-Tails Matatabi, a blue-black cat demon, elegantly licked its front paws, while eerie blue flames danced at the tip of its tail.

The Isobu, with its enormous turtle-like body, lay sprawled in the sand, its three tails impatiently slapping the ground.

The Four-Tails Son Gokū, the red-haired ape, sat cross-legged with his arms crossed, looking utterly displeased.

The Five-Tails Kokuō, a pure white dolphin horse, tilted its head back and neighed, steam billowing from its nostrils.

The Six-Tails, Saiken, with its enormous, Katsuyu- like body, slowly writhed, its slime dripping and corroding small pits.

Seven-Tails Chomei has the appearance of a combination of a beetle and a dragonfly, and its wings tremble slightly, emitting a buzzing sound.

The Eight-Tails Gyuki is a bizarre form combining an octopus and a bull, with eight tentacles swaying unconsciously.

And... Nine-Tails, the Kurama, a huge orange-red fox crouched at the front, its nine tails burning like flames, its scarlet eyes looking at Naruto not far away with a complicated expression.

The Nine Tailed Beasts have gathered.

But their condition... is clearly wrong.

Apart from the Nine-Tails, which remained relatively solid, the eight Tailed Beasts, from the One-Tail to the Eight-Tails, all exhibited a semi-transparent texture, like phantoms that could vanish at any moment. The Chakra fluctuations around them were also much weaker than normal, like those of a person recovering from a serious illness.

Neji knew the reason perfectly well.

When the Incomplete Ten-Tails appeared, he forcibly absorbed two-thirds of the Ten-Tails' Chakra in order to reach the Six Paths Tier. And that Chakra came from these Nine Tailed Beasts. This absorption was not a simple borrowing, but a plunder at the essential level - the absorbed Chakra cannot be naturally restored, and even if the Tailed Beast dies and is reborn, this part of the loss will exist permanently.

"..."

Eight pairs of eyes— Shukaku's round eyes, Matatabi's vertical pupils, Isobu's turtle eyes, Son Gokū's golden pupils, Kokuō's horse eyes, Saiken's compound eyes, Chomei's insect eyes, and Gyuki's bull eyes—all stared at Neji. There was no gratitude, no friendliness in those gazes, only... a deep, lingering resentment.

It's like having half a lifetime's savings stolen and then having to watch the robber swagger around right in front of you – so frustrating.

The Nine-Tails' gaze was far more complex. It looked at Neji, then at Naruto, and finally lowered its head, lost in thought.

The scene became quite awkward.

Neji raised an eyebrow, his Tenseigan calmly sweeping over the eight Tailed Beasts, and spoke in a cold voice:

"Now that you're out, go home. What, you want to be my pet?"

His tone was clearly impatient. All he wanted now was to return to Konoha, Hyuga Clan the Hyuga family home, and get a good night's sleep. The continuous high-intensity battles, the Six Paths Tier energy manipulation, and those mind-bending tactical plans... even he felt a long-lost sense of exhaustion.

But some people think differently.

"We cannot let the Tailed Beast escape."

Sasuke's voice suddenly rang out, cold and firm. He stood beside Neji, his Rinnegan fixed on the Nine Tailed Beasts, his eyes flashing with a kind of... almost instinctive possessiveness and desire for control.

That was the influence deep within Indra Ōtsutsuki's bloodline—a desire to control immense power, an obsession with the idea that "power should be managed." In Sasuke's view, the power of the Tailed Beast, capable of easily destroying a country, should not be allowed to run rampant.

Neji slowly turned his head and looked at Sasuke.

His expression remained unchanged, but a faint blue light flickered in his Tenseigan. The surrounding air seemed to freeze, and the temperature dropped a few degrees.

"Now, my words," Neji's voice was calm and clear, each word distinct, "Are no longer effective?"

There was no release of pressure, no burst of Chakra, but it was that extremely calm tone that made Sasuke's heart tighten suddenly.

Sasuke opened his mouth, wanting to retort. He was Sasuke Uchiha, the possessor of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and the Rinnegan, a hero who had just participated in sealing the Progenitor of Chakra. Why should he listen to Neji?

But the words stuck in his throat and he swallowed them back.

Because he remembered—he remembered Neji catching the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion with one hand, he remembered the violence of Neji kicking Kaguya from the air into the ground, he remembered Neji's unfathomable, seemingly bottomless strength...

More importantly, Neji was his ally. He was the one who took him to have Hashirama Cells transplanted when he needed power the most; he was the one who forcibly helped him complete the fusion when he was on the verge of collapse; he was the one who always gave the most crucial advice at critical moments.

Offending Neji? What's the difference between that and cutting off your own arm?

Sasuke gritted his teeth, and finally... turned his head away.

But his gaze fell on Naruto.

Since we can't attack the Tailed Beast, then...

"Between us," Sasuke's voice was chilling, a sharp light flashing simultaneously in his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and Rinnegan, "It's time for us to settle things."

Neji's head buzzed, feeling a bit dizzy.

Sasuke really needs to change his ways!

A duel now? Don't you even know your own chances of winning? When the Sage of Six Paths gave you two a power-up, his favoritism was off the charts! Naruto had six Truth-Seeking Orb spinning like a windmill, while Sasuke only had three, looking as pathetic as a beggar. Isn't that obvious enough? Ever since a thousand years ago, the Sage of Six Paths has favored the reincarnation of Asura Ōtsutsuki. In his eyes, the reincarnation of Indra Ōtsutsuki is like a stepchild!

In your current state, you'd be lucky to fight Naruto! Losing one hand would be the least of your worries! No, you might lose both of your hands!

Neji was internally screaming, but his face remained calm. He turned to look at Naruto, wanting to see how this stubborn guy would respond.

But Naruto... didn't look at Sasuke.

He walked towards the Nine-Tails, stopped in front of the giant fox, raised his head, and stared directly into its scarlet beastly eyes with his blue eyes.

"Kurama," Naruto's voice was serious, devoid of its usual playfulness, "Would you... come back to Konoha with me?"

Neji: "..."

Well, Sasuke are even slimmer now.

Naruto may look silly, but he's actually quite clever in crucial moments. He knows to recruit Nine-Tails as an ally, doubling his chances of winning in a two-on-one fight. Sasuke, if you were to fight Naruto now, you'd be lucky to even survive with one arm, let alone a whole corpse.

Although I transplanted Hashirama Cells into you, you didn't systematically train in Wood Release Ninjutsu at all! The Hashirama Cells were just for show in your body, at most giving you Chakra and stronger regenerative abilities, but you didn't master the true essence of Wood Release at all!

No, we absolutely cannot let Sasuke and Naruto start fighting now.

The strength was completely unequal. Half of the Nine-Tails plus Six Paths Naruto Sasuke with only the Rinnegan; the scene would be incredibly brutal. Sasuke would have to learn Senjutsu, master Wood Release, and fully unlock the potential of Hashirama Cells to have any chance... to draw this fight.

Just as Neji was frantically devising tactics for Sasuke, Nine-Tails... gave his answer.

The giant fox lowered its head, its scarlet eyes meeting Naruto's. After a long while, it let out a deep, guttural sound that only Naruto could understand.

That's an expression of agreement.

Then, the Nine-Tails' massive body began to transform into a golden stream of Chakra, flowing into Naruto's body. The whole process was quiet and swift; a few seconds later, only a huge fox-shaped dent remained in the sand.

The Nine-Tails returned to Naruto's body.

The other eight Tailed Beast also took action after seeing Nine-Tails's choice.

Shukaku transformed into a cloud of yellow sand, seeping into the ground and disappearing.

Matatabi transformed into a ghostly blue flame and extinguished in the air.

Isobu sank into the sea of sand, leaving only a slowly closing sand pit.

Son Gokū scratched his ears and cheeks for a while, then finally snorted and vanished as red Chakra.

Kokuō let out a long neigh and soared into the sky.

The Saiken slowly crawled and merged into the ground.

Chomei spread his wings and took off, turning into a tiny dot in the sky.

The eight tentacles of the Gyuki danced, and its form gradually became transparent.

The eight Tailed Beast returned to their respective homes.

The whole process was eerily quiet. There were no farewells, no thanks, not even a single extra glance—except for that one resentful look at Neji.

After the Tailed Beast left, only six humans remained in the arena, along with the sealing stone sphere in the air.

Naruto then turned around and looked at Sasuke. His expression was calm, but the fighting spirit in his blue eyes was more intense than ever.

"Then now," Naruto said, each word firm and resolute, "We'll go to the Valley of the End."

It's finally here.

Neji sighed inwardly, and then... interrupted.

"There's no rush in your duel."

His voice wasn't loud, but it drew everyone's attention. Neji walked between Naruto and Sasuke, his gaze sweeping over their faces:

"Alright then. You can have your final battle at the Valley of the End in a month. Whether it's a contest of strength or a test of your ideals, it's up to you. But for now—let's head back to Konoha."

Naruto and Sasuke both looked puzzled.

Why a month? Why not now?

But neither of them asked the question.

It wasn't that Neji's suggestion was particularly reasonable, but rather... Neji's fists were too hard. Neither of them could beat Neji, a fact that had already been fully demonstrated in their battle with Kaguya earlier. Since they couldn't win, they shouldn't ask why—after all, neither of them had a penchant for getting beaten up.

"... Okay." Naruto scratched his head and was the first to compromise.

Sasuke remained silent for a few seconds before nodding. But in his Dual Rinnegan, resentment and fighting spirit still burned.

"Great!" Sakura was the first to cheer. She ran to Sasuke's side, wanting to say something, but seeing Sasuke's indifferent profile, she awkwardly shut her mouth.

Kakashi and Might Guy also breathed a sigh of relief. They exchanged a glance, both seeing the relief in each other's eyes that meant they no longer had to mediate the fight.

"Well then," Kakashi stepped forward and patted Naruto and Sasuke on the shoulder, "Let's go back to Konoha first. Lady Tsunade must be getting impatient."

Neji turned to Kakashi: "The threat to the Shinobi World has been completely eliminated. Konoha can lift martial law and return to normal life."

Then, his gaze fell on Sasuke.

"You, come with me."

Before he could finish speaking, Neji had already grabbed Sasuke's shoulder. Ripples spread through the space, and the two figures began to become transparent.

"Wait!" Sakura called out hurriedly, "Neji, where are you taking Sasuke-kun?"

"Training." Neji's voice came from the disappearing figure. "He will return to Konoha unharmed in a month."

He paused, then added:

"Naruto, don't be idle this month. Focus on adapting to Six Paths Mode, and... talk to Nine-Tails more often."

As soon as they finished speaking, the two figures vanished completely.

Only Naruto, Kakashi, Guy, and Sakura remained standing there, looking at each other in bewilderment.

"Um..." Naruto scratched his head and looked at Kakashi, "Is Neji... planning to give Sasuke some extra training?"

Kakashi shook his head helplessly, his right eye curving into a crescent moon. "I can't interfere in Neji's affairs. If you're curious... you can just ask him. He's been in Konoha lately anyway."

That's what they say, but Kakashi knew in his heart that the place Neji took Sasuke to was definitely not Konoha.

In the dimly lit passageway of the Sound Village Underground Base.

Kabuto Yakushi adjusted his glasses, the lenses reflecting an eerie light in the lamplight. He looked at Neji and Sasuke, who had suddenly appeared in the lab, and gave them a business-like smile.

"Lord Neji, Sasuke-kun, welcome back. Is there anything I can do for you?"

His gaze lingered on Sasuke for a few more seconds—the aura of Hashirama Cells, the fluctuations of the Rinnegan, and that... weariness and sharpness after just experiencing a great battle. This Uchiha Clan boy has become stronger again.

"Take him to Ryūchi Cave," Neji said succinctly, "To participate in the Senjutsu Trial."

Dou's smile froze for a moment.

Ryūchi Cave? That's the most dangerous and eerie of the three great sacred sites of Senjutsu techniques. Even Lord Orochimaru suffered there, and the White Snake Sage's temper is notoriously strange and... cruel.

Sasuke remained silent for a moment before finally speaking:

"Why... do you want me to learn Senjutsu?"

His voice held a hint of doubt, and a subtle... probing. He wanted to know why Neji was helping him so much. Was it merely because of their "alliance," or was there another motive?

Neji looked at Sasuke, and his expression suddenly changed... as if he were looking at an idiot.

"Because it's not enough." Neji's gaze suddenly sharpened. "Right now, you can't beat Naruto."

Sasuke's body visibly stiffened. He raised his head, a hint of Rinnegan, but ultimately... he didn't refute it.

Because what Neji said was true. Just now on the battlefield, he could feel the immense Chakra that had perfectly merged with Nine-Tails after Nine-Tails returned to Naruto's body. If they started fighting now, his chances of winning... were indeed not high.

Sasuke felt a bit stifled by that look, but he wisely kept his mouth shut.

"Come with me, Sasuke-kun." Kabuto spoke up at the right moment, breaking the awkward atmosphere. "The entrance to Ryūchi Cave isn't far from here, but the trial process... might be a little 'exciting'."

He turned and walked towards a hidden door deep inside the laboratory. Sasuke hesitated for a moment, but followed him.

Just as he was about to step into the secret door, Neji's voice came from behind him:

"After you learn Senjutsu, don't rush back to Konoha."

Sasuke stopped, but didn't turn around.

"I'll come over for half an hour every day to help you adapt to Wood Release as quickly as possible." Neji's voice was calm, but every word carried undeniable weight. "I hope... you won't disappoint me."

Sasuke followed closely behind Kabuto, then paused for a moment.

Neji... worried that he'll lose to Naruto? That loser...?

His fist clenched secretly inside his sleeve.

Then, he took a step forward, resolutely following Kabuto's figure, and disappeared into the darkness behind the hidden door.

The laboratory fell silent again.

The oil lamp's flame flickered, casting swaying shadows on the wall. Neji stood still, his Tenseigan fixed on the direction of the hidden door. After a long while, he sighed softly.

"Next..." he muttered to himself, "It's time to go to sleep."

Ripples spread through the space once more.

The boy in white with black hair disappeared into the dim light and shadow of the Sound Village Base.

Deep within the base, in the passageway leading to Ryūchi Cave, Sasuke followed behind Kabuto Yakushi, his Rinnegan gleaming faintly with a purple light in the darkness.