"Host, proceed immediately to the inner world of Uzumaki Naruto!
Reaching the sign-in location will grant a reward!"
"...Hm?"
Senju Haruto suddenly sat upright in bed, wondering if he'd misheard. He quickly summoned the little sign-in assistant to check the new mission location.
Sure enough—the destination displayed was unmistakable.
"Naruto's inner world..."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Since when can a person's inner world be considered a sign-in location?"
Until now, Haruto had assumed every sign-in site would be an actual place within the shinobi world—villages, battlefields, sacred grounds. But it seemed even the realm inside someone's heart could qualify.
"Still... if it's Naruto's inner world, then that must mean the place where the Nine-Tails is sealed."
Haruto muttered to himself, mind racing.
Though he did have ways of reaching such a space...
"Well, I don't know how Naruto's training is progressing at Mount Myōboku. Might as well go and see for myself."
Taking a deep breath, Haruto swung his legs off the bed and began washing up.
Ever since returning from Kusagakure, the sign-in assistant had fallen silent, issuing no new missions.
He wasn't sure if there was a malfunction—but considering his own strength now, Haruto hardly worried about it. He could walk sideways through the shinobi world without fear.
And with Konohagakure enjoying a rare period of peace, he had shifted his focus toward developing technology and strengthening the shinobi military.
At the same time, given the heavy casualties Kusagakure had suffered, Haruto dispatched a Root unit there. Officially, it was to maintain stability and protect the village from opportunistic attacks.
In reality, the order was simple: seize control.
A takeover in all but name.
Once preparations were complete, Haruto contacted the messenger toad and instructed it to deliver a message to Fukasaku and Shima at Mount Myōboku—asking them to perform the Reverse Summoning Technique to bring him over.
These days, Haruto's prestige wasn't limited to Konoha. Even the great toads of Myōboku regarded him with deep respect.
Sure enough, only moments later, a thick white mist rose before his eyes, spreading outward until the walls, ceiling, and floor of his room vanished.
When the haze cleared, he was no longer in Konoha.
Around him stretched lush vegetation, looming toad statues, and the roaring cascade of the Oil Waterfall.
And there, seated cross-legged atop a wooden plank balanced precariously over sword-like mountain peaks, was Uzumaki Naruto—engrossed in meditation.
"Haruto-boy, it's been too long!"
The moment Shima spotted him, she called out warmly.
Haruto nodded briskly. "It has."
His eyes swept the area, noting not only Naruto, but also Fukasaku—and Jiraiya standing close by.
That they had all gathered here was no coincidence.
With Haruto's current reputation and achievements, the fact that he had contacted Myōboku directly could only mean he had a very particular reason.
Thus, before performing the reverse summoning, Fukasaku and Shima had summoned Jiraiya to join them by the Oil Waterfall.
"Naruto! Haruto has come to see you!"
Shima raised her voice toward the peak.
Naruto's training had been nothing short of relentless. He had already mastered Sage Mode—and with far greater perfection than Jiraiya.
Other than the characteristic toad-like eyes, there were almost no signs of transformation.
Hearing Shima's call, Naruto opened his eyes. His heart leapt with joy.
He glanced once at the situation below, then launched himself into the air.
The wooden plank he had been seated upon immediately lost balance and plummeted downward.
Yet without even looking, Naruto stretched out a hand, caught it mid-fall, and set it gently on the ground.
"Haruto-nii!"
Unable to contain his excitement, Naruto dashed forward in a few bounding steps, arms wide, and embraced Haruto with unrestrained warmth.
Haruto, naturally, did not refuse—but soon after, he stepped back.
"Haruto-boy, what brings you to Mount Myōboku so suddenly?" Shima finally asked.
After all, Myōboku was no backwater village.
During Naruto's time training here under Jiraiya, both Shima and Fukasaku had kept close watch on the affairs of Konoha.
And thanks to Haruto's tireless efforts, the village had unified its rule with the Land of Fire.
Konoha was thriving as never before, with Haruto himself serving as Hokage's advisor.
Surely, his duties must have been overwhelming.
"I've come to fulfill the promise I made," Haruto answered without hesitation, his gaze fixed on Naruto.
The boy had grown taller since a few years ago—and with Sage Mode fully mastered, he was now capable of facing the Nine-Tails head-on.
Mount Myōboku might not offer the same conditions as the Giant Turtle Island, but it was more than enough.
And with Haruto here, there was little to fear from a mere Nine-Tailed Fox.
—Yes. A "mere" Nine-Tails. In all of Konoha, only Haruto would dare speak so lightly of it.
At the mention of that promise, Naruto froze in place.
He had endured countless hardships training for Sage Mode—not only to grow stronger, to become Hokage, to gain recognition—but also for one other dream.
To one day meet his mother.
And now Haruto stood before him, speaking those very words.
Naruto's heart, which had only just steadied from his meditation, surged with emotion once more.
Fukasaku, Shima, and Jiraiya exchanged knowing glances.
Truthfully, they had suspected as much the moment Haruto requested the reverse summoning.
Now, their suspicions were confirmed.
What's more, years ago they had stood before the Great Toad Sage, where it had been decreed: once Naruto mastered Sage Mode, the key to the Fourth Hokage's legacy would be entrusted to him.
Before, they might have found excuses to delay.
But with Haruto himself standing here, there was no reason left to stall.
Even so, the thought of Naruto confronting the Nine-Tails filled them with unease.
After years of living together at Myōboku, their bond with the boy had grown deep.
Haruto, however, was unsurprised. Naruto was, after all, the destined protagonist of this shinobi world. His very nature drew people to him.
It was only natural that Jiraiya, Fukasaku, and Shima all cared for him dearly.
"I'm ready."
Naruto drew in a steadying breath, then nodded firmly.
"Good."
Haruto gave a single approving nod, then brought his hands together in a decisive clap.
With a surge of power, he unleashed Wood Release.
The ground shook violently as massive wooden pillars burst upward, enclosing everyone within their grasp.