"Oh, right—there's something else. I almost forgot to mention it."
Ash paused briefly before continuing.
"I'll be leaving for a while. Probably around three years. I feel like my path has reached a bottleneck, and I need a breakthrough. Because of that, I plan to find a place to go into seclusion."
As he spoke, Ash had already consulted the system internally.
If he used a Copy Card to return directly to the main world, time inside this world would be completely frozen.
However, if he spent 300,000 attribute points, he could instead set the exact duration of his absence. No matter how long he stayed in the main world, once he returned, precisely three years would have passed here.
Three hundred thousand points was an astronomical price.
If Ash's reserves were any lower, leaving this copy world right now wouldn't even be an option.
After hearing his words, Konan's expression changed immediately.
"Why do you have to leave?" she asked reluctantly. "Can't you stay here? With Nagato and me around, no one would dare disturb you."
She was clearly unwilling to part with him.
Ash shook his head.
"This isn't optional. Even I don't fully understand what this breakthrough entails. For safety reasons, I need to hide somewhere absolutely unknown. Your strength is unquestionable—but Tobi is different. His space–time ninjutsu gives him too many openings. You wouldn't even have time to react."
Konan wanted to argue, but Ash continued calmly.
Nagato spoke up before she could finish.
"He's right, Konan. Tobi's space–time technique is a serious threat. One-on-one, he might not be able to defeat Ash—but we're in a temporary alliance. If he attacks while we let our guard down, the consequences could be far worse than expected."
Hearing this, Konan finally fell silent.
"I understand…"
She leaned into Ash's arms with a gloomy expression, while Haku, standing on the other side, quietly tightened his grip on Ash's sleeve as well.
The atmosphere grew heavy.
After a moment, Nagato asked:
"When are you leaving?"
He knew this wasn't the right moment, but it was better to hear the answer now than to keep avoiding it.
"Within the next few days," Ash replied. "I'll need you to inform the other members. My actions in Konoha were… excessive. Even if the major villages don't openly move against me, surveillance is inevitable."
Nearly all of Konoha's buildings had been destroyed, and tens of thousands had died.
This wasn't something that could be ignored.
"Disappearing for three years is actually the best option. It keeps things from escalating further."
Nagato nodded.
"Don't worry. I'll handle the organization."
To him, this wasn't a serious issue. Ash would only be gone for three years, and there was no danger to his life. In the grand scheme of things, three years would pass quickly.
Ash then added:
"Also, leave the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki—Uzumaki Naruto—to me. Our goal is the Nine-Tails, but if possible, Naruto must stay alive. I gave Kushina Uzumaki my word."
Kushina's sealing technique—used as part of that exchange—was incredibly valuable.
It might only be usable for combat in this world, but in the main world, sealing techniques could be applied to storage scrolls, barrier formations, and spatial constructs.
That alone made keeping the promise worthwhile.
This would be indispensable for the establishment of a small town in the future.
Although the main world also possessed space-compression technology, it was far from practical. Either the compressed space was too unstable, or the capacity was simply too small—at best, no more than a backpack.
Sealing scrolls were different.
Their size could be adjusted freely during production, they were easy to carry, and their applications were extremely broad. For this reason alone, Ash intended to preserve Uzumaki Naruto's life. Setting aside personal sentiment, Ash had plenty of methods at his disposal. Moreover, once a Tailed Beast was extracted, the Jinchūriki did not necessarily have to die.
"Our objective is only the Nine-Tails," Nagato said calmly. "As for Uzumaki Naruto himself, I don't particularly care."
To him, the matter was simple.
The Tailed Beast was the goal. The fate of the Jinchūriki was secondary.
That Night
Konan lay quietly in Ash's arms. After a long silence, she finally spoke.
"Can't you really take me with you… and Haku as well?"
Her voice was soft, but the reluctance in it was unmistakable. She truly hated the feeling of separation.
Ash sighed gently.
"I'm sorry. This isn't something I can joke about. But you can rest assured—my safety is guaranteed. I will return in three years."
He paused, then added firmly:
"You and Haku stay with the organization and wait for me."
As he spoke, Ash lifted a hand and gently ran his fingers through Konan's soft blue hair. Since being together with her, he had encouraged her to keep it long. Compared to short hair, long hair suited her far better—more elegant, more composed, and more fitting of the woman he loved.
The night was quiet.
And for a brief moment, everything felt peaceful.
(End of Chapter)
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