Hearing Naruto's voice, the two children in front of him slowly raised their heads, their eyes still unfocused and filled with confusion.
Orochimaru stepped forward and explained calmly,
"They've been immersed in the cultivation tanks for far too long. Their bodies and minds need some time to react."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses and said,
"Leave it to me."
Two snake heads extended from beneath Kabuto's robe and bit the two children one after the other. He added casually,
"This venom is non-toxic. It simply accelerates blood circulation and helps them recover faster."
Naruto nodded slightly.
Suigetsu leaned forward, poking his head out of his watery body as he looked at the two children with interest.
"Naruto, you seem pretty familiar with these two brats."
Naruto gave a short "Ah" and replied,
"Yeah. I've crossed paths with them before. Especially this one—Kawaki."
Perhaps Kabuto's venom had already taken effect. Hearing Naruto's voice clearly, Kawaki slowly tilted his head toward him, frowning slightly.
"You… know me?"
His voice was hoarse, every word strained, as if he hadn't spoken in years.
Suigetsu's eyes widened.
"He can talk now!"
Kabuto smiled faintly and retracted the snake heads.
Naruto took a step forward, squatted down, and looked directly at the young Kawaki.
According to the timeline, Kawaki really was this age. He had once been Jigen's adopted son, branded with a Roman numeral tattoo and chosen as the vessel of Ōtsutsuki Isshiki. The Karma (Kāma) seal within him was the key to Isshiki's resurrection.
Naruto reached out and grasped Kawaki's left hand.
Sure enough—there it was.
The unmistakable Kāma seal.
Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly.
So Isshiki's data had already been successfully copied and implanted.
As long as this mark remained, Isshiki could revive once more.
The Ōtsutsuki truly were a nightmare that refused to die.
Naruto sighed inwardly, but he wasn't afraid.
He had found Kawaki early.
He would never allow this mark to fully awaken.
Kawaki himself was not evil by nature. In fact, he once deeply admired Naruto. His extreme ideas in the future stemmed from pain, fear, and a desire to end endless conflict. While flawed, his intentions were not malicious.
Seeing Kawaki tense up, Naruto gently released his hand and smiled.
"It's fine. I won't hurt you."
At that moment, the other child—Code—finally recovered fully. He looked around in confusion, his eyes sharp and alert.
"Where is the leader?"
Hearing this, Kawaki also looked around anxiously.
"Yeah, where's Master? And… what happened here?"
Both children scanned their surroundings, only to realize that everything was completely different from what they remembered.
The underground base they knew was gone.
The atmosphere was unfamiliar.
Orochimaru frowned slightly and stepped closer to Naruto.
"Naruto, this might be—"
Naruto nodded. He understood Orochimaru's concern perfectly.
These two already acknowledged Isshiki's existence.
They believed in him.
Simply talking would never be enough.
Even if Naruto convinced them temporarily, once they grew older and pieced things together, they would realize the truth.
Naruto had killed Isshiki.
That made him their enemy.
"It seems words alone won't work," Naruto muttered.
He stood up and turned to Orochimaru.
"Uncle Orochimaru, help me watch them. Don't explain anything yet. Wait until I come back."
Orochimaru nodded calmly.
In the next instant, Naruto vanished.
Code stood up abruptly and stared at Orochimaru.
"Where is my leader?"
Orochimaru smiled gently, his golden eyes unreadable.
"Your leader will return soon. Be patient."
Suigetsu crouched down, grinning mischievously at the two children.
"Hey, little brats, you're both still naked, you know? Thinking about your leader is fine, but how about putting some clothes on first?"
Code flushed instantly and covered himself. Kawaki realized it as well and turned his head away awkwardly.
Snorting, Code grabbed Kawaki's wrist and dragged him toward another room.
Suigetsu tried to follow, but Orochimaru raised a hand.
"No need. This island is sealed. They won't get far."
Kabuto smiled faintly and released a small white snake from his sleeve, letting it silently follow them.
Inside a room.
Code opened a cabinet and quickly pulled out clothes, tossing some to Kawaki.
As they dressed, Kawaki asked in a low voice,
"Who were those people outside?"
Code's expression was tense.
"I don't know… but they're definitely not good people. You know how the leader is. Besides you and me, have you ever seen him bring outsiders here?"
Code clenched his fists.
"And the base… it was torn open. I have a really bad feeling."
Kawaki waved his hand confidently.
"No. Master is incredibly powerful."
Code sighed.
"That's what I keep telling myself. But you saw it too—the base was destroyed. It feels like a massive battle happened."
Kawaki fell silent.
After a moment, his eyes lit up slightly.
"Hey… let's go up and take a look. Find my sister and ask her what happened to Master."
Code nodded immediately.
"Yeah. Let's go ask her."
The "sister" they referred to—the temple maid who had once stood beside Jigen—had already died when the island collapsed.
They didn't know that.
Navigating through the cracked terrain, Kawaki and Code climbed upward along the shattered cliffs, following the faint light above.
After a long struggle, Code climbed up first.
The moment his head emerged, his eyes widened in terror.
"Ah!!!"
Kawaki shouted from below,
"What's wrong, Code?!"
Code didn't answer. Instead, he hurriedly climbed out fully and reached down.
"Here—grab my hand!"
Kawaki pushed off the rock, stretched his arm upward, and Code pulled him out.
As Kawaki stood up, his breathing stopped.
"…What… is this?"
His eyes filled with fear.
The temple was gone.
The village was gone.
The island was nothing but ruins.
No people.
No life.
Code clenched his fists, his entire body trembling with rage.
He wasn't wrong.
Something had happened to the leader.
Otherwise, the base wouldn't have been exposed.
The island wouldn't look like this.
It was them.
Those people did this.
"AAAAAH!!!"
Code roared and turned, preparing to leap back down the cliff.
Kawaki grabbed him desperately.
"Code! Calm down!"
Code struggled violently, hatred blazing in his eyes.
"I can't calm down! I'm going to kill them—for the leader! For the island!"
Kawaki was furious too—but he understood reality.
If those people could kill the master, then fighting them now was suicide.
Before he could speak again, a massive figure appeared in front of them.
Jūgo.
His towering body alone radiated pressure.
"You're noisy," Jūgo said coldly.
Code gritted his teeth and shouted,
"Kawaki! I'll hold him off—run!"
Kawaki snapped back,
"I'm not that kind of person!"
"Go!" Code yelled. "If you don't, none of us will survive!"
Before Kawaki could respond, a loud laugh echoed.
"Hahaha! You two little brats are loyal, I'll give you that. But if Jūgo wanted to stop you, neither of you would get away."
Suigetsu emerged from a crack in liquid form, then solidified.
Orochimaru and Kabuto leapt out of the pit and landed calmly in front of them.
Orochimaru smiled faintly.
"Children, don't be so impulsive."
With a sharp buzz—
Naruto appeared.
"Shisui," Naruto said calmly, "those two over there. Please."
Uchiha Shisui stepped forward, his Sharingan spinning slowly.
He nodded.
"No problem, Naruto. Leave it to me."
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