The moment Kakashi saw the image on the screen, he froze in his seat as if turned to stone!Immediately, an indescribably complex emotion, like a volcanic eruption, surged through him, shattering all his calm and composure.He abruptly stood up, his visible eye wide open, staring intently at the screen."This... this is impossible!"This time, what appeared on the screen was no longer the fleeting, blurry red-haired figure from the night before.Instead, it was a real, vividly clear person!A beautiful woman with long, brilliant red hair like flames, wearing an apron, her face lit with a gentle and vibrant smile, busy in the kitchen preparing dinner!Her features were soft, her brows carried a hint of heroism, and her eyes glowed warmly, full of love for life.It was truly Uzumaki Kushina!A living Uzumaki Kushina, as if she had never left!Not only that.
Kakashi's gaze quickly swept over the background on the screen.
The kitchen, full of a warm and familiar domestic atmosphere. The layout of the living room. The style of the furniture. The decorative paintings on the walls, barely visible through the kitchen doorway...
This room… this decor… this floor plan…
"It's here! It's definitely here! This is Minato-sensei and Uzumaki Kushina's home!"
His mind reeled with certainty.
Back then, as Minato's most trusted student, he had been to that home countless times—whether to discuss missions with his sensei, or simply to eat meals prepared by Kushina…
The details on screen might have differed slightly from what he remembered, but the overall layout and the warm feeling it evoked—there was no mistake.
But… that house…
To protect Naruto and sever all connections with the Fourth Hokage, the Third Hokage had ordered the entire property sealed off and removed from public record shortly after the Nine-Tails attack twelve years ago.
Even the architectural blueprints were classified.
Naruto… could not possibly know this place existed.Let alone know what the interior looked like.
So what was going on here?
If last night's vague image of Kushina could still be dismissed as a fluke or a subconscious invention…Then what about now?
This vivid, crystal-clear image—down to the interior layout of a house Naruto had never seen in his life—could not be a coincidence.Nor something his imagination could fabricate.
"Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Kakashi Hatake detected! Emotion value +1000!"
"Kakashi-sensei? What's wrong?"
Sakura, sitting nearby, turned to him with concern.
Sakura's concerned voice came from beside him.
She and Sasuke both turned to look at Kakashi, puzzled by his reaction.
To them, the scene on the screen was ordinary. Just a gentle-looking red-haired woman cooking in a cozy kitchen. It felt warm, sure—but it didn't seem like something to make Kakashi freeze like that.
Why was their usually composed and aloof teacher suddenly so shaken?
…
Tsk tsk tsk... As expected of the Sixth Hokage.
In the shadows near the rear of the screening room, Aren watched the rising numbers on his translucent system interface and grinned with satisfaction.
"I didn't expect that of all Team 7, it's Kakashi—the guy who always looks the laziest—who's actually the emotional jackpot. Just a tiny nudge and those points skyrocket."
His fingers stroked his chin thoughtfully, eyes gleaming with scheming intent.
He pulled up the familiar panel again:
[Dream Master System]Current Dream Master Level: 1 (7450 / 100000)Dream Target Number: 1Audience Count: 3Dream Instance Limit: 1Current Dream Instance: "Eternal Flash"— In this dream, on that destined night of death, the Yellow Flash survived and thwarted the enemy's conspiracy.
…
According to the system's description, the "Dream Instances" weren't simple illusions.
They were detailed simulations—parallel world fragments built upon the blueprint of reality.
In these fragments, a few pivotal moments in history had been changed by the system. The butterfly effect from those altered events would branch off into entirely new timelines—alternate futures that could stir the hearts of those who watched.
And for Aren, every emotional ripple they felt… meant points in his pocket.
"Only this kind of 'real' possibility can maximize the participants' genuine emotions and bring about strong emotional fluctuations... Kakashi's strong reaction is because what he sees is not just an image, but a 'past or future that could have existed.'"
However, Aren also noticed the limitations of the system.
With his current Level 1 authority, he couldn't freely create instances, nor could he treat others' dreams like a blank canvas to paint whatever he wanted. He could only make subtle adjustments based on one pivotal moment—a key life node—of a selected "Dream Target."
What he could alter was limited to the direction of that single, crucial node.
This was also why Aren had chosen Naruto as his first target.
Naruto had too many regrets. Too many untapped possibilities.
If just one tragic turning point in his life were changed, then the rest of his fate could shift dramatically—causing an emotional shockwave capable of generating massive returns.
That vast contrast between reality and possibility was the perfect catalyst for emotional fluctuation points.
"Hehehe... Kakashi-sensei, enjoy it. This is... another version of 'reality.'"
Aren turned his gaze back toward the screen.
…
In the dream image, Naruto appeared confused.
He was sitting blankly on a soft sofa in the middle of a bright living room, his eyes wide as he slowly took in his surroundings.
This was… a home?
A real home?
It was very clean, filled with light, and more importantly—it felt warm.
The air carried the mouthwatering aroma of freshly cooked food, drifting in from the nearby kitchen.
Naruto turned his head and saw a wooden dining table covered in a checkered tablecloth. Laid out across it was a full dinner: a steaming bowl of miso ramen, fluffy golden egg rolls, a crisp green vegetable salad, and a shiny plate of rich, glistening braised pork belly.
All his favorite foods.
His stomach growled slightly, but he didn't move.
Something deeper than hunger was stirring inside him.
On the far side of the room, where the open-concept kitchen stood, a woman with long, dazzling red hair moved gently as she worked.
The scent of miso and soy wafted up from her pot as she stirred, humming quietly to herself.
Wearing a pale apron, she radiated both strength and kindness.
Naruto stared at her silently, his heart pounding.
This woman… could she really be—
His mother?
Her movements were smooth and practiced, and she hummed a slightly off-key tune while gently stirring the soup pot and sprinkling in spices.
The sunlight in the dream felt unusually bright and warm.
It streamed through the kitchen window, casting soft rays across her profile, outlining a graceful, almost glowing silhouette.
Naruto stared at her in a daze, his heart beating faster without reason.
Who was this red-haired woman?
Why did she feel so familiar?
So kind?
So... safe?
Just then, the woman seemed to sense his gaze. She turned and gave him the gentlest smile he had ever seen—warm, bright, and full of love.
She carried over the last plate—a fragrant heap of crispy fried chicken—placed it neatly on the already full table, and then looked back at Naruto.
Seeing him still frozen on the sofa, she called out in a lively, affectionate voice:
"Naruto! What are you sitting there for? Go wash your hands! Dinner's ready!"