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Naruto: The Chosen Undead

Reader mode
SiriusL said:
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 expand...
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.
 
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.
 
I would love to see some art of everyone's new outfits. Especially Hinata's and Tenten's.
 
Chapter no.64 Dark Souls + Naruto
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
 
With how durable Naruto is, hanging himself for that long even under increased gravity wouldn't even bruise his neck probably (still only around the mass of a standard adult). Honestly he'll probably find it relaxing, letting go of all his muscles and relaxing while the spine slightly elongates from relieving the tension of gravity.

Yes, I once hung in a full body harness and basically fell asleep when I had to wait. Also, I managed to float balanced upright in the water, very similar, though losing focus ended with me inhaling chlorinated water and panic opening my eyes in said water.. Not as relaxing as having my shoulders shaken into awareness from a deeply relaxing sleep.
 
My theory on the whole ignoring thing was just Kishimoto not really knowing what to do with what he created. He had to do alot of cleanup after the fact for multiple things, for instance Danzo never existed till shippuden because that was his out to turn fan favorite, Itachi, into a good guy. Fuinjutsu itself having such a high skill ceiling but being ignored, wrote himself into a corner making madara too OP, edo tenseid former hokage in pt 1 but not quite the power level he wanted okay orochi just hadnt mastered the jutsu yet. The Uzu masks I think were literally just a plot device that looked cool and was only so there was an easier way to summon the shinigami. If 3 nations were needed to take out one youd think hed like to expand on that but like I said, think he just didnt know what to do with it. Kinda ties into the overarching theme of hard work paying off instead of natural talent, but it turns out Naruto was Ninja jesus the whole time. Kinda minimizes the whole point he was originally basing this on. Rant over, tftc
 
Chapter no.65 Naruto
Chapter no.65 The Dragon, the Reaper, and the Uzumaki Legacy

"What do you know about the Uzumaki clan's rite of passage?"

Naruto said while pulling out a book. "Most of what I know about the clan's culture comes from this." He flipped it open and showed her the first few pages. "It's Tobirama's journal."

Mito's brows furrowed as she leaned forward.

Naruto turned a few pages for her, and the old matriarch's frown deepened. Her lips pressed into a thin, pale line. "This… this isn't Tobirama's journal."

"Are you sure about that?"

"I'm sure. I knew Tobirama personally. I know how he wrote, how he thought, how he felt about every subject he ever touched. Whoever wrote this imitated him well... frighteningly well, but it's not him."

Naruto felt his chest tighten. The book had been his anchor as the one thing that helped him understand who he was, where he came from, and what he was meant to be. He had trusted it completely. Maybe too completely.

He glanced down at the text description of this item.

[ Item: The History of the Uzumaki Clan ]

[ Description: An aged journal supposedly authored by Tobirama Senju during his stay among the Uzumaki. Records his studies, experiences, and observations of Uzumaki culture. The tone wavers between admiration and calculation, as though every word hides an experiment. Yet one must wonder: why title a personal journal as the history of another clan? Information is the sharpest tool of control. ]

Even the book's system description felt like it was mocking him.

Naruto closed it slowly, his mind racing.

If Mito was right, and he knew she was, then that meant everything he'd learned about the Art of Runes, the Hanged Man, and the supposed pride of the Uzumaki clan had been… lies.

The realization hit him like a cold wave.

The Hawk, who claimed to be a friend of his parents, had lied and manipulated him.

"Gran-Gran-Gran… I think someone's been feeding me half-truths. Someone pretending to be my parents' friend."

Mito's eyes softened. "Unfortunately, that's the world we live in, child. Deception wears many faces, even those of kindness." She glanced back at the journal. "Let me read it again."

Naruto nodded and began flipping through the pages while Mito's glowing form scanned the text, muttering under her breath.

After a few tense minutes, she exhaled sharply. "Yes. I can say with confidence, this is part of some kind of elaborate scheme."

"Hn?"

"A lot of what's written here is a patchwork," Mito said. "Bits and pieces of what outsiders thought they knew about our people, mixed in with fragments of real information... almost like someone had secondhand accounts from Tobirama himself. There's just enough truth to make the lies believable. Whoever created this journal didn't do it to teach you, Naruto. They did it to mold you into something they could control."

"How?"

"First of all," Mito said with a sharp exhale, "the story of the Hanged Man that you read is only half true. And this so-called Art of Runes the book mentioned?" She gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "Utter nonsense. It doesn't exist. The Uzumaki were masters of fuinjutsu. We refined it beyond anything the other villages could comprehend, but there was never any separate branch called the Art of Runes. Whoever wrote that is deliberately lying."

"Is that all..."

Mito went on, her tone sharpening. "And another thing: the journal claims the Uzumaki looked down on Tobirama's Flying Thunder God Technique. That's ridiculous. The Flying Thunder God isn't even fuinjutsu. It's a space-time ninjutsu that utilizes sealing formulas to lock onto a destination. And Tobirama was many things, but he was never arrogant enough to flaunt his power. He kept his cards close, even from allies."

Naruto rubbed his temples as everything clicked together in his head. "So that was the point…" he muttered.

"The point?"

"I get it now. Whoever the Hawk really is wrote this book to make me believe the Uzumaki clan had some unique, secret sealing art that only I could rediscover. Something to dangle in front of me. Then they made it seem like Tobirama was mocked by the clan, like there was some rivalry, to give me a sense of superiority. That way, when the time came, they could use this fake Art of Runes to control me."

"They tried to use your thirst for belonging against you."

Naruto nodded, his expression grim. "Yeah… and it worked for a while, but not anymore."

"Good. I am sure there are plenty of scrolls in both the Uzumaki and Senju clan libraries that describe what our people were truly like. The day-to-day life, the festivals, the teachings… not just the battles or jutsu."

Naruto smiled faintly as he picked up Oscar, who blinked lazily on his palm. "Guess I'll have to hit the books again when I get back to Konoha. Gotta re-educate myself, huh?"

"Indeed," Mito said, her voice carrying a touch of humor. "Then let us begin with the tale of the Hanged Man. The first part was accurate enough. Most clans have some kind of founding legend as half history, half fairy tale. You should hear the Inuzuka clan's story of Princess Momonosuke. It's quite a thing."

"I'll ask Kiba about it next time. Oscar, remind me, alright?"

Oscar shook his head with a chirp that clearly meant no.

Mito laughed softly. "Naturally, most of these stories are seen as folktales, bedtime stories to make the young feel connected to something greater. But over time, many clans have either forgotten or hidden their own myths. The Senju and Uchiha, for instance, no longer remember that their line began with the sons of the Sage of Six Paths."

"Wait, not the Yin and Yang gods?"

"'Gods' is just a title, my boy," Mito said with a light snort. "Power is what gives you that name. Be strong enough, and the weak will worship you. Be clever enough, and they'll write your name in history."

Naruto and Oscar both sweatdropped, quietly wondering if that same rule applied to the so-called gods of Lordran too.

"Now, unlike most clans, the Uzumaki took a different approach. We etched our stories into stone tablets so the truth wouldn't vanish with time. In fact, it was our clan that reintroduced the tale of the Yang 'god' to the Senju, claiming him as a shared ancestor. Which is one reason I believe this 'Hawk' who gave you that false journal might have been someone close to Tobirama."

Her tone grew dark for a moment, and Naruto could almost feel her suspicion hanging in the air.

"Alright then, what's the real story behind Oden?"

Mito's expression softened again. "The truth is simple. Oden was one of the two sons of the Yang spirit. One son founded the Senju, the other became the founder of our Uzumaki clan. He didn't abandon the throne out of peace or wisdom like the journal claimed. No, he fought for it. Tooth and nail. But he was defeated by his brother, who was far stronger. And in that defeat, Oden's pride shattered. He wandered. He searched. He schemed. He traded, stole, and sacrificed for knowledge and power… even when it cost him his own humanity."

Naruto frowned. "That's not what I expected at all. Kinda makes him sound like a madman instead of a hero."

"It should," Mito said firmly. "Because Oden was just a man. Not a god, not a saint. A man who made choices and lived with the weight of them. Our people remembered his brilliance, but also his flaws. He was the one who sought meaning beyond the world, and he paid dearly for it."

Naruto nodded quietly. "Guess that makes him a little more real."

"One of the most famous stories says that Lord Oden sacrificed his own eye to gain the power of Senjutsu," Mito continued.

"Sounds a little… extreme."

Mito gave a sad smile. "Knowledge and madness walk the same path, child. Oden believed knowledge and power were worth any price."

"Alright. So the guy's half genius, half lunatic like me... dattebayo! But what does any of that have to do with the Rune? And the whole… hanging thing?"

"Tell me, Naruto. Do you know what nature energy is?"

"It's that energy that exists everywhere, right? In the air, the earth… basically in all living things?"

"Correct." Mito nodded. "When someone learns to draw that energy into their body and mix it with their own chakra, they create what's called senjutsu chakra. Those who master that balance are known as Sages."

Naruto tilted his head. "You said Oden sacrificed his eye to learn senjutsu. So he was one of those Sages?"

"Yes. But senjutsu is dangerous. The energy of nature is pure and vast. If you can't balance it with your own chakra perfectly, it begins to take over. It turns your body into stone… or something worse."

Naruto gave a small nod. "Right. So Oden tried to master it and what... just went too far?"

"No. Lord Oden wasn't satisfied with understanding the body. He wanted to know how senjutsu affected the soul."

"But that doesn't even make sense. The soul doesn't have a chakra network."

"That's true," Mito replied, folding her hands behind her back. "But the soul reacts to and can be affected with chakra. Oden theorized that if the body could use senjutsu, then the soul could too. And so, he made a plan."

"I'm afraid to ask."

"Oden hanged himself. He sought to bring himself to the edge of death, close enough to draw the Reaper's attention. When the Reaper came to take his soul, Oden made him an offer."

Naruto couldn't help it; he let out a short laugh. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Our founder wasn't one for moderation. He told the Reaper that if he could survive nine days and nine nights without dying, then the Reaper would have to accept a summoning contract with him."

"He challenged the god of death?"

"And he won." Mito's tone was proud but laced with awe. "With the Reaper's aid, Oden Uzumaki learned how to seal senjutsu chakra directly into his soul. The fuinjutsu became known as the Rune."

Naruto and Oscar both made a low sound of amazement. "So… what does it actually do?"

"The Rune stores senjutsu chakra in perfect balance. It slowly releases that power into the soul, awakening what we call an individual's dormant potential."

Naruto sucked in a breath. "That sounds incredible and dangerous. What happens if the chakra isn't balanced right?"

"The soul crystalizes."

Naruto and Oscar exchanged a glance. "That sounds like something straight out of Lordran. But you said it brings out potential, right? I don't get what that means exactly."

"Think of it like this. Every person is born with a certain potential. The body shapes that spark through bloodline, training, and experience. But the soul… the soul decides how brightly it can burn. If your soul is strong, your potential runs deep."

Naruto made a face. "That sounds kind of lame, though. Like you're saying you have to be born special to be special."

Mito's eyes narrowed, and she made a flicking motion toward his forehead out of habit before remembering she couldn't actually touch him. "Naruto, don't twist my words," she scolded. "Potential isn't everything. The world's full of people born ordinary who became extraordinary. A person with little potential might meet the right teacher, find the right reason to fight, or simply refuse to give up. Determination, creativity, and heart can push a person far beyond their limits. That's what separates strength from greatness."

"Yeah, that sounds more like something I can get behind."

"The Rune simply awakens what already lies within. For most Uzumaki, that means a longer life with greater vitality and chakra so dense it feels alive. But in rare cases," she said, her voice dipping low, "the Rune reaches deeper. It stirs something buried in the soul itself. Something that can change a person entirely."

"Like what?"

"They awaken special gifts," Mito said. "Abilities that reshape the world around them. Abilities that others would call kekkei genkai."

Naruto swallowed hard. "Do you have an example?"

"Hashirama Senju!"

Naruto blinked a few times, trying to process everything. "Wait a sec. I know the Senju and Uzumaki are like distant cousins, right? So does that mean the Senju can get a Rune too?"

"No. Only one ever did."

"Huh? Why him?"

"That was Clan Head Ashina's decision. No one really knows why. Even Hashirama himself didn't understand it. He was still a boy when he received his Rune, but it awakened the power of Wood Release."

Naruto frowned. "Yeah, I can't imagine everyone was happy about that."

"You're right," Mito said. "The younger Uzumaki didn't take kindly to the decision. But the elders… they all agreed. It was as if they knew something the rest of us didn't. Whatever the reason, Hashirama's Rune took to him perfectly. His bond with nature was pure and effortless. The world itself seemed to bend toward him."

She smiled faintly. "And yet, for all that strength, he never let it make him arrogant. He never forgot he was human. That humility… that was his real strength."

"You really loved him, didn't you?"

"Of course I did. To everyone else, he was the God of Shinobi. But to me…" Mito let out a light laugh, wiping at a tear that wasn't really there. "To me, he was a reckless fool who could never stop smiling. A fool I was lucky enough to love."

"Sorry, Gran-Gran-Gran. I didn't mean to bring up something painful."

"It's alright, Naruto," Mito said gently. "You're curious. That's nothing to apologize for. He would've liked that about you."

Naruto looked thoughtful for a moment before asking, "Kinda awkward to ask, but how did he really die? The academy only says he died protecting the village, but they never explain it."

Mito's smile dimmed. "You see, one of Hashirama's greatest gifts was his ability to heal himself without a single hand sign. His body would knit itself back together faster than most could blink. It made him nearly unstoppable in battle, as he could fight for hours, even days, and walk away looking untouched."

She paused, her eyes distant, as if watching the memory unfold. "But that kind of power comes with a cost. During his final fight with Madara and the Nine-Tails, Hashirama pushed himself too far. He regenerated again and again, forcing his body beyond what any human should endure. Every heal came at a price, as he shortened his lifespan."

She exhaled softly, a wistful smile touching her lips. "In the end, it wasn't an enemy that claimed him. Hashirama succumbed to the wounds he earned protecting the village."

The silence stretched between them.

Finally, Naruto looked at the rope hanging from the ash tree. "Alright," he said, exhaling. "So… what exactly is this 'astral plane' I'm supposed to visit?"

"The astral plane is a realm between life and death. It's where the soul travels before it moves on to the Pure Lands. Every soul passes through it, but few can return once they've crossed over."

"So I gotta go there… to get my Rune?"

"Precisely," Mito said.

He took a step toward the rope. "And the way to do that is by hanging myself. Great."

He started looping the noose around his neck when Mito suddenly shouted, "Your ankle, you fool!"

Naruto froze mid-motion. "What? My ankle? How in the world does hanging upside down help with anything?"

Mito pinched the bridge of her nose. "Because, my dear boy, the goal is to alter your state of consciousness, not kill you! Hanging by your neck would just make you a ghost I'd have to lecture for eternity."

Oscar made a distressed noise, clearly agreeing with Mito.

"So… upside down," Naruto said, turning the rope in his hand. "You couldn't have started with that?"

"I assumed you had some sense," Mito replied dryly.

"Well, that's your first mistake."

As he tied the rope around his ankle. "So, what now?"

"The fuinjutsu in the altar will release once your body enters an altered state of consciousness. That will project your soul into the astral plane, where you'll face your trial and claim your Rune. Once it's done, the altar will bring you back."

Naruto dangled upside down from the branch, arms crossed, expression unimpressed. "So… am I doing this wrong, or is this thing just broken?"

"It might be working. Eventually."

Naruto frowned. "Can you check?"

She raised an eyebrow and waved her translucent arm through the air. "I would, dear, but as you might've noticed... I'm a ghost."

"That's not an excuse." Naruto pulled a dagger from his inventory and tossed it to her.

Mito caught it on reflex, blinking in surprise as her fingers wrapped solidly around the hilt. "How… how am I touching this?"

"It's a ghost blade," Naruto said casually. "Got it in Lordran after fighting a bunch of ghosts."

Mito just stared at him, her expression flickering between disbelief and exasperation. "If I didn't see it for myself, I'd think you were either lying or completely insane."

"You wouldn't believe half the stuff I've done, Gran-Gran-Gran."

"Try me," she said, turning the dagger curiously in her hand as she prodded at the lines of the altar's fuinjutsu.

Naruto took that as his cue to start bragging. "Well, for starters, I may or may not have accidentally convinced a minor daimyo to give up their title and start a democracy."

Mito froze mid-motion, head snapping up so quickly it was almost comical. "You what?"

Naruto chuckled and kept rambling on about fighting knights, wyverns, demons, arguing with undead, befriending an old blacksmith, a senior knight, and a princess from the past. Mito listened with the patient smile of a grandmother humoring a grandchild's wild imagination, even though she understood maybe one word in ten.

"That's lovely, dear. And Minato and Kushina found this place before you?"

"Yeah," Naruto said with a sigh. "Hopefully I'll get some answers when I go back to Konoha and get their stuff."

Mito nodded, but her gaze lingered on the altar, her brow furrowed.

"Something wrong?"

"That's just it. Everything looks perfect. The seals are stable, the array's intact… I can't find a single flaw."

"Maybe it's because of me? I'm tougher than your average Uzumaki kid. Might take more to trigger it."

"That's… possible," Mito admitted slowly.

"So how did Oden do it? I doubt hanging upside down is going to summon the Reaper."

"Lord Oden hanged himself and impaled himself with his spear."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully.

The sound of tearing flesh broke the silence.

Mito spun around so fast, you could hear her nonexistent bones crack, her eyes wide. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Naruto was still dangling upside down, but now with a spear lodged through his stomach. Blood dripped down in slow, lazy rivulets.

"I think it's working," he said woozily. "Feeling kinda… floaty."

"That's blood loss, you lunatic!" Mito shouted, clutching her head. "You're going to send me to a second death at this rate!"

"Relax, Gran-Gran-Gran," Naruto mumbled, pulling an Estus Flask from his belt and tossing one to Oscar. Another ghost dagger spun through the air and landed neatly in Mito's hand.

"I'm counting on you two to take care of things out here."

Oscar gave a nervous chirp.

Mito nodded.

Naruto gave one last grin, then closed his eyes. His breathing slowed, his pulse softened until finally, his consciousness slipped away, drawn into the unseen pull of the altar.

For a brief moment, Mito and Oscar watched his body sway gently.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure Naruto isn't in any danger," Mito said with a reassuring smile, though her eyes flicked toward the boy's hanging form with growing unease.

Oscar chirped in response.

Mito glanced at it curiously. "So… what exactly is that flask used for?" she asked. Even as a spirit, she could feel a strange warmth radiating from it. Something that soothed her very soul.

"It is used, milady," Oscar began in a dignified tone, "to mend the grievous wound in Master Naruto's belly and restore unto him the vigour of life."

Mito blinked once.

Then twice.

"...YOU CAN TALK?!"

"No," Oscar replied immediately, shaking his head solemnly while still very much speaking.

Before Mito could begin to process that, the air around them shifted violently. A deep crimson light surged from the altar, flooding the ruins in a blinding glow.

Mito turned sharply.

Naruto's body was trembling, his head hanging low as the strange seal on his palm—the eye—snapped open. It rolled wildly, the slit pupil darting like a trapped animal.

"Step back, milady," Oscar warned, spreading his claws as the ground rumbled beneath them. "Summat foul stirreth 'twixt the worlds."

Mito felt her spirit quiver.

The air cracked open, and from the tear between the physical and the astral realms burst a massive dragon claw from Naruto, its black scales gleaming like obsidian, wreathed in ghostly flame.

"What... what is happening? We have to stop it!"

"Aye," Oscar said grimly, his voice steady despite the chaos. "But that be no beast to seal away."

Mito turned toward him, frantic. "What are you talking about? If that thing breaks through, it'll tear a hole between the physical and the astral realm!"

Oscar's beady eyes met hers, calm and certain. "Nay, milady. That creature be no invader."

He pointed one claw toward the writhing form of the boy hanging from a tree.

"That dragon is Naruto Uzumaki."

Meanwhile, Jiraiya's eyes snapped open the moment the ground trembled. His instincts screamed before his mind even caught up. In the next instant, he was out of his tent, Kakashi already beside him.

A flash of light split the clouds above Uzushiogakure, followed by a deafening roar. A storm was forming.

Sakura stumbled out of her tent, clutching her kunai. "Sensei? What's happening?"

Before Kakashi could answer, Sasuke was already scanning the horizon, his Sharingan burning red. "The nature energy is being pulled into the storm."

Jiraiya's jaw tightened. "We need to leave this island immediately."

"We can't," Sasuke said sharply, his eyes darting between the storm and the distant ruins. "Naruto's in there."

"What?"

"I can see traces of his chakra in the air, going toward the center."

Sakura paled. "He actually went there? What was he thinking?"

"Knowing Naruto? Probably something insane." Kakashi pressed his palm to the ground.

Earth Style: Sonar!

A pulse of chakra rippled through the soil. Kakashi's mind filled with the shape of the land and then froze as his senses locked onto something. "Found him."

"Well?" Jiraiya barked.

"He's... hanging upside down from a tree. There's a spear in his stomach."

Sakura gasped. Sasuke's hands clenched.

Jiraiya's expression hardened, all humor gone. He slammed his hand into the ground.

Summoning Jutsu!

"How is that Naruto?!" Mito practically screamed as the dragon's claw dug into the fabric of reality, the sound of rending space echoing like tearing steel. The seals around the altar flickered, light pulsing as if the fuinjutsu itself was crying out in pain.

"Did he not tell thee that he was a dragon?"

"Yes, but I thought…" Mito faltered, her voice thin, her eyes wide as she watched the claw twist and dig deeper.

"Thou thought it an exaggeration, mayhap? From where I stand, lady, I see a world that calls men gods but crowns them with frailty. Thy husband was a so-called God of Shinobi yet still, merely a man." Oscar's cadence softened, words becoming clearer, easier, more modern. "Naruto's walked through a world of gods and monsters. And in doing so, he became something that isn't bound by the limits you understand. Chaos changed him into that."

Mito's hands trembled as she raised the ghost blade, aiming it toward the rope that held Naruto. "Even more reason to stop him," she whispered.

"Why?" Oscar's voice was calm, but it carried weight. "Because he isn't human anymore? Or because you're afraid of what you don't understand?"

"Yes."

"Tell me, Lady Mito... do you not trust him?"

The words froze Mito.

Oscar continued, "That's still Naruto. The same reckless boy who passed your tests. The same child trying to prove he belongs to his clan, to his name and to you. The boy who just wants to be worthy of the legacy that the world forgot. Don't deny him that. Not like everyone else has."

Mito's eyes softened. Her hand lowered as she looked at Naruto hanging upside down, the spear piercing through him, blood dripping slowly onto the altar below. Yet his face was calm, peaceful.

I'm counting on you two to take care of things out here. Naruto's words echoed through her mind.

"You look so much like your parents," she murmured, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "You stubborn fool."

Then she took a deep breath, straightened her back, and said, "Fine. I'll gamble on you, my boy. Let this old woman win it big."

"Dattebayo!" Oscar declared, the phrase rolling awkwardly but fondly off his tongue.

"You really do spend too much time around him," Mito said as she began carving a complex fuinjutsu array into the altar with the ghost blade.

"How can I assist?"

"Make sure Naruto doesn't tear a hole in the dimension before I'm done."

"Understood," Oscar replied. Chakra flared from the siphon seal engraved into a storage seal. With a puff of smoke, the little guy was covered in battle armour.

Mito paused for just a heartbeat, watching Oscar's armored form as she smiled faintly and went back to etching her seals. "Cute."

A bright flash of soul energy burst from his magic guns, and it struck the dragon's claw dead-on. The impact sent ripples through the air like shattered glass. The claw twitched, halting for a brief second before turning its focus downward.

"Oh, splendid," Oscar muttered dryly. He inhaled sharply, the crystals along his body glowing a pale blue. "Right then… let's hope this blasted trick works."

With a guttural hiss, Oscar released a dense mist of blue-white chakra that shimmered in the air. The fog twisted, pulsed, and then split into two fully formed copies of himself.

Mito glanced up, briefly impressed. "Clones? You can do that?"

"Indeed, milady! My version of the Crystal Clone Jutsu—"

The words barely left his mouth before a wave of telekinetic force from the dragon ripped through the space. The two clones shattered instantly into glittering fragments.

Oscar grimaced. "Milady, please, I implore you to hurry the fuck up!"

"Language," Mito said, her voice firm. The diamond mark on her forehead pulsed as her hands blurred through seals.

Byakugō Seal: Release!

Twenty years of stored chakra burst from her in a wave, flooding the altar, the ruins, the entire air around them. The lines she'd carved into the stone ignited, glowing gold and red, a pattern of spirals and knots spreading outward in intricate perfection.

"Come on, Naruto," Mito said through clenched teeth. "You might be a dragon now… but let me show you the brilliance of your Uzumaki legacy!"

She slammed her hands together.

Adamantine Sealing Chains!

Chains made of chakra erupted toward the heavens, twisting upward into the swirling sky. Each link shimmered with complex seals, fusing into the fuinjutsu that stretched far across Uzushiogakure.

Meanwhile, Gamabunta landed heavily on the outskirts of the ruins, the earth cracking beneath his weight.

"Boss Bunta, why are you stopping?!"

The toad boss didn't answer immediately as he stared upward. "Oi, Ero-Sennin… you seein' this?"

Jiraiya looked up, and for once, words failed him as the storm was broken.

The sky above Uzushiogakure was ablaze with light. Massive, spiraling seals glowed across the heavens, intersecting in perfect symmetry.

"Sweet Sage's beard…" Kakashi whispered in awe. "That… that's fuinjutsu on a scale I didn't even think was possible."

Sakura shielded her eyes from the radiance. "It's… beautiful."

Even Sasuke, standing apart from the others, couldn't tear his gaze away.

The sky pulsed one final time, then shattered into color.

Auroras spread across the heavens, painting the storm-torn night in ribbons of blue, green, and gold. The light descended, wrapping around the ruins like threads of silk.

Back at the altar, Naruto's body went still. Then, with a sudden, violent surge, his astral form burst free, his dragon-shaped soul coiling in midair before diving straight into the Altar of Beginning. The moment it vanished, the chains and seals dissolved into streams of color, cascading across the sky.

Silence fell.

Oscar stumbled forward. "...Milady?"

"He made it."

"How in the world did you manage that?"

Mito looked out over the altar. "I noticed that dragon claw was trying to tear open a hole to the astral plane," she said softly. "And I asked myself… why? The altar was already meant to guide him there. Why tear it apart unless the doorway wasn't big enough?" She smiled faintly, pride flickering behind her eyes. "So, I just made the entrance larger. Simple enough, really."

Oscar gave a low hum as he sat beside her, his armor disappearing with a puff of smoke.

"Now what about you? How in the world can you talk all of a sudden?"

Oscar tilted his head. "I know not, truly. Perhaps it is because I stood too near the border of the astral plane. It might have allowed my voice to cross the veil, so to speak."

"That makes absolutely no sense," Mito said flatly.

"And you'd rather spend your last few minutes on this earth trying to deduce how proximity to the realm of souls affects a magical lizard?"

"…Wait. How did you?"

"Your soul, milady. It's… fading."

Mito exhaled, not denying it. "Well, when I split my soul, I used the Byakugō Seal's chakra as an anchor to remain in this world. But those chains…" She looked down at her glowing hands. "They drew upon the last of my stored chakra. What little remained is keeping me here."

Oscar was quiet for a moment before asking softly, "So you took a gamble… on Naruto?"

Mito smiled wistfully. "I did." She sighed and leaned back slightly, eyes drifting toward Naruto. "If I'm going to fade, I'd rather do it knowing I bet everything on that boy."

Oscar moved closer, then gently rested his head in her lap. "Naruto likes it when I do this," he said, adjusting himself carefully. "Besides, I can interact with souls. Perks of being a crystallized one myself."

Mito chuckled quietly, running a hand through the little lizard's scales. "You really are full of surprises, you know that? Plus, I never imagined you sounding this refined."

"I'll have you know, madam, I am a very sophisticated lizard."

"Yes, you are, dear."

The Astral Plane was a place beyond the mortal realm as an expanse of endless dark, void of shape or meaning.

And yet, scattered across that nothingness were faint lights of small camps flickering in the void like distant stars. Souls lingered there, whispering softly, bound by regrets, waiting for something… or someone.

Into that stillness came a roar.

Naruto or rather, the dragon that was Naruto as burst through the veil of silence. He hovered there for a moment, eyes gleaming with purpose, before lowering his gaze.

Beneath him, a spiral descended into a great abyss. At its heart was a glowing pool of chakra, swirling like liquid sunlight.

Drawn to it, the dragon descended.

The spiral seemed to pull at him, almost alive, tugging him closer to the pool's center. He landed beside the shimmering water, his enormous claws cracking the ethereal surface, though the ripples moved upward, not out.

Naruto felt something primal stir inside him. He lowered his head, his muzzle brushing the surface, and drank.

The senjutsu chakra surged through him, flooding his scales and crawling up his veins. The dragon's body began to shrink, the gold fading, the wings receding. His scales cracked, splintered, and peeled away like stone, revealing flesh beneath. And then, with a gasp, Naruto Uzumaki was human once more and blinked awake, kneeling beside the glowing pool. His mouth was wet with energy, his reflection rippling back at him like a stranger's face.

"Wha... happened? What's going on? Where am I?"

A voice answered, calm and old, echoing from behind him.

"You stand in the Astral World."

Naruto turned sharply.

An old man stood a few steps away in a hooded cloak, his single remaining eye gleamed.

"Oden Uzumaki?"

The old man didn't answer right away. "Turn around. I must seal the senjutsu chakra before it consumes your soul."

Naruto frowned but obeyed, turning his back to him. "This place is kinda boring," he muttered, glancing around. "You'd think the afterlife would have… I dunno, color."

"It is not afterlife. This is the waiting ground for souls unwilling to move on."

"Is that why you're here, old man?"

Oden didn't answer. Instead, he pressed his palm to Naruto's back. A sudden wave of heat burned through Naruto's skin as lines etched themselves onto his soul.

The pain was sharp, searing, and yet it felt alive.

A geometric diagram took shape of nine circles connected by luminous lines, forming a vertical diamond. A single circle gleamed at the top, several interlinked in the middle like a lattice, and one large circle at the base anchoring the pattern. Each circle bore a kanji, glowing faintly with power.

"So… what's my Rune do?"

The old man studied him, saying nothing for a long moment. His single eye flickered with faint recognition, faint concern. "You have meddled with your soul before."

"Uh… yeah, kind of? Been through some stuff."

"You have strengthened it beyond mortal measure. Your soul is the most tempered I have seen in centuries."

Naruto grinned awkwardly. "Thanks? I guess the training paid off." He remembered his stats, wondering if all that grinding had somehow built up his soul as well.

Oden reached forward, his hand brushing against the faint, root-like markings crawling from Naruto's dragon scale.

The moment his skin made contact, a flame erupted.

A sudden surge of crimson light engulfed the man's arm. The chaos burned through his sleeve, his flesh, and his bone. The old man didn't flinch, but his eye widened. With a sharp motion, he severed his hand at the wrist. The burning limb hit the ground and dissolved into black ash, leaving behind a skeletal hand gleaming faintly with pale fire.

"Holy crap! Are you okay!?"

[ You have acquired: Hand of the Reaper ]

Naruto blinked, his instincts screaming as he took a slow step back. "Wait… you're not Oden Uzumaki, are you?"

"Did I ever say I was?"

Naruto's stomach dropped. He tried to reach into his inventory out of habit, but nothing came. His fingers passed through the void uselessly, unable to grasp anything. Everything was intangible, weightless except for one thing.

His hand brushed against the hilt of the Ghost Blade.

The old man's single eye tracked the movement, then his lips twitched, forming something that might've been a smile. "Interesting. You can touch that here?"

Then his form began to peel away.

The cloak, the flesh, the illusion—all sloughed off like wet paper, falling into the void. What emerged beneath was something far older, far more dreadful.

A towering, translucent spectre loomed above Naruto. Its skin shimmered with sickly violet hues, its gaunt face twisted in a demonic leer. Long, matted white hair hung in uneven strands around two curved, crimson horns. Its eyes glowed faintly gold, half-lidded with eternal exhaustion. A set of prayer beads swung lazily around its neck, each one the size of a human skull.

And in its mouth, clenched between pointed teeth, was a small tantō.

"Names, mortal boy… are masks. But if you insist…"

A faint notification flickered in Naruto's vision:

[ Name: The Shinigami ]
[ HP: 4219 / 4219 ]

"Wait… I can see your stats?"

The Shinigami's grin widened, teeth flashing. "So… you peered into my avatar, did you?"

"Sorry, bad habit. Happens sometimes when I look at people too hard."

"Oh… you're amusing."

Then its gaze dropped to the weapon in Naruto's hand, and its smile vanished. "Where," it said slowly, voice dripping with restrained hunger, "did you get that blade?"

"Oh, this? Got it from killing a bunch of ghosts in some city that drowned ages ago. Real pain, by the way."

The silence stretched between the duo.

Naruto shifted uneasily, then glanced around the empty plane. "Right… so, uh, how do I get out of here? I've got friends waiting for me."

The spectre tilted its head, the beads clinking softly. "There are two ways. Either someone in your world unbinds your body from the altar…" Its single eye gleamed faintly. "Or I send your consciousness back myself."

"Great. Let's do that second one."

"Oh, certainly. I will just need one small thing returned first."

Naruto blinked. "What thing?"

"My hand."

"Oh. That thing." Naruto sighed. "Fine, fine. You get your hand back, I get to go home. Easy trade. On three, yeah?"

The Shinigami's eye glinted with something unreadable. "By all means, mortal. Count away."

"One… two… three!"

Naruto tossed the spectral hand back toward the creature. A rift tore open behind him. Naruto grinned. "Alright! Thanks for the lift, big guy!"

He leapt backward into the portal and nothing, as the portal was fake.

Silence.

Then the Shinigami laughed. A low, bone-shaking sound that echoed across the entire plane. "A change of plans, young mortal."

"Wait... what?"

"You see…" The voice purred, layered with centuries of hunger. "Normally, I seal senjutsu into the souls of your clan as part of my pact with Oden. But you… you're different."

The air grew cold, heavy.

"I cannot even call you human. Your soul burns with chaos, tempered by darkness and stone. You've been reforged, again and again."

"You can't do this! I'm not dead!"

"Oh," the Shinigami whispered, and its many-layered voice echoed like a grin. "But you will be… in a minute."

Naruto's stomach dropped. His thoughts shot to the spear still buried in his abdomen.

"Ah," the Shinigami breathed. "And then, my boy, your soul shall be mine to eat."

"You picked the wrong guy to eat, you bony bastard!"

The Shinigami's tantō slid from its mouth with a wet, deliberate sound. It toyed with the blade between two skeletal fingers and studied Naruto with slow amusement. "And what then? Will you become that dragon you keep pretending to be and fight me?"

"No. I am going to challenge you like Oden did."

"You mean to survive the nine days and bargain for your life by outlasting death itself."

"Before my body dies, I will make you bleed," Naruto replied, steady and blunt.

"You may be stupider than Oden," it said, "but you are the first to speak of such a challenge. Very well. Entertain me. What terms do you propose?"

"If I win, you send me back, and I get three questions," Naruto said.

"If I win, I take your soul, and that Ghost Blade becomes mine."

"You selfish, bony bastard. I'm in," Naruto said. He hurled the Ghost Blade like a kunai.

The weapon sailed through the darkness, a pale sliver. The Shinigami did not so much dodge as allow it to pass, the blade slipping through thin air as if it were a memory. Naruto surged forward with a roundhouse kick.

"You cannot touch death unless I let you."

Naruto grinned anyway, fists flying in a blur. He landed punches and kicks that met nothing but the chill around the spectre. He spun, scanning with sharp, hungry eyes for the Ghost Blade. The Shinigami toyed with it, holding it aloft between those skeletal fingers like a curiosity.

"Looking for this?" it asked. Then it lifted the blade, watching Naruto with a patience older than any village.

Naruto froze. For a beat he sighed, shoulders dropping. "Guess I'm toast. But hang on. How about I offer you something else, Shinigami-sama?"

"You have nothing I want, mortal."

Naruto's fingers dipped into his inventory without ceremony and produced five thousand shimmering soul drops. The Shinigami's gaze snagged on the drops. For a moment, the thing that ate souls looked like a man distracted by a feast. It leaned forward as if to sip the spilled memories.

Gotcha, Naruto thought, and moved.

White light burst from his chest. The force miracle detonated, staggering the Shinigami, a hiss escaping it as the radiant spear of sunlight slammed into its jaw.

[ Name: The Shinigami ]
[ HP: 4218 / 4219 ]

"And just like that, I win the challenge."

"You tricked me?"

"Tricked?" Naruto gasped. "Nah. You just got distracted by a shiny bunch of souls and forgot to dodge a miracle to the face. That's on you, bonehead."

For a moment, the air was silent. Then the Shinigami chuckled. The sound was low, almost amused. "Fascinating. Humanity… has learned to turn their very souls into weapons. Or perhaps," the creature leaned forward, its smile splitting impossibly wide, "it is just you. You are not entirely human, are you?"

"Thanks, I get that a lot. And yeah, probably just me. Still can't believe Plan C actually worked."

"Plan… C?"

"Of course I had other plans," Naruto said, counting off on his fingers. "Plan A was to die and get pulled back to Lordran. Plan B was to use a Homeward Miracle to teleport myself out if things went bad. And Plan C…" He grinned, jabbing a thumb at himself. "Was distract you and kick your ass."

"Each plan… equally foolish."

"Yeah," Naruto said, still smirking, "but Plan C's the one that worked."

The Shinigami stared at him for a long, silent moment, then let out a slow, rasping sigh that might've been laughter. "You are either the luckiest fool to exist… or the most dangerous one. I cannot yet tell which."

"Why not both?"

"Just ask your three questions, and begone from my sight."

"What's the matter? Salty that you lost to two Uzumakis?"

The god's eye twitched, its expression tightening into something between irritation and disbelief. "You have an awful lot of spunk for someone who will be dead in a few seconds."

"Oh really?"

The Shinigami opened his mouth to retort, then stopped. Its eye widened slightly as it sensed the shift. Back in the physical world, Oscar had already uncorked the Estus Flask and poured its shimmering light down Naruto's throat.

The god's jaw worked for a second, then it huffed. "Just ask your questions."

"Fine. First question: Do you know why Hashirama Senju was given his Rune?"

"It was because of Oden's bargain with his father."

Naruto frowned. "And how's that supposed to make sense?"

"Because Oden's father was a fool who started a cycle of reincarnation he could never control."

"Okay, fine, my second question—"

The Shinigami slowly lifted one skeletal finger and wagged it back and forth. "No. Last question."

"You... you should've told me that first, you ugly bastard!"

The Shinigami's grin stretched impossibly wide, radiating smug satisfaction.

"Don't look so proud, you're still ugly."

The death god tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing into a hollow glare that screamed, Get on with it, boy.

Naruto groaned, muttering under his breath, "Alright, alright, keep your kimono on…" Then he straightened, clearly thinking hard about what to ask next. He could've asked about Oden's father, Oden, but something deeper gnawed at him.

"Do you know about Lordran?"

"…No."

Naruto blinked, utterly dumbfounded. "Wait, what do you mean no? You're the death god! How can you not know that?" He took a step forward, his voice rising with disbelief. "You deal with souls, right? Lordran's full of souls like, literally, the place runs on them! How can that not even ring a bell?"

He kept going, jabbing a finger at the Shinigami. "So what, Lordran's outside your jurisdiction?"

The Shinigami's empty gaze remained unmoved, and Naruto's voice dropped into wary suspicion. "...Or is it that you do know, and you just don't want to say?"

"Goodbye."

It snapped its fingers.

Naruto felt the world tilt. His consciousness was yanked backward, the astral plane folding like paper around him. His lungs filled with air again, and light burned his eyes.

Naruto groaned, sitting up with a wince. "Oh, my back hurts," he muttered as his eyes landed on Oscar, who was staring at him with wide, anxious eyes.

"Hey, hey, I'm alright, buddy. You can stop looking at me like that."

"You gave us quite a scare."

Naruto turned and froze. Her form was fading, edges softening into the air, half-translucent now, like morning mist retreating from sunlight. His heart dropped. "Gran-Gran-Gran?! What's happening to you?"

"Don't worry, child. The piece of my soul I left behind has finally done its part. It's time for me to move on."

"No… you can't!" Naruto blurted, stepping closer as if he could hold her there by sheer will. "You can't just disappear! Who's gonna guide me now? What if I mess something up again? What if I lose control or I do something wrong?"

"Naruto… you don't need me to guide you anymore. You've already become more than I ever could've imagined. You've walked through pain that would've broken the strongest shinobi I knew. You've seen gods and monsters, and yet here you stand, still calling yourself Naruto Uzumaki."

Mito reached out, her hand phasing softly through his hair like a warm breeze. "You've grown into a fine young man. And I know without a shadow of doubt that you will change this world, my boy."

Naruto swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "But… I just… I wanted you to stay. For once, I don't wanna lose anyone again. I just got you in my life."

Mito's expression gentled further, the faintest melancholy tugging at her lips. "We all want things, my dear. I wanted to rebuild our clan, to see Uzushiogakure alive again, filled with laughter and children and hope. I wanted to grow old beside my husband and teach the next generation everything we'd learned. But life… life doesn't always let us have what we want when we want it."

Her voice grew quieter, but not weaker. "Sometimes, we plant a seed we'll never see grow. Sometimes, all we can do is trust that someone else will tend to it. What matters isn't how quickly the dream comes true, Naruto rather it's that you keep believing in it. Keep feeding it. Keep being the person who can carry it."

Naruto clenched his fists, his eyes burning. "Then what if I rebuild it? What if I bring the Uzumaki clan back? Would that… would that make you happy, Gran-Gran-Gran?"

"Oh, Naruto… you've already made me happier than I've been in decades. To see you standing here, strong and stubborn and kind. To know that the Uzumaki spirit burns bright again. It's more than enough for me. I couldn't ask for anything else."

Naruto shook his head, a small but fierce smile forming despite the tears threatening to fall. "It's not about asking anymore. It's about doing. I'm a mosaic, Gran-Gran-Gran. Every lesson, every fight and every person who believed in me... they're all part of me now. A knight, a mage, a paladin, a cleric, a pyromancer, a blacksmith and a shinobi. Every piece of me is built from the people who helped me stand."

He took a step closer, voice firm, conviction burning behind his eyes. "And I'm not done yet. I'm gonna make that mosaic bigger, brighter, and stronger than ever. I'm gonna restore the Uzumaki clan."

Mito smiled, tears welling in her fading eyes. "You speak like a leader already, Naruto. Like someone who understands what it truly means to carry a legacy."

"Guess I picked it up from a few good teachers."

Her form shimmered brighter now, glowing softly like embers before dawn. "Then I leave you with one last thing, my boy."

Her voice grew distant, almost melodic.

"A whirlpool holds its shape, unchanging, like a memory etched in stone. But a spiral breathes and grows, shifting with each turn. What begins as a simple swirl transforms, as the vortex gives way to the spiral ever deeper, ever evolving.

For even if it seems to spin the same, every turn carves a new path. The floor beneath it changes, the air thickens, the scenery shifts. In each twist lies a new truth, and in each descent, a hidden strength.

So too does life move and change. We are not bound to the stillness of fate, but to the living spiral of choice and change.

The Uzumaki walk this spiral; unbroken, and ever-reaching."

"That was my favourite part of Tobirama's journal," Naruto murmured, voice trembling as he looked down.

"It was my favourite part too," Mito said softly, stepping closer. Her fading form shimmered faintly as she wrapped her arms around him. "That hair color suits you better, you know."

"You think so?"

Mito smiled and nodded. "It's the color of life, of fire and of the Uzumaki spirit itself. We've always burned brighter than the world around us."

"You always know what to say, Gran-Gran-Gran."

Mito laughed softly, brushing his cheek with her thumb. "And if I can be selfish enough to ask one more favor…"

"Anything," Naruto said immediately, without hesitation.

"Give Oscar a hot bubble bath every three days," Mito said with absolute seriousness.

Oscar raised a tiny claw and gave Mito a solemn thumbs-up.

Naruto blinked, then burst into a small, choked laugh that cracked through the grief in his chest. "Yeah… don't worry, I will. Promise."

"Good," Mito whispered, her eyes glistening as she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Then I can rest easy knowing you're both in good hands."

Her form began to dissolve, light scattering into the air like petals caught in a breeze.

Naruto stood there in silence, eyes glistening, watching her fade completely. The Altar of Beginning around him began to crumble back into its ruined form, the faint glow of its power flickering out like dying embers as the repair spell began to wear off.

"Even though time's more stable here… I still can't change the past with magic just yet."

The wind swept through the ruins. For a moment, it was as if the night itself had only been a dream.

The knight and the lizard stood quietly for a long while.

Then footsteps echoed.

Jiraiya and Team 7 entered the ruins cautiously, their eyes widening as they took in the sight.

Naruto turned slowly, holding Oscar close against his chest. His expression was calm but wistful, his gaze drifting toward the sky where Mito's light had vanished. But what caught everyone's attention wasn't his expression, rather it was his hair.

Gone were the strands of golden blond that once framed his face. Now his long hair gleamed a deep, brilliant crimson.

The unmistakable color of the Uzumaki clan.

Jiraiya's mouth fell open slightly. "Kid… your hair…"

Naruto blinked, brushing a strand away from his face, then gave a tired but genuine smile. "Guess… I really am an Uzumaki now."

Oscar chirped in agreement.

And as the sunlight bathed the ruins of Uzushiogakure, it wasn't the gold of the sun that shone there anymore, rather it was the red of a legacy reborn.

Author Note:

And with that, I leave you with today's chapter. I hope you all liked it. Now for everyone's favorite section: the Q and A!

Q: Did you retcon the Art of Runes?

Yes, I did. For those of you who remember, way back in the earlier chapters, Naruto received what was supposedly Tobirama's journal from Danzo. That was the first time I introduced the concept of the Art of Runes, which was my own fanfic idea where the Uzumaki clan drew some inspiration from Norse mythology.

Originally, I planned for the runes to be Naruto's unique form of fuinjutsu, something that would blend traditional sealing with Norse runes. It sounded cool on paper and gave me a thematic link between the Uzumaki and Naruto's journey through Lordran.

But as the story developed and the Uzumaki clan's history began to expand more naturally, the idea of the Art of Runes started feeling unnecessary. In my early drafts, it served as a situational gimmick that was honestly not that important compared to other stuff, but it didn't fit well with how I wanted to portray the deeper lore of the Uzumaki and what being an Uzumaki meant to this version of Naruto.

So instead of scrapping it entirely, I decided to rework it into the existing narrative. The "Art of Runes" from the fake journal became a manipulation attempt. A clever trap set by Danzo to control Naruto by feeding him false information about his heritage. That not only fixed the early inconsistency but also made sense within the story since, let's be honest, Danzo would absolutely do that.

Now, runes still exist in my story, but in a much more subtle form. Rather than being a separate branch of fuinjutsu unique to the Uzumaki, they are one of the Four Heavenly Treasures of the Uzumaki Clan.

A Rune, in this context, is a seal placed upon the soul itself that holds senjutsu chakra in perfect balance. It strengthens vitality, lengthens lifespan, and increases chakra reserves. However, in rare cases, a Rune can awaken something far greater depending on the individual.

For example:

Hashirama gained Wood Release from his Rune.

Kushina developed chakra so dense that she could suppress the Nine-Tails' power and had the best endurance of the Uzumaki clan.

Karin inherited the Healer's Body, capable of restoring others who bite her.

And as for Naruto... well, I'm sure many of you can guess what his Rune will awaken. I've been hinting at it for quite some time now. Here is a hint: let's just say it ties directly into the lore of everlasting dragons and mushrooms.

Q: Why did you connect Hashirama's Wood Release to the Runes?

Because, let's be honest, in canon, Hashirama is as much a character as he is a plot device. I'm sure I don't need to remind anyone of Kishimoto's favorite fix-it button: Hashirama cells.

Every time the story needed a new power-up or a convenient way to justify something big, the answer was always, "Oh, it's because of Hashirama cells." It became so common that Hashirama's legacy started feeling less like a person's and more like a narrative bandage.

Now, if we actually stop and think about Wood Release, it's an odd kekkei genkai. None of the other Senju clan members had it. Not Tobirama, not Tsunade, not even distant relatives. So it clearly isn't a standard Senju inheritance.

If you want to be technical, you could say Wood Release was a unique genetic mutation that appeared in Hashirama alone. Great, fine, but then none of his direct descendants inherited it, which makes that explanation a little weak.

Some fans (and the anime fillers) try to link it to Ashura Ōtsutsuki, implying it's part of the Ashura reincarnation line. But that theory falls apart when you remember that Naruto, who is Ashura's reincarnation, never gained Wood Release naturally. So that doesn't hold water either.

Now, there is one other character who supposedly has Wood Release: Moegi Kazamatsuri.

If you don't know, she is that orange-haired girl who followed Konohamaru around.

Apparently, according to the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Databook Volume 4, she's listed as a Wood Release user.

My reaction?

A deep, disappointed sigh.

It's important to take databook info with a grain of salt, especially when it contradicts established lore or adds random power-ups with zero buildup. In Moegi's case, it feels like a tacked-on piece of trivia that doesn't add anything meaningful. She's never shown using Wood Release in the series, and she's not a major character. So as far as I'm concerned, if it hasn't been shown, it doesn't exist.

And honestly, if Tsunade, the granddaughter of Hashirama, doesn't have Wood Release, then no random side character should either. I don't care what Ikemoto or Boruto says, as I'm not following that nonsense.

If I were Kishimoto, I'd have just made Wood Release a Senju clan ability, with Hashirama being its absolute pinnacle. That would've kept things simple, consistent, and still impressive.

But since my fanfic aims to be canon-adjacent—meaning I work within canon's framework but expand or fix what's left vague—I decided to patch that hole by giving Hashirama a Rune, and it solved multiple canon issues at once:

Why did only Hashirama have Wood Release? Because his Rune manifested that ability uniquely within him.

Why didn't his descendants inherit it naturally? Because the Rune was his alone, as it wasn't passed genetically.

Why didn't Naruto have Wood Release despite being Ashura's reincarnation? Because in canon, he never received the Rune.

Q: What about Hashirama's Death?

First off, let's get this out of the way: none of this is canon. But that's kind of the fun part of writing fanfiction, right? Filling in the blanks that Kishimoto left behind with ideas that actually make sense or add emotional weight.

So, in my version, I went with the fanon-accepted theory that Hashirama's death was the result of his insane regeneration shortening his lifespan.

Shizune mentioned back in Part 1 that rapid regeneration damages the body's cells and drastically reduces lifespan. That concept fits perfectly with Hashirama as a man whose healing ability was so broken, it basically defied biology. It makes sense that his body would eventually burn itself out.

Now, the second thing I added was when Hashirama died, and this is where things get interesting. In my story, Hashirama dies shortly after the Valley of the End battle against Madara.

I know some people like to imagine that Hashirama lived long after founding Konoha, but I've got a few solid reasons (and bits of canon evidence) that point to his death happening soon after his fight with Madara.

Evidence A: Tsunade's Words in the Manga

Tsunade says in canon: "They say both my grandfather and the Second Lord wanted an end to hostilities more than anything... and yet in the end, they died in vain for the village, while still in the midst of pursuing their dreams."

Let's unpack that.

Hashirama's entire dream was to build a village where children didn't have to die in war. That dream culminated with Konoha's founding, but Madara's betrayal shattered it.

So if we take Tsunade's words literally, Hashirama died still chasing that dream, which means his death happened while the village was still young—likely soon after his battle with Madara. He died protecting what he built, just like Madara died trying to destroy it.

Evidence B: Hashirama's Edo Tensei Appearance

In canon, Edo Tensei resurrects shinobi in the form they were in when they died.

Look at Edo Hashirama:

He's wearing his battle armor, not Hokage robes.

He looks exactly as he did at the Valley of the End.

That alone heavily implies he died not long after that battle since there's no visual difference between his living and Edo forms.

Evidence C: Kurama's Memory

This one's easy to miss, but it's there.

When Kurama remembers Hashirama, he recalls him looking severely wounded, his right eye closed, blood dripping from his mouth and forehead. That scene suggests Hashirama had to fight Kurama directly after his battle with Madara.

Think about that: he'd just fought his lifelong rival to near death and then immediately had to handle the Nine-Tails on top of it. Even with his legendary stamina, that's pushing it.

It's not hard to imagine that the combination of near-fatal injuries and overuse of his healing abilities finally caught up to him.

So, that's why I like this headcanon.

Plus, in canon, the rivalry between Hashirama and Madara often feels one-sided.

With this headcanon and making the Valley of the End battle Hashirama's last—it restores balance to their rivalry. Hashirama "won," but at the cost of his life.

So yeah, my headcanon is that Hashirama died shortly after the Valley of the End, succumbing to injuries and the toll of his own regeneration.

Let me know what you guys think and if you prefer this interpretation or have your own theory on how the God of Shinobi met his end.

Q: Why is the Shinigami's HP only 4219?

Good catch! The reason is actually twofold.

First off, the Shinigami Naruto fought wasn't the true Death God. It was an avatar, a fragment of the real thing manifesting in the astral plane. Think of it like facing a divine shadow rather than the full deity.

And second because I love sneaky details as the number 4219 isn't random. It's a reference to Japanese numerology.

In Japanese wordplay: 42 (shi-ni) means "to die," and 19 (i-ku) means "to go." Put together, 4219 (shi-ni iku) literally translates to "to go and die."

So yeah, the Shinigami's HP literally spells out death.

Q: Why did Naruto's hair turn red?

First off, the simple answer: because red-haired Naruto looks awesome. I've always wanted to see him physically embody his Uzumaki heritage; not just in name or legacy, but in appearance.

Secondly, canon Naruto has always been defined by his father's side. His signature move? Minato's Rasengan. The burden of Kurama? Minato's sealing choice. His title, his comparisons, his image... everything revolves around being Minato's son.

Don't get me wrong, I love that connection, but it always felt like Naruto's maternal heritage, the Uzumaki side, was criminally underexplored.

So in this story, I wanted to fix that imbalance.

My version of Naruto embraces both sides of his legacy.

He gets both the Rasengan and the red hair.

And come on, let's be real; a red-haired knight Naruto just sounds metal as hell.

Funny enough, someone once commented that DS Naruto gives off serious Radahn vibes from Elden Ring, and honestly? They're not wrong. Let's break it down: giant sword? Red hair? Animal companion? Shoots massive arrows? At this point, all that's missing is Naruto becoming gigantic and riding Oscar like a tiny horse.

That's it for this Q&A!

Next chapter's gonna dive deep into the aftermath and the Rune's awakening, how Team 7 reacts to what Naruto's become, and maybe… going back to Konoha.

As always, let me know your theories in the comments!

What do you think Naruto's Rune will awaken? And do you like the red hair change?

Until next time... stay strong, stay weird, and never stop walking through your spiral.

P.S. I just want to say… thank you.

It's officially been a year since I started writing this story, and honestly, I can't even put into words how much that means to me. A whole year of late nights, 2,000 words a day, and moments where I doubted myself but I kept going because of you. Every comment, every review, every little bit of support you gave me kept me writing when I might've stopped.

You guys made this possible. You helped me find something I love doing.

For this one-year anniversary, I wanted to do something special, so I asked an artist to remake The Chosen Undead cover art—with Naruto having red hair this time. It's a small way of marking how far this story and I have come, thanks to all of you.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading, for believing, and for staying. Here's to a year of stories, and hopefully, many more to come.

That's It… For Now.

And if you can't wait for the next update, the next chapter drops on Nov 12th! 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
 
Honestly this is one of the best stories I've ever read for the Naruto fanfiction genre, @Adamos_Amet You have created one of the best world building fics I've ever read. Your passion for Naruto and dark souls is awe inspiring. I honestly can't wait for every new chapter.
 
If naruto is turning into radahn, hopefully noone is malenia or miquella to ruin him mentally lmao. tftc, shinigami looking greedy makes sense with naruto looking like he'll no longer eventually be in his grasp. had the claim on his soul but now hes immortal
 
Chapter no.66 Naruto
Chapter no.66 The Rune That Calls to the Age of Ancients

[ Name: Naruto Uzumaki ]
[ Level: 53 →103 ]
[ Souls: 2,129 ]
[ Required Souls: 16,820 → 82,135 ]

[ Attributes ]
[ Vitality: 12 → 30 ]
[ Attunement: 12 ]
[ Endurance: 11 → 40 ]
[ Strength: 30 ]
[ Dexterity: 20 ]
[ Resistance: 12 → 15 ]
[ Intelligence: 20 ]
[ Faith: 25 ]
[ Humanity: 1 ]

[ Stats ]
[ HP: 616 → 1100 ]
[ Stamina: 93 → 160 ]
[ Equip Load: 51.0 → 80.0 ]
[ Poise: 46 ]
[ Bleed Resist: 98 → 160 ]
[ Poison Resist: 79 → 109 ]
[ Curse Resist: 30 → 50 ]
[ Item Discovery: 100 → 158 ]
[ Attunement Slots: 2 ]
[ Defenses ]
[ Physical DEF: 217 → 268 ]
[ VS Strike: 213 → 264 ]
[ VS Slash: 238 → 268 ]
[ VS Thrust: 217 → 268 ]
[ Magic DEF: 165 → 200 ]
[ Flame DEF: 146 → 201 ]
[ Lightning DEF: 139 → 189 ]

Naruto stared at the glowing screen only he could see, rereading the numbers for what felt like the dozen time. I know the Uzumaki were famous for their life force but fifty levels is ridiculous. His fingers trembled slightly. Vitality, endurance, resistance… all of them had skyrocketed beyond anything he had ever imagined possible.

And yet the gift had a price. His other stats, the ones he needed to grow as a fighter, now stretched behind an impossible wall of eighty thousand souls. Each point so far away it might as well be unreachable.

How am I supposed to level anything now, eighty thousand for one point…

Oscar flicked him sharply with his tail, a silent reminder that now was not the moment to complain. Naruto winced and nodded. They were sitting on Gamabunta's broad back, riding toward the camp. The morning air was quiet, broken only by the heavy rhythm of the toad's footsteps.

No one had spoken to him since they found him on the altar.

Naruto lifted a lock of his hair. Red. A deep, clear, unmistakable Uzumaki red. It caught the sunlight like burning silk. He swallowed, then tried to break the silence.

"Kakashi sensei, why did my hair turn red?"

"I dunno."

"Really? You usually know everything..."

Before Kakashi could answer, Sakura's voice cut through the air with a sharp edge. "Naruto. Please do not do that."

"Do what…?"

"Act like nothing happened," she whispered. Her hands were clenched tightly in her lap. "Not after what you put us through."

Naruto opened his mouth, then closed it.

Jiraiya spoke from the front, his tone quieter than usual, stripped of humor. "You are not that dense, kid. You can feel the tension just as well as I can."

"You are right," Naruto said softly. "I get it. I know I scared you. All of you. I should not have disappeared. I should not have lied. I should have trusted you." His throat tightened, but he pushed the words out. "I am sorry. Truly."

Oscar bowed his head with a soft sound of agreement.

Kakashi finally looked at him over his shoulder. "You have always kept secrets. I accepted that. But the scale of what you hid from us… it is larger than anything I imagined."

"I did not want to drag you into my mess."

"And you think we are not already in it," Sakura whispered, her voice cracking. "When we saw you hanging from that tree… bleeding like that… I really thought…" She swallowed hard. "I thought you were gone."

Jiraiya's voice came next. "Your actions forced us into a situation we did not understand. You could have died, brat. And none of us would have known why."

Naruto nodded slowly.

A silence followed.

It was Sasuke who finally broke it. "You are stronger."

"What?"

Sasuke's sharingan spun slowly as he studied Naruto's chakra network. "Stronger than yesterday. Stronger than last night. Your chakra is dense."

"That is the result of the Uzumaki rite. It changed my body and my chakra."

He raised his hand and formed a Rasengan. Except this time the sphere swelled, unrestrained, the chakra compressing and folding on itself like a storm. It grew to the size of a football, humming with dangerous intensity.

Jiraiya's breath caught. "That is… that is the scale of an Odama Rasengan."

The Rasengan shattered suddenly. A violent burst of wind tore outward. Kakashi grabbed Sakura and anchored Sasuke to keep them from flying off Gamabunta's back. Oscar was not so lucky. The blast sent him flying.

Naruto reacted instantly. His palm eye snapped open, and invisible force rippled from it. Oscar froze mid fall, suspended in the air before being drawn safely into Naruto's arms. The boy held Oscar close, then spoke, "I know I owe you more than apologies. And I will give you answers. All of them. But right now… please… let me have a moment to breathe."

Everyone had agreed to let the boy rest.

It was quiet for a few minutes until Naruto said, "Sakura, you are staring at me a little too much."

"It is not fair."

"What is not fair?"

She motioned wildly at his hair. "This. Every time something big happens, you come out looking even prettier. Your hair gets longer, shinier and softer. Meanwhile mine gets frizzy if the wind sneezes at me."

Naruto blinked at her, then a small, sheepish grin tugged at his lips. Before Sakura could react, he leaned forward and pulled her into a hug. Unfortunately, he forgot one tiny detail.

"Gah Naruto. Spine. Spine," Sakura wheezed as her arms flailed helplessly.

"Sorry. Sorry. I forgot. I keep forgetting I am stronger now."

Sakura coughed, straightened her back with a wince, then glared at him through watery eyes. "You think. You nearly folded me like a futon."

"My bad… so, um… will you still fix my hair?"

"Yes, you big oaf. Just sit down before you break something else. Or someone."

Oscar chirped in agreement.

Naruto obediently shuffled forward and sat in front of her. Sakura moved behind him, lifting his hair with gentle fingers, combing through the new red strands with practiced ease.

Sasuke suggested, "Give him pigtails."

"That would actually be adorable."

"Red haired pigtails would be very stylish," Kakashi said from behind his book.

"And throw in some bangs while you are at it," Jiraiya said proudly. "Trust me, I know these things. Women love a good bang..."

Jiraiya dodged a kunai to the head. Meanwhile Naruto turned scarlet from the teasing. He grabbed Oscar and squeezed him like a stress ball, burying his face in the lizard's side for emotional support as the teasing continued.

Oscar chirped sympathetically.

Sakura laughed softly, her voice warm. "Relax, Naruto. I am not actually giving you pigtails." She brushed through the strands with careful, soothing motions. Then she paused. "Oh. Naruto, look here."

She gently pulled a small section forward.

A thin streak of gold.

Naruto froze completely.

His hand reached up, trembling just slightly, and brushed against the lingering blonde. His breath caught. The red felt right… it felt like Mito, like Kushina, like home. But the blonde… that was his father. That was warmth. That was memory.

"You still have some of your old color hiding in here."

"Sakura… can you make the blonde more visible?"

"Do you want a streak of blonde in your red hair?"

"I want… both. I want the red and the yellow together. I might be an Uzumaki, but I am also my father's son. I want both sides of me to be there. I want… all of me to count."

Sakura's expression softened at Naruto's words, her hands pausing in his hair. Sasuke allowed himself the faintest hint of a smile. But the adults exchanged quiet, uneasy glances.

His father's son…? Does he know?!

After breakfast, Naruto let out a loud burp before clearing his throat. "With my belly full, I want to sleep for a week, but I will not be able to close my eyes until we talk this through. So… let us get these questions out of the way."

The morning light did nothing to dispel the underlying tension.

Sasuke asked, "What exactly happened to you in the center of the island."

Naruto inhaled slowly, gathering his thoughts. "The Uzumaki have a rite of passage passed down from the founder of the clan."

Sakura frowned. "So... you hang yourself to prove that you are a man?"

"No, the hanging just pushes you into a state between life and death. That state lets you meet the Shinigami. He seals special chakra onto your soul. That awakens your potential." Naruto paused. "It is not something meant to be spoken about lightly. I am telling you because you deserve to know why everything went insane last night."

Despite everything he had shared, everyone could tell Naruto was still holding back the deeper parts. And none of them were shameless enough to expect otherwise. Clan techniques, rites, the inner workings of a bloodline… those were not things freely given. They all understood that what he had told them was already more than most would ever reveal.

Sakura raised her hand slightly. "Then… how did you even know how to do this? You said before you did not know anything about your clan."

Naruto looked down at his hands for a moment. "You remember that illusion graveyard Kakashi sensei showed us?"

They nodded.

"Well… Mito Uzumaki left a piece of her soul there. A guide for any Uzumaki who ever found the place. She helped me understand just enough to attempt the rite. The rest… I figured out along the way."

Kakashi leaned forward slightly, serious now. "Naruto. If you had no guidance until then… why keep all of this quiet. You could have told us something. Anything."

"The reason I did not tell you… the reason I lied," Naruto said slowly, "I am sorry for that. Truly. But I made a promise. Someone came to me after we became Team Seven. He told me he knew my parents. He said he could tell me about my mother… about the Uzumaki… if I proved I could keep a secret for a month."

He exhaled, shoulders easing as if a weight slid off them.

"I trusted him. Back then, I wanted answers so badly that I held onto anything that might lead me to them. That is why I kept quiet."

Jiraiya asked in such a serious tone that everyone straightened their back. "Who?"

Naruto reached into his pouch and pulled out the worn journal, turning it once in his hand before offering it to Kakashi. "I do not really know who that guy is. He said he was a friend of my parents."

"Is this man from Lordran?"

"I do not know," Naruto answered honestly. "Said they trusted him with their legacy, so I trusted him too. But with Gran Gran Gran Mito's help, I figured out he was trying to steer me somewhere. Maybe even use me. I still have no idea who he actually is."

Naruto's voice tightened as he finished, "He only gave me an alias. He called himself the Hawk."

Kakashi and Jiraiya exchanged a long, dark look.

Danzo.

Naruto gave a weary smile. "We can deal with it when we return to the village. There are… a lot of things involving me we need to talk about."

Nobody argued.

The silence that followed felt like it stretched for miles.

Naruto rubbed his face. "If any of you have more questions, ask them now. The moment my head hits something soft, I am out."

Oscar yawned in agreement.

Sasuke opened his mouth, then shook his head.

"Is Minato truly connected to Lordran?" Jiraiya finally asked, unable to hold the question in any longer.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. That part was true. I found the Fourth's kunai on Artorias's grave. And Alvina told me that Minato Namikaze and a redhead came to Lordran." He shrugged slightly. "But everything else about the Nine Tails and Uzushio was a lie."

"What?"

Kakashi stopped mid step. Every answer they got only seemed to open five new questions. The word Lordran hung over them like a curse.

Sasuke crossed his arms, brow furrowed. "What exactly happened to the Nine Tails then?"

"It is probably somewhere in Lordran," Naruto replied.

Everyone froze.

"WHAT?!"

Naruto winced at the collective scream. Oscar chittered irritably and flicked his tail, so Naruto scratched the little lizard's head to calm him. "Why are you all surprised?" he said. "You told me yourselves the Nine Tails escapes when its jinchuriki dies."

Another wave of silence hit, then…

"Huh?"

Naruto's eye twitched. "Do not ask me how because I do not know. But Lordran is covered in the curse of the undead. You die, then respawn at the bonfire. I died in Lordran and probably released the Nine Tails somewhere."

This time the silence was so absolute that even the wind seemed unsure if it should move.

Team Seven had long since adapted to Naruto saying outrageous things. But this… this was on a different level. Even they found themselves holding their heads, trying to understand the sheer weight of what they had heard.

"How many times have you died?" Sasuke asked. He immediately regretted asking the moment the words left his mouth.

"Stopped counting after the first twenty deaths," Naruto answered casually.

Everyone froze again.

"At least this explains why you are so insane," Sakura muttered, half incredulous, half joking.

"Hey, I would argue the Uzumaki clan was just as insane as me," Naruto said, puffing his chest a little.

Kakashi rubbed the side of his head. Everything Naruto said kept repeating in his mind, looping like a broken genjutsu. Each detail was absurd, impossible, unbelievable… yet Naruto said it with such casual sincerity that Kakashi found himself asking a terrifying question.

Has he been telling the truth every single time we asked?

A few minutes of stunned silence passed before Naruto finally spoke. "Kakashi sensei… do you have any chakra paper?"

"Why?"

"Well, I figured I might as well check if anything changed. You know… while you all try to process everything I just told you."

Kakashi sighed in that tired, resigned way only he could manage. He pulled out a stack of chakra paper and handed it over. Everyone leaned in just a little, grateful for the distraction.

Naruto pressed the first sheet between his fingers.

The paper split cleanly down the middle.

"Wind," Kakashi noted calmly.

One half burst into flame, but the fire burned dark inky black with faint flecks of gold twisting inside the flames like embers of twilight.

"Fire," Jiraiya murmured. His brows furrowed as he watched the strange coloration. That was not normal fire nature chakra.

The remaining paper reacted all at once as one side crumbled into dirt and the other side became damp and soggy.

Sakura gasped. "Earth and water? At the same time?"

Kakashi frowned thoughtfully. Two changes in one paper… that is usually the sign of a kekkei genkai.

Naruto grinned wide, pumping a fist triumphantly. "Yes. I have four. Four chakra natures." He pointed at Sasuke and Sakura, absolutely glowing with pride. "I have more chakra natures than you guys."

"Real mature, Naruto."

"Oh please," Naruto shot back, "you totally teased me when you learned you had two and I had one."

Sakura crossed her arms and looked away, cheeks puffed out. She did not deny it.

Sasuke asked, "What about lightning?"

"Huh. I guess… I did not get that one for some reason."

Kakashi said in a tone that suggested he was already done for the day, "You say that as if there is a reason that you awakened four other natures without issue."

"I can think of a few reasons."

"But still no lightning," Sasuke said with the kind of smug calm that made Naruto's left eye twitch.

"Who even needs lightning? I already have my Sun Bro lightning spear."

Sakura questioned, "Wait… how can you use a lightning jutsu if you do not have a lightning chakra nature?"

"You can use a jutsu without matching the nature," Sasuke answered flatly.

"It is not a jutsu," Naruto said, wagging the talisman at them. "It is a miracle from the god of war."

Sasuke gave him a pointed look. "Why can nothing in your life ever be simple?"

Oscar was the first to turn away from the conversation. His tail twitched with visible irritation as he waddled toward the tents, exhausted and done with all the human drama. He only wanted sleep, warmth, and maybe a kiss on the head. Preferably in that order.

As he passed the leftover chakra paper, something made him pause.

Naruto's dried blood, streaked across the discarded sheet, began to glow and shimmer like silver.

Oscar froze, pupils narrowing to slits. A low, uneasy chirr trembled in his throat. Something about that glow felt ancient, older even than Lordran's first flame.

Meanwhile, the adults were having their own thoughts about the morning's chaos.

"What do you think of all this, Jiraiya sama?"

Jiraiya's brows were knit tightly. "Honestly… we do not have enough information to say anything definitive. Minato never mentioned Lordran. Not to me, not to Ma and Pa, not to anyone. But at least now we have some idea of what happened to the Nine Tails. If Naruto is right, we have time before the fox reforms."

"And Danzo? His attempt to tamper with Naruto's heritage?"

Jiraiya's expression darkened. "Danzo is a tricky man to read. Could be manipulation. Could be recruitment. Could be something even worse. Either way, we cannot handle it here. We will need the Third's counsel once we return."

Kakashi's gaze drifted to Naruto and Sasuke, who were bickering half heartedly with Sakura mediating. "Should we tell Naruto about Danzo then?"

"Eventually," Jiraiya said. "But not now. The boy is exhausted. Let him have some peace."

"All right… and Minato sensei? Will you tell him?"

"Yes, he is ready to know."

Kakashi glanced sideways. "But… what if he already knows?"

Before Jiraiya could answer, a pressure rolled through the camp.

It was subtle at first… then impossible to ignore.

Everyone froze.

The sensation that washed over them made no sense as contradictions layered on contradictions.

Cold, yet strangely warm. Silent, yet thrumming like a distant roar. Dangerous enough to raise every instinct… yet comforting in a way that made the skin prickle.

Then came the sound.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Like water falling onto earth, but each drop echoed deeper than the physical world should allow, like it fell into something vast and hollow. All eyes swung toward the chakra paper Naruto had tossed aside.

The halves of paper warped and twisted together, earth and water chakra reacting in a way none of them had ever seen… spiraling inward, weaving, reshaping.

"Is that… wood chakra?" Kakashi whispered as he saw the tree form.

Its bark was the color of ash, etched with sharp, angular lines that resembled weathered stone. The trunk and limbs looked less like something grown and more like mineral rock molded into the shape of a tree.

Sakura swallowed hard. "Kakashi sensei… earth and water chakra combine to form Wood Release, right? That is how it works?"

Kakashi did not answer immediately. Because yes, that was the basic theory. Because no, this should not be happening. Because absolutely not, chakra paper was not supposed to behave like this. A thin sheen of sweat gathered on his temple. He forced himself to nod, but even that felt uncertain.

Sasuke scowled, jaw tight enough to crack. "This cannot be happening. Naruto should not have Wood Release."

Everyone turned to look at him.

"He should have Scorch Release."

Everyone decided to ignore him.

"How… how is this still possible?" Jiraiya muttered. "Only the Senju had Wood Release."

"The Uzumaki and Senju are still cousin clans," Kakashi reminded him.

"Name one Senju besides Hashirama who actually had it," Naruto challenged.

There was not one.

Sakura sat down. "So… why did Naruto unlock something only the First Hokage ever had?"

"Because Hashirama awakened it with the Uzumaki Clan's rite of passage as his soul had the potential for it." Naruto placed his palm against the mineral tree. A soft ripple of energy passed through it, and the wood flickered before disappearing into his inventory in a quiet wash of light.

[ Item: Archtree ]

[ Description: Titanic, ash colored tree of stone. Said to be neither fully alive nor fully dead, but a creature of the age of ancient.

These monoliths were kin to the Everlasting Dragons. Dragons nested within their hollows, slept beneath their roots, and wandered their endless canopies as if the trees and beasts were one lineage of the same primordial world.

Be warned that the blood of the abyss shall be the soil to these trees, and home to the everlasting. ]

Did I awaken Wood Release because of my dragon scale?

The question sat in Naruto's mind like a stone in still water, sending ripples through every thought as he lay awake in the dark. He had slept for almost an entire day after the Rite of Passage, but now his eyes refused to close.

The Rune awakens the potential of the soul.

And his soul… bore a dragon's scale, making it a part of him. So logically, the Rune would affect the scale as well.

Was that why he awakened Wood Release? Was it even Wood Release? Or was it something closer to the dragons than to Hashirama? Archtree Release? Archwood Release?

Naruto pushed open the tent flap and stepped outside, the long strands of hair catching moonlight like crimson threads.

"Going somewhere?"

Naruto reacted on instinct. In one breath, he spun with the Zweihander materializing into his grip in a shimmer of light and swung downward with enough force to cut a horse in half.

Jiraiya deflected the flat of the blade with the back of his hand. "Easy there, brat. I know you have been through a lot, but I prefer to keep my limbs."

Naruto exhaled shakily and dismissed the sword. "Do not sneak up on me like that, Lustmolch."

"What does that even mean?"

"In the language of Catarina, it means dirty old man."

Jiraiya stared at him. "Hey now. I stopped peeping after the whole Tsunami incident."

"You are absolutely planning something."

"Oh, absolutely. I am going to master genjutsu," Jiraiya declared with far too much enthusiasm, "and then I will have a shadow clone cast illusions on me. Pure, uninterrupted… research."

He broke into gleeful cackling at the thought.

"Good luck with that, Pervy Sage."

"So. Really. Where are you going at this hour?"

"I want to check the genjutsu graveyard. After everything that happened… I need to see if it is still there."

Naruto formed the first hand seal. His chakra surged like a tidal wave and lost control instantly, crackling violently in his system. He hissed and dropped the seal.

"That," Jiraiya said, pointing, "is what happens when you go from a lake to an ocean overnight. Your chakra pool has multiplied several times over. Your control needs time to catch up. Skip the big techniques for now."

Naruto clicked his tongue and stared down at his trembling hand. The veins under his skin pulsed with chakra so dense it felt like a physical weight.

"I guess I will walk then. Might as well… take it slow."

"Hold up. You are not going alone."

"You do not have to follow me, you know."

"Oh, I absolutely do," Jiraiya replied without hesitation. "Last time I let you wander off on your own, you hanged yourself."

"…Fair."

The two walked in silence for a long while. Not awkward, exactly, but heavy. They did not know each other well, and both could feel the quiet tension hanging between them. By the time they reached the ruins, the moon hung high.

"As expected of Mito sama. The craftsmanship in her fuinjutsu is flawless. Beautiful."

"Good. If you had said anything weird about my Gran Gran Gran, I would have hit you in the boingloings."

"…Boingloings?" Jiraiya repeated slowly.

"It is the Catarina word for…" Naruto stopped halfway, seeing Jiraiya's look.

"No it is not. You just made that up."

"And you fell for it."

Jiraiya snorted and shook his head. "Brat."

Naruto stepped forward, staring at the broken temple with a strange mix of pride and sadness. "Pervy Sage… I am not good enough at fuinjutsu yet. Can you check if everything is still working?"

"Sure," Jiraiya said. He crouched down and spent several long minutes examining the stonework, the lingering lines, and the stabilizing seals carved into the earth. His brows furrowed, then relaxed. "It all seems intact. Nothing collapsed after Mito sama passed on."

Naruto let out a shaky breath of relief. "Good. I was worried the whole thing might fall apart when her soul left."

"So what now?"

Naruto hesitated, then asked, "Is there any way I can take this fuinjutsu back with me?"

"This fuinjutsu is not something you can just copy onto paper. It is woven into the very foundation of the ruins. If you want to bring it with you, the only way is to seal the entire temple itself into a scroll."

"Let us do that."

"No way. That would take too long and too much chakra."

Naruto straightened, eyes serious. "I have the time. And I have the chakra."

Jiraiya looked at him for a long moment, gauging him, then sighed. "Fine. I will inscribe the sealing array. You will provide the chakra."

Naruto nodded.

"Alright then. Give me a moment."

Jiraiya reached into his sleeve. Naruto expected a normal brush. Instead, Jiraiya pulled out a brush taller than he was, a massive ink bottle the size of a bed, and an absurdly large scroll that unrolled for what felt like several hundred feet.

Naruto sweatdropped. "Where did you even get all of that?"

"These are for when Boss Bunta wants to write poetry."

Naruto blinked… then Jiraiya casually tossed him a smaller scroll.

"And here is my attempt at it."

Naruto opened it.

Inside was the most unhinged poetry he had ever seen.

"The moon glistens bright
Upon her damp lily pads
Oh hop, hop, my love."

"Her croak calls to me
Beneath the sacred wetlands
I long for her slime."

"Two frogs in the mud
Bound by destiny's ribbit
Clutch me, tadpole queen."

"How did you even write this?" Naruto asked, half horrified, half impressed. "What does this even mean? Her croaks echo across my lonely pond, stirring my tadpole heart? What possessed you?"

"Ah, that one is a personal favorite. I imagined myself as a frog serenading Tsunade… who was also a frog. Very poetic, very symbolic."

"…That explains too much and not enough at the same time."

Naruto dropped the scroll onto his lap like it had personally offended him. After a moment of silence, he sighed and asked, "Oi, Pervy Sage… can I ask you something serious?"

Jiraiya paused mid brushstroke, eyebrow twitching at the sudden shift in tone. "…Sure, kid. What is on your mind?"

Naruto fiddled with the edge of the scroll. "When do you think someone should reveal a secret? Like… a big one."

Jiraiya's brush froze.

Naruto did not miss it.

"…Oh?" Jiraiya said after a beat, forcing a teasing lilt into his voice. "That the kind of question a boy asks when he has a crush on a girl? Planning to confess? Want this old sage to give you some romance tips?"

Naruto gave him the most deadpan expression a human could muster. "No. This is not about a girl. And you are the last person I would go to for romantic advice."

Jiraiya clutched his chest dramatically. "Ouch. My pride."

"Your pride is not real. Anyways, answer my question."

"A secret should be told when you are ready to give the whole truth. Not just the parts that are convenient. Not because someone asks, not because you feel cornered, but because you are ready to share everything that comes with it."

Silence.

Naruto waited for Jiraiya to say something… anything… to take this chance. To explain their relationship. To say something about his father. Even a flimsy excuse like I will tell you in Konoha would have been something.

But Jiraiya said nothing.

And Naruto knew the spymaster had already put the pieces together. So why not say it? Why keep pretending?

In a fit of anger, Naruto's chakra rippled, cracking the stone beneath his feet as everything he had been holding in finally snapped.

"ENOUGH!"

Jiraiya whipped around.

Naruto's voice shook. "Jiraiya… tell me about my parents. Tell me why every answer I get comes from ghosts and strangers instead of you."

His breathing hitched.

"Tell me… what… I am to you."

Author Note: And with that, I leave you on a cliffhanger. First, I want to apologize for the late update. This chapter was supposed to come out on November 12, but I ended up getting sick and then had some real life things to deal with. I hope the wait was worth it. Now let us get into the Q and A.

Q: Is the fifty level stat buff something everyone gets when they obtain a Rune?

Answer: Normally, no. The Rune on average gives around a twenty point boost. The reason Naruto received such an absurd jump is because his astral form, the dragon, literally drank from the senjutsu well. I think it is pretty obvious why a giant hundred meter dragon can hold far more chakra than a human.

Since this topic has popped up a few times, I will address it here: Some people are concerned that Naruto is becoming too overpowered for the Chunin Exams, or that the exams will not be a challenge anymore.

This concern comes from thinking too strictly in canon terms. My fanfic is going in its own direction after the exams. Even the exams themselves will be different from canon. The fact that multiple villages, major and minor, are participating should be hint enough. And Naruto is not going to be facing average genin or chunin. The exams will involve big threats, political schemes from Danzo, Orochimaru's interference, and unique challenges.

Characters like Gaara are not going to be nerfed for the plot.

Konoha eleven will also get their own power ups in ways that make sense for this version of the story.

Point is: do not worry about Naruto getting stronger. The story is planned out, and I know exactly how I want everything to unfold. Just enjoy the ride.

And also yes, this is an OP Naruto story. While Naruto will have a lot of obstacles in the exam and outside of it, he will still be OP.

Q: Why does Naruto have blonde hair in the seals instead of pure red?

So I want to clear something up right away because I have seen a few comments worried that I am removing Minato's side of Naruto. Trust me, I am not doing that at all.

Yes, Naruto getting red hair is a big visual shift, but it does not mean Minato's legacy suddenly vanished. Naruto still has Minato's blue eyes, he still uses the Rasengan, and in the story Minato is still the benchmark that people compare DS Naruto to. In fact, Minato's connection to Lordran is a bigger piece of the plot than some of you realize, and that will be explored later.

So no, I am not removing anything about Minato just because Naruto's hair changed color.

Some of you suggested the idea of Naruto having blonde tips or streaks, and I sat with that for a bit. I ended up liking the idea, but not the flame like blonde tips. They looked way too tacky for what I wanted. So I decided Naruto would still have some blonde mixed into his red hair. Normally you cannot see it at a glance, but if you comb through it or if the light hits right, the blonde is there.

It is subtle, but it is important to the theme. Naruto will embrace both sides of his heritage.

Hope you guys like that direction.

Edit: A lot of you brought this up, so I want to confirm it clearly. Yes, DS Naruto will learn the Flying Thunder God. Yes, he will learn Uzumaki clan fuinjutsu. And yes, he will get even more techniques tied to both sides of his heritage. I have said before that I want Naruto's character in this story to reflect both where he comes from and what he has become.

Q: How does Naruto have Wood Release?

Alright, this is probably the biggest talking point of the chapter. A lot of you were confused about Naruto's wood release. So let me clarify.

First of all, it is not technically Wood Release. Not in the Hashirama sense.

Canon Wood Release converts chakra into life. It makes trees, vines, plants, and in Hashirama's case entire forests. Some users make smaller vegetation or binding techniques. At its highest level, it is a life giving force that controls natural growth.

Naruto's version is not that.

His wood is stone wood. It is more like the archtrees of Dark Souls than normal vegetation. These archtrees predate the cycle of life and death. They existed in the Age of Ancients. They are closer to primordial formations than plant growth.

And yes, there were hints to this throughout the story:

When Haku first found Naruto naked in the forest, there was a stone wood flower beside him. That was the very first hint.

When Naruto met the mushroom people of Oolacile, they described his presence as being like that of a tree. In Dark Souls, the mushroom people live inside or near archtrees, so that comparison was deliberate.

The description of Naruto's Rune is based on the Yggdrasil Rune from Norse mythology. And since there are theories that archtrees can hold up or connect entire worlds, you could say that Naruto's Rune was another hint toward his Archtree Release.

I retconned Hashirama's Wood Release to come from the Rune. Since Hashirama's lineage is tied to Ashura, and since Naruto was once an Ashura reincarnation before Lordran changed his soul, this made Wood Release a potential trait lurking in his soul.

But because Naruto's soul has the dragon scale fused into it, the Rune awakened that part in a very different direction. Instead of regular Wood Release, Naruto developed the ancient version. The primordial form.

So his wood does not function like the Senju's. It is older and weirder. And stronger in some ways.

Now the real question: what should I officially name it?

Do we go with Archtree Release, which sounds more mystical and Dark Souls aligned? Or Archwood Release, which sounds more like a kekkei genkai name?

I am honestly torn, so I want to hear your opinions.

Q: Can you explain the lore of Archtrees?

So, first things first: we actually do not know much about archtrees. Shocker, I know.

Archtrees are one of the oldest mysteries in the franchise. There are many theories about them, including the idea that they hold up or connect entire worlds. And honestly, if you look across FromSoft's games, some variant of an archtree or a giant world tree keeps showing up. That is why some fans believe every FromSoft world is secretly connected.

It also does not help that Elden Ring Nightreign exists, which makes people go, Oh, so the Dark Souls multiverse is real after all. Whether you believe that theory or not, or whether you think archtrees are literal world pillars or just ancient lifeforms, let us get into what we actually know about them in Dark Souls.

Archtrees are enormously tall and wide primordial trees that tower up to the skies and reach deep into the earth.

The archtrees were entities that existed in the Age of Ancients, alongside the Archdragons. In this state, before the First Flame brought any form of life and diversity, the world was undistinguished and consequently everything was made of ash colored rocks. Like dragons, archtrees were also made of stone and were half living, half mineral and simply existed without any changes. They covered the surface of the world, their roots kilometers deep with trunks reaching the sky. The rock wood of the archtrees was immensely capable of resisting magic.

Izalith and her daughters burned down the archtrees.

At some point the creatures that found the Lord Souls near the First Flame underground and developed their powers emerged to the surface with the intention of exterminating the dragons and conquering the world for themselves. During the war that followed, Izalith and her daughters used sorcery and their powers to manipulate flames and weaved great firestorms that scorched the very earth, destroying the archtrees and burning the dragons while Nito unleashed a miasma of death, rotting the archtrees and infecting the dragons, and Gwyn and his knights battled the dragons with their mighty lightning bolts. After the long struggle the Lords emerged victorious, exterminating most of the archdragons and archtrees, thus conquering the surface world for themselves.

The remnants of a forest of archtrees in the Ash Lake.

Despite the brutal conflict, several specimens of archtrees continued to survive, and in particular in the Ash Lake, an immense underground cave, many of them are still intact, offering shelter to one of the last examples of archdragon descendants, the Stone Dragon. Additionally, following the war against the dragons, Izalith developed her civilization underground, building the city bearing her name around the framework of a surviving archtree. The demons created by Izalith's Bed of Chaos would have used the tree's stone bark to forge their great hammers. The few archtrees that survived evolved into the giant trees found in Lordran, considered their distant offspring, and their wood still inherited the magic resistant properties of their ancestors.

The remnants of an archtree in the north of Drangleic. In the region of Drangleic, the lower remains of an archtree can be found in the north. Under the immense structures of the tree's roots the Shrine of Amana was built and it was inhabited by the maidens of Amana, while even deeper under the roots the Undead Crypt was located. Here the Fenito and Milfanito took care of the sleep of the undead and alleviated their suffering.

The remnants of an archtree at the end of the world.

At the end of the world, when the First Flame has reached the last crumbs of its power, the entire world has come to converge around its kiln. The last sparks of the First Flame are located inside an immense dead archtree, cleanly sliced in half and now empty inside. The Demon Prince took refuge inside this hollow tree after being defeated by Lorian and retreating beneath the earth.

It is also possible to theorize that the First Flame ignited itself within an archtree. In fact, the Kiln of the First Flame, which in Dark Souls was covered by the layers of structures in Dark Souls Three appears clearly, revealing that the First Flame was stored exactly in the center of an ancient archtree. Additionally, Izalith created her own copy of the First Flame within the archtree at the center of her city, thus likely attempting to replicate the original conditions in which the Flame had manifested itself for her experiment.

Q: What does Archtree or Archwood Release actually do?

Alright, so this is the big one. And the honest answer right now is… I do not fully know yet.

Dark Souls barely explains archtrees outside of they are ancient, they are magic resistant, and they are connected to world geometry in weird ways.

For now, the only confirmed thing is that Naruto woke something up, and that something is not traditional Wood Release.

But the full set of abilities is still flexible, and I actually want your ideas for how it should evolve.

I have some possible directions, but I want this to be a community brainstorm. Throw me your ideas, no matter how weird or dumb they sound. I love reading them, and some of the best concepts in this fic came from comment sections.

To help get your imagination going, here are a few starter concepts:

Idea A: Archtrees absorb the nature of the soil they grow from. Example: if Naruto uses it in a silver mine, the archtree sprouts as silver wood with metallic properties.

Idea B: Archtrees are naturally resistant to magic or chakra. This means Naruto could go full mech mode and make stone wood constructs, wooden golems, or even armor that cannot be burned or cut by ninjutsu.

Idea C: Archtrees produce mushrooms instead of flowers. You know how Hashirama uses flowering trees and pollen to knock people out?

Naruto could create a forest of giant mushrooms that release spores based on mushroom resins.
Imagine spores that burn you from inside, or electrify your nerves, or poison your chakra.

Those are just a few ideas to help kickstart your creativity. I would love to hear what you all come up with. Anything goes. If you have a cool, insane, broken, or funny idea for Archtree Release, toss it in the comments.

I will read everything.

That's It… For Now.

And if you can't wait for the next update, the next chapter drops on Nov 23th! You can read ahead to Chapter 107 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
 
Snuffles said:
Maybe have the archtrees work like a Shinju tree, but symbiotic instead of parasitic. Basically working like a slow but expanding benefit for the world, slowly healing stuff around them.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
The archtrees are unchanging, not healing, but..
It could have esoteric uses such as protecting things around it via its unchanging nature, undoing any damage done in its vicinity while it is active. So it won't heal old wounds, but setting one up before a battle will save a lot of lives, that sort of thing.
Or making it harder to manipulate chakra the closer you are to it. A sort of suppression aura if you will.

Perhaps both but separately as Naruto learns to first brute force the raw nature of the archtree to suppress and then later figures out how to use it to protect.
 
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Chapter no.67 Naruto New
Chapter no.67 A Voice Long Silent Answers at Last

A heavy silence settled between them, thick enough to choke on.

Naruto's blue eyes stayed fixed on Jiraiya, unwavering, demanding and slightly teary.

Jiraiya exhaled slowly as he looked up at the moon like a poet trying to borrow courage from the night. "You know," he began quietly, voice roughened by years and regret, "before I ever wrote my Icha Icha novels… I tried something else. Something different."

Naruto raised a brow.

"It was a simple story. A novel about a wandering shinobi who dreamed of bringing peace to a world torn apart by war. Nothing flashy, no steamy romances, just one man carrying his ideals wherever he went. I called it The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi."

There was a faraway look in the sage's eyes as he spoke. "It didn't sell. Hardly anyone cared about it. But I always held onto it, even when I pretended I didn't. It was… important to me."

Naruto wondered. Why bring this up now? What does it have to do with my parents? Was it because that book is the reason they started talking in the first place. Either they bonded over it, or…

"What was the name of the main character?"

Jiraiya hesitated for the briefest moment, then answered, "Naruto."

"My parents named me after your book's protagonist?"

Jiraiya huffed out a breath that was almost a laugh, almost a sigh. "You know… when Minato and Kushina told me they wanted to name their kid after a character I wrote, I thought they were pulling my leg. I told them it was a terrible idea. I said, 'If you do that, I am legally stuck as his godfather forever.'"

He shook his head.

"But those two… Minato had that calm, stubborn look he always got when he made up his mind, and Kushina was already bouncing with excitement. They said the name fit... the story fit and their son deserved a name with a destiny behind it. One loud enough and bright enough to shake the world."

The air went still.

"With how close you were to my parents… why didn't you ever try to be there for me?"

The question hung in the air like a blade.

"Come on, brat. I'm a hermit. Not exactly the fatherly type."

"Please," Naruto pressed. "Don't dodge it. I want a real answer."

Finally, with a heavy sigh, Jiraya answered. "I'm not just a wandering sage. I'm the head of Konoha's spy network. Every week I move from village to town to city. Sometimes I sleep under bridges. Sometimes in enemy territory. My life has been nothing but danger. Every step I take, there's a chance I won't come back. You think that's the kind of life I could drag a child into?"

"So the great Toad Sage was just living like a recluse on the road," Naruto said dryly. "Spying on villages, spying on women… for what exactly?"

Jiraiya let out a slow breath and chose not to rise to the bait. "I was protecting Konoha," he said simply. "The shinobi world does not run on strength alone. It runs on information. Intelligence can prevent wars before they start. A single message can save a thousand lives. My network… it kept Konoha standing more times than anyone ever realized."

Naruto made a face that he understood, but clearly did not like it.

"And I was trying to protect you."

"Eh?"

"Even civilians knew you were the Nine Tails jinchuriki. And jinchuriki are living weapons. To enemy nations, capturing or killing you would have crippled Konoha more than losing any number of shinobi." Jiraiya sighed. "The reason no foreign assassin ever came for you was because I made sure the world never knew where you were. I spread false reports, false sightings, even false jinchuriki identities. I used my entire network to keep you hidden."

"And that is also why I was never in danger for being an Uzumaki?"

"In a sense, yes." Jiraiya nodded. "And it was easy to hide. The Uzumaki were known for their red hair. You did not have it. No one looking at you would think Uzumaki, no matter how hard they squinted."

Naruto's fists tightened. He slammed the ground, voice cracking with emotion he could no longer keep down. "You did all of that… and you could not find a way to be in my life? Not once? Was there something wrong with me? Something that made you not want to be around me?"

"There was nothing wrong with you," Jiraya shouted, startling Naruto. "Nothing. Everything that was wrong… was with me."

"...what?"

Jiraya clenched the brush in his hand. "The world sees Jiraiya the Gallant. One of the Legendary Sannin. But when I look in the mirror... I don't see that man. I see someone who never got over his first love. Someone who was too much of a coward to settle down because he knew he couldn't love anyone else the same way. Someone who watched his students die while he lived on. Someone who wasted years chasing a monster that used to be his best friend."

His voice cracked on the last words. "And someone who has failed… time and time again."

The silence was suffocating.

"I'm sorry… alright?" Jiraiya's voice cracked as his eyes were glassy, and for once, the great Toad Sage looked like nothing more than a tired old man. "I couldn't do it. I couldn't take on another child when I already knew that I would fail."

The toad sage just held his head.

"I've failed too many times… Nagato... Yahiko... Konan… even Minato."

Silence settled between them.

Jiraiya kept his eyes on the scroll and let his hands move. Stroke after stroke, the brush laid ink in long, sweeping lines. The smell of it rose in the cool night air. The rhythm helped steady him. Drag, lift, curve. Dip, drag, lift. Fuinjutsu required precision, and the familiarity of the motions kept his mind from wandering back to the boy behind him.

Naruto, meanwhile, tipped his head back toward the sky.

Without the lights of any village to drown it out, the night above Uzushiogakure was impossibly clear. The stars were sharp, cold pinpricks of silver scattered across an endless black sea. Some burned bright and steady like distant bonfires, others shimmered as if breathing. The band of the Milky Way stretched overhead like a river of powdered diamonds, drifting lazily across the heavens. A faint purple haze bled into the horizon, and every now and then, a shooting star carved a soft arc of gold across the darkness.

"Did you ever think of me... on your travels?"

The question hit heavier than the last.

"Whenever I saw little children playing in the streets. My mind always seemed to wander and wonder about you," Jiraiya admitted.

"Then… couldn't you have at least come by? Just… just to let me know I wasn't completely alone?"

Jiraiya hesitated before replying, "I tried once. You were five years old. I remember this little kid who had wandered off from the orphanage. He was staring at a frog shaped wallet like it was the most amazing thing in the world."

"No way."

The memory hit Naruto like a hammer. He could see it clearly now, a giant of a man looming over him, buying him that silly frog wallet and then walking him back to the orphanage. A core memory he had buried deep because the man's face had slipped away with time.

"That was me. And when I handed you back to the matron. I thought about taking you with me... I really did." The toad sage just place a hand to his forehead. "But in that moment I knew something… I knew that if I became part of your life, I wouldn't be able to leave. I'd want to watch you grow up. I'd want to see every step you took, every stupid mistake you made and every little victory. I'd want to… be there."

Jiraya met Naruto's eyes as he continued, "And I was terrified, Naruto. Terrified that if I made that choice... I would fail you... the same way I failed everyone else."

Naruto sighed, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a smoking pipe from his inventory, packed with a faintly glowing green blossom.

"You should not be smoking that weird herb, boy."

Naruto lit his pipe with fire chakra, inhaled deeply, and then exhaled a slow plume of shimmering emerald smoke to the beautiful sky.

"Do you not know the three prohibitions of a shinobi? Women, money, and drugs. Three vices that can destroy you before any enemy ever does."

Naruto just stared at him, utterly deadpan, as if looking at the living embodiment of all three vices rolled into one man. "…Right. That coming from you is real rich."

Jiraiya sputtered. "Hey now."

Naruto cut him off, exhaling smoke through his nose. "So now you want to be part of my life, huh?"

"It is your choice, brat." Jiraiya's voice was steady, but the way his fingers tightened around the brush betrayed him. "If you don't want me around, I will disappear and you will never see me again…"

"Yeah, you are not getting away that easy, you perverted bastard."

Jiraiya's mouth opened, closed, then opened again. No words came out.

"You know, Pervy Sage… you can just say you want to be in my life."

Jiraiya's lips trembled. "But… do I deserve it?"

"No."

Jiraiya's head dropped like a rock.

"But," Naruto continued, softer now, "your answers gave me a lot to think about. I'm not gonna suddenly treat you like my godfather or anything like that."

"I do not expect that."

"So are you willing to put in time and effort then, Pervy Sage?"

"…I can try," Jiraiya said as he motioned for Naruto to pour chakra into the seal. A burst of smoke filled the area, and when it cleared, the entire ruined temple was sealed inside a massive scroll before shimmering and vanishing into Naruto's inventory.

"So, what are you planning to do with that?"

"Keep it until I can rebuild my clan," Naruto said. "Then it becomes history."

"So that is your goal... rebuilding your clan?"

"One of many," Naruto chuckled. "But yeah. It's up there."

"Then you are going to need to learn to control that monstrous chakra of yours." Jiraiya smirked.

"So you want to teach me?"

"Not to brag," Jiraiya said, puffing his chest out, "but yes. I was your father's sensei."

Naruto gave him a flat look.

"Hey, come on, I am trying here. Throw me a bone."

"Let's make something clear," Naruto said, voice steady. "I still have a lot of unresolved feelings. It's going to take a long time to untangle all of it, and it is not just going to disappear because we had one good conversation."

"I know."

"And I am not calling you my godfather," Naruto added. "You're Pervy Sage. Always have been. Always will be."

Jiraiya snorted and ruffled Naruto's red hair. "Good. Keep the 'godfather' stuff away from me. If baby you had waddled up calling me that, I would've scored some points with the ladies. Instead, I got stuck with a hyperactive red haired hurricane of madness and chaos. Lucky me, huh?"

That earned him a punch straight to the gut.

Jiraiya wheezed, folding over. "Yep. That is… definitely Kushina's kid."

"So how exactly are we supposed to fix my chakra control?" Naruto asked as Jiraiya guided him toward the riverbank.

"I am sure Kakashi told you that the hardest place to focus chakra is at the soles of your feet."

"Yeah, and if you are about to say water walking. I already figured it out after watching Kakashi use it against Zabuza."

"Well, normal shinobi train control because their chakra is limited. They have to mold it precisely or they waste what little they have. But you… your reserves have exploded in size overnight. Your body is overflowing with chakra you cannot guide properly. You do not need precision yet. You need to learn how to move that much energy without overwhelming yourself."

Naruto frowned. "So, what am I supposed to do then?"

Jiraiya jumped lightly onto the river and stood on the surface as if it were solid ground. "You are going to learn how to do this."

"Stand on moving water?"

"That is the start." Jiraiya smirked. The water beneath his feet began to churn. Then twist. Then rise in a spiraling column that lifted him several feet up. "This is the real lesson."

"What's that?"

"An advanced nature transformation exercise," Jiraiya explained. "Similar to how you use wind chakra to cut a waterfall but for water natured chakra."

"How so?"

"With wind, you create the cutting edge yourself. But water is different. Here, you are not creating anything. You are forcing an existing mass to obey your chakra." Jiraya let the pillar sink back down, the water settling calmly under his sandals. "This is why you never underestimate a water shinobi near lakes, rivers, or the sea. They turn the battlefield itself into a weapon. I would know… surviving a monster in the water is what got me named one of the Sannin."

Naruto's eyes lit up instantly. Jiraiya took that as his cue and continued, swirling a bit of water with his foot.

"Listen closely, brat. Back during the Second Great Shinobi War, we faced Amegakure's Hanzō the Salamander. And during our battle, only three Konoha shinobi survived facing that monster."

"Only three?"

"That's right." Jiraiya jabbed a thumb at himself. "Me, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. Hanzō was so impressed we survived that he spared our lives and called us Konoha's Legendary Sannin."

Naruto made a face. "Wow. The Sannin sound a lot less impressive when..."

Jiraiya smacked him lightly on the head. "Watch your mouth. You do not understand what kind of monster Hanzō was."

Naruto rubbed his head. "Alright, alright. What made him so strong?"

"First, he implanted the poison sacs of a giant salamander into his body. He fought as a living weapon, able to release poison that could wipe out an army. One breath from him could kill someone like Kakashi."

Naruto whistled. He quietly wondered if Blooming Purple Moss or regular Purple Moss Clumps would work on that kind of poison.

"Second," Jiraiya continued, "Hanzō was the greatest underwater fighter the shinobi world had ever known. Amegakure specialized in aquatic combat. Their equipment and techniques lets them move, strike, and vanish under water as easily as walking on land. And Hanzō… was the pinnacle of that style."

"How do you even fight someone like that?"

"You do not," Jiraiya said dryly. "You pray. His summons were salamanders the size of houses. His poisons could choke entire lakes. And underwater, he was untouchable. A whole Konoha platoon died before they even understood what was happening."

"But you survived."

"Because we each countered one part of him. I trained under the toads, so I had techniques to fight underwater. Princess Tsunade could counter his poison. And Orochimaru's snakes could contend with the salamanders. Without those weird combinations, we would have died like everyone else."

Naruto let out a low whistle. "So if I ever have to fight Hanzō, I can use this water manipulation exercise to fight him underwater."

Jiraiya threw his head back and laughed so loudly the birds scattered. "Fight Hanzō? You?" He wiped a tear from his eye. "Brat, if you ever tried, you would not even get the chance to scream before he turned you into a puddle."

"Hey..."

Jiraiya waved him off. "Relax. You have potential, but do not go imagining yourself in the big leagues yet. Focus on mastering your own strength first. One day you might climb that high, but right now you need to learn how control your chakra."

"I still do not see how an elemental manipulation exercise is supposed to help my chakra control," Naruto said, rubbing his temples.

"Because, brat, you have an absurd amount of chakra now. Way more than before. If you try to practice control with little exercises, it is like trying to tame a tornado with a paper fan."

"…that sounds stupid."

"It is stupid," Jiraiya said bluntly. "Which is why we are not doing that." He pointed at the river. "You need an exercise that demands your chakra. Something that forces you to push it out, shape it, then rein it back in. Controlling a whole body of moving water does exactly that."

"So… waterbending makes me better at chakra control?"

"Not waterbending, you little gremlin," Jiraiya corrected. "You are using water natured chakra gathered at your feet aka the hardest place to mold and release chakra properly. If you can stabilize it there, while also commanding a river, then the rest of your chakra control will improve dramatically."

Naruto smacked his fist into his palm and grinned. "Lucky for me, I have some experience with water chakra."

"Oh? With your natural affinity, that makes sense."

"I did not have a water affinity back then."

Jiraiya blinked. "You are telling me you suddenly developed an affinity out of nowhere?"

Naruto shrugged. "Blame the Rune. Or the dragon scale. Or both." He chuckled and walked toward the river.

Jiraiya froze at the word dragon. That single word hit him harder than any punch Naruto could throw. His mind snapped back to the prophecy the elder toad had whispered to him weeks ago. The prophecy of a dragon that would one day attack Konoha. Until now, his leading theory had been simple. Orochimaru. If that snake ever mastered Sage Mode, he might shed his skin enough times to become something dragon like.

It had been a logical theory, after all.

Orochimaru hated Konoha, and Pa had informed him that all snakes dream of becoming dragons. It made sense.

But now…

Another possibility crept in.

Is Lordran the summoning realm for dragons?

The thought was so absurd, so terrifyingly plausible in its absurdity, that Jiraiya muttered it aloud before he could stop himself.

What in the world did you get tangled up in, Minato…

Naruto continued without noticing Jiraiya's spiralling thoughts. "So when I was training with Sasuke in elemental manipulation, I figured something out. The biggest part of learning a new nature is imagination and practice. You do not get an affinity for free, but you can fake it if your control is sharp enough."

Jiraiya nodded absentmindly.

Naruto stepped onto the water. "And when I was fighting Capra, there was this moment where something just clicked. Ayame once taught me how to make an omelet. You heat the pan until the water droplets roll right off. So I thought, what if I use that concept with water chakra? Apply the same idea and let the water chakra coat my body."

"That is clever," Jiraiya admitted, snapping back to the present. "Using water to counter fire."

"What fire? The Capra Demon threw a wave of lava at me."

Jiraiya nearly choked. Every lingering thought about prophecies, dragons, and Minato evaporated the instant Naruto casually dropped that bomb. "DEMON. LAVA?!"

Naruto did not even get the chance to answer. He stepped onto the river, focused, and pushed his chakra downward and immediately blasted far too much. The entire river exploded upward in a towering column of water, launching Naruto straight into the sky like a screaming, red haired firework.

Jiraiya watched him fly with a sweatdrop. "He is a little too calm about this."

Naruto twisted in the air like being thrown into the sky was part of a normal warm up routine.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya rubbed his temples. A headache threatened to split his skull as there were so many questions he had and thoughts about everything.

"I need to talk to Ma and Pa about this," Jiraiya muttered. "If anyone knows where Lordran is, it is them."

Naruto splashed down into the water with a laugh, barely phased.

Jiraiya glanced at him. Should I give him the toad contract? Would Minato would want me to if he had a summoning contract with Lordran?

Meanwhile, back in Naruto's tent, something peculiar was unfolding.

A smear of Naruto's dried blood that soaked deep into the soil hours earlier had begun to pulse faintly, like a dying ember catching breath. From that spot, a tiny mushroom pushed its way up through the dirt. It was an orange mushroom. Pale veins ran along its surface in delicate branching patterns.

At first glance, it seemed harmless... almost cute.

Until it twitched.

Then it popped fully out of the soil and started waddling forward on stubby roots, moving with the frantic, blind energy of a newborn animal.

The Shrumeling squeaked, if one could call that faint wet rustle a squeak, and its mycelium began to twist together. Fibers braided, hardened, thickened into crude limb like appendages. The little thing staggered toward the tent flap and was promptly devoured whole.

Oscar paused with the mushroom creature half sticking out of his mouth. He chewed once, delicately, and swallowed.

Naruto's leaking woodchakra had clearly altered the soil. These bizarre "Shrumelings" kept sprouting every few hours from Naruto's mercurius, and Oscar had taken it upon himself to dispose of them. He sighed, the way only an exasperated lizard of noble bearing could sigh, and lay back under the moonlight, letting the soft glow ripple across his scales. For a moment, he closed his eyes and imagined a hot bubble bath with Naruto scrubbing behind his crystals.

The thought made him smile.

That smile vanished instantly when he heard another rustle.

Another Shrumeling's cap burst from the ground with a wet pop.

Oscar's eye twitched.

By the grace of all ancient lords, he thought in refined irritation, if Master Naruto does not learn to restrain his leaking chakra, I swear upon my crystal bloodline… I shall bite his balls clean off.

With weary dignity, the crystal lizard rose and padded back into the tent, resigned to yet another long night of fungal extermination.

Meanwhile, several kilometers away, Naruto was being launched into the sky for what had to be the twentieth time, spinning end over end while wearing the most unimpressed expression imaginable. Jiraiya watched from below, pinching the bridge of his nose as another geyser of water erupted from the river and punted Naruto upward like a ragdoll.

"Focus your chakra, brat!"

Naruto, upside down mid air, shouted back, "I am focusing!"

He then cratered into the river for the fifteenth time.

Back at the campsite, Team 7 slept soundly. Sakura had slapped noise blocking sealing tags onto the walls of their tent the moment Naruto attempted training with Jiraiya, and all three teammates were blissfully unaware of the chaos outside.

Tomorrow, they would begin their journey back to Konoha.

And waiting for them there was a completely different kind of disaster. One involving the Hokage, Danzo, political fallout, clan secrets, and the maelstrom of the shinobi world known as Naruto Uzumaki.

But for tonight?

Only the river, the moonlight, and a very tired lizard dealing with the fae.

Author Note: That wraps up this chapter. I know this one may be shorter compared to the usual releases. That said, the conversation between Naruto and Jiraiya was something I did not want to rush or drown in excessive events. It needed its own space to properly establish its emotional and narrative weight. Some moments are not about scale, but meaning, and this was one of them. Next chapter, we return to Konoha, and trust me, things are about to move forward in a big way. Thank you for your continued support and patience.

Now, let us move on to the Q and A.

1. Can you elaborate on how you are characterizing Jiraiya in this story?

So, Jiraiya is honestly one of the most polarizing characters in Naruto, and the fandom reflects that.

Some readers absolutely love him. He is the loveable goofy pervert, the mentor with some of the most emotional scenes in the series, and his death is still considered one of the best written moments in all of Naruto.

And then there are readers who really cannot stand him. They see the pervy habits, the questionable decisions, and especially the way Naruto grew up without proper support, and they hold that directly against Jiraiya.

Now, speaking as a writer, I enjoy Jiraiya a lot. I love him as Naruto's mentor, I adore his fight with Pain, and he has some of the most memorable philosophy in the entire series. But I also dislike certain aspects of his character, especially how his perversion is sometimes played too lightly and how inconsistent Kishimoto was regarding his relationship with Naruto.

And that inconsistency leads to the next point.

The Godfather Debate

There has always been confusion about Jiraiya being Naruto's godfather. A lot of it comes from translation differences.

In the manga and the Japanese dub, Jiraiya calls himself 名付け親 (nazuke oya) which literally means "naming parent."

In Western cultures, that basically sounds like "godfather," so that is how it was translated. But in Japanese culture, a kari oya, usually a woman, would actually be the godparent with guardianship responsibilities. Jiraiya, by contrast, simply named Naruto.

Now, even if that is the "official" explanation, I do not particularly like it from a narrative standpoint.

If Jiraiya was truly that close to Minato and Kushina, then he should have had some involvement in Naruto's upbringing. But canon gives us nothing. No hint, no implication, not even a throwaway line that Jiraiya made any effort to be part of Naruto's early life.

But that is the flaw of the original writing, not the character himself. So, as fanfic author, we get to fill in the gaps.

In my version, the explanation is more grounded and takes advantage of a major plot hole that exists even in canon.

Jiraiya is a spymaster. He runs a massive intelligence network across the entire shinobi world. After Minato's death and the Kyuubi attack, Konoha was at one of its weakest points. It makes perfect sense that Jiraiya would be extremely busy stabilizing that network and dealing with threats to the village.

And that brings us to the biggest canon oversight of all. Despite being the known Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails, Naruto was never assassinated or kidnapped by enemy villages.

Think about it.

1: Kumo canonically attempted to kidnap Hinata while Naruto is alive and known as the nine tails jinchuriki.

2: They canonically kidnapped Kushina when she was a child.

3: The entire shinobi world had espionage networks.

4: Chunin Exams allow foreign shinobi to walk right into Konoha.

5: Naruto was publicly known as the jinchuriki.

Yet in canon, no village ever made a move on him.

Why?

Because Kishimoto did not write one.

So in my story, I fix that by giving that overlooked responsibility to Jiraiya. He did not raise Naruto, yes. He was not physically present, yes. But he protected Naruto indirectly, using his spy network to spread misinformation and misdirection about the identity of the Kyuubi's jinchuriki.

Fake reports. False dossiers. Deliberate leaks naming other shinobi as potential jinchuriki. A web of noise so thick that no one could pinpoint Naruto.

That makes Jiraiya's absence painful, but meaningful.

Another big criticism often aimed at Jiraiya is simple. He could have at least shown up.

Not to raise Naruto full time, not to suddenly become his guardian, but to look him in the eyes even once and say, "Hey kid, you are not alone. You still have family."

And honestly, I agree with that point.

Canon gives Jiraiya excuses that make sense on paper. He was a full time spymaster, constantly traveling, constantly risking his life. He could barely keep himself alive, let alone raise a baby. I understand that side. It is believable. But even with that, there is still the question. Why did he never drop by? Not even once?

I had to think about this for a long time while writing. In one early draft, I explored the idea that Jiraiya's failures with Yahiko, Konan, Nagato and Minato weighed heavily on him. He could not bring himself to face Naruto because seeing the boy would remind him of the people he could not save.

But while I was weighing all that, I stumbled onto a small fanon idea. Naruto's frog wallet came from Jiraiya.

That one detail opened a door.

It made me imagine a scenario where Jiraiya did meet Naruto at a young age. He bought him the frog wallet as a small attempt at kindness, maybe even as a lonely apology… but he could not bring himself to stay. His responsibilities to Konoha and his failures with the Ame orphans pushed him away every time he even thought about being part of Naruto's life. It became a quiet guilt he could not voice.

In my story, I wanted their dialogue to reflect all these layers. The unresolved guilt. The frustration. The longing for answers that canon never gave us. Their exchange needed to feel grounded and emotionally honest, filling in the gaps Kishimoto never explored.

2 – Why did you add the section about Hanzō the Salamander?

Honestly, this is one of those moments where my writing brain went, "Oh, we are talking about water manipulation? Great. Time to pull out a side topic I have been itching to explore." I have a habit of wandering into interesting lore pits, and Hanzō is one of those characters I have always felt deserved far more love than canon ever gave him.

Hanzō is fascinating. He was built up as this legendary figure, a monster of the old era… and yet when he finally appears in the Fourth War, we barely get anything meaningful.

One of my favorite moments in the entire series is Jiraiya's reaction when he learns Pain killed Hanzō. It is genuine shock. Not fear, not worry, but pure disbelief. That reaction says more about Hanzō's reputation than half of the databooks ever did.

And yes, I have a soft spot for his weapon. The kusarigama is one of my absolute favorite weapons in fiction, so of course I was going to use it. But the real fun in writing that section was digging through the canon material we do have on Hanzō and extrapolating something coherent. So here is where the information came from:

1: Databook 4 states that hanzo carried the poison sacs of a giant salamander in his abdomen and rampaged across the war torn era as a living weapon of deadly venom. Even in the brief glimpses of the 4th shinobi war, we see him use poison clouds large enough to cover huge areas of forest.

2: Databook 3 explicitly states that wearing a special mask, he can maneuver freely underwater. No one can outdo him when submerged.

3: Databook 4's fashion section, narrated by Ino, notes that Ame nin often wear breathing masks. She explains it plainly: "Their look totally fits a rainy country! Everyone seems to wear masks. It's probably designed so they can launch surprise attacks from underwater!" That one line tells us everything about how Ame shinobi fight.

4: Fanbook 1 and 2 reinforce that Amegakure is small but famous for deadly assassination jutsu, and their techniques are sought after by other nations.

5: If you look closely at the panel where the Sannin face Hanzō, he is positioned on his salamander in what appears to be a large body of water. Considering what we know, it heavily implies that the terrain itself was part of his strength.

Put all this together, and the picture becomes clear: Hanzō was a nightmare built for water combat. He could fight underwater. He could poison the entire battlefield. He had a salamander summon. He used a kusarigama in ways that most shinobi simply had no answer for.

Even without full scenes, the pieces of canon paint a deadly clear image. It also explains how the three Sannin survived. Their skill sets countered his terrain in a way few others could.

Jiraiya could counter underwater tactics through toad training.

Tsunade could counter poison.

Orochimaru could neutralize the salamander and the weapon with his snakes.

So I added that section because it was a perfect opportunity to spotlight a criminally underused character and tie him organically into the theme of chakra manipulation.

Plus, it is fun to give readers cool lore dives now and then. I hope you enjoyed that little exploration of Hanzō the Salamander and that it gave you something new to think about.

3 – Why did Naruto's Archtree Release create mushrooms?

This one is actually pretty simple, and also one of those lore connections that made me grin when I wrote it.

In Ds1, the mushroom people have an entire colony of them living inside the massive archtree that leads down to Ash Lake. So when I started thinking about what it felt natural to add the mushrooms in some shape way or form.

Hashirama's Wood Release grows flowers.

Naruto's Archtree Release growing mushrooms felt like the perfect thematic mirror.

Also, a small note because a lot of people misunderstood it from the previous chapter: To clarify, option C was a jutsu idea I came up while writing the author note. Basically, Hashirama has a technique called Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees.

This technique takes advantage of the natural properties of Wood Release, which allow the user to force trees to grow rapidly on any surface. The user creates a dense forest of flowering trees. During the forest's formation, the user can have the branches restrain any target that tries to attack before the forest is complete. The flowers then release pollen into the air, and when inhaled, it renders the target unconscious. The user can also control the spread of the pollen so it does not affect them or their allies. The pollen is even capable of penetrating the defenses of Susanoo.

Now, in Dark Souls, there seems to be some kind of connection between Archtrees and the Mushroom People, and we know that Mushroom People drop Lightning Resin. There are different types of resins in Dark Souls, such as Charcoal Pine Resin that adds fire to weapons, Poison Resin, Lightning Resin, and several others.

Option C was essentially the idea that Naruto, through Archwood Release, would perform a Hashirama like technique, but instead of flowering trees, he would generate archtrees that have mushrooms that release different types of resins with various effects.

And that's basically all there is to it!

And now, a question for you guys: Should DS Naruto get the toad summoning contract?

I genuinely want to hear your thoughts.

Would it fit? Would it clash too hard with where the story is going? Would he even need it with everything else he has?

Let me know what you think, and as always, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I'll see you in the next one.

That's It… For Now.

And if you can't wait for the next update, the next chapter drops on Nov 29th! You can read ahead to Chapter 107 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
 
Really love how you take snippets of data and come up with the lore. Very awesome.

As for the toad contract, I'm personally on the fence. On one hand, it won't mesh with his current combat style. At least from my point of view.

But on the other hand the toads aren't only good at combat. They're also good spies, couriers and informants, so that makes it a potential yes.
 
Honestly I feel like DS Naruto should get the Salamander contract somehow or something similar toads are cool and all but Salamanders are closer to dragons in this sort of theme than Toads.
 
Yes, toad summoner Naruto. Naruto's used to fighting with a buddy, so why not give him some more buddies? Yeah, Oscar deserves siblings.
 
Chapter no.68 Naruto New
Chapter no.68 Fire, Legacy, and the Weight of a Name

Hiruzen Sarutobi had worn the title of Hokage for forty three years, yet the past month felt more chaotic than anything he had dealt with in years. What unsettled him was not only the weight of the problems, but the speed at which they crashed into one another. Every day felt like trying to hold back a river with his bare hands.

Danzo was the first big fracture. Hiruzen had believed he solved that problem years ago. After the Uchiha massacre, when Danzo's growing ambition finally crossed a line, Hiruzen cast him into banishment under guard. No Root, no council maneuvering, and no influence. At least, that had been the intention. Only when Hiruzen prepared to finish what he had delayed and deliver judgement once and for all did the truth surface.

Danzo had slipped from the leash long ago.

The man had never honored his exile, and had instead rebuilt his reach in silence. The Root Anbu network was alive and his objectives were unknown.

The moment that realization landed, Hiruzen felt older than his years.

Then came the Wave mission. On paper it was the sort of escort assignment a fresh genin team could handle without breaking a sweat. Instead it turned into a diplomatic nightmare that spread through the nations faster than fire through dry grass. Even now Hiruzen struggled to understand how one C rank escort unraveled into a dispute that tugged at every major power in the world.

At least Kakashi and Kurenai had managed to erase Konoha's fingerprints from the mess. Small mercy, but Hiruzen counted every mercy he could get.

Even that looked insignificant next to the crisis that followed.

Naruto's lineage leaked. Hiruzen still remembered the night Anbu burst into his office, Bingo Book pages in hand, their masks unable to hide the shock. Someone had packaged fragments of information into a neat narrative and hurled it into the world.

And the world had believed it.

Even if he tried denying the information, every hidden village now carried suspicion that Konoha's jinchuriki was not only Minato's son, but a twelve year old genin who had barely started real missions.

An inexperienced jinchuriki was bait for anyone who wanted a weapon they could mold. One with a bloodline like Naruto's was an even bigger prize, since killing him satisfied old grudges and gutted Konoha's strength in one move.

Reports from the other villages were already reaching Hiruzen's desk. None said it aloud, but their intent was clear. Naruto's existence was a point of great interest.

And Konoha itself refused to stay silent. Shinobi, civilians, even noble clans sent letters demanding answers. Some asked how the truth stayed hidden. Others demanded protection for the boy. A stupider minority refused to believe Naruto was anyone's child, claiming he was simply the Kyuubi itself pretending to be human.

Hiruzen spent a long night with Shikaku Nara. They went through every option, weighed every risk, and came to the same conclusion.

Denying the truth would do nothing.

Every village, even the ones that did not fully accept the leak, now carried enough suspicion to put a mark on Naruto. They would hunt him regardless. If the leak was true, killing him would weaken Konoha. If it was false, then the death of a single genin meant nothing to the shinobi world.

That concern only grew sharper when Kurenai delivered her report. The Kyuubi was gone from Naruto. Konoha was already weaker than anyone realized, and the rest of the world still believed the fox was sealed safely inside Naruto.

So what now?

What could he possibly do that would keep Naruto alive and keep the other villages from learning that the Kyuubi was gone?

Hiruzen gathered the Yamanaka clan at once and requested the Mind Transmission Jutsu.

The Mind Body Transmission Technique is a hidden jutsu utilised by members of the Yamanaka clan to telepathically communicate with entire groups at once. It was not a jutsu only used in moments of crisis or village wide defense ever called for it, and the announcement alone sent ripples of unease across Konoha.

Merchants shuttered their stalls. Civilians hurried toward the square. Shinobi leapt across rooftops to take their places among the crowd. Clans assembled in rows. Soon the space before the Hokage Tower brimmed with people, waiting in an uneasy silence that stretched from one street to the next.

When the jutsu activated, Hiruzen felt thousands of minds brush against his own in a single collective breath. He drew in a slow one of his own and began.

"Rumors have been spreading across our village this week. Many of you have wondered if they are true. As the Third Hokage of Konoha, I speak now to our citizens, to every shinobi here, and to the world beyond our walls." He paused only long enough for the silence to settle deeper. "Uzumaki Naruto is the son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina."

Hiruzen held steady as the shock rippled through the crowd.

If there is any hope of protecting this child, it must begin here, he thought, letting the emotion slip through the link. The world will turn on him now. And without the Kyuubi inside him, they will have even more reason to strike. But within Konoha, he can still be safe. Within these walls, he can be honored as a hero, protected as a child of this village. That much, at least, I can give him.

He continued aloud.

"Minato Namikaze was a hero of Konoha. He laid down his life on the night of the Kyuubi's attack. To protect our young, we told the next generation that he killed the beast. But that was a story meant to keep them from fear. The truth is one all shinobi know. The Kyuubi cannot be killed. It can only be sealed. And the only prison capable of holding it is a human."

A weight settled over the square.

"Through Minato's sacrifice, we survived. Through Kushina's strength, the seal endured. And through their newborn child, the Kyuubi remained contained. His small body held the monster that would have destroyed every one of us. It protected us from the beast and from the ambitions of other nations. That is what it means to be a hero."

For a moment, even the wind fell silent.

"Minato wished for his son to be honored. He wished for Naruto to grow knowing that he carried the gratitude of this village. Yet Konoha failed to uphold those wishes. We allowed fear to blind us. We allowed ignorance to speak louder than truth. We failed to see the child who walked alone. We failed to recognize the burden he carried for all of us while suffering hatred that should never have been his."

Hiruzen took a deep breath, letting shame flow through the link, honest and unfiltered.

"The First Hokage taught us that the foundation of this village is the Will of Fire. The Will of Fire is the belief that the entire village is like a large family unit and every Konoha shinobi with the Will of Fire loves, believes, cherishes, and fights to protect the village, as previous generations had done before them. But we forgot these ideals."

The crowd listened in a thick, heavy silence.

"When we should have protected our hero, we turned away. When we should have loved a child of Konoha, we let our fear speak louder. When we should have upheld the Will of Fire, we let it falter."

He straightened, letting his voice drop into a deeper register.

"And now, beyond these walls, other villages aim to erase the legacy of the Fourth. They seek to strike down the boy who kept this village safe. They hope we will look away a second time. I ask you now… will we let it happen?"

The village held its breath.

Then Hiruzen's voice rang out, carried by both the jutsu and the sheer force of his will.

"No."

The word struck every mind like a hammer. It rang across the rooftops, echoed through the streets, and rippled back in a cry from the people below.

"Konoha will not abandon Naruto Uzumaki. We will defend him. We will raise him. We will honor him as the child of two of our greatest heroes. From this day forward, he will face the world with Konoha at his side."

His voice swelled with a fire the shinobi had not heard from him in years.

"Konoha will shield him from every hand raised against him. Konoha will stand united against any nation that seeks to harm him. We will protect him not because he is a weapon, but because he is ours. This is our duty. This is our promise. And this is the Will of Fire."

And the roar that erupted from the crowd seemed to shake the stone beneath the Hokage Tower.

Hiruzen had hoped that the hatred for the Kyuubi had faded over the last decade. Enough years had passed that he believed Konoha could finally think rationally instead of reacting out of fear. To his relief, it seemed he had not been completely wrong. The majority of civilians and shinobi responded to the announcement with something close to celebration. They spoke Minato's name with pride again. They shared stories of Kushina, memories once whispered in private, now said freely. Many even lit small lanterns outside their homes in honor of the child of the Fourth.

Hiruzen watched all of it unfold over the next few days, quietly observing the shift in the air. Shops hung banners with Minato's likeness. Retired shinobi who once served under the Fourth visited the memorial stone to pay respects. Academy instructors began retelling the night of the Kyuubi with a different tone, one that no longer painted Naruto as the shadow of a monster but as the child of heroes.

But nothing in Konoha had ever been simple.

There were still civilians who could not let go of the hatred they had carried for years. Some glared at the boy's empty apartment whenever they passed it. A few families packed their belongings and requested permission to leave the village altogether. Hiruzen approved every request without hesitation. Better that they leave than stay and fester.

Others reacted in stranger ways. Within the first two days, Hiruzen received no fewer than sixteen letters from individuals begging to commit seppuku to atone for having dishonored the memory of the Fourth by treating his son poorly. Some were dramatic, others frighteningly sincere.

Hiruzen rubbed his forehead as he read them.

Konoha could be reasonable. Konoha could also be impossibly dramatic. He denied every request outright, and to ensure none of them took it upon themselves to make a public spectacle, he added a line stating that any such matter would be decided by Naruto himself upon his return.

Miraculously, that put an end to the worst of the foolishness.

Children in the Academy and the Genin Reserves were divided, some boasting that they were the future teammates of the Fourth's son, others suddenly intimidated by the boy they used to shove aside. A few restaurants that had once refused him now offered free meals in advance, though Hiruzen was certain Naruto would throw those gestures back in their faces when he learned the truth.

Among the shinobi, the shift was the strongest. Many who had served under Minato placed flowers at the Hokage Monument. Several veterans submitted reports offering personal protection assignments and apprenticeships for the boy. Others wrote apologies addressed to Naruto himself, which Hiruzen stored away, unsure how or when the boy should receive them.

But beneath it all, tension remained. Fear of what the other villages would do as Naruto's lineage was confirmed.

By the end of the week, Hiruzen sat in his office as the last of the paperwork settled. He looked out the window, fingers steepled.

Where is Team Seven… and where is Jiraiya? Did they figure out what happened to the Kyuubi? Did Jiraiya tell Naruto about his parents? A knock broke his thoughts. His secretary's voice followed. "Hokage sama, your twelve o'clock meeting with the Daimyo is ready."

"Ah."

Hiruzen composed himself as the chunins wheeled in the Communications Apparatus. A massive metallic construct resembling a polished vault fused with wires and panels. The device had been gifted by the Daimyo, engineered for long distance state communications. Though it was a marvel, Hiruzen was cautious of this tech and what it could mean for the shinobi world in the future.

The screen hummed, static flickering to life until the image sharpened; grainy, black and white, but clear enough.

Yoshiyuki Kaneko, Daimyo of the Land of Fire.

He was not a man given to extravagance but his eyes gleamed. He was no fool. He didn't need a sword. He had coin, armies, and the weight of the Fire Court behind him.

"Old friend, looks like this warless era has not been kind to your hair."

Hiruzen chuckled politely and gave a slow nod. "The peace may be quiet, my lord, but its silence hides many knives. I hope the season has been kind to your household."

Kaneko inclined his head. "As kind as any can hope, with the rumors flying through my court. I imagine you know the ones I speak of."

"Naruto Uzumaki," Hiruzen replied without hesitation. "The son of the Fourth."

"Confirmed by your own hand, I see. Bold."

Hiruzen let the tension settle.

Kaneko continued. "You must know what this means, Hiruzen. The nobility is already in motion. There are whispers about adoption, sponsorship, even talk of bringing the boy into the daimyo's court as one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja. Some see a chance to claim legitimacy through his blood."

Hiruzen's fingers curled around the armrest of his chair, his knuckles pale beneath liver spotted skin. "He is still too young for the world of politics."

Across the screen, the Fire Daimyo gave a genial smile and said, "I see that you wish to protect the boy, old friend, but hiding him from the world does not serve him. Nor the Land of Fire. If he is to carry the legacy of his name, he must be prepared to wield it."

It was not a request. Underneath the silken words and cordial smiles was the weight of court expectation, veiled threat, and unspoken demand.

"Very well. What was the purpose of such a meeting, Lord Kaneko?"

"The Chunin Exams."

"Yes?"

"Alongside myself," the daimyo continued, "a few other daimyo intend to attend."

That alone made Hiruzen hesitate. Daimyo rarely involved themselves in shinobi affairs. They signed budgets, approved missions of significant political weight, and occasionally welcomed foreign envoys. But they never involved themselves directly in examinations meant for young shinobi especially due to the danger.

Kaneko did not stop there.

"And by that," he added with growing excitement, "I mean the daimyo of all five Great Nations. Along with a retinue of nobles, merchants, and diplomats. They all wish to witness this year's Chunin Exams in Konoha."

"That is unprecedented," Hiruzen said.

Kaneko smiled like a man savoring rare wine. "Indeed. It will be a spectacular affair. All five Great Shinobi Villages represented and there are whispers that even the smaller hidden villages plan to send candidates. The potential for treaties, trade, and alliances is enormous."

Hiruzen felt a chill crawl down his spine. He could already see the game the other villages were playing. The exams would become an international stage. A perfect chance to test Konoha's strength, humiliate, and weaken it publicly. And worst of all, it would be the perfect moment to target Naruto under the guise of competition.

But Kaneko continued, blissfully unaware or pretending not to be.

"This will bring great attention to the Leaf."

"And great danger," Hiruzen replied. "Never in history have this many powers gathered in one location. Such a convergence invites catastrophe."

He chose his words carefully, hoping Kaneko would understand. Konoha did not have the luxury to entertain political theatrics, not with enemies lurking in every shadow.

But the Fire Daimyo did not budge. His eyes remained bright.

"Or prosperity," Kaneko countered. "This could elevate our nation above all others. Influence is the currency of the age, Lord Third. Show them the strength of the Leaf, and we win that currency. Decline the opportunity, and we risk appearing weak."

That was a veiled threat. Not from Kaneko directly. The man was amicable enough. But behind him stood the whispering nobles, courtiers, and political leeches who circled the Fire Court like vultures. They would seize on any perceived weakness in Konoha to justify diverting funds, withdrawing support, or shifting influence to another hidden village entirely. The Leaf had enemies there too, though they wore silk instead of chakra.

"To accommodate such a large event," Hiruzen said, choosing his tone carefully, "Konoha will need significantly more time and resources. Security alone will be a nightmare. Foreign dignitaries, rival clans, hundreds of genin and chunin, spies, saboteurs. Preparing proper defenses would require pushing the exams back by at least a month. Possibly more."

He let the implication hang there and hoped it might frighten Kaneko into reconsidering.

Instead, the daimyo nodded pleasantly. "I am certain Konoha can manage. Especially with the generous support of multiple daimyo and dozens of noble families."

Hiruzen resisted the urge to bury his face into his desk.

Temptation whispered to him.

Funding from all five daimyo. Investment from wealthy nobles. Improvements to infrastructure, research, military readiness. Opportunities he had not seen… ever.

"We may be able to do it," Hiruzen admitted, though the words tasted like ash.

"Excellent. In return for our support, I want the Hidden Leaf to dominate the exams. I want to raise a cup to our supremacy in front of the other lords."

Hiruzen forced himself not to wince. "Then we will do what is necessary."

He bit his tongue before he could say anything foolish. The situation was spiraling out of his control. Still, he could find a way to keep Naruto safe. A long term mission outside the village. Something far away from the exams. It might work.

Then Kaneko leaned in, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"And of course," he said, "I will be eager to meet Minato's son. The boy has stirred much conversation among the nobles. I expect him to participate and prove himself worthy of his father's legacy."

Hiruzen felt the blood drain from his face.

Damn it.

"I am sure Naruto will surprise everyone."

When the call ended, Hiruzen reached for his pipe with fingers that trembled. The world outside his window spun faster with each passing hour, and try as he might, he could no longer hold it still.

He turned his eyes toward the photo of Minato that sat framed on the wall.

"You should have been here dealing with this mess while I spent time with my wife in retirement."

Hiruzen muttered the words toward the empty chair across from him, but no answer came.

He took a long drag from his pipe and exhaled through his nose, the smoke curling slowly upward.

"As a father myself… I think I would want my son to be ready," he said softly.

A faint, wistful smile pulled at the corners of his lips. For a moment he allowed himself to imagine personally training Naruto for the chunin exams. Perhaps he could still do what Minato never had the chance to do.

The thought barely had time to settle before a surge of chakra slammed against his senses like a wave. Hiruzen's eyes snapped open, his head jerking to the side as his body reacted on instinct.

Did one of the other villages actually send a jinchuriki to attack us?

Hiruzen immediately reached for the crystal ball on his desk.

Ninja Art: Telescope Jutsu!

The surface of the crystal shimmered, swirling with a pale blue glow as he focused on the massive chakra signature drawing closer to Konoha's borders. The image sharpened and then the figures walking along it came into view.

Jiraiya, unmistakable as ever alongside Kakashi. Sakura carrying something in her arms. Sasuke keeping pace quietly.

Hiruzen exhaled, tension loosening from his shoulders. But then another figure stepped into frame. A tall red haired teen, clad in elite knight armor.

"That's Naruto?"

Hiruzen leaned forward, stunned.

The boy was taller now, his hair longer, and his chakra reserves surpassed those of grown Uzumaki adults.

The redhead paused as if sensing the crystal's attention. When he turned, Hiruzen saw those sapphire and blue crocodilian eyes. In that instant the old man felt that, despite all the chaos surrounding Naruto, the boy himself might be even more chaotic.

"Naruto, what's wrong?" Sakura asked, shifting Oscar in her arms.

"I don't know," he replied, catching the crystal lizard easily as they continued walking. "Felt like someone was watching me. Maybe I'm just anxious. We're almost at Ichiraku. I've been thinking about ramen for two days."

Hiruzen could not help the smile that tugged at his lips as Kurenai's report moved through his mind.

Perhaps Naruto would surprise the world in the chunin exams.

The gates of Konoha rose into view like a memory half forgotten. Team 7 slowed to a stop, each of them taking in the familiar walls with a quiet mix of relief and nostalgia.

"I forgot how much I missed this place," Jiraiya said with a laugh. "The streets, the food and the bathhouses."

Naruto shot him a warning glare.

Jiraiya bristled. "I still use bathhouses without peeping, you know."

Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, and Oscar all gave him the same flat stare that said they did not believe him for a second.

Jiraiya opened his mouth to defend himself when Kakashi called over from the guard station.

"Looks like our return papers hit a snag. Someone decided to come back looking like a different person."

Naruto crossed his arms. "Not my fault I need a new shinobi ID after everything."

Jiraiya walked over to Kakashi, frowning. "Can't you just flash your elite jonin status and sort it out?"

Izumo and Kotetsu stepped forward before Kakashi could answer.

"Jiraiya sama, there is no issue with your clearance," Izumo said carefully. "But…"

"You want an autograph?"

The grin vanished when Kakashi held up a Bingo Book. Jiraiya stared at Naruto's entry, then at Kakashi, then back at the book.

"How did this even happen?" the toad sage muttered. "I am going to check with my network. Something big happened while we were on the island."

Kakashi gave a single nod.

Team 7 meanwhile fell into their own conversation.

"So what is the first thing you are doing?" Sakura asked. "I think I will go home and surprise my mom."

"Sleep," Sasuke answered.

"Ichiraku," Naruto paused as shinobi at the gate were staring at him.

"What is with the eyes?" Sasuke asked, noticing too.

"No idea," Naruto said, shifting Oscar in his arms. "Maybe they like lizards now?"

"Or maybe they found out about the Arch of Providence," Sakura offered.

"So I am a celebrity?" Naruto asked, unsure of how to feel about it.

"More like someone who should start worrying about getting arrested," Sasuke said.

"Do not say that," Sakura scolded.

"Yeah, if anyone from Team 7 goes to jail first, it will be you," Naruto shot back.

"Hn?"

Before Naruto could answer, a pair of ANBU appeared in front of them. The masked operatives paused when they saw Team 7 instinctively shift into a ready stance, chakra flaring in an instant. Even experienced chunin struggled to react that fast, and the ANBU found themselves quietly impressed.

"Calm down, you three," Kakashi said.

"Team 7 and Jonin Kakashi, the Hokage requests an immediate meeting."

"Understood. Let's go," Kakashi said.

"Where is Pervy Sage?" Naruto asked, glancing around.

"He is off doing some research," Kakashi replied. "And no, it is not peeping."

Naruto gave a slow, doubtful nod as the group flickered away toward the Hokage Tower.

The receptionist at the front desk gave Naruto a lingering look, eyes flicking from his long crimson hair to the crystal lizard perched atop his head.

Naruto muttered under his breath, Why is everyone suddenly so interested in me?

"Probably the fact that you are taller, have long red hair, and your eyes look weird," Sasuke replied dryly.

"Pot calling the kettle black."

"And you have got Oscar on your head like some kind of glittering hat," Sakura added with a sigh, trying to keep the mood light.

Naruto reached up to pat Oscar, who gave a happy chirp.

"Oh, come on. I have not changed that much," Naruto grumbled, just as the door creaked open and Hiruzen stood to greet them.

The Third Hokage's eyes softened the moment they landed on Naruto. He removed his hat, setting it on the desk with a heavy hand. "Naruto… I still cannot believe that it is really you?"

Naruto ignored the smug looks sent by Sasuke and Sakura. "Yeah, it is me, old man. A lot happened on this mission."

"That much is obvious. Are you alright?"

"Never been better."

That simple sentence made something loosen in the old man's chest.

Kakashi stepped forward, placing a tightly rolled mission scroll on the desk.

"You might want to sit down for this," Kakashi said flatly.

Hiruzen gave a wry smile. "I already am." He undid the clasp, the scroll unrolling across the length of his desk like a snake slithering into place. As his eyes scanned the contents, they began moving faster and faster. His grip tightened with every paragraph, and soon he was yanking the scroll forward aggressively to read the next section.

He looked up, the room suddenly heavy with silence.

Sakura shifted uncomfortably.

Sasuke stood unbothered, hands still in his pockets.

Naruto just booped Oscar's snout.

Hiruzen cleared his throat and spoke. "Sasuke Uchiha. Kakashi has given me a glowing report regarding your actions. You followed orders, cooperated with your team, and even performed Kakashi's own Chidori technique under high pressure conditions. You are, in every way, operating at chunin level. If things continue like this, you will officially earn that rank soon. Keep up the good work."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, clearly pleased but too proud to show it more.

"Sakura Haruno," Hiruzen continued, his gaze now gentler. "You led the defense line during a crisis. The shield you maintained protected not just your team but many civilians in the wave. You remained calm under fire and demonstrated a tactical awareness far beyond what we expect from a genin. Konoha is proud to have you."

Sakura bowed deeply. "Thank you, Hokage sama. I just did the best I could."

Then Hiruzen turned to Naruto.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

The name alone drew stillness.

Hiruzen's voice was measured. "Your report is… extensive. Anxiety inducing even. You acted without orders. You killed an entire criminal syndicate overnight. You escalated the situation so severely that Gato was forced to hire elite missing nin. You disappeared and reappeared from your summoning realm without warning. You allied yourself with a known criminal. You brought your friend, Hinata Hyuga, into a combat zone she was not ready for. And that is only scratching the surface."

Naruto did not flinch. "It worked out in the end, did it not?"

Hiruzen leaned forward, eyes piercing. "It did. But what if it did not? What if Zabuza betrayed you? What if Hinata had died? What if the enemy had overwhelmed you and there were no second chances?"

Naruto's eyes dropped for a moment. "I had a backup plan," he muttered.

"Do tell," the Hokage asked, genuinely curious now.

"I was going to have my clone use the Homeward Miracle on her," Naruto said, voice flat. "She would have returned to safety. And if I died in the process… well, that is not a big deal."

Hiruzen slammed his hand on the desk. "It is a big deal, Naruto. You cannot just throw your life away."

Naruto opened his mouth to argue, but Sasuke cut in, leaning. "So wait… are you still immortal?"

The question froze Hiruzen mid scold. He stared at Sasuke, then at Naruto, then quickly formed a hand seal. The ANBU around the room snapped into motion, raising a barrier that sealed off the office from every sound and chakra trace.

Team 7 noticed it happening but none of them reacted.

"I do not know if the curse works outside Lordran. I never tested it."

Hiruzen blinked, completely lost. Kakashi cast a quick genjutsu to help Hiruzen catch up on everything Kakashi had pulled together from Naruto's earlier explanations about Lordran.

Hiruzen sat there for a moment with a thousand yard stare.

Before he could even begin sorting through the information, Naruto asked, "So should I, like… kill myself and see if I revive?"

Everyone in the room snapped out the same answer.

"No!"

"Fine."

Oscar gave him a flat reptilian stare.

"Do not look at me like that," Naruto muttered. "You are supposed to be on my side."

Hiruzen rubbed his temples. "Naruto, that is a terrible idea since your father is dead."

"Subtle as a bull in a china shop, old man."

"Lord Third is right though," Sakura said gently.

Sasuke nodded. "If your father went to Lordran and still died for Konoha, then the curse probably does not work outside of that place."

Hiruzen turned to Kakashi. "You told them?"

Before Kakashi could answer, the barrier rippled. A small toad appeared on the windowsill and leapt into the room, reversing into a puff of smoke that revealed Jiraiya.

"Nope," Jiraiya said. "The brat figured it out by himself."

For the next several minutes, Hiruzen was walked through everything that had happened in Uzushiogakure. By the end, Hiruzen sank back into his chair and took a long, steady pull from his pipe before exhaling.

Naruto immediately swept a hand through the air, using chakra to backhand the smoke away. The force scattered it right out the open window. "Be careful where you aim that smoke," he said. "Oscar does not like it."

"My apologies," Hiruzen said, clearing his throat. "I still cannot believe you told your teammates about your father."

"I told them the next morning after talking with Jiraiya," Naruto said proudly.

Sasuke stared at him. "That is not what happened."

Sakura shook her head. "Not even close."

"What? Yes it is."

"You barged into our tents before sunrise and yelled, Guys, my pops is the Fourth Hokage, and ran back out before we could ask a single question."

"…Okay, I might have done that."

Sasuke gave him a flat look. "Might?"

"It was early. I was excited. And it was funny."

Sakura sighed. "To you."

"Exactly." Naruto looked back at Hiruzen, face more serious. "Also… I do not like keeping secrets from people I trust."

"Yes. I take full responsibility for keeping those secrets. You uncovered most of them yourself, but the fault still lies with me."

Naruto crossed his arms, which was mimicked by Oscar. "Why keep those secrets from me in the first place?"

"Because you were young, Naruto. Too young. And loud. Very loud. The chances of you accidentally revealing something were much higher than the chances of you keeping it quiet."

Naruto clicked his tongue. "You could have told me something like, Hey Naruto, if you become a genin I will tell you about your parents. That is not hard."

Hiruzen shook his head. "That would have been worse. Tying the truth about your parents to a reward would have only made you more reckless. You would have pushed yourself into danger just to get answers. And if the wrong people learned you were desperate for information, they could have used that against you."

Naruto opened his mouth, closed it, then frowned.

"Besides, I thought it would be better for you to learn from someone who was close to your father. Someone who knew him well."

Naruto looked over at Jiraiya and sighed. "Yeah. In hindsight, that was a terrible idea. I had to force the pervert to talk."

Jiraiya lifted his hands in surrender.

Hiruzen watched them both, a small, tired smile forming despite the tension.

"Sensei… why did you not raise Naruto?" Sakura asked. The question slipped out before she could second guess it. She remembered Kakashi had been the Fourth's student. It felt natural to ask.

"You do not have to answer that unless you are ready," Naruto said quietly.

Everyone turned to him in surprise, Kakashi most of all.

"Why?"

Naruto shrugged with a small smile. "Because I trust sensei. You always told me the truth. You told me about Sakumo. You told me about the Uzumaki clan. You did not have to. You could have lied or brushed it off, but you did not. You always tried with me. That counts."

Kakashi exhaled through his nose, eyes softening. "Thank you for that, Naruto. But the question is fair. The moment seems right."

He paused, gathering the words he rarely said out loud.

"When you were born, Naruto, I was fourteen years old. Minato sensei was the closest thing I ever had to a father after losing my own. When everyone I truly cared for was gone… I convinced myself I was cursed. Anyone I cared about died. So I stopped caring or tried to."

He looked down, hands loosely clasped in front of him.

"I was not in any state to raise a child. I could barely take care of myself. I threw myself into ANBU work instead. Missions that numbed everything. A rank. S rank. Anything that was difficult enough to make me forget for a while. I thought if I stayed in motion, nothing could catch me."

He swallowed, voice rougher than usual.

"If I had taken you in, I feared that you would have died to my curse and I would have been truly broken, so… I stayed away."

Silence settled in the office.

Sakura stepped forward and gently took Kakashi's hand. Sasuke rested a hand on his back, quiet but steady.

Naruto held up Oscar, pressing the little lizard against Kakashi's face as the crystal lizard pressed his paws in a hug.

For a moment Kakashi froze, caught between surprise and something deeper. Then his shoulders eased. His posture softened. His eye shut for a second longer than a blink.

The kids understood him. Not the way adults pretended to understand. Not with empty words. They understood in the way that mattered.

Kakashi breathed out slowly. His voice, when it came, was soft. "Thank you."

Hiruzen watched with a warm smile. Jiraiya did as well, arms folded but eyes softer than usual.

Both men knew Kakashi had carried that weight in silence for far too long. And both knew he was finally starting to let it go.

"So how many missions have you done?"

Kakashi answered without hesitation. "One thousand one hundred and forty one. That includes one hundred ninety seven D rank, one hundred ninety C rank, four hundred fourteen B rank, two hundred ninety eight A rank, and forty two S rank."

Team 7's jaws dropped so hard Hiruzen almost heard the impact.

Sakura and Sasuke were already doing math in their heads.

A lot of math.

Naruto said with sparkling eyes, "So that means you saved entire nations forty two times, right?"

Kakashi shifted uncomfortably, but before he could answer, Jiraiya snorted. "Do not get dramatic, kid. Saving the Wave was a one in a million mess. Most S rank missions are just too dangerous, not too heroic. The only reason it even counts as S rank is because we do not have a higher category labeled."

"Huh. That is less cool."

"Welcome to reality," Hiruzen said with a low laugh. "The academy tells children stories to keep them interested. Actual fieldwork is a different matter."

He raised a finger and went down the list.

"D rank are odd jobs such as finding cats, babysitting, errands, digging for sweet potatoes."

"C rank are regular missions such as intelligence gathering, eradicating bandits, medical treatments."

"B rank are missions where combat against genin is to be anticipated."

"A rank are military missions where combat against one or more squads of ninja which include chunin."

"S rank are usually missions where combat against jonin and S rank ninja is expected."

Naruto stared at the old man. "So the ranking system is just… a warning label."

"Exactly," Kakashi said. "Mostly to tell you how badly you might die."

"Atleast Lordran is a fantasy."

Oscar gave a tiny chirp that sounded like agreement.

Meanwhile, Sakura cleared her throat. "I just calculated your earnings."

"You did?"

"Yes," Sasuke said. "You have approximately four hundred fifty one million ryo."

Sakura clutched her head. "Sensei, that is more money than an entire merchant district makes in a year."

Kakashi tilted his head. "Is it? I have never really checked the balance."

Naruto squinted at him. "Sensei. You are telling me you do not know you are stupid rich?"

Kakashi gave an eye smile. "I live simply."

Sakura sighed. "Sensei, I cannot even imagine that much money…"

"Do not worry," Sasuke said, trying to sound comforting while ignoring the fact he inherited several billion ryo in Uchiha assets.

Sakura stared at him. "I feel zero comfort from a billionaire saying that."

Naruto rubbed his chin. "Wait. If Kakashi is loaded… what does that make me?"

"Oh," Sasuke said flatly. "You are richer than Kakashi."

"I am?"

"You robbed Gato," Sakura reminded him.

Naruto thought about it.

Sakura looked between her teammates, slowly realizing she was the only one who did not have a fortune waiting for her somewhere.

Naruto did not notice. He was too busy thinking about something else. "Speaking of money. What happened to my heritage? I mean… my parents had to leave something behind, right? A house, savings, anything?"

The room grew still for a moment.

"Come on, old man. My dad was the Fourth Hokage. My mom was a Kyuubi jinchuriki trained by the First's wife. You cannot tell me they did not leave behind a mountain of money, land, scrolls or something. I want whatever they left."

"About that…"

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "I already hate this."

Hiruzen clasped his hands on the desk. "During the Kyuubi attack, Konoha was devastated. Half the residential district was rubble. Entire neighborhoods burned. Hundreds of shinobi died. The economy had collapsed. Supplies were scarce. We did not have the funds to rebuild."

He took a slow breath. "To stabilize the village, the council invoked the Emergency Asset Requisition Statute. It allows the Hokage to seize unclaimed or unprotected estates of deceased shinobi for reconstruction. Your parents' estate fell under that law."

Naruto stared, then pinched the bridge of his nose to stop himself from releasing his killing intent.

Sakura raised her hand. "So… by that logic, Naruto should be entitled to compensation now that the crisis period is over. Technically the assets were only seized under temporary reconstruction rights. Once the emergency period ends, any surviving heir can petition for restitution, interest, or equivalent compensation. Especially if the estate belonged to high ranking shinobi."

"You know a lot for a genin."

Sakura nodded. "My mom stuffed my head full of legal codes and rights. She said if I became a kunoichi, certain clans would try to shove contracts in my face, so I needed to know how to shove the law back."

Kakashi looked proud. Sasuke gave a small nod of respect. Naruto mouthed the word nerd but with affection.

Hiruzen sat back, impressed. "Your understanding is correct. If we follow the law, Naruto is entitled to compensation. That includes any monetary value seized at the time, adjusted for inflation, plus interest."

"Interest?"

"Yes," Hiruzen said. "A considerable amount."

Naruto froze. "Define considerable."

"Your father was Hokage, one of the highest paid positions in the village. He also inherited the Uzumaki clan's partial holdings, and Kushina held ancestral rights tied to their lands. Your combined estate was… large."

Jiraiya let out a low whistle. "Kid, you might be richer than Sasuke."

Sasuke side eyed him. "Unlikely."

Naruto rubbed his hands together. "So when do I get it?"

Hiruzen smiled tiredly. "The process will require paperwork. A lot of it. I need to reopen your parents' archived files, confirm what was seized, assign a financial officer to recalculate the value, and create a new account in your name."

Naruto nodded. "Okay. So when do I get it?"

"When the paperwork is done," Hiruzen repeated, looking even more tired.

Naruto slumped back in his chair. "Great. Bureaucracy. I survived Lordran for this."

Oscar chirped sympathetically.

Hiruzen chuckled. "I will handle it, Naruto. You will receive what belongs to you. That is a promise."

Naruto brightened a little. "Thanks, old man."

Sasuke muttered, "If you end up richer than me, I am not paying for lunch ever again."

"You never pay for lunch, Sasuke."

Sakura sighed. "Can we focus? Naruto just became the wealthiest idiot in the village."

Kakashi nodded solemnly. "It is a dangerous thing."

Jiraiya added, "Very dangerous."

Naruto frowned. "Why does everyone say that like I am going to spend it all on ramen?"

The room fell silent.

"…Okay, maybe some of it."

Naruto leaned back, trying to process everything. The idea of his net worth hit him first. Between Gato's stolen fortune, mission pay, and the interest he would receive from the village, he was practically rich.

"I mean, sure, being loaded is nice," Naruto said, waving a hand. "But what I really want is my parents' legacies. Their jutsu. Their skills. Everything they left behind."

His pulse quickened. He remembered Mito's words on the Nine Divine Beasts and the Uzumaki fuinjutsu.

"That will be difficult, Naruto. Your parents' estate was destroyed during the Kyuubi attack. Anything stored in their home did not survive."

Naruto's breath caught.

Gone.

He looked down, shoulders tight. Gran Gran Gran Mito tried so hard to keep the clan's legacy alive and it all burned. Maybe I can fix it with the repair spell's time manipulation. I just need to find some kind of ruins.

"Do not look so crushed," Jiraiya said. "You already have your father's Rasengan. That is no small thing."

Hiruzen gave a small, impressed nod. "Indeed. And while the Flying Thunder God technique does not belong to Minato personally, it is a jutsu held in Konoha's restricted archives as part of the Senju legacy. If you reach the rank of chunin, I can authorize you to learn it."

That brightened Naruto's eyes immediately. "Yeah, but I was really looking forward to learning my clan's techniques."

Hiruzen hesitated, then spoke carefully. "It may still be possible."

Naruto looked up with a spark of hope.

"I am planning to call Tsunade Senju back to the village," Hiruzen said. "She has access to the Senju archives, and she inherited several of Lady Mito's techniques. She may be able to teach you some of the clan's jutsu."

Jiraiya clicked his tongue. "Assuming she agrees. Tsunade runs from anything that even smells like responsibility."

"Which means I will probably have to pay her to teach Naruto."

Jiraiya gave a small grin. "Then let us split the cost. Half and half. She will bleed us dry, but if it helps the kid get what he deserves, it is worth it."

Naruto's expression softened. It was not everything, but it was something. "I guess that helps."

Kakashi raised a hand. "I might be able to add to that. Something from Lady Kushina's arsenal."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "You know the Adamantine Chains?"

"No," Kakashi said, shaking his head. "But I did manage to copy the Uzumaki spear style and the Gungnir Henkei technique. I cannot use them myself due to chakra limitations. But I can put everything I have into a scroll. You will have to figure it out from there."

"Sensei… thank you."

As the moment settled, Naruto could not help the flicker of doubt that crawled up in the back of his mind. Danzo claimed he had pieces of the parents' legacy too. Was it true? Or had the old hawk lied like always?

"Anyway, what is the deal with this hawk?"

Hiruzen's eyes shifted toward Sakura and Sasuke, silently asking whether Naruto was comfortable sharing this much. Naruto just shrugged. He did not care who heard it.

"The hawk," Hiruzen said slowly, "or rather, the man behind that symbol, is Shimura Danzo. He was one of my teammates under Lord Tobirama."

Naruto watched him, expression unreadable.

"After I became Hokage," Hiruzen continued, "Danzo was appointed head of ANBU. From there, he created a secret division known as Root. They were shinobi conditioned to do anything necessary to keep the village safe during the wars."

Naruto nodded, waiting for the rest.

"Danzo always coveted the Hokage's seat," Hiruzen said. "He pushed for more radical changes, some of them behind my back. He was also the one who leaked the information that you were the Nine Tails jinchuriki. He wanted to give the village a scapegoat to direct their grief toward."

"Wow. What an absolute bastard. But I am guessing you did something about it."

"I made a law that forbade anyone from speaking of the Nine Tails," Hiruzen said. "It was my attempt to shield you from the consequences of Danzo's actions. While I wanted to punish Danzo, Konoha was drowning in problems with the other villages, and the village could not survive without someone handling the darkest tasks. For all the damage he caused, he was a necessary evil that I had to tolerate during those years until I banished him."

Naruto looked disappointed.

Sakura raised her hand. "Hokage sama… would it not have been better to execute a man that dangerous?"

"In a perfect world, yes. But Danzo is not foolish. He had safety nets everywhere."

Hiruzen rubbed his forehead, choosing his next words with care.

"Danzo and I go back decades. At the beginning, I trusted him. When he proposed Root, I approved it because I believed he was acting in the village's best interest. I let him expand without proper oversight because he was my comrade and friend. That was my failure."

Jiraiya nodded at one of sensei's personal flaws.

"By the time I realized the extent of what Root was doing, Danzo was too entrenched. He had agents planted across the world. Classified information. Alliances built in the shadows. If I executed him outright, he had the means to unleash enough secrets to destabilize the entire village."

Naruto stiffened. "So it was mutual destruction."

"Exactly," Hiruzen said. "Root itself had operatives outside the village with contingency orders. Removing him recklessly would have triggered all of them."

Sakura swallowed. "So… banishment was the safest choice."

"It was," Hiruzen said. "And it was not a simple banishment. It was a slow dismantling of everything he built. Root shrank each year. Contacts severed. Assets reclaimed. Influence chipped away. By the time he surfaced again, he was weaker than he had been in decades."

Sasuke frowned. "Then why not execute him once he was powerless?"

"Because when I finally moved to do so, I discovered that Danzo's banishment had been compromised. He was never truly confined. He has been moving through the shadows for years, doing only god knows what. He is branded a traitor now, but that does not erase the damage."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Did he release Naruto's heritage? That would explain why everyone in the village keeps staring at him."

Jiraiya let out a low whistle. "Good detective work, kid."

"Unfortunately, we do not yet know who released the information. Danzo is one of the main suspects. Orochimaru is another."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, and Hiruzen subtly motioned that they would speak about it later.

Naruto had been quiet through all of this, expression blank in a way that made everyone uneasy. "What is this about?"

So; Hiruzen explained everything from the leak of Naruto's heritage, the uproar in the other nations, and the reaction inside the village.

Naruto listened without interrupting. When it ended, he let out a long, exhausted exhale. "Well… I am just glad I do not look recognizable right now," he said with a humorless grin.

Naruto stood up. "Thanks for the conversation, old man. There is a lot to think about. Feels like that has been happening a lot lately."

Hiruzen nodded gently. "Then I suppose we can call this matter settled between us."

"No," Naruto said plainly.

The firmness in his tone made the room still.

"Look, old man, I appreciate everything you have done. Really. But I am not taking words as payment anymore. You prove things with action. Once I get my legacy, including whatever land my parents had even if it is gone… then we can talk about bygones being bygones."

Hiruzen absorbed that in silence, then offered a slow nod. "…Very well."

He cleared his throat and shifted topics. "Before I let you go, we still need to discuss the rest of what you did in the Wave mission."

"There is more?"

"Quite a lot of the good," Hiruzen said. "You equipped your team with armor and weapons far beyond our standard issue. That alone gave them a fighting chance in a mission that should have killed every one of you. You continued training even after losing an arm and mastered one handed seals when most shinobi would have retired. You healed your comrades. Kakashi. Hinata. Even civilians who were wounded during Gato's attacks."

Naruto shrugged. "That is normal stuff."

"It is not," Hiruzen said firmly. "You protected your clients so well that they referred to you as a guardian. You became a local legend before the mission even ended."

Naruto shrugged.

"And above all," Hiruzen continued, "you never once ran from responsibility. Not when the mission turned deadly. Not when you were wounded. Not even when your team was on the verge of falling apart."

He held Naruto's gaze. "Uzumaki Naruto, you have grown into a remarkable young man. Not simply strong, but steadfast. Your parents would have been proud if they were alive. And Konoha is honored to have you in its ranks."

Naruto's face went red. He bowed low. "Thanks, Jiji."

Oscar hopped forward and mimicked the bow with a low chirp, which made Sasuke snort and Sakura giggle.

Hiruzen chuckled softly. "Alright, Team 7. Your mission payment will be processed after verification. Kakashi, I would like you to stay for a moment. The rest of you are dismissed."

Naruto gave a lazy salute, Sasuke gave a quiet nod, and Sakura waved politely as the three of them vanished in a flicker of motion.

The office felt quieter without them.

Suddenly the door swung open again as Naruto stuck his head in. "Oh yeah, almost forgot. I have Wood Release now."

Hiruzen froze.

His pipe slipped from his fingers onto the floor. For a moment he looked like a man who had been handed one revelation too many and chose to simply stop functioning.

Naruto closed the door again, savoring the stunned silence on the other side. He joined Sasuke and Sakura in the hallway with a smug grin. "The old man's brain just stopped working. I could hear it."

"You are awful," Sakura said, trying and failing not to laugh.

Naruto puffed his chest proudly. "I told you, we wait to tell him until I can drop it on him for maximum effect."

Oscar chirped in agreement, flicking his tail as if endorsing the chaos.

Sasuke shook his head. "So what now?"

"Well…" Naruto said, stretching his arms behind his head. "If you two are not busy, we can grab some Ichiraku ramen."

Naruto raised Oscar and rotated him like a performer on stage. "According to this very distinguished lizard, it is ramen time. He insists you two come along."

Sakura melted instantly. "Alright, alright. I could eat."

"Hn," Sasuke noised. "And let us stop by a shop on the way. I want a new bingo book. I want to see whether I have an entry."

Naruto grinned. "Oh, what if everyone in Team 7 has a bingo book entry?"

He tossed Oscar lightly into the air, catching him again as the little lizard chirped with excitement.

A lot had changed. More than Naruto could track at once. But as they walked toward the familiar stall, he found himself hoping one thing had stayed exactly the same.

A warm bowl of Ichiraku ramen.

Author Note: And that wraps up today's chapter. Now let's dive into the Q and A.

Q: Can you explain Danzo's story for this fanfic?

This question comes up a lot, so here is the full breakdown of how Danzo's storyline works in my version compared to canon.

Danzo's early history stays the same. He was part of Team Tobirama, and when the Kinkaku Force ambushed them, Tobirama sacrificed himself and appointed Hiruzen as the Third Hokage.

Here is where my fanfic diverges.

After becoming Hokage, Hiruzen tried to avenge his sensei by personally hunting down the Kinkaku Force. Team Tobirama also intervened which caused Kagami and Torifu to get killed, and Danzo suffered severe damage to the entire right side of his body. In this fanfic, that guilt made Hiruzen more lenient toward Danzo for years. (This part is purely fanfic. Canon shows Torifu alive during the Kyuubi Attack.)

Danzo later founded Root sometime before the Second Great Shinobi War, handling the dirty work required to keep Konoha safe in the shadows. Up to this point, most of his story matches canon.

The next major divergence happens during the Uchiha Massacre. In my version, Danzo goes behind Hiruzen's back, manipulates Itachi into choosing the massacre route, and causes the disaster with Shisui.

Canon never clarifies what Danzo was doing during Part 1 of Naruto, so every fanfic chooses its own path.

Here is mine:

After Danzo's role in the massacre is exposed, Hiruzen disbands Root and imprisons Danzo instead of executing him due to him setting up contingency plans where root shinobi would release info that may cause konoha to be dragged into more conflict and war.

Even while imprisoned, Danzo continues to operate from the shadows for the next five years. Many former Root operatives still work within Konoha. For example, Fu secretly manipulated the barrier team so the village would not notice Naruto's chakra disappearance as he teleports to Lordran.

In the present timeline of the fanfic, Danzo was scheduled for trial and execution, so he tries to assassinate Hiruzen and the council with a suicide shinobi. That brands him a traitor to Konoha.

Now, for how my Danzo compares to canon Danzo:

If the events of Naruto going to Lordran never happened and everything followed canon, my Danzo would have remained in banishment until Hiruzen died during the invasion. Then, while Jiraiya and Naruto were searching for Tsunade, he would have quietly reinstated himself. By the time Tsunade returned to take the hat, he would already be positioned to challenge or interfere with her authority. That is the direction my Danzo would have gone canon-wise.

Hope that clears things up. I still get a lot of comments about me killing Danzo, and yes, he will not survive this story. But at least let me build something interesting with his character before he goes. I promise his role as a villain will be worth reading. He will not be the type to brute force the plot. His strength will be in the shadows, in the schemes he weaves, and in the way he clashes with DS Naruto. Their dynamic is going to be a lot of fun.

Q: Should Naruto be taught by Hiruzen?

So, the Chunin Exams in this fic are going to be a big deal. A lot of heavy hitters are going to come into play, and before anyone asks, yes, the other villages absolutely would demote elite jonin if it meant slipping them into the exams as genin just to kill Naruto. They are not above that.

Which brings us to the idea of Hiruzen training Naruto personally.

There are plenty of things Naruto can learn from him. Shadow Shuriken Jutsu. Elemental releases as Naruto also has four, so there is a real opportunity for growth. Hiruzen could even teach Naruto how to weaponize Oscar the same way he uses Enma as a staff.

What kind of weapon do you think Oscar would become?

So Naruto obviously can learn a lot from him. The question is what you all think about Hiruzen being one of Naruto's teachers. And if you like the idea, what techniques should Naruto learn?

Q: What is the tenure of each Hokage?

Since the Naruto timeline is an absolute mess and canon never gives exact dates for each Hokage's rule, here is my take:

Naruto is 32 in Boruto. Meaning he became Hokage at 25. This is because Boruto is 12 in Boruto, and 5 during the day Naruto became Hokage. So Naruto has been Hokage for around 7 years.

Kakashi became Hokage a year after the Fourth Shinobi World War, as confirmed in the Kakashi Hiden light novel. Meaning he became Hokage at 32, since he was 31 during the war. He would be 38 when Naruto is 25. So Kakashi had been Hokage for about 7 years.

Tsunade had been Hokage over the 2 and a half year time skip between Part I and Shippuden, as well as the 1 and a half years between the start of Shippuden and the war. Along with the one year after the war (when Kakashi finally takes the position). Meaning Tsunade had been Hokage for about 5 years.

Minato was the easiest to figure out. He had only been Hokage for about 1 year. He became Hokage right after the Third Shinobi World War. Itachi was 4 during the war, and Sasuke is 5 years younger than him. Meaning Sasuke was born when Itachi was 5 (which is further confirmed in the Itachi Shinden light novel). And we know that Sasuke was recently born before the Nine Tails attack on the Leaf (Sasuke's birthday is only a few months earlier than Naruto's too).

Now for Hiruzen. We know that the First and Second wars are just 20 years apart thanks to the first Naruto databook. The Second lasted at least 3 years, since that is how long Jiraiya was training the Rain orphans during that war. Nagato was 10 by the end of that. And he is 35 in the first half of Shippuden. Meaning he was 18 during the Third. The Third lasted at least 3 years since the fourth Naruto databook stated that Minato's encounter with A and Killer B happened 21 years prior to the Fourth. So if Nagato was 18 at the end of the war, he would have been 15 at the start of it. And thus means that there were 5 years between the Second and Third.

So since Hiruzen became Hokage during the First Shinobi World War, he had been Hokage for 31 years before retiring (20+3+5+3). And took the position again a year after (when Minato dies). He retained that position for 12 years (the start of the series was 12 years after the Nine Tails attack) (it was a few months close to 13 though).

So Hiruzen had been Hokage for a grand total of 43 years.

The fourth databook stated that Madara left the Hidden Leaf and became a rogue ninja 66 years prior to the Fourth Shinobi World War. And it really seemed like he left right after Hashirama became Hokage, so let us say Hashirama became Hokage around that same year. Thanks to the calculations from Hiruzen's reign, we know that the gap between the First and the Fourth wars was 49 years. Hashirama seemed to have died prior to the First. So the latest he could have been Hokage was 17 years (66 minus 49). And the earliest he could have been Hokage was 11 years, since Tsunade is 55 during the Fourth and Hashirama had seen her prior to his death.

Tobirama would have been Hokage either for 6 years (the earliest) or 1 year (the latest) thanks to the calculations for Hashirama.

Q: Why did I find myself disgusted by the behaviour of the villagers after they found out about Naruto's heritage?

I personally cannot really control how you guys react, but my goal with the villagers was to show how a big group of people behaves when they act more like a crowd than as individuals. Most civilians never knew Naruto personally, so their opinions were always shaped by rumor, fear, and whatever the village mood happened to be at the time. Once his heritage came out, that same crowd swung the other way. It is not admiration based on who Naruto is. It is admiration based on who his parents were.

There would always be people who try to profit from that. Shops, businesses, families trying to look loyal in hindsight. Some out of guilt, some out of fear of looking bad, and some because they see a chance to get close to someone important. That kind of behaviour shows up in real life all the time. People can be cruel when they think it is safe, then turn around and act devoted once the social penalty flips.

The hypocrisy is the point. They are not suddenly better people.

They are responding to pressure, reputation, and the idea that aligning with the son of the Fourth Hokage might benefit them. Some feel real guilt, but others just do not want to be on the wrong side of the story anymore. That kind of whiplash reaction is uncomfortable to read, and it should be, because it mirrors how crowds act outside of fiction too.

Now whether you find this realistic or disgusting or fun or whatever, that is up to you.

Q: Can you explain what inspired you to write that S ranks are mission versus jonin or kage level missions?

Okay, so I was not inspired by anything. I literally just put the entry from Shinobi Hiden Column 2: Shinobi and Their Missions.

The Shinobi Hiden is a series written by Ukyo Kodachi, who wrote Gaara Hiden, the light novel adaptation of Boruto: Naruto the Movie, and collaborated with Kishimoto while writing the screenplay for that movie.

Now, if anyone here is interested in writing a lot of in depth worldbuilding and logistics, Ukyo Kodachi's Shinobi Hiden series has a lot of interesting ideas and worldbuilding.

In Shinobi Hiden Column 2, it states the mission ranks like this:

Shinobi are active in order to earn money.

In movies or television dramas, shinobi gloriously battle evils that threaten the world or hidden villages shrouded in mystery every day. Not that this impression is totally mistaken, but it is also not the entire picture.

Shinobi undertake missions and receive money in return. Clients pay money to a Village on a per mission basis, and then the Village deducts a commission and disburses the remainder to each respective shinobi. However, there are also many Villages, including Konoha, that guarantee a minimum fixed salary, because otherwise shinobi who stop getting assigned missions would not be able to eat.

At the present time, a uniform mission ranking system is utilized by the Five Great Villages:

D rank: Odd jobs such as finding cats, babysitting, errands, digging for sweet potatoes

C rank: Regular missions such as intelligence gathering, eradicating bandits, medical treatments

B rank: VS ninja missions with combat against genin anticipated

A rank: Military missions with combat against one or more squads of ninja which include chunin

S rank: VS jonin missions with combat against jonin and Gokage class ninja

Hope that helps. I will add the Shinobi Hiden columns on the platforms that can support it, but I would highly recommend checking them out since they have a lot of cool information about shinobi society, missions, how shinobi are organized, and how the bureaucratic system behind the villages actually works.

Q: How did you calculate Kakashi's net worth?

Well, lets start with ryo.

What exactly is ryo?

The ryo is the currency used in the Naruto world. It is based on an old Japanese gold coin that was used in Japan before the Meiji period. It was later replaced by the yen. The exchange rate of 1 ryo is 10 yen.

Now for mission ranks.

D rank: Assigned to genin fresh from the Academy. They pose almost no risk to the ninja's life and usually consist of odd jobs like farming and babysitting work. The reward for a D rank mission is between 5,000 and 50,000 ryo.

C rank: Assigned to more experienced genin or chunin. They are missions with little to no chance of combat against other ninja. Examples are guarding people against bandits or highwaymen, background investigations, eliminating or capturing bandits or thieves, and capturing or suppressing wild animals. The reward for a C rank mission is between 30,000 and 100,000 ryo.

B rank: Assigned to experienced chunin. They are missions anticipated to involve combat with other ninja. Examples are guarding people, espionage, or killing other ninja. The reward for a B rank mission is between 80,000 and 200,000 ryo.

A rank: Assigned to jonin, concerning, among other things, village or state level matters and trends. Examples are guarding VIPs or suppressing ninja forces. The reward for an A rank mission is between 150,000 and 1,000,000 ryo.

S rank: Assigned to experienced jonin and concerning state level confidential matters. Examples are assassinating VIPs and transporting highly classified documents. The reward for an S rank mission is at minimum 1,000,000 ryo.

From Naruto Databook 2 we know that Kakashi has done over a thousand missions.

Kakashi Mission Earnings Breakdown

Number of Missions
• D rank: 197
• C rank: 190
• B rank: 414
• A rank: 298
• S rank: 42
• Total missions: 1,141

Minimum Ryo per Mission
• D rank: 5,000
• C rank: 30,000
• B rank: 80,000
• A rank: 150,000
• S rank: 1,000,000

Maximum Ryo per Mission
• D rank: 50,000
• C rank: 100,000
• B rank: 200,000
• A rank: 1,000,000
• S rank: 1,000,000

Minimum Earnings
• D rank: 985,000
• C rank: 5,700,000
• B rank: 33,120,000
• A rank: 44,700,000
• S rank: 42,000,000
• Total minimum earnings: 126,505,000 ryo

Maximum Earnings
• D rank: 9,850,000
• C rank: 19,000,000
• B rank: 82,800,000
• A rank: 298,000,000
• S rank: 42,000,000
• Total maximum earnings: 451,650,000 ryo

Using the minimum and maximum payouts for each mission rank, his lifetime income works out to roughly:

• 12 to 43 million US dollars in 2008
• 18.06 to 64.7 million US dollars in 2025, inflation adjusted

Put simply: Kakashi is fucking loaded.

Q: Did Naruto's inheritance get used up by Konoha after the Kyuubi attack?

Canonically we do not know. This topic never comes up in the manga or anime, which is a shame because Kishimoto could have done a Harry Potter style reveal where Minato and Kushina had a pile of money saved up. Since he never mentioned it, all we can do is speculate.

A lot of fanfics have their own interpretation. My headcanon is simple. After the Kyuubi attack, Konoha was left in a severely weakened state. Tons of shinobi dead, buildings destroyed, infrastructure gone, and a huge number of injured personnel. When Pain destroyed the village later, Yamato was around to rebuild. Hiruzen did not have that luxury. No convenient Wood Release user to magic a village back together. So logically the village would need a massive amount of funding just to keep itself running.

And where would those funds come from?

By seizing the assets of dead shinobi.

Irl, governments throughout history have done this after major wars or disasters. When an empire collapses or a city is destroyed, estates of the dead often get absorbed into state property to fund reconstruction. Ancient Rome did it. Medieval kingdoms did it. Even modern governments can seize property when there is no next of kin or during emergency powers.

So to me, that is the most logical explanation. Canon Naruto apparently did not care enough to question any of this. My version of Naruto absolutely does. He is going to take back every single ryo owed to him with twelve years of interest.

How much is that exactly?

If someone wants to run the numbers, great. If not, I am more than happy to just have Naruto staring at the amount, wide eyed, wondering how many zeros he is looking at.

Q: Why does Kushina have a spear style? What is the Gungnir Henke no Jutsu?

Let us clear up one thing. Kushina is not a sword user. I get so many comments assuming she is, or that Naruto inherited her sword techniques, but canon gives us nothing about how Kushina fought. The chakra chains are literally the only confirmed ability she had.

The whole idea of Kushina being a swordswoman mainly comes from Ashina Uzumaki having two swords on his back when he is shown next to Hashirama. And, well, swords are cool, so fanon ran with it.

Canon Kushina is basically a blank slate when it comes to combat style, which gives us full freedom.

I made her a spear user because it is more unique than a sword, and because spears are criminally underused in Naruto despite being one of the most historically important weapons in warfare. Also, I want Naruto to eventually use other weapons from Lordran, especially spears, and this sets up a clean transition.

This idea has been hinted at across a few chapters:

Kushina's bingo book epithet is the Crimson Valkyrie of Chains. Valkyries are often portrayed with spears.

In the Uzumaki clan ruins, Sasuke and Sakura saw a large statue holding a spear.

The founder of this fanfic's Uzumaki clan, Oden Uzumaki, is based on Odin from Norse mythology, who wields the spear Gungnir.

Q: So what is the Gungnir Henke no Jutsu?

I am not revealing that yet. If you have any big ideas about spear techniques or what this jutsu could be, drop them. I am open to inspiration.

Now that I have done my Q and A, I have a few questions for you:

A. Do you think Sasuke or Sakura would have bingo book entries? If so, what would their epithets be?

B. How should Naruto use the spear? Do you want something grounded, like real spear techniques enhanced with wind chakra, similar to how I handled the zweihander? Or do you want a more fantasy anime style spear fighting approach?

That's It… For Now.

And if you can't wait for the next update, the next chapter drops on Dec 10th! You can read ahead to Chapter 108 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
 
Chapter no.69 Naruto New
Chapter no.69 Eyes That Will Not Look Down

Before Team 7 returned to Konoha, Team 8 stood outside the Hokage's office.

While Hiruzen and Kurenai talked about the Wave mission, Team 8's attention was locked on Naruto's Bingo Book entry.

[ BINGO BOOK DOSSIER ]
[ TARGET #007: "UZUMAKI NARUTO" ]

[ STATUS: ACTIVE CONTRACT ]
[ ISSUED BY: MULTIPLE HIDDEN VILLAGES ]
[ DISTRIBUTION LEVEL: HIGH ]

[ IDENTITY FILE ]
[ NAME: Uzumaki Naruto ]
[ AFFILIATION: Konohagakure no Sato ]
[ SUMMONING AFFILIATION: Unknown. Data suggests a nonstandard summon ("Oscar") ]
[ CLASSIFICATION: Confirmed Jinchuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox ]

[ LINEAGE RECORD ]
[ FATHER: Minato Namikaze. The Yellow Flash of Konoha ]
[ MOTHER: Kushina Uzumaki. The Crimson Valkyrie of Chains ]
[ NOTES: Direct descendant of two high priority combat class assets. Subject possesses abnormal chakra reserves, unknown medical ninjutsu, and hidden jutsu. ]

[ KNOWN ALIASES ]
[ "Son of Calamity". Iwagakure designation ]
[ "Knight of Konoha". Otogakure designation ]

[ RANK AND THREAT ASSESSMENT ]
[ KONOHA RANK: Genin ]
[ IWAGAKURE CLASSIFICATION: B Rank threat ]
[ OTOGAKURE CLASSIFICATION: B Rank threat ]
[ THREAT SUMMARY: Despite low official rank, displays tactics and combat potential comparable to a jonin. Subject's use of Nine Tails chakra elevates potential to S Rank if controlled. ]

[ ENGAGEMENT ADVISORY ]
[ Avoid prolonged contact. Subject demonstrates high adaptability and unknown techniques. If cornered, terminate swiftly or disengage. ]

[ ACTIVE BOUNTIES ]
[ IWAGAKURE: 10,000,000 Ryo. Dead or alive ]
[ OTOGAKURE: 5,000,000 Ryo. Uzumaki Naruto ]
[ OTOGAKURE: 5,000,000 Ryo. "Oscar," Crystal Lizard summon. Specimen retrieval preferred alive ]

A silence formed as the genin just looked at each other, each of them stuck on the same line, the same name, the same implication, wondering if they had read it wrong.

"Team Eight. Office. Now."

That snapped them out of it.

They followed Kurenai into the Hokage's office, and the first thing the genin noticed was the Third Hokage at his desk, fingers pressed to his temples as if the day had already aged him ten years. His pipe lay untouched. His shoulders were straight, but there was a tiredness in his eyes that no posture could hide.

Hinata was still staring down at the entry in her hands until Kurenai stepped closer and snapped her fingers in front of her face.

"Hinata," she said, softer than her command voice. "What's on your mind?"

Hinata simply handed the book over.

Kurenai took it, skimmed the page, and her eyes widened in a way that did not happen often. She looked up slowly, almost unwilling to.

"Naruto… is the Fourth's son?"

Her gaze flicked to the Hokage.

Hiruzen gave a small nod.

Kurenai's mind raced immediately, professional instincts taking over. Was this a deliberate leak? Who would risk exposing something like this? What else did they leak alongside it? Was it meant to bait foreign villages into acting? Was it meant to force Konoha's hand politically? Was it targeting Naruto specifically, or was Naruto just the loudest piece on the board?

Before she could spiral further, Kiba leaned back with his hands behind his head, trying to act like he was not rattled.

"You're acting like that's more shocking than the stuff Naruto's already revealed to us. Honestly, at this point, I'm not even surprised."

Akamaru barked once, like he was backing Kiba up.

Kurenai opened her mouth, then paused, and let it close again. She did not like agreeing with Kiba.

But she could not argue either.

Hiruzen watched the exchange, something strange stirring behind his tired expression. He had not expected this casual acceptance, like Naruto being the Fourth's son was just another item on a growing list of absurdities.

What had Naruto shown them that made this feel… secondary?

"Hokage sama," Shino said, stepping forward. "May I ask a question?"

"Go ahead."

"How did Naruto receive a Bingo Book entry?"

"A very good question, Shino kun. The truth is, we suspect someone deliberately leaked information about Naruto. Some of it true. Some of it false."

Kiba frowned. "Why would someone even do that?"

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly, but his voice stayed measured.

Normally, this kind of information would be far above a genin's clearance. However, Kurenai had already made it clear that Team Eight was privy to many of Naruto's secrets, and Hiruzen understood that fact could not be undone. More importantly, with the Chunin Exams approaching, these three were likely to be among the first affected when Naruto became a target. Given that reality, Hiruzen decided it was better they understood the situation than be left vulnerable by ignorance.

"A leak like this does not happen by accident," he continued. "It takes access. It takes knowledge. It takes the confidence that the village will be forced to respond. Whoever did this wanted to put a target on Naruto's back, because that forces us to react to outside threats. It forces us to spend resources, move ANBU, tighten patrols, and shift political posture. All of it creates noise."

His fingers tapped once against the desk. "And while we're busy reacting, the person who started it can act in the shadows."

His thoughts twisted toward a familiar name, bitter and inevitable.

Danzo.

Not because Hiruzen wanted it to be him, but because the pattern fit too well. A man who collected secrets like weapons. A man who believed any sacrifice was acceptable if it served his idea of protecting Konoha. A man who would gladly endanger a child if it meant tightening his grip on the village.

Hiruzen kept his expression neutral. These children did not need to hear that name yet.

"Hokage sama. I believe I know who leaked Naruto kun's information."

The room fell into a pin drop silence.

Hiruzen held his gaze on her. Once, Hinata Hyuga had been a soft spoken girl who struggled to speak above a whisper. Now she stood with quiet confidence, like someone who had seen what fear looked like up close and decided she would not bow to it anymore.

"What do you know, Hinata?" he asked. His tone carried authority, the kind that made people understand the seriousness of what they were about to say.

Hinata nodded once. She understood the gravity. She understood that one accusation could shift the delicate balance.

"First… has Kurenai sensei informed you about my involvement in Gato's downfall, and Naruto and I forming an alliance with Zabuza?"

"Of course she has," Hiruzen replied. "She also requested disciplinary action for herself, citing a failure to properly control her squad."

Hinata immediately looked ready to speak in her sensei's defense, but the old man raised a hand, stopping her before she could say a word.

"I have heard every argument she made. This was her first time leading a genin team, and she was thrown into a situation most jonin never face in their entire careers. Under normal circumstances, I would not overlook that."

He paused, eyes sharpening slightly.

"But," Hiruzen continued, "if your information about the leaker proves correct, I can excuse this one mistake."

Team Eight collectively sucked in a breath.

Even as inexperienced genin, they understood what that meant. Konoha was not in a position to freely discipline jonin. Not with tensions rising between villages, not with the Chunin Exams approaching, and not with the other villages beginning to stir. Every capable shinobi mattered. Weakening their own forces over internal mistakes, especially ones born from unprecedented circumstances, would only invite outside aggression.

"But," Hiruzen said again, deliberately stretching the word, "this leniency will not be repeated. If you ever go behind your superior's back on a mission again, there will be consequences."

Hinata bowed her head. "Yes, sir."

With the floor given to her, Hinata spoke at length about the battle against Guren and her subordinates, carefully recounting each stage of the fight. She described the tactics used, the pressure they faced, and most importantly, the moment Guren underwent her strange transformation.

When Hinata finally finished, the room fell quiet.

Hiruzen remained motionless behind his desk, eyes unfocused as his mind worked through the implications. Piece by piece, the information settled into place.

Orochimaru.

The chakra pattern Hinata described during Guren's transformation mirrored the properties of Orochimaru's Curse Mark techniques too closely to be coincidence. That alone tied his former student's hand to the incident, and more importantly, to the leak itself. It was the most solid lead they had so far.

And yet, it raised a far darker concern.

Was Orochimaru actively making a move against Konoha?

"Why do you believe Guren is the one who leaked Naruto's information?"

Hinata nodded, pointing to a specific section of the Bingo Book.

"The entry confirms that Naruto uses the Kyubi's chakra," she said. "That detail could only be known to a very small group. Guren. Zabuza. Haku. Naruto himself. And me."

She hesitated only briefly before continuing. "Zabuza and Haku owe Naruto their lives. I do not believe they would ever betray him. Guren, however, had motive and opportunity."

Hiruzen nodded slowly.

Hinata's reasoning was sound. Combined with the evidence of Guren's transformation and its similarities to the Curse Mark, the conclusion was difficult to ignore. That Orochimaru had not only survived, but successfully refined his experiments, was deeply troubling.

If this was merely the opening move, then darker days lay ahead for Konoha.

Kiba raised his hand halfway, frowning. "Wait, wait. Naruto lost the Kyubi, right? So how the hell was he using Nine Tails chakra?"

That question shifted every gaze in the room to Hinata.

"Yes," she said calmly. "Naruto no longer has the Nine Tails sealed inside him. I believe Guren mistook something else for the Kyubi's chakra."

"Something else?" Kiba echoed. "Like what?"

"A red aura," Hinata replied. "I do not know what it is exactly, but it amplified Naruto's power. It felt different from the foreign chakra. Similar in color, but not in nature."

She hesitated. "You would have to ask Naruto for details."

Hiruzen slowly licked his dry lips. That single statement brought a dozen troubling implications to the surface, but he pushed them aside for now. This was not the time.

"Thank you, Hinata," he said quietly. "That information helps Konoha more than you realize."

Hinata bowed slightly and stepped back.

Hiruzen then looked at all three of them, his presence shifting.

"Team Eight. Naruto no longer possessing the Nine Tails is now an S rank classified secret."

The words hit like a physical weight.

"If even a whisper of this reaches the wrong ears," Hiruzen continued, "other villages will know that Konoha has been weakened. They will test that assumption. Politically. Militarily. Subtly at first, and then not so subtly."

His gaze hardened. "Even casual conversation in the wrong place could spark a conflict. Do you understand the responsibility you are carrying?"

Team Eight straightened immediately.

"Yes, Hokage sama," they said in unison.

Hiruzen studied them for a moment, watching how seriously they took it, how none of them flinched or complained.

There was quiet strength in his eyes.

He glanced at Kurenai. "They are good," he said softly. "You should be proud."

Kurenai gave a faint nod.

"Now then," Hiruzen continued, shifting the tone, "regarding your evaluation as Team 7's backup… Kakashi and Kurenai have spoken very highly of all three of you."

His gaze turned to the side. "Hinata Hyuga. Despite a few… questionable actions, your performance during this mission was excellent. Your reconnaissance work was invaluable, and your archer's approach during the battle with the Hōzuki clan members helped avoid major casualties. You did your clan proud."

Hinata tried to maintain her dignity as a Hyuga, but was failing to stop her excitement.

"Shino Aburame. You maintained a flawless operational record. Both jonin reports mark your actions as exemplary. You represent the gold standard of a shinobi."

Shino nodded slightly, but the subtle buzz from the insects under his coat betrayed the pride he felt.

"Kiba Inuzuka," the Hokage said, turning to the last of the trio. Kiba squared his shoulders, with Akamaru sitting tall beside him.

"Let us start with the good. You are a team player. You showed initiative when it mattered. You placed your team and the civilians first during every confrontation. You patrolled nightly, stayed vigilant, and showed the grit expected from a true Konoha shinobi."

Kiba tried not to grin, but it was a losing battle.

"Now onto the cons," Hiruzen said, steepling his fingers. "Hot headed, quick to provoke fights, especially with Naruto Uzumaki, and a temper that had you yelling at clients."

"I am sorry, Hokage sama. You are right about all of that. I did not know how to react when I saw Naruto again. We had a huge fight during the graduation exam. But we have resolved our differences since then. I consider him a friend. A rival. And an ally."

Hiruzen gave a light clap. "It takes real strength to recognize and admit your flaws. I hope to see you work on them. I see potential in you, Inuzuka Kiba. A great shinobi in the making."

"Thank you." Kiba bowed again, Akamaru mimicking him with a small bow.

"Well then, Team 8, your mission pay and the bounty for the Hōzuki clan bodies will be assessed and handled later. Your commanding officer will inform you when it has been processed. Kiba. Shino. You are dismissed."

Both boys nodded and left the room, the chakra barrier sealing up behind them.

"Now then, Hinata… can you explain how exactly your Byakugan was upgraded?"

Hinata activated her new eyes. "While I do not understand the full mechanics, I believe Naruto's Hawkeyes potion acted as a trigger. It released a unique chakra that interacted with the optic nerves of my Byakugan. The result… awakened what appears to be the Eye of Insight, a trait of the Sharingan. I believe this points to an unknown link between the Hyuga and Uchiha clans."

Hiruzen leaned back slightly, humming in thought. "And the Eye of Hypnotism?"

"We do not know if I have it," Hinata replied after a quick glance at Kurenai.

"Kurenai is your teacher. I trust you two will test and verify that soon."

"Of course," Kurenai said, her voice calm and professional. Internally, however, her thoughts raced. If Hinata truly possessed access to the Eye of Hypnotism, her potential in genjutsu would increase dramatically, and Kurenai was more than willing, even eager, to guide her through mastering it.

"Is your new Byakugan detectable?"

"When inactive, it appears normal. But once I activate it, the pattern is visible. I do not think I can hide it from the Hyuga for long."

Hiruzen's eyes sharpened. "Then you understand the risk this poses. Not just to you, but to Naruto. Anything capable of enhancing the Byakugan would be of extreme interest to the Hyuga main branch. Interest rarely stays harmless for long."

"Hokage sama," Hinata said carefully, "I do not believe the Hyuga would act openly against Naruto. But pressure, investigation, and quiet coercion are realistic possibilities. That said, I will not give them a reason to move against him. If necessary, I will take responsibility for what happened and keep Naruto out of it."

That answer made Hiruzen pause. "Then what is your plan?"

"While watching Guren's transformation, my Byakugan picked up how her chakra was altering her physiology. I plan to lie to the family. I will say I was hit by that special chakra and it mutated my eyes."

Hiruzen considered it.

The lie was built on half truths, carefully arranged to withstand scrutiny. If the Hokage himself affirmed it, the Hyuga elders would have little choice but to accept it. They had no reliable way to verify the details, and challenging the Hokage openly is not something a clan could do. More importantly, the explanation placed Hinata in a role unlike any other within the clan, one that set her apart not as a problem to be contained, but as an asset they could not easily touch.

It was the kind of clever, political move that surprised him coming from the usually reserved girl.

He studied her closely, recalling Kurenai's proud comments about Hinata's dream to reform the Hyuga.

Maybe the new dawn of the Hyuga clan lies with you, Hinata.

Hiashi Hyūga understood that people changed in the shinobi world. In a profession built on violence, loss, and proximity to death, transformation was expected. Shinobi hardened, broke, or adapted. Sometimes all three.

What he did not expect was to see that change reflected so clearly in his own daughter after a single mission.

Hinata sat across from him with her back straight and her hands folded neatly in her lap. Her posture was composed, her expression calm. There was no hesitation in her eyes, no instinctive shrinking away from his gaze. The quiet confidence she carried was subtle, but unmistakable.

The contrast was so stark that for a fleeting, unsettling moment, Hiashi wondered if this was his daughter.

That realization alone told him the mission had not been a simple one.

"Hinata?" he asked, the name leaving his mouth with unfamiliar weight.

"Yes, Father."

"You have… changed."

"A new set of clothes and a bit of confidence can do wonders."

Hiashi's gaze drifted to the armor she wore. It was not elaborate. Compared to the lacquered plates of samurai or ceremonial clan armor, it was almost plain. Shinobi armor culture had never emphasized heavy protection. Mobility, stealth, and chakra mattered more than layered steel. Most shinobi were not expected to survive long enough for stronger armor to matter.

Yet this was different.

Leather reinforced with metal rivets, flexible but durable. The structure was designed not to interfere with precise footwork. It favored quick engagement, controlled strikes, and rapid disengagement. Terrain based movement rather than brute force.

Hiashi recognized the intent immediately.

This armor was made for a practitioner of the Gentle Fist.

It did not restrict the shoulders or wrists. It protected vital points without sacrificing speed. Whoever had chosen it understood how a Hyūga fought, not just how they looked on the battlefield.

"The mission with your team," Hiashi said carefully. "How did it go?"

"I am afraid the Hokage has forbidden us from discussing its details. But it was a success."

He nodded once, accepting the answer. Still, his mind worked through the implications. For the Hokage himself to restrict information from genin meant the mission's rank exceeded what was normal. At minimum, it bordered on A rank territory. Possibly higher.

That was a concern for later.

For now, Hiashi studied his daughter in silence.

"And what of the task I gave you?"

Hinata's expression tensed. "I became Naruto's friend," she said. "But not for the reason you intended."

"Continue."

"I will not use my friendship with Naruto as a political shield to secure my place as heiress," Hinata said. Her voice was firm. "If I am to be the future head of this clan, then I will earn it through strength. Through merit. Not by clinging to the shadow of another."

Silence.

For a moment, Hiashi said nothing. He simply looked at her.

When he finally spoke, his voice was low. "So you disobeyed my order."

"I fulfilled it, but not in the way you wanted," Hinata replied. "Naruto is my friend. Truly. But I will not use him."

"Now that the entire village knows Naruto is the son of the Fourth Hokage, rumors have begun to circulate."

Hiashi fixed his gaze on Hinata, studying her reaction.

"One of those rumors is that you are close to him. Whether you intended it or not, that association carries weight. With his lineage revealed, your position as the next clan head is no longer in question."

Hinata's fingers curled slowly at her side. "And Hanabi?"

Hiashi did not hesitate.

"She will receive the Caged Bird Seal the day you are formally announced as heir."

The words struck with the force of a physical blow.

Hinata's breath hitched before she forced herself to speak. "When is that announcement supposed to happen?"

Hiashi's eyes narrowed slightly at her tone. Once, that look alone would have made her lower her head and retreat inward. Now she held his gaze, unflinching.

"When you attain the rank of chunin or when you are formally recognized as an adult by clan law. Whichever comes first."

Hinata felt a cold knot settle in her chest.

Within the Hyūga, adulthood was not defined by age alone. It was an old custom, one that predated the founding of the village itself. A kunoichi was considered an adult when her body was deemed capable of bearing heirs. The menarche marked the transition.

The tradition had its roots in the Warring States era, when clans lived and died by bloodlines, when succession needed to be settled early to prevent internal conflict. Certainty was valued above compassion. Once an heiress was declared, the hierarchy became absolute. Any siblings born after were safeguards, nothing more.

Hinata understood that now with painful clarity.

"That means I still have time to tear down this barbaric system."

The silence that followed pressed in on the room.

"Excuse me."

"You are excused, Father, but know this… I intend to abolish the Hyūga branding system," Hinata replied without hesitation. "I will unify the main and branch families."

The statement stopped Hiashi cold.

For a long moment, he simply stared at her, searching her face for irony. For exaggeration. For the clumsy bravado of a child who did not yet understand the weight of her words.

There was only certainty.

"The world does not bend simply because you wish it to," Hiashi said, his voice measured and even. "Desire alone has never reshaped history, Hinata."

"I know. That's why I don't intend to rely on desire. I'll become strong enough to force it to change."

His brow tightened. "Then tell me this. Why bring these thoughts to me?" His gaze sharpened. "Do you believe I will stand beside you? If the elders so much as catch wind of this, they will turn on you without mercy. Favor is fleeting. You would be discarded the moment you become inconvenient."

"I told you because you're my father."

Hiashi's tone cooled further. "And I am the head of this clan."

"Then answer me honestly. Will you oppose me?"

He did not respond immediately. His eyes drifted away, toward the open doors, toward the compound beyond. When he spoke again, his words were precise, almost dismissive.

"I do not need to oppose what holds no weight," he said. "Ambition without power is noise. And noise fades."

Hinata's fingers curled into fists. "So that's all I am to you? A disappointment? A failure you've already written off?"

Hiashi looked back at her, composed, unyielding.

"You have changed," he acknowledged. "But a shift in attitude does not dismantle centuries of law. The system you condemn is not cruelty for cruelty's sake. It is the framework that preserved this clan long before Konoha existed. You alone will not overturn it."

"Then answer this," Hinata said, lifting her chin. "If that system exists to protect the Byakugan, why does a shinobi from the Hidden Mist possess one right now?"

For the first time, Hiashi faltered.

It was only a breath. Only the slightest pause. But Hinata saw it.

"You know," she pressed. "You and the elders knew an eye was stolen. And you chose silence. Because admitting the truth would have shattered the myth... the lie that justifies everything."

Hiashi said nothing.

His silence was confirmation enough.

"How many members of the main house actually step onto the battlefield? How many risk their lives beyond the village walls?"

Hinata released a deep breath. "It's the branch family who bleed. They're the ones sent on missions, exposed to ambush, assassination, and death, all while carrying the seal that can destroy them at a thought. You call that protection, but it's rot. That seal doesn't preserve the Hyūga. It poisons it."

She steadied her heart. "A system that survives by sacrificing half its people isn't strong, Father. It's already dying. And when it collapses, it won't be because of outsiders. It'll be because we destroyed ourselves from the inside."

Hiashi studied her as though seeing her anew.

"If you persist in this path, understand what awaits you. The elders will oppose you. The main family will fight you."

"Will you fight me?"

"..."

"Well, the main family can cling to their titles all they want," Hinata replied calmly. "The storm's already forming regardless of if you will oppose me or not."

Something stirred in Hiashi's chest.

An old memory. A vision he once held before duty crushed it beneath tradition and fear.

Perhaps... perhaps she could succeed where he had failed.

For the first time in many years, Hiashi Hyūga allowed himself the faintest smile, so small it was almost indistinguishable from resignation.

A sharp knock broke the moment.

"Enter," Hiashi said, his voice returning to its usual calm authority.

An ANBU operative stepped inside, knelt, and presented a sealed scroll bearing the Hokage's mark. The message was delivered, acknowledged, and the ANBU vanished in a flicker of motion, as silent as they had arrived.

Hiashi broke the seal.

As he read, his composure cracked.

His eyes widened, just slightly at first, then more, to the point Hinata wondered if she was imagining it. He reread the scroll once. Then again, slower this time, as if committing every word to memory.

Finally, he looked up.

"Activate it," he said quietly. "Show me this new Byakugan."

Hinata's chakra surged, and her eyes shifted.

Hiashi stared with a haunted look, one that dragged old ghosts to the surface. A look Hinata had never seen on her father's face before.

"...He was telling the truth," Hiashi murmured under his breath.

"What?"

Hiashi did not answer immediately. But the silence told her enough. He knew what he was seeing. And he knew exactly what it meant.

"Father, do you know of a connection between the Hyūga and the Uchiha?"

Hiashi closed his eyes for a brief moment, then opened them again, resolve settling over his features. "Information is power, Hinata. But power without the strength to protect it is merely an invitation for it to be taken. Some truths are buried not because they are false, but because revealing them too soon invites disaster."

He studied her closely. "If you wish to uncover such truths, you must first prove you can survive the consequences."

Hinata straightened. "Then I request a spar," she said firmly. "With you."

Hiashi snorted softly. "Very well. Let us see whether the real world has given you more than an attitude adjustment."

Hinata smiled.

Hiashi walked to the center of the sparring dojo. The room was a polished expanse of pale hardwood. Shoji panels filtered in golden sunlight, casting shifting grid like patterns across the floor. A raised tatami mat rested at the back, meant for observation, but today it was empty.

Across the floor, Hinata stood stretching.

Hiashi watched her in silence, his face a calm mask. But inside, regret simmered.

Dear Tsubaki, I failed our daughter. I believed severity would harden her. That distance would temper her into something strong enough to endure this world. Instead, all I did was break what should never have been touched. And now… now she stands before me reforged. Not by my hand, but by pain. By resolve born in places I never reached. I cannot undo what I've done. But I can choose not to stand in her way.

I owe her at least that.

Hiashi Hyūga said none of this aloud.

He was not a man who gave voice to regret. He carried it silently, with composure, dignity, and the quiet understanding that some apologies could never be spoken, only proven.

Instead, he stepped forward.

He raised his arms and settled into a Gentle Fist stance, posture immaculate and balance flawless. The stance of a clan head of the Hyūga.

"I will not be using my Byakugan. You, however, are expected to hold nothing back. Use every technique at your disposal."

"And if I force you to activate your eyes, Father?"

"Then, you will have proven yourself worthy of learning more about your new pair of eyes."

"Hajime!"

Hinata's hands flashed through a seal Hiashi did not expect, and his brow creased in genuine surprise.

Ninja Art: Smokescreen Jutsu!

White smoke erupted outward, thick and fast, swallowing the dojo in an instant. The clean wooden floor vanished. The walls disappeared. Sound became muffled and distance distorted.

Hiashi narrowed his eyes.

Under normal circumstances, the smoke would have been meaningless to the Byakugan. But with Hiashi's self imposed restriction, it changed the fight entirely.

Hinata had learned the technique from Kakashi, as a way to exploit the Byakugan. The smoke blinded everyone else, stripping them of depth, distance, and direction, while the Byakugan user remained untouched.

"A Hyūga using ninjutsu?" Hiashi said calmly, his voice cutting through the haze.

"It worked on you, didn't it?"

Her voice echoed from all directions, distorted and misleading. She had copied the technique from Zabuza, breaking the sense of direction and forcing the enemy to doubt every instinct.

"A Hyūga is expected to master the Gentle Fist," Hiashi said, turning slowly, listening.

"Why? We're shinobi, aren't we? Why should our tools be so limited?"

"Because the Gentle Fist is absolute," Hiashi answered. "It is a discipline refined over centuries. A true master does not merely strike the body. They sever chakra itself. Ninjutsu becomes meaningless when its flow is disrupted at the source."

This was doctrine of the Hyūga.

This was their history.

Hinata snorted softly, her thoughts flickering back to the battle between Guren, Naruto, and Zabuza. To the moment she understood, with chilling clarity, that the Hyūga's pride meant nothing in the face of true monsters of the shinobi world. Even the head of the Hyūga was only a jōnin. Powerful, yes, but jōnin were not rare. They existed in every village, in every nation.

Talking it through later with Kakashi sensei had only cemented the realization. Strength in the real world did not come from clinging to tradition. It came from adaptation. From widening one's path, not narrowing it.

And Hinata knew then that if she followed only what the Hyūga had always taught her, she would never reach the level she needed to stand where Naruto stood.

The smoke shifted.

She burst forward, palm glowing faintly as she drove straight for his chest.

Hiashi reacted instantly, intercepting the strike with perfect timing.

But his hand passed straight through her.

Ninja Art: Clone Jutsu.

A simple D rank technique. Something no seasoned jōnin should ever fall for. Under normal conditions, the lack of a shadow would have given it away immediately. But in the smoke, it was barely noticeable.

Hiashi went on the defensive, wondering, what is your plan here?

Twang.

The older Hyūga caught the arrow as it was about to hit his eye.

Another twang.

A palm strike splintered the arrow.

Then another.

Dodge.

Then another.

Each one from a new direction. She was moving in a semi circle around him, firing while staying mobile. From within the smoke, Hinata's voice echoed. "Father. Give up. Every arrow embedded near your feet is rigged with explosive tags."

Hiashi almost smiled.

So she's gone that far, he thought with quiet approval. She really has embraced what it means to be a shinobi.

"Do you truly think I was born yesterday, Hinata? None of those arrows carry seals. And if they did, they would have detonated the moment I shattered them with chakra."

There was a pause.

"…Wow," Hinata said dryly. "What a way to ruin your daughter's plan. Do you have no shame, Father?"

Hiashi went white as a sheet at her taunt.

Suddenly the smoke thinned just enough for him to see her silhouette.

Then it split.

Three Hinatas stood before him.

One dropped into the stance of the Eight Trigrams Sixty Four Palms. Another stood slightly behind, bow drawn, arrow aimed steady and unflinching. The third raised a compact crossbow, its bolt already loaded.

Hiashi's eyes narrowed.

Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation.

Chakra erupted from every tenketsu in his body as he spun, forming a whirling dome of compressed force. The arrows struck first, phasing harmlessly against the rotating barrier. The palms followed, their strikes dispersing against the spinning shield like mist against a storm.

Both were regular clones, Hiashi thought, as the bolt hit.

The explosive tag detonated on contact.

Fire and pressure blossomed outward, the blast roaring against the rotation, but Hiashi remained unmoved. The chakra shield flared brighter for an instant, dispersing the force evenly. When the smoke cleared, his robes were untouched and his stance unbroken.

Before the echo of the explosion could fade, Hiashi moved.

Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!

He thrust his palm forward, releasing a compressed shell of chakra. The invisible force crossed the distance instantly, slamming into Hinata's real form. The crossbow in her hands shattered under the impact as she flipped backward, boots skidding across the floor as she barely redirected the blow.

Her Byakugan flared.

The closed bud pattern within her eyes began to unfurl, reacting instinctively to the pressure.

She twisted midair, landed, and struck back.

Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!

The blast tore through the thinning smoke.

Hiashi sidestepped, the force passing close enough to ripple his robes.

With undeniable proof now laid bare, that Hinata's Byakugan carried the Eye of Insight, Hiashi's expression finally shifted. "You've proven the strength of those eyes."

"And have I proven I'm more than the failure you once saw me as?"

"You have," Hiashi replied, and there was no mistaking the pride in his voice.

He could have ended the spar there. Any reasonable clan head would have. But reason gave way to curiosity.

How far has she truly come?

Hinata answered that question herself.

Eight Trigrams: Sixteen Palms!

With her near complete field of vision, Hinata centered herself within the invisible Eight Trigrams diagram, chakra flaring along her arms as she surged forward. Her strikes came in controlled bursts, each aimed at a tenketsu, each faster than the last.

Two Palms!

Her pace accelerated sharply as she pushed into the final sets, resolve hardening as she stepped forward for the sixteen strike sequence.

Hiashi redirected, deflected, and disrupted her flow without breaking stance, his counters precise enough to halt each strike inches from its target.

"Your timing is sound," he said calmly as he blocked another flurry. "But your weight shifts too early."

Four Palms!

Strike. Block.

"You're committing your hips before the strike lands. Against lesser opponents, it would work. Against someone who knows the form, it telegraphs your intent."

Eight Palms!

Strike. Block.

"You're also overreaching on the final sequence. Sixteen Palms isn't about speed alone. It's about control. You're rushing to prove something."

Her final strike stopped just short of his chest.

Hiashi stepped back.

"Let me show you the true 64 Palms."

His presence changed instantly. The dojo seemed to shrink as his chakra surged, every movement refined by decades of mastery. The strikes came faster than before, relentless and suffocating.

Hinata reacted on instinct.

Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation!

Chakra erupted from her tenketsu as she spun, forming a rotating barrier just as the strikes landed. The force battered against her rotation, pressure mounting, her feet digging into the floor as she held the technique together through sheer will.

The attacks dispersed.

The rotation slowed.

Hinata slid back a step, breathing hard but still standing.

Hiashi stared at her, genuinely stunned. "…Technique thieving eyes."

"What?"

"You didn't learn that. You copied it." Hiashi exhaled, the sound caught somewhere between irritation and reluctant awe. "To replicate a form mid combat, without instruction… that ability is why the Uchiha were feared, respected, and hated."

His gaze lingered on her eyes.

"And now, that ability rests within the Hyūga."

Hinata felt a twist in her chest. For a fleeting moment, she wondered how her father would react if he knew that Sasuke's Sharingan now carried traits of the Byakugan as well. The thought passed just as quickly.

What did not pass was the irritation.

Even now, after everything she'd done, after everything she'd shown him, it was still her eyes he was focused on. Not her resolve, choices, or will.

Her jaw tightened.

Hinata channeled chakra into her thumb as she hit her chakra points, recreating a technique she'd copied from Guren, one she had not intended to reveal yet.

"Chakra Points: Life and Death."

The release was explosive.

Chakra burst outward from her body in a violent surge, dense enough to be seen, felt, heard. The force slammed into Hiashi and drove him back a step before he could fully brace.

For the first time, Hiashi's composure cracked. "Why are you doing this?" he demanded. "You've already proven yourself. You've shown more than enough to stand as the Hyūga heiress."

Hinata breathed hard, teeth clenched as she forced the torrent of chakra to stabilize for one more moment. "Because…" she said, voice strained but unyielding, "…just enough isn't enough for my dreams."

She lifted her head and met his gaze head on.

"So even if I fall, I'll show you, Father, that your daughter isn't just talking about changing this clan. I'll act."

She shifted her footing as she took her stance of the Eight Trigrams: Sixty Four Palms.

When suddenly something changed.

The Hornet Ring on Hinata's finger pulsed, reacting to the overwhelming chakra pouring through her system, as if answering her resolve.

The magic of the Hornet Ring flowed into Hinata, guiding her movements as if unseen hands were refining every flaw in her form.

Her right foot stepped forward and planted hard, the toe grinding into the wooden floorboards until hairline cracks spidered outward from the pressure. Her back heel rotated just enough to anchor her stance, granting full rotational force without sacrificing balance.

The front leg absorbed and redirected force while the rear carried her weight like a coiled spring, ready to release everything in a single instant. Her torso leaned forward just a fraction, body aligned from shoulder to foot in one seamless chain of stored momentum.

Her right arm extended.

Three fingers forward.

One intent.

A spear aimed directly at Hiashi's throat.

The world seemed to go quiet around her.

Hiashi's breath caught.

He had seen thousands of stances. Corrected forms refined over generations.

This was different.

His Byakugan flared instinctively, and what he saw made his heart skip a beat. Between Hinata's fingers, chakra condensed into a dense, focused needle, concentrated at the middle joint, flickering like a living ember on the verge of ignition.

Then something far worse happened.

Hinata's left hand crackled as lightning chakra arced along her fingers. At the same time, fire chakra shimmered around her right hand.

Hiashi swallowed.

She was adding elemental chakra into the Gentle Fist. And from the unfocused glaze in her eyes, he realized with cold clarity that she was not doing it deliberately. She was doing it instinctively.

In a single breath, she vanished the distance between them.

Eight Trigrams: Sixty Four Palms!

Hiashi moved on pure survival.

He knew, with absolute certainty, that if even one elemental infused Gentle Fist strike landed cleanly, it would not cripple him.

It would most certainly kill him.

Painfully.

Gentle Step: Black Turtle Shield.

Hiashi moved at the same instant Hinata did.

The technique was a variant of the Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists, a high level secret of the Gentle Fist taught only to the Hyūga main branch. Unlike the roaring chakra lions favored by others, this was Hiashi's own creation, meant for defense rather than offense. Chakra surged from his palms and shaped itself into overlapping, shell like rings that wrapped around his forearms, layered like iron rings.

Two strikes came first.

Hiashi's Byakugan locked onto Hinata's body, its x ray vision piercing flesh to track the minute contraction of muscle fibers and the subtle shift of tendons before motion even began. He stepped aside with effortless precision, his body flowing out of danger like a leaf carried by the wind.

Two more strikes, totaling four.

Four consecutive strikes, totaling eight.

Hinata's speed increased. Her palms blurred, chakra flaring brighter with each blow.

Eight consecutive strikes, totaling sixteen.

Sixteen consecutive strikes, totaling thirty two.

The dojo groaned under the pressure of her advance. Floorboards cracked where her feet landed. The air itself seemed to shudder as her chakra surged higher, hotter, and more volatile.

Thirty two consecutive strikes, totaling sixty four.

Hiashi raised the Black Turtle Shield.

The shell like chakra constructs met her palms head on. Some strikes were deflected cleanly, redirected with practiced ease. Others slipped through, grazing past his guard. Each one that connected sent a violent jolt through his arms, elemental chakra scraping against his defense like grinding steel.

He grunted, forced to give ground for the first time.

Then he moved.

Thud.

His fingers struck a chakra point at the base of Hinata's neck. The surge of power collapsed instantly, her body going slack as she crumpled forward.

Hiashi caught her before she hit the floor.

He stood there for a long moment, breathing deeply, eyes fixed on the faintly glowing Hornet Ring still pulsing on her finger.

"…What is this strange item?"

Clang.

The sound of Hinata's footsteps echoed in the strangely familiar hallway.

The steel walls, flickering lights, and the same oppressive air from the hideout where she and Naruto had once faced Guren's squad. But something was wrong. The metal under her sandals was slick. She looked down.

Blood.

Dark, thick, and wet, pooling in unnatural patterns. It oozed from the walls like the building itself was bleeding, running in rivulets down cracked bulkheads, soaking into the seams between every tile. The lights buzzed overhead, flickering erratically. Each flicker seemed to swallow sound, plunging her momentarily into deafening silence before the buzz returned like a scream. Her heart pounded with an unnatural rhythm. Something was not right with the air.

Then she heard it.

Thud.

A single, echoing sound. Like iron boots striking steel.

She spun toward it.

Naruto stood at the far end of the corridor. He was clad head to toe in the Steel Set.

"...Naruto kun?"

He did not respond.

Instead, his armor began to vibrate, slowly at first, then faster. The sound it made was not just metallic. It was alive, a low, throbbing hum like a scream held in the back of the throat.

And then he charged.

The hallway seemed to bend around him. She blinked, and he was already halfway down the corridor. Too fast.

She stepped back, too slow.

A breath.

A blink.

Impact.

Iron met flesh. Bone shattered. Hinata did not even have time to cry out. Her ribs cracked. Her spine folded. She felt every inch of her body implode, compressed into pulp beneath a force so absolute it felt divine. And just like that, she was gone.

She woke with a choked gasp.

Her body jerked upright before she could stop it, breath coming fast and shallow. The world spun violently, the ceiling above her blurring and snapping back into focus like a poorly tuned lens. Her mouth was dry, her limbs heavy, every sensation lagging behind her thoughts.

Where…?

She tried to speak. Nothing came out.

A gentle pressure touched her lips.

She drank instinctively, water spilling into her mouth and down her throat, easing the burning dryness. It tasted so, so sweet.

Slowly, her senses returned. She was in her room. Her father sat beside the bed.

"Hinata," Hiashi said quietly, "you're safe. That was only a dream."

She blinked, throat working as she tried again. "I… that was a dream?"

"What did you see?"

"It didn't feel real. My body still aches, but it's… distant. Like everything's delayed."

"That's the aftershock of overtaxing your chakra system," Hiashi said. "You pushed yourself far beyond what most shinobi could tolerate."

Hinata did not reply. She stared at the ceiling, caught somewhere between memory and the present, fragments of the spar still echoing through her muscles.

Hiashi shifted slightly in his seat. "While you were unconscious," he said after a moment, his tone softer, "you were restless. Tossing. You kept saying a name."

"I don't remember."

"Is that the truth?"

"Sort of… I think it was a nightmare. Or maybe a memory twisted into one. It's all fog."

"Naruto kun. That's what you kept calling out."

She sank deeper into her bed. Then, in a small, embarrassed whisper, "…Oh."

Seeing his daughter blushing, the man decided to change the topic. "What exactly is that item?"

Hinata followed his eyes and raised her hand slightly, letting the hornet ring catch the light.

"I don't really know. Naruto kun gave it to me. He said it would make my Gentle Fist stronger."

"It did more than that," Hiashi replied.

She looked at him, confused.

"During the Sixty Four Palms," he continued calmly, "you used elemental manipulation. Fire chakra and Lightning Chakra in each hand."

Hinata stared at him, stunned.

The Gentle Fist was considered a peerless martial art. It inflicted internal damage by striking the body's Chakra Pathway System, injuring organs that were closely intertwined with the network itself. To accomplish this, the user surgically injected their own chakra into an opponent's pathways, disrupting the flow and damaging nearby organs through proximity alone. Even the lightest touch could cause devastating harm, which was why the style earned the name gentle fist.

Among the Hyūga main branch, there existed an unspoken evolution of this art.

By altering one's chakra into an elemental form before injection, the Gentle Fist could attack the internal organs directly with elemental chakra. And elemental chakra was far more destructive than ordinary chakra. Wind chakra could shred organs from the inside. Lightning could paralyze and burn the internal system of the human body. Earth could crush. Water could rupture. Fire could liquefy tissue outright.

This forbidden variant was known within the clan as the Death Fist.

A forbidden martial art.

The reason was simple. The level of control and shape manipulation required to send elemental chakra into another person's body was staggering. But worse, it was a double edged sword. Elemental chakra at such a level damaged the user's own chakra network as it passed through. Over time, repeated use would cripple the practitioner from the inside out.

Hinata stared at her numb hands. "How bad is it?"

"The chakra network around your hands is severely weakened," Hiashi said. "I strongly advise you not to use chakra or perform any jutsu for at least a month."

He placed his hand over hers.

A faint green glow bloomed from his palm, warm and steady, seeping into her damaged pathways. The ache dulled almost immediately.

He was healing her.

"You… know medical ninjutsu?"

Hiashi nodded slightly, still looking at her pale face. "After what happened to your mother… I decided to learn. I swore I'd never be helpless again."

That stunned her more than anything. The Hiashi she had known all her life had learned something as gentle as healing?

"Why… why did you push yourself so far?"

"I already told you… I've changed."

Hiashi did not blink. "I know. That was obvious the moment I saw you take a stance without hesitation. But this…"

He gestured to her body.

"This wasn't change. This was self destruction. You burned your chakra to the brink of collapse. You fought beyond your body's limits. Was that really necessary? Was that what you thought I needed to see?"

"I needed you to understand."

"Understand what?"

"That I'm not weak anymore. That if I ever stood in front of the clan and said I wanted to change things… I wanted you beside me. Not across from me."

Hiashi's brow furrowed.

"I knew it wouldn't be easy. The elders will never accept a Hyūga who questions the system. I'll be called a disgrace. I might even lose my position as heir. But…"

Hinata looked up at him, eyes rimmed with exhaustion and sincerity.

"If I can't make you believe in me, then no one will. So I fought, not just to prove my skill, but to prove my heart."

Hiashi looked down at their hands, his own trembling now, barely noticeable, but it was there.

"I didn't know," he said finally, voice low. "That you thought you needed to nearly die for me to be proud."

Silence.

He closed his eyes. "I failed you."

"You didn't," Hinata said.

"I did," he insisted. "I raised you thinking fear and strictness would carve strength into you. But what I carved was doubt. You believed you had to shatter yourself just to earn your father's support."

His hand tightened around hers, just slightly. "And yet, even after all I did… you still wanted me beside you."

"I still do."

Hiashi swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Then you'll have me."

Hinata blinked.

"I don't know what you saw on that mission. I don't know what happened that changed you so completely. But I see you now, Hinata. Not the timid child. Not the uncertain heir. I see a woman who's trying to carry the weight of her clan on her back, and doing it with grace even if it breaks her."

His voice almost cracked.

"I will walk beside you. As the clan head. As your… father. And as someone who believes in your dream."

Hinata gave a small smile.

"Thank you… Father."

A few minutes passed before Hinata finally began to feel her hands again. The numbness receded slowly, replaced by a dull ache that reminded her just how close she'd come to breaking herself.

"Hinata… do you know there is a legend that the Uchiha and Senju clans descended from a single ancestor?"

"No," Hinata said honestly. The idea stunned her. Two of the strongest clans in history, rivals to the core, sharing blood felt almost impossible.

"It is said," Hiashi continued, "that both lineages inherited power from the Sage of Six Paths. The Uchiha inherited his eyes. The Senju inherited his body."

Hinata felt her thoughts stutter. The Sage of Six Paths was supposed to be a myth. A bedtime story. A figure spoken of in half-remembered legends. And yet her father spoke of him as fact.

Hiashi did not pause.

"There is another legend. One less known. Two other lineages inherited the power of a different sage."

"A… different sage?"

"The Sage of the Moon," Hiashi replied.

Hinata drew in a sharp breath.

That name was from a story her grandma once told her.

They were told that long ago, a pale-eyed man climbed to the moon after saving the world from a great calamity. He chose exile so the earth could remain at peace, watching silently from above to ensure no one repeated the same mistakes. The elders said he could see everything. Every act of defiance. Every broken promise. And that when children disobeyed their parents or brought shame to the clan, the Moon Sage would turn his gaze away, disappointed, and his protection would weaken.

So Hyūga children were taught to obey, endure and carry their duties quietly.

Because the man on the moon was always watching.

Hiashi continued, his voice steady.

"Two clans inherited the power of the Sage of the Moon. The body was inherited by the Kaguya clan. The eyes were inherited by the Hyūga."

"The… Kaguya clan?"

"They no longer exist," Hiashi said. "They were a savage people. Battle-hungry. They sought combat not for survival or duty, but for the thrill of it. When they attacked Kirigakure to prove their strength, they were surrounded and outmatched."

His voice hardened slightly. "Even then, they refused to retreat. They fought until the last of them fell, laughing in blood and ruin."

Hinata shuddered.

"A small number of them," Hiashi added, "possessed a kekkei genkai that allowed them to manipulate their own bone structure. Blades. Spears. Armor. Their bodies became weapons."

Hinata raised a trembling hand to her eyes. "Then… are these two sages related?"

"Yes. They were brothers."

The room fell silent.

Hinata's mind felt frozen, overwhelmed by the weight of it all.

Hiashi waited.

When no question came, he turned and began to leave.

"Father," Hinata called out suddenly. "Why didn't I ever hear about this?" She swallowed. "If this were common knowledge… the main branch would use it. They would boast about being descendants of gods."

Hiashi stopped at the doorway.

Without turning around, he said calmly, "Everyone who knew this information was killed by me."

He stepped out, leaving Hinata alone.

She sat there in silence, hands resting in her lap, her world irrevocably changed.

She finally had answers on her new eyes. And somehow, that only left her with far more questions.

The next few days of Hinata's life were strange, to say the least.

The atmosphere within the Hyūga compound shifted almost overnight. After the Third Hokage publicly confirmed Naruto's lineage, the clan's attitude subtly but unmistakably changed. Members of the main family who had barely acknowledged Hinata before suddenly smiled at her in passing. Children around her age began inviting her to small gatherings and training sessions. Even the elders, who had once spoken of her only in disappointed murmurs, now regarded her with something close to approval, offering personal instruction and guidance.

Hinata declined them all politely, citing her recovery.

But in the midst of all that attention, one person was quietly overlooked.

Hanabi Hyūga.

Once the favored heir, the child the clan had pinned its expectations on, Hanabi was suddenly invisible. Adults who once hovered now passed her by. Training sessions were canceled or postponed. Praise vanished, replaced with silence.

Hinata saw it immediately.

She saw the way Hanabi stood a little straighter than she needed to, pretending not to notice. The way she trained alone longer than usual. The way she swallowed her confusion and kept her expression composed, even as the world she understood began to break.

Hinata couldn't stand it.

"Hanabi," she said one afternoon. "Are you free?"

Hanabi blinked, clearly startled by the question.

Hinata smiled and reached out, taking her hand without waiting for an answer. "Well, let's go."

Before Hanabi could protest, she was being gently but firmly tugged along, out of the compound gates and into the village beyond.

It was Hanabi's first time simply… wandering.

They walked through streets she'd only ever seen from carriage windows. Hinata bought her dango from a street stall and laughed when Hanabi nearly burned her tongue. They stopped to watch craftsmen at work, listened to street performers, and sat on a bench overlooking the river while Hinata told her stories about missions and friends and things that had nothing to do with clan duty.

With Hanabi relaxed, Hinata took her to a small clothing shop near the market district. Hinata picked out an outfit herself, ignoring Hanabi's initial protests. When they left, Hanabi looked nothing like the rigid little heiress she'd been molded into.

She wore a loose white short sleeve top that slipped casually off one shoulder, revealing a dark sleeveless underlayer beneath it. The shirt hung long and relaxed, comfortable instead of formal. Dark fitted leggings covered her legs, paired with simple ankle high shoes that blended into the fabric. Her sneakers were warm tan, with black laces and clean white soles, practical and unmistakably ordinary.

"Where are we going?"

"To Ichiraku Ramen," Hinata replied as they turned the corner and immediately walked into chaos.

A pair of genin guards stood stiffly in front of Ichiraku's entrance while three academy students argued loudly in front of them.

"What do you mean I can't eat here?" Konohamaru yelled. "My boss eats here all the time!"

"I don't care who your boss is," one of the guards replied flatly. "No reservation, no entry."

The reason was simple. Because Naruto's lineage had become the worst kept secret in Konoha, Ichiraku had turned into a magnet. Nobles, shinobi, and opportunists all flocked to the tiny ramen stand hoping to catch a glimpse of Naruto Uzumaki. It had gotten so bad that Teuchi was forced to limit access, turning the place into a reservation only shop with prices that made even jōnin wince.

Unfortunately, none of this meant anything to Konohamaru and his friends, who just wanted ramen.

"You've done it now," Konohamaru declared, striking a dramatic pose. "I was saving this jutsu to show Boss Naruto, but you've left me no choice!"

The genin guards stiffened, one of them raising a kunai. "Kid, don't—"

"Ninja Art! Sexy Jutsu!"

Smoke exploded outward.

Konohamaru transformed into a beautiful woman, with special attention given to the woman's figure, breasts, and waist, that immediately collapsed as the smoke cleared unevenly. The effect was less impressive than Konohamaru had clearly imagined.

Everyone nearby sweatdropped.

"Oh god," Ayame muttered as she stepped out of the shop. "When did Naruto teach someone else that cursed jutsu?"

Konohamaru puffed up proudly. "Boss Naruto didn't teach me! I heard about it from Iruka sensei and figured it out myself. When I show it to him, he'll totally take me as his disciple and help me become Hokage!"

Udon and Moegi cheered enthusiastically.

Ayame immediately reached out and twisted Konohamaru's ear. "I'm sure Naruto would love to hear how you're causing trouble for everyone."

"Mercy! Mercy!" Konohamaru begged.

Ayame sighed and finally noticed the two Hyūga sisters watching from nearby. She squinted at Hinata, then smirked. "Hey. You're that girl who used to stalk…"

Hinata nearly combusted. She gently clapped a hand over Ayame's mouth and whispered urgently, "Please, Ayame san."

Ayame laughed and peeled Hinata's hand away. "Relax, I'm teasing." She glanced between the sisters. "Why don't you come inside? I heard from Ino you were part of the mission Naruto went on."

Hinata nodded.

Konohamaru immediately perked up. "What about us?" he asked, deploying his most practiced puppy dog eyes. Udon and Moegi copied him instantly.

"Fine. You brats too."

Konohamaru cheered like he'd just won a war as they were herded inside at last.

The inside of Ichiraku Ramen looked exactly the same as it always had.

Same narrow counters. Same worn stools. Same comforting smell of broth simmering in the back. A few customers sat quietly, eating without paying much attention to the newcomers.

Hinata exhaled without realizing she'd been holding her breath.

"So," she said softly, taking a seat, "how's business been?"

Ayame snorted as she leaned against the counter. "Busy. Way too busy. Ever since Naruto's lineage got out, we've had people crawling out of the woodwork because Naruto eats here."

She clicked her tongue. "Most of them just want to meet him."

"You know, you could've used that attention to expand. A full restaurant. Lots of places are already slapping the Fourth Hokage's name on everything they sell."

Ayame shook her head immediately. "Not our style. Dad and I are just a ramen stand. Naruto's not a brand. He's a regular and a friend." Her expression softened for a moment. "Using him, or his father, to make money just felt wrong."

Hinata smiled faintly and gestured for Hanabi to sit with Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon. Hanabi hesitated, fingers tightening around her sleeves, but Konohamaru immediately waved her over.

"Hey! You can sit here! We're talking about which ramen's the best."

Moegi beamed. "It's miso."

"No, it's pork bone!" Konohamaru shot back.

Udon adjusted his goggles. "I think they're all good."

Hanabi blinked, then slowly sat down.

She needs friends her own age, Hinata thought, watching the awkward but earnest introductions.

She turned back to the menu and promptly froze.

The prices were… not what she remembered.

Ayame noticed instantly and slid a different menu in front of her. "Don't worry about that. Since you're Naruto's friend, you're paying the old prices."

Hinata let out a quiet sigh of relief and nodded. "Thank you."

Across the counter, Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon were staring at their menus like they'd just seen a forbidden scroll.

Hanabi, meanwhile, barely glanced at it. "I'll have soba noodles," she said calmly.

Hinata glanced at her, surprised. Growing up in high society had clearly warped Hanabi's sense of what was normal. The prices meant nothing to her, while the others looked like they were mentally calculating their life savings.

"You three can order whatever you want," Hinata said gently. "I'll pay."

The three academy students stared at her like she'd descended from the heavens.

Half an hour later, Hinata leaned back slightly, rubbing her stomach. An impressive number of empty bowls sat stacked as she left the ramen shop.

She looked over at Hanabi, who had been quiet for most of the meal and did not eat a lot.

"So," Hinata asked softly, "did you have fun today?"

Hanabi nodded.

"Did you make friends with Konohamaru and the others?"

"I guess," Hanabi said after a moment. "At least… acquaintances. That'll be useful when I'm sent to the Academy."

"What?"

Hanabi looked at her, confused. "You know I'll have to go eventually, right? With you being the favored heiress now, it's only a matter of time before I'm placed with the branch family and start training at the Academy."

Hinata froze.

She knelt down in front of her sister, hands resting on Hanabi's knees. "Hanabi. Listen to me."

"I know. I should be proud of the curse mark."

The words hit Hinata like a slap.

Her hands tightened instantly, gripping the sides of Hanabi's sleeves as her voice sharpened in a way Hanabi had never heard before. "Hanabi. Who told you the curse mark is something to be proud of?"

Hanabi flinched.

"…Grandfather," she whispered. Fear flickered across her face. She had never seen Hinata look like this before.

Hinata had never held a good impression of her grandfather.

He was a man who placed the clan above all else. Once the clan head, now the most influential voice on the elder council, he carried himself like the traditions themselves answered to him.

And he had always favored Hanabi.

What that favoritism looked like had taken Hinata years to understand.

"What did he say?" Hinata asked quietly.

Hanabi hesitated, fingers twisting together. "He said… the branch house has it easier than most people in the Elemental Nations." Her voice wavered. "That they should be grateful. That serving the main family is an honor, and I should be proud if I'm ever chosen for it."

Hinata took a deep breath and spoke, carefully, deliberately. "The honest answer is yes and no. And it depends on what part of life you're looking at."

Hanabi looked up, confused but listening.

"Yes, in the sense that being born into the Hyūga branch family already puts someone above most people in the world. They belong to one of Konoha's most powerful clans. They're fed. Protected. Trained from childhood. The Byakugan alone gives them opportunities most shinobi will never even dream of."

Hinata softened her voice. "Compared to civilians who struggle to eat, or orphans raised by war, or low level ninja from minor villages… the branch family lives a safer, more stable life. That part is true."

Hanabi nodded slowly.

"But that's where it stops being simple."

The older sister knelt so they were eye to eye.

"The Caged Bird Seal changes everything. No matter how talented a branch member is, no matter how loyal or accomplished, they're never truly free. Their pain can be triggered at a thought. Their death can be ordered if it's convenient. Their body doesn't belong to them."

Hanabi's breathing hitched.

"That kind of control is something most people in the Elemental Nations don't live under. Even people with harder lives still own themselves. The branch family doesn't."

She swallowed. "So yes, they have privilege. But it comes at the cost of autonomy. Of choice. Of freedom. Some people might still choose that over starvation or war. Others wouldn't survive it."

Her voice trembled just slightly. "That… that's what makes our clan so broken."

Hanabi's face crumpled.

"I don't want that," she whispered, tears spilling over. "I don't want to be punished. I don't want to disappear if someone decides I don't matter."

Hinata pulled her into her arms immediately. "It's okay," she murmured, holding her tight. "You don't have to be brave right now."

"I'm scared… I don't wanna mess up… I don't wanna be alone…"

Hinata stroked her hair, rocking her gently, letting her cry as long as she needed.

When Hanabi finally calmed, Hinata leaned back just enough to look her in the eyes. "Listen to me. You don't have to be scared."

Hanabi sniffed. "I don't?"

"No. Your big sister's here to protect you." Hinata smiled softly. "All Hanabi chan has to worry about is making friends, doing her school assignments, and figuring out what she wants. Everything else is on me."

Hanabi stared at her for a second, then hugged her again, harder this time.

Life was looking good for the two sisters as Hinata and Hanabi grew closer over the weekend. And then came the news that Team 7 had returned to Konoha.

"Hurry up. We do not want to keep your boyfriend waiting."

"He is not my boyfriend," Hinata yelled back, blushing as she brushed down her shirt. "How do I look?"

The seven year old gave her a long, judging look.

Hinata was wearing a black short sleeved T shirt that fit slightly loose. Her bottoms were high waisted white shorts. On her legs, she wore dark ankle socks that contrasted with the light shorts and helped ground the outfit.

She also had a few accessories that completed the look. A black choker style necklace, a longer necklace with a circular pendant, and small hoop earrings.

"Naruto will fall head over heels the moment he sees you," Hanabi said, much to her older sister's embarrassment.

They walked toward Ichiraku Ramen, which was the obvious place Naruto would go the moment he came back.

Hinata turned out to be right.

Seated in front of a mountain sized bowl of ramen was Naruto Uzumaki. He was a lot taller than Hanabi expected, his presence somehow bigger than the room itself.

"Hey there, Hinata," Sakura greeted, scooting over to make space.

Sasuke gave a short wave, while Oscar still floated in a bowl with lukewarm water.

Naruto slurped loudly, then looked up mid chew. "Hey!" he grinned, mouth full of noodles.

A few strands of broth soaked noodles went flying.

Hanabi raised an unimpressed brow, then turned to her sister. "I genuinely do not get it. What do you see in him?"

Hinata ignored her little sister. "Naruto kun… your hair."

"Oh, yeah!" Naruto pushed back a few crimson locks. "What do you think?"

Hinata blushed faintly. "It is… beautiful." Her fingers twitched slightly, as if itching to reach out and touch it.

Stop staring.

"Wait. Weren't you blond? Why dye it red?"

Naruto blinked at Hanabi, confused. "What's with this sassy lost child?"

Author Note:

Firstly, I want to apologize for the late upload. The delay was honestly just life being life. This past week had me running around nonstop, doing things back to back until I was completely drained. By the time I finally had a moment to sit down, I was too exhausted to think straight, let alone write anything that felt worth posting.

Anyways, let us get into the Q and A.

1. How does the Hornet Ring affect Gentle Fist?

The answer is actually pretty simple if you have played the Dark Souls games.

The Hornet Ring is a ring in Dark Souls and Dark Souls Remastered that once belonged to the Lord's Blade Ciaran. It boosts critical attack damage by about thirty percent, enhancing backstabs and ripostes. It also alters the animation of these attacks when used against humanoid enemies, such as NPCs or other players.

So translating that into my story felt fairly natural.

Gentle Fist already revolves around what would count as critical hits. The Hornet Ring amplifies that impact.

That amplified version is what I am referring to as the Death Fist.

2. What is the Death Fist?

The Death Fist is not canon. It is my attempt at a logical and dangerous evolution of the Gentle Fist.

At its core, the Gentle Fist works by injecting chakra directly into the chakra pathway system, which runs alongside and through the internal organs. The chakra disrupts or overwhelms the opponent's chakra flow, damaging the surrounding organs in the process. Depending on how precise the strike is, the target's chakra circulation can be destabilized or completely shut down.

We see this clearly during Neji's fight with Hinata in the Chūnin Exams, where her chakra flow is disrupted to the point that she can no longer properly perform Gentle Fist techniques herself.

Now, we also know something important from canon. Chakra can be converted into elemental chakra. That is the foundation of ninjutsu.

So the Death Fist is built on a simple but terrifying question. What happens if you apply elemental chakra through Gentle Fist?

Instead of injecting regular chakra into the chakra network, the user injects elemental chakra directly into the internal organs and pathways. Internal organs are already fragile. Introducing elemental chakra into them is catastrophic. Fire would burn from the inside. Lightning would disrupt nerves and muscle signals. Wind would shred tissue at a microscopic level. Any elemental application would result in near instant death if executed cleanly, because internal organs are really squishy.

That raises the obvious question. If this is possible, why has elemental Gentle Fist never appeared in canon?

To answer that, I looked at another jutsu that attacks the chakra network directly.

The Rasenshuriken.

When the Rasenshuriken detonates, it creates a vortex filled with countless microscopic wind blades. These blades pierce every cell in the target's body, severing them from the chakra circulatory system. The damage is so severe that the victim permanently loses their ability to mold chakra, and even advanced medical ninjutsu cannot repair it.

Naruto himself suffered backlash from this technique when he first used it against Kakuzu. His own chakra network was damaged simply by being too close to the attack.

That became the key limitation for the Death Fist.

The Death Fist is a double edged technique. Yes, it will kill the enemy if it lands properly. But it also damages the user's own chakra network due to the violent elemental feedback traveling through their body. Just like the early Rasenshuriken, it is not something that can be used repeatedly without consequences.

In short, the Death Fist is not a clean upgrade. It is a desperate, lethal evolution of Gentle Fist that trades safety and sustainability for absolute killing power.

3. Didn't Hinata invent the Twin Lion Fists Jutsu?

The answer is both no and yes, depending on which source you look at.

In the anime filler, it is shown that sometime during Part II, after Hinata learns about Naruto's new technique from Ino, she trains with Neji and develops the Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists. That version strongly implies that Hinata either created or at least pioneered the technique herself.

However, if you go back to the manga, there is no indication that Hinata invented the jutsu at all. On top of that, the Fourth Databook on page 256 explicitly states that the Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists is a high level secret Gentle Fist technique taught only to members of the Hyūga main branch.

Because of that, I chose to go with the latter interpretation. It is a Hyūga clan jutsu, specifically a main branch technique, and that distinction matters. I have some very interesting plans for this technique.

4. Are the Kaguya clan and the Hyūga clan related?

Canonically, there's no direct confirmation that the Kaguya clan and the Hyūga clan are related. However, considering Kaguya Ōtsutsuki possessed both the Byakugan and the Ash Bone Pulse, it's reasonable to draw a parallel to how the Senju and Uchiha clans inherited different aspects of Hagoromo's power.

I chose to tie the Kaguya and Hyūga clans to Hamura instead of Kaguya herself for a few reasons. First, attributing both clans directly to Kaguya would imply she had a third lineage branch, which complicates things unnecessarily. Second, in canon, Hamura is largely left empty-handed in comparison to Hagoromo, despite being just as important.

So for this fic, I've added a headcanon: Hamura became known as the Sage of the Moon, and from his lineage arose two clans. The Hyūga inherited his eyes, while the Kaguya clan inherited a twisted reflection of his physical power. This mirrors the Senju–Uchiha split.
That's It… For Now.

And if you can't wait for the next update, the next chapter drops on Dec 25th! You can read ahead to Chapter 109 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
 
Why not create something similar to a sniper rifle as a long range technique, say an evolved version of False Darkness or Electromagnetic Murder, or include it as an ancient Hyuga clan jutsu that got forgotten?
 
AAAustinYu said:
Why not create something similar to a sniper rifle as a long range technique, say an evolved version of False Darkness or Electromagnetic Murder, or include it as an ancient Hyuga clan jutsu that got forgotten?
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Honestly, it was just simpler and cleaner to go that route. Gentle Fist already works by injecting chakra directly into the body. We already know chakra can be converted into elemental chakra for ninjutsu, so at that point it really is just one plus one.

Instead of inventing an entirely new long range sniper style jutsu or some forgotten Hyūga technique, I preferred upgrading what already exists. Elemental chakra applied through Gentle Fist feels like a natural evolution rather than a new system, I made up.

Since elemental Gentle Fist is never even hinted at in canon, I also gave it a clear limitation that makes sense as to why elemental gentle fist isn't a thing in canon.
 
AAAustinYu said:
To be honest I think your choice was much better, my reddit memories took over and demanded a Hyuga sniper duel
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I mean, I already have established that the Hyūga were archers, and Hinata has used bows ( against the hozuki twins ) and crossbows ( against Hiashi ). So, a Hyūga sniper duel might happen in the future.

Anyways, if you have any ideas on this topic, feel free to share. I will be more than happy to add original long-range jutsu into the story.
 
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