Naruto: The Forest's Chosen (Mori Mori No Mi)

"This is my parting gift."

"To the me in another world… hmph!"

"Disappear along with it."

As Menma finished speaking, the giant spiral sphere in his hand completed its formation.

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—

A high-pitched, whirring sound echoed through the air.

This wasn't just a Rasengan—it was a mirrored version of the Sage Art: Wind Style Rasenshuriken. But it was even more potent. Its destructive capability rivaled that of a Tailed Beast Rasenshuriken.

Its power? Devastating. More direct than Chibaku Tensei. Leveling Konoha would be effortless.

And that so-called Myoboku prophecy—"The masked man will be defeated by the Book of the Vermilion Moon, retrieved by Jiraiya"—was irrelevant now.

As Menma's words faded, he released the massive spiral sphere.

Whoosh—

It shot through the sky like a meteor, shining with blinding light. The sphere expanded as it descended, growing until it hovered over the Hokage Monument.

Then—

BOOM!

It exploded in a flash of white light, ready to rise into a mushroom cloud—

But in the very next instant—

Rewind.

Time seemed to reverse.

The explosion collapsed in on itself.

The spinning chakra sphere shrank, compacted, and flew backward through the air until it landed gently… back in Menma's hand.

"This is my parting gift."

"To the me of another world… hmph."

"Disappear with it."

Whoosh!

Naruto suddenly appeared in front of Menma.

"Now that your heart has fused with that world's chakra… you're eager to hand over the goods already?"

Menma's pupils shrank in shock.

Naruto had appeared too quickly, without warning.

Still, Menma threw the massive spiral sphere.

But this time—it didn't land.

The moment it began to descend—

A vortex of spiraling space appeared.

The sphere vanished into it, swallowed by the dimensional distortion.

Meanwhile, below Konoha—

The nine masked beasts born of the Nine-Faced Subaha launched their assault.

"I'll be right back. Don't worry," Minato said calmly, placing a hand on Kushina's shoulder.

"Dried Bamboo Shoots will be fine."

Whoosh—

With those words, Minato disappeared—teleporting instantly with the Flying Thunder God technique.

"Damn it!" Hinata cried, standing abruptly—then staggering as her face turned pale.

"Calm down," Tsunade said, raising a hand.

"It's not the worst-case scenario yet. Bamboo Shoots and Minato are both out there… and so is everyone else."

"Alright then," she sighed. "Activate the Akatsuki."

Tsunade tried to stay composed, but her trembling hand betrayed her.

She gave the order.

The Akatsuki—now a hired mercenary group exclusive to the Tsukuyomi world—had been contracted ahead of time after the retrieval of the Book of the Vermilion Moon.

Outside Konoha, figures in black cloaks with red clouds appeared.

Due to the Nine-Faced Subaha's rampage, the area available for it to move had been steadily shrinking—forced in by the efforts of the major clan heads and Minato.

Menma glanced down, then back at Naruto.

"Heh… I feel it—the same chakra," he said, spreading his arms.

He looked up at the red magatama-shaped moon hanging in the sky.

"This world… was created, wasn't it?"

He lowered his gaze.

And locked eyes with Naruto.

From behind the mask, his Sharingan gleamed—three scarlet tomoe spinning within.

"The Book of the Vermilion Moon… you brought it with you, didn't you?"

"Let's see if you can handle me."

He reached up and slowly removed his mask.

Underneath was a face identical to Naruto's—except for the black hair.

Clenching his fists, he muttered, "So this… is the power of these eyes?"

And in that instant—his Sharingan transformed.

From the standard three tomoe to the swirling Mangekyō Sharingan.

Indra's eyes.

Madara's eyes.

"You reek of something foul," Menma said. "That stench… can't be allowed to exist."

Naruto said nothing.

He looked up at the crimson, magatama-shaped moon in the sky.

"You're not seriously thinking of letting him deal with me, are you?"

He lowered his gaze again.

"I just wanted to test the strength of the 'White Zetsu' you created."

Far away, above the sea in the real world, the Six Paths Sage's projection narrowed his eyes.

"…Uzumaki Naruto."

At that moment, a voice—deep and ancient—emerged from Menma's mouth.

It was the voice of the Sage of Six Paths.

"I never expected that while I slept, a variable like you would appear."

"Did you kill my mother?"

Naruto smirked, just slightly.

"Who knows?"

Buzz——

Menma regained control of his body, his expression dark and heavy.

"Your presence disgusts me—your chakra even more so."

"There only needs to be one Naruto in this world. Me."

"It's time to end this."

As he spoke, Menma began forming hand seals—but then, a repelling force surged behind him.

Whoosh——

In the blink of an eye, Menma vanished.

Naruto looked down from above.

Below, standing calmly, were Tendō Yahiko, Uchiha Itachi, and Konan. All three stared up at him.

"We're here on the Hokage's orders," Itachi said, voice calm but firm.

"She sent us to assist you," Konan added coldly, her lips barely parting.

Naruto's gaze lingered on her for a moment.

Then, slowly, he raised his hand—pointing straight at Itachi.

"Even if this is just a limited Tsukuyomi world… I still don't want to see you."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. His three-tomoe Sharingan spun—morphing instantly into the Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Stop," Yahiko interjected. "We're not your enemies."

But right then—

Menma reappeared.

Floating in front of the three.

"The Akatsuki mercenary group?"

"Tch. Nosy, as always."

"Get lost."

He lifted his arm. The Mangekyō in his eyes dissolved—replaced by the Rinnegan.

Buzz——

An immense gravitational force surged forward.

Crimson chakra ignited around Itachi as he prepared to summon Susanoo.

But he was too late.

BOOM!

The blast from Menma's Shinra Tensei hurled Itachi and Yahiko back.

Konan, however, remained standing.

She blinked in confusion.

"You can deal with the other two," Menma said flatly. "But don't touch her."

He didn't wait for Naruto's reaction—but true to his word, he left Konan untouched.

In the next moment, Menma appeared above the fallen Itachi and Yahiko.

Itachi's body surged with red chakra again.

In a flash, the skeletal frame of Susanoo formed around him.

Clang—!!

But before it could fully manifest—

Shunk!

A chakra lightsaber pierced through Itachi.

Poof—!!

A murder of crows scattered—it was a substitution.

But Menma had anticipated that.

He lunged, piercing Itachi a second time.

All while laughing, rising into the sky.

Below him, his own Susanoo—blue in hue—began taking form. It grew legs, then donned full Warring States era armor.

He glanced back at Naruto, placing one hand on his abdomen.

"Let's clean up this eyesore!"

BOOM—!!!

Dark energy erupted.

From Menma's body, a version of the Nine-Tails emerged—its chakra deep and shadowed. It was the Yin half: the Dark Kurama.

The beast's body was soon clad in Susanoo armor.

"…Tch."

"We're retreating for now," Naruto said quietly.

Konan snapped back to her senses.

She looked over, eyes wide.

"…Yes."

Something about Naruto's tone left no room for refusal.

She spared a glance at Yahiko—injured, but still breathing.

Then, without hesitation, her form dissolved into a flurry of white paper.

With the merging of the Limited Tsukuyomi World and Kamui World, the power of the Six Paths Sage—the lingering will—was gradually fading.

The ruler of this dream-realm had changed.

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh——

On the other side, Tailed Beast Bombs gathered in front of the Dark Nine-Tails, hovering at its mouth.

Then—

It stood.

Transformed.

The beast shifted into a giant shinobi—a chakra avatar wielding a sword, encased in perfect Susanoo armor.

And it charged straight at Naruto.

"Let me take over…"

"This guy pisses me off! There's only room for one Kurama!"

Kurama's voice echoed from deep within Naruto's seal.

"Honestly, I could've ended him already."

"I just wanted to study his body a bit first."

"White Zetsu's evolution… has real potential."

Naruto's brow furrowed.

He realized something critical.

White Zetsu seemed to lack a soul.

Kaguya's original White Zetsu army had been made from real people—victims absorbed by the God Tree. Those ones had souls.

But after the Sage of Six Paths created the Pure Land, the souls of those humans were drawn into the afterlife.

What was left in these clones—was hollow.

Soulless.

Animalistic.

Just flesh and chakra.

Some of them don't even have souls.

Of course, those soulless White Zetsu—if they manage to live long enough—may eventually develop their own primitive souls, the kind tied to instinct and basic intelligence.

"I don't care anymore," Kurama said, voice booming in Naruto's mind. "It's been a while since I stretched. People have forgotten you're the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki."

"Alright."

Naruto responded with a grin—and gave Kurama a setup even more powerful than what the Dark Nine-Tails had.

In addition to Susanoo's chakra armor, Kurama was clad in Wood Release armor—an echo of Hashirama's power.

Cough!!!

Naruto soared high into the sky, watching the two colossal Nine-Tailed Foxes circling below.

Tailed Beast Bombs crashed against one another like dying stars.

Within seconds, the Dark Kurama was overwhelmed.

"This is cheating! How am I supposed to win?!"

It howled in disbelief.

"He's not even dodging—and I can't break his defense! But when he hits me—two or three strikes and my level 3 armor's gone!"

BOOM—!!

Another brutal Tailed Beast Bomb landed.

The Dark Kurama slammed into the earth.

Kurama, laughing heartily, stepped on the downed beast.

"I am the real Kurama!"

"Hmph~!"

With that, Kurama's chakra body gradually faded.

And as it vanished—

So did the Dark Nine-Tails.

Menma collapsed to the ground, his entire body twitching in agony.

Naruto raised one hand.

A faint thread of chakra—connecting Menma to the real-world Six Paths Sage—was severed with a flick.

Snap—

Naruto descended gently, walking toward Menma.

The broken figure on the ground opened his eyes with effort.

"Why...?"

Naruto paused, thoughtful.

"Maybe... because I'm the original."

The truth was—Menma's potential was incredible.

But even if he had gone all out, even if Naruto had stood there and let him strike as he pleased, Menma might not have even scratched his skin.

Naruto knelt down, gripping Menma by the neck and slowly lifting him up.

His voice softened.

"All that hatred... that anger... you turned it against an innocent child."

"He was never the one who deserved your fury."

"That's why I appeared—to make things right."

Boom——

Menma's heart pounded violently.

The world fell silent. Only the faint rustle of the wind remained.

After a long stillness, Menma exhaled.

His black hair slowly began to turn white. Golden strands shimmered between the fading darkness.

The chakras of Asura and Indra—once in perfect conflict—were suppressed.

They bowed under the combined force of both Naruto's and Menma's own chakra.

As for the last remnant of the Six Paths Sage's power—

With the fusion of the Limited Tsukuyomi and Kamui World, even that divine presence dissolved into nothing.

Menma opened his eyes once more.

He looked at Naruto—his mirror image—standing before him.

Yet somehow, it was painfully clear:

They weren't the same.

Not at all.

And then—Menma smiled.

A faint, cracked grin.

As if remembering something important.

"We're different..."

"And in that difference... I win."

...

TN:

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