The dungeon's environment was dark and damp, teeming with insects and crawling ants—harsh beyond words.
Scattered on the compacted dirt floor were a few worn, moldy straw mats, their rotting stench creeping into Asuma Sarutobi's nose and mouth, making him nauseous.
His body was stuck between the wall and the iron railing. With his eyes covered, all he could see was endless darkness.
Asuma was extremely uncomfortable.
But at least… they didn't kill him. As long as he was alive, there was still hope.
Asuma guessed that maybe the attacker feared Konoha's retaliation and didn't want to provoke the incoming reinforcements, so they left him alive.
"Luckily it wasn't Orochimaru himself. That sinister bastard wouldn't care about offending Konoha…"
"A blessing in disguise."
He tried to move but failed. In the past few months, he had gained over 30 kilograms. His body shape had changed drastically.
"Hong… help me…"
Suddenly, Asuma heard a familiar voice.
It was that despicable voice—the very one that had caused Kurenai to misunderstand him and suspect him of an affair with Uchiha Sasuke. The voice that had led to their breakup, and his pathetic journey to the Snow Country to win her back—only to be captured by Orochimaru.
This… this was the chain of events that landed him in this mess.
If not for him, Asuma would never have had to suffer through this humiliation. He wouldn't have missed so many updates in his novel either.
Damn Uzumaki Naruto. If I escape, I'll make you suffer tenfold.
But for now, I'll endure. Wait for rescue.
"Kurenai? Naruto? Are you there?"
"I'm here! I'm stuck! Come help me!"
"And Kiba and Shino! They've been knocked unconscious by a masked man—check on them!"
Fearing he might be overlooked, Asuma shouted as loud as he could, trying to attract their attention.
But gradually… he realized something was off.
No one was answering him, and the tone of Kurenai Yuhi's voice with that brat Naruto was definitely not what he expected.
"Naruto… Sensei's arms and legs feel itchy… Can you scratch them for me~?"
At this point, Kurenai was clearly no longer in her right mind. She leaned her whole body against Naruto, pressing him against the wall, her soft and warm form melting into his.
Naruto had already heard about Asuma's obsession, but he had never experienced Kurenai's closeness before. The sensation of her smooth skin against his own was intoxicating.
Danger! Danger! Danger!
"Gulp…" Naruto swallowed hard, his body heating up as he met her eyes, which were brimming with obsessive desire.
The most elegant beauty of the previous Konoha generation now looked at him with hearts in her eyes.
Naruto could no longer hold back. With one hand, he held Kurenai by the waist, slowly sliding his palm along her kimono and lifting her slender, pale thigh.
"Kurenai-sensei… How can I help you?"
"You can… help me however you like…"
She hated saying it—but her brain and body were no longer in sync. Animal instinct had taken over.
"Okay then…"
Naruto leaned in, breathing heavily against her ear. "Brace yourself, Kurenai-sensei."
He gripped her soft thigh like kneading dough, pleasure surging through him.
"Hnn~!"
Kurenai whimpered, her thigh reddened from the pressure. Her lips quivered, and her fair neck flushed pink. She looked like a blooming violet in full heat.
Naruto embraced her tightly and bit into her shoulder.
"Na-Naruto… be gentler…"
"It hurts!"
But Naruto ignored her. "Didn't you say you needed help with the itch, Sensei?"
"Pain is the best cure."
As his teeth left trail after trail of marks on her shoulders, Kurenai's teary-eyed sobs filled the dungeon.
And all of it—every sound—was heard by Asuma Sarutobi, just a few meters away.
His smile, which had just started to return, froze.
"What… what are they doing?"
As a man—no, as a man who once loved Yuhi Kurenai—he knew. He knew exactly what was happening.
He'd read Icha Icha Paradise. He'd discussed scenes from it with Kakashi.
He'd imagined, countless times, his future life with Kurenai.
He understood.
And the more he understood, the more shattered he felt.
"BAKAYAROU!" he roared. "Save us first! Save Ya and Shino first!"
But he couldn't resist sneaking another listen.
"Naruto! Kurenai! Help me!!"
His cry echoed through the dungeon.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing Option 3. Reward: 90% control of Shukaku has been successfully granted.]
Stones began falling from the dungeon ceiling.
The impact made a papapap sound on the floor.
In the flickering darkness, Naruto's body surged with new power—an enormous mass of chakra rushed into him. About a quarter of the Nine-Tails' total chakra flooded his system.
Shukaku's chakra quickly followed, causing vivid purple curse seals to appear across Naruto's skin before they slowly fused into his chest.
He had now fully absorbed the power of the One-Tail as well.
Kurenai didn't notice. She was leaning weakly against the wall, trembling every time Asuma cried for help.
How had it come to this?
How could she ignore Asuma's cries while indulging herself with Naruto… right in front of him?
If this gets out… how will I ever face anyone again?
While her body was lost in desire, her mind screamed in shame.
Her will and her instincts were locked in a hopeless war. She shut her eyes and prayed:
Let this be a dream.
"Hong, we're childhood sweethearts!!"
"Save me!!"
Asuma was on the brink of a breakdown. Not only was he not rescued, he was being tormented by Naruto and Kurenai's… performance.
How dare they?!
Even a brothel girl would have some restraint!
Was this what his goddess had become?
"You bastards! If you're not going to save me, at least stop making noise!"
But who was listening?
Naruto's hand slid up Kurenai's thighs, then moved to her hair, gripping it gently as he pressed his face into her neck.
He inhaled her scent deeply—like fresh snow in spring. It made his soul shiver.
"Na… Naruto, stop!"
Kurenai's reason returned briefly. Her cheeks flushed with shame as she pushed his head away. "There are others here!"
Couldn't he hear Asuma yelling?!
At least give her some dignity!
"What are you talking about, Sensei?"
"I don't understand."
Naruto smiled, then kissed her deeply.
Her lips were soft and sweet, like spring dew. Naruto didn't want to let go.
Kurenai clenched his robes with trembling fingers.
—
"Uzumaki Naruto, Yuhi Kurenai…"
Asuma slumped.
They weren't here to rescue him.
They came to humiliate him.
This world should just burn.
—
In another space—
"Where is all this power coming from?" Uzumaki Chiname frowned, her eyes fixed on the surveillance screen.
Naruto had absorbed two massive chakras in one day.
She could understand the Nine-Tails—after all, he had always had a connection.
But the Shukaku?
When did Naruto even encounter it?
No battle. No signs of resistance. Just sudden purple curse marks, and the next thing she knew—it was absorbed.
I'll have to ask him directly… or I won't be able to sleep tonight.
—
In a pitch-black void—
The Sage of Six Paths sat cross-legged, chakra radiating from him. His third eye stared ahead.
A deep, wicked voice echoed from below.
"Ahahaha… Otsutsuki brat. You didn't expect someone to steal your son's chakra and absorb the Nine-Tails and One-Tail."
"If he finds out you suppressed him for ten years using his own chakra… won't he rebel against you?"
Otsutsuki Hagoromo closed his eyes.
"I don't know. But I do know one thing."
"In a few years at most… I will kill you."
A silence.
Then laughter.
"If I die, so be it. As long as I can take you and your brother with me… that's enough to settle a thousand-year grudge."
Hagoromo's expression darkened. That threat wasn't an empty one.
Though he'd sealed the being below, it was still powerful—powerful enough to exchange lives.
Ashura… Indra… grow faster.
I don't have much time left.
He waved his hand.
Two scenes appeared before him.
One showed Uchiha Sasuke heading to the capital of the Snow Country.
The other showed Konohamaru Sarutobi, training his Fire Release jutsu.
A sword to protect the brother…
A shield to protect the village.
—
Inside the Kazekage's office—
Temari sighed as she stamped documents, yawning as her eyes drooped.
With Lady Chiyo handing over full responsibility, Temari's daily schedule was grueling:
Ten hours of training.
Eight hours of paperwork.
One hour for basic needs.
Five hours of sleep.
Zero hours of entertainment.
She shoved the stack of papers aside and collapsed on the desk.
"It's been a while since I did anything embarrassing. I miss Naruto so much…"
"Is he thinking of me too?"
She grabbed a photo from the drawer—a photo she'd taken with Naruto just before leaving Konoha.
"He must be thinking of me too…"
Bang bang bang!
Someone knocked on the office door.
"Oh god… what now?" she groaned. "Come in."
"Lady Temari! Terrible news!"
It was Maki, her old team leader, looking pale and panicked.
"What happened?" she asked, straightening.
"One-Tail is gone!"
Temari blinked. "You mean… Gaara left the village?"
"No! Gaara is fine!"
"But… the One-Tail Shukaku inside him is gone!"
"I can't explain it. You need to come see for yourself!"
Temari's heart sank.
Tailed beasts were the core of a village's strength.
If Shukaku was really gone… this was a disaster.
"What do you mean Shukaku's gone but Gaara is fine?!"
None of it made sense.
Yet.