Zetsu said, first came the anime, then came the game.
Senju Wakama finally understood the profound meaning of that statement.
The "Ninja World" he inhabited was a game world.
First came the anime "Naruto," and only then did his world come to be.
So that's how it was...
He was a paper-thin character, and what's more...
With a serious expression, Senju Wakama searched for his own name on a certain search engine.
The results showed nothing but his 2D picture and his cause of death.
Without him realizing it, several hours were wasted just like that.
Today, Senju Wakama had no heart for studying; he was searching for "himself" on the network of this highly advanced world.
"...Brother Zetsu, is this the truth?"
Senju Wakama stared blankly at the long block of text on the screen. "During the Warring States Period, Big Brother and Madara met at the Naka River, and I... died... Father slapped Big Brother and told him to go back and reflect..."
These scenes felt as if they had happened just yesterday.
It was just that what Senju Wakama had personally experienced was different from the plot shown in the anime.
In his reality, there was Tsukuyo.
It was Tsukuyo...
Because of Tsukuyo, he was able to live.
"More or less. You understand now, don't you? In your original destiny, you died an early death," Zetsu said faintly.
"I understand. It's just a bit shocking, and a little hard to accept," Senju Wakama said in a low voice.
Zetsu chuckled. "Time to go back. This place will automatically shut down after a certain time. However, I don't recommend you travel back to the Ninja World directly from here. This is a highly advanced world, after all. There might be surveillance. It's better for you to pay your bill and leave normally."
"I'll just go out the main entrance and find a dark alley in a surveillance blind spot..." Senju Wakama said as he slowly stood up. It was indeed time for him to go back.
He had wasted almost the entire night just to watch Naruto.
Unfortunately, the anime was far too long. At a normal viewing speed, it was impossible to finish in one night.
He recognized almost none of the people in it, except for the reanimated bodies of Hashirama and Tobirama, but he did recognize their clan names.
It couldn't be helped. If calculated according to the timeline, in the Ninja World where Senju Wakama currently existed, the characters from the story hadn't even been born yet.
The events of the story probably took place about fifty years after Senju Wakama's current timeline.
The people in this story were infuriating.
Were these descendants really so weak?
It would have been fine if he had absolutely no connection to these descendants.
But as it happened, Senju Wakama was part of the game.
And the future shown in the anime was now basically impossible to achieve. Because of Tsukuyo's existence, the Senju clan, and even the entire Land of Fire, had been changed beyond recognition compared to the anime.
Especially after Senju Wakama learned about other fantasy games, he began to understand why Tsukuyo had built the clan grounds in that style. Wasn't it just the architectural style of a cultivation sect from another game world?
Ethereal and otherworldly, it was truly magnificent.
When other ninja clans came to visit, they were immediately awed into silence by the complex, and during the subsequent negotiations, they all became more cautious.
Senju Wakama watched the anime by fast-forwarding and skipping, and in the end, he even just went to watch summary videos. Although the creators of those videos inserted their own biases, they still managed to explain the main storyline clearly.
Then, with a melancholy expression, Senju Wakama said, "Brother Zetsu, are you really that evil? Sowing discord from ancient times to the present, and in the end, you even used a 'Deft Hand Technique' on Brother Madara, who trusted you, and stole his heart..."
"Hee hee hee, are you scared?" Zetsu giggled.
"What's the use of being scared? I'm in the same boat as you now anyway. You could have just not let me watch this anime," Senju Wakama said, pressing a hand to his forehead.
"If I didn't show you, wouldn't you have seen it sooner or later anyway?" Zetsu snorted. "Tsukuyo once said it's better to be upfront about things than to have them exposed in the future, causing resentment."
"Since you've already decided to follow me, I have to show some sincerity. Letting you know your true origins is a must."
Senju Wakama nodded. "You also told me that if a fixed destiny is changed, someone else must bear the consequences. Someone always has to bear that destiny, right?"
As he spoke, Senju Wakama changed the subject. "So... I was originally supposed to be dead. Hyuga Miyu, Uchiha Yuki, Tamayo Nara, and Aburame Aoi wouldn't have known me in the original destiny, right?"
"That's right," Zetsu said with certainty.
"But I'm alive now, which has triggered a 'butterfly effect,' and they've all become involved with me." Senju Wakama's eyes narrowed slightly. "My existence could prevent their future children from being born, which could directly affect the birth of some characters from the 'Naruto' we just watched."
"Characters who were supposed to be born might not be born now. They are bearing the consequences I've caused, and the impact is growing larger and larger."
"You're not wrong," Zetsu did not deny.
While conversing with Zetsu, Senju Wakama walked from inside the internet cafe toward a dark corner outside.
As they talked, Zetsu opened a portal for Senju Wakama in a dark place.
Before long, Senju Wakama disappeared from that world, leaving few traces behind.
...
Upon returning to the Ninja World.
Because the flow of time was different.
Only a few minutes had passed here since Senju Wakama left his room.
However, in those few minutes...
"...How did you get in?"
Senju Wakama gazed at Tamayo Nara and Aburame Aoi, who were sitting primly in his living room.
Especially Aburame Aoi. Senju Wakama remembered that Tsukuyo had placed a "thought imprint" on her, one that would make her fall into a trance whenever his name was mentioned, compelling her to do something else and forget about him.
But now, Aburame Aoi was right here in his living room.
Just like last time.
Tamayo Nara explained in a low voice, "There's a problem with Aoi's body, so we were hoping you could help."
Senju Wakama: "..."
Fine. He had overlooked one thing: Tamayo Nara was from the Nara clan. She was clever and thought quickly.
Senju Wakama thought to himself that Tamayo Nara must have come from the Nara clan to the Senju clan again and discovered Aburame Aoi's strange condition.
The Senju clan was now transitioning into being wellness ninja.
Tamayo Nara was claiming that Aburame Aoi was sick and requesting treatment from the Senju clan.
So, should Senju Wakama help or not?
This was an open conspiracy.
Even if Senju Wakama couldn't help, he would have to be meticulous and send the "patient" to Tsukuyo, letting Tsukuyo figure out a way to treat them.
Because if the Senju clan couldn't provide a cure, it would be easily exploited by other ninja clans to spread propaganda that the Senju clan's medical arts weren't so miraculous after all.
And if Senju Wakama did cure Aburame Aoi, then Tamayo Nara's goal would be achieved.
To help or not to help—it all came down to a single thought.
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