Naruto: The Chosen Undead

[SiriusL]

Griggs nodded toward the clone. "That copy… it's not just chakra. It's made from a fragment of your soul."

Click to shrink...

Griggs doesn't know about Chakra yet, unless he somehow got some of Naruto's memories from being involves in the Ritual that allowed Naruto to speak with the merchant.

 

[Adamos_Amet]

Griggs doesn't know about Chakra yet, unless he somehow got some of Naruto's memories from being involves in the Ritual that allowed Naruto to speak with the merchant.

Click to shrink...

Yep, Griggs doesn't "know" chakra in the sense of being able to use it or fully understand its inner workings. However, as a sorcerer, he has seen Naruto use it firsthand, and through his own version of Soul Sight, he can perceive chakra as an unfamiliar but distinct kind of energy unique to Naruto.

So while he can't manipulate chakra himself, he can observe it, kind of like how a shinobi with sensory abilities can feel magic without knowing its mechanics. That's also why he was able to identify Naruto's magic clone as a soul fragment so quickly.

This'll be explored more when we get deeper into Naruto's magic training arc especially how chakra looks to a proper sorcerer.

Also, congrulations, you have covered alot of the story and I hope it was an enjoyable read up until now.

 

[SiriusL]

Priscilla

Click to shrink...

Pretty sure she was sad and had feathers?

No, looked it up - it's fur. Still looks Angelic, but not sure about grieving. But when I think of her I think of sad soo.. maybe?

 

[kream]

I was thinking the same thing you wrote in your note as I read through the chapter. If anyone dives into sakumo people usually just do the whole danzo scapegoat thing, like oh he started villifying sakumo because he feared strength/influence outside his control. Nice to see another good lore tie in, wish there was a way to get this more exposure it's probably the best quality naruto fic on here.

 

[Kage]

I would love to see some art of everyone's new outfits. Especially Hinata's and Tenten's.

 

[Adamos_Amet]

Chapter no.64 The Forbidden Arts and the Four Heavenly Treasures!

---

The warm, colorful glow of the Homeward Miracle faded from Naruto's skin, its soft divine shimmer melting back into the quiet stillness of Lordran. The air here was heavier, yet somehow, it felt… comforting.

Naruto stretched his ar ms overhead, letting out a slow breath. "It's been too long."

Oscar gave a noise which translated perfectly to: We were literally here yesterday.

"Yeah, but we didn't do anything yesterday, other than sit at Firelink Shrine and come up with a lie for Jiraiya and the others."

Oscar tilted his tiny head, chirping again.

"Okay, fine," Naruto said, rolling his eyes. "You did help, if you count watching me brood about Sakumo-san and my clan's destruction as 'help.'"

The crystal lizard gave a sharp, proud squeak, as if saying emotional support counts.

"Yeah, yeah. You're the best emotional support lizard anyone could ask for."

Their lighthearted exchange faded as a gentle, graceful voice drifted down from the staircase above them.

"Sir Naruto. It has been some time since you last came to visit."

Naruto looked up to see the familiar figure of Dusk of Oolacile, seated elegantly on the worn stone steps. "Hey, Princess. Sorry it's been a while. I got caught up with… a lot of stuff back home. You know how it is."

"Indeed. Though, to my understanding, time flows differently where you hail from. It has been nearly a month here in Lordran since your last visit."

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, that whole time dilation thing's a pain. Good for training but not for being away. Makes me look like a bad friend."

"Perish the thought, good knight. Your return gladdens me nonetheless."

"Your speech, it's… different. Easier to understand, actually."

Dusk looked faintly proud. "Master Andre has been most diligent in correcting my manner of speech. He said my 'idiolect' required refinement."

"Yeah, I'd say so. No offense, but the old-timey talk made me feel like I was reading one of those ancient history scrolls out loud."

Her lips curved into a soft, knowing smile. "I shall take that as a compliment, Sir Naruto."

"Well, I didn't mean it as one, but sure... let's go with that."

Naruto raised an eyebrow as he took in Dusk's new appearance.

Gone was the ivory gown of Oolacile, replaced now by a more humble yet regal ensemble.

Her dress was crafted from a dense, dark brown fabric with a natural, homespun texture, thick enough to stave off Lordran's chill. The long skirt reached her ankles, pooling slightly with weight and sweeping out in structured folds like the petals of a blooming night flower. At her waist, a leather belt cinched the layers together, accentuating her slender figure with both elegance and simplicity.

Underneath the dress, she wore a long-sleeved undershirt of ashen wool, the sleeves snug to her arms and gathered at the wrist. Draped across her shoulders was a short cloak of the same dark brown material, fastened by modest brass buttons at her throat. The high collar framed her neck with dignified warmth, while her boots were ankle-high and laced with sturdy leather, clearly meant for long walks across uneven terrain.

"Master Andre made it for me," Dusk said softly, turning in a slow, graceful spin.

Naruto and Oscar both clapped enthusiastically.

Dusk gave a polite, regal bow in return, one hand placed over her chest, the other extended outward, fingers elegantly spread in the formal gesture of Oolacile grace.

"Man, you look amazing, Dusk. That old blacksmith's got some hidden talent. Didn't think he had a fashion sense buried under all that muscle."

"Master Andre takes pride in all his crafts. He claimed the challenge was… refreshing."

"You know, when I get a bit more time, I might ask him to teach me how to make clothes too."

Oscar tilted his head sharply at that, letting out a questioning chirp that translated to why on earth would you do that?

"A most practical skill, to be sure. Yet… I find myself sharing the wise lizard's confusion."

"Well, recently I got some clothes made for Tsunami, and they were kinda expensive compared to everyone else," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Something about my size being more like an adult's. And I figure, I'm probably gonna run into that problem a lot more down the line, so it doesn't hurt to learn, right?"

He puffed his chest a little, trying to sound proud. "That, and I've come to appreciate fashion. Right, Oscar?"

Oscar slowly turned his head toward Naruto, then at the tattered Balder Knight's cape the boy was wearing and gave a very slow, unimpressed shake of his head.

Dusk let out a soft, melodic giggle behind her hand.

"Oh, shut it, you little rock ball! I'll make you clothes too!"

Oscar made a dubious chirp, like he was questioning whether he should be worried.

"I'm thinking… an orange jumpsuit."

The horror was immediate. Oscar froze, gave a strangled squeak, and flopped backward like a fainting noble. He clutched his tiny claws to his chest, squealing in exaggerated despair.

Dusk covered her mouth but couldn't hold back a laugh. "Oh, dear… perhaps something a touch less flamboyant for your noble companion, Sir Naruto."

"Fine, fine. Maybe I'll give him a tiny hat or something. A fashionable knight deserves a good accessory."

Oscar peeked one eye open, still pretending to be offended but intrigued by the idea of a hat.

Naruto chuckled. "See? He's already thinking about color choices."

The laughter between them faded into a soft, comfortable quiet.

Dusk tilted her head gently. "So… what brings you back this time? Sir Siegmeyer says you often come when your heart is heavy."

Naruto's smile softened. "Yeah… I guess I do." He leaned back on his hands, gazing at the bonfire. "I'm in the middle of something big back home. Complicated stuff. But I think you and Andre might actually be able to help me."

"Help you in what manner, Sir Naruto?"

Naruto nodded, rubbing the back of his neck as he thought. "Back when you were teaching me the Hidden Body spell, you mentioned a spell used to mend armor and weapons."

"Ah… the Repair sorcery. A gentle, humble art, yet one of Oolacile's greatest treasures. In our golden age, it was said the sages used that very spell to mend the ruins of a kingdom lost to time into Oolacile."

Naruto's eyes lit up with sudden understanding. "That's it! That's exactly the kind of magic I need to fix the Altar of Beginning!"

"Of course. I shall transcribe the spell for you. Just give me a moment."

"Well, I'll be with Andre if you need me," Naruto said with an easy wave as he headed down the worn stone steps toward the blacksmith's forge.

Dusk followed a few minutes later and found the duo standing over a thick stone slab resting atop the anvil.

"What's going on here?"

Andre let out a booming laugh. "The brat here's got it in his head that a pinch of repair powder can fix a blasted altar. So we're runnin' a little experiment."

"Scientific research," Naruto corrected with a grin.

Andre ignored him and, without warning, slammed his massive palm down on the slab. The stone split with a satisfying crack that echoed through the forge. Then the blacksmith sprinkled a faint shimmer of golden dust across the surface.

Before Dusk's eyes, the broken stone began to knit itself together. The cracks glowed faintly, sealing shut until the surface looked perfectly smooth.

"It worked!" Andre grinned, slapping Naruto on the back with enough force to make the boy stumble forward.

Naruto steadied himself and frowned, focusing chakra into the slab. Seals of faint blue light appeared across the surface like threads of a spiderweb… only for them to flicker and fade out.

"The fuinjutsu didn't repair," he said, shaking his head. "So it's a no-go." Turning to Dusk, he added, "Can I see how your Repair spell works? The real one?"

"Of course," Dusk replied warmly. She gracefully sidestepped Oscar, who was busy chewing on a broken sword handle like a dog with a bone. The little lizard gave an indignant chirp when she passed, as though to say don't judge me.

Lifting her Ivory Catalyst, Dusk's posture straightened, and the air in the forge seemed to still. Soft gold light gathered around her branch, coalescing into motes of luminescence that shimmered like fireflies. When she released the spell, a warm radiance descended upon the broken slab.

"Well, I'll be damned," Andre muttered, stroking his beard. "That's cleaner work than any tool I've ever held. But far as I can tell, it did the same thing as the powder."

"Nope." Naruto popped the p as he crouched beside the slab and pressed his hand flat on it, funneling chakra into the stone.

The response was instant. The fuinjutsu etched into the slab flared to life for a brief second and then the explosive seal activated with a faint boom, sending up a puff of smoke that rolled over everyone's faces.

Dusk jumped with a startled squeak, her hands flying to her chest as the soft explosion sent a faint puff of smoke curling through the forge.

Naruto coughed once and waved the smoke away, glancing at her with an amused look he tried and failed to hide. "Relax, Princess. It's a low-yield explosive seal, not a bomb."

Her cheeks flushed slightly as she composed herself, smoothing her dress. "That… was most unexpected," she murmured.

"So," Andre said, eyeing the singed slab, "mind explainin' what in the blazes just happened here before the next one decides to explode?"

"Okay, so here's the deal. This slab had an explosive seal on it. When we broke it, the seal itself got destroyed. The repair powder fixed the stone but not the seal. What I needed was something that could restore both. That's what Dusk's spell did perfectly."

"Alright, I follow most of that. But what I don't get is why the spell fixed it."

"Because the spell doesn't just fix what's broken. It rewinds time and turns it back to the exact state it was in before it ever cracked."

Naruto looked to the princess. "Right, Princess?"

"Of course. Light is time, and time remembers. Every beam of sunlight carries the echo of a moment long past as it shines upon the present, but it was born in the past. The sorcery of Repair does not command light, it listens to it. It asks the light to remind the world of what once was."

"That's… insane." His voice trembled with realization. "Do you know what that means? This isn't just restoration rather it's reversion! We could literally turn back the clock on an object. What if… what if we applied this to a person?" Naruto's words came faster, his eyes widening with every thought. "Heal someone back from nonexistence… reverse a death… bring back a loved one… what if we reversed a Hollow's mind?"

Andre said, "You're talkin' like a madman, kid."

Oscar clutched his tiny reptilian face with both claws, squeaking dramatically, whether out of horror or excitement was anyone's guess.

"Sir Naruto," Dusk said softly, "your passion does you credit, but I must clarify."

Her expression grew more solemn as she clasped her hands in front of her. "The Repair sorcery, like all magics born of light, has its limits. A novice can mend the durability of a blade. A scholar may restore a broken tool to its former shape. A master… perhaps they could reverse a patch of earth to the way it was a few moments prior. But to touch the flow of life... to turn back the river of time for a soul would be to challenge the very weave of existence."

She looked down. "To manipulate time as you imagine would require mastery beyond that of the Albino Archdragon, beyond the gods themselves. It would demand an understanding so vast, so complete, that even sanity might break beneath its weight."

"So… you're saying I'd need, like, ninety-nine Intelligence."

Andre groaned. "I'm startin' to think you already hit ninety-nine in stupidity."

Naruto ignored the jab, his expression turning serious as he stared down at the restored slab. "Still… even if I can't rewrite time, if I can use this to fix the altar back home, that's worth trying."

He looked up at Dusk, eyes burning with new determination. "Let's get to it."

Dusk's smile was small but proud as she reached into her satchel and withdrew a rolled spell scroll. "Then take this, Sir Naruto. May your light remember what the world has forgotten."

Naruto accepted the scroll with both hands, bowing his head slightly in respect. The parchment pulsed faintly with golden warmth, the magic within almost eager to be understood.

I wonder… what would this spell become if I enhanced it with chakra?

---

[ Item: Repair Spell ]
[ Description: Ancient sorcery of the lost land of Oolacile. Repairs equipped weapons and armor.
This sorcery was part of everyday life in Oolacile. Its effects resemble repair powder. While the effects of this spell are rather subtle, its foundations are a well-guarded secret. Light is time, and the reversal of its effects is a forbidden art. ]

Despite how complex and dangerous reversing time sounded on paper, Naruto had little to no difficulty attuning the Repair sorcery.

Dusk helped refine his control while Andre grumbled about "kids tamperin' with cosmic nonsense" and hammered in the background. A day later, after endless shadow clone trials, explosions, and near-death experiences for the dummies (and once for Naruto), the boy stood ready for the real test.

Andre stood beside him, frowning as he eyed the preparations. A wide barricade of stone and steel surrounded the testing area, with two of Naruto's clones standing inside the ring. In the middle sat a mannequin wearing the shattered remains of a Black Knight armor set.

"So, how likely is it that the whole church collapses on our heads?"

Naruto tilted his head in mock thought. "It's not… uh..." He paused mid-sentence, glanced at the cracked ceiling, then wordlessly handed Homeward Bones to Oscar, Dusk, and Andre.

Andre squinted. "You sure inspire confidence, brat."

"Safety first, old man," Naruto said cheerfully. "Didn't you teach me that?"

Dusk looked deeply unconvinced, her delicate hands clutching her catalyst. "I do not know about this, Sir Naruto. Tampering with time's flow, even in fragments, is not a feat to take lightly."

"Come on, what's the worst that could happen?" He turned and yelled to his clones, "Hey! A little farther back, guys!"

"You are still working with a spell that bends time itself, and your explanation of what chakra does to magic was far from comforting."

Naruto shrugged. "Then you can leave, if you want. I don't mind."

Dusk sighed and gave a small, resigned smile. "Sir Naruto, you are without question the most foolish… and yet the most delightful soul I have ever met."

Then, with sudden earnestness, she stepped forward and hugged him tightly. "Please do not die. I would be most upset."

"Nothing to be scared of, my lady," Andre said, though he was already crouching behind Naruto.

Naruto chuckled, patting Dusk's shoulder. "A bunch of scaredy cats, right, Oscar?"

The little lizard squeaked and bolted up the stairs to higher ground.

"Traitor." Naruto straightened, clapping his hands together. "Alright, clones! Do your thing!"

"Yes, boss!"

Two clones knelt beside the catalyst and began channeling chakra into it. A third raised its hand and began weaving the Repair spell.

Light erupted from the catalyst; not soft and gentle this time, but fierce and radiant, spilling across the ruin like sunlight breaking through a storm. The air shimmered as the energy folded over itself, and time seemed to breathe backward. Cracked pillars straightened, shattered glass mended, and the faint hymn of Oolacile's magic echoed through the hall.

A few minutes later, when the glow faded, the church stood renewed, as if centuries had peeled away in seconds. The mannequin stood perfectly centered, holding the Black Knight armor now polished and whole.

Naruto blinked once, twice, then burst out laughing. "Ha! It worked! You see that?" He jumped up with a grin that could've lit the whole room. "I just got myself a brand-new Black Knight armor set!"

"Your clones are gone," Andre said, peering at the now-empty section of the church.

"Yeah, probably got reverse-timed out of existence or something."

Andre stared at him flatly.

Dusk pointed to the mannequin and said, "The armor has been restored, but the mannequin itself remains untouched. The spell's light did not affect it."

"That's actually a good observation, Princess. I think the Repair spell's light can be blocked. If an object's shadow or surface absorbs the time flow differently, maybe it just… doesn't revert." Naruto sighed, scratching his cheek. "Guess that means I can't use this spell in combat after all."

"Why's that?"

"The activation time's too long. In a shinobi fight, a few seconds can mean death. And if the spell's effect can be blocked, that means a shield, a barrier, or even a jutsu could stop it. Makes it useless for a battlefield."

"You're thinkin' too much like a soldier, brat. A tool don't stop bein' useful just 'cause it ain't a weapon. A hammer builds houses before it breaks. The worth of a tool depends on how wisely the hand uses it, not how deadly it is. I am sure you are smart enough to understand that."

"So you admit I'm smart."

Andre bonked him lightly on the head with a meaty hand. "Don't push your luck, kid."

"Sir Naruto, even though the spell reversed time for the structure, nothing from the previous age appeared. No artifacts, no people or plants."

"That's strange."

Andre squinted up at the pillars. "Aye, but look at the paint. The color on those carvings came back. That's somethin'."

"Hmm…" Naruto muttered. "So maybe the spell needs an anchor, like something physical still tied to that specific point in time. You can't reverse time mid-air and expect something that used to be there to just pop into existence again. The spell can only restore what remembers itself."

Dusk nodded. "A reasonable conclusion."

Oscar chirped in confusion, as if saying, I still don't get it.

Before any of them could continue, a sudden wave of heat flared behind them. Naruto spun around just as the Black Knight armor erupted into fire.

But it wasn't the flame itself that chilled him; rather, it was the feeling it carried. That same twisted energy pulsing beneath the surface: Chaos.

The embers flared violently, consuming the armor before slowly dying down, leaving behind the same shattered, blackened pieces they had started with.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Great. So I guess I really need to figure out how to deal with the Chaos Flame before I try to fix that thing ever again."

"I don't think we can blame the fire for this one."

"Old man, you saw that, right? It just burst into flames."

Andre gave a knowing grunt. "Don't be so quick to judge what you don't yet understand."

Naruto nodded, peering at the remains. The armor was broken again, yes, but there were no scorch marks. No signs of new damage. Even the restored church around them had reverted back to its original, half-ruined state.

"Alright, fair point. Lesson learned... again." Naruto rubbed his chin, thinking. "But that means a few things could've happened here. Either the Chaos Flames burned through time itself, or…"

He glanced up at the ceiling, expression turning pensive. "…Lordran's weird, messed-up time didn't like me making a time bubble and just snapped it back to normal."

Andre grunted in agreement. "Wouldn't be the first time this place told reality to piss off."

"Or," Naruto added, "maybe the spell just has limited uses, like the world only allows so much time meddling before it hits reset."

Dusk folded her hands, her tone almost reverent. "Perhaps, Sir Naruto, time itself resists those who try to master it. It may allow a moment's grace… before reminding us who truly commands the ages."

Naruto gave a half-smile. "Then I'll just have to ask time to be nice to me for a few minutes longer."

Andre snorted. "Kid, you keep talkin' like that, and you'll have a fistfight with the concept of history itself."

Naruto started walking down the stairs, his voice echoing faintly in the quiet church. "If it means fixing Uzushio… then history better learn to fight back."

"And what are you doin' now, brat?"

Oscar scurried down after Naruto. "Gonna run a few more experiments with the Repair spell," he said. "But while my clones handle the resets, I'm gonna learn how to shapeshift into a bird."

"It better be a chicken! Seems more your speed!"

"You'll see when I'm flying laps over your forge, old man!"

The old blacksmith chuckled and shook his head, watching the kid disappear down the path toward Darkroot Garden. "He's gonna break reality one of these days, I swear it."

Andre tilted his head toward Dusk. "You best go after him, Princess. Make sure he don't turn himself into a featherless, flightless disaster."

"I shall do my best to prevent catastrophe."

"Good luck with that."

Andre chuckled to himself, glancing toward the now-quiet hall. "Heh. Been a long while since this place had kids runnin' through it. Nice change from the endless ring of hammers and ghosts."

Outside, a distant voice echoed faintly through the garden. "No, Sir Naruto, do not jump off a cliff to practice being a bird!"

Andre barked out a laugh, shaking his head. "That's my cue to drink." He grabbed his old mug from beside the forge, filled it with mead, and raised it in salute to the chaos the boy brought with him.

"Cheers, you mad little sunbeam," he said fondly. "Don't die doing somethin' stupid. Neither of us wants to see you go Hollow."

He took a long sip, the smile never leaving his face.

---

Dinner was warm and peaceful, the kind of quiet comfort that had become rare in the Tazuna household.

"Dinner was amazing as always," Tazuna said, patting his stomach.

"I'm glad you liked it, Father," Tsunami replied with a gentle smile as she began collecting the dishes. Her gaze fell on Inari, who was absently poking at the last bits of his rice.

"Something wrong, dear?"

"I… I miss big bro Naruto."

"We all miss him, kid. Those shinobi… they really shook things up around here, made this house feel alive again." The old man took a sip of his drink. "But listen, Inari... people like that come and go. That's just how life works. They show up, teach you something important, and then it's your turn to carry it forward."

Inari looked up, eyes wide at his grandfather's words.

Tazuna smiled faintly. "Besides, there's a big event coming up called the Chunin Exams, right? Maybe we'll go to the Leaf and cheer on Naruto and the others. Wouldn't that be something?"

"Yeah! I wanna go!"

Tsunami laughed softly at their enthusiasm, but the peace didn't last.

Without warning, the door to the living room creaked open as someone barged in. Three screams filled the room. Naruto and Oscar, startled, immediately joined in the screaming.

"WAIT, why are we screaming!?"

Oscar gave a helpless little shrug.

"N-Naruto, boy, is that you!?" Tazuna said, clutching his fork like a weapon.

"Yeah, sorry for the scare," Naruto said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "I used the Homeward Miracle to teleport outside of Uzushiogakure, and this was the closest place I could think of." He glanced around with a smile. "New house looks nice, by the way."

Tsunami blinked, trying to catch up. "Teleport? Why would you...? Are you alright, Naruto-kun?"

"Oh, I'm fine," Naruto said with a casual wave. "But sorry, can't really say why I teleported. Official ninja business." The light caught the Dragon Crest Ring on his hand as he said it, and it gleamed faintly.

"Well, would you like to have some dinner with us?" Tsunami asked. "You could rest a bit or—"

Before she could finish, Naruto's armor shimmered and vanished in a burst of light, leaving him in nothing but the cold night air from the window he'd opened.

Tazuna nearly choked on his drink. "Naruto, I know my daughter's quite the lovely lady, but if you plan on courting her, a slow approach might work better!"

Naruto blinked. "Is he drunk?" he asked Tsunami flatly.

Tsunami was already covering Inari's eyes. "Naruto-kun, please warn us next time you decide to undress in the living room!" she said, doing her best not to look, though her cheeks betrayed her composure.

"Sorry, no time," Naruto said briskly as yellow feathers began to sprout from his back.

All three of them froze, staring.

Then, with a sharp flap of wings, Naruto leapt through the window. In the blink of an eye, his body transformed midair, feathers spreading wide as his form shifted into that of a massive falcon. Oscar dangled comfortably from his talons as they soared into the night sky.

The family stood in stunned silence for a long moment, watching the moonlight glint off the falcon's wings as it vanished into the clouds.

Finally, Tazuna sighed, taking a sip of his drink. "Well… that's Naruto for you. Always leaves you wondering whether you're awake or dreaming."

Tsunami shook her head with a tired smile. "Speaking of dreams; Inari, it's time for bed."

"But big brother just turned into a bird and flew away…"

"Yes," Tsunami said patiently, "we all saw that. Now off to bed before I call him back, and you really don't want to interrupt his hero work, do you?"

Inari shook his head quickly. "No, ma'am." He padded toward his room, still murmuring to himself. "I wonder what it feels like to fly… Maybe next time, he'll take me with him."

"He just might, kid. He just might," Tazuna murmured with a soft grin, watching Inari shuffle off to his room before the door clicked shut.

Silence lingered between him and Tsunami, the kind that only followed something unbelievable—or, more accurately, something that involved Naruto.

Finally, Tazuna leaned back with a long sigh, pouring himself another drink. "You think if that kid can turn into a bird… what else can he turn into?"

Tsunami didn't even look up from clearing the dishes. "No."

"I'm serious! What if he can turn into, say… a girl? Or a supermodel? Hah! Imagine the possibilities!"

"Father, please..."

"I mean, if he ever gets a girlfriend, that relationship's gonna be wild. What if he turns into her just to see what it's like?"

Tsunami froze, then gave her father a flat, dead-eyed stare. "A lot of what you're saying is disgusting."

"What? I'm just being curious! Oh, oh... what if he turns into an octopus! All those arms..."

The bonk of a ladle connecting with his head cut him off.

"OW!"

"Jiraiya's a bad influence on you," Tsunami muttered, rubbing her temples.

Tazuna rubbed the growing bump on his head, chuckling through the pain. "Yeah, but admit it, the kid's gonna live one hell of a life as he grows."

Tsunami sighed but couldn't help smiling a little as she looked toward the open window, where the moonlight still spilled in. "He already is living one hell of a life. Still… it's nice to see him so determined. Wherever he goes, he always makes things feel brighter."

Tazuna raised his cup toward the sky. "To the flying knucklehead. May the world survive him."

"Amen to that."

---

Flying was an experience unlike anything Naruto had ever known.

The wind didn't just rush past him; rather, it sang. It roared in his ears, brushed across his feathers, and carried him with a freedom so pure that it made his chest ache. The air grew colder the higher he climbed, sharp and clean, each gust threading through his wings like a living current. Below him, the ocean stretched endlessly, a vast mirror of silver-blue that shimmered beneath the moonlight. The stars seemed closer up here, scattered like glowing shards of crystal across the black expanse of sky.

Every beat of his wings sent a thrill through his body. Every turn, every dive, every rise through the clouds felt like a conversation with the wind itself.

Naruto channeled wind chakra through his feathers to slice through the air more easily, adjusting the flow to reduce resistance. Chakra reinforced his wings, letting him push faster, glide farther. The world below blurred into streaks of light and shadow.

After half an hour, his muscles burned pleasantly, the fatigue of his chakra catching up with him. Mid-air, he twisted into a roll and shifted back into his human form, landing lightly atop the rolling waves with Oscar clutched in one arm.

The little lizard immediately made a barfing motion.

"You okay, bud?" Naruto asked, amused. He reached into his inventory, pulling out the Grass Crest Shield and slinging it over his back. A faint green aura wrapped around him, rippling like wind through leaves. He could already feel his chakra restoring faster.

Oscar flopped onto Naruto's shoulder, groaning dramatically.

Naruto chuckled, rubbing his belly. "You did good, little guy. But I'm gonna need you at your best once we reach Uzushiogakure's borders. You'll be my eyes, yeah?"

Oscar gave him a pitiful look, blinking up at him as the boy stood barefoot atop the moonlit sea with his long hair swaying with the wind, green chakra glimmering faintly across his skin like foxfire.

"You'll use Soulsight to spot the gaps in the sealing arrays," Naruto explained, "and guide me through."

Oscar tilted his head, uncertain.

"Yeah, I checked. There are holes in the fuinjutsu arrays over Uzushio."

Oscar chirped weakly, still uneasy.

"Don't tell me you're scared of flying again?"

Oscar nodded shamefully.

"Hey, don't be. There's nothing to be afraid of." Naruto crouched and patted him gently. "Tell you what... we've got time before we reach Uzushiogakure. Let's fix that. Ready?"

Oscar hesitated, then gave a small nod.

"Good answer."

With that, Naruto's body shimmered and twisted, feathers bursting from his arms and back as he took on the form of a great falcon once more. He grasped Oscar gently in his talons and leapt into the air.

The lizard immediately squeezed his eyes shut.

Naruto tried to sigh, but the sound that left his throat was a harsh, grating caw that tore through the air. Irritated, he focused, causing the shape of his throat to change, cords of muscle writhing and knitting themselves together where none should exist. His beak split slightly down the middle, bending and reshaping with wet, organic sounds. A row of small, human-like teeth pushed through the edge of his beak, glinting unnaturally in the moonlight.

A sound followed was something halfway between a rasp and a growl.

"Os–car," the bird croaked, his new throat still adjusting to speech. The word came out mangled. He flexed his beak once, testing it, and then said more clearly, "Oscar, open your eyes!"

He slowed his flight, wings spread wide as they drifted above the clouds. "Come on, buddy. The sky's not so scary. There's a whole world waiting for you... you just have to look."

Oscar peeked one eye open… and froze.

The night sky above them was breathtaking as an ocean of stars, their light rippling across the clouds like reflections on water. The moon hung enormous and golden, spilling its glow over the rolling mist. The world below looked like a dream: islands scattered like jewels, the sea glimmering like liquid glass, and the horizon painted in shades of deep blue and violet.

Oscar chirped softly, a sound of awe.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Oscar chirped again, louder this time, his fear forgotten.

"Good. Now that you're seeing straight," Naruto said with a grin, banking through the clouds, "let's start practicing our flight signals. You guide me through traps, I follow your cues. Ready, partner?"

Oscar straightened up proudly and gave a confident chirp.

"Atta boy." Naruto's wings caught the wind again as they soared higher, two specks of light racing through the night sky.

---

It took Naruto several hours of steady flight to finally reach the outer edge of Uzushiogakure's territory.

From this height, the land itself looked like a massive seal carved into the earth, its lines faintly glowing with dormant chakra. Every instinct screamed that one wrong move would tear him apart.

"Alright, buddy," Naruto muttered, his distorted bird-voice soft but firm. "This is it. You're my eyes. Guide me through."

Oscar's Soulsight began flaring. He chirped once while pointing a tiny claw toward a thin ripple in the air.

Naruto flapped his wings once and dove.

The world blurred into streaks of blue and white as he plunged toward the invisible maze that surrounded the ruins.

"Oscar, left or right?"

Oscar's eyes flared again, seeing the spiritual geometry no normal being could. He chirped twice, signalling left, sharp turn.

Naruto banked hard, feeling the edge of a chakra barrier in the red zone scrape against his wingtip. The energy hissed like acid, burning through a few feathers. He winced, feathers molting into ash, but pushed through the pain.

The next layer came fast—an array of spiraling seals floating in the air like glowing mandalas, spinning with slow, deceptive grace.

Oscar chirped frantically, pointing upward.

Naruto shot upward, threading the needle between two glyphs that pulsed with nature energy. The glow chased his shadow, flaring to life as if trying to grab him. The edges brushed his leg, and pain lanced through his body like molten iron.

"Damn it!" Naruto hissed, wings faltering for half a second.

Oscar screeched and pecked at his shoulder as a warning. Naruto refocused, channeling wind chakra to steady himself. He could feel the barrier reacting to his chakra signature, like a living thing sensing prey.

"Alright, we're almost there… three more layers!" Naruto grunted. Sweat—or maybe blood—glistened on his talons as he tucked his wings and dived again.

Oscar guided him through by sound now, his chirps rhythmic, measured. Each one told Naruto where the gaps opened, how the chakra currents shifted, and where he had to fold his wings to slip through before the openings closed again.

One array flared to life behind him, its symbols spinning violently, and suddenly thousands of glowing seals launched forward like shuriken.

"Not good, not good!"

He summoned a gust of wind chakra from his wings, blasting himself forward just in time as the Reverse Tetragram Seals detonated behind him.

Naruto didn't slow down. He pushed through another breach, wings skimming the edges of invisible barriers, until finally the crushing pressure vanished.

They burst into the heart of Uzushiogakure.

Naruto slowly glided down, wings spread wide to soften his descent.

"Any other traps, Oscar?"

The little lizard shook his head.

"Good." Naruto's feathers rippled and folded back into his skin as he shapeshifted midair, landing lightly on the cracked remains of the Altar of Beginning.

He exhaled and reached into his inventory, pulling out a golden Estus Flask. "Man, that flight took more out of me than I thought." He took a long sip, the warmth spreading through his body as the burns on his arms and the singed feathers along his shoulders began to heal.

Looking down, he poured a bit of Estus into his cupped hand for Oscar, who eagerly drank from it like it was the finest nectar in the world.

Naruto let out a low whistle as he surveyed the destruction. "Even though I saw it from a distance, seeing this much damage up close… damn. It's like someone dropped a thousand explosive seals on it."

A familiar voice answered, calm and ancient. "It was done to ensure that no one could claim the Uzumaki's greatest treasure."

The surrounding seals flickered to life in red spirals, and from their glow, Mito Uzumaki's spectral form materialized before him.

"Ah!" Naruto yelped, fumbling for his gear. In a flash of light, his armor equipped itself piece by piece, courtesy of his inventory. He wasn't that shameless to be naked in front of his great-great-grandmother.

"That's a curious little fuinjutsu you've got there. Did you craft it yourself?"

"Oh, this? Nah, not a fuinjutsu. Just something I picked up in Lordran. I only know the basics of sealing—like a few tags, explosive seals, the usual."

"Well," Mito said kindly, "don't be embarrassed by that. Every fuinjutsu master starts somewhere. You're still young, after all."

"Yeah, well… 'young' is relative," Naruto said.

"How old are you now?"

"Twelve," Naruto replied without hesitation.

Mito gasped. "There is no way you're twelve, dattebane!"

"Ha! You've got a verbal tic too! Guess it runs in the family." Naruto tilted his head thoughtfully. "But you might be right. With all the time I've spent in Lordran, I'm probably closer to thirteen."

Oscar gave a small shrug.

"Come on, Oscar," Naruto said with mock sternness. "We gotta give Gran-Gran-Gran-Gran the accurate info."

"You cheeky brat," Mito huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "You added an extra gran just to tease me! If I still had a solid body, I'd bop you on the head right now."

"It was just a joke!" Naruto said quickly, raising his hands defensively. "Besides, it's not like anyone can tell our ages anyway. I don't look twelve, and you... well... you look way too beautiful for your age."

"Hmph. Looks like you inherited your father's silver tongue."

"Guess I got that from both sides of the family."

Naruto glanced around the shattered altar. "So, uh… Gran Gran Gran, I gotta ask... why send me here at all? You didn't know that I barely know any fuinjutsu, you're technically a ghost, and this place looks like it's one strong breeze away from collapsing."

"Oh, I never expected you to actually fix it."

Naruto and Oscar sweatdropped.

"…You didn't?"

"No," Mito said pleasantly, as if this were the most reasonable thing in the world.

Oscar made a tiny squeak of disbelief.

Naruto groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "So let me get this straight... you sent me through enough traps to kill a small army… for something you didn't expect me to fix?"

"Precisely. I needed to see if you were worthy of reaching it first."

Naruto sighed, muttering, "Great. I am not the only Uzumaki that is insane."

Oscar chirped in agreement.

"Well, I expected you to come here with the others," Mito said, giving him a mildly reproachful look. "You were supposed to cooperate, not sneak off alone."

"Well, Kakashi-sensei and Jiraiya know plenty about fuinjutsu. You figured they could help me fix the altar?"

"Oh, heavens no." Mito actually snorted with a surprisingly undignified sound for the First Hokage's wife. "Neither I, nor Kushina, nor even Minato had the skill to repair the Altar of Beginning. The altar was made by the first Uzumaki. It's far beyond anything our later generations could manage."

"Then why send me here?"

"Because, before I died… I sealed something here."

A soft glow shimmered in the air between them. Lines of fuinjutsu spun outward in a spiral before folding in on themselves, forming a small storage seal. With a puff of smoke, something fell into Naruto's waiting hands.

It was a white fox mask, smooth and pristine despite the centuries. Crimson rings circled its narrow eyes, and red sigils curled along its surface like living ink. Its sharp ears rose elegantly, and the faintest trace of chakra shimmered along the seams.

Naruto turned it over in his hands. "It looks like something ANBU would wear. What is it?"

"That is the Uzumaki Mask of Whispers. A jutsu is sealed within it. When you wear it, it will activate and allow you to read the Uzumaki clan's hidden scrolls."

Naruto blinked twice. "Wait, what? Read them? Like, they're in another language or something?"

"Wait, wait... I'm sorry, you lost me. What?"

"All Uzumaki clan scrolls are written in poetic cipher. Without the mask, the words remain nonsense, or worse, misleading. Only those taught directly by another Uzumaki or using that mask can read them correctly."

Naruto whistled low. "So it's basically a safeguard for clan secrets. That's… actually kind of genius."

He grinned, though a hint of mischief crept into his voice. "Still, for something surrounded by a labyrinth of death traps, this feels like a pretty small reward, dattebayo."

"Don't take that tone with me, young man."

"Sorry, Gran Gran Gran," Naruto mumbled quickly, Oscar lowering his head beside him as if in solidarity.

"It's fine, dear. And for what it's worth, this isn't all I meant to give you."

Naruto perked up slightly. "There's more?"

"Yes," Mito said. "But first, let me ask you something important. What has Konoha told you about the Uzumaki clan?"

Naruto hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "Technically… nothing. I mean, I'm just a genin, and apparently, you've got to be at least chunin to even hear about the clan. So, I guess I would've learned eventually. Maybe."

He gave a small shrug. "The only reason I even know what I do now is because some mysterious guy gave me Tobirama's journal. And recently, I got Kakashi to spill some the beans on the Uzumaki clan's destruction."

Mito's eyes widened. "Didn't Minato or Kushina teach you anything?"

"They died… the day I was born."

For a long moment, Mito said nothing. Her face fell, hands rising to cover her expression as equal parts grief and guilt.

"Yeah. It's… been that kind of life, ya know?"

When Mito finally spoke again, her tone was quieter, but there was an edge beneath it. "Then what of your legacy, child? What have they told you about that?"

"Legacy? I didn't even know I had one until a few months ago."

Mito's eyes narrowed, her spectral form flickering faintly. "Who is the Hokage of your time?"

"Hiruzen Sarutobi."

The air around Mito flickered like a storm lantern in the wind. Her gentle, grandmotherly expression hardened into pure fury. "That spineless old monkey?!" she hissed, her spiritual form flaring with red light. "He's still alive? That man has decades of explaining to do! When he reaches the Pure Lands, I swear I'll drag him out by his beard and make him answer for every mistake!"

"…Uh, thanks for the enthusiasm, Gran Gran Gran."

Mito crossed her arms, fuming for a moment before regaining her composure. "The second you return to Konoha, you will demand your birthright. With the Mask of Whispers, you'll be able to access the Uzumaki Clan Library that I entrusted to your mother."

"Yes, ma'am!" Naruto said quickly, snapping into a salute with Oscar.

"Good." Mito's voice softened slightly, pride seeping through her stern tone. "Now listen carefully. Hidden in Konoha's outskirts lies the Uzumaki Mask Storage Temple. You must find it. There, among the relics, is the Mask of the Three-Legged Crow. It will only respond to an Uzumaki's chakra. Once you claim it, the mask will lead you to where I sealed away the Nine Divine Masked Beast Jutsu."

"That sounds strong!"

Mito nodded gravely. "It is. To give you a sense of scale, this jutsu is one of the Four Heavenly Treasures of the Uzumaki clan created by Oden Uzumaki himself."

Naruto sucked in a deep breath, feeling his pulse quicken as both hearts hammering in his chest, a thunderous rhythm that filled his ears. "What… what are the Four Heavenly Treasures?"

"The first was the Rune. The second is the Ethereal Shield, known to the outside world as the Yata Mirror. The third, the Sakegari Longsword, more famously called the Sword of Totsuka. And the last… the Nine Divine Masked Beast Jutsu. These four treasures are the greatest creation of our founder, Oden Uzumaki."

Each word hit Naruto like a strike to the chest. He could almost feel his clan behind him, a thousand voices whispering from the depths of time.

He took a shaky breath, his grin wide and uncontainable. "Gran Gran Gran… did my mom ever use it? The Nine Divine Masked Beast Jutsu?"

"No. I never revealed the location of the treasure to anyone. Not even to your mother."

"Why not?"

"Because she never passed my test. I asked her to tame the Nine-Tails. She could borrow its chakra, yes, but she never truly mastered the beast."

Naruto's fists clenched at his sides, voice rising before he could stop himself. "That's ridiculous! Just because of some stupid test, you kept a jutsu from her? A jutsu that could've saved her life?"

Mito's eyes softened, and her voice took on that steady, gentle tone only grandmothers could summon. She reached out, her hand passing faintly through his hair, glowing like sunlight through mist. "This anger... it isn't really you talking, my boy. It's your grief. Your pain. And your confusion."

"Sorry… I just... I don't even know how she died. But I can't help thinking if she'd been stronger… maybe things could've been different."

Mito stepped closer, her spectral arms wrapping him in a ghostly semblance of a hug. "Maybe so. But remember, if your mother had truly tamed the Nine-Tails, she would have been unstoppable already. She wouldn't have needed the Nine Divine Masked Beast Jutsu."

Naruto nodded slowly, trying to take comfort in her words. "Then… why make it rely on the Nine-Tails at all? Why build something that dangerous around something so unstable?"

"The jutsu draws power most easily from the Nine-Tails because of its nature," Mito said. "It's the purest form of chakra. The Nine Divine Masked Beast Jutsu was designed to harness that chaos and turn it into creation."

Naruto tilted his head. "So… why give it to me? I don't have the Nine-Tails anymore. Do you want me to go hunt him down or something?"

"No, my dear. Whatever you decide to do with the Nine-Tails is your own path. The jutsu works best with its power, but it can still be used in other ways."

Naruto grinned, his mood lifting a little. "Well, I'd say coming here was worth it. I got a way to my Uzumaki inheritance and two Heavenly Treasures!"

"Two? Has Konoha found the Yata Mirror or the Sakegari Longsword?"

Naruto shook his head. "Nope. I'm talking about the Rune. The reason I came here in the first place is to fix the Altar."

"Naruto… how could you possibly intend to repair it?"

Naruto smiled in that infuriatingly confident way of his. "With a little help from magic."

Three shadow clones puffed into existence behind him. Together, they began to channel chakra into the catalyst, weaving the chakra-enhanced Repair Spell.

Mito watched in stunned silence as a radiant storm of light cascaded over the shattered altar. The air trembled with the sound of flowing time and singing chakra. The place began to hum again, alive, awake.

When the light finally faded, the Altar of Beginning stood whole once more.

Mito stared at it, her voice trembling. "I… I haven't felt that presence since I was a child."

For the first time, the great Mito Uzumaki looked like she might cry.

The Altar of Beginning was breathtaking in its restored form. A monument of living stone and intricate lines of sealing formulas carved in perfect symmetry, spiraling outward like veins of stone carved into the earth.

But Naruto's gaze wasn't fixed on the array. His eyes rose to the massive ash tree that now stood in the center of the altar. At first, it seemed beautiful until he noticed the rope hanging from one of its highest branches.

A heavy silence fell over him. His throat went dry.
He remembered the story of Oden Uzumaki hanging himself for nine days and nine nights.

"Gran Gran Gran… how exactly am I supposed to get my rune?"

"Just as our founder did, my dear. Every member of the Uzumaki who wishes to bear the Rune must walk the same path. It is our rite of passage."

She turned to face him fully. "Naruto… you must hang yourself."

The world went still.

Naruto blinked twice, slowly turning his head toward Oscar, who just stared back.

"…"

"…"

"I mean, it's not the strangest thing I've done."

Oscar sighed.

---

Author's Note: And next time on Naruto: The Chosen Undead, watch as our boy Naruto literally hangs himself to get a power-up! lol! Anyway, jokes aside, let's move into today's Q&A, because this chapter opens up some important lore stuff that I wanted to expand on a bit.

---

Q: Is the Repair Spell canonically related to time?

A: Yep. 100% yes.

And for once, this isn't one of my interpretation-heavy Dark Souls takes where I twist vague lore into headcanon (which I will still do proudly, don't worry). No, the time connection actually exists in canon.

Let's look at the official Repair spell description from Dark Souls III: "Lost sorcery from Oolacile, land of ancient golden sorceries. Repairs equipped weapons and armor, including weapons with exhausted durability. While the effects of this spell are rather subtle, its foundations are a well-guarded secret. Light is time, and the reversal of its effects is a forbidden art."

That one line — "Light is time" — is massive in Dark Souls lore.

In-game, the Repair spell only restores equipment durability, but lore-wise? It's a terrifying, forbidden form of time reversal.

Now… add chakra to that mix.

In this fic's system, Chakra + Soul Sorcery = broken nonsense. Naruto basically learns to bend time, even if only for a moment, but as with everything in this story, it comes with rules.

It's temporary. The reversal doesn't last forever.

It's slow. You can't snap your fingers and rewind a battlefield.

It needs an anchor. The object must still exist in some form, so no summoning extinct dinosaurs or shinobi from history.

---

Fun Fact / My Headcanon:

I've always loved the phrase "Light is time." It actually lines up with real-world physics, as light does carry time information. If you looked at Earth from another galaxy, you'd literally be seeing millions of years in the past. So the Oolacile mages basically weaponized that concept.

In this fic's universe, that same principle applies to Naruto's chakra-enhanced version, as he's manipulating the memory of matter through light.

---

Bonus Question:

Q: If Naruto eventually gains Yin-Yang Senjutsu or learns Truth-Seeking-level arts, would that give him control over time itself?

A: Honestly? I don't know yet. That's probably a Shippuden arc kind of topic. But the idea of Yin Yang release perfectly balancing, maybe even syncing with Oolacile's light-based time sorcery, definitely opens that door.

If you guys have any theories or ideas about what time-based chakra abilities could look like, I'd love to hear them.

---

Q: Is the Yata Mirror and the Sword of Totsuka related to the Uzumaki Clan?

Answer: Canonically? We don't know. The manga and databooks never clearly explain where either weapon came from or who forged them. The only thing we know for sure is that both are spiritual artifacts connected to Itachi's Susanoo, and they're both absurdly broken in terms of power scaling.

Here's what we do know from canon:

The Sword of Totsuka (sometimes referred to as the Sakegari Longsword) is described as a Kusanagi-type blade imbued with an extraordinarily powerful sealing jutsu. Anything pierced by it is absorbed into its gourd and sealed away forever inside a genjutsu realm of eternal drunken dreams. The sword doesn't even have a tangible form, as it's made entirely of spiritual energy, capable of cutting through anything regardless of physical resistance. Orochimaru spent years hunting for it and failed. Itachi somehow obtained it, or possibly inherited it, though how remains completely unexplained.

The Yata Mirror is another spiritual weapon. An ethereal shield capable of repelling any ninjutsu or taijutsu attack, whether physical or spiritual in nature. It achieves this by instantly altering its own properties to perfectly counter whatever it's defending against. If it's hit by fire, it becomes water. It's basically the ultimate defense.

How these two artifacts appear and disappear with Itachi's Susanoo is also a mystery. The most accepted theory is that he's summoning and desummoning them from the spiritual plane, as they're not actually a part of his Susanoo, but tools bound to his spirit.

---

So why connect them to the Uzumaki clan?

There are actually two reasons behind my interpretation.

1. The Sealing Connection

The Sword of Totsuka possesses one of the most powerful sealing techniques in the entire series. A sealing so potent that it can trap an Edo Tensei soul, which is essentially immortal. If that doesn't scream Uzumaki craftsmanship, I don't know what does.

Think about it: every top-grade, overpowered sealing jutsu in the Narutoverse tends to trace its roots back to the Uzumaki in one way or another. Their clan literally built the foundations of sealing jutsu. From the Shinigami contract to the Eight Trigrams Seal, their techniques define the highest forms of spiritual control.

So when I see a blade that can seal, I see the fingerprints of the Uzumaki all over it.

2. The Spiritual Connection

For my version of the Uzumaki clan, I'm leaning heavily into the spiritual and metaphysical side of their legacy.

Runes that can interact with souls. Mito sealing a piece of her soul as a lingering presence. The clan's canon ties to the Shinigami itself.

So when I looked at the Yata Mirror and the Sword of Totsuka—two divine, soul-bound weapons that operate entirely in the spiritual realm—it made perfect sense to tie them to the Uzumaki.

---

Q: What is the Nine Divine Masked Beasts Jutsu?

A: Well… I'm not going to reveal it just yet. But don't worry, as this jutsu isn't some random OC power I cooked up out of nowhere. It's actually based on something canon-adjacent. You'll understand exactly what I mean when it's revealed in-story.

That said, I'll give you guys a small hint.

The Nine Divine Masked Beasts Jutsu is directly connected to the Uzumaki clan's masks.

I'm sure you remember when Orochimaru and his crew broke into the Uzumaki Mask Temple in Konoha and used the Reaper Mask to free the Four Hokage's souls. That whole sequence was one of the most fascinating, creepy, and mystical moments in the series for me.

On my first watch, I loved it. On every rewatch since… I just got more and more annoyed that Kishimoto completely ignored the Uzumaki clan.

---

Quick Rant Time:
Like seriously, Naruto is the main character, one of the last known members of the Uzumaki clan, and the descendant of some of the most legendary seal masters in history. Wouldn't you think… maybe, just maybe… his clan heritage should've been a major part of his growth?

This kid's entire character arc revolves around loneliness, identity, and legacy, and we barely get anything about his family.

Instead, we got endless lore drops about the Uchiha.
Again.

I mean, I love the Uchiha story as much as anyone, but imagine how much more powerful Naruto's journey would've been if he explored his roots as an Uzumaki.

Imagine a parallel between Naruto and Sasuke:
two orphans from clans wiped out due to the shinobi world, both seeking to understand their pasts but walking different paths to healing.

Sasuke learns vengeance. Naruto learns endurance and understanding.

That would've been peak storytelling.

Both inherit their legacies and change the shinobi world rather than the nonsense reincarnation plot line we got in canon.

---

Back to the Question: Anyway, before I spiral into another rant, the Nine Divine Masked Beasts Jutsu is my way of filling in that missing piece of Uzumaki lore.

It ties together the masks of the Uzumaki and the spiritual arts of sealing.

I'm blending what little we know from canon with my own original expansion of the Uzumaki clan's mythology.

---

I hope you guys enjoyed this little dive into my Uzumaki lore expansion, as it's been one of my favorite things to write so far.

Let me know what you think:

Do you like the idea of tying the clan's masks and sealing arts into a grander jutsu?

Do you guys like the idea of the Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror being Uzumaki clan weapons?

Do you have your own theories about what the Nine Divine Masked Beasts might be?

Next chapter's going to be a wild one, trust me, and Naruto's rite of passage is about to take a dark, mythic turn.

---

That's It… For Now.

And if you can't wait for the next update, the next chapter drops on Nov 5th! You can read ahead to Chapter 106 on Patreon.

As always, I want to thank you all for taking the time to read, comment, and follow along with this story. Your feedback means more than you know, and it helps push me to make each chapter bigger, sharper, and more true to the worlds of Naruto and Dark Souls.

Until next time, Praise the Sun.

—Adam