"Lord Naruto, Lady Konan, the target has been brought!"
Violet arrived at the Shinobi Hall of Amegakure (Hidden Rain Village), escorting Sakura Haruno.
Konan's voice was as cold as ever.
"Good work. You may leave now."
"Yes, ma'am!" Violet replied respectfully before exiting the hall and closing the door behind her.
Underneath the imposing statues with wrathful, glaring faces, Naruto Uzumaki stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
The somber and oppressive atmosphere created by the cold hues of the hall, combined with the unfamiliar aura emanating from Naruto's silhouette, made the long-traveled Sakura feel deeply uneasy.
It was as though the Naruto who had once cared for her so deeply now existed in a world far removed from her own.
This wasn't the first time Sakura had felt this way, but she still couldn't get used to it.
Clasping her hands before her chest, she steadied her nerves before speaking:
"Naruto, I—"
BOOM!
A deafening clap of thunder echoed across the skies outside, its rumbling reverberations shaking the stone pillars of the grand hall.
Sakura's words were drowned out by the thunder.
Naruto turned around slowly, his face hidden behind a mask as he addressed his old comrade in a low voice:
"Say what you need to say."
Sakura's gaze flickered as she hesitated.
"In the past, I... I mocked you for not having parents. At the time, I didn't understand how you felt. Now, I want to apologize for my words and actions back then."
Beneath the mask, Naruto's expression revealed a trace of surprise.
She had traveled all this way just to say this?
Naruto responded calmly,
"That kind of thing never bothered me."
Sakura insisted earnestly,
"But I still need to apologize. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry!"
Perhaps it was because Sakura had gone through so much recently that she had grown as a person.
Naruto replied,
"There's really no need to apologize. We're shinobi."
Sakura's tone turned cold and sorrowful:
"My parents... they're dead."
Whoosh!
Naruto's expression beneath the mask changed instantly.
"When did this happen?" he asked.
Sakura's voice was as icy as her demeanor:
"They were killed by that bastard Sasuke."
Naruto frowned.
"He personally attacked your parents?"
Sakura shook her head, her grief evident.
"He destroyed a building. My parents died saving civilians when the walls collapsed on them."
Naruto's hand, still clasped behind his back, instinctively clenched into a fist.
He hadn't foreseen this. For a moment, his thoughts were in disarray.
"Sasuke... he—"
Sakura cut him off decisively:
"That scum is irrelevant now. As far as I'm concerned, he's already dead!"
Naruto sighed deeply.
Sakura shifted the conversation abruptly:
"I heard that Lord Jiraiya has been resurrected."
Standing nearby, Konan narrowed her eyes.
"Is this what she's been leading up to all along?"
Sakura's voice trembled as she continued:
"So, could I ask you... to bring my parents back to life?"
Naruto fell silent.
From the moment Sakura mentioned Jiraiya, Naruto had a vague sense of where this conversation was headed.
If it weren't for Jiraiya's speechlessness after his resurrection and Orochimaru's warnings, Naruto might have agreed to help Sakura. After all, even if their paths had diverged, the bonds of their previous lives still held some weight.
Sakura pleaded urgently:
"It's a simple task for someone like you now, isn't it? Just a small effort, and you could save lives! This is my one and only request! Even if it's just for the sake of our old camaraderie, please help me—I beg you!"
As she spoke, Sakura dropped to her knees.
Naruto stepped forward and said,
"Sakura, listen to me. That kind of resurrection technique isn't something that can be used lightly—"
Sakura, her head bowed, interrupted him:
"You used it for Jiraiya, but not for my parents?"
Naruto explained,
"It's not like that. Manipulating life and death comes with a cost—it carries unknown consequences."
Sakura countered,
"If they're unknown, doesn't that mean there's a chance they don't exist?"
Naruto replied,
"But if they do—"
Sakura interrupted again, her voice rising with desperation:
"Please!! Just this once! I promise I'll never trouble you again!"
Naruto's clenched fists tightened further.
It was his return that had altered history, indirectly leading to Sakura losing her parents.
And now, because of this tragedy, it would be nearly impossible for Sakura and Sasuke to reconcile. When Sasuke learned the truth someday, he might even resent Naruto for it.
Even so, Naruto had no intention of breaking his own rules.
The resolve he had upon returning to this world would not be swayed by guilt or personal emotions.
Naruto released his tightly clenched fists and said,
"Sakura, while I can't use that resurrection technique, I can offer another way for you to see your parents again."
Sakura looked up, her eyes wide with surprise:
"Really??"
Naruto turned his gaze to the side.
"Konan-nee, could you bring those two White Zetsu over?"
Before this, Naruto had captured three White Zetsu during a mission. Sai had used one for his Edo Tensei (Reanimation Jutsu), leaving two remaining.
Konan asked,
"Without Orochimaru here, are you sure about this?"
Naruto replied,
"I've witnessed that technique more than once. I know how to perform the hand seals. While I'd prefer not to use it myself, I'll make an exception this time."
Konan nodded.
"Understood."
Based on the current information, the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique was a forbidden jutsu that violated the taboo of manipulating the living. However, the Edo Tensei seemed to be less extreme. Otherwise, Orochimaru and Kabuto wouldn't have survived its use in the previous timeline.
Ultimately, it likely had to do with the use of living sacrifices—a life for a life. And even then, it wasn't true resurrection.
Konan brought the two White Zetsu forward.
Naruto asked,
"Did you bring any biological material from your parents?"
"I did!" Sakura, as a medical ninja, had anticipated the need for a medium. After all, Naruto had gone to great lengths to recover Jiraiya's body.
She retrieved two vials of blood from her ninja pouch.
Naruto prepared the ritual circle in the hall, pouring out the blood as Konan wrapped the two White Zetsu in paper and placed them within the circle.
Once everything was ready, Naruto formed the necessary hand seals.
"Ninjutsu: Edo Tensei!"
"AAAAHHHHHH!!! Naruto Uzumaki, you dirt-eating bastard!!!"
"AAAAHHHHHH!!! Eating dirt isn't enough for you—why not eat shit too!!!"
The two White Zetsu screamed insults as their bodies were enveloped in dust, transforming into Sakura's parents.
Naruto lowered his hands and reminded Sakura,
"This is not a permanent solution. If there's anything left unsaid, now's the time."
"Father! Mother!"
Sakura couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. She rushed forward and embraced her parents.
Konan observed quietly.
"That should resolve everything."
Naruto said,
"Let's hope so. Konan-nee, I'll leave the rest to you. I have other techniques to master today."
"Go ahead," Konan replied.
As Sakura basked in the joy of reuniting with her parents, she suddenly looked around.
"Where's Naruto?"
Konan's tone was cold.
"He's busy. Do you have any other requests?"
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Sakura said,
"Well, I haven't eaten anything since I got here. Could I have a meal in Amegakure before I leave?"
Konan replied indifferently,
"Fine. But don't speak about Naruto or Pain. Eat and leave. Understood?"
Sakura nodded firmly.
"Don't worry. I'm the tight-lipped type!"
At a local restaurant.
Sakura and her parents sat together, enjoying a meal.
"How's the food, Dad? Mom?" Sakura asked.
Even though their Edo Tensei bodies had no sense of taste, her parents smiled and replied,
"It's delicious. Really delicious."
The other diners chatted among themselves, naturally bringing up Pain in their conversations. After all, the one who had defeated Hanzo and united Amegakure wasn't just a name—Pain was a symbol of faith for the entire village.
"These peaceful days are all thanks to Lord Pain and Lady Angel."
"Absolutely!"
Hearing these discussions, Sakura muttered to herself,
"That's strange… Didn't Pain die in Konoha? Wasn't he defeated by Naruto? Do they not know?"
Whoosh!
The air in the restaurant froze instantly.
Every diner, including the owner, turned their eyes toward Sakura.
"!?"
A chill ran down Sakura's spine as she suddenly remembered Konan's warning.
Damn it.
She hurriedly paid her bill and left the restaurant with her parents, eager to avoid trouble.
From a nearby street corner, Violet watched the entire scene unfold.
Her gaze fixed on Sakura's retreating figure, her eyes glinting with cold intent as she clenched her fists tightly.
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