CHAPTER 270
It was an incredibly daring plan.
More importantly, Muku could tell that Menma was not exaggerating. The fact that Menma had been able to suppress Satori's consciousness, pull Muku's own consciousness free, and draw him into this unique mental world already proved far more than mere words ever could.
Originally, Muku had believed that this was the limit of Menma's abilities.
He had assumed Menma merely intended to let his consciousness temporarily suppress Satori long enough to eliminate him completely.
Muku had already prepared himself for that possibility.
After all, from Muku's perspective, Menma was his father's ally.
If sacrificing his own consciousness forever could fulfill his father's wish and allow Menma to succeed, then he was willing to accept that fate.
He had always been that kind of person.
Back then, he had willingly poured all of his chakra into the Box of Bliss for the sake of helping his father, even knowing it would cost him everything.
He had long since resolved himself to sacrifice anything.
At most, he had only hoped that Menma might allow him one final conversation with his father before everything ended.
Yet reality was completely different from what he had imagined.
Menma still had strength to spare.
The reason Menma had restored his consciousness was not simply to issue instructions before eliminating Satori.
Rather…
He genuinely intended to restore Muku himself.
How could Muku not be shocked?
"Yes."
Menma nodded slowly.
"You will become the dominant consciousness of the Box of Bliss. However, as I said before, I can only provide the opportunity. The crucial part depends entirely on your own will."
He looked directly into Muku's eyes.
"If your resolve falters even once, you will fail."
"And if that happens…"
"There won't be another chance."
"Your final fragment of consciousness will disappear forever."
"Do you understand?"
There was no deception in Menma's words.
Nor was there any need for one.
Muku inhaled deeply, gradually calming the storm raging within his heart.
"…I understand."
"What do I need to do, Menma-kun?"
"You don't need to do anything complicated."
Menma smiled gently.
"The only thing you need to do is hold onto yourself."
"Never let go of your heart."
"That is something no one can do for you."
"As for everything else…"
"Leave it to me."
"I promised your father that I would return you to him."
"If I fail, he certainly won't keep his promise to help me."
Muku blinked before chuckling softly.
"…I understand."
"I'll make sure Father fulfills his promise."
The two looked at one another.
Everything had already been decided.
"Are you ready, Muku?"
"…Yes."
"I'm ready."
"Then let's begin."
The instant Muku nodded firmly
Boom!
Scarlet Nine-Tails chakra surged from Menma's body once again.
He slowly extended his right index finger before gently touching Muku's forehead.
For only a moment
The world became silent.
Everything seemed weightless.
Consciousness drifted into endless darkness.
Then
Whoosh!
It felt as though they were plunging through an infinite abyss.
The next instant
Countless dark shadows wrapped around Muku.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!"
His miserable scream echoed throughout the spiritual world.
His consciousness was violently pulled back into reality.
Outside
Menma had already released nearly all of Kurama's chakra.
His crimson fox-like eyes glowed with terrifying intensity.
Behind him, eight chakra tails whipped violently through the air.
Even the outline of a ninth tail flickered into existence.
Below
Boom!
Satori rolled wildly across the ground.
For the first time, even with Urushi's assistance, Menma nearly lost control over him.
Satori's raw physical strength was astonishing.
Fortunately
Menma reacted instantly.
He increased the flow of chakra.
The golden Vajra Chains shone even brighter as their suppressive force multiplied.
The situation stabilized once more.
"Kurama…"
"I'm counting on you."
Inside his mind
"Hmph."
Kurama answered immediately.
A tidal wave of overwhelming hatred and malice flooded outward.
The terrifying negative emotions unique to the Nine-Tails engulfed the area.
The surrounding temperature seemed to plummet instantly.
Even Wuwei and the four elders standing some distance away shuddered involuntarily.
The five of them watched everything unfold with widened eyes.
Wuwei cared only about his son.
The four elders, however, remained blinded by greed.
Even now, they still believed the Box of Bliss to be an omnipotent wish-granting artifact.
They convinced themselves that Satori's appearance had merely been an unfortunate accident.
Once Menma subdued it
Surely the Box could simply be opened again.
Whatever the cost.
That obsession had consumed them completely.
Menma ignored them.
Every ounce of his concentration focused upon the spiritual world.
Only after beginning the process did he realize just how much harder it was than expected.
Separating Muku's consciousness from Satori's while allowing one to dominate the other…
It was infinitely more difficult than he had imagined.
The greatest problem was that the two consciousnesses had not merely fused together.
They had become intertwined like tangled threads.
Menma was like a surgeon holding an impossibly delicate scalpel.
Every cut had to separate Satori's consciousness without damaging Muku's.
Even after successfully severing one connection
Muku's soul trembled violently.
Each tremor inflicted damage upon him.
If the strain became too great…
Muku's consciousness might collapse entirely.
Thus Menma had to divide his focus.
One part painstakingly separated the intertwined consciousnesses.
The other continuously nourished and stabilized Muku's soul.
It was precision work in the truest sense.
Fortunately, during the past several months Menma had deliberately improved his chakra control through countless experiments while also studying medical ninjutsu.
Otherwise…
Such delicate manipulation would have been utterly impossible.
If Tsunade or even Kabuto were present to assist him, the burden would have been far lighter.
Among shinobi, no one surpassed elite medical ninja in chakra control.
Only a few minutes passed.
Yet Menma felt as though centuries had gone by.
Sweat poured down his forehead.
Veins bulged across his temples.
His nerves were stretched to their absolute limit.
Still not enough…
Almost…
The further he progressed, the more exhausting the process became.
Even the slightest lapse in concentration would undo everything.
Meanwhile
Satori continued resisting.
Even though Muku struggled desperately to suppress him…
The consciousness born from the Box of Bliss still held the advantage.
At best, Muku could merely preserve his own identity and prevent himself from being assimilated.
Still
That alone was enough.
Bit by bit
The separation continued.
Nearly another ten minutes passed.
Finally
"It's done."
The two consciousnesses were completely separated.
ROOOOOAR!!
Satori immediately sensed what had happened.
The Box of Bliss trembled violently.
"Stay down!"
Now that the delicate work was complete, Menma no longer needed restraint.
Kurama's overwhelming hatred surged forward.
Both his will and chakra crushed Satori's resistance without mercy.
Boom!
The Nine-Tails' chakra erupted.
Part of it surged directly toward the trembling Box of Bliss itself, suppressing its influence simultaneously.
Two fronts.
Both completely under control.
"Muku!"
"Now!"
At that instant
Menma dramatically increased his chakra output.
Muku, hearing the shout, unleashed every last ounce of his own willpower.
With Menma's and Kurama's assistance
He forcefully overwhelmed the consciousness born from the Box of Bliss.
After several moments of violent trembling
The dominant consciousness finally fell silent.
Muku seized complete control.
Their positions reversed.
He had reclaimed ownership of his own existence.
The moment their eyes met
"Welcome back…"
"Muku."
Menma smiled.
"…I'm back."
"Thank you…"
"Menma-kun."
Even with Satori's monstrous appearance, a gentle smile appeared upon Muku's face.
The next instant
Buzz!
Purple light blossomed around him.
The black fur covering his body rapidly receded.
"Release."
Menma simultaneously dispelled the summoning technique while withdrawing his Vajra Chains.
Before them once again stood the young man dressed in white.
Using his sensory abilities, Menma carefully examined Muku's chakra.
It had finally reached a relatively stable balance.
Only then did the tension inside him begin to fade.
It wasn't a perfect solution.
There remained risks.
There were also unavoidable limitations.
But…
The first step had succeeded.
Muku had regained his humanity.
Menma had fulfilled his promise.
Whoosh!
Unable to contain himself any longer, Wuwei rushed forward.
Yet when he reached them
He hesitated.
His expression became uncertain.
"…Menma-kun?"
He spoke almost fearfully.
"As you can see…"
Menma answered with a faint smile.
"I'm back…"
"Father."
Muku looked at Wuwei with the same warm smile he had worn eight years earlier.
At that moment
Wuwei completely broke down.
He rushed forward.
Wrapping both arms tightly around his son, he sobbed uncontrollably.
"I'm sorry…"
"I'm sorry…"
"I'm so sorry…"
"No…"
Muku gently returned the embrace.
"I'm the one who should apologize."
"I couldn't help you…"
"And I made you suffer for so many years."
"I'm home now."
"That's enough."
Wuwei held his son tighter.
Feeling Muku's warmth.
His heartbeat.
His breathing.
Only then did he truly believe this was reality.
Not an illusion.
Not a disguise.
This was his son.
His precious son.
Eight long years…
At last…
The nightmare had ended.
After composing himself, Wuwei released Muku and turned toward Menma.
His expression became resolute once more.
"Thank you, Menma-kun."
"You fulfilled your promise."
"From this day onward…"
"I will support everything you do."
"I appreciate that, Wuwei-san."
Menma nodded.
"However, there is something you both must understand."
His expression grew serious.
"This does not mean Muku has completely returned to being human."
"I merely allowed his consciousness to become dominant."
"He still exists as part of the Box of Bliss."
"In the future, he must periodically return to it."
"If he can no longer suppress the will born from the Box…"
"His consciousness will disappear forever."
"I hope you both remember that."
Muku showed no surprise.
He had already sensed it.
Although he now controlled Satori's body
The consciousness created by the Box had only been suppressed.
Just as he himself had once suppressed it with Menma's assistance.
Should his resolve ever weaken
Everything would reverse.
He and the Box of Bliss had become inseparable.
His existence now depended upon it.
Even the chakra flowing through him originated from the Box itself.
He could clearly feel that connection.
Wuwei's expression changed drastically.
He had believed his son had truly returned.
He had never imagined there would still be such restrictions.
"…Is there no way to completely solve this?"
he asked anxiously.
Menma slowly shook his head.
"Not right now."
"I'm sorry."
"My abilities aren't enough yet."
"But I promise you this."
"As long as I'm alive…"
"I'll continue searching for a way."
"One day…"
"I'll return Muku to a true human body."
"Until then…"
"I'll regularly help him suppress the will of the Box of Bliss and maintain his current state."
Muku immediately shook his head.
"What you've already done is more than enough."
"I can think for myself."
"I can speak with my father."
"And I can even use Satori's power."
"I should be thanking you."
"You don't owe me an apology."
Wuwei silently nodded.
Just then
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The four elders of Kusagakure hurried over.
Their eyes burned with uncontrollable greed.
"Uzumaki Menma!"
the burliest elder exclaimed excitedly.
"Please open the Box of Bliss once more for Kusagakure!"
"As long as you agree…"
"We'll grant every request you make!"
"Anything!"
"Surely you won't refuse such generous terms!"
Neither Menma nor Wuwei had spoken.
Yet the elder continued impatiently.
His tone was practically that of a command.
The four elders stared at Menma with feverish anticipation.
To them
Muku's resurrection was undeniable proof.
Despite the unexpected complications, hadn't everything turned out well in the end?
Wasn't that the power of the Box of Bliss?
It could restore the dead to life.
What wish could it possibly fail to grant?
The four elders of Kusagakure had already convinced themselves of that "truth."
Or rather…
It was the only truth they were willing to believe.