Chapter 433: The Path to the Moon
"Found it."
After days of searching, the young Naruto, along with Hinata and Hanabi, finally arrived deep within that hidden cave.
Based on records in the Hyuga Clan's ancient texts, they had pinpointed this location.
Before them, a Giant Mutant Crab, its body comparable to a small house, its shell as thick as rock, and wielding massive pincers, had just been blasted apart by Naruto's Rasenrigan. It seemed to be the "gatekeeper" of this ancient passage.
Having defeated the monster blocking their path, they were able to reach the core area of the cave without further hindrance.
The scene before them suddenly opened up.
In the center of the cave was a pool of water.
In stark contrast to the dark and rough surrounding rock walls, the water in this pool presented an indescribable translucent emerald green.
That green was not due to murkiness or algae growth; it was a color of extreme purity, as if melted jade had condensed there.
The water was crystal clear, allowing one to see the smooth rocks at the bottom at a glance. The surface was as calm as a mirror, reflecting the stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling and the faint fluorescence emitted by unknown minerals. It was as beautiful as a dreamscape.
"So beautiful!"
Hanabi was immediately captivated by the dreamlike emerald pool, her pure white eyes sparkling with wonder.
A girl's natural love for beautiful things made her temporarily forget the tension and uncertainty of this journey.
Even the quiet Hinata widened her eyes slightly, moved by the beauty of the pool and the serene aura it contained, and nodded gently.
Naruto walked to the edge of the pool, crouched down, and reached out to touch the surface of the water lightly with his finger.
It felt ice-cold but not bone-chilling. The water was exceptionally pure, with almost no Impurities. He withdrew his hand, watching the water droplets evaporate quickly from his fingertips, his gaze becoming solemn and deep.
Clear water is shallow, while deep water is green; it seemed this pool was quite deep.
"Here," he looked up at Hinata and Hanabi beside him, his voice filled with certainty, "is the passage recorded in the Hyuga Clan's ancient texts that connects the Ninja World to the moon."
Although he had never walked it himself, based on the scattered descriptions in the ancient texts and the vague memories of the final movie chapter in his mind, he was almost certain.
However, Naruto had always been cautious.
To ensure everything was safe, especially since he had Hinata and Hanabi to protect, he decided to scout ahead first.
"I'll send a Clone ahead to scout the way and confirm the situation over there," Naruto said to the two sisters, his tone steady and reliable. "Then the three of us will rest and adjust here for a bit, waiting for the Clone to send back definite news before we move. This is safer."
"Alright, Naruto-kun."
Hinata nodded submissively, fully trusting Naruto's judgment and arrangements.
She gently took the hand of her sister Hanabi, who was still staring reluctantly at the pool, and stepped back a couple of paces to leave enough room for Naruto to perform his Ninjutsu, while also preparing for any sudden developments.
Naruto took a deep breath and quickly formed hand seals. Thanks to the leap in his Chakra control after becoming a Jinchuriki and his hard training during this time, he was now relatively proficient in using some basic Wood Release Ninjutsu, especially in the application of Clones.
"Multiple Wood Clone Technique!"
Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!
More than ten Wood Clones, identical to Naruto's Main Body, appeared by the pool. Compared to Shadow Clones, Wood Clones were better suited for long-term reconnaissance and exploration missions.
"Go!"
Naruto's Main Body gave the command.
The ten or so Wood Clones nodded and, without any hesitation, jumped into the translucent emerald pool one by one.
Calm returned to the cave, leaving only the pool still translucent and green, reflecting the figures of the three.
Naruto's Main Body, Hinata, and Hanabi found a relatively dry and flat rock by the pool to sit on, resting to recover their Chakra while waiting patiently.
Time passed bit by bit, with only the dripping of water and their light breathing audible in the cave.
The waiting process was somewhat long.
Finally, just as Naruto's Main Body began to frown slightly with worry, he started receiving information from the Wood Clones one after another.
The information was somewhat blurry and fragmented, seemingly interfered with by some force within the passage itself, but the basic outline gradually became clear:
After waking up, the Clones found themselves inside a natural cave.
The internal structure of the cave was similar to the entrance cave on the Ninja World side, but it was much damper.
Stepping out of that cave entrance, they were met with a vast ocean. The sea was broad and looked no different from the oceans of the Ninja World. Most importantly, they could clearly see a landmass at the edge of the horizon.
A few Wood Clones crossed the sea and left Flying Thunder God Marks; subsequently, they found the ruins of an ancient city while exploring.
That was likely the ruins where the Otsutsuki Clan on the moon had lived.
After gathering this information, one Wood Clone dispelled itself to send the message back.
Naruto opened his eyes and briefly shared the information he had received with Hinata and Hanabi.
"The moon... has an ocean? And an abandoned city?"
Hanabi's mouth hung open in surprise, feeling as if she were listening to a myth.
Hinata also found it incredible, but she was more concerned about Naruto's Clones and wary of the unknown environment: "Naruto-kun, will the Clones be alright?"
"They should be fine."
Naruto reassured her, judging from the Chakra status fed back by the Clones that they hadn't encountered any direct attacks. "It seems the environment on the moon is more complex than we imagined."
There's an ocean, land, and ancient ruins...
This is likely where the branch of the Ōtsutsuki descendants, who followed the Six Paths Sage's younger brother Hamura to the moon, once lived.
He stood up and looked at the emerald pool, his eyes turning determined:
"Since the Clones have already scouted the path and the general environment over there, it's time for us to set out. Get ready; we're going to explore a 'world on the moon'."
Hinata and Hanabi also stood up. The sisters looked at each other, seeing tension in each other's eyes, but more so curiosity about the unknown and trust in Naruto.
They nodded, indicating they were ready.
The three jumped into the pool. The yellow light at the bottom shone upon them, letting them slowly drift into a dream.
A voice, speaking with a persuasive and guiding tone, rang out clearly.
"If the moon were about to fall, and there was only a little time left in the world, who would you most want to be with in your final moments? Write it down on the paper."
It was Iruka's voice.
Uzumaki Naruto suddenly jolted, "waking up" from a state of daze.
He blinked and looked around somewhat blankly.
What met his eyes was a scene more familiar than anything—a classroom in the Hidden Leaf Village Ninja Academy.
The afternoon sun shone through the window, casting bright spots on the somewhat old wooden desks.
The air was filled with the smell of chalk dust, along with the faint sounds of commotion from the playground outside.
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