Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

After Naruto and the others resolved the situation with Toneri, Kirito destroyed the last batch of meteorites and pushed the moon back into its original orbit.

Toneri had completely lost the power of the Tenseigan, and the Giant Tenseigan formed by his clan had been destroyed by Naruto and Hinata. Under these circumstances, it was doubtful Toneri could return the moon to its proper orbit by himself.

However, as Kirito gazed at the cratered and battered surface of the moon, the thought of using Chibaku Tensei to create a new one kept resurfacing in his mind.

Unable to resist his curiosity, he flew toward the moon's surface.

An underground cave near the pond connecting the moon and Earth.

Boom!

As Naruto and the others prepared to bid farewell to Toneri, Kirito descended from the sky, landing in front of them.

"Kirito! Long time no see!" Naruto greeted him with a wide grin.

"When did you get to the moon? I didn't notice you earlier," Shikamaru asked, recalling Kirito's warning to Toneri.

"I just arrived," Kirito replied, walking toward the group.

"But…"

Sakura pointed in the direction Kirito had appeared, then glanced back toward the entrance they had used. Realization dawned—Kirito hadn't used their path.

"Hey, don't tell me you flew directly from Earth?" Shikamaru asked incredulously.

Even Sai, usually composed, was taken aback. "Is that even possible?"

"Of course. While you were fighting, I was busy dealing with meteorites in space," Kirito said casually.

"Ah, forget it," Shikamaru sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead. "Every time I'm around you, my brain starts to hurt."

"So, why are you here now? Is there a problem with the Earth or the moon?"

Shikamaru couldn't believe Kirito would come here without a reason. If it were just to reunite with old friends, he could have done so after returning to Earth.

His gaze shifted toward Toneri, who stood quietly nearby with his eyes closed. Coincidentally, Kirito also turned his attention to him.

Seeing this, Naruto asked, "Is something wrong with Toneri?"

"The moon is in pretty bad shape. I'm thinking of making a new one, so I need all of you to leave," Kirito said flatly.

Everyone froze in shock at his words. Before they could react, Toneri, who had remained silent until now, spoke up. "That presence… Are you also an Otsutsuki?"

Born blind, Toneri's sense of perception was sharper than most, and he quickly recognized Kirito's identity.

But this revelation left him puzzled. According to his elders, the Otsutsuki bloodline on Earth had been diluted over the years. How could someone with such pure Otsutsuki power exist?

Still, Toneri's immediate concern was something else entirely. "You're the one who stopped me from controlling the moon earlier, aren't you? Don't worry—I won't attempt that again.

"I'll stay here and fulfill my duty as Hamura's descendant. I'll also atone for the harm I've caused. While what we did is unforgivable, this moon has been our family's home for generations. Please, give us a chance to make amends. I'll take responsibility for repairing all the damage."

Seeing Toneri's sincerity, Naruto chimed in, "Since he's willing to atone, I think we should give him a chance."

Hinata added softly, "He must have been misled by his clan."

Sakura, Shikamaru, and the others agreed. Few people would want to replace the moon unless absolutely necessary.

Reluctantly, Kirito gave up on his plan. "Fine, but if you don't keep your promise, I won't hesitate to 'rebirth' the moon."

"Rest assured," Toneri said, turning to leave. "The moon will never approach Earth again."

Without looking back, Toneri disappeared, as if afraid the group might change their minds.

"Alright, now that this is settled, we should head back to Earth," Shikamaru said, glancing at the pond that connected the moon and Earth. "With the Giant Tenseigan gone, this waterway won't last much longer."

Splash!

Shikamaru, Sakura, and the others dove into the pond, returning to Earth.

"Hurry up, Sister!" Hanabi, who had regained her sight, called out cheerfully to Hinata before following the others.

Watching the rippling pond, Kirito sighed. "What's the rush?"

Swish!

A spatial portal opened beside him. "I'll take this route. See you later!"

"Bye-bye!"

With a wave, Kirito stepped through the dark portal and vanished.

On Earth, outside the bustling Hokage Building, Kirito emerged from the portal, stepping onto solid ground.

Hmm? That chakra…

As soon as he landed, Kirito, accustomed to sensing his surroundings, detected a familiar presence in the Hokage Building—chakra that shouldn't exist for another decade.

Boruto? And who's the boy with him?

Puzzled, Kirito knocked on the Hokage's office door.

"Come in!" Kakashi called. When he saw Kirito, his face lit up. "Welcome back! Mission accomplished?"

"Of course." Kirito closed the door behind him and got straight to the point. "There are two teenagers in the building. Who are they?"

Kakashi nodded. "They claim to be friends of you and Naruto. Do you know them?"

"Yes. Any idea why they're here?"

"They said they're in trouble and need help from you and Naruto," Kakashi explained. "If they're really your friends, I can lift the surveillance on them temporarily."

"Alright, leave them to me," Kirito said, turning to leave.

"Wait," Kakashi called after him. "Don't forget to register at the mission office. The daimyo's representatives are expecting an update."

"Got it!" Kirito replied, waving casually as he walked out.

(End of this chapter)