"Victory everlasting?" Haruto sneered, his tone laced with mockery.
"If you win everything in life, it's nothing more than a false illusion. It only makes you tired, chasing achievements that mean nothing… But when you lose—you grow."
His words hung heavy in the air. Black Zetsu, for once, stayed silent.
"Then how about achieving something far greater than simple power?" Zetsu finally said, his grin widening.
"The power of a god."
Before Haruto could answer, Naruto blurted out:
"Tch! If you really know how to get the power of a god, why don't you just do it yourself!?"
Haruto and Nagato both nodded in unison at Naruto's words.
"Wha—?!" Zetsu froze, his smirk faltering.
This brat… why does he actually make sense?!
"I… can't," Zetsu muttered.
"I'm merely an artificial being, created by Madara. I can't use those steps myself."
Nagato narrowed his eyes. "Then isn't your plan to—"
Before he could finish, Haruto moved in a flash and tapped the back of Nagato's neck, knocking him out cold.
Zetsu's grin returned, sharp and wide. "What was that about?!"
"I didn't hear him," Zetsu said slyly, pretending ignorance.
Haruto's Rinnegan flared as he demanded, "What are your true intentions, Zetsu?"
"Mine?" Zetsu chuckled darkly. "Simply peace… peace for the shinobi world!"
"Oh, I like peace too!" Haruto shot back, pointing at Nagato and Konan.
"But first—I want to save them."
Zetsu let out a low laugh, his voice echoing. "And how will you do that, hmm? Even a god's chakra has limits… much less yours."
Behind him, the ground rippled—hundreds, no, thousands of White Zetsu emerged, surrounding the domain.
---
An hour later…
"Wait—you know some medical ninjutsu, Naruto?" Haruto blinked in surprise as Naruto carefully treated Konan.
"Well, not much," Naruto admitted with a sheepish grin, "but it's kinda easy if you focus your chakra right."
Black Zetsu watched in growing horror as Naruto demonstrated. He sliced a vein delicately, then pushed chakra through.
"See, her chakra stream got hijacked… but if I pour mine in, it forces the invader's chakra out."
An insect burst from Konan's wound and shriveled away.
"Tada!" Naruto grinned proudly, tearing off part of his own shirt to bandage her.
Nagato's voice softened. "Impressive, Haruto-kun… and thank you."
Naruto puffed up his chest. "Pleasure's all mine!"
Haruto smirked. "So… what do we do while we wait?"
---
One hour later…
They were playing dice.
"Six!" Nagato cheered, throwing his arms into the air.
"Haha! I won!"
"Don't get cocky," Naruto said, narrowing his eyes. "I'm still in the lead."
Haruto, sitting back, yawned. "I'm tired. Gonna sleep."
"Already? It's only been an hour," Naruto scoffed.
"What—an hour?!" Nagato's eyes widened. "This game is… way too much fun!"
In the background, Zetsu twitched, veins pulsing with frustration. "How… HOW is your chakra still not depleted, Haruto?!"
"Shut up, you piece of trash!" Nagato roared mid-roll.
The dice landed—a perfect six.
As their game dragged on, Haruto noticed the White Zetsu army retreating slowly.
"Hm…" He raised a brow.
Nagato suddenly turned serious. "Haruto… could this domain of yours protect my village permanently?"
"Permanently?" Haruto tilted his head.
"Yes. As a failsafe… a protocol system for Ame."
Naruto nodded vigorously. "Yeah, Haruto! You can do that, right?"
Haruto sighed. "It's connected to my eye. I can't keep it up forever."
"Then at least until Madara's threat is gone!" Nagato pressed.
"Hmm… but I'd have to stay in Ame. I can't move around freely."
"Use shadow clones!" Naruto suggested instantly.
Haruto facepalmed. This kid's been brainwashed by Nagato's genjutsu of logic…
"Fine…" Haruto gave in, creating a clone that vanished toward Ame's tallest tower to establish the barrier.
"Then shall we leave, boys?"
Haruto stored them in his Kyomu Realm, then activated its intangibility, phasing through enemy attacks as he dashed toward Konoha.
"Attack!!" White Zetsu roared, slashing at him—only to cut air and collapse.
"Shinra Tensei!" Haruto's voice echoed as the horde was blasted away, bodies slamming into trees before vanishing into nothingness.
---
Konoha – Minato's Residence
Konan lay unconscious on a futon, robes removed as Tsunade and Shizune treated her wounds.
Outside, Nagato sat quietly, basking in sunlight he hadn't seen in years, while Naruto crouched beside him.
"Hey, Nagato," Naruto started, "you remember the time I beat you?"
Their conversation began, earnest and strangely warm.
Meanwhile, Haruto leaned against the wall near the door—not out of worry for Konan's condition… but for another reason.
So this is Jiraiya-sensei's influence on me, huh… a man of culture indeed.
His Rinnegan widened slightly, copying Tsunade's medical techniques. Still… who would've thought Konan had such a figure under that Akatsuki cloak…
The door creaked open. Tsunade emerged, arms crossed.
Haruto pretended to be asleep, snoring loudly.
With a sigh, Tsunade flicked a fork at his head—only for Haruto to catch it effortlessly with two fingers.
"What was that for?" he grinned.
"You hurt my feelings, Tsunade-sama."
Ignoring him, she said flatly, "Konan's stable. She's malnourished, but she'll wake soon. Take care of her properly."
As she left with Shizune, Haruto eyed the pig in Shizune's arms.
His stomach growled, making the pig squeal and bury itself deeper into her chest.
Haruto called for his other friends as they entered the room.
---
Inside, Konan stirred on the bed.
Haruto, peeking in, instantly fainted from a nosebleed.
'seeing through the naked eye is the best!'
Naruto, equally red-faced, tried to hold on but collapsed too.
'those....mountains!"
Nagato, cheeks flushed, gently shut the door with a deep sigh.
"Why isn't she wearing clothes" he said looking at konan deeply
Outside, Haruto and Naruto lay unconscious in the hallway, still bleeding from their noses.
"Wha… what did I just see…" Naruto mumbled before finally dropping.
Thud.
Silence filled the house.