Beyond the Ninja World, on Sun God Star.
Hyuga Hitoshi and Orochimaru were once again discussing the details of how to create a limited version of Infinite Tsukuyomi—a controlled illusion scenario.
When Hyuga Hitoshi shared his version of the Naruto world, showing everything that happened in his memories through visuals, Orochimaru was both shocked and dazed. At the same time, he gained a new appreciation for Hyuga Hitoshi's wild imagination.
After analyzing it, Orochimaru pointed out that if they based the trial on Hyuga Hitoshi's vision of the ninja world, then the script titled *"This Time, I, Danzo, Will Never Step Down!"* could have a massive impact. If someone could truly break free from the limitations of "Danzo" as a character, their personal growth would be undeniable.
Why?
Looking at Danzo's life, it was a string of failures. From the moment he hesitated to volunteer as the rear guard during a mission, he had already lost to Sarutobi Hiruzen in every way. That hesitation marked the beginning of his tragic life.
Failed to become Hokage, created the Root organization to strengthen his influence, played behind the scenes to stir up conflicts, set up Yahiko's death, manipulated the Nine-Tails incident, orchestrated the Uchiha massacre, and in the end, was killed by Sasuke.
At first glance, his life might not seem remarkable, but it was filled with trials. Even Orochimaru found the idea intriguing. If he were to take over Danzo's body at the moment of that first key decision, would he have the courage to step forward and volunteer?
Yes, even the very first choice in this scenario was a test.
Courage was part of it, but the decision also depended on the circumstances. After all, if Danzo had been the one to speak up back then, who could say for sure that Tobirama Senju's reaction would be the same?
What if Tobirama simply responded with, *"Alright, Danzo, you stay behind. We'll regroup later and avenge you."*
If that happened, it would be game over on the spot.
The world of Infinite Tsukuyomi was full of endless possibilities. Even though it was technically an illusion, the personalities of the people inside would develop on their own. This unpredictability made the world feel real—so real that people could lose themselves in it.
So, there was no way to be sure that changing the person left behind wouldn't lead to Tobirama deciding to stay himself, escorting his students to safety instead.
That meant the first real challenge of the Danzo scenario wasn't just about courage—it required the participant to carefully observe the scene, analyze Tobirama's expression, and decide whether or not stepping up was truly the right move.
Regardless of the choices made, when participants woke up from this limited Infinite Tsukuyomi trial, their way of thinking and their ability to stand firm in their beliefs would have undoubtedly improved.
"You really are a genius."
After a quick analysis, Orochimaru exhaled deeply. But then he rubbed his chin, his eyes showing growing interest.
"Now that I think about it, some of the scenarios you created within the Infinite Tsukuyomi world… My teacher could also serve as a great trial point. Not just him, but the Fourth Hokage as well."
Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Hyuga Hitoshi nodded slightly. In fact, he had already nearly finished writing Sarutobi Hiruzen's trial script. But because the Third Hokage's life contained too many key moments, he planned to use it as an advanced trial for those looking to further develop their mental resilience.
After all, even Hyuga Hitoshi had a certain respect for the old village leader. Hiruzen's life was full of frustrations, yet at the same time, it was incredibly eventful and filled with difficult choices.
Caught between the legacy of the First and Second Hokage, his lackluster abilities as the Third Hokage made his job extremely stressful. He had to deal with the problems left behind by his predecessors, maintain Konoha's stability, and still prove his worth on the battlefield.
It could be said that his entire life was a series of trials.
Anyone who experienced Hiruzen's life in the illusion would surely learn from it—at the very least, they'd know how to avoid many of the mistakes he made.
And what about Namikaze Minato?
A Hokage who had very little actual authority but was still competent. A father and husband who wasn't perfect but at least tried. Hyuga Hitoshi had little to say about him. He always felt that Minato didn't have to use the Reaper Death Seal back then. If he had survived, Konoha's history might have been completely different—the Kumogakure peace talks, the Uchiha situation, everything.
So, was he really a responsible Hokage? Hard to say.
But Orochimaru was right—Minato's scenario had its own merits.
Hyuga Hitoshi rubbed his chin, his eyes flashing with thought. He suddenly remembered the two corpses stored in his personal space. Maybe it was time to let Naruto experience firsthand the struggles his father faced. If Naruto could understand his father's reasoning, perhaps he'd work to gather enough achievements to revive both his parents.
Or maybe, given the more realistic mindset that Kakashi had drilled into him, Naruto would just think his father was an idiot and only revive his mother instead.
This wasn't just random speculation—Hyuga Hitoshi had observed Naruto closely and discovered an interesting pattern.
Just like in the original story, when the Nine-Tails attack happened, Minato and Kushina sealed a portion of their chakra inside Naruto, allowing him to meet them later in life under specific conditions.
That meeting had already happened. When Hyuga Hitoshi collected the Tailed Beasts, he inevitably broke Naruto's seal, triggering Minato and Kushina's chakra to activate. They reappeared in Naruto's spiritual world.
But this Naruto wasn't the naïve, idealistic boy from the original timeline. His attitude toward his parents was completely different—he clearly felt much closer to Kushina than to Minato.
Just like Hyuga Hitoshi, Naruto found his father's choices incomprehensible. He even asked Minato directly why he had to sacrifice himself.
Minato's answer didn't satisfy Naruto at all.
At the time, the Fourth Hokage had seemingly reached the peak of his career. But with Hiruzen constantly interfering behind the scenes, all he had gained was secondhand smoke from the Hokage office and an endless pile of paperwork. There was no real change.
Unable to change the village, uncertain about the future, he made the decision to fulfill his duties as Hokage, even if it meant his life.
But from Naruto's perspective, things looked completely different.
He believed that if his father had survived, Konoha wouldn't have fallen into such chaos. At the very least, he wouldn't have let the village handle the Kumogakure negotiations so poorly. He would have supported Sun God Hitoshi, who, in turn, would have stayed in Konoha, making the village stronger and preventing everything that followed.
But Minato had never been optimistic about Sun God Hitoshi. He had doubts about Hyuga Hitoshi's strength, remembering him as just another average ninja.
This left Naruto completely speechless.
Faced with these differences in belief, Naruto didn't try to force himself to understand his father's decision. Instead, after his latest training session, he successfully grasped a small amount of Asura's chakra and could now use a bit of Yang Release energy.
With that faint power, he chose to stabilize his mother's chakra inside him.
Then, using the excuse of not being familiar with controlling his power, he told his mom that, unfortunately, he couldn't let his dad live in his spiritual world too. And that was that.
Seeing Kushina exist by Naruto's side as a spirit of his weapon—or more like a guardian spirit—Hyuga Hitoshi found it a bit strange. He swore that after tearing Asura's soul into pieces and removing it from Naruto's body, he hadn't touched the Asura chakra inside Naruto. Just like how Sasuke would gradually awaken his Yin Release abilities, Naruto should also be able to awaken his Yang Release powers over time.
He believed that if Naruto wanted to, his dad could also remain stable in his spiritual world.
But Naruto had visibly changed. If he couldn't understand it, then there was no need to. Between arguing with his dad over who was right or wrong and simply enjoying the long-overdue love of his mother, he chose the latter.
That was the mindset of a teenager—childish, maybe, but it was what he truly wanted. This was the real Naruto in his youth. Maybe one day, when he "grows up," he'll try to understand his father and even work hard to bring him back. But not now.
And as it turned out, Hyuga Hitoshi's analysis was pretty much spot on.
The Ninja World.
Land of Fire, New Konohagakure.
The first round of preliminaries had just ended. Naruto walked with a bright smile, his hands behind his head, and a small Nine-Tails perched on his shoulder, looking quite pleased with himself.
He might have seemed like he was just basking in the sun, but in reality, he was showing off to his mother, Kushina, about how he had defeated his opponent in today's match.
The grand ninja tournament had attracted over 95% of the world's shinobi. Even those who were injured or old showed up, hoping to take a chance. For many, this was an opportunity for recovery—something they didn't want to miss.
Of course, some people signed up just to make up the numbers. That's why the preliminaries used a points-based system where wins determined advancement. Unless someone was ridiculously unlucky, they were bound to make it to the next round.
Ranking in the preliminaries was also important since it decided the order of matches in the main event and came with special rewards.
"My son is really strong!"
Inside Naruto's mind, Kushina clenched her fists, cheering him on. From the way she was jumping around, you'd think she was the one competing. It suited her lively personality. After all, her spirit form was basically frozen at the moment right after she had given birth to Naruto.
"But seriously, the new Konohagakure has changed so much."
Thanks to the small Nine-Tails' vision, Kushina's chakra could observe the outside world. She was amazed by how much the village had developed. There were all kinds of strange things she had never even heard of before.
"It's changed a lot compared to before, and new things keep popping up every year," Naruto said with a goofy smile.
"Since Lord Fifth has a good relationship with the Sun God, the village has been leading the way. It's kind of crazy to think about. If it weren't for Lord Fifth, Konohagakure's relationship with the Sun God Kingdom and the Sun God himself might have turned out very differently."
That was a solid point. If it weren't for Fugaku becoming Hokage and handling things so well, just based on how indifferent the people of Konohagakure had been during those negotiations with Kumogakure, the village wouldn't have gotten any benefits afterward. In fact, they might've even been attacked by the Sun God Kingdom's followers.
"All thanks to the wise and mighty Lord Fifth!" Naruto sighed.
"But speaking of which, Mom, did the village have those Black-Haired Beauty Contests back in your day? Did the winner get to serve the Hokage or the Daimyo?"
Wait.
Hell no. This was the first time she'd even heard of such a thing. Clearly, Hyuga Hitoshi had too much free time.
Kushina's mouth twitched, and she looked completely dumbfounded.
That man, who used to only mess around with Mikoto, now had double-digit numbers of divine consorts and had built such an empire. Not only did he create the powerful Sun God Kingdom, but he even brought back an entire planet.
If she hadn't seen that planet herself—the one that didn't exist when she was alive—she would've thought she and Naruto had been trapped in some kind of genjutsu.
"All I can say is, that guy's stamina is something else. Let's be real—whether it's the Daimyo or the Hokage, forget handling dozens, even handling one would probably be too much for them."
Kushina casually blurted out something Naruto didn't quite understand, and her expression grew serious as if she had just realized something.
But Naruto completely misinterpreted her meaning.
"Yeah, the Sun God is definitely built different. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to father a monster like Sasuke," Naruto nodded in agreement.
"At the very least, he's way stronger than my dad. Honestly, if I were born from you and the Sun God, I'd definitely be stronger than Sasuke!"
That's it. That's the real problem—bad genes and a weak foundation!
What the hell is this kid even saying?!
Kushina immediately exploded, her hair practically standing on end. But the weird thing was, even though her face turned red, she didn't actually refute him.
Well… maybe because she also thought he had a point. And the fact that Hyuga Hitoshi was stronger than Minato was an undeniable truth.
You have to understand—speedster ninjas tend to apply their philosophy of efficiency to all aspects of life. They live by a "make every second count" mindset. You can't expect them to go beyond double-digit seconds—that would be disrespecting their way of life.
Of course, the power of Sun God Hyuga Hitoshi is overwhelming in every way.
Ever since her chakra was stabilized by her son's power, Kushina had been in shock. She had witnessed the changes in the ninja world and gained even more respect for Hyuga Hitoshi, yet deep down, she always felt a sense of uncertainty. If Minato hadn't been so resolute during the Nine-Tails attack back then, could they have held on until that man arrived to help?
A vague memory from her final moments was becoming clearer. Before Minato used the Reaper Death Seal, she suddenly remembered seeing a distant figure approaching. But Minato's use of the seal enraged the Nine-Tails. When he tried to seal the other half of the beast, the Nine-Tails turned its attack toward Naruto. She and Minato had no choice but to sacrifice themselves to protect their son.
After all, she was an Uzumaki. Her strong life force allowed her, in her dying moments, to vaguely hear that man sigh.
"Sigh... I am the clan leader. My priority is ensuring the safety of my people, not saving the Hokage. Maybe if you hadn't acted so fast, or if you had moved the Nine-Tails outside the village first..."
He didn't say the rest, but Kushina understood. It took time for him to get there, and he had moved as quickly as possible. In fact, he had arrived before the Third Hokage and the others. But it was still too late—just like Minato was always one step ahead, this time, Minato had reached the end first.
And she knew what she had heard was real.
During the Nine-Tails attack, Hyuga Hitoshi was strong, but not strong enough to flip the entire ninja world upside down and protect his clan from everyone's greed. He had to work in the shadows, securing his clan's safety first. While the Nine-Tails was rampaging through the village and Minato was fighting the masked Obito, Hyuga Hitoshi had to prioritize protecting certain key people—like his future father-in-law.
It was understandable. He and Minato only had a working relationship. His actual connection with Kushina was through Mikoto. Even if he wanted to help, he had to choose his battles carefully, making sure not to expose too much.
But no matter how fast he rushed, by the time he reached the scene, he only saw Minato using the Reaper Death Seal from a distance. His presence even made Minato more cautious, causing him to speed up the sealing process.
So, in the end, the couple died just like that. Hyuga Hitoshi could only watch as Minato walked to his death. He wasn't a saint—he wasn't going to beg Minato to let him intervene. The fact that he had come at all was already a rare move for him. It wasn't like he could have foreseen everything and warned Minato before the Nine-Tails attack even began.
Besides, Minato, as Hokage, treated all clans equally. Before Minato became Hokage, he and Hyuga Hitoshi weren't friends. After becoming Hokage, that didn't change. Their relationship remained strictly hierarchical.
That was Hyuga Hitoshi's role in the Nine-Tails attack—he tried to help but failed.
With a look of realization, Kushina finally understood. She was now sure of his identity, though the revelation left her feeling a little melancholic.
Her sigh, however, was completely misunderstood by her son.
"Mom, you won't have to wait much longer. Sasuke mentioned something to me earlier—Sun God Hyuga Hitoshi seems to have some kind of project going on, and he even invited me. It looks like I can earn a lot of merit points from it—probably enough to bring you back to life. Once I finish it, you won't have to stay stuck in the spiritual space anymore."
Even though his personality had changed somewhat, Naruto was still filial at heart. In fact, it wasn't just Kushina—he planned to revive the father he never got to understand as well. He just didn't say it out loud.
"I'm not in a hurry, and that's not why I sighed."
Kushina shook her head. Just now, she had remembered the masked man who ripped the Nine-Tails out of her body. Back then, she had felt an odd sense of familiarity when facing him.
Even a bold and outspoken woman like her had a delicate side. She had always treated that awkward boy like a little brother, constantly bickering with him. Deep down, she understood him well. She just didn't want to admit it when they met that night.
But now, the truth behind the Nine-Tails attack was clear.
The man in the mask—just as she had suspected—was Uchiha Obito.
The mastermind behind the Nine-Tails attack. It was hard to believe he had become like that.
But none of that mattered anymore. Just like Hyuga Hitoshi's sigh, the past was in the past. Now, she only cared about the present. She just wanted to watch over her son in peace.
"If it's called a trial, then it should make you stronger. But I don't want you doing something dangerous just to revive me. Being able to watch over you like this is already enough for me."
Kushina's words were sincere. But to Naruto, they only strengthened his resolve. The more she said things like that, the more determined he became to bring her back to life.
At that moment, in the distance, the ever-serious Sasuke, who had also passed the preliminaries, was waving at him.
"That's Mikoto and Hyuga Hitoshi's son, right?" Kushina asked curiously, seeing a shadow of Hyuga Hitoshi in him.
"Yeah, he's ridiculously strong. If I could, I'd switch dads in a heartbeat. Even if it's just in a dream, I'd want to make it happen."
Naruto said it with a straight face.
Kushina slowly formed a question mark in her mind, and after a brief pause, she silently muttered, "What the hell…"