Chapter 312: Ready to Open Her Eyes?
Go where?
Naturally, the same place as Sasuke, off to the Kumogakure Village.
Tsukuyomi, this genjutsu, can make the body experience sensations identical to reality, but as long as one knows in advance that it's an illusion, they can remain conscious.
The key with Infinite Tsukuyomi isn't the genjutsu itself, but the continuous correctional power, like Eida(Ada)'s [Omnipotence] ability.
A person caught in Infinite Tsukuyomi isn't hypnotized just once, they're under continuous hypnosis.
This could be seen with Tenten, who carried Six Paths ninja tools.
Tenten relied on those tools to maintain normal thought, realizing that she should be on the battlefield but suddenly found herself back in the village.
If it were just ordinary Tsukuyomi, almost anyone could notice this.
Even knowing it's fake, no matter how intense the illusion, there's a limit.
Trying to stimulate the Sharingan with normal Tsukuyomi is ineffective and easily creates resistance.
What could make Sasuke open his eyes normally would, under typical circumstances, work just as well for Sarada.
Naruto is Sasuke's close companion, and at the same time, he's an idol to Sarada.
Yes.
As long as an idol still occupies her heart, one day it will become an unbreakable karmic obstacle on her path of training.
It's time to break the idol in her heart.
——
The Land of Lightning, Kumogakure Village.
Raikage Tower.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
The Raikage angrily refused as Deidara arrived to deliver the "mission."
"This concerns Uchiha Sasuke's awakening of the Sharingan. He's the reincarnation of Indra, a necessary force to resist the Ōtsutsuki clan."
"Raikage-sama, you wouldn't want the Kumogakure to be invaded by the Ōtsutsuki, would you?
"Raikage-sama, you wouldn't want your brother Killer Bee to be taken by the Ōtsutsuki, right? Huh!"
Deidara was following instructions from his strategist, threatening the Raikage.
"Damn it…"
The Raikage gritted his teeth.
He was being threatened… and yet he truly had no way out.
"I heard from that old man Ōnoki that the Raikage values only practical benefits, not fame, which is why he did many things considered improper."
"Now I see, the old man lied. The Raikage does care about reputation."
Deidara continued speaking.
The Raikage's face was heating up.
Was this guy all mouth? Could he really talk this much?
Wait.
"By the way… what's your relationship with that old man Ōnoki?"
"I'm his father."
"…"
The Raikage was speechless for a moment. Then, with reminders from his right-hand man Darui, he realized that Deidara had once been a ninja from the Iwagakure Village and was considered Ōhoki's chosen successor.
Only now, Deidara had defected, became a rogue ninja and joined Akatsuki.
"Here's what we'll do. You use your Transformation Technique to become Ōnoki, and join in. Then I'll agree."
The Raikage fell silent, thinking for a long time before finally deciding.
Indeed, the other party was correct.
He shouldn't worry about personal reputation.
Helping Uchiha Sasuke awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan was beneficial for the shinobi world.
And afterward, Sasuke would have to thank the Kumogakure Village for all they had done for him.
"I don't need to transform, right?"
Deidara reached into his clothes, rubbed his hands twice, and then pulled out a lump of clay, tossed it to the ground.
The clay clone transformed into Ōnoki's appearance, floated in midair.
"Don't worry, it won't explode. I'll be right here watching, hmm."
Deidara was very satisfied with his new clay clone.
He had long wanted to use Ōnoki's appearance to do something mischievous, but he hadn't expected the first use would be to do something good.
…Although this "good deed" wasn't really that good.
"…Here we go!"
The Raikage took a deep breath and shouted.
Five minutes later.
The Raikage, Killer Bee, Deidara with his clay clone, and Uzumaki Naruto arrived at a studio rented by the Land of Snow film crew.
After everyone else left, Naruto used the Multi Shadow Clone Technique combined with the Transformation Technique.
The Raikage and Killer Bee exchanged a glance, took a deep breath, and then…
"Thank you, Uncle Bee."
Naruto was deeply moved.
Uncle Bee not only taught him how to control the power of the Tailed Beast, but also sacrificed himself and his brother to help awaken Sasuke's Sharingan.
A few days later.
The Kumogakure Village's Chūnin Exams officially began.
Everyone from Amegakure came to watch the spectacle (just kidding), to witness the moment the Mangekyou Sharingan awakened.
Sasuke had just arrived when a masked Konoha ANBU appeared in front of him, carrying several photos.
Sasuke was puzzled.
He had already reached the Kumogakure Village and would soon see Naruto. Why was Konoha ANBU still gathering intel?
Did this even matter?
Thinking that, Sasuke opened the photos.
The background was a small island in the ocean.
Naruto sat on the ground, holding a blond, dark-skinned child, his stomach unusually large.
Beside him were the Raikage and Killer Bee, two towering men standing closely on either side.
And Ōnoki floated nearby, holding a small bottle of pills.
"Wh-what is this?"
Sasuke was stunned.
"Naruto isn't currently in the Kumogakure Village. He's on a small island in the Land of Lightning's waters."
"It seems the Kumogakure Village stole some of Orochimaru's research results. Naruto refused to cooperate, so they implanted the purple bow and arrows into him, and then…"
"Of course, Sasuke-kun, don't worry. This is just a rumor, just hearsay. Perhaps these kids just had too much soy sauce…"
The ANBU "tried to persuade" him gently.
"…"
Sasuke lowered his head, hiding his expression from the ANBU.
If it were the old Sasuke, he might have doubted the authenticity of the photos.
But now…
Sasuke had once watched the 'Buff Man Series'.
The plot was absurd, but art comes from life.
If they could write such ridiculous stories, then these things must have happened in reality.
Moreover, while training in the Otogakure Village, he had heard the Four Sound Ninja gossip, stories of Kakashi and Might Guy checking each other's little acorns, and Kakashi's former teammates "paying attention" to him.
Flies don't bite a seamless egg.
Even if these stories weren't true, Kakashi must have done similar things.
Besides, a Kakashi capable of writing so many books could never be a pure, innocent person.
There were also tales from after the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara's times.
The Second Hokage once cut off Uchiha Izuna's rank to make Izuna a girl to pursue him, but Izuna died of excessive blood loss.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo used to play "I am the Hokage, you'll regret it" pranks.
All this shows that in the shinobi world, bonds of various kinds indeed exist.
So Naruto could indeed have been… compromised by the evil Kumo Ninja.
"Ugh..Naruto, where exactly are you?!"
"I-I don't know. That island's location is top secret even within Kumogakure…"
The ANBU cautiously stepped back.
(End of this chapter)