Hiruzen persuaded me to die

After forcing the Fourth Raikage to surrender, Konoha's shinobi advanced directly into the heart of the Hidden Cloud Village.

Peace negotiations were now underway—tense, delicate, and unresolved.

Although the Fourth Raikage bristled at the demand that 30% of Cloud's resources be ceded to Konoha, for reasons unknown, he voiced no protest.

The room was dead silent, the stalemate thick in the air.

"That mysterious man… the one with the swirling one-eyed mask—I've seen him before."

Uchiha Itachi's voice was low, solemn.

The Fourth Raikage had already reported that Sarutobi Hiruzen had been abducted by a mysterious masked figure who appeared out of nowhere.

Initially, no one in Konoha believed him. Most assumed the Raikage was hiding Hiruzen as a hostage. After all, the Cloud Village barrier had never gone down. How could someone using space-time ninjutsu simply stroll in unnoticed?

But after hearing the Raikage's description, Hyuga Naraku instantly recognized the assailant:

Uchiha Obito.

A man lost in hatred. And now, apparently, allied with Hiruzen's disappearance.

Naraku's mind raced, eyes narrowing. He signaled Itachi to continue.

"It was during a Genin mission," Itachi said, his voice steady. "A man in a black cloak and an orange mask ambushed us. I threw a kunai—it passed right through him, as if he didn't exist."

"Everything the Raikage described fits."

"He killed two of my teammates. For some reason, he spared me."

"That was when I awakened my Sharingan."

Itachi touched the edge of his eye, the memory etched deep.

"What was his purpose?" Shisui asked, his tone grim.

Why murder Itachi's teammates, only to leave him alive? Why kidnap Hiruzen?

Naraku's voice was calm as ever, but his words held weight.

"To force Itachi to awaken his eyes."

It made sense.

To understand Obito's actions, one couldn't apply the logic of the sane. Obito was a man broken—his thoughts twisted beyond reason. But some of his tactics were still traceable.

"He wanted to push Itachi into awakening his Sharingan," Naraku continued. "Perhaps to mold him into a future pawn."

Itachi's expression darkened.

"But… how could he know that trauma would trigger my Sharingan?"

Naraku nodded slightly.

"Because he knows the Uchiha clan. Intimately. I suspect he is one of them."

Shisui's eyes widened. That possibility chilled him.

"But… if he's Uchiha, he could be a traitor from Konoha… or someone long in hiding," Itachi speculated. "What if he was the one behind the Nine Tails attack years ago?"

That possibility shifted the entire room's mood.

Obito—a rogue Uchiha who had turned the Nine Tails loose on Konoha.

And now… Sarutobi Hiruzen was in his hands.

Shisui's brow furrowed, cold sweat running down his neck.

"Wait… if Obito was behind the Nine Tails attack… and now he's taken Hiruzen… could there be a connection between Hiruzen and that night?"

Itachi's lips tightened.

"The Fourth Hokage died that night. And Hiruzen reclaimed the seat of Hokage shortly after."

"They call him the biggest winner of the Nine Tails chaos."

Could it all have been a conspiracy?

Naraku, silently watching, almost laughed to himself. He knew the truth—Obito had acted alone that night. But why defend Hiruzen?

Why not let suspicion rise?

"Shisui," Naraku said, his voice sudden and crisp. "Come with me."

He needed to prepare.

Obito's Kamui rendered most attacks useless. To defeat him, Naraku needed to master Tenseigan's time-space techniques.

That's right—Tenseigan held dominion over space and time.

Even in the original records, a gateway between Earth and the Moon had been formed using it.

Now that Naraku had unlocked this Tenseigan ability, a new section had appeared on his internal chakra system panel:

[Space-Time Ninjutsu: 3000 / 10,000]

Unlike elemental techniques or Yin-Yang release, space-time ninjutsu stood apart. Sealing techniques, too, were of this rare nature. Medical jutsu, by contrast, still fell within the seven elemental classifications.

After one successful use, Naraku's proficiency surged.

"Shisui," he asked as they walked, "how's your vision now?"

"With your Tenseigan chakra restoring me," Shisui replied, "I'm back to when my Mangekyō first awakened."

Naraku frowned.

"No progress?"

"None," Shisui admitted.

"Makes sense," Naraku murmured. "Tenseigan chakra is different. It can restore, but not evolve your Mangekyō."

Shisui would eventually go blind without an Eternal Mangekyō or Hashirama's cells.

"Try learning the Hundred Healings Seal," Naraku suggested. "Store your Yin chakra gradually. Then release it in battle to offset Mangekyō's toll."

Shisui's eyes lit up.

It was brilliant. With a constant chakra reserve sealed within him, he wouldn't burn out his eyes in every battle.

And with his war contributions, accessing the Scroll of Seals to learn the jutsu was likely.

"Thank you, Naraku," Shisui said sincerely.

Soon, they arrived at the newly rebuilt Raikage's Tower. The damage from the earlier assault had been cleared, and Anbu stationed outside tried to halt them.

Naraku ignored them.

He strode through the building like it belonged to him.

Inside, the Fourth Raikage froze as he entered—tense, calculating.

Does he know we're accelerating development on the chakra cannon? the Raikage wondered grimly.

But Naraku didn't spare him a glance.

Instead, his eyes fell on Mabui, the Raikage's capable secretary.

"I heard that the Hidden Cloud possesses a space-time technique," Naraku said flatly. "The Heavenly Transfer Technique."

The Fourth Raikage's eyes narrowed, fury flashing.

He slammed the table.

"That was not part of our treaty!"

"It is now," Naraku replied coldly.

"You—!"

Raikage's rage surged—but he held back. Now was not the time. Not until the chakra cannon was operational. When that day came—when Naraku fell—Konoha would no longer be feared.

"...Mabui. Take them."

The veins on his temple throbbed with restrained anger. But in his heart, he sneered.

Even if they learn it… it will die with them.

The Heavenly Transfer Technique would never spread.

And Naraku?

Sooner or later… he would fall.