"You bastard! If you have a problem, take it out on me!"
Mui's voice was filled with anger and resentment. His usually expressionless face twisted with emotion as he saw Ryuzetsu lying on the ground, and... his son, Muku.
If it weren't for the restraints on him, he would have already attacked.
Naruto stood nearby, calm and composed, holding a struggling prisoner whose mouth was gagged.
"Don't worry. I'm not planning to feed your son to that thing. But the commotion later might be a bit intense. It's safer for you to stay here."
Naruto waved his hand, releasing the restraints on Mui and restoring his freedom of movement.
"What exactly do you want?"
Mui, feeling his Chakra return to normal, immediately rushed to Muku's side to check on him and Ryuzetsu. Seeing that they were only unconscious, he relaxed slightly. However, he was even more confused about Naruto's intentions.
Naruto smiled and said, "Warden Mui, you're a highly capable individual, and I happen to need someone like you. So, I hope you'll make the right choice."
Mui looked at his still-unconscious child with a complex expression, his face bitter. "If I refuse, will you not let us go?"
"Warden Mui, it seems you still haven't seen my sincerity."
Naruto's expression turned regretful, leaving Mui feeling bewildered. He truly hadn't seen any sincerity. Before Mui could respond, Naruto continued, "So, to demonstrate my sincerity, I'll show you the true form of the Box of Ultimate Bliss."
Showing Mui the true nature of the Box of Ultimate Bliss wasn't Naruto's real goal. His true intention was to test the strength of the monster inside the box. Only by understanding its power could he decide how to best use the box and determine if it had the potential to become a strategic weapon.
Moreover, fighting here wouldn't weigh on his conscience too much, since they're still in Kusagakure.
As he spoke, a massive surge of Chakra erupted from Naruto's body. Nine-Tails' Chakra enveloped him, and a giant red fox phantom appeared behind him. His eyes took on a fox-like appearance, radiating immense power.
As Naruto fully released his Chakra, the entire chamber began to tremble. The air around them seemed to tear apart.
Mui stared in shock at the scene before him. He could feel Naruto's terrifying strength. He was certain that if Naruto offered him a position now, he wouldn't hesitate to accept.
Naruto wasn't releasing his Chakra to show off. He was channeling it continuously into the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
Mui finally realized Naruto wasn't joking. The amount of chakra Naruto was pouring into the box far exceeded what Muku alone could provide. In fact, it was likely more than the entire Kusagakure could handle.
Of course, while this amount of chakra might seem astronomical to others, for Naruto, who had the ninja world's largest 'power bank,' it was nothing. He could recover it with just a few seconds.
As the Box of Ultimate Bliss absorbed enough Chakra, it began to change.
The expression on its surface grew more vivid, and the entire box trembled violently. As the trembling intensified, it started to rotate, causing the ground to shake. It seemed the entire chamber was about to collapse.
Mui quickly grabbed Muku and Ryuzetsu, fleeing the chamber and emerging above ground. By then, Naruto had already brought the prisoner to the surface.
The tremors also caught the attention of Hozuki Castle's guards and prisoners, all of whom turned their gazes toward the commotion.
At that moment, a beam of light shot out from the chamber, piercing the sky. The Box of Ultimate Bliss burst through the ground, revealing itself to everyone.
"What is that?"
The prisoners were filled with confusion, and even many of the guards were stunned. They had thought the Box of Ultimate Bliss was just a legend. They hadn't expected it to actually exist beneath Hozuki Castle.
"Then, start making wishes."
Naruto removed the gag from the prisoner's mouth and tossed him in front of the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
Seeing the terrifying demonic face on the box, the prisoner nearly fainted from fear. He crawled to Naruto's feet, begging for mercy.
"P-please, spare me, sir!"
"I-I'll never kill again!"
"My family has old people and young children, and they are all waiting for me to go back and take care of them."
As the prisoner knelt before him, weeping and pleading, Naruto's expression remained unchanged. He began to explain the legend of the Box of Ultimate Bliss to the prisoner.
"This box is called the Box of Ultimate Bliss. It's said to be the ultimate weapon from the era of the Sage of Six Paths. If you open it, it will grant you one wish. It's said that Kusagakure once nearly used this weapon to unify the entire ninja world."
"Although I opened the box, I'm willing to let you make the wish. How about it?"
"B-but why don't you make the wish yourself, sir?"
As Naruto explained, the prisoner's eyes showed a flicker of desire, but he still harbored doubts about Naruto's words.
Naruto's expression turned cold, his gaze piercing as he stared at the prisoner. "Do you think I'm negotiating with you?"
The prisoner instantly felt a chill run through his body. He didn't dare say anything more and instead shakily approached the Box of Ultimate Bliss. Staring at the demonic face, he was filled with terror.
The guards who had been keeping a close watch on the Box of Ultimate Bliss were also feeling puzzled, looking at Mui with confusion. They wondered why was a prisoner standing in front of the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
"Mui-sama, aren't you going to make a wish to the Box of Ultimate Bliss?"
As one guard's voice rang out, it stirred the others around him.
"Mui-sama, why are you letting a prisoner get so close to the Box of Ultimate Bliss?"
"The Box of Ultimate Bliss is crucial to the rise and fall of Kusagakure. How can we let a prisoner use it!"
"..."
The voices around him were mostly urging Mui to use the Box of Ultimate Bliss to restore the greatness of the Hidden Grass Village.
But now, not only had Mui begun to doubt the true purpose of the Box of Ultimate Bliss, even if he still firmly believed that it could grant their wishes, he no longer had the right to use it.
As for the prisoner, seeing the guards of Hozuki Castle acting this way, he began to trust Naruto's words even more. Fearing that someone else might take his chance, he eagerly made his wish to the eerie face in front of him.
"Power! I want the most powerful strength in this world! And then, let me get out of this hellhole!"
As soon as his words fell, the Box of Ultimate Bliss emitted a red glow. The four masks representing joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure fell away, revealing a gaping, abyss-like maw. The prisoner who had just made his wish didn't even have time to scream before he was sucked into the maw, which then closed shut.
"..."
The surroundings fell into complete silence. The sudden turn of events left everyone present in a state of shock, especially those who had been clamoring for Mui to make a wish. They had never expected things to turn out like this.
Mui was also in a daze, staring blankly at Naruto.
Naruto, however, had a faint smile on his lips.
"It's not over yet."
The abyss-like maw of the Box of Ultimate Bliss suddenly reopened, and a figure emerged from within.
It was the prisoner from before, or rather, the monster that had possessed him, Satori.
"Ahahahaha, ahahahaha!"
After stepping out of the abyss-like maw, Satori burst into maniacal laughter, his expression twisted with madness.
"Power, this is the power I've gained! Now, no one in the entire Ninja World can stand against me!"
Satori's gaze suddenly shifted to Naruto, who stood before him, his eyes filled with killing intent.
"To thank you for giving me this opportunity, I'll tear you apart first!"
Facing Satori's threat, Naruto's expression remained completely unchanged.
"Oh? Do you think that with this pitiful amount of power, you can bare your fangs at me?"