Naruto couldn't help but be surprised. He had really not expected that Kabuto would actually involve himself in research of this nature. The thought alone left him a little stunned.
After giving the medicine to Sasuke and calming him down, at Naruto's signal, Sasuke, Suigetsu, and Jugo left. Naruto, however, had to speak with Orochimaru about their next steps.
"Uncle Snake," Naruto began, calling Orochimaru by his usual nickname, "Kakashi-sensei's Hokage inauguration ceremony is complete, and now it's time for us to follow through on our agreement."
Orochimaru rose gracefully, his pale features betraying nothing of his thoughts. "Do you need me to make any preparations?"
Naruto nodded and glanced between Kabuto and Orochimaru. "It's still a transplant operation. Both of you need to prepare. I'll bring the candidate over myself."
Orochimaru tilted his head toward the sky, a faint smile touching his lips. "Is the candidate… from the heavens?"
Naruto chuckled, raising his head toward the moon. "Exactly! Just in time—bring him here and let him see the surface of the Earth for himself."
Turning to Orochimaru, Naruto continued, "Please go to the research room we prepared in the village and prepare all the necessary tools for the surgery. Once that's done, I'll bring the candidate to you directly."
Orochimaru nodded. He knew that even with the Flying Thunder God Technique, traveling such a distance would take time. During that interval, he and Kabuto could finalize preparations for the operation.
"Understood, Naruto. I'll coordinate with Kabuto and get everything ready."
Naruto smiled faintly. "Good. Let's split up then."
With that, Naruto activated the Flying Thunder God Technique and vanished in an instant, teleporting toward the moon to reach Toneri Ōtsutsuki.
On the Moon
Toneri had been standing outside the Ōtsutsuki villa, his posture calm yet vigilant. Though he had no eyes, his heightened senses allowed him to perceive the Earth. He felt its presence with his mind, sensing every motion and fluctuation of chakra below.
As he focused, he felt a subtle warmth emanating from the Flying Thunder God mark on his arm.
"Hmm?!" Toneri's senses immediately registered the familiar activation. Only one person could have left this mark: Naruto.
A few seconds later, space itself seemed to hum, and Naruto materialized before him.
"What brings you here?" Toneri asked, still facing the Earth, his tone even but curious.
Naruto looked around and, noting the security of the location, deactivated Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, letting the orange chakra cloak dissipate.
"Of course, I'm here to bring you to Earth," Naruto said, smiling.
Toneri turned toward him, expressionless as always, and began walking. Naruto stretched out a hand in surprise. "Hey, Toneri, what do you mean?"
Stopping in his tracks, Toneri replied calmly, "I said from the beginning that I want to verify the purity of the Byakugan first. If it doesn't meet my standards, I will not accept the transplant."
Naruto nodded, understanding his caution. "Of course I remember. Don't worry—I've prepared something to show you."
From within his cloak, Naruto produced a petri dish Orochimaru had prepared, handing it carefully to Toneri.
Toneri examined it, sensing the chakra within. His Tenseigan perception allowed him to feel the purity of the Byakugan embedded in the sample. He slowly opened his closed eyes, revealing the deep darkness within his ocular sockets.
"Is this… from a young human?" Toneri muttered, awe creeping into his voice. "Only twelve years old?"
He carefully sensed the chakra again, excitement flaring. "This is… unparalleled purity. Among the humans I've observed on Earth, only the Hyūga clan has eyes this refined—particularly Hinata and her sister Hanabi. But even among them, this is remarkable!"
Toneri's surprise was palpable. Naruto had somehow located Byakugan of a purity matching Hanabi's, a feat Toneri had not thought possible. Previously, when he searched the Earth, he had discovered the Hyūga clan and even evaluated Hanabi, the purest Byakugan possessor. Yet Naruto had now exceeded those expectations.
"How did you obtain these eyes?" Toneri asked, disbelief in his voice. "Even with the Tenseigan, I cannot detect such chakra so easily."
Naruto chuckled softly. "You know why. The Tenseigan only detects living chakra. Since these eyes are preserved in a petri dish, their energy signature is dormant. Only careful observation reveals their true purity."
Toneri examined them, nodding slowly. "Indeed… the quality is extraordinary. I approve."
Naruto's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Looking at your expression, Toneri, I'm guessing you're not entirely satisfied yet?"
Toneri's mouth twitched. He maintained his calm exterior but could not hide his excitement internally. "These eyes… they are of the highest quality, yet I have not expected such… direct intervention."
Naruto laughed. "I searched far and wide for these. Originally, I thought this would suffice for your transplant. But if it's not enough… well, I might have gone a bit overboard."
Toneri's expression remained stoic, but his thoughts betrayed him. The opportunity to obtain Byakugan of this caliber was unprecedented. He had tolerated darkness and isolation for so long, but now Naruto had presented him with the ultimate chance.
Finally, Toneri spoke, breaking his usual silence. "Naruto… I will accompany you to Earth and undergo the Byakugan transplant. I accept these eyes."
Naruto grinned widely. "Perfect! I didn't expect you to agree so quickly!"
Toneri's calm exterior masked his inner excitement. "How could I refuse? This is the pinnacle of ocular purity—better than even Hanabi's eyes."
Naruto tilted his head, slightly surprised. "Better than Hanabi's? I guess it makes sense. A boy's Byakugan is slightly different from a girl's in structure. Since you are male, it's ideal to transplant another male's eyes. Previously, you had only considered Hanabi's for purity, but this is even better."
Toneri's excitement barely contained, he allowed himself a small nod. "Indeed. Let us proceed."
Naruto extended his hand. "Then take my hand, Toneri. With this, we'll use the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to Earth instantly."
As their hands met, space seemed to ripple. Naruto activated the mark, and in a flash of golden light, both were gone, teleporting to the village to begin preparations for the transplant.
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