Naruto exhaled, his amusement fading into quiet contemplation as the door creaked open. He didn't even have to look up to know who it was. The familiar presence, the intoxicating scent of sake and sakura, the deliberate, almost seductive steps— it was his eldest daughter, Shuten.
She was a striking beauty, inherited from her mother, but with the mischievousness of a demon princess. Crimson eyes glowed with mischief as she walked toward him, her horns gleaming in the soft light of his office.
She wasted no time—before he could say a word, she wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself against his chest like a spoiled child.
"Tou-san~" Shuten purred, a satisfied smile on her lips as she nuzzled into his warmth.
Naruto sighed, returning the hug out of instinct. He stroked her hair, feeling the weight of her attachment settle heavily on his shoulders.
"You're back."
"Mmm~ I was always here, you know?" Shuten muttered, looking up at him with a smirk. "You just didn't call for me. That hurt my little heart, Father."
Naruto chuckled. "Oh? So you expect me to come running after you?"
Shuten pouted, her sharp fangs peeking through as she lightly bit her lip.
"It wouldn't have hurt to at least act like you missed me," she whispered dramatically, placing a hand on her chest. "But no~! My dear father just lets his lonely daughter rot in her room, all by herself—"
"Tch, stop acting pitiful," Naruto interrupted, flicking her forehead. "I know you were just waiting for me to call you. You wanted to see if I'd cave first, huh?"
Shuten giggled, not denying it. "Maaaybe~"
Naruto shook his head, pulling back slightly and gesturing for her to sit down. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his clasped hands, golden eyes serious now.
"We need to talk, Shuten."
She raised an eyebrow, her amusement dimming just a little.
"Hoh~? This feels... different. Are you going to scold me?"
"No." Naruto sighed. "I just want to talk about... your future."
Shuten blinked, her expression unreadable for a moment. Then, she smiled —but it wasn't her usual playful smirk. It was something deeper.
"My future, huh? You mean my 'love life' again, don't you?"
Naruto rubbed his temple. "Shuten, you're young, beautiful, powerful. You should be experiencing life, falling in love, having a family of your own. I don't want you to miss out because of me."
"Hahh~" Shuten sighed theatrically, stretching lazily as she leaned back into her chair. "You really don't get it, do you, Father?"
Naruto frowned. "Get what?"
Shuten leaned forward suddenly, staring straight into his eyes with an intensity that caught him off guard.
"There's no one better than you."
Naruto blinked. "...What?"
Shuten tilted her head, her horns catching the light as she grinned.
"No man, no king, no warrior— no one is greater than Naruto Uzumaki. You set the standard too high, Tou-san. Now, tell me, how am I supposed to find someone when every single man is… well, disappointing?"**
Naruto let out a long sigh. This again.
"Shuten, that's not a good enough reason to not try."
"Oh, but I did try, Tou-san. And it led to me trying to summon another version of you."
Naruto felt his eyebrow twitch. He still couldn't believe she actually attempted that.
"You seriously thought getting an alternate version of me was the solution?"
"Why not? I love you, and if I can't have the real one, then a close enough version would do~" she teased, but Naruto could see the sincerity beneath her playful words.
He sighed again. "Shuten, that's not how love works."
"Then how does it work?" Shuten leaned in, resting her cheek against her palm. "Because for me, it's simple. I love you. There's no one else I want. The world is boring without you."
Naruto didn't know what to say for a moment. This was a conversation they had many times before, but it was clear that she wasn't changing her stance.
Even Himawari, who had once been attached to him, had found love with Kawaki and was preparing for marriage.
But Shuten…
Shuten had no intention of leaving his side.
Naruto wasn't sure whether to feel proud, amused, or troubled.
"You're making things difficult for me, Shuten."
"Then just accept it, Tou-san~" she whispered, her eyes glowing mischievously. "Accept that your little princess only wants you."
Naruto gave her a deadpan look. "Not happening."
Shuten chuckled, leaning back once more. "Oh well. I expected that response."
Naruto sighed once more. "You're really not going to try?"
Shuten smiled and reached out, touching his hand gently. "I already have everything I need, Father. You're all I want."
Naruto stared at her, his mind running through different scenarios—different ways to convince her.
But looking at her now, so content, so sure of herself… he wondered if maybe, just maybe, she truly didn't need anything else.
And for now, he let the matter rest.
Naruto looked at his daughter, taking in every detail—the way her crimson eyes gleamed with mischief, the way her lips curled into that knowing smirk, the quiet confidence she carried.
She was determined. Unshakable in her belief that she needed no one else.
He had tried pushing her before—suggesting strong warriors, brilliant scholars, men of great talent and reputation. But she dismissed them all. None of them compared to him, in her eyes.
And if he kept pushing, kept trying to force her down a path she didn't want… he saw the possibilities.
In too many of them, she rebelled.
Not outwardly—not in some childish tantrum. No, Shuten was smarter than that.
She would find a way to twist things to suit her needs, to find a loophole. And if she felt rejected, discarded…
She could take a wrong turn.
And Naruto refused to let that happen. He would not let his daughter walk into darkness simply because he pushed too hard.
He exhaled. Fine. If she didn't want to go looking for love now, then he wouldn't force her.
Shuten had never been the type to sleep around. It was something Naruto strictly forbade, and Shuten followed the rules he set.
His laws made his empire a utopia. Fair. Just. Unbreakable.
Not even he broke them.
And Shuten, as his daughter, would never break them.
If she chose to devote herself to family love over seeking a partner, then…
So be it.
He leaned back, watching her sip sake from a small dish she conjured out of nowhere.
"You're not going to say anything, Tou-san?"
Naruto gave her a look, his expression unreadable.
"I was just thinking."
Shuten smirked, swirling her drink lazily. "Oh? About what?"
Naruto met her eyes.
"About how stubborn you are."
She laughed. "You should know where I get it from."
Naruto sighed again. "I do. And that's why I won't push anymore."
Shuten's eyes widened slightly—just for a moment, before her usual smirk returned.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Naruto nodded. "But."
Shuten raised an eyebrow. "But?"
Naruto leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on his desk.
"If one day, you do find someone— even if you think they're not as good as me, but they make you happy…"
He paused, his voice softer now.
"Give them a chance."
Shuten stared at him for a long moment. Then, she chuckled.
"We'll see, Tou-san. We'll see."
For now, Naruto would let her be.
She was still his little girl, after all.
Shuten felt warmth bloom in her chest as she looked at her father.
For almost a year, Naruto had kept a distance from her. She wasn't foolish—she knew why. He wanted her to move on, to stop clinging to him.
But now?
Now, he had finally stopped pushing her away.
It wasn't outright acceptance of her devotion, but it was better than nothing. And for Shuten, that was enough.
She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, her red eyes glowing with curiosity.
"Father, what new thing are you working on?" she asked, her voice playful yet sharp. "I saw the power fluctuations. The energy consumption was unusually high, so it must be something big."
Naruto smirked slightly, not surprised she noticed.
"You're sharp as always," he mused. "Fine. Since you're here, I'll tell you."
Shuten's smirk widened slightly. "I'm listening."
Naruto leaned back, intertwining his fingers.
"The Chat Group. I've been developing it further, turning it into something much more than just a means of communication. It's a gateway—one that connects us to other worlds. Other universes."
Shuten's eyes widened slightly, but she didn't interrupt.
"Right now, we stand at a critical point," Naruto continued. "The Otsutsuki King is out there. A being so powerful that our current strength isn't enough to challenge him."
Shuten's gaze sharpened. "So… you plan to take over the other universes?"
Naruto nodded. "That's right. It's something I've already discussed with the council. They all agreed—the idea is sound."
Shuten exhaled, processing the sheer scale of it.
Multiversal expansion. A path to immortalhood.
If they could seize enough universes, their empire wouldn't just be a dominant force…
They would stand at the very peak of existence.
More importantly—they could finally have the power to rebel against the Otsutsuki King.
Shuten's lips curled into a smile.
"A multiversal conquest, huh? How bold. How… fitting."
Naruto chuckled. "Would you expect anything less from me?"
Shuten laughed softly. "Of course not, Tou-san. Of course not."
She sat back, her mind buzzing with possibilities.
She had missed out on so much this past year.
But now?
She would make up for lost time.
Shuten's eyes gleamed with excitement.
The idea of expanding their empire had always been thrilling to her, but something about this new type of conquest—one that involved different universes and different people—made her heart race.
"Tou-san, since my siblings are focused on this universe, can I help with the other ones?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, her long purple hair cascading over her shoulder.
Naruto chuckled, not the least bit surprised. "I already planned on it," he admitted, smirking.
Shuten's smile widened. "Of course you did. You always plan ahead."
Naruto leaned forward slightly. "I'm turning the Heroes Chat Group into my Heralds Chat Group. Eventually, my children and my strongest warriors will join. But before that, the people inside need to acknowledge me as their Emperor."
Shuten raised an eyebrow. "And willingly become your Heralds?"
Naruto nodded. "Exactly. There's no point in forcing them. I want their loyalty to be genuine."
Shuten hummed in approval. "A slow but smart play. I like it."
Naruto waved his hand, and instantly, Shuten was connected to the chat group.
She could now communicate with its members, observe their conversations, and, more importantly… tease them.
She smirked. This is going to be fun.
Naruto had no worries about sending Shuten out into the multiverse.
She wasn't just one of his strongest children—she was the strongest.
Followed only by Himawari and Boruto.
Each of them was a cosmic threat, capable of warping reality on an absurd scale. But Shuten?
Shuten was unique.
Her mere presence was enough to make people drunk—drunk on emotion, on romance, on pleasure. It was a passive ability, a reality-warping effect she could turn on and off.
With intent, she could do much more.
She could even get Naruto drunk.
And that was saying something.
But what made her truly terrifying was her ambition. Unlike her siblings, who focused on steady expansion, Shuten wanted to conquer for fun.
She didn't want to build a kingdom. She wanted to play.
And now?
Now, she had an entire multiverse to play with.
Shuten's eyes flickered as she scrolled through the chat logs.
She expected the members to be interesting, but what truly amused her was the way her father acted here.
He was an Emperor. A ruler of countless worlds. A man feared across the cosmos.
Yet here, in this chat group?
He was just... Naruto.
Casual, relaxed, teasing others like they were longtime friends.
Shuten smirked.
"If Tou-san is having fun here, then that means... I'll have even more fun."
She licked her lips.
This was going to be so much fun.