Chapter 1

The last thing she remembered was the blaring horn of a truck and the split-second realization that she wasn't going to make it. Then, darkness.

Now, she stood in an endless void of swirling dimensions, her feet barely touching the ground. Opposite her, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha floated, their expressions tense and prepared for battle. Behind them, Sakura Haruno and Kakashi Hatake watched cautiously, ready to support.

Memories flooded her mind—not hers, but Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's. The betrayal, the sealing, the centuries of solitude. Yet, she wasn't Kaguya. She was herself, a modern-day person who had read Naruto and Boruto, now in the body of the most powerful being in this world. And she wasn't about to get sealed.

A voice, filled with reverence and devotion, whispered beside her.

"Mother, you have returned! The foolish ninjas dare to oppose your will!"

Black Zetsu. Her most loyal creation.

She inhaled deeply, feeling the overwhelming power of Kaguya's chakra coursing through her veins. She had to play this smart. If she acted like the old Kaguya, she'd be sealed immediately. But if she acted too desperate, Hagoromo—her supposed son—would think she was weak. No, she had to be above all of this.

Lifting her head, she locked eyes with Naruto.

"You are mistaken about me," she said, her voice calm and unwavering. "I am not your enemy."

Naruto blinked. "Huh?"

Sasuke, ever the skeptic, narrowed his eyes. "Then what do you call the army of White Zetsu you made?"

A fair point. But she had a response ready. "A necessity. The Ōtsutsuki Clan is coming. I was merely preparing to defend this world from a greater threat."

She didn't wait for them to process it. As she spoke, she subtly began forming White Zetsu behind her—stronger than the ones before, with untapped potential. If they tried to seal her, these Zetsu would block them.

"Greater threat?" Naruto repeated, confused but intrigued.

She nodded. "Isshiki Ōtsutsuki. He hides within your world, waiting for his moment. If you waste your strength fighting me, you will not be ready for him."

Kakashi frowned. "And why should we trust you?"

Black Zetsu scoffed, his tone filled with admiration. "Fools! You question Mother's kindness? She is the only one who truly understands the danger ahead!"

Sasuke glanced at the growing army of White Zetsu behind her. "Then stop creating those things."

She tilted her head, feigning indifference. "I do as I please."

Naruto clenched his fists, hesitating. "Then… what do you want?"

She smirked slightly. "To leave. To prepare. And for you to stop being children and start acting like warriors."

She could feel Hagoromo watching, waiting for her to slip. But she wouldn't. She wasn't begging. She wasn't afraid. She was simply stating facts.

The question was—would they let her go?