The golden gates of the Sanctuary creaked open under the morning sun.
Naruto stood at their head, robe loose over his bare chest, prayer beads around his neck. Beside him, his wives gathered, clothed in sheer silks that draped over their still-youthful bodies and billowed in the breeze.
Children peeked from behind their mothers' legs, clutching silken wraps and wooden toys.
Beyond the gates stood three figures.
The first: an elderly kunoichi with hair like white river stone, staff clutched firmly, eyes sharp.
The second: a tall woman with dark purple hair tied in an elegant braid, her robe marked with the Mist's new crest.
The third: a younger kunoichi in black tactical robes, scarred cheek, fierce eyes scanning the Sanctuary with both suspicion and open curiosity.
The elder spoke first.
"Uzumaki Naruto," she said, voice surprisingly strong. "We come as emissaries from the Five Allied Villages."
Naruto inclined his head, eyes calm but guarded.
"We have heard… stories," she continued, gaze sweeping over the mothers, the children, the swollen bellies of those newly quickening with life again.
"Stories of a man who has created more than a clan. A… legacy of flame and womb."
Ino's eyes narrowed.Sakura shifted her stance protectively.Tsunade smiled coldly.Hinata simply clutched Himeko tighter to her chest.
"And what do you seek?" Naruto asked softly.
The Mist emissary stepped forward, eyes glinting with hidden heat.
"To see. To witness. To understand…"
She paused, lips curving into a faint smile.
"…and perhaps to join."
A soft murmur spread through the harem.
Aya blushed, clinging to Naruto's robe.Karin scoffed under her breath.Sasuko's eyes narrowed.Mizuha tilted her head with cautious interest.
The young kunoichi in black spoke next, her voice blunt:
"They say your seed burns with chakra potent enough to awaken bloodlines long lost. They say your children will become legends. They say…"
Her cheeks flushed faintly, but her eyes did not waver.
"…they say your touch ruins a woman for any other man."
Silence fell.
Naruto met her gaze evenly.
"I am not a weapon," he said quietly. "I am a father. A lover. A protector. These women are not trophies — they are my soul."
The elder watched him long and hard.
Then bowed her head slightly.
"Perhaps. But the world has changed. The Five Villages are crumbling. And your clan may be the only hope of balance."
She straightened, eyes gleaming.
"We come to request… a demonstration."
Ino bristled. "We're not some breeding show."
But Tsunade placed a calming hand on her shoulder.
"Perhaps we let them watch," she said softly, her golden eyes flicking to Naruto with heat. "So they understand what it means… to be chosen by the flame."
Naruto's heart thudded in his chest.
The children giggled nearby, unaware of the tension brewing like a storm above them.
And as the emissaries waited in expectant silence…
Naruto whispered to his wives:
"Prepare the seal chamber."