Three days slipped by.
And today, inside the towering headquarters of the Imperial Council, a High-Level Assembly was finally held.
Attendance was exclusive.
Only SS-level and above could walk through these doors. Three days had been more than enough time for every member to travel across nations, resolve personal matters, and return—so not a single seat was empty.
At the very top floor, past layers of security seals and silent guards, lay the council chamber.
Akira sat at its heart.
Calling it a seat felt too modest—what he rested upon resembled less a chair and more a throne carved for someone who had already stepped outside the common definition of 'Shinobi.' Before him stretched a long rectangular table, ancient wood polished smooth, ringed with chairs meant for monsters dressed as men.
The first chair to his left was occupied by Shisui Uchiha—bearer of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and host of the terrifying illusion power Kotoamatsukami.
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In the second seat sat Itachi Uchiha. He too possessed Eternal Mangekyō, his eyes now intertwined with Sasuke's—his strength now comparable to Shisui, albeit in a different, colder manner.
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The third chair was taken by Sasuke Uchiha, his Eternal Mangekyō awakened through the same exchange—his presence sharp, quiet, and volatile like a blade resting on velvet.
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Fourth sat Nagato Uzumaki.
But this was no fragile, corpse-tethered Nagato of the original timeline. The current Nagato had been transformed in three dramatic ways.
First — his body was whole.
His legs, once destroyed, now existed with flesh and nerve and movement—recreated through cloning-science Orochimaru devised and upgraded using future technologies Akira had brought back.
Second — the Rinnegan was no longer bound.
All the layered restrictions Black Zetsu and Madara had buried inside his ocular tissue had been stripped clean. Akira's mastery of the same divine chakra lineage made the removal trivial.
Third — Nagato bore something new:
The First degree Elemental Chakra Seal.
Akira had seen it in earlier simulations, but back then it wasn't obtainable. In one of his later attempts—within these four years—he finally acquired it as a reward.
The seal was unlike anything the Shinobi World naturally produced.
It was part Curse Mark, part Orochimaru-style chakra restructuring, part Karma imprint.
When engraved, it:
• amplified elemental affinity,
• dramatically boosted ninjutsu output,
• refined elemental control to art-like precision, and
• removed the need for traditional hand seals altogether.
The difference between a shinobi who possessed such a seal and one who didn't was enormous—almost unfair.
The hierarchy of seals was simple:
Third-Degree — for Genin and Chūnin.
Second-Degree — for entire jōnin class.
First-Degree — for Kage-class and SS-level beings.
Naturally, Nagato carried a First-Degree Seal.
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In the first seat to his right sat Naruto Uzumaki—now a perfect Jinchūriki of the Nine Tails.
Yes, Akira had helped him along the way, but Naruto still earned that control himself. His chakra harmonized with Kurama's, his temperament matured, and his power reached an entirely new plane.
Naruto carried a First-Degree Wind Elemental Seal, making him fully qualified to stand among SS-level titans.
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On the second chair, Kakashi Hatake rested with casual, deceptive ease.
The Copy Ninja had undergone his own evolution. Thanks to Akira's technological imports, Kakashi could now shut down the visual output of the Mangekyō when not in use—making his chakra consumption drastically lighter.
He too bore a First-Degree Elemental Seal, and, finally, Kakashi had awakened his long-anticipated Kekkei Genkai — Purple Lightning, the same devastating ability he once displayed in Boruto's timeline.
His presence here was inevitable.
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Next was Might Guy.
His strength barely needed explanation; even with his… unconventional body, the man's mere existence defied logic and carried unquestionable authority.
Together, these figures formed the current High-Level members of Imperial Council of Shinobi.
Yes—almost all of them originated from Konoha.
But no one dared to question it.
Power justified its own structure, and Super-Kage level was a realm ordinary people — even ordinary Kage — could never reach. Complaints died before they were ever spoken.
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Akira leaned back slightly, fingers steepled before him.
"Everyone," he began, voice calm yet impossible to ignore, "I have finally awakened my Rinnegan ability."
There was no dramatic chakra flare, no pomp — just simple declaration. But the moment the words left his mouth, silence tightened.
"As for what that ability is — its name is Kagami no Hikan— The Secret Mirror of All Paths."
"My ability allows me to teleport myself to any projection or reflection of me across space-time — be it alternate timelines, parallel worlds, or dimensional reflections."
The air shifted.
Shock rippled through the chamber — eyes widened, expressions froze, and even seasoned shinobi forgot to breathe.
Well… everyone except Naruto and Might Guy.
Might Guy didn't care — his brain had already replaced the explanation with the thought "youthful fire punch training later!"
Naruto sat there blinking, lost halfway through the first sentence, leaning toward Kakashi like a whispering schoolkid.
But the rest — Itachi, Sasuke, Nagato, Shisui, Kakashi — they understood.
And they were terrified.
Akira had just declared himself functionally invincible.
He continued, voice steady:
"In the past four years, I needed a staggering amount of chakra. But I did not know what consequences extracting such quantities could lead to."
He let them feel the weight.
"So, I researched. And I found the solution — alternate timelines."
Another bomb detonated in the minds present.
Even Naruto and Guy paused — mostly because Kakashi and Sasuke visibly reacted.
Akira spoke again:
"I discovered that the Roran Dragon veins spacetime chakra— connects to other timelines. I do not know if they are alternate realms, divergences, or separate worlds entirely."
He tapped the table gently.
"But there was a flaw — although I could travel to those timelines… I had no reliable method of returning."
Heads nodded.
Now they understood why the meeting existed at all.
Akira's smile was small but unmistakably triumphant.
"Well, now I have finally found the solution. In the next few days, I will travel to an alternate timeline."
He paused.
"And I am asking — does anyone want to accompany me?"
The air ignited.
"But," Akira lifted a hand, "not everyone can go. For the safety of the Imperial Council, at least three SS-level individuals must remain. We do not know how long we'll be gone, nor when we will return."
Excitement pulsed through the atmosphere.
Even Naruto and Guy grasped it this time — though only after Kakashi and Sasuke whispered explanations under their breath.
Why the excitement?
Because each had personal reasons.
Kakashi thought of a world where Obito and Rin were alive — where his father perhaps never died in disgrace.
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Naruto imagined meeting another version of himself — the Hokage he became or failed to become — and walking into a timeline where the unanswered pieces of his dream existed.
His parents already had been revived here; that hole in his heart was filled. But now, curiosity burned brighter.
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As for the others, each held their own reason to go.
Might Guy was practically vibrating with excitement.
The idea of fighting another version of himself — a parallel Guy with the same blazing spirit — was enough to make him clench his fists and declare:
"YOUTH! I must compete with myself and decide which one of us burns brighter!"
The three Uchiha brothers, however, were calm.
Shisui wanted to see how the Uchiha Clan prospered in another world.
Itachi wished to know what kind of life his alternate self lived.
Sasuke… simply wished to measure the strength of the other Sasuke and understand the path he walked.
Their desires were quiet but strong.
Nagato, on the other hand, had only one wish.
He wanted to see Yahiko again.
He wanted to tell Yahiko that his dream of peace had finally been realized — even if Nagato had only been an indirect helper.
And he also wished to see whether the Nagato of the alternate world had achieved peace or needed his guidance.
Akira saw everyone's expressions and smiled.
"Well then," Akira said, "who is going?"
The moment he asked this, every single person raised their hand at the exact same time.
And when they noticed that all hands were raised, a heavy awkwardness filled the room.
Everyone wanted to go.
No one wanted to miss this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
But they also knew someone must stay behind to protect their world.
The balance of the Imperial Council couldn't be broken.
Finally, the first to withdraw was Might Guy.
Guy stood up dramatically, tears streaming down his face.
"YOUTH! I cannot abandon the young generation! I must train them during this period. You all go — I shall defend the Ninja World with my burning spirit!"
Then he gave a thumbs-up so bright — his teeth shining like a miniature sun — that everyone had to shield their eyes.
The second to withdraw was Naruto.
Naruto scratched the back of his head and sighed.
"I really want to go… but I have to take care of my sister Naruko. Mom and Dad are going on a trip, so I can't leave the village. Don't worry — I'll guard the Imperial Council of Shinobi. You guys go without any fear!"
The third and fourth to withdraw were Itachi and Shisui.
Itachi glanced at Shisui. Shisui nodded.
Then Itachi spoke first:
"I have to take care of the Fire Province. And… Makoto is still young, I can't leave everything behind right now."
Shisui followed immediately:
"I also can't go. Unlike some of you, I actually have a wife and child to take care of. You all understand."
The moment Shisui said this, Naruto's single hearts shattered into pieces.
Naruto still hadn't succeeded in confessing to Sakura — and Sakura was currently depressed because Sasuke got engaged to Karin.
Hinata still hadn't confessed to Naruto either, so Naruto was now the last single boy among the top powerhouses.
Akira almost laughed internally.
Akira had Yamanaka Ino — even if they weren't officially engaged.
Sasuke had Uzumaki Karin, after genuinely saving her (not like in the original timeline).
Nagato had Konan — naturally, after decades together.
Kakashi had surprisingly gotten together with Terumi Mei, thanks to a little influence from Akira and Mei both.
Guy was Guy — forever married to youth.
So Naruto being single… hurt the most.
After the room finally calmed down, Akira said:
"So, the candidates who are going to the alternate world are:
Me, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Nagato.
We four will depart."
He paused, then continued:
"We will leave after seven days. Use these seven days to finish whatever responsibilities you have."
Akira smiled at everyone, opened his Rinnegan, and in an instant—
Kagami no Heikan activated.
His figure blurred, fragmented into a dozen shimmering mirror-shards, and he vanished from the meeting room, reappearing directly inside his own room.
Those left behind finally understood the nature of Akira's new ability — and one by one, the council members dispersed.
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