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Naruto woke up and stared at Black Zetsu, his eyes filled with confusion.
"Naruto… did you see something?"
"I… I… saw some weird images. It must be my imagination, right? There's no way Black Uncle would…! Definitely! It has to be!"
Naruto shook his head firmly, emphasizing his denial.
Black Zetsu looked thoughtful, a flicker of darkness passing through his eyes.
"Naruto, let's end today's training here. I'll go prepare dinner."
At the mention of dinner, Naruto's stomach growled, and the strange suspicion in his mind was temporarily forgotten.
"What are we eating tonight, Black Uncle? Grilled fish again?"
It seemed that after following Black Zetsu around, grilled fish was what he ate most. Naruto used to wolf down cup ramen and expired milk without complaint. Now, he was actually starting to get picky.
Black Zetsu took out a white apron and tied it on. "What? Want me to cook something special just for you?"
Naruto sat cross-legged, rubbing a finger under his nose with a grin. "Seriously, though… I kinda miss Ichiraku's ramen."
"Ichiraku?"
"Yeah! Uncle Ichiraku's ramen! The flavor is absolutely amazing—the kind you can't forget after just one bowl! To be honest, Pervy Sage, Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, and Sasuke and Sakura… they're all regulars there! I really want you to try it someday, ya know!"
Naruto promoted it to Black Zetsu with boundless enthusiasm.
"Then I'll have to try it someday," Black Zetsu said. "So, you'd better master the power of your right eye quickly so we can leave this place."
"ZzzZzz…"
As he spoke, Naruto had already curled up beside the firewood, fast asleep.
Black Zetsu untied the apron, crumpled it into a ball, and casually tossed it into Naruto's pack.
"What a clueless kid. Though, the ability to fall asleep anytime, anywhere… is truly enviable."
"Gulp… gulp… Uncle Ichiraku, time to eat!"
In his sleep, Naruto ground his teeth.
Black Zetsu sneered. "Heh. Fool. Dreaming about food even now. Serves you right for being my plaything."
Naruto turned over, more sleep-talk escaping his lips. "Uncle Ichiraku, this is Black Uncle… Ah, he looks a bit weird, but he's a good guy! Give him a bowl too!"
Black Zetsu sneered again. "Heh heh. Calling him clueless is an understatement. This kid's head is full of holes."
"Mmm, Black Uncle…" Naruto mumbled. "I'll ask Granny Tsunade… ask if she can heal your burns!"
"…" Black Zetsu was speechless for a moment.
"You'd be better off focusing on activating the Infinite Tsukuyomi to revive Mother!"
That night, he sat beside Naruto, watching him intently. The whispers from dreams could reflect Naruto's deepest psychology. By constantly monitoring his mental state, he could manipulate him all the better.
Late into the night, Naruto suddenly shed tears in his sleep.
"Sasuke… just took a wrong turn! Everyone, don't…!"
Listening to the sleep-talk, Black Zetsu knew Naruto was likely dreaming about the people of Konoha condemning Sasuke.
The rest of the night passed in silence.
Early the next morning, Naruto woke to see Black Zetsu with his back to him, stirring a large pot with a ladle.
"Naruto, did you have a nightmare?"
Naruto paused, then told Black Zetsu about his dream.
"I dreamed Sasuke returned to the village, but everyone refused to forgive him… They called him a criminal for attacking the village and said he should pay with his life! I tried to stop them, but no one would listen! I'm so scared it might become real!"
Black Zetsu scooped up a ladle of broth, tasted it, frowned slightly, and added another pinch of spice.
He asked, "If what you saw in your dream became reality, what would you do?"
Naruto clenched his fists.
"That goes without saying! I'd do everything to make Sasuke kneel before everyone, tears and snot running down his face, and genuinely repent! I'd make him beg for everyone's forgiveness for his mistakes!"
Black Zetsu smiled. "And if Sasuke refuses to cooperate?"
"Then I'll beat him down myself!" Naruto declared firmly. "I'll punch him again and again until he truly understands what he did wrong!"
Black Zetsu's smile widened. "What if, even after all that, people still won't forgive him?"
Naruto gritted his teeth. "Then I'll kneel and beg for their forgiveness! I'll become the greatest Hokage the village has ever seen! I'll make Sasuke my assistant, and we'll atone through our actions! Once everyone sees the results of our hard work and recognizes Sasuke's value, they'll definitely, definitely forgive him! No matter how hard it is, I'll never give up! Because that's my ninja way, ya know!"
His impassioned speech brought a smirk to Black Zetsu's lips.
Heh heh heh… Naruto, you really are a natural-born savior. But what will you do when you find out the real culprit those Konoha bastards want to skin alive and drink the blood of isn't Sasuke… but you? Will you fall into darkness like Obito did? Hahahaha! You've already absorbed Madara Uchiha. That darkness is your power now. You will become the strongest executor of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, the ultimate guarantee for my new plan to save Mother!
"Sasuke must have done something incredible in a past life to deserve a friend like you."
Black Zetsu turned around, a warm, approving smile on his face. In his hands was a bowl of steaming, aromatic ramen.
Naruto started drooling.
"Black Uncle… is this?!"
"Homemade ramen, made with love," Black Zetsu announced. "I'm confident it's as good as that Ichiraku's. Try it!"
"Oh my god… I never knew you had this skill, Black Uncle!"
Overjoyed, Naruto dug in with gusto.
"Oishii! Oishii!"
Black Zetsu chuckled inwardly. Heh heh… That's right. Just praise your Black Uncle. You don't need any other 'uncle'.
"Black Uncle's ramen is just as good as Uncle Ichiraku's!" Naruto exclaimed.
…
"And that… is the past and present of the shinobi known as Sasuke Uchiha."
Orochimaru finished his tale.
Tsunade was unable to compose herself for a long time. She looked to Jiraiya, the man she trusted most, for his reaction.
But Jiraiya's stance was expressed through his silence.
"You… you already knew?"
Jiraiya nodded.
"Yes. At first, I was as skeptical as you are. But the Great Toad Sage has already confirmed it with a prophecy. You know the toads' prophecies are absolute."
Tsunade's expression was a storm of emotions as she gazed at the shimmering, colorful sky of Shikkotsu Forest. Combined with Orochimaru's account, Sasuke's recent bizarre behavior… it all finally made sense.
"So that's it… So that's how it is…!"
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