Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

After calming down, Naruto leaned back in his chair and said, "I really didn't realize how much time has passed."

Kirito's words brought Naruto back to his youth. Memories of being the hero of the Fourth Ninja World War came rushing in. That period had been both challenging and exhilarating. With the fame he gained during the war, he became the pride of the village. Tsunade and Kakashi had officially started grooming him as the next Hokage.

Though it had been a difficult time, Naruto felt invincible, even when facing adversaries like Toneri, who could split the moon in half. Those moments defined his confidence.

Suddenly, Kirito broke his train of thought. "To be honest, I'm already thinking about your wedding gift," he said with a small smile. "What do you think would make the perfect gift, coming from someone who's already been through it?"

Naruto blinked in surprise before laughing. "That's cheating! How can I tell you what to get me?"

He smiled softly and added, "Honestly, it didn't matter what anyone gave me. The best gift was the sincere blessings and love from everyone around me. Knowing they supported Hinata and me meant the world."

Naruto's expression turned somber. "But... there were so many people who couldn't attend my wedding. They couldn't witness that moment with me."

Kirito, sensing Naruto's sadness, spoke up. "If that's what you regret, I could arrange something. Just tell me who you want there, and I'll use Edo Tensei to bring them back."

Naruto's eyes widened before he quickly shook his head. "No way! Edo Tensei requires a living sacrifice, doesn't it? That's inhumane, not to mention it disturbs the souls of the deceased. I could never approve of such a forbidden technique."

Kirito shrugged. "You'd be surprised. Sacrifices can be substituted with White Zetsu clones. And for those who love you, getting the chance to return, even briefly, might not feel like a disturbance—it could be a joy."

Naruto was silent for a long moment before sighing. "If you ask my past self before the wedding, maybe he would've agreed. I didn't have this option back then, so who knows what I would have chosen. But now... I'd rather not disturb them."

Though the conversation moved on, the mention of Edo Tensei lingered in Naruto's mind. He couldn't help but reflect on how powerless he had felt during the battle against Isshiki.

Even against Kaguya, he hadn't felt such overwhelming despair. The gap between him, Sasuke, and Isshiki had been insurmountable. Without Kirito's intervention, he didn't know how they would have protected Kawaki or the village.

"Here's your ramen!" The waiter's cheerful voice broke the heavy mood, placing steaming bowls of ramen in front of them.

"I'm digging in!" Naruto declared enthusiastically, diving into his food.

Kirito followed suit, enjoying his bowl in silence. Though he had brought up Edo Tensei with a hint of jest, it was also meant as a subtle suggestion. It could be a trump card for Naruto in the future, but Naruto's resolve seemed unwavering.

That night, as the village rested, Kirito sat alone in Naruto's living room, leaning against the sofa. His thoughts drifted to his next steps.

With Isshiki defeated, Kirito recalled the prophecy from the Great Toad Sage. The figure with "horns" mentioned in the prophecy wasn't Kaguya—it had been Isshiki all along.

Though he didn't know how Naruto and his friends managed to defeat Isshiki in the original timeline, he felt certain that his presence had brought about the best possible outcome.

Now that Isshiki was gone, his mission in this era was complete. It was time to return to the past. Despite the bonds he had formed, Kirito couldn't shake the feeling of being out of place in this timeline. The people and surroundings, though familiar, felt distant.

Having resolved to return home, Kirito closed his eyes, preparing for tomorrow's goodbyes.

The next morning, after breakfast, Kirito was preparing to leave when Boruto and Kawaki approached him.

"Kirito," Boruto said, his voice filled with urgency, "The Karma on Kawaki is gone. When are you going to help me get rid of mine?"

Kirito studied Boruto's eager expression and could tell he had been pressured by Kawaki's sudden freedom from Karma during the battle.

"Don't worry," Kirito replied. "I'll talk to Naruto about it today. Once we sort it out, I'll help you."

"Great!" Boruto exclaimed. "I want to come too!"

Kirito shook his head with a smile. "Stay here for now. Once I've spoken to Naruto, I'll come back for you."

Boruto frowned but eventually nodded. "Alright. I trust you."

Kirito patted Boruto's shoulder before heading to the Hokage's office.

Naruto was slumped over his desk, buried under piles of documents. The rebuilding efforts had been delayed until they could confirm Isshiki's death. Now that the threat was gone, the backlog of tasks had hit Naruto and Shikamaru like a tidal wave.

When Kirito entered, Naruto jerked upright, rubbing his face to chase away sleep. "Kirito? What brings you here?"

"I've come to let you know I plan to leave," Kirito said simply.

Naruto's grogginess vanished. "What? So soon? Why not stay a little longer?"

Though Kirito had helped solve one of Konoha's biggest problems, he had only been in this timeline for just over a week. Naruto had hoped Kirito would stay longer to build stronger ties.

"My mission was to rescue you," Kirito explained. "Now that I've overachieved that goal, it's time for me to prepare to return to my timeline."

Naruto sighed. "You could still stay for a bit..."

Kirito smiled faintly. "I'd love to, but I need to get back to preparing your wedding gift, remember?"

Naruto chuckled at the reminder, though there was a tinge of sadness in his eyes. "Alright, I get it. Thank you for everything you've done."

(End of Chapter)