Seeing that the Nine-Tails paid no mind to him and had settled down for a rest, Ōtsutsuki Toneri smiled faintly. He could understand the beast's emotions.
The Nine-Tails was proud and headstrong; for it to have voluntarily spoken up and asked Toneri to help lift its seal was already pushing its limits.
Since Toneri had refused, there was no way it would press the matter further.
The fact that it hadn't directly ordered him to scram was already out of respect for Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
Toneri's figure gradually faded from view, and once he disappeared, the Nine-Tails—who had been pretending to nap with its eyes closed—suddenly opened them. Its fox-like eyes fixed on the spot Toneri had just occupied, their expression complicated.
"Rinnegan… Tailed Beast Chakra… I hope it isn't what I think it is…"
The deep, hoarse voice reverberated through the silent, dark space before fading into a profound stillness.
Outside, Ōtsutsuki Toneri had released the genjutsu he had cast on Naruto.
"Huh?" Naruto's eyes returned to focus, and he looked at Toneri with a puzzled expression, wrinkling his small face as he scratched his head.
Though he couldn't say why, everything felt a little strange. Something… had just happened.
"All right, Naruto, it's getting late today. We'll meet again next time," Toneri said slowly, a small smile forming as he regarded Naruto's confused expression.
"Huh? You're leaving?" Naruto blinked, a hint of reluctance in his voice.
It was the first time he had felt such warmth from someone. Toneri's gentle attitude, treating him equally and acknowledging him, filled him with a rare, comforting joy.
Hearing that Toneri was leaving, he felt a pang of disappointment and sadness.
"Ah… it's time to go back," Toneri nodded, his delicate, cute features still endearing despite the absence of eyes.
Seeing Naruto lower his head in dejection, Toneri hesitated slightly.
"Listen, Naruto—believe in yourself. You're special. You're not inferior to anyone. Face life brightly! One day, you'll shine brighter than anyone else!"
Toneri's words were warm encouragement. To him, Naruto truly was special.
Yet, after all, he was still an opponent. Toneri let out a quiet sigh, though it was a good thing—having a worthy rival meant the future would never be boring.
Thinking of this, Toneri curled his lips into a sly, almost wicked smile. He was already looking forward to seeing Naruto's expression when they eventually faced each other.
But Naruto, frozen in place from hearing Toneri's words, did not notice the faint, sinister curl of Toneri's lips.
He was stunned—this was the first time anyone had ever encouraged him like this.
The genuine kindness in Toneri's words finally broke through his tears. Large drops slid down his cheeks, hitting the ground one by one.
"…I'll wait for you at the peak, Naruto. Don't make me wait too long," Toneri said softly, pausing for a moment.
After speaking, Toneri turned and left, leaving Naruto alone to wipe his tears.
This unexpected encounter had already brought him great satisfaction—he had met the young Prince and the Second Pillar ahead of time.
He had also acquired a portion of the Nine-Tails' chakra, an incredible surprise.
And he had successfully planted a seed in Naruto's heart—surely, the future would be even more interesting.
Observing the meeting and the silent, stoic Sasuke also provided him with valuable information: the Uchiha clan had already been wiped out.
This reunion between Naruto and Sasuke came from the memory of their final battle. That meant the Uchiha clan was completely annihilated. Otherwise, Sasuke would have still been a cheerful, lively child.
"A pity, really…" Toneri thought, still quite interested in the Tonerigan of the Uchiha. Absorbing the ocular power might even speed up the evolution of his own Rinnegan.
But it wasn't critical; after all, those were just regular Mangekyō Tonerigan—their ocular power was limited.
"Tobirama… Hyūga… Third Hokage…" Toneri mused, recalling these existences. With the Uchiha gone, the Hyūga had effectively become Konoha's dominant clan.
After all, the Hyūga excelled at close combat with their Byakugan, and Konoha was at its weakest. The Senju were fading, the Uchiha exterminated, the Sannin had left, the Third Hokage was aged, and Danzo hid in the shadows.
Were there any strong figures left in Konoha?
No. Essentially none. The Third still had some skill left, but he was old.
Danzo was now just a rat hiding in the shadows, unable to face the light.
"First, I'll obtain the Byakugan from the Hyūga, then meet the longest-serving Hokage, and only then can I leave Konoha," Toneri planned, deep in thought.
The Hyūga Byakugan was essential—it represented light and power growth.
The Transmigration Eye—the godly eye said to wield the power of creation and destruction!
Just as Toneri was contemplating, a child's laughter suddenly reached his ears.
Toneri turned, his previously calm expression subtly shifting.
Could fate really be so strange?
He had just met the Prince and the Second Pillar, and now he was unexpectedly encountering her too?