Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

As the massive Little Leopard disappeared into the space portal, Naruto muttered to himself, "Kirito should be okay, right?"

"If he went through with this plan, it means he's confident. We don't need to worry about him," Sasuke replied, carefully observing the rapidly shrinking and vanishing space portal with his Six-Tomoe Rinnegan. "But what we need to focus on now is Kirito's true identity. You've noticed it too, haven't you, Naruto?"

"Yeah," Naruto admitted, knowing exactly what Sasuke was referring to.

After Kaguya appeared, both of them couldn't ignore the striking resemblance between Kirito and Kaguya.

Even though Kirito had grown up in Konoha and, in theory, had no connection to someone like Kaguya, who was thousands of years old, they couldn't help but suspect some kind of link between them.

Furthermore, Kaguya had emerged from Madara, who was the Ten-Tails' Jinchuriki. And Kirito, curiously, always carried a cub that could very well be tied to the Ten-Tails. This deepened their suspicions that there was more to Kirito's past than he had revealed.

"Still," Naruto said with conviction, "I believe Kirito is one of us—a comrade."

Sasuke didn't argue. While his logical side questioned Kirito's identity, his instincts trusted Naruto's unwavering belief.

Setting aside the mystery of Kirito's origins, Sasuke turned his focus to the space portal that had fully disappeared. "That ability—some kind of space-time ninjutsu. It's a technique I couldn't decipher even with the Rinnegan. Could it be a Kekkei Genkai or even a Kekkei Tota?"

"Wait!" Naruto's eyes widened as a realization hit him. "If Kirito and Kaguya both left, and they're the only ones who can travel through space, how are we supposed to get back to the Shinobi World?"

Surveying the barren, lifeless red desert around them, Naruto felt panic creep in. It was clear there was no one else in this dimension to help them. His active imagination conjured a grim scenario where he and Sasuke, trapped in this wasteland, died of thirst and starvation, leaving only skeletal remains behind.

"Calm down, Naruto!" Sasuke snapped, trying to keep his composure. "Don't forget, I also have the Rinnegan. If both Kirito and Kaguya could manipulate space-time, it's possible for me to awaken a similar technique."

"Really?" Naruto asked, his hope reignited.

"Yes, but..." Sasuke's tone shifted, and his eyes narrowed. "This place is perfect for something else. No people, no interference, and nothing to worry about damaging. It's an ideal battlefield—just the two of us."

The temperature seemed to drop as Sasuke's words hung in the air. Naruto frowned. "We don't even know if Kaguya's been fully dealt with yet. If we waste our strength fighting now, we'll be powerless to seal her if Kirito fails."

"Are you scared, Naruto?" Sasuke asked, a sharp edge to his voice.

Snap! Naruto clasped his fists together with a grin. "Scared? Not a chance! I've been waiting for a chance to knock some sense into you for ages!"

With a swift motion, Sasuke unsheathed the Kusanagi Sword from his back. "You're the last obstacle in my path to true reform. Once I defeat you, no one will stand in my way. And if I lose, your body can withstand my chakra. You can transplant my Rinnegan and leave this place. Only the winner deserves to return."

Naruto's expression hardened. "I won't lose. That's my ninja way!"

As the few remaining Truth-Seeking Orbs transformed into a black staff in Naruto's hands, the tension between the two surged. The red desert responded with swirling clouds of dust, though there was no wind.

Just as the two were about to clash, a pitch-black space portal materialized between them. Kirito's white-haired form emerged, his curious eyes surveying the scene.

Seeing Kirito, Sasuke let out a sigh and sheathed the Kusanagi Sword. With Kirito back, any opportunity for their duel vanished. Moreover, Sasuke was eager to learn Kaguya's fate, as Kirito's presence strongly suggested her defeat.

Naruto released the black staff, his curiosity overriding his earlier resolve. "Kirito, how's Kaguya? Did you manage to seal her?"

"My original body dealt with her," Kirito replied casually. "But there's still some cleanup to do, so I'm here to bring you two back."

"Your original body?" Sasuke questioned, picking up on the detail.

"This," Kirito gestured to himself, "is a wood clone. My main body is still handling Kaguya. Since I can't leave yet, I came to escort you back to the Shinobi World. After all, neither of you has the ability to travel through space."

"Is that portal one of your techniques?" Sasuke asked, scrutinizing the space gate.

"Yes, it's called Yomotsu Hirasaka. It allows me to open portals to any coordinates in space," Kirito explained. There was no longer any need to hide his abilities.

Naruto brightened. "Great! We can finally go home!"

"Not so fast," Sasuke interjected. "Before we leave, we should settle things here—our duel."

Kirito shook his head. "No, this dimension contains Kaguya's chakra and all those trapped by the Infinite Tsukuyomi. If you damage anything here, it could have catastrophic consequences for the Shinobi World."

Of course, this was just an excuse. In truth, Kirito considered this space his own now and had no intention of letting them wreak havoc in it.

Sasuke hesitated, but Kirito cut him off. "Besides, isn't there a better place for the two of you to settle things?"

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances, immediately understanding where Kirito was referring to.

"Fine," Sasuke agreed reluctantly.

Satisfied, Kirito placed a hand on each of their elbows and pulled them into the space portal.

The shift was instantaneous. Naruto and Sasuke blinked as they found themselves in a familiar yet haunting landscape. The land was devastated, with a blood-red moon looming in the sky. Thick branches and vines stretched across the terrain, each holding people wrapped tightly in cocoons.

In the eerie silence, the two realized they had returned to the Shinobi World.

(End of Chapter)