Night fell over Hōzuki Castle in absolute silence. So silent, in fact, that even the sound of insects was a luxury.
Once curfew hit, every inmate was locked away in their cells. Guards would sternly warn them to maintain strict silence.
Why?
Because the Warden of Hōzuki Castle hated noise.
The castle was equally spotless. Not a scrap of trash or even a stray leaf could be seen anywhere. Guards were required to clean each cell at least ten times a day, and hallways and courtyards were scrubbed no fewer than a hundred times.
Describing the place as "immaculate" wasn't an exaggeration.
Why?
Because the warden also hated filth.
In Hōzuki Castle, the warden's word was absolute law—as if his every command were imperial decree.
---
Enter: Mui, the Warden
Several men wearing monkey-themed masks—orangutan, baboon, chimpanzee—knelt respectfully before a cold-eyed middle-aged man.
"Lord Mui" they greeted.
Mui sat rigidly, dressed in what looked like a WWII-era German officer's uniform. Hands folded below his nose, his sharp and lean features gave him an air of solemnity and control. His expression was unreadable.
Cold eyes. Still posture. A face that seemed to say: "I feel nothing."
Wuwei was the current warden of Hōzuki Castle and was known for his severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
He always wore white gloves. Rumor had it that if even a speck of dust landed on those gloves, the guard responsible for cleaning that area would be punished severely.
He said nothing—just gave the faintest nod.
"The Iwagakure jōnin you requested has been secured," reported one of the masked men.
"He's currently being held in Cell M-1."
"Good. You may leave," Mui replied at last, voice as cold as his demeanor.
"Understood, sir."
The masked men bowed and began to rise to leave—but then, the one wearing the baboon mask hesitated… and spoke.
---
The Forbidden Question
"Lord Mui… why is Hōzuki Castle suddenly accepting rogue ninja from other villages?"
"Since its founding, the castle has never accepted missing-nin. We've remained neutral, refusing to take part in shinobi world affairs. That has always been the unbroken tradition of our predecessors. But now—"
The moment he spoke, the other men panicked, leaping back to put distance between him and themselves.
Wuwei's face didn't change, but his cold eyes slowly shifted to the speaker.
"And what about it?" Mui's tone remained flat as ever.
The masked man hesitated, then gritted his teeth and continued:
"Sir… this seems inappropriate."
"So," Mui said slowly, rising to his feet, "you're questioning my decision?"
"N-No, of course not—!"
The masked man's voice trembled. Sweat poured down his face beneath the mask.
"No… you are."
Wuwei raised his right hand. A red glow began to gather in his palm, condensing quickly into shape.
"Fire Style: Heaven's Prison."
From his hand, flaming chains shot out.
Before the man could react, he was entirely bound. Despite no visible burns, he let out a scream and collapsed in agony.
---
Heaven's Prison – The Warden's Secret Technique
Fire Style: Heaven's Prison—a forbidden technique known only to the wardens of Hōzuki Castle.
Once the chains latch onto the victim, they sink into the body, disrupting their chakra flow and rendering them unable to perform jutsu.
If the prisoner attempts to escape, the chains will ignite from within and burn them alive. Even leaving the warden's proximity can be fatal.
Even Naruto himself was once bound by this jutsu in the original story—proof of how formidable it was.
---
"Take him away," Mui ordered coldly.
"Lock him in with the Iwagakure ninja."
The remaining masked men nodded like their lives depended on it.
In Hōzuki Castle, the Warden is God—in strength, in authority, in fear.
---
Beneath the Castle
Around midnight, the heavy doors to Cell M-1 creaked open.
Expressionless, Mui stepped in. The two men—the rogue Iwagakure jōnin and the punished guard—were both unconscious.
Wuwei looked down at them in silence.
Then he stretched out his hand.
Moments later, the door reopened.
Mui stepped out—leaving behind two lifeless husks, completely drained of chakra.
He made his way to a hidden door, descending a long spiral staircase beneath the castle—into its deepest chamber.
The Box of Bliss
The large door creaked open.
Inside was a massive, ornate box, so large it filled the room.
On each of its four sides were four carved faces, each bearing a different expression: joy, rage, sorrow, and laughter.
This was what Naruto had referred to earlier: The Box of Ultimate Bliss.
Wuwei extended the fresh chakra orb he'd taken from the two corpses toward the box.
It stirred immediately.
In less than ten seconds, the orb—worth at least two full chakra bars—was fully absorbed.
Then the box went still again.
"Still not enough. Nowhere near enough," Wuwei muttered.
"To awaken the Box of Bliss… I need more chakra."
"That means Hōzuki Castle needs more prisoners. Stronger ones."
"But I can't do this alone…" he added, eyes narrowing.
He turned toward the direction of Kusagakure, speaking in a low voice.
"I need help."
> "The Hidden Grass Village..."
---
"Looks Like the Warden's in Trouble?"
A voice rang out from the shadows—a voice that should not have been there.
"Who's there?!"
Startled, Mui turned around, only to see a hooded figure standing behind him.
Naruto.
Still wearing his disguise, Naruto had wandered into the depths of the castle while trying to explore.
Hōzuki Castle's design was so convoluted—with its countless passageways and secret corridors—that Naruto had gotten completely turned around.
Just as he considered blasting his way through the place, he sensed Wuwei's chakra—the strongest signature in the entire castle besides his own—and followed it down here…
Just in time to see him feeding chakra to the Box of Bliss.
---
Fire Style: Heaven's Prison – Again!
Without hesitation, Wuwei struck.
"Fire Style: Heaven's Prison!"
Flaming chains erupted from his palm, shooting straight at Naruto.
Naruto didn't move.
He stood there, seemingly frozen, as the fiery chains struck and wrapped around him.
Glowing red seals instantly appeared across his body.
"Hmm," Mui grunted in satisfaction, easing his tension.
"Now, who are you?"
He barely gave Naruto time to answer before continuing:
"Doesn't matter. You saw too much."
"Hand over your chakra."
---
But Naruto didn't respond.
Instead, he casually walked over to the Box of Bliss—completely ignoring Mui.
He circled it slowly, tapping on the carved faces and examining the design.
"Gotta say," he said, smirking.
"This little oddity's got some real personality."
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