Sasuke had no intention of spending every moment with Naruto, but the Dawn Star Mark's power stirred his interest. Its inherent strength, combined with their bond as comrades, should be enough.
"Naruto, you heard him—Absolute Duo isn't something most can achieve," Sasuke said, trying to persuade him. "We don't need to aim that high. Our bond as teammates is plenty."
Naruto eyed Sasuke's earnest expression, conceding he had a point. It was just a weapon—no need to chase its ultimate form. Still, he felt a pang of regret. Why couldn't it be a cute girl like Sakura to share the Absolute Duo journey with?
"I'll think about it," Naruto said, hesitant to give up something so significant.
Besides, if a comrade's bond worked, why not his father? Father-son bonds were strong too!
His eyes lit up at the thought, but as he reached for the final can, his hand trembled. The crowd fell silent, the air thick with tension. Naruto could hear his heartbeat pounding.
He was more nervous than he'd realized.
Just as his fingers brushed the can, he yanked his hand back. "Uh…" He laughed awkwardly, glancing around. "Let's check out this gear first. Can guy, how do I use it?"
"Just inject it into your body," Shen Mo said. A vial floated over, piercing Naruto's shoulder, its contents flooding in.
In the Absolute Duo world, only one in a thousand could wield the Dawn Star Mark due to mental strength requirements. But in the Naruto world, any ninja could handle it, with minimal pain.
Naruto felt a tingling surge. "It's like… something's coming out of me!" He stared at his right hand as a burning sensation spread.
White light gathered at his hand, visible to all.
"A gauntlet?" Tsunade said instinctively.
"No," Jiraiya countered. "There's more."
The light extended past Naruto's fist, enveloping his forearm like a mirror. Within moments, the weapon took shape.
A shield, about fifty centimeters wide, bore Konoha's symbol wrapped in the Uzumaki clan's crest. A red gauntlet covered Naruto's right hand and forearm, the shield fused to it.
Naruto's Blaze was a gauntlet-shield hybrid.
"A gauntlet with a shield," Shen Mo said, nodding. "Defeat enemies with your fist, protect allies with your shield—that's the shape of your heart's desire, Naruto. Use it well."
Most Blazes were simple cold weapons, but as a protagonist, Naruto's unique will shaped something extraordinary.
"It feels… lighter, like my whole body's lighter!" Naruto hopped, swinging his fist, grinning. "It's awesome! My strength's boosted too. Any special powers, like critical hits?"
Since getting his Justice Gauntlets, Naruto loved the thrill of critical strikes—knocking foes out in front of a crowd was cool.
"As I said, a Blaze's power grows with you," Shen Mo affirmed. "You're at Level 1 now. Each level-up brings a significant boost, and at Level 4, you'll unlock its true power."
In its original world, the Dawn Star Mark's creators restricted level progression to prevent power obsession. Shen Mo tweaked this, tying advancement to power development and emotional growth, using minimal trading points since the restriction was unnecessary.
Sasuke watched Naruto test his new weapon, marveling and exclaiming. Envious but determined, he wanted the second vial. Rejecting his brother's "path of indifference," Sasuke craved both power and bonds—this was perfect for him.
"The other Dawn Star Mark is yours to decide," Shen Mo said, handing Naruto the second vial, meeting his eyes. "Time to open the last can. Avoiding it isn't what a hero does."
Shen Mo was curious which revival method Naruto would draw. Each carried vastly different outcomes for Naruto and Konoha. A "mentor" revival would keep Minato as a guiding spirit in Naruto's body, with Hiruzen remaining Hokage. But a high-tier revival coin…
That would be interesting.
Naruto's excitement from his new weapon faded. He'd been avoiding the final can, clinging to hope by not opening it.
But, glancing at his gauntlet-shield, he took a deep breath and strode to the last can. "I'll revive Dad!" he shouted, voice steady, and tore it open.
Blue mist erupted, interwoven with dazzling light. Unlike any prior can, pale blue rays wove into an intricate, mystical array around it.
Naruto, caught off guard, stumbled back.
A sharp pain seared his left hand. Lifting it, he saw scarlet, blood-like patterns coalescing into a token-like rune.