The aftermath of the great battle against the Otsutsuki left the shinobi world in shock. The loss of life and destruction of the village had a profound impact on everyone. Naruto remained in a coma, and Sasuke was nowhere to be found, leaving the rest of the shinobi to train and prepare for the next attack.
Sakura was in the hospital, tending to Naruto, hoping for any signs of improvement. She was joined by Hinata, who came to visit and offer her support. "How is he?" Hinata asked Sakura, who looked exhausted and worried.
"No change," Sakura replied with a heavy heart. "I don't know what to do. I feel like we're running out of time."
Hinata placed a comforting hand on Sakura's shoulder. "We won't give up on him. He's fought too hard to give up now."
Meanwhile, Shikamaru was busy working with Kakashi and other high-ranking officials on a strategy to defend the village in case of another attack. They knew that the Otsutsuki wouldn't give up that easily, and they needed to be prepared for anything.
Temari and Kankuro were in the village, helping with the reconstruction efforts. The damage was extensive, and it would take months to fully recover. "This is going to be a long road," Kankuro said as he surveyed the destruction.
Temari nodded in agreement. "But we have to do it. For the sake of our village and our people."
As the days passed, news of the Otsutsuki's attack spread throughout the world, and other villages began preparing for the worst. Gaara received a message from the Kazekage of the Sand village, offering their support and any resources they could spare.
Even Orochimaru, who had been in hiding, came out of the shadows to offer his assistance. "The Otsutsuki are a threat to us all," he said to Jiraiya, who was hesitant to accept his help. "We need to work together if we want to survive."
The tension in the shinobi world was palpable, and everyone was on edge. They knew that the Otsutsuki would return, and they needed to be ready.
In the hospital, Naruto was still in a coma, but his mind was active. He found himself in a familiar place, standing in front of Kurama's cage.
"Hey there, buddy," Naruto said, looking up at the giant fox. "How are you holding up?"
Kurama let out a sigh. "I'm fine, Naruto. But what about you? You've been asleep for days now."
Naruto shrugged. "I don't know. I feel like I'm in between worlds, you know? Like I'm not really here, but I'm not really there either."
Kurama nodded. "I know the feeling. But don't worry, kid. You'll wake up soon enough."
Naruto looked up at the cage, his eyes narrowing. "Kurama, what do you know about the Otsutsuki? About their plans and their powers?"
Kurama let out a low growl. "I know enough to be scared, kid. They're powerful, more powerful than anything we've ever faced before. And they won't stop until they've taken everything from us."
Naruto's face hardened. "I won't let that happen. I'll do whatever it takes to protect my friends and my village."
Kurama smiled. "That's the spirit, Naruto. But you can't do it alone. You'll need all the help you can get."
Naruto nodded. "I know