Naruto: The Abstract Strategist of the Akatsuki

"Let's go. I've already had someone bring Uchiha Sasuke, who was hiding among the prisoners, to the exercise area. We should go there now."

Karin turned to Naruto and said.

"Wait a moment!"

Naruto called out to Karin, suddenly realizing how to send a hidden message to Sasuke.

"What's wrong?"

"Sasuke is arrogant and doesn't know that I have a grudge against him. I can pretend to be his good friend and come to find him to come back to the village, and then take the opportunity to give him a big blow."

Naruto mimicked the tone of the darker side of his memory, and when he said those words, a sinister expression appeared on his face.

"A sneak attack? Sure."

Karin thought for a moment and decided that this was perfect. Regardless of whether Naruto's sneak attack succeeded or not, she could let Naruto and Sasuke fight first, and then she would wait for her opportunity to strike.

And so, Naruto finally met Sasuke of this world in the plaza.

This plaza is where Bai Mo, Uchiha Hikaru, and the others from Kumogakure faced the Box of Bliss and the Demon Satori.

As the original protagonist of the Blood Prison storyline, Naruto was not involved in it.

Because Naruto didn't participate, he was completely unaware that there was an extremely crucial piece of information in the Hozuki Castle plaza, which was imprinted with the Tsukuyomi world.

In the center of the square, the enormous Box of Bliss sat quietly.

This is precisely the preparation that Muki, the lord of Hozuki Castle in the real ninja world, made in order to revive his son.

The Box of Elysium still exists here.

This shows that even though the leader of Kusagakure Village has become Karin, it hasn't changed the fate of Moki, the lord of Hozuki Castle.

The Box of Bliss did not attract Sasuke and Naruto's attention. In their eyes, it was just an ornament, without any chakra fluctuations.

"Sasuke! I've finally found you! Come back to the village with me!"

Naruto rushed to Sasuke and grabbed Sasuke's hands.

"Naruto? What are you doing here?"

Sasuke frowned, not expecting that the person the jailer mentioned wanting to see him was actually Naruto.

"Sasuke, come back with me. I know you crave power, and I have a way to make you stronger. I almost died a while ago, and that's when I met the Six Paths Elder."

That's the Sage of Six Paths.

The old man of the Six Paths told me, "Sasuke, we are actually brothers," and went on and on. Then he gave me something called the Six Paths Yang Power, which not only revived me, but also made my strength increase rapidly.

He said he hoped I could cooperate with you to stop his mother's resurrection, and that he would give you the power of Yin the next time he saw you.

Naruto blurted out everything in one breath.

Karin, who was following behind, heard this as Naruto trying to trick Sasuke. He was going to launch a sneak attack once Sasuke lowered his guard.

While that is indeed the case, for Naruto, it was all true.

He's saying this now only to leave Sasuke with a memory, so that Sasuke will eventually understand his predicament.

"Naruto, what grudge do you have against me?"

After hearing this, Sasuke showed a wary expression.

First they said he gained power from near-death, then they said he could also gain power. What does that mean? Isn't this just a way of making him die once?

They made up this story to trick him into not resisting and being killed. When he actually died, he found out that there was no Sage of Six Paths waiting for him. Wouldn't that be a huge surprise?

Sasuke is no longer a hothouse flower. Having wandered the ninja world for many years, he has long been accustomed to the deceit and treachery.

Naruto's trick was so low-level that Sasuke even had the feeling that what Naruto said was true.

"Sigh, Sasuke, I knew you would doubt me. I have a reason to bring you back so you can improve your strength. Don't blame me, Sasuke, forgive me. This is the last time."

Naruto, feigning profundity, quoted lines originally written by Itachi from a scene he read in a novel.

Upon hearing Naruto's words, Sasuke was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized that regardless of whether it was true or not, Naruto was about to attack him.

Sasuke tried to back away and create some distance, but found that his hands, which Naruto had initially grabbed, were still being held tightly.

He didn't even realize it, as if having his hand grabbed by Naruto was something he was used to!

"Forgive me, Sasuke!"

Naruto shouted, and several shadow clones he had prepared beforehand emerged from the ground, surrounding the two of them.

Naruto ducked, and his shadow clones threw chili powder at Sasuke. The shadow clones behind him swarmed forward, wielding weapons given to them by the prison, intending to kill Sasuke in one blow.

Sasuke tried to break free from Naruto, only to discover that the Naruto controlling him was actually the real Naruto!

Moreover, Naruto's endurance is extraordinary!

Even though he kicked Naruto hard in his groin several times, and he felt that Naruto should have been completely destroyed, Naruto didn't utter a sound and still held onto his hands firmly.

Now Sasuke understood why Naruto would use his real body to do such a dangerous thing: only his real body could withstand his attacks, and the shadow clones had already disappeared after being hit a few times.

"Haha, Sasuke, you didn't expect that, did you? My...that part can become intangible!"

"..."

By the time Sasuke tried to use Amaterasu to attack Naruto, it was too late. He had just opened his eyes wide and uttered "Amaterasu" when chili powder was already flying towards him.

Sasuke suddenly closed his eyes and let out a scream.

But he also sensed the wind behind him, though he didn't know why, even though Naruto's shadow clones were fighting him to the death, he didn't feel any killing intent.

Has Naruto's assassination skills honed to such a terrifying level during his time away from Konoha that he can even completely conceal his killing intent?

Sasuke had no choice. The chili powder attack, though seemingly low-level, was incredibly effective. He temporarily lost the ability to use his eye techniques, and with his hands firmly held, he couldn't form hand seals. So, he could only…

"Susanoo!"

Sasuke shouted, and purple chakra appeared around him. Despite the immense force, Naruto still held onto Sasuke's hands tightly.

Sasuke felt that if he used Susanoo to push Naruto out, Naruto could break his own hand. He had no choice but to wrap Naruto up and first open up Susanoo to block the shadow clones' attack from behind.

The shadow clones of Naruto behind him struck Susanoo with their swords, spears, and halberds, but were all blocked.

"Sasuke, stop struggling, trust me!"

Naruto still held Sasuke's hands tightly, trying to persuade Sasuke not to resist.

"roll!"

Sasuke felt that Naruto was treating him like an idiot.

"Fine! Sasuke, you forced me to this! Behold my Shadow Clone Technique!"

"snort!"

Sasuke closed his eyes and sneered.

Naruto's main body gripped his hands tightly, but he also used the power of Susanoo to restrain Naruto. Naruto inside Susanoo could not attack him, and Naruto's shadow clone outside Susanoo was not qualified to shatter his shadow clone.

However, Naruto's shout still made Sasuke feel a little scared, so he immediately focused his eye power and put Susanoo in armor, increasing its defensive power.

Now let's see what Naruto does!