Naruto Cipher: The Nightmare that Lived

As Naruto's body pieced itself together from fragmented stone, jagged cracks reformed into smooth, flesh-like texture. His sharp yellow eye gleamed in the eerie stillness.

But his mind was already ten steps ahead.

Saiyans?

Outside the SCP Foundation's reach.

That entire dragon ball world was under the watchful eye of Mercurius, the Ouroboros God. The Fourth Heaven Hadou God.

And that guy was not someone you wanted to piss off.

Mercurius had a bad habit of getting annoyed when talked about by people who didn't understand him.

If Naruto even attempted to open a portal to Dragon Ball's world, it would be a direct provocation.

Not worth the risk.

But… Jujutsu Kaisen? Many Other worlds?

Fair game. The problem?

Naruto had already resigned from the O5 Council.

At the time, it felt like the right move—he wasn't about to let Bernkastel keep him under her thumb forever.

But now… I just realized something.

Even though he had lived for at least 3,000 years watch those worlds and Always forget to invade those verse , he had made one major mistake.

Most multiversal travel routes—including this one—had been frozen in time by his stepfather the moment Naruto Returned here.

And, if he was being honest… I should've expected that.

He owed his stepfather, the Eternal Moment, a lot—though his true name was not to be called.

To most, he was known only by his current incarnation or as Zarathustra.

The moment Naruto had disappeared, Zarathustra had frozen the world he was born in.

Not a single thing had moved.

Time itself had been suspended, as if waiting for Naruto to return.

It was like a New Game Plus.

Naruto had changed. But everything else had stayed the same.

Meaning… This world is technically under SCP Foundation control.

Which means… I need to fix my relationship with my stepfather. And Bernkastel.

Naruto sighed internally. That could come later.

Right now, he had to help Pakura.

A black cane tapped against the ground as he took a step forward.

A grin spread across his face.

"I think I know a guy."

The Kirigakure shinobi remained frozen in place, their bodies stiff and unresponsive, their expressions locked in a state of shock and confusion. They couldn't move.

Not even a twitch.

Meanwhile, Pakura—who had been lying on the ground, bleeding out just moments ago—suddenly felt herself move.

She gasped. She could stand.

Her body obeyed her again—but the pain of her wounds still remained, a dull, burning agony seeping through her limbs.

She looked at the strange man before her.

"Are you… one of Akatsuki's mysterious members?" she asked, her voice hoarse but steady.

Naruto blinked. Then let out a short laugh.

"Akatsuki?" he mused. "Ohh, Akatsuki… right, I remember them. Been a long time since I read my own verse book."

His grin widened, his sharp teeth visible beneath the dim light of the mist-covered alleyway.

"Do I look like I'm wearing a bunch of red clouds to you?" he said, twirling his cane lazily.

"And besides, Akatsuki is just a group full of bollocks waiting to be steered in the right direction. Nothing but a mess of wandering ideals. A real 'Shinobi Kaisen,' huh?"

Pakura stared at him.

What the hell was this lunatic talking about?

But she pushed past the confusion, her focus returning to what mattered.

She narrowed her eyes.

"I take it you want something from me," she said firmly. "If you didn't, you wouldn't have stuck around this long."

She glanced at the Kirigakure shinobi, still frozen in place.

"And you wouldn't have gone through the effort of immobilizing the ones who betrayed me."

She wasn't a fool.

People like him—powerful, unpredictable, and unknown—never acted without a reason.

Naruto tilted his head, tapping his cane against the frozen ground. "How about you work for me, Pakura, hero of Sunagakure? Abandon your ideals, abandon your village."

Pakura narrowed her eyes. "Oh, I will abandon my village, that's for sure. But what makes you any different from my Kazekage? What guarantee do I have that you won't betray me like he did?"

Naruto let out a dry chuckle. "Do you really have a choice right now?"

His cane made a slow, deliberate circle in the air. "I only froze reality for a few meters. The moment reality moves forward again, you bleed out and become nothing more than another nameless stone in a graveyard, just like your former comrades." He stepped closer, his grin widening. "Oh, and another thing—if you think I'm some shinobi who fumbles around with three or four hand seals like a noob, you're dead wrong. I'm not from this world. I'm not even a shinobi."

Pakura's fingers twitched. "Then… what are you?" Her voice held an edge of irritation, but her body was betraying her—it wasn't just pain keeping her tense. It was something else.

Naruto's grin twitched, his patience wearing thin. "Yeah, that's what they always ask," he muttered. His fingers drummed against his cane. "Secure. Contain. Protect. S-fucking-CP Foundation. Protect in secrecy. That's our motto."

Something in his tone sent a chill down her spine.

His smirk darkened. "Though, Bern and Zarathustra encouraged me to do whatever I wanted with the inhabitants of this world… I think I'm finally ready to take their advice. Since my naive side and talk-no-jutsu nonsense need to be wiped out for good."

Pakura gulped. I said the wrong thing.

Naruto stepped closer, and with a flick of his wrist, he tore off his left eyepatch.

Pakura's breath hitched.

Where an eye should have been, there was nothing—just a bleeding void, a wound in reality itself.

The air around them darkened, twisting at the edges. The very fabric of space quivered in reaction, the range of frozen reality beginning to crack.

For a hundred meters in every direction, reality began to warp, shifting into something far, far worse than the mist-covered streets of Kirigakure.

Naruto grinned, his voice carrying a sharp edge of amusement.

"I'm one of the folks who keeps most of the worlds under our flag spinning peacefully. And trust me…"

His eye socket bled, and the nightmare took hold.

"You don't want to see what happens when I get mad."

Pakura swallowed hard. The air around her felt wrong, twisting like something living, something waiting to be unleashed. She didn't need to be told twice.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked cautiously.

Naruto's expression turned playful. "Oh, that's simple." He tapped his chin. "Uh… can you be my slave?"

Pakura blinked. "Huh?"

Naruto waved a hand. "Sorry, sorry—bit of a mad moment there," he muttered before clapping his own cheeks as if trying to reset himself. He reached into his coat and pulled his eyepatch back over his left eye, shutting the bleeding void. The oppressive atmosphere faded slightly, though the tension in the air remained.

"Lay low in a small, insignificant town until I summon you," Naruto said casually. "Also, can we shake hands?"

Pakura hesitated. Her eyes flickered to Naruto's outstretched palm, where blue flames licked at his skin, flickering unnaturally.

"In children's stories, they always say deals with the devil come at a price," she murmured. "Are you such a being?"

Naruto chuckled. "I have a name, you know. You can call me Cipher." He twirled his cane once. "And those 'devils' you're talking about? Right now, they're either being put to work by my step-sister, or they're being tortured for entertainment. Kinda depends on her mood. Can't predict that crazy witch's temperament."

Pakura took a deep breath.

She could feel something was wrong here.

But at this point… she had nothing left to lose. Slowly, she reached out and shook his hand.

A strange tingling sensation rushed through her arm. For a brief moment, she expected pain, maybe her arm being burned off or warped into something monstrous.

But nothing happened.

She was… fine? She frowned, slightly surprised, before glancing up at Naruto.

His grin had widened—but he was silent.

Because to him, this wasn't just a handshake.

Anyone who shook his hand first meant that their fate, soul, and existence were his to manipulate.

That was a bonus.

The real prize?

Pakura was an A-rank shinobi—or maybe higher. That meant…

His reality-warping range just increased by another 2 meter. 303 meters.

Not only that—her Scorch Release was immediately copied into his own body.

Naruto smiled in silent satisfaction.

Pakura narrowed her eyes. "You're smiling in a very evil way. Am I going to regret this, Cipher?"

Naruto tilted his head slightly. "Nope. Not currently."

Without another word, he picked up a nearby stone, turning it over in his fingers before making a small motion. The rock melted, reshaping itself in his palm until it solidified into a necklace.

He reached out and casually placed it around her neck.

Pakura raised an eyebrow. "Are you being romantic now, Cipher?"

Naruto let out a chuckle. "Aura farming needs to get upgraded."

She blinked. "Aura… what?"

"And that necklace," Naruto continued, ignoring her confusion, "is a bond of our working group. Also, a safety measure. Just in case you suddenly decide you wanna play hero."

Pakura glanced down at the necklace and examined it closely.

It was a golden triangle with a single eye carved into its center.

She smirked, running her fingers over the strange symbol. "Looks like a cult emblem."

Naruto grinned. "Well, if you think it's a cult… then it's gonna be fun."

His eyes gleamed with excitement. "The mechanism of a deal has been figured out. This is getting very interesting."

Before Pakura could question him,

Naruto's entire body began to glow.

He laughed, his voice laced with mischief.

"Remember! Reality is an illusion, the universe is a hologram, buy gold—BYEEEEEEE!"

A blinding light exploded outward, washing over everything.

Pakura flinched, shielding her eyes from the overwhelming radiance.

And then—silence.

When she opened her eyes, she gasped.

She was no longer in Kirigakure.

Or Sunagakure.

Or anywhere near Iwagakure.

She stood in the middle of an unknown forest, far from any village, surrounded by nothing but trees and silence.

Her fingers instinctively touched her stomach, expecting to feel fresh wounds—but there were none.

Instead, only scars remained, proof that the injuries had already healed. Her eyes drifted downward.

The necklace was still there.

She clenched it, whispering to herself.

"It wasn't a dream."

Meanwhile, back in Ichiraku Ramen's isolated storage room, Naruto finally dug himself out of the dirt. He sat up, stretching his arms, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips.

Everything had gone perfectly.

The Inverted Spear of Heaven and Kamutoke remained in his coat, their presence grounding him back in reality.

But now, he had a decision to make.

His Nightmare Realm was a universe in itself.

That meant… he had two choices.

Should he breach his original world, force cracks into its foundation, and spread his influence? If he did, it would boost Weirdmageddon's reach by kilometers rather than just a single meter per handshake.

Or… should he keep shaking hands like a fool?

Naruto tapped his fingers against his cane, deep in thought.

Before he could decide, there was a knock on the door.

"Bill! Are you ready for your show?"

Teuchi's voice.

Naruto blinked, realizing morning had already arrived.

He sighed, pushing aside his thoughts.

For now, he had a performance to give.

Slipping on his chef hat, adjusting his face mask, and tightening his eye patch, Naruto stood up.

He stepped toward the door, his voice light and playful.

"Bill's ready."

As usual, Ichiraku Ramen buzzed with laughter and conversation. Customers came for the food, but stayed for the jokes.

Naruto played along, spinning riddles and absurd stories, keeping the crowd entertained as he effortlessly balanced plates and bowls.

But as noon arrived, he sensed something different.

A special customer.

Two, in fact.

Seated at the counter were Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha.

They were still allies, both ANBU operatives, both in service to Konoha. The Uchiha Clan was intact—not yet reduced to just three members.

Naruto smirked to himself.

Ah, yes… Kotoamatsukami and Tsukuyomi.

Haven't used them at the Uchiha Coup yet.

He tapped his fingers against the counter as he watched them.

Teuchi, ever the welcoming host, smiled warmly. "What can we do for two ANBU today? Do you want to hear a Bill joke?"

Itachi, ever calm and composed, gave a small nod. "I'll order a ramen."

Shisui, however, was more curious.

He leaned forward slightly. "I wonder…" he mused. "People always say that Bill's palm glows with blue flames when he shakes hands." His eyes sharpened. "Yet… it never harms them."

He activated his Sharingan, eyes glinting with curiosity.

"Can I see it for myself?"

Naruto held back a groan.

Yeah, breaching reality is sounding much, muchhhhhhhhhh more doable right now.

He hated dealing with primitives.

Still, he kept his usual playful expression as he extended his hand.

"Sure," he said smoothly.

As his palm opened, a blue flame flickered to life, dancing across his skin.

Shisui leaned in, examining it closely. His Sharingan spun, analyzing the flickering light.

"It's… real flame," Shisui muttered, eyes narrowing slightly.

Curious, he shook Naruto's hand.

The moment he did—pain shot through his palm.

The blue fire burned.

Shisui hissed, pulling back as he patted out the flames, leaving behind a small, barely visible burn.

He stared at his hand, eyes sharp with newfound suspicion. "Are you really just a normal trickster?" he asked. "From what I can tell, this isn't some simple party trick. The way your palm is shaped… it reminds me of a puppet from Sunagakure."

Itachi, who had been quietly observing, nodded slightly. "But the carving is smoother. It's more… human."

Naruto tilted his head, as if in thought, then sighed dramatically.

"Ahh, well, you see… a long time ago, I used to carve wood." He rested his chin in his hand, his voice suddenly carrying a distant, melancholic air. "My parents were killed, and I tried to recreate them through carvings. I could only remember glimpses of their faces, so I kept making doll after doll… trying to hold onto those fragments of memory…"

Shisui and Itachi immediately felt a wave of guilt.

They had just intruded on a painful part of Bill's past.

Itachi lowered his head slightly. "I'm sorry, Bill… It must have been hard for you."

Shisui frowned, feeling a pang of sympathy.

For a brief moment, the air in the ramen shop felt heavier.

Then— Naruto clapped his hands together. "Sooo, can I get a rating for my sad story?"

Shisui blinked. "Huh?"

Naruto grinned. "The truth is, I bought it from a junkyard for 500 ryo."

Shisui and Itachi just stared.

Naruto continued, his tone completely casual. "And uh, I'm training for my poetry recital later. So was my sad story really that sad?"

Itachi sighed. Shisui facepalmed.

They had just been trolled.

Teuchi only shook his head. Naruto is frustrating as hell, but… damn if he isn't funny. Well, the moneymaker has his recipe. Can't blame him.

Itachi exhaled and composed himself. "Can I examine that doll arm of yours?"

Naruto tilted his head slightly. His real right arm had been hidden behind his back the entire time.

Now, he finally revealed it.

But instead of handing over his real arm, he extended the fake one.

Itachi took it carefully, inspecting the details. His brows furrowed. "Bill… this is too perfect. This doesn't feel like a doll arm. It feels real."

Shisui frowned, his instincts sharpening. "Teuchi-ojisan, can you leave us for a moment?"

Teuchi hesitated. He could sense the shift in the air. He knew these ANBU could be dangerous.

For a moment, he considered intervening.

But Naruto simply smiled. "It's fine, Teuchi-ojisan. Thanks for being my sanctuary… even if it was just for a day."

Teuchi hesitated again—then gave a slow nod before moving back inside.

As soon as he was gone, the atmosphere shifted.

Shisui's Sharingan morphed, twisting into the distinct shape of Kotoamatsukami.

"I need to ask you something," Shisui said, his voice calm but firm. "Are you a missing-nin, Bill? Do you pose a threat to Konoha?"

Naruto simply tilted his head. "I'm just a dishwasher here. Maybe a jokester, too."

Shisui's eyes remained locked onto him, searching for even the smallest sign of deception.

Beside him, Itachi subtly shifted his stance.

His hand hovered near his blade. His Sharingan spun, though he had yet to awaken the Mangekyo—not yet, not in this timeline.

Still, he was ready.

But before he could make a move, Shisui raised a hand.

A silent message.

"You and him are different."

"He can kill you in one strike."

Itachi hesitated—then relaxed slightly.

He understood the warning.

For now, it was better to listen.

Shisui's expression remained unreadable, but in silence, he activated Kotoamatsukami.

The most powerful genjutsu of its era. A technique designed to rewrite the will of its victim—unbreakable by normal means.

The moment it took hold, Shisui felt something wrong.

Naruto smirked.

"Kotoamatsukami? Still a newbie trick compared to what I've dealt with long ago," he mused, his voice carrying amusement. "If something like this could brainwash me, Bernkastel would've killed me a billion times over by now."

Shisui's stomach dropped.

Itachi immediately tensed.

This kid—no, this entity—was far beyond human.

His appearance was that of a six-year-old child, but his awareness, his presence, his existence—it was something that shouldn't belong in this world.

Itachi's fingers shifted in a hand sign.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."

He exhaled—but nothing came out.

No flames. No chakra response. Only… silence.

Shisui's heart pounded. The surroundings had changed.

Everything had turned gray. Time itself had stopped.

And Naruto?

He reached up, casually peeling away his face mask.

Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, he tore off his chef hat.

His black coat materialized onto his body, wrapping around him like a shifting void. A top hat replaced the discarded chef's hat, completing his transformation.

A familiar, unsettling grin spread across his face.

"This…" Naruto gestured around them, his voice laced with amusement.

"This is a dream world."

He twirled his cane lazily that suddenly appeared . "You can't harm anyone here."

His sharp yellow eye gleamed. "And lastly… you're both under my mercy."