Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

"I'm back!" Naruto exclaimed, stretching his arms as he took in the familiar surroundings. The glow of his "Six Paths Mode" faded as he relaxed.

Although the process had been more complicated and different from what the Sage of Six Paths had described, they had successfully sealed Kaguya. The next step was to rescue everyone trapped in the Infinite Tsukuyomi and the God Tree World.

Thinking about this, Naruto turned his gaze toward Kakashi and Sakura, who were visible in the distance.

Sakura and the others had already noticed Naruto and Sasuke's return and quickly ran toward them.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Sakura asked, her worry evident as she scanned his battered form.

"I'm fine!" Naruto replied with his usual cheerful smile.

Noticing Sakura's concern shifting toward Sasuke, Naruto added, "Sasuke's the one who's really hurt. Sakura, can you help him out?"

"...Alright." Sakura nodded and moved to Sasuke's side to check his injuries.

Sasuke didn't object. Knowing there might still be a showdown with Naruto, he needed to recover and prepare.

Sakura was surprised by Sasuke's condition. His body was not only covered in wounds but also completely drained of chakra, leaving him on the verge of collapse. She couldn't imagine the intensity of the battle they must have endured.

Kakashi approached the two and asked, "Did it work?"

"Yeah!" Naruto said with a grin. "Kaguya's been taken care of! But we didn't do it—Kirito did."

Everyone froze, stunned by Naruto's words.

"You're saying Kirito defeated Kaguya by himself?" Kakashi asked, skeptical. After all, the stories about Kaguya painted her as nearly invincible—the origin of all chakra.

Seemingly understanding their doubts, Kirito, or rather his wood clone, explained, "That's correct. My original body defeated Kaguya in another dimension. However, my main body is still dealing with the aftermath there. That's why I sent this clone to bring Naruto and Sasuke back and deliver the news."

"Do you need help?" Kakashi offered, knowing the toll such a battle must have taken.

"It's fine. It should only take a few days to wrap up. If there's anything urgent you need to tell my main body, you can tell me instead," Kirito replied calmly.

Darui, who had been silent until now, stepped forward. "If Kaguya's been defeated, does that mean we can rescue the Raikage and the others now?"

"Yeah, what about Lady Tsunade and the others?" Sakura asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Sasuke, who had been receiving treatment from Sakura, spoke up. "According to the Sage of Six Paths, as long as Naruto and I form the 'Child' seal together, we can dispel the Infinite Tsukuyomi and God Tree World."

Sakura's face lit up with hope. "Then let's—"

"However," Sasuke interrupted coldly, "to undo the Infinite Tsukuyomi, I must first kill the Five Kage."

"What?!" Darui shouted, his anger flaring. For him, Raikage was not just a leader but a personal idol.

Before Darui could act, Naruto raised a hand to stop him. "Wait, I'll handle this."

"Sasuke..." Sakura froze, her healing hands trembling.

She had thought that fighting alongside them against Kaguya might bring Sasuke back as a companion. Yet here they were, facing this impossible choice.

"Are you really going to go through with this?" Kakashi asked, his voice heavy with disappointment.

"Yes," Sasuke said without hesitation. "Anyone who stands in my way will be eliminated."

His eyes swept over the group before settling on Kirito. Among everyone present, Sasuke knew Kirito—despite being a clone—was the most unpredictable and dangerous.

"Are you just going to let them fight?" TenTen asked Kirito, noticing Sasuke's pointed gaze.

Kirito shook his head. "I've already said it: the issues between Naruto and Sasuke can only be resolved by the two of them. No one else can interfere."

TenTen sighed, sensing the inevitable clash. "Are you going to reveal your identity now that the war is over? You know that could bring complications."

Kirito glanced at Naruto and Sasuke as they walked toward the Valley of the End. "Even if I don't say anything, the truth will come out eventually. The ninja world will learn my identity in time."

After Naruto and Sasuke left, only a few people remained conscious: Kakashi, Kirito, and TenTen. Both Sakura and Darui had been knocked out by Sasuke's genjutsu and wouldn't wake up for two days.

Kirito placed a hand on Sakura's forehead, undoing the genjutsu. "She's free from the illusion, but her chakra is completely depleted. She needs rest before she can recover."

Kakashi nodded. "That's for the best. Honestly, after everything we've been through, I could use some rest myself."

"What about Darui?" TenTen asked, gesturing to the unconscious Cloud ninja.

"I know someone who can take care of him." Kirito opened another space portal, and a cautious but stunning blonde-haired woman stepped through.

Meanwhile, in a different dimension, a much larger space portal opened. Kirito's original body stepped out first, followed by the massive form of Little Leopard.

The enormous creature dragged its heavy body through the portal before collapsing onto the ground, completely motionless.

(End of Chapter)