"Mirror worlds…"
Back in the Hokage's office, Fujimoto Tōma murmured the words quietly. If he were being honest, his interest in that other world was stronger than he cared to admit.
Sakura's reaction had been telling. The moment she'd seen him, fear had flashed across her face before she even understood why. That alone was proof enough. The version of him that existed over there wasn't someone ordinary. Not approachable. Not gentle.
Tōma found himself wondering what choice that version of him would make if placed in his current position.
"My world. The mirror world. Sasuke's fractured timeline. The Dragon Vein incident…" He mentally counted them off and exhaled. "There really are a lot of worlds."
Originally, he hadn't even considered the mirror world a true reality. If Sakura from that place hadn't crossed over, he would have written the whole thing off as a large-scale illusion or a strange aftereffect of genjutsu.
But Sakura had crossed over.
That alone ruled out hallucination.
And once that door opened, an uncomfortable thought followed close behind.
Obito's plan.
If a limited illusion could produce a real, functioning alternate world, then what about the Infinite Tsukuyomi? Every dream world created by it… could they all exist somewhere beyond perception?
And if that were the case, how could anyone prove that their own world wasn't the false one?
"…That's unsettling," Tōma muttered.
After a moment, his gaze drifted to the corner of the room. The Moon Sprite was curled up there, asleep in a lazy sprawl. Sensing his attention, it slowly opened its eyes, yawned, and hopped onto his shoulder with an unbothered little bounce.
Tōma flicked it lightly. "You really have it easy."
Playtime ended quickly.
Naruto still carried a Flying Thunder God mark. Tōma hadn't been able to sense him earlier, but that didn't mean the mark was gone. Normally, Naruto's presence vanished completely if he crossed into another world.
But with the Moon Sprite assisting…
The result came instantly.
There it was. Familiar. Clear. Stable.
Compared to sensing across parallel layers, Naruto's location stood out sharply. If Tōma activated the technique now, he could step straight into the mirror world.
He hesitated.
Then, without warning, another presence brushed against his perception.
For a brief instant, Tōma saw him.
The same face. The same outline.
But empty.
No expression. No warmth. Eyes cold enough to freeze thought itself.
They were aware of each other.
And the meaning behind that gaze was unmistakable.
You are not welcome.
That single exchange explained everything. Sakura's fear. The pressure she'd felt just standing near that version of him. Living beside someone like that would feel like being watched by a blade that never dulled.
Tōma withdrew his perception without hesitation.
If he wasn't welcome, there was no reason to force his way in. Curiosity didn't outweigh common sense. Besides, going over there now would only be asking for trouble.
There were more immediate concerns.
The other four Kage had returned to their villages. The five daimyō had given formal approval. Meetings were already being arranged to discuss the next phase of the war.
Tōma tapped his fingers against the desk.
He already knew how this war would ultimately play out. In the end, it would come down to individual power. Grand strategies and coalition maneuvers would matter far less than people believed.
But they didn't know that.
So he had to play the role expected of him. Think ahead. Show leadership. He couldn't rely entirely on Nara Shikaku, especially when he possessed information no one else had.
If he still lost in planning despite that advantage, it would be embarrassing.
Elsewhere in the village, Yamanaka Ino stood frozen as Sakura vanished right in front of her.
Just before disappearing, Sakura had spoken softly.
"Thank you, Ino. Thank you for being my friend in this world too."
That one sentence made everything fall into place.
So that was why she'd acted so strangely.
Still… did that world really exist?
Ino couldn't help imagining it. A sharp, intelligent, slender Chōji. A dazed Shikamaru clinging to him, begging to go eat barbecue.
Her brain rejected the image outright.
No wonder Sakura had been overwhelmed.
After a moment's thought, Ino started searching the village. If the other Sakura had returned to her own world, then the Sakura from this one should be back.
She didn't have to look far.
Sakura was standing with her parents, laughing.
Ino froze.
For a moment, she wondered if the switch hadn't ended. Sakura usually got annoyed by her parents' constant jokes. But this Sakura looked relaxed. Comfortable.
"Sakura?" Ino called out.
Sakura turned, studied Ino carefully, then visibly relaxed.
"Yeah. That's more like it. This is the Ino I know."
Ino broke into a grin. "You're back!"
"Huh?" Sakura blinked, startled. Did Ino know what had happened?
They moved aside, and Sakura listened as Ino explained everything.
"So… I came here?" Sakura murmured. "No wonder I didn't see myself over there."
She learned how everyone had acted, what they'd done to help her, and that Tōma himself had shown up.
"…He came too?" Sakura stiffened. "The Hokage?"
"The way you're talking," Ino said, narrowing her eyes, "what was he like over there?"
Sakura scratched her cheek awkwardly. "Way too dignified. Naruto and I couldn't even speak loudly around him."
Ino laughed. "I kinda want to meet that version. But mine's better."
Sakura smiled and looked toward the Hokage Rock.
In that world, her father was the Fourth Hokage. At first, she'd loved it. Being the child of a hero. Being special.
But over time, she understood Naruto better. The loneliness. The weight. And unlike her, Naruto had endured it far longer. Worse still, his status as a hero's son had been hidden, leaving him isolated on every side.
Naruto had suffered far more than she ever had.
She remembered the smile Naruto wore in that other world, surrounded by Minato and Kushina. Warm. Whole.
"This life is fine," Sakura said softly. "I like it."
And honestly, a flirtatious Sasuke was completely unacceptable.
Sakura's return meant Naruto had returned as well.
That evening, Naruto walked straight into the Hokage's office.
"Naruto?" Tōma looked up. "You're back?"
"Yeah. Just got back."
"What brings you here?"
Naruto hesitated. "You're still working?"
Tōma glanced at the sunset beyond the window. "Normally I'd be done by now. But with the war coming, overtime's unavoidable."
Naruto took a breath. "Then I'll ask."
Tōma studied him. Naruto had never looked this serious before.
"If you really succeed," Naruto asked slowly, "will you make the world better?"
The question landed heavier than expected.
Tōma didn't answer right away. This mattered.
"I don't know," he said honestly. "The future's unpredictable. But I'll do everything I can to make my country better."
He smiled faintly. "If things got worse under my leadership, that'd just prove I wasn't good enough. And I don't believe that."
Naruto stared, then finally grinned in relief. He raised his thumb.
"Got it! I'll help you, believe it!"
Tōma raised an eyebrow. "What happened over there?"
Naruto explained.
In the mirror world, the shinobi world was already unified. People from different lands lived together peacefully. It had left him confused.
Then he met Minato and Kushina, who treated him as their son.
They'd opposed that world's Tōma at first. Many had. But he'd pushed through, unified the shinobi world, and proved them wrong. Watching the world improve had slowly changed their minds.
"If your goal makes the world better," they'd told Naruto, "then support it."
That was why Naruto came back and asked.
"I see," Tōma said quietly. He was surprised the other him had unified the shinobi world first, but it made sense. The strength had always been there. He just hated hassle.
"That version only unified the shinobi world?" Tōma asked.
Naruto nodded.
Tōma smiled. "Then our goals aren't quite the same."
He leaned forward. "Train hard, Naruto. The stronger you are, the less painful the transition will be."
"Yes!" Naruto replied without hesitation.
After Naruto left, Tōma leaned back in his chair, a spark of motivation igniting in his chest.
He hadn't expected things to resolve this way.
If anything, he almost owed Obito a thank-you.
The enemy would be more cautious now. But that was fine.
They only understood the strength of yesterday's Fujimoto Tōma.
Tomorrow's would be stronger.
The mirror-world version of him had already proven the path was possible.
No reason to fall behind.
...
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