In a parallel world, inside an apartment.
[Ding, you have become the owner of the Darkening Group. Please invite new friends to join the group.]
Hattori stared at his reflection in the mirror.
He was speechless for a long while.
Three minutes ago, he had been editing an AMV about Naruto.
[Let the world feel pain! A high-energy AMV of Darkened Naruto!]
Then, everything suddenly went black, and he died from overwork.
The next moment, he crossed over into a parallel world.
And awakened a golden finger called the [Darkening Chat Group].
"Sigh... Other people's chat groups are all about fun and daily shenanigans, but my chat group's tone just got a whole lot heavier."
After reading the information in his mind, Hattori couldn't help but complain.
The Darkening Chat Group recruits characters with the potential for turning to the dark side.
Most of them have dark childhoods, have been betrayed, or suffered unjust treatment.
Their hearts are filled with immense pain, even to the point of hating the world.
What Hattori needs to do is not to redeem them.
But to guide these people abandoned by fate to become ruthless.
To walk the path of darkness.
"This chat group is just perfect for me."
A strange smile curled on Hattori's lips.
To be honest, he had wanted to do this for a long time.
Why should the world be so unfair, yet people aren't allowed to seek revenge?
Just because the theme needs to be sunny and positive?
Hattori scoffed at that.
The world is neither black nor white, but a delicate shade of gray.
Forcing those who have endured immense suffering to be forcibly redeemed.
Is in itself a form of injustice to them.
"When it comes to darkening, the first one that comes to mind should be Naruto, right?"
Hattori muttered to himself.
Across many anime, there are many characters who deserve to turn dark.
But Naruto is definitely the top candidate in most people's minds.
The son of a hero, yet discriminated against by the villagers, despised by everyone.
Clearly possessing the supreme talent of the Uzumaki Clan, but for the sake of the village, the Yondaime Hokage sealed the Kyubi inside him, making him the dead-last.
Mocked, looked down upon, neglected, ridiculed.
Even his crush cruelly taunted him for having no parents.
With all this, why wouldn't Naruto turn dark?
"System, can I invite Uzumaki Naruto?"
[Ding, 'The Dead-Last Jinchuriki' has been invited to join the group chat.]
With the system's 'Ding', a message appeared in the group chat.
[The Dead-Last Jinchuriki: ?]
This question mark was quite expressive.
Hattori focused his thoughts and quickly typed.
[Dark Group Owner: Naruto, welcome to the Darkening Chat Group!]
[The Dead-Last Jinchuriki: !]
At the same time, in the Naruto World.
Naruto, sitting alone on a swing, jolted violently.
'Darkening Chat Group?'
'What is this?'
[The Dead-Last Jinchuriki: Who are you? Why are you appearing in my mind?]
[Dark Group Owner: This is a chat group. Even separated by thousands of kilometers, we can exchange information just by thinking.]
[The Dead-Last Jinchuriki: A chat group? Is it a type of Genjutsu?]
[Dark Group Owner: You can think of it that way, but everything I'm saying is real.]
[The Dead-Last Jinchuriki: That's amazing. You must be a Jonin-level powerhouse, right?]
In little Naruto's understanding, a Jonin was an incredibly powerful figure in the village.
[Dark Group Owner: A Jonin? Hah. Given time, even a Jonin will be less than an ant in your eyes.]
Hattori typed dismissively.
[The Dead-Last Jinchuriki: Haha, mister, your jokes are so exaggerated.]
Naruto laughed.
He was a dead-last who couldn't even graduate from the Ninja Academy.
How could he possibly surpass a Jonin?
'This mister who uses Genjutsu is quite an interesting person, though.'
Hattori didn't argue.
After all, time would prove it.
[The Dead-Last Jinchuriki: By the way, what do you mean by 'Darkening Chat Group'? Does it mean painting my whole body black?]
After chatting with Hattori for a while, Naruto's originally gloomy mood brightened a little.
'Maybe… This mysterious Genjutsu mister could become my friend.'
[Dark Group Owner: No, darkening means waking up from foolishly pretending to be oblivious and recognizing the malice the world holds towards you. Repay kindness a hundredfold, and repay hatred a hundredfold in return.]
[The Dead-Last Jinchuriki: ...]
Naruto fell silent.
Although he was young, he wasn't stupid at all.
The villagers' neglect, everyone's discrimination, the harsh taunts from other children...
He was acutely aware of it all.
Just like the mysterious mister said in the Genjutsu, Naruto had always been foolishly pretending to be oblivious.
Pretending to be sunny and cheerful, pretending to be unhurt.
But inside, he was already riddled with scars.
[The Dead-Last Jinchuriki: Mister, do you think people stay in pain forever? Or is it just when they're kids?]
[Dark Group Owner: Forever.]
[The Dead-Last Jinchuriki: I... I don't know what to do. I really want to fit into the village. I try hard to get the adults' attention, but in the end... all the other kids get taken away by their moms and dads. The only one left... is always me.]
Tears were already streaming down Naruto's face.
He had no one to share these feelings with.
The only one he could rely on was this mysterious mister he'd never met, who gave him an inexplicable sense of security.
[Dark Group Owner: As long as you keep acting like a loyal dog begging for scraps, you will never be taken seriously. This world has no shortage of simps!]
Hattori typed with a cold laugh.
Naruto had been brainwashed too deeply by Konoha's ideology.
To make him turn dark, he must first shatter his faith in the village, then rebuild a new worldview.