The mountains of the northern border rose like sleeping giants, their peaks hidden behind clouds.
Naruto climbed a narrow path between them, the wind howling in his ears. Snow crunched beneath his boots, and the air grew thinner with every step.
He pulled his cloak tighter. "Remind me again why we're climbing into the freezing sky instead of somewhere warm?"
"Because the Eye of Reflection waits here," Shax replied dryly. "And because you refuse to ignore destiny."
Naruto grinned. "Yeah, well, destiny has a bad sense of direction."
The path wound upward for hours. The ring on his finger glowed faintly, leading him toward a ridge that overlooked the clouds. As the sun began to set, he finally saw it — a massive stone temple carved into the side of the mountain.
It was ancient, covered in frost and vines, yet still intact. Strange runes glimmered faintly across its surface, shifting like light beneath water.
Naruto stopped to catch his breath. "That's it, huh?"
"Yes. The Temple of the Eye. Few have entered and remained whole."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You're full of encouragement, you know that?"
"I am full of experience."
He smiled faintly. "Then let's see what kind of experience this place wants to share."
The Temple Entrance
The doors were enormous, made of black stone etched with symbols Naruto had begun to recognize — spirals, chains, and the ring's emblem.
When he touched them, they moved on their own, groaning like old wood. Cold air rushed out, carrying the faint smell of incense and dust.
Inside, the temple was quiet. Pale blue fire burned in bowls along the walls, casting soft light over carvings of faces — hundreds of them, human and spirit alike.
Naruto walked carefully, each footstep echoing.
"These carvings…" he whispered. "They look almost alive."
"They are memories," Shax said. "Every soul who looked into the Eye left an echo of themselves here."
Naruto felt their gaze following him as he moved deeper into the temple. The corridor narrowed, ending in a circular chamber.
At its center stood the mirror.
The Eye of Reflection
It wasn't made of glass or metal — it was a surface of still water suspended in midair, glowing faintly like the moon.
The air around it rippled with quiet power.
Naruto stepped closer. "So this is the Eye of Reflection."
"Yes," Shax said quietly. "It does not show what you wish to see. It shows what is."
Naruto hesitated. "You mean… it'll show the truth?"
"Truth, memory, and self. Sometimes they are the same. Sometimes not."
He took a deep breath and faced the mirror. The surface shimmered, then began to move. His reflection appeared — but it wasn't standing still.
It smiled.
Naruto blinked. "Uh, that's not supposed to happen."
"Be ready," Shax warned.
The reflection stepped forward — out of the mirror. Water splashed onto the floor and vanished into mist.
The second Naruto looked exactly the same — except his eyes glowed pure gold.
"Who are you?" Naruto demanded.
The reflection tilted its head. "I'm you — the part that listens when you lie to yourself."
"This is the Eye's test," Shax said. "Face what you hide."
Naruto frowned. "Fine. Then let's get this over with."
The reflection laughed softly. "You pretend to be brave, but you're scared every day. Scared of the power, scared of what you're becoming."
"That's not true!"
"Really?" the reflection asked, stepping closer. "You've seen what the Magus did. You know the same fire burns in you. You felt it when you fought the Root. When you hurt those jonin. You liked it."
Naruto's hands clenched. "I didn't like it!"
"You did. Just for a second — the power, the control, the fear in their eyes. Admit it."
Naruto shook his head, backing away. "I'm not like him."
The reflection smiled sadly. "That's what he said."
"Do not believe it," Shax said sharply. "It feeds on doubt."
Naruto closed his eyes, breathing hard. The words cut deep because they weren't completely wrong. He had felt that thrill — that dangerous rush.
But he also remembered something else.
He remembered Iruka's smile, Teuchi's laughter, the villagers who had begun to greet him instead of scowl. He remembered the warmth of those moments — fragile but real.
He opened his eyes. "Maybe I'm scared," he said softly. "But I'm not running from it anymore."
The reflection's golden eyes flickered. "Then show me."
The Battle of the Self
The reflection lunged. Naruto jumped back, forming seals. "Wind Release: Tempest Slash!"
A blade of wind cut through the air, but the reflection moved like smoke, reforming behind him. Its fist connected with Naruto's jaw, sending him crashing into the wall.
"Fight smarter!" Shax shouted. "It knows your every move!"
Naruto spat blood and grinned. "Then I'll do something I'd never expect."
He slammed his hands together. "Sound Release: Echo Pulse!"
The wave exploded outward, shaking the chamber. The reflection stumbled, its form flickering.
Naruto charged forward, his hand glowing with a spiraling mix of wind and sound. "Spirit Rasengan!"
The reflection caught his wrist. "Still using his techniques," it whispered. "Still walking his path."
Naruto's teeth clenched. "No. I'm walking mine!"
He twisted his arm, reversing the chakra flow. The Rasengan burst outward in a shockwave instead of a strike — a move the reflection didn't predict.
The blast threw it backward into the mirror. The surface rippled violently.
For a moment, everything went still.
Then the reflection laughed softly. "Good. Maybe you can change the song after all."
It stepped backward into the water and vanished.
The mirror went still.
Naruto collapsed to his knees, exhausted. "That… was intense."
"You faced your truth and lived," Shax said. "Few do."
Naruto looked at the mirror again. His reflection was normal now — tired, scratched, but his.
"What did it mean… when it said I could change the song?"
"The Magus believed the world's melody was fixed — that fate could not change. You are proving him wrong."
Naruto smiled faintly. "Guess I'm not much of a singer, but I'll try."
The Vision Beyond
Before he could move, the mirror rippled again — this time gently. A faint image appeared on its surface.
It wasn't his reflection, nor the Magus. It was Konoha.
The Hokage's office.
Naruto leaned closer. "What the—?"
Inside the vision, he saw Tsunade and Danzo arguing.
Tsunade's hands slammed against the desk. "You can't send more Root! He's a child, not a weapon!"
Danzo's voice was cold. "He is both. The longer we wait, the stronger the bond between him and the spirits becomes. Do you want another Nine-Tails disaster?"
Naruto's eyes widened. "They're talking about me…"
"The mirror shows truth," Shax said softly. "Even those far away."
Danzo turned in the vision, his one eye glinting like a blade. "When he returns, I will take the ring myself. The age of spirits ends with me."
The vision faded.
Naruto stared at the blank water, anger rising in his chest. "He's still hunting me…"
"Yes. And now you know where your enemy waits."
Naruto clenched his fists. "Then it's time I stop running."
"Revenge is not the path."
"This isn't revenge," Naruto said quietly. "It's the only way to protect everyone else."
The wind stirred through the chamber, swirling dust and snow.
"Then you will need allies," Shax said. "Even the Magus had those who believed in him."
Naruto nodded slowly. "Then I'll find mine."
The Whispering Monk
As he turned to leave the temple, a voice echoed from the shadows.
"Leaving so soon, child of wind and sound?"
Naruto spun around. An old man stood near the entrance, his body thin but his eyes bright and sharp. He wore tattered monk robes, and a small bell hung from his staff.
Naruto tensed. "Who are you?"
The man smiled gently. "Once, I was a keeper of this temple. Now, only a watcher."
"Be wary," Shax whispered. "His aura is… strange."
The monk stepped closer, his bell ringing softly. "You carry the ring of the Magus. I have waited many lifetimes to see it again."
Naruto frowned. "Waited? For what?"
The monk looked into the mirror. "For the one who would see the truth and not break. Many came before you. All failed."
Naruto's stomach tightened. "What happened to them?"
"Some went mad," the monk said calmly. "Some tried to change what they saw. All were consumed by their reflections."
Naruto swallowed hard. "Guess I got lucky."
The monk smiled. "Luck is another word for courage."
He lifted his staff and tapped the ground. The bell rang once — a pure, clear tone.
A small crystal fell from the air into Naruto's hand. It glowed faintly blue.
"What's this?"
"The Echo Stone," the monk said. "It remembers sound. Speak into it once, and it will call what you love most. But use it only in need — or it may call your sorrow instead."
Before Naruto could ask more, the monk's body faded into mist.
Naruto stared at the spot where he had stood. "Shax… was he real?"
"Perhaps a spirit. Perhaps the last echo of the Magus's priesthood. This temple is full of such ghosts."
Naruto looked at the glowing stone in his hand. It pulsed faintly, warm and alive. "Guess I'll hang on to it."
"It may be the only thing that answers when all else falls silent."
Departure
When Naruto stepped outside, dawn was breaking. The sky glowed pink and gold, and snowflakes drifted down like feathers.
He turned once to look back at the temple. Its doors were already closing, sealing the secrets within.
For a moment, he heard faint singing — the voice of his reflection, calm and soft:
"Change the song, child of wind…"
Then silence.
Naruto started down the mountain path.
"Where will you go now?" Shax asked.
"Konoha," Naruto said firmly. "If Danzo's planning something, I can't let him hurt anyone else."
"You know they'll fear you even more."
"Then I'll give them a reason not to."
The wind rose behind him, swirling snow into the air.
And as he walked down the slope, far behind him, deep within the temple, the mirror shimmered one last time.
It showed a shadow — not Naruto's, not the Magus's — a third figure watching from the void, whispering words too quiet to hear.
The prophecy of the Magus was beginning to move again.
Far Below the Mountain
In a cavern miles beneath the temple, a figure cloaked in gray knelt before a black pool. The water rippled, forming the faint image of Danzo's face.
"Report," Danzo said coldly.
"The boy has found the Eye," the cloaked figure answered. "The reflection test is complete."
Danzo's expression darkened. "Then the next phase begins. Prepare the vessel."
The connection faded.
The cloaked figure turned toward the darkness and whispered:
"Soon, Master… soon he will return to us — and the seal will finally break."
A faint laugh echoed through the cavern — deep, ancient, and pleased.
The Wind Carries Forward
Naruto reached the mountain's base by nightfall. He looked back once, the temple barely visible against the clouds.
He whispered to himself, "Change the song… huh?"
"Perhaps that is the lesson," Shax said. "To sing your own truth even when the world prefers silence."
Naruto smiled. "Then let's make it loud enough for everyone to hear."
The wind answered, carrying his words far across the land — toward forests, deserts, and cities where old spirits were beginning to wake.
The Magus's heir was no longer running.
He was coming home.