It wasn't only Naruto who was training. Sasuke, Neji, Lee, Hinata, and the others under the so-called "Naruto Faction" were also undergoing extremely harsh training. Even Sakura, under Kabuto's instruction, had begun studying medical ninjutsu.
Naturally, the Uchiha clan was no exception.
Apart from a few who were ill-suited for training, most of the Uchiha were already engaged in their second stage of training. This time, their opponents—aside from (Go, from the Box of Ultimate Bliss)—also included two Jinchūriki: the One-Tails and the Seven-Tails.
The Uchiha's training method was simple but brutal: do everything possible to withstand Go's first to third forms while simultaneously dealing with the One-Tails and Seven-Tails, and then use their Sharingan to seize control over them.
The goal wasn't only to strengthen themselves, but also to further hone their Sharingan.
Gaara and Fū's training, meanwhile, mirrored the Uchihas' in the first half, but reversed in the second: withstand Go's attacks in his first to third forms, then face the Uchiha clan head-on—while resisting their ocular powers without falling under the Sharingan's control.
In short: the Uchihas were training to sharpen their eyes, while Gaara and Fū were training to resist them. If they were ever to encounter Obito alone, even if victory wasn't certain, they would at least have a fighting chance.
A note worth mentioning: after fully assimilating Mōryō and the Zero-Tails, Go had now evolved into a fourth form. In this state, his power surged dramatically—so much so that even Kurama muttered his strength might rival his own. Whether that was exaggeration or not, nobody knew.
Another noteworthy point: Izumi had transplanted Itachi Uchiha's eyes. In her words: "I want these eyes to see for themselves just how wrong his choices truly were."
Perhaps because she wasn't of direct bloodline, her Sharingan hadn't evolved into the Eternal Mangekyō. Still, with Naruto's chakra supporting her, there was no need to fear the usual decline in eyesight.
As for Sasuke, his training was nothing short of hellish. Fugaku, Izumi, Inabi, and other elite Uchihas joined forces against him. Even with his Mangekyō Sharingan active, Sasuke still struggled under their combined assault. Each of them, individually, would be a powerhouse on their own—together, they forged Sasuke into steel.
Hinata, meanwhile, sparred against Matatabi, the Two-Tails. Neji and Lee alternated between sparring against Guy and Kakashi, sometimes even the entire Hyūga clan, other times facing off against Gaara's group—or even running into Mu and other reanimated legends dropping in for a hand.
Time, however, was slipping away.
Nine years, ten years, perhaps twelve—but sooner or later, the Ōtsutsuki Clan would descend upon Earth.
Even if the Shinobi World were unified by then, pooling all its power together, the chance of stopping the Ōtsutsuki squad when they arrived was slim.
Naruto didn't know whether his world was truly connected to Boruto's timeline or not. But the Ōtsutsuki were real. They were the Damocles' sword hanging perpetually over everyone's heads.
How did their strength compare to the power scaling of Dragon Ball's universe? Naruto could only guess.
Whether it was Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the progenitor of chakra who wielded multiple dimensions, or Isshiki Ōtsutsuki, who had lain hidden in the Shinobi World so deeply that even Hagoromo had never detected him… Or Momoshiki, Kinshiki, and Urashiki—at minimum, they were all Six Paths-level beings.
(Though, given Urashiki's humiliating performance, his "true strength" was debatable.)
Momoshiki and Isshiki were, in theory, beings on par with Kaguya. And Isshiki was even said to have another Ten-Tails at his disposal.
And perhaps, beyond them, existed even stronger Ōtsutsuki. A clan whose entire purpose was to travel from world to world, cultivate God Trees, and harvest their chakra fruit—seeking divinity itself.
In short: the Ōtsutsuki were the Shinobi World's equivalent of Frieza's interstellar empire—cosmic conquerors. Unless the Shinobi World developed technologies or powers on the same interstellar scale, they weren't opponents they could resist. They couldn't even flee.
Even if Momoshiki, Kinshiki, and Urashiki never appeared—Isshiki still lurked in the shadows of this world. Compared to him, Black Zetsu, who only ever schemed to revive his "mother," was almost laughably harmless.
"So long as the Ōtsutsuki exist, I cannot rest easy!"
Three months passed in this relentless training. Just as Naruto was on the verge of completing his first stage of training—Kabuto approached him.
"Uzumaki-sama, as you instructed, I have completely mastered and perfected the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique." Kabuto spoke with reverence. For once, his ever-calm expression betrayed a flicker of excitement.
Naruto, meeting Kabuto in the guise of "Uzumaki" rather than "Naruto Uzumaki," asked in a flat tone:
"So, it can now be used by others?"
When Kabuto confirmed, even Naruto's heart stirred with excitement.
"Uzumaki-sama, then—"
Back when Naruto had persuaded Kabuto to defect, he had baited him with a promise: Yakushi Nono. What Naruto needed was this perfected Living Corpse Reincarnation. Now that Kabuto had achieved it—it was time to make good on his word.
"Make the final preparations."
Suppressing his own excitement, Kabuto bowed deeply.
"Yes!"
One week later. A hidden underground base on the outskirts of Konoha.
Once, it had been one of Root's facilities. Now, it had been remade into Kabuto's personal laboratory.
At the center stood a massive cultivation tank. Floating within it was the body of a woman. The setup was almost identical to Orochimaru's hideouts, except here the cultivation chamber was even more advanced.
Kabuto pressed his hand against the glass, eyes filled with longing.
The woman within was none other than his teacher—Yakushi Nono.
Or more precisely, a cloned body of hers. A perfect vessel without a will of its own—just a shell.
It had to be said: Kabuto was indeed a genius on par with Orochimaru, a true researcher of the highest order. At present, aside from Orochimaru himself, Kabuto alone possessed the knowledge and mastery of such cloning techniques.
"…My lord, it is time."
Naruto nodded, pressed his palms together, and slammed them onto the ground.
"Impure World Reincarnation!"
A white Zetsu, bound in talisman seals, was forced down as the sacrifice. Naturally, Zetsu made for the ideal vessel—their unique biology made them perfect for reincarnation. And besides, they were everywhere, like weeds.
Soon, a coffin rose slowly from the earth.
"…Director." Kabuto's voice trembled as he whispered the word.
The coffin opened.
A woman, about thirty years old, with round glasses, stepped out slowly. It was the former director of the Konoha Orphanage—Yakushi Nono.
"…I remember… wasn't I dead?" she murmured, still disoriented as she scanned her surroundings.
At last, her eyes fell upon Kabuto.
"You… it's you!"
She recognized him instantly—the boy who had once been her assassination target during her time in Iwagakure, the one who had gravely injured her, then desperately tried to save her life even as she died.
Looking at Kabuto now, she asked again the same question that had haunted her final moments:
"…Why did you cry that day?"
That familiar yet unfamiliar presence unsettled her. She knew this was someone she had once cared for—but she couldn't recall his name, his identity, or why her heart ached when she looked at him.
"…Who are you, really?"