Deep within the Iburi clan's cavern, a single shaft of sunlight pierced through a hollow in the ceiling, casting a diagonal beam of life onto the lush green saplings below.
Gotta, along with Yukimi and the remaining twenty-five members of the Iburi clan, had already packed their belongings. They were ready to leave.
"This is our clan's resting place," Gotta whispered, kneeling to brush his fingers against a tender green sprout. "Our Bloodline Limit is unstable. If we do not fade into smoke before the age of twenty-five, we simply vanish, leaving no corpse behind. Therefore, for every kinsman we lose, we plant a tree here."
Menma stood silently behind him. Looking around, he saw that this subterranean space had grown into a dense, silent grove.
Watching the newest saplings, Yukimi finally began to accept the reality that Tenzou and the other children were truly gone.
After paying their respects to the dead, Gotta began leading his people out.
"This passage connects to another cavern—a backup base our clan spent years excavating," Gotta explained as they traversed the lightless tunnel.
Menma tracked their movements against the surface topography in his mind, deducing they were heading toward the heart of the mountain range.
"I will arrange for food, medicine, and supplies to be sent to you," Menma said after a moment of thought. "The organization's main base is still under construction. You will move there once it is ready."
"We await your command, my Lord!" Gotta replied respectfully.
Konoha Hidden Leaf Village.
Inside the basement of Menma's private residence, a specialized Flying Thunder God kunai hung suspended from the ceiling.
Shu—
Menma materialized out of thin air. With a soft exhale, he released his Transformation Jutsu, reverting to his true form: a young child.
During his time in the "Limited Tsukuyomi" world, the first S-rank technique he had mastered was the Flying Thunder God, learned directly from Minato Namikaze. Thanks to his Uzumaki lineage, his massive chakra reserves allowed him to perform long-distance teleports that would exhaust a normal shinobi.
"Territory... I need territory..." Menma muttered, frowning as he climbed the stairs out of the basement.
In the Limited Tsukuyomi world, he had been a force of nature, a living myth who fought an army of eighty thousand shinobi alone. Yet, he had never bothered to build an organization or manage a domain. He had known that world was a fabrication—a place without the true threats of Madara, Zetsu, Kaguya, or the enemies lurking in the starry depths of space.
In that world, he had felt the constant rejection of reality.
Here, while the lingering sense of unreality occasionally flickered, his body felt anchored. He had already recruited Kakuzu and Gato, and now the Iburi clan. The skeleton of an organization was there; it was time to put flesh on the bones.
This world wasn't a dream. The Akatsuki had Obito and Zetsu. The dead Madara had left behind a legacy of resurrection. Kaguya was sealed in the moon, and the Otsutsuki clan was scouring the universe for this very planet.
To face them, he needed a powerful organization to unify the shinobi world and consolidate its resources and chakra. Besides, as someone with the soul of a person from his previous life, the concept of a unified empire was deeply ingrained in his bones.
"Young Master," two women, Kina and Yuka, called out from the courtyard where they were hanging laundry and sweeping fallen leaves.
"Don't worry about dinner for me tonight," Menma said, walking straight toward his study.
"Yes, Young Master," they replied with a slight bow. They were used to Menma wandering the village to find local delicacies, which allowed them to return home to their own families earlier.
In the study, Menma spread a map of the Shinobi World across the desk, his eyes scanning the borders.
The nations to the East aren't suitable. They're wedged between Fire, Lightning, and Water. Small land, scarce resources—everything is controlled by the Great Nations. Any growth there means immediate conflict. Not good for early development.
The North is the Land of Iron. Constant snow, harsh environment...
The Central region has many small nations, but it's the crossroads for Fire, Wind, and Earth. The Land of Rain has the Akatsuki. It's the most chaotic region on the continent. Also not ideal.
That leaves the West...
His gaze locked onto the Western frontier.
The Land of Ogres, the Land of Bears, the Land of Demons, the Land of Snow, and the Land of Marshes. Combined, their territory rivals that of Lightning or Water. The Land of Ogres has the Moryo demons; the Land of Bears has Hoshigakure; the Land of Snow has advanced heavy industry; the Land of Demons and Marshes have vast agricultural resources. If integrated, they cover each other's weaknesses.
These were mid-sized nations. Though their lands and populations were scattered, they held immense value if unified. The tiny island nations and city-states between them could be absorbed later.
As Menma prepared to send orders to Gato, a small, delicate hand slapped down onto the map.
"Hey, hey, Menma! Let's go get something yummy!"
A tiny, doll-like Nine-Tails was sprawled across the map. She looked up at him with expectant eyes, her nine tails wagging behind her like a happy puppy.
"I really can't say no to you, can I? Fine, let's go to Ichiraku Ramen," Menma said, reaching out to pat the tiny fox's head affectionately.
"Yay!" The mini-Nine-Tails cheered, hopping onto his shoulder.
Menma folded the map and wrapped a scarf around his neck, creating a cozy hiding spot for the little fox to observe the world from.
"Is that him?!"
"Yeah, that's the one... the... you know..."
"Disgusting. Why is a monster like that allowed in the village?"
"He's the one who killed the Fourth..."
"Shh! Keep your voice down..."
Three-year-old Naruto walked down the street alone. The whispers drifting through the crowded stalls were like hidden kunai, stabbing deep into his young heart. Every glance was filled with loathing; every murmur carried poison.
Young Naruto didn't understand why everyone hated him. For as long as he had memories, he had lived in isolation. No one wanted to play with him. No one wanted to talk to him. Even the shopkeepers refused to sell him food.
The women assigned to care for him had changed several times due to their own resentment, until finally, at age three, he had been forced to start living on his own.
The weight of the world became too much. Naruto began to run, desperate to escape the eyes, the whispers, the malice.
THUD!
Running with his head down, Naruto didn't see the figure in front of him and crashed right into them.
Naruto tumbled back onto his backside. He blinked and looked up to see a boy roughly his own age, casually eating a stick of dango.
"Hey, kid. Didn't your mom ever tell you to say 'sorry' when you bump into someone?" Menma asked, chewing his dango. He hadn't expected to run into his 'brother' quite like this.
"S-sorry..." Naruto stammered, looking up. "I... I don't have a mom."
"What a coincidence. I don't have one either," Menma quipped, tossing out a bit of dark humor.
Naruto stared at him blankly. For some reason, he felt a strange, sudden sense of warmth from this stranger.
"Well, as an apology, why don't you buy me some ramen?" Menma pointed toward the Ichiraku Ramen stand nearby.
Naruto's eyes widened in shock. "Huh?!"