Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 514 "Return"

[No trace of Kabuto has been found throughout the entire Land of Frost. No, I must use my extra-range perception. Tobirama, come and assist me!]

"...Alright, the third battlefield is basically nearing its end, no need to keep watching it all the time. Coming right away."

"Is the third front already over? My side is still a long way off, with corpses everywhere, it's so annoying!"

Lord Izuna, we ourselves are dead... Also, the Fourth Battlefield...

[All four shadows have been sealed away; the battle is over.]

The seniors suddenly fell silent, and Tayama, who was on the fourth battlefield, also abruptly raised his head, looking at "Naruto" who was communicating with the Kazekage and Tsuchikage not far away. This was the first time Sasuke had joined the discussion on the transmission of knowledge, it seemed that he had also mastered multitasking.

"Well done, Sasuke. If the fourth battlefield poses no threat, quickly suggest that the Allied Forces come and lend a hand at the first battlefield. This is mountainous terrain, and all the opponents are Edo Tensei, which is troublesome."

〖knew.〗

"I sensed an extremely strong chakra moving towards the Jinchuriki. The masked man could no longer remain still. We must end this battle quickly and go to provide support..."

"Hmph, I'm afraid there's no need for that. We'll defeat him."

"...What I mean is that you should be mentally prepared. The enemy is not coming alone. I can sense Nagato's chakra."

"Is it Edo Tensei again? It seems resolving Kabuto's situation is urgent. I'll act as quickly as possible!"

"Hui's" internal intelligence network not only broadcasts information from the battlefield, but also a few scattered reports on the operations in northern Sichuan. By now, pre-battle mobilization is essentially complete, and a large quantity of weapons and logistical supplies have been transported to designated locations; all that's left is for the external propaganda team to launch its full-scale offensive.

Public opinion there is still developing. Initially, the main force leading the protests was the student group, and then it gradually spread upwards to the victims of this tax. All it takes is a sufficient opportunity for them to raise their banner and launch an attack. And this opportunity must be legitimate enough to silence the criticisms of neighboring countries.

While the world is bustling with activity, the border regions are also not at peace.

It had been a long time since such heavy "rain" had fallen here. The points of light changed their trajectory as they fell into the calm sea, converging in a certain direction beneath the surface. However, they were blocked by a thin barrier and could not touch the "sun's" rays at all.

Yes, there is a "sun" burning underwater.

He finally awoke from his long "dream," and the first thing he saw was a face obscuring one eye. Time had worn away the youthful vigor on that face, leaving behind a calm and gentle demeanor. But he knew that the pride in that person's heart had not left; it had simply been buried to fulfill his dream.

"Do you remember now?" Sasuke looked at him without joy or sorrow, like a puppet stripped of all emotion, leaving only a program.

"Don't imitate his appearance."

The other party fulfilled his request, and he saw the black fade away, revealing gold and white dominating the entire space.

That was the shadow of "Naruto," dressed in a haori, with long hair and golden eyes, who had been hiding beneath the surface of the water all along.

Only now did Naruto finally understand that his sea of ​​consciousness wasn't just a simple sea, but a sea directly connected to the realm of life and death. His "shadow," or rather, his true self, had always been submerged beneath the surface. That was a higher-dimensional world, capable of containing far more energy. If he chose to descend directly there, this planet would most likely have collapsed completely, just like last time.

He was merely a spokesperson created by "God." "God" merged its human aspects into his soul, granting him memories of the so-called "future." This naturally led to a connection between his soul and "God," thereby granting him near-limitless power.

Two similar Narutos face each other, who once had countless questions, but now can only look at each other in silence.

Has your world truly... been completely destroyed?

"This is a result we all know."

"Nothing is going to change?"

"...Not yet."

Naruto lowered his eyes slightly, and only then did he look a little more human; a subtle sadness tinged his flawless face. But soon, he raised his head and stated a fact.

"Besides, it's just the two of us here. You are the key to my existence; without the support of 'desire,' I will also lose my way in power."

"We are one, forever."

They are indeed inseparable, just as their connection with this world is so strong that they cannot let go and leave.

"The war has begun."

"...I saw it, those lights, they are all souls, right?"

“You woke up not too late. While you were here, I created a clone of your soul and cast it into the boundary between life and death. It was summoned by the human world, but it wasn’t the one we wanted.”

"Can this impure body truly withstand us?"

"No, so you need to learn to control yourself. I don't need to teach you how to control yourself."

"...Wouldn't it be better to just create a body directly?"

"There is no physical body in this world that can directly contain the 'Source'. Sooner or later you will have to learn how to mold people. Find a way yourself."

"So, your teaching is just about showing me how to memorize?"

"On the bright side, at least I can show you how terrible I am at teaching. Don't you know that?"

The atmosphere seemed to have returned to his loneliest years, when he learned to talk to his clones and amuse himself, just like now. He could have asked nothing; all the answers were already in his mind. But he insisted on saying something, just to see if "Naruto" was still Naruto.

Now it seems his worries were unnecessary; he is, of course, Naruto, and so are they.

The turning point for this world is today. If he can accumulate enough power before Shibai arrives, this world will naturally not be destroyed by that light. He must also do everything in his power to figure out the state of this universe and absolutely prevent the tragedy of another world from repeating itself.

At the same time, he wouldn't forget creating the world of "Naruto." Since even Sasuke could reach this place, it means the barrier of time isn't insurmountable; perhaps he just hasn't found the right way. If he can find that turtle beforehand and completely unlock the secrets of time, perhaps... a miracle really will happen, won't it?

With this hope in mind, he crossed the border and arrived back in the human world.