Chapter no.92 What happened to the Kyuubi? (Patreon)

[Name: Jiraiya]
[HP: 885/885]

Naruto froze as the faint translucent screen flickered before his eyes. His gut tightened.

That HP bar… it was massive. Comparable to the black knights he had faced in Lordran. Flesh and bone that could take a beating and still keep moving.

But he knew better than to trust the numbers.

The system tracked only the surface. It could not measure the depth of a shinobi's chakra, experience, and most importantly their skill. Jiraiya's bar was just his foundation. The real danger lay in what the numbers did not show.

And this was one of the Legendary Sannin. A shinobi so powerful that Kakashi had not even considered asking for backup, even when Gato had threatened to send more assassins. Naruto should have felt awe. Instead, his blood boiled. Because here this man was, someone who carried the respect of the shinobi world, doing something so obscene to Tsunami of all people.

Respect and caution warred with rage, and rage won.

In an instant, twelve clones burst into existence, swirling into place like a living barricade between Jiraiya and the woman.

Tsunami's cry tore through the air. She clutched the water to her chest, arms trembling as though she could hide herself from the eyes that had already seen too much. One of Naruto's clones vaulted forward, pulling a blanket from a nearby clothesline and wrapping it tightly around her body before leaping away to safer ground.

Her shoulders shook as she gasped for breath, eyes wide and shining with tears of humiliation.

"Hey, hey, what is the big idea?" Jiraiya waved his hands, his grin sheepish, as if this were nothing more than a prank gone wrong. "You ruined the whole show, brat!"

Naruto's jaw clenched. He did not care if this man was a Sannin. Right now, all he saw was a pervert who dared look at Tsunami like a piece of meat. That alone was unforgivable. He snapped his fingers, and twelve clones immediately drew breath together.

"Wait, wait, hold on!" Jiraiya shouted. "We can talk this out, brat!"

The clones did not falter.

The humor drained from the toad sage's face. His hands slammed against the dirt.

Summoning Jutsu!

The ground cracked as ink spread outward, forming a wide seal. A plume of smoke exploded, engulfing the clearing. When it cleared, a massive toad stood tall, pale green skin glistening, patterned with golden streaks. Its purple eyes blinked slowly, framed by painted lashes. A bright violet bow stretched proudly across its back, fluttering in the heat of the fire. Red lipstick shone against its wide mouth, and blush pinked its cheeks.

"Jiraiya-chan, darling, what is the meaning of this?" the newly summoned toad cooed. "You dragged me away from my beauty routine. Do you have any idea how much effort it takes to keep this skin so perfectly radiant?"

Before Jiraiya could answer, the chorus of Naruto's clones roared in unison. Their chests swelled, air drawn deep into their lungs until their stomachs ballooned. A second later, the clearing exploded in fire.

Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!

Dozens of blazing spheres launched into the air, arcing forward in overlapping lines. They collided midflight, merging into a monstrous wave of black-speckled flame.

The toad blinked, lips curling into a painted smile. "So, you summon me to battle against flames this bold and beautiful? Very well. I shall not disappoint."

Its chest swelled, throat expanding until the skin bulged grotesquely. Then its mouth snapped open.

Water Style: Water Gun Jutsu!

A torrent of water shot forth. The pressure was so immense that the air rippled around it, droplets bursting into mist at the edges. Steam hissed where the two met, but the weight of Naruto's flames was too much for the water jutsu.

"Tch. It is not enough," Jiraiya muttered, forming a quick string of hand seals. He filled his lungs and exhaled with all the force his chakra could muster.

Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!

A hurricane burst from his lips, chakra sharpening the gust until it howled like a blade. The gale struck the toad's torrent, compressing it, twisting the water into a spiraling bullet so fast the air whined in protest.

The collision shook the clearing.

A deafening boom tore through the forest, sending shockwaves rippling through the soil. Trees bent nearly sideways, their leaves stripped clean. The air itself seemed to tear apart as a wall of boiling mist swallowed everything in sight.

Jiraiya hunched low, shielding his eyes with one arm, his white mane whipping violently in the gale. "Brat's serious about this…" he muttered under his breath.

The toad fanned its face dramatically with one webbed hand, lashes dripping with condensed steam. "Jiraiya-chan, darling, I must ask, what are we battling?"

Jiraiya was confused by the toad's comment, but he did not have time to ask further questions. Something slammed into him from nowhere, and he was hurled backward into the mist. He struck the ground hard, sliding across broken roots and stones, his white hair splaying around him as the air was knocked from his chest.

"Damn… how does the boy know an invisibility jutsu," he muttered, pushing himself upright, already making hand seals.

Left behind in the clearing was his summon. Gamariki adjusted the bow on his back, pouting as he turned toward the mist. "You know, how about we call this a truce? I really do not want to ruin my beauty routine over some tantrum."

His voice trailed off when Oscar emerged. The ravenous crystal lizard form glinted in the steam. Oscar's maw opened, releasing a guttural growl that reverberated like rocks grinding together.

"Oh my, what a grotesque little beast," Gamariki said, though his lips curled into a wicked smile. "But I suppose I cannot leave my darling Jiraiya-chan undefended. Very well. Let us dance."

Oscar lunged forward, rolling his crystalline body across the ground like a living boulder. Gamariki leapt into the air with surprising grace for his size, his bow fluttering as his body spun. His throat swelled, and with a sharp snap of his jaw he unleashed a stream of high-pressure water.

Water Style: Gunshot!

The lizard responded instantly, firing a shard of crystal from his gullet. The projectile met the water stream midair, exploding into a burst of steam and glittering fragments.

Gamariki landed lightly, perfectly unscathed. "Crystal release? Now that is a first. Tell me, little beast, which summoning clan spat you out? You certainly are not from any of the realms I know of."

Oscar's only reply was a flick of his tail as he launched a razor-edged crystal shuriken. It spun with a whistle, slicing through Gamariki's midsection. But instead of blood, the toad's body burst into water, collapsing into a puddle.

Oscar crouched low, confused. Then a heavy glob of thick, golden liquid slammed into his back. He screeched as the syrup clung to his body, pinning his limbs to the earth.

Water Style: Syrup Capture Field!

From the mist, the real Gamariki charged. His bow flared behind him like a banner as he bounded forward, lips painted with a smug grin. He landed before Oscar and placed a hand over the struggling lizard's head.

Yin Style: Kiss of a Hundred Illusions.

A strange shimmer passed from his lips, washing over Oscar's eyes. The lizard stiffened, body freezing as if trapped in invisible chains.

"That was a fun little scuffle, brat. But remember this: you cannot touch the fabulous beauty of Mount Myoboku. Not with tricks. Not with crystal. Never."

He turned his head, ears twitching as the clash between Jiraiya and Naruto echoed through the mist. The sound of clones bursting and explosions rolling made his brow furrow. "Strange… why is Jiraiya-chan not taking this seriously?"

His musings cut short when he felt something searing hot burn across his back. Cracks raced along his skin as jagged crystal began to spread, carving through his bow and locking tight into his flesh. He roared in pain, whipping his head around, only to see Oscar crawl free of his false restraints. The small lizard, back in his base form, slinked forward with slow, deliberate steps. His tiny claws scraped the dirt, his beady eyes glinting with intelligence.

Gamariki's breath caught. "You… were never caught in my genjutsu. You pretended. You let me think I had you, just to make me lower my guard."

Oscar tilted his head, chirping once, his scales flickering with residual chakra.

"You scheming little reptile!" the toad roared, beginning to weave hand signs.

But before he could complete the jutsu, sharp pain spiked in his neck. Two fingers pressed against a cluster of nerves, cutting his chakra flow instantly. Gamariki's eyes went wide as he turned his head. Kakashi Hatake stood beside him, calm and composed, his single visible eye cool as steel.

"What is the meaning of this, handsome dog?" Gamariki hissed, his tone suddenly dropping into something far less flamboyant.

"I apologize, Gamariki-san. But you must not use chakra with those crystals on your back. If you had forced a jutsu, they would have detonated, and you would be dead."

Gamariki froze, the realization sinking in as the heat of the crystals flared against his skin. He let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Tell Jiraiya-chan that he owes me for this indignity. I expect a day at the finest salon in the village when this is over."

Kakashi's eye curved into an amused crescent as he drew a kunai and carefully cut the crystals free, leaving shallow, bloody gouges in the toad's back. "I will tell him."

A puff of smoke engulfed Gamariki, and in the next moment he was gone, reverse summoned back to Mount Myoboku. Kakashi exhaled slowly and looked down at Oscar.

"You know," Kakashi murmured, his voice carrying the faintest edge of humor, "for something so small and cute, you are incredibly dangerous."

Oscar chirped proudly and leapt up onto Kakashi's head, settling between his silver spikes as if he owned the place.

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A few minutes ago, something invisible slammed into Jiraiya from nowhere, the force like being hit by a battering ram. He was hurled backward into the mist, crashing through roots and tumbling over broken stones. His white mane fanned out as he struck the ground hard, the air leaving his lungs in a sharp grunt.

"Damn it…" Jiraiya wheezed, rolling to his feet. "How does the brat know an invisibility technique?"

His fingers blurred through hand seals.

Barrier: Canopy Method Formation!

Chakra rippled outward in a translucent dome, a sensory net woven from his own chakra threads. It spread through the mist, brushing over trunks, stones, and leaves. Every living thing inside the bubble stirred faint impressions in his mind. It was not sight, not sound, but something deeper. A sixth sense telling him exactly where Naruto moved, regardless of tricks.

Jiraiya flexed his toes, sliding into a stance low to the ground, weight shifting into his legs. The boy came at him again, fists raised in a boxer's guard.

"Not bad, brat. You've got guts charging straight at me," Jiraiya said, raising his leg in a frog-like stance. "But I'll warn you now. Toads do not punch. We kick!"

Naruto drove forward, flickering in with a jab, then a quick hook. Jiraiya bent his knee unnaturally low, his foot whipping up in a snapping arc that caught Naruto's guard and sent him skidding back. Naruto ducked low and drove in again, fists like pistons. Jiraiya hopped backward, springing forward off the balls of his feet, and lashed out with a heel aimed at Naruto's chest. The impact rang like a drum, knocking the boy a step back.

The two circled in the mist, Naruto throwing combinations, Jiraiya parrying with sharp kicks and sweeps, his barrier always tracking the boy no matter how he tried to vanish.

Naruto clicked his tongue, sliding out of reach. His body shimmered faintly, his invisibility starting to distort. "So… it's not my spell failing. You're using some kind of detection jutsu."

"Smart kid," Jiraiya admitted, never lowering his guard. "This barrier picks up movement and chakra flow. In here, you could turn yourself into a ghost and I'd still smell you out."

Naruto leapt back, already flashing through signs. "Then I'll just drown you in targets!"

A burst of chakra filled the air as dozens of shadow clones formed in rapid succession. They fanned out, darting through the trees, some immediately spitting Wind Style: Bullet Barrages. Compressed gusts tore through the fog, each one sharp enough to splinter bark and gouge earth. Jiraiya twisted between them with surprising agility, his barrier flaring to warn him of each angle of attack.

Then he paused. The mist parted, and his grin faltered for half a beat.

Naruto's form shimmered into view, surrounded by a dozen clones… all women.

Jiraiya's grin spread wide, and he pumped his fist in the air. "Aw, hell yeah!"

Naruto smirked, arms folded. "Heh. Thought so. I figured if I can't beat your strength, I'll beat your weakness. Every guy in the village knows about perverts like you. So I combined two of the deadliest forces in existence…" He raised a hand like he was announcing the final act of a play.

"Sexy Jutsu: Thousandfold Heavenly Maiden Greatbow Execution, Shadow Clone Variant, Version Seven!"

The name went on and on until even his clones looked confused. Jiraiya sweatdropped, lowering his head slightly. "Kid… you could've just called it Sexy Bow Girls and saved yourself a breath."

"Shut up, old man! This is artistry!" Naruto barked, pointing forward. "Firing Squad!"

The clones pulled back their strings. Chakra flared. A storm of arrows shot out at sonic speed, glittering in the mist, each one leaving faint heart-shaped trails in the air.

Jiraiya's grin slipped into horror as he realized the arrows were real, not just illusions. His hands flew together. "Aw, hell nah!"

Ninja Art: Needle Jizō!

His hair writhed, lengthening and hardening into thousands of steel-like quills that wrapped around him in a dome. The arrows shattered against it with sparks, snapping one after another until the ground was littered with broken shafts.

Inside the cocoon of his own hair, Jiraiya muttered, "Damn brat… using my weakness against me." His voice echoed out loud now, sharper. "Alright, enough playing around. Stop this, Naruto, or else."

Naruto did not answer. He only raised his hand, signaling his clones to attack again.

"Stubborn brat!" Jiraiya roared. His hair quills flexed outward.

Ninja Art: Needle Hell!

The air screamed as thousands of hardened hair needles shot outward in a storm. The sexy clones were shredded in bursts of smoke, the needles tearing holes into the ground and trees until it looked like the clearing had been caught in a hailstorm.

The original Naruto used the Black Knight Shield, absorbing the worst of the barrage. He pushed the shield down, smoke rising from it where needles had struck, and glared through the haze.

Jiraiya stood in the middle, hair slowly retracting, breathing steady but his expression more serious now. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. Hell of a first meeting, kid."

Naruto responded by unsheathing his zweihander, pulling it from his pouch, which was actually just a cover for the inventory.

It looked comical.

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, lips quirking. "Kid… that's the most ridiculous thing I've seen all week. You really want to play swordsman with me?"

His grin faded, expression hardening.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Smoke burst in front of him. When it cleared, Jiraiya was gripping a slate-grey blade. The weapon was brutal in its own way. The pommel was hollow and circular, a chain looping from pommel to hilt, and the long wide blade was veined with faint, unnatural markings that looked like molten scars frozen into steel.

He lifted it with surprising grace, twirling the chain once to test its balance before dropping into stance.

"I warn you, brat. I was trained by one of the finest masters of the blade. Don't think this old man can't cut you down just because you're flashy."

Naruto slid into a guard, zweihander leveled low, both hands braced. "You talk too much."

The ground cracked when they moved.

Jiraiya came forward first, blade whistling as he brought it down in a two-handed arc. Naruto met it head-on, the zweihander rising in a master cut. The shock of impact rattled the air, sparks flying as steel scraped against steel. Naruto's arms bent and shifted, letting the weight roll past instead of meeting it straight. The motion was fluid, practiced as he slid Jiraiya's blade aside with the edge and countered with a thrust that would have skewered the toad sage had he not twisted away.

"Tch. You've got real form," Jiraiya muttered, chain jingling as he swung his blade out wide to reset. "You didn't learn that in the Academy."

Naruto answered with silence, eyes sharp. He advanced. His zweihander cut in high, then low, then side into a flowing sequence of master cuts, each designed not only to kill but to close off an opponent's possible counters. Jiraiya parried one, blocked another, but each clash shoved him back an inch at a time.

"You fight like a damn samurai," Jiraiya grunted, barely deflecting another downward chop. He tried a trick, snapping the chain to wrap Naruto's blade and pull it wide. Naruto anticipated it, twisting his wrists and rolling the zweihander free, punishing the attempt with a pommel strike that nearly cracked Jiraiya's jaw.

The sannin staggered, spitting blood. He barked a laugh even through the sting. "You little bastard. You've got me sweating. It's been years since anyone pressed me with steel."

Naruto pressed harder. A feint cut high drew Jiraiya's guard; the true cut came low, a sweeping strike at the legs. Jiraiya jumped back, sandals skidding across dirt, and threw his own riposte, blade cutting in a vicious diagonal. Naruto leaned aside, the zweihander angling into a hanging guard, then rippled downward to slice into Jiraiya's defense. The sannin barely managed to shove it away with raw strength.

"Damn it," Jiraiya muttered between breaths, chest heaving. "You're reading me like a book. Every cut you make, it's like you already know where I'm going."

Naruto exhaled slowly, not smug, just calm. His stance never faltered.

The fight went on for several more exchanges, the clearing echoing with the clash of steel and the hiss of blades cutting the mist. But it was becoming clear. Jiraiya's strikes, while powerful and creative, lacked the same precision. His swordsmanship was effective, yes, but not pure. He relied too often on raw force, on improvisation, on tricks. Naruto's movements were exact, trained, drilled. Every cut, every guard, every counter came from an understanding of the blade that far surpassed mere combat instinct.

It all ended with Jiraiya having Naruto's massive sword buried through his stomach. Or so it seemed. The sannin grimaced, blood at the corner of his lips, but even then he chuckled. "You're full of surprises, brat… but remember this. A shinobi doesn't win with strength alone. We fight with deception."

The body burst apart in a concussive pop of chakra.

Ninja Art: Exploding Shadow Clone.

Naruto had leapt back due to the Way of Focality pulling his awareness sharp as the clone detonated in a burst of force and smoke. But the blast itself betrayed him. The light cast a clear, stretched shadow across the broken ground.

That was all Jiraiya needed.

Toad Subjugation: Art of the Manipulated Shadow.

Jiraiya's form melted into ink-like darkness and merging with Naruto's shadow. The boy froze mid-step, his muscles locking as though invisible chains bound him.

From the shadow at his feet, Jiraiya's head rose, eyes sharp. "It's over, kid. Stop struggling. If you don't yield, I'll knock you out and drag you back to Kakashi myself. No more games."

Naruto's jaw tightened. His lips moved, murmuring words in a language Jiraiya didn't recognize. The syllables rolled like a prayer.

[ Force Miracle has been attuned. ]

The Thorolund talisman manifested in Naruto's palm. Before Jiraiya could react, a shockwave erupted outward in every direction. It was like a bell made of pure force had been struck inside the forest. The wave tore through the mist, uprooted dirt, and stunned the sannin long enough for Naruto to wrench free.

With telekinesis, Naruto ripped Jiraiya out of his own shadow, dragging the sannin's body into his grasp. He seized his throat with crushing strength.

A puff of smoke burst. In Naruto's grip, a log, being shredded under Naruto's grip.

Substitution Jutsu.

Jiraiya reappeared several meters away, landing in a crouch. He rubbed his neck and gave a crooked grin. "Wow. Looks like you really do want me dead. Guess I should start taking you seriously."

Naruto's eyes burned. He formed a spear of lightning in his hand, the crackling energy casting harsh shadows across the trees.

The hair on Jiraiya's arms rose. He could feel it. That wasn't a simple elemental jutsu. If it landed, he would not walk away unscathed. His smile vanished. He cupped his hand, chakra spiraling violently.

Rasengan!

The two attacks collided midair. Lightning and spiraling chakra ground against each other for a heartbeat before exploding in a thunderclap that shook the entire clearing. Both fighters were hurled back, smashing into trees, rolling across the earth.

Jiraiya was first to recover. He slammed a hand into the ground, blood on his lip but eyes fierce.

Summoning Jutsu: Toad Mouth Bind!

The ground twisted beneath Naruto's feet. Fleshy, pulsing walls surged up around him, slick with mucus and muscle. He struggled as the grotesque, living walls clamped around his body, binding him from the neck down. The reek of stomach acid burned his nose.

He braced to trigger another miracle, when a hand touched the top of his head. His helmet was lifted away, golden hair spilling free.

Naruto's eyes widened. He looked up.

Kakashi stood there, calm but firm, the helm tucked under his arm. "It's over, Naruto."

Jiraiya straightened, exhaling. "Damn right it is. Kid's tougher than I thought." His eyes lingered on the golden hair and the whisker-marked cheeks, his chest tightening at the strong resemblance to Minato.

Naruto grit his teeth, then let out a long sigh. He hated it. He hated that Jiraiya never once fought him at full intent, hated that his chance to punish the man slipped away. But Kakashi was right. He had pushed his limit.

"Fine," Naruto spat, looking down in frustration. Then he forced a grin and shouted, "I'm not gonna kill this old pervert… for now. Dattebayo!"

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A minute later, Naruto found himself by the side of the stream, scrubbing stubborn stains from his armour. He dunked his overgarment roughly into the cold water, scowling the whole time.

"Need any help?" Kakashi asked, holding a drowsy Oscar in his arms.

"No," Naruto grumbled, his voice clipped as he wrung the cloth out hard enough that droplets sprayed.

Jiraiya crouched nearby, watching with his arms folded. His sharp eye roved over the Elite Knight set, taking in the craftsmanship. "That is some armour you've got there, brat. A proper composite set unlike the samurai's armour. Mail hauberk with plate reinforcement, leather straps keeping the weight in place, and even a textile surcoat. Not something you see every day."

He raised a brow as his hand caught the red cape drying on a rock. Jiraiya picked it up between his fingers and smirked. "You know, you should not wear a cape. On the battlefield, someone could grab it and send you flying. Out in the woods, it will snag on branches and slow you down. Shinobi gear is supposed to be compact, efficient."

Naruto set his jaw and scrubbed harder, deliberately ignoring the advice.

"Jiraiya-sama is right," Kakashi said mildly. "But if I recall correctly, your armour did not come with a cape in the first place."

Naruto hesitated, ears turning red. "…I added it."

"Where from?"

"Stole it from the Balder Knights," Naruto muttered, cheeks burning.

Jiraiya blinked. "The who?"

Kakashi nodded as though he understood completely, sparing Naruto the trouble. "I see. And why exactly did you add it?"

Naruto's shoulders sagged. "…Because it looked cool."

Jiraiya burst out laughing, loud and unrestrained. "Hah! You really are something else, kid."

"Shut up, you pervert! I do not need advice from someone like you!" Naruto snapped, pointing at him as if he were scolding a cat.

Jiraiya raised his hands in mock surrender. "All right, all right. But for the record, if you wore something more streamlined, the ladies would be lining up. With that body of yours, no cape is needed to impress them."

Naruto's irritation faltered, replaced with a sly grin as he flexed one arm. "You think so?"

Oscar covered his face with his tiny claws and let out a groaning chirp.

"Wait… hey!" Naruto pointed, half-flustered. "I know what you are trying to do. You cannot trick me into forgiving you for your crimes with compliments!"

Oscar chirped again as if to say then stop flexing, but Naruto defiantly flexed harder, striking another pose.

"Oh, come on," Jiraiya said with a scoff. "So your armour got a little stinky from some intestinal juices. Big deal."

"You are a shameless bastard," Naruto shot back, his mood souring. He scrubbed harder, muttering loud enough for them to hear. "A man like you should be castrated."

"Now, now, brat. That is too far. Do you know how many women would mourn if that happened? The economy of the hot spring towns would collapse overnight!"

Kakashi noticed the vein on Naruto's forehead throb and spoke evenly. "Jiraiya-sama, I will be reporting your behavior to Lord Third."

Naruto's glare did not waver. "Tell him to stay away from the people I protect."

"Jiraiya-sama, please behave yourself. The Hokage will reprimand you if this continues."

Jiraiya raised both hands in exaggerated surrender, forcing a laugh. "All right, all right! Let us not act like I am some criminal dragged into court. I just happened to be… appreciating the view."

Naruto's voice dropped into a venomous mutter. "Bastard thinks he can get away with crime just because he's strong."

The words stung sharper than any kunai. For a heartbeat, Jiraiya's grin faltered. Then, unwilling to let the brat dictate the mood, he straightened his spine, clapped his hands together, and said loudly, "Well, it seems we skipped a proper introduction. Allow me to correct that little mistake!"

He slapped his palm to the ground. Chakra surged outward, etching a massive seal into the dirt in bright lines of ink.

Summoning Jutsu!

With a thunderous poof of smoke and a quake that rattled the trees, a gigantic red toad appeared beneath him.

Perched proudly atop its head, Jiraiya struck a flamboyant pose, one leg bent high, white hair spilling dramatically behind him. He raised his hand skyward, his teeth flashing in a grin that gleamed unnaturally bright.

"I am the holy hermit sage of Mount Myōboku! Master of the Toads! Behold, the great Toad Sage… the Gallant Jiraiya!"

His voice boomed with such gusto that birds took flight from the nearby trees.

Oscar gave a single confused chirp.

Naruto did not even blink. He just muttered, "No."

The armour he had been cleaning shimmered and vanished, dissolving into light as if erased from existence.

Jiraiya's jaw dropped so far his pipe nearly fell out. "No? What do you mean no?! And what in the hell was that?! Kakashi! Did you see this?"

"I saw."

"And you're calm about it?!"

"I have seen stranger with Naruto."

Naruto ignored both of them and stood up. "Me and Oscar have been planning a way cooler introduction. I throw him into the air, he transforms into his Ravenous Crystal Lizard form, drops down like a meteor, and I strike a pose beside him. Then we announce ourselves together. That's how you do an entrance."

Both older shinobi sweatdropped.

Oscar gave a long-suffering chirp.

"Fine, fine," Naruto muttered. He lifted the little lizard into his palm with a tug of telekinetic pull.

Jiraiya's stomach turned as he caught sight of the strange eye glaring from Naruto's palm. His instincts screamed at him. He looked at Kakashi, silently demanding, Are you seriously fine with this?

Kakashi, of course, remained perfectly unruffled.

Jiraiya hopped down from his toad, shaking his head. "Brat, listen. If you are going to make a dramatic introduction, you need rhythm. Brevity. Impact. You need to strike a line that makes women swoon, men shiver, and enemies second guess fighting you. Something like—" He raised his arm again, grinning. "The Gallant Jiraiya!"

"That's lame. Sounds like a discount kabuki play."

"What did you say, brat?"

"You heard me. Ours was way better."

Oscar puffed his chest in agreement.

Kakashi's eye curved in a quiet smile. "Naruto, introductions won't save you in a real battle."

"Yeah," Naruto muttered. "But they'll make me look cool doing it."

He yawned wide. "Okay, sensei, I'm going to sleep."

"Sleep? It's barely five in the morning."

"Yeah, so?" Naruto grumbled as he took out a shirt from his inventory. "I haven't slept at all. Sleep doesn't catch you when you're busy fighting gargoyles, killing scammer cultists, joining the God of War covenant with my sunbro, and learning how to go invisible."

The words hit Jiraiya like a kunai to the forehead. His eyes went wide, and he slipped right onto his ass in the dirt. "Wait, wait, wait… what did you just say?! God of War? Gargoyles?! What kind of nonsense—"

"I think you should get some sleep, Naruto," Kakashi said smoothly, unbothered.

Naruto clicked his tongue in irritation. He liked when Kakashi raised an eyebrow or gave him that sharp stare at his Lordran stories. Now the jōnin was too calm, too indifferent, and it made all his adventures sound ordinary.

And Naruto hated that.

Now as the duo walked back into camp, Naruto's mind wandered to the strange ball of chakra Jiraiya had used in the fight. The memory burned in his head like a spark he could not let go of.

Maybe I should ask him to teach it…

Naruto stopped the thought cold, his jaw tightening. No. I do not want to owe that pervert anything if I can help it.

Instead, he clenched his fist, eyes narrowing with determination. I will figure this out. It looked simple enough. Just chakra control. Rotation. Power.

He held his palm out, chakra welling in his hand. Guided by his high intelligence stat and sharp memory, he recalled the motion: a swirling cyclone that Jiraiya had conjured effortlessly.

A faint spiral flickered into existence. The chakra twisted, spinning like a flickering candle in the wind. It built up, pressure mounting, but then shuddered violently. With a small pop, it sputtered out, leaving nothing but a tingle in his palm.

Naruto shook his hand with a hiss. "Tch. Close, but not close enough."

Behind him, both Kakashi and Jiraiya froze mid-step, staring.

"Oi, brat!" Jiraiya nearly ripped Naruto's shoulder off as he spun him around. His eyes were wide, his voice sharp. "Where the hell did you learn that?"

"I just tried to recreate what you did. Looked easy."

The silence that followed could have swallowed the whole area. Both Jiraiya and Kakashi's jaws dropped.

"Brat!" Jiraiya barked, shaking him once. "Do you have any idea what you just tried to pull off? That jutsu is one of the Fourth Hokage's legacies! It is called Rasengan! A high-level, A-rank ninjutsu! It took him three years to perfect it!"

Naruto's eyes went wide. The name hit him like a hammer. "Three years? Just to spin chakra in a ball?"

"Not just spin it!" Jiraiya snapped, his voice fierce now. "It is a technique of compression and rotation. Pure chakra, condensed to the point of explosive impact. No hand seals. No elemental crutch. Pure control. A sphere so dense that it tears through anything it touches. That is why it is considered one of the most advanced forms of shape manipulation in existence. Most jōnin cannot even form it."

Naruto swallowed, his breath quick. A technique like that… yes, he could feel it in his bones. A jutsu that could rival his Lightning Spear miracle. His heart thumped faster with excitement.

Curious, he asked, "So… how do you know it?"

Jiraiya straightened his back, his chest puffing up with pride. "Because I was the Fourth Hokage's teacher."

The declaration rang out like thunder.

Naruto gasped. "Wait. You trained the Fourth?"

"Damn right I did!" Jiraiya grinned proudly. "That genius brat was my student. The Rasengan was his masterpiece. One of his finest creations. You should be honored just to see it in action."

Naruto's head spun with the revelation. But then a thought cut in, nagging, bitter. "Then what was his relation to Artorias?"

"Who?"

"Artorias," Naruto repeated, confused. "You know, Knight Artorias?"

Jiraiya turned to Kakashi for backup. The jōnin shrugged. "Never heard of him."

Naruto's brow furrowed. A pit of frustration built in his gut. How could the teacher and student of the Fourth Hokage not know of Artorias? Did the Fourth keep his time in Lordran secret? Why would he hide something like that?

The unanswered questions gnawed at him until his temples ached. Finally, the boy clutched his head and shouted in exasperation, "Es reicht! I just want to sleep!"

"...What language was that?"

Neither Jiraiya nor Kakashi understood that Naruto had accidentally shouted in Catarina dialect. A habit he had picked up from Siegmeyer during their training sessions. Naruto did not bother explaining this as he just wanted to sleep.

"Wait!" Jiraiya jogged after him. "What about the Rasengan?"

"What about it?"

"You want me to teach it to you, don't you?" Jiraiya's grin returned, sly and hopeful. This was his chance to reel the brat in, to start earning his respect.

Oscar chirped from Naruto's shoulder, the sound almost like a snicker. The lizard's body language screamed, Say no. Shoot him and go to sleep.

"Nein," Naruto said bluntly, swatting at Oscar before he could nip his fingers.

Jiraiya's face fell. "What? But—"

Naruto waved him off, already vanishing in a flicker of motion. "I'll figure it out myself after I get my beauty sleep."

And just like that, he was gone.

The toad sage stood dumbfounded, his jaw slack. "...Did that brat just refuse me?"

Kakashi walked past, hands in his pockets, eye curved in a faint smile. "Seems like it."

Jiraiya whirled on him. "Kakashi! He tried to recreate the Rasengan on his first attempt! Do you know how insane that is?"

"I do," Kakashi said calmly.

"Then why are you not freaking out?!"

Kakashi tilted his head. "Because that is just Naruto."

Jiraiya honestly had no words as he rubbed the back of his wild white hair, sighing. "The brat's… something else. He's got Minato's talent, Kushina's fire. A prodigy with that calm control, then the next second, pure storm. Spitting image of his mother in the face, but carrying his father's features."

Kakashi gave a quiet hum, one visible eye narrowing in thought. "On the surface, yes. But Naruto's not just his parents put together. He's his own person. Different from them, yet he reflects both of them at the same time. Like a mirror bent at an angle... you see the same image, but it comes back at you in a way you don't expect."

"So, Hatake… do you think the boy's ready? To know the truth about them?"

Kakashi didn't hesitate. "Physically, he's more than ready. You saw what he did to you earlier. Emotionally?… I think he deserves the truth, whether he's ready or not. If it were my choice, I'd have already told him. Keeping him in the dark only makes the burden heavier."

Jiraiya's brows drew low. He rubbed his chin, thinking. "Hmph. Maybe. I'll test the waters. If your read on him's right, maybe I can mend things with him first before I try and drop the whole mess of his heritage on his head."

Kakashi gave a small nod. "That's fair."

Jiraiya cracked a grin, patting Kakashi on the shoulder. "But I'll give you this... you've done damn well with him. Kid fights like a beast. I can't even imagine what kind of forbidden tricks you taught him to turn him into this."

"Nothing like that," Kakashi replied coolly. "I gave him guidance where I could. The rest… Lordran shaped him."

Jiraiya's face sobered at that word. Lordran. He'd heard the name from Kakashi already, a place that felt like half nightmare, half proving ground. "So that Lightning Spear of his. Yours, or theirs?"

"Lordran," Kakashi said simply. His gaze went distant. "That technique… it's something else. Pure speed, power compressed into a single strike. I honestly don't know if my Raikiri could stop it. If the two collided, I'm not sure which one would cut through."

Jiraiya let out a low whistle. "Now that's a thought. A real clash of lightning."

That did bring up an interesting thought for the white-haired man.

Should I teach Chidori to Naruto? Kakashi wondered, his single eye narrowing as he pictured it. The boy already had that monstrous long-range power in the form of the Lightning Spear, but what he lacked was a close-range finisher. Chidori could be the answer, a blade of living lightning in his hand to complement the spear he hurled across the battlefield.

But the Sharingan user knew better than anyone that Chidori was a double-edged weapon. Its speed was both its strength and its curse. The technique drove its wielder forward in a blur, so fast the world collapsed into a tunnel. That narrowed focus made the strike devastating, but also left the user blind to counters. Without the Sharingan, without the ability to read and predict movements in that tunnel, the jutsu could be suicide.

That was why Kakashi had hesitated to teach it outside the Uchiha.

But then his thoughts turned back to Naruto. The brat was not normal. He had those eyes… Hawkeyes.

A hawk did not simply dive. When it locked onto prey, it could see the shimmer of scales on a fish beneath rushing water from a hundred feet above, even as the ground tore past in a blur. Hawks folded their wings tight and let gravity hurl them at speeds beyond thought, yet even then, their vision remained sharp, wide, alive. They could track not only their target, but the movements of the world around it, adjusting with subtle flicks of their wings. A hawk in its dive was not blind; it was focused, alive to every twitch of its prey, every gust of wind.

Naruto's eyes might give him that same gift. The tunnel vision of Chidori could become a predator's tunnel, not a weakness but a refinement. He would not just be charging blind; he would be hunting, reading the smallest shifts, correcting his angle in the blur. If any shinobi without a Sharingan could make Chidori his own, it was the boy with the gaze of a hawk.

Kakashi let out a slow breath. The possibility was there…

"You're a little too deep in thought there, kid. What's rattling around in that masked head of yours?"

Kakashi exhaled softly. "I owe three jutsu to Naruto already. It has me wondering… what would happen if I taught him the Chidori?"

That made Jiraiya blink. Then he barked out a laugh and shook his head. "That's a stupid idea." He jabbed a thumb at Kakashi, half amused, half serious. "The brat can't even use a complete Rasengan yet. Chidori was born from a failed attempt to add lightning chakra to the Rasengan in the first place. Teaching him a jutsu that can get him killed. That's reckless, even for you."

Kakashi didn't flinch. He kept his calm tone, though there was an edge of conviction to it. "I am aware. But even a failure can lead to something great. Chidori may not be Rasengan, but it's still a technique strong enough to stand beside it. If Naruto can wield both… if he can refine them together… maybe he could succeed where I failed. Maybe he could truly add lightning to Rasengan."

"That's some daydream you're spinning there. Mixing oil and water. You're betting a lot on a kid who still blurts out whatever's in his head."

"I wouldn't underestimate him. Naruto is the number one most unpredictable ninja for a reason. He has a way of turning impossibility into routine."

For a moment Jiraiya just stared at him, weighing the conviction in Kakashi's voice. Then, slowly, a grin spread across his face, toothy and proud. "Heh. You really believe in the brat, don't you?" His eyes softened just a little, as if remembering another blond-haired knucklehead from years ago. "Well, if that's the case… then I look forward to seeing it too."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Naruto stirred as dawn's light crept through the folds of Team 7's tent. His body twitched beneath the thin sleeping mat, and his breath rasped like some creature crawling out of a deep burrow.

Then his eyes opened. Or rather, they peeled open.

A thin translucent membrane slid back across them, vanishing into the corners. For a moment, only that second set of eyelids showed, a glassy film that gave him an almost inhuman look. When it pulled away, his true eyes shone through… blue, bright as sapphires lit from within, but with a thin vertical slit like a serpent's.

He blinked once, slowly, like someone still deciding whether they had really woken up.

Sakura, already sitting cross-legged nearby and brushing out her hair, froze mid-stroke. Her lips twisted into the same look she always made whenever she caught him waking up like that. "Still can't get used to that," she muttered.

Sasuke, sitting with his back to them and a book open in his lap, gave a low grunt that sounded like agreement.

Naruto rubbed at his eyes and sat up. "What time is it?"

"It's morning. You slept through the whole day yesterday." Sakura set her brush down with a sigh.

Naruto groaned, rolling his shoulders. He reached for Oscar, who had spent the night clinging to Naruto's long hair like it was a nest. The little crystal lizard chirped faintly in his sleep until Naruto gave his hair a light shake, making him tumble onto Naruto's lap.

Sakura gave him a look. Not one of anger exactly, more like mild judgment.

"What?"

"It's unfair," Sakura said, voice flat. "I spend so much time on my hair, and you just wake up with that long, shiny, ridiculous mane." Her hand hovered, then she gave in and ran her fingers through his golden strands. The annoyance on her face eased into reluctant admiration. "You still have to take care of it."

"If you want, you can work my hair. I don't know the first thing about taking care of long hair."

"Really?" Sakura's eyes lit up at once. She grabbed her kit before he could change his mind and set to work. The brush slid through his long hair with slow careful strokes, tugging when she hit a knot.

Naruto leaned forward slightly, eyes half-lidded, letting the quiet rhythm of brushing lull him. His shoulders loosened. Every tug hurt a little, but it was the kind of pain that came with comfort afterward. For a boy who had never really had someone take care of him like this, it felt good. Almost too good.

Sasuke turned a page in his book, ignoring them, or at least pretending to.

"What'cha got there?"

"A book."

"I can see that. What's it about?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and with a blink of his palmeye, used telekinesis to yank it away. The book floated into his palm and he squinted at the contents. His lips split into a grin. "How to Play the Flute?"

Sakura froze mid-brush. Both she and Naruto stared at Sasuke, who had gone very still. A faint flush crept into his cheeks. He held out his hand stiffly. "Give it here."

"Okay, but why are you interested in the flute all of a sudden?"

"I don't have to tell you anything," Sasuke hissed, eyes narrowing.

"I'm guessing you want to learn the flute so you can frolic through the forest."

Sakura snorted, trying to stifle a laugh. Sasuke's face hardened into something halfway between rage and embarrassment.

"No," he said sharply. "I am learning the flute because Kurenai-sensei used sound as a tool for genjutsu. I was curious if it could be done with a flute."

"So basically… you want to frolic in the forest naked, playing your little flute."

That broke Sakura. She doubled over, laughing so hard her brush nearly slipped from her hands.

Sasuke's jaw tightened. His hand clenched around the book. "Not a word from you, pigtails."

Naruto blinked, confused, until he caught sight of his reflection in Oscar's gem. Sakura had tied his hair into two neat pigtails while he was distracted.

Naruto tilted his head at his reflection and smirked. "I look good," he purred, deliberately tugging on the pigtails. "Admit it, Sasuke. I'm rocking this."

"You look ugly."

"You're just jealous," Naruto shot back, flicking one of the tied locks. "I've got style. You've got a chicken's butt."

"Shut up, dobe."

"So… pigtails?" Sakura asked, brushing the last strand into place as if her work was done.

"Oh no, miss pinky. Don't think you're finished. Get back here and fix my hair properly," Naruto said, pointing dramatically.

"I don't know," Sakura said thoughtfully, turning to Sasuke with mock seriousness. "He actually does look kind of cute like this."

"Hn."

Naruto's face scrunched. "Cute? I am not cute. I am manly! The manliest man!" He grabbed at the ties, fumbling. "Forget this, I'll do it myself."

Sakura slapped his hand away. "Don't touch it! You'll just turn it into a nest. Honestly." She gathered his hair into a ponytail with practiced precision.

Naruto hummed with satisfaction as she worked. But then, out of nowhere, he blurted, "Do you guys still want to go to Lordran?"

The tent went still.

"…What?"

"You heard me," Naruto said, suddenly serious. His lips pressed into a thin line.

"Wasn't it against the rules? You told us Lord Gwyn didn't allow outsiders."

"I mean…" Naruto waved his hand vaguely. "Yes and no."

"Stop dodging," Sasuke said coldly. "You lied to us."

Naruto's shoulders sagged. "Yeah. I did." He let out a heavy breath. "I guess I expected you two to figure it out on your own, but when you asked me the first time, I panicked. I didn't know what to say. So I lied. Said it was against the rules. The truth is… I don't even know if you'd be allowed in. It's complicated. You might be, you might not. But that's not the point."

He stared at the ground. "The point is I lied to my teammates. To my friends. And I hate that. So I want to apologize."

Silence stretched for a beat.

"Apology accepted," Sakura and Sasuke said together.

"…That's it? Just like that?"

Sasuke shut his book with a snap. "What else do you want? Lordran is your domain. Expecting you to hand it over would be unreasonable. Like you asking me for my Sharingan."

Naruto grimaced. "That comparison doesn't even work."

"It works," Sasuke insisted.

"Maybe," Sakura said flatly, rolling her eyes. "But yeah, I get it. And… I owe you an apology too, Naruto."

Naruto looked at her in surprise.

"I pushed you into a corner," she admitted, lowering her gaze. "I wanted to see if Lordran could help me deal with… inner Sakura. I thought maybe there'd be some way to fix what's wrong with me. But I shouldn't have forced that on you. Like Sasuke said, it's your choice."

Naruto's chest tightened. He remembered Solaire's words about true friends respecting his choices. His throat felt tight, but he smiled anyway. "You guys… I love you two. Dattebayo."

The duo felt embarrassed.

Naruto straightened suddenly. "And that's exactly why I'm never taking you into Lordran. End of story. It's too dangerous. One wrong step and you're dead. No retries. No second chances."

"I'm fine with that," Sakura said softly, squeezing his shoulder. "As long as you promise to figure out my problem with her."

Sasuke hummed. His eyes were sharp, thoughtful. Part of him wanted to see what kind of place could make Naruto so cautious, but all he said was, "There are plenty of other summoning realms anyway. I'll stick to those."

Naruto perked up. "Oh yeah? Like what? A cat? You want a cat, don't you?"

Sakura snorted, leaning closer. "He totally wants a cat."

Sasuke glared at her, betrayal written all over his face. "No. Something dangerous."

"Like what?"

"I'll find it in the Uchiha library," Sasuke muttered.

Naruto clapped his hands together, practically bouncing. "Okay, okay, I got it! You give Sakura a summoning contract, she gets her own summon, you get yours, and then all three of us have summons like Oscar that stick around. Imagine it! Team 7 with a whole animal squad!"

"…Animal squad?"

"Yeah!" Naruto said, lifting Oscar like a trophy. "Oscar, plus your summons, plus Sasuke's. Boom! The Team 7 beta squad."

"That's a terrible name," Sasuke said flatly.

"Oscar and his two sidekicks?"

Sakura buried her face in her hands, laughing helplessly. Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Come on, you three. Breakfast is ready," Kakashi said as he stepped into the tent, book still in hand.

"Yay, food!" Naruto shouted, bolting out only to skid to a stop. His face fell instantly. "Sensei… why is that thing still here?"

"Be respectful," Kakashi replied smoothly, his single visible eye flicking toward Jiraiya. The older man sat by the fire, humming to himself while scribbling furiously in his red notebook. His expression was one of pure inspiration, as though he were writing the secrets of the universe.

"I'll try. But why is he still here? Isn't he supposed to be some big important ninja?"

"He is," Kakashi said, lowering his voice just enough for only Naruto to hear. "And he still needs to check on your seal. You remember what that means."

Naruto's jaw tightened. Right. The fox. He hadn't thought about the Nine-Tails in months, not since everything that had happened in Lordran. Part of him wanted to know what state the beast was in, what had changed. But part of him also knew this was his chance to make the old pervert work for it.

"What are you two whispering about?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah," Sasuke added, his tone clipped. "You're acting suspicious."

"I'll tell you later," Naruto said quickly, forcing a grin. He slipped past them toward the food.

"That's a big step," Kakashi commented lightly, almost as if to himself.

Naruto glanced back at him, then at his friends, and said, "I trust my friends to know the difference between me and the fox."

Kakashi gave a subtle nod before following them outside.

They settled down at the low table. Jiraiya glanced up from his notebook with a smirk. "Looks like Sleeping Beauty finally decided to join us."

"Don't call me that," Naruto said flatly, stabbing his chopsticks into a bowl of rice.

"Right, right," Jiraiya chuckled, rubbing his hands together as Inari set more dishes down. "Anyway, I'm sure Kakashi already told you. After breakfast, I'll be checking on your seal. Better safe than sorry."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, then glanced at Tsunami, who was quietly moving between tables. "Pervy Sage… did you apologize to Tsunami-san for peeping on her?"

"…Ah. No?"

"Then go apologize," Naruto said simply.

"Why would I do that? She knows I didn't mean any harm."

Naruto set his bowl down slowly. He took a deep breath, his gaze flicking to Kakashi. The jonin didn't even look up from his book. Just turned the page. That told Naruto everything.

"Fine," Naruto said, standing. "Then you're not laying a finger on me until you do. No apology, no seal check."

"Don't be ridiculous, brat."

Naruto crossed his arms. "Try me." He turned on his heel and went to sit beside Sakura and Sasuke, his back stiff with finality.

Jiraiya clenched his jaw, muttering as he grabbed a dumpling. "That brat is just wasting time at this point."

"An apology doesn't seem like a big ask, Jiraiya-sama."

The older man clicked his tongue, then sighed, shoulders sagging. He rose reluctantly and made his way toward Tsunami.

Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi all watched as the civilian woman carried another tray of food across camp. She didn't flinch. Didn't even break her calm smile. But each time Jiraiya drifted near, her steps curved away from him, her body shifting with quiet precision, like a river slipping past a jagged rock.

Once. Twice. A third time.

Even Jiraiya got the message. His mouth opened, then closed again. He slunk back to his seat without a word, notebook clutched tight against his chest.

Naruto didn't even look at him. He just returned to his rice with a satisfied hum.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

By midmorning, just after ten, Naruto found himself walking alongside Shino in the quiet of the forest. Kurenai had asked him to spend some time with her student, though she had not really explained why.

Naruto kept glancing at the jar in Shino's hands as they walked. Inside, a faint rustling echoed from the cluster of insects crawling against the glass.

"You seem uncomfortable."

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Not uncomfortable. Just… confused." His eyes flicked to the jar again. "You carrying that around isn't helping either."

Shino adjusted his glasses. "I understand. We do not normally spend time together. That in itself is enough to create uncertainty."

"I mean, it's not like I don't want to hang out with you or anything—"

"There is no need to explain, Naruto-san," Shino interrupted calmly. "You are busy. You have your own path. I do not expect you to make time for me."

"Well… I'm here now, right?"

"Indeed. And I am grateful," Shino replied, his face betraying no emotion. He placed a gloved hand on a fallen log. A ripple of motion stirred beneath the bark, and a tide of kikaichū poured out, flowing with mechanical precision into the jar.

"Whoa… that's still creepy, ya know."

Shino tilted his head slightly. "Creepy is a matter of perspective. To me, it is simply natural."

Naruto fished a small notebook out of his pouch, the one Kurenai had given him, and flipped it open. "Okay, so, she told me to help you out. Something about plants, poisons… and bugs."

"Yes." Shino nodded once. "I require poisonous species. My insects will feed on them, digest them, and grow stronger. You may collect what you find."

Naruto brightened. "Alright, leave it to me!" He created half a dozen clones, each darting off into the brush with excited whoops.

An hour later, Shino was regretting his generosity.

"Hey, Shino! What about this one?" A clone came bounding back holding a beetle cupped in its hands.

"That is a stag beetle. Useless."

Another clone appeared, holding a centipede wriggling between its fingers. "This guy any good?"

"No."

Ten minutes later another clone returned, holding a grasshopper. "How about this?"

"No." Shino's voice did not rise, did not falter. He simply repeated himself with cold certainty, each rejection delivered like a gavel strike.

Yet Naruto did not quit. The forest echoed with his endless questions, his simple-minded persistence. And though Shino never smiled, he did not dismiss him either. There was a kind of patience there, even if it was buried under the monotone.

By early afternoon, the jar was heavy with motion. Inside, poisonous beetles, spiders, and wasps crawled over each other, their movements erratic, restless. The sight made Naruto's skin crawl, but Shino's expression never changed.

"Okay," Naruto said, tapping the jar nervously, "so now we just… wait for them to get hungry and eat each other, right?"

Shino shook his head. "Not quite. If we waited for nature, the process would take too long. I have a technique that will accelerate it. It manipulates their instincts, their hunger, their territorial drive."

His hands came together, forming a slow, deliberate seal. Chakra seeped into the jar, faint but precise.

Ninja Art: Hive Frenzy.

The insects inside began to twitch, their movements sharpening. The faint rustle became a hiss, then a chittering chorus. They turned on one another, mandibles tearing, stingers plunging. The sound of clicking legs and snapping carapaces filled the air, a steady grind of survival reduced to its rawest form.

Naruto's eyes went wide. "That's… brutal."

Shino's voice was calm, clinical. "It is efficient. Only the strongest survive, and they carry the venom of all they consumed. That strength is transferred to my kikaichū. What you call brutal, I call refinement."

Naruto scratched his cheek, uneasy. "Man, you say that like you're talking about cooking soup."

"Perhaps it is similar," Shino replied matter-of-factly. He set the jar down on the moss. "Now, we wait. When the frenzy ends, what remains will be useful. What dies will have served its purpose."

Naruto sat back against a tree, watching the jar warily. "You know, you can be really scary sometimes, Shino."

Shino did not look at him. "I hear that often."

Naruto chuckled nervously. "But… it's kinda cool too."

Shino gave no reply. But the faintest tilt of his head suggested he had heard, and perhaps approved.

While the jar hissed and scratched with the sounds of insects devouring one another, Naruto leaned back against the base of a tree. He tilted his head up, watching clouds crawl across the sky. The thought had been nagging at him since they started this whole bug-collecting thing, and he finally let it out.

"Hey, Shino… do your bugs really live inside you?"

"At birth, members of my clan are offered to several special breeds of insects. Our bodies become their nest. They reside beneath the skin, feeding on chakra. In exchange, they obey us, protect us, and grow with us. It is a bond of necessity. It is symbiosis."

Naruto whistled low. He could not help the thought that flashed through his mind: him and the Nine-Tails. A host and a vessel.

"So…" Naruto swallowed before asking, "how does that make you feel?"

"I feel nothing unusual. I was born with this bond. I never lived without it, so I cannot compare my existence to another. To feel burdened by something you have never been free of would be… inefficient."

Naruto frowned. "Do you ever feel like… being the host defines you? Like you're not just Shino, but Shino-the-bug-host?"

"People may see me that way," Shino answered evenly. "But perception does not dictate truth. I am Shino. The insects are part of me. Together, we form a single whole. If others cannot see past that, it is their limitation, not mine."

Naruto felt the weight of that answer settling in his gut. "…Do you hate whoever made you into a host? Like… if you could've lived without the bugs, would you?"

Shino was quiet for a moment. The forest seemed to hum around them. "Hate is an indulgence. The clan does not ask if we wish it. We are born into the contract, as you are born into your village, your family, your destiny. To waste energy resenting what cannot be undone is… illogical. It changes nothing. Acceptance changes everything."

Naruto stared at him, wide-eyed. He was not sure whether to feel impressed or unsettled.

"…Don't you hate that people are always gonna think of you and your bugs together? Like… some people will be scared of you, no matter what. Doesn't that bother you?"

"People already fear what they do not understand. My insects only give that fear a shape. Fear can be useful. It creates distance, and distance creates clarity. I do not need everyone's comfort. I only need their respect."

Naruto blinked, then broke into a grin. "Man… you really are cool, Shino. You gave me a whole new way to think about… you know, being a host. Even if it's not the exact same thing, you get it. Maybe more than anyone else could."

Shino remained still, unreadable behind his glasses, but Naruto thought he caught the faintest flicker of acknowledgment.

"Anytime you wanna hang out," Naruto said brightly, holding out a fist, "just say the word."

Shino regarded him for a moment, then raised his own gloved hand. Their fists met with a quiet bump.

Before Shino could ask what Naruto truly meant by host, the violent buzzing inside the jar cut off. Silence fell. The feeding frenzy was over.

The two of them crouched before the jar. Naruto squinted, lips moving as he counted the number of souls before absorbing them. "… Wait. Something went wrong."

"Indeed," Shino murmured. He lifted the lid. The interior was a graveyard: husks of insects collapsed in heaps, their bodies brittle, their legs twisted. A black haze coiled lazily over the corpses, the smell faintly acrid.

Naruto grimaced and immediately clamped the lid shut. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you added something to the jar."

"Yes," Shino replied without hesitation. "I added a fragment of the toxic dung pie you provided me."

"Yeah… then the toxins of Lordran basically killed everything."

"From my brief observation, the toxins are a form of cytotoxin. They cause necrosis, rapid tissue collapse. Their potency is… considerable."

Naruto nodded, rummaging in his pouch before pulling out a pair of moss clumps. "Alright. If you want to keep experimenting, you're gonna need a lot of this stuff." He set the moss down between them.

"Explain."

"The purple moss clump reduces poison build-up. The blooming one handles toxic. They cure the status outright. You eat them, and… yeah, poison and toxic are gone."

Shino's tone was level, almost clinical. "You claim a simple moss can cleanse venom potent enough to induce cellular collapse. What is its mechanism? Enzymatic? Binding agents? Does it neutralize the toxin in the bloodstream, or does it accelerate metabolic purging? And how reliable is it across different species? Human bodies vary from insect hives."

Naruto blinked, caught off guard. "Uh… yeah, I don't know. I just know it works." He shoved a basket toward him, brimming with moss clumps. "Knock yourself out if you wanna figure it out. Test it, dissect it, whatever. I'm gonna leave you to your mad bug science."

Shino inclined his head slightly. "Very well."

Naruto got to his feet, brushing his hands off. "Anyway, I gotta go check on Kiba. Still need to finish making his meteor hammer. And Hinata wants me to help her with crossbow drills. Plus I got to get some clean clothes for the festival, tonight."

Shino lifted a hand in wordless acknowledgment. Naruto flickered away in a burst of motion, the forest quieting around him.

Left alone, Shino set the jar aside. He was about to begin sorting the moss when a ripple stirred through his body. The kikaichū whispered to him from beneath his skin. Information. A discovery.

He turned slowly, eyes narrowing. His insects had isolated fragments of the dung pie, separating the ordinary rot from the toxic pieces. And inside those toxic clumps…

"Eggs," Shino murmured.

Inside the toxic clumps were tiny shapes, nestled close together. Long, narrow, and fragile-looking, they gleamed faintly with a blood-hued sheen.

"Insects from Lordran… becoming part of my hive."

The corner of his mouth twitched, not quite a smile, but something close. "This should be interesting."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The Land of Waves had not felt this alive in years. Lanterns swung from ropes strung across the main street, music drifted from a dozen little stalls, and the smell of grilled fish, sweet rice, and sea salt wrapped around the crowd. With Gato gone and Tazuna's bridge nearly finished, everyone finally had a reason to breathe and to celebrate.

Naruto nudged Oscar with his shoulder as they stepped out into the lights. "Still can't believe Tsunami-san bought everyone new clothes for the festival," he said.

Oscar chirped approvingly and eyed Naruto's outfit like a fashion critic.

Naruto grinned. He had on a bright yellow hooded jacket with a zip front, cuffs snug at the wrists, hem elastic at the waist. One sleeve was pushed up and a black wrap hugged his forearm. The matching yellow pants had cargo seams and extra pockets, little straps and clips along the hips that clicked when he moved. He had even pinned some small clips in his bangs to keep his hair tidy.

"Here," he said, fishing out two lollipops, one for him and one for the lizard.

They walked up to where Tsunami was fussing over Inari's scarf and Tazuna was already deep in a loud conversation with Kakashi. Kakashi, somehow, had made "comfortable" look accidental but cool: a dark red trucker jacket with a fuzzy cream collar, worn open over a cream henley, straight-fit jeans, a tiny earring, and that same old green book in hand.

"At least my clothes are eye-catching," Naruto said, half-joking.

"I don't think Kakashi cares," came a dry voice at his side.

Jiraiya had drifted up without Naruto noticing. He wore a long black robe tied at the waist, a hint of red lining at the collar, sleeves loose enough to hide a dozen tricks. He looked like he had stepped out of an old story.

"You clean up nice, Pervy Sage. Enjoy the festival. And make sure not to peek."

Jiraiya sweatdropped. "I don't do that all the time."

Naruto arched a brow.

"Well… most of the time I'm busy with research. But I'm also a man of culture. For example, appreciate the aesthetics over there."

They both turned as Kurenai stepped into the lantern glow. She wore a fitted white dress cut like a cheongsam, gold edging catching the light, red stones glinting at the collar and waist. Short gloves, a red-star charm with a tassel at one wrist, a fan with a red feathered edge in her hand. Her black hair was tied back with a strand of pearls and a neat red ornament.

"You look so cute," Tsunami said, hands clasped as she and Kurenai traded quick spins to show off their outfits.

Jiraiya smiled, pleased.

Naruto gave him a look.

"What? Am I not allowed to admire a pretty lady?"

Naruto grumbled around his lollipop. "Kurenai-sensei does look really nice tonight."

"I wonder what Kurenai-sensei will say to that," Kiba teased, his words chased by a sharp bark as Akamaru trotted up at his heels. Kiba wore a dark leather zip-up jacket with a big fur-lined collar and a snug turtleneck peeking at the throat.

Akamaru stopped nose-to-nose with Oscar and puffed his chest. He dipped his head to show off a tiny hat someone had jammed between his ears.

Oscar stared at the hat, then slowly turned to Naruto with a pointed look.

"Alright, alright," Naruto said, already fishing in his storage. "I came prepared." He pulled out a sorcerer's cap and set it on Oscar's head. The crystal lizard chirped in delight and posed like a noble.

"How much you wanna bet those hats get lost or chewed up before the night's over? Look at them, they're already trying to trade."

Oscar and Akamaru had, in fact, begun a very serious exchange program of headwear, pawing and tapping, both hats wobbling dangerously.

"Twenty says Oscar keeps his," Naruto said.

Before Kiba could answer, a quiet voice drifted in from behind dark wraparound shades. "You will lose that bet, Naruto."

Shino stepped into the lantern glow. Olive-green hooded jacket, loose fit with a dark band at the waist. A long dark shirt hung below the hem. Trousers loose and clean, bunched just right at the calves. He looked like he had wandered out of a fashion scroll.

Kiba's jaw dropped. Naruto's did too. They looked at Shino, looked at each other, then pointed back at him.

"Shino," Naruto said, awed, "you look good."

"Thank you."

"You should ditch the usual," Kiba said. He did a circle with his hand. "Keep this."

"No."

"Think about it," Naruto tried. "The shades. The jacket. It works."

"No."

Kiba and Naruto launched into a tag-team pitch about cut, color, and cool points. Shino listened in complete silence, then tilted his head as if cataloging insects on a leaf.

Their campaign died when Sasuke walked up. He wore a light gray zip jacket with clean black piping and a high collar. A thick dark blue scarf wrapped his neck. Straight dark gray pants. Hands in pockets. Eyes half-lidded like he had not dressed up at all and still pulled it off.

Kiba took one look and started laughing. Naruto joined him.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto wheezed, "Shino called. He wants his clothes back."

"You look more emo than usual," Kiba said, on his knees now for effect.

Sasuke ignored them and looked at Shino. "I might have grabbed your outfit by accident."

"You seem to wear it well," Shino said.

Sasuke gave a small nod. The two of them stood like matching bookends while Naruto and Kiba died on the cobbles.

"What is so funny?" Sakura asked as she walked up, and the boys' laughter cut off.

Sakura's outfit caught the lantern light and held it. A short white sleeveless top that ended above her belly button with a small front zip. Low-rise maroon pants with clean seams and a wide silver-blue belt with a big rectangle buckle, extra strap tails hanging loose. A few simple bracelets and rings that chimed when she moved.

Kiba whistled before he could stop himself. Naruto and Sasuke both smacked him on the back of the head.

Sakura giggled behind her hand. "Just wait until you see Hinata."

"Oh no… this is a little embarrassing," Hinata said from the edge of the circle, cheeks warm with color as she stepped closer.

Her dress was a dark navy slip with a straight neckline. The fabric fell smooth and clean, folding softly near the hem. It fit closer at the chest and waist, then eased as it went down. Two sets of straps framed her shoulders, light beige underneath and a darker set on top. A thin rope belt wrapped her waist twice and tied at the side with small tassels. A gray band with a simple criss-cross pattern sat on her upper arm. A small watch, a couple of rings, a single drop earring. Her hair was a short dark bob with straight bangs and a slight flip at the back.

The boys forgot how to stand.

Kiba went still. Shino's collar hummed with a barely-there buzz. Sasuke slid his scarf a little higher like the air had changed temperature to hide his blush.

"You look pretty," Naruto said, plain and honest, before his brain could overthink it.

Hinata's blush deepened, but she smiled, soft and bright. "Th-thank you."

"Okay, kids, you all look good," Kurenai said, smiling at how the genin cleaned up for the night. They were not children anymore, technically adults by the village's standard, but she still could not help calling them her kids. "You're shinobi, yes, but tonight I expect you to enjoy the festival and not cause trouble."

Every single head turned toward Naruto.

"Oi, that's discrimination!"

Kakashi ignored him. "Just stay out of trouble and enjoy the night to your hearts' content."

The genin cheered and scattered like firecrackers, rushing into the lights of the festival.

That night, the Wave village bloomed with paper lanterns and colorful streamers. Stalls lined the streets, selling grilled eel skewers, steamed buns, and glowing candy apples that shimmered in shades of green and gold. Musicians played flutes and shamisen near the square, the notes rising with laughter and chatter. Children darted through the crowd with sparklers in hand.

Naruto was already cross-legged near the food stalls, happily stuffing his face with dango. Sakura sat beside him in her dress, carefully wrapping her takoyaki in a napkin to avoid stains.

"You're eating like you haven't seen food in days," she said, frowning at the fourth empty skewer.

"I've got a lizard's metabolism," Naruto mumbled through a full mouth. "It's a real thing."

"Try not to choke on your real thing," Sakura replied dryly, dabbing her napkin.

Down the street, Kiba and Akamaru were in the middle of a rowdy game of festival tag with Oscar. The crystal lizard had apparently mastered the art of rolling into a ball and smashing through narrow gaps like a living bumper car. Vendors yelped as stalls shook, and Akamaru barked wildly in delight, chasing Oscar down the lane.

"Akamaru! Don't tackle the fireworks cart!" Kiba bellowed, weaving through the crowd in hot pursuit.

Hinata stood nearby, her hands clasped politely in front of her, watching the chaos with a small, amused smile. She lingered at a stall selling hair ornaments carved from seashells, her pale eyes catching the lanternlight.

Sasuke leaned against a festival pole, sipping a cold drink with his arms crossed, expression unreadable.

"You're gonna brood the decorations off the wall if you keep standing like that," Naruto called from his spot.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, which Naruto translated as happy festival to you too.

Not far away, Shino moved slowly past a stall displaying festival masks shaped like animals and beetles. He stopped in front of the insect masks, studying them with quiet intensity. A small child waddled up and offered him a piece of candy. Shino inclined his head. "Thank you." He did not smile, but his voice carried a strange sincerity that made the child beam before darting back to their family.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya was in his element. A circle of elderly women had drawn him into a game of mahjong at one of the stalls. To his delight, the old ladies were both sharp with their tiles and generous with their attention.

"Oh, Jiraiya-sama, look at those hands!" one woman giggled as he placed a tile with a flourish. "So strong and steady. You must be very skilled with them."

Another leaned closer. "And that hair! So thick, so white. Most men your age are bald as river stones."

A third cackled behind her sleeve. "He even smells nice. Are you sure you're not hiding perfume, Jiraiya-sama?"

"Ladies, ladies, please. One at a time. There's plenty of me to go around. And for the record, what you smell is the natural scent of a man of culture. Refined, worldly… and utterly irresistible."

The women laughed, clapping their hands like young girls.

That was the sight Kakashi walked in on. "Jiraiya-sama," he drawled, "I see you're enjoying the company of some real beauties tonight."

The old women blushed and giggled, fanning themselves.

"See, Kakashi?" Jiraiya declared, wagging a finger. "A true man of culture doesn't discriminate. Beauty has no age limit. A flower is a flower, whether it blooms in spring or in winter."

"You're shameless," Kakashi said flatly. His visible eye crinkled in faint amusement. "And a little dramatic."

"Better to be dramatic than boring," Jiraiya shot back, slapping a tile down. "So what brings you here? Surely not jealousy."

Kakashi ignored the bait. "Actually, I came to ask how your mission to apologize is going."

"Apologize? Oh, that. I figure I'll take care of it tomorrow. Why ruin the festival mood with something unpleasant?"

"Tomorrow?" Kakashi flipped a page casually. "You may not have the luxury of waiting."

"What do you mean?"

"She's here."

Jiraiya followed his gaze. Tsunami stood outside, framed by the glow of paper lanterns. She leaned against the railing, her face calm but unreadable as she looked out over the festival.

Jiraiya rose, bowing with exaggerated gallantry to the old ladies. "My lovelies, duty calls. But do not despair." He shot them a roguish grin. "I'll be back."

"Oh, don't worry," one of them said slyly, eyes sliding toward Kakashi. "As long as your friend here keeps us company."

"Heh. I'll try to keep up."

Jiraiya flashed him a thumbs-up before heading toward the riverside.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Tsunami turned as he approached. Her posture was straight, her hands folded neatly in front of her. She gave a small, polite nod. "Kakashi-san already explained. Let's just get this over with."

"Right. Well… I'm sorry. For peeping on you."

Tsunami drew in a long, steady breath, then let it out. "That is not much of an apology, Jiraiya-sama. As a woman, it makes me want to slap you across the face."

Jiraiya raised his brows, forcing a smile. "If it makes you feel better, you can hit me."

Her expression did not change. "Shooting you would be better."

"Come on now, I meant no harm. It was just a little peeking. A harmless mistake."

Tsunami's lips tightened. "You really don't see it, do you?"

"See what?"

"I've buried two husbands. Men I loved. My body… my dignity… those are not jokes to me. I have a son who still cries when he thinks no one's looking, and a village that lost its pride long before you ever looked into my window."

Her voice never wavered.

"You're a powerful man. A famous one. I'm just a widow in a quiet village. But I still have self-respect. And I can't accept your apology, not truly, because what you took isn't something you can return. I would rather walk away than forgive you."

Jiraiya opened his mouth, then shut it again. "Then why are you here, speaking to me at all?"

"Because Kakashi told me something important." Her gaze softened, though only slightly. "That you're the only one who can check Naruto's seal. That only you can keep him safe. And Naruto…" She exhaled. "Naruto saved me. Saved my son. Saved this whole village. For his sake, I will pretend to forgive you."

Silence stretched between them, filled only by the distant sound of festival music and laughter.

"Tsunami, I am truly sorry. Just give me a second chance."

"Second chances come after proof of change," she replied evenly, "not before."

Jiraiya froze, her words landing heavier than any blow.

"Enjoy the festival," Tsunami said after a long pause. "I'll tell Naruto you apologized, so he doesn't carry the weight of this."

She turned, her steps steady, lanternlight glinting across her profile. But just before leaving, she stopped at the doorway, her back to him.

"One question, before I go. Have you ever loved a woman? Truly loved her?"

"Yes." The word came out without hesitation. In his mind, Tsunade's face burned bright.

"Then tell me. How would you feel if someone peeked on her?"

Jiraiya's blood boiled at the thought of someone leering at Tsunade. "I'd be furious."

"Remember that feeling," Tsunami said. "That fury. That is nothing compared to the humiliation women live with when men like you treat us as pieces of meat. I hope you stop before your action hurts someone."

She walked away without another word, leaving him alone.

Jiraiya stood there in the glow of lanterns, the sounds of celebration carrying. For once, he had nothing to say. Her words settled heavy on him, heavier than any battlefield wound.

He was left with more to think about than he cared to admit.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

As the time for the fireworks drew near, Naruto tapped Hinata's shoulder. "Hey, come with me."

"W-where are we going? The fireworks are about to start."

Naruto grinned, jerking his thumb upward. "Just wanted to get a better view. C'mon."

They leapt from stall to roof, their sandals tapping softly against the tiles until they landed atop one of the taller houses at the edge of the square. From there, the whole village stretched out beneath them. A sea of lanternlight and shadow, glowing stalls dotting the dark like tiny embers.

Hinata pressed her hands to her chest, her breath catching. "It's… beautiful."

"Yeah," Naruto said with a grin, though his eyes were more on the sky than the view below. "Way better than being stuck in a crowd."

One by one, villagers began extinguishing the paper lanterns, the glow winking out until the streets faded into darkness. Above them, the stars stretched across the night in a river of silver light.

And then a sharp crack split the air.

The first firework burst upward, exploding in a bloom of red and gold that lit up Hinata's wide eyes. Another followed, scattering green sparks that drifted like falling leaves. Blue streaks twisted into the shape of flowers before fading.

The sky bloomed again and again, each explosion thunderous and radiant, painting the night with colors brighter than any festival lantern.

Naruto leaned back on his hands, watching with an open smile. "Now this is a good view."

Hinata's gaze flicked between the fireworks and Naruto, her cheeks pink in the shifting glow. She nodded softly, almost whispering. "It is."

Another firework shot high, bursting into a thousand white sparks that showered the village like falling stars.

Both of them sat in silence, the sky alive with fire and color.

With his hawkeyes, he checked on Oscar. Down below, the little lizard was perched beside Akamaru, who trembled at every blast. Oscar pressed close, his gems glowing faintly as though reassuring the pup.

Naruto let out a breath and smiled. Seeing that, he finally relaxed until the last streak of light faded and the night settled into darkness again.

"We should go down," Hinata said softly, rising to her feet.

"Ya know," Naruto said, still gazing upward, "I'm curious. When you fix the Hyūga clan… will I get to see fireworks then too?"

Hinata turned and saw him holding something glinting in his palm.

"Of course. I'll make sure it's the biggest fireworks show in the world."

"Hell yeah," Naruto grinned, tossing the ring toward her.

Hinata fumbled, nearly dropping it, before catching it in both hands. Her fingers brushed against the carved hornet insignia. "What is this?"

"This is the Hornet's Ring," Naruto explained. "It boosts the power of critical attacks. And since your Gentle Fist basically lands a critical hit every time… this'll make you unstoppable."

"…Naruto, this seems like a really powerful item."

"Yeah," he said with an easy shrug, as if it weren't a big deal. "That's why I'm giving it to you. If it makes things easier, it's yours. But only on loan." He straightened, brushing off his pants. "When you've fixed the clan, you'll give it back. On the night we watch those fireworks together."

Her lips trembled with the smile she tried to hide. "You really are… overwhelming. Always doing too much, just because you can."

Naruto scratched his cheek with a sheepish grin. "Hehehe." He watched her slip the ring onto her finger.

"Well," he added, tilting his head, "you can do me a favor in return."

"Of course," Hinata said quickly, too quickly.

"You remember the fight against Guren, right? Since your Byakugan can copy jutsu to an extent… could you write down how her Crystal Release worked? I think Oscar could really use it."

Hinata blinked, surprised by the odd request, then nodded. "I'll try."

"Great." Naruto yawned and stretched his arms over his head. "Alright, let's head back. I wanna eat and take a massive dump and then sleep." He crouched, ready to leap.

"Naruto, wait."

"Hmm?"

Her mouth went dry. Her chest pounded. This was it. Her chance. She could feel it rising in her throat. The words she had carried for years. She wanted to tell him. To say what he meant to her.

But then her gaze dropped to the ring. The Hornet's Ring, sitting snug on her finger.

Power lent to her, not earned.

A promise of fireworks she hadn't yet proven she could deliver.

Her courage cracked. The words stuck in her throat.

"…I think we should eat some ramen," she blurted.

Naruto blinked, confused, then broke into a grin. "Oh, you think they've got ramen stalls? I didn't see one. Wait—" His eyes darted down toward the street before lighting up. "There! Let's go!"

And with a laugh, he vaulted off the rooftop, vanishing into the festival glow.

Hinata stood frozen, staring at the space where he had been. Her chest tightened, and her eyes stung.

Stupid… this was your perfect chance to confess.

Her hand trembled as it pressed over the ring. She closed her eyes. No. Not yet. I can't. Not as I am now.

I want to be someone worthy of standing beside him. Not a timid shadow, not a hopeless dreamer. I want to be great, too. Naruto deserves someone great to stand beside him.

Her eyes opened again, filled with quiet fire.

I will fix my clan. I will give him the biggest fireworks show in the world. And one day, I will give him my heart.

She leapt down after him, landing softly on the street below. Naruto was already lost in the crowd, darting toward the ramen stall, his laughter swallowed by the festival noise.

Hinata lingered for a moment, her hand clenched into a fist. She followed but far enough behind that he wouldn't notice the tears she was swallowing down.

We all want to be great.

We all want someone great to stand beside us.

But in chasing that dream, we forget that greatness isn't what draws people together. It's the quiet moments, the laughter, the small truths spoken when no one else is listening. And sometimes, by waiting until we think we're worthy, we let the moment slip away.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The next morning, Tsunami quietly pulled Naruto aside. She told him Jiraiya had finally apologized, which meant there was no more putting it off, his seal needed to be checked.

"After breakfast," Naruto muttered.

The meal was unusually quiet. The clatter of bowls and chopsticks filled the air instead of chatter. Even Naruto didn't touch his food. He sat there staring at it until Sakura leaned over.

"Naruto, you haven't eaten anything," she said, wiping sauce from her fingers.

Oscar chirped softly, nudging against Naruto's arm. The boy rubbed the lizard's head for reassurance, then pushed his stool back and stood. Everyone's eyes followed him.

"Dudes," Naruto said, his tone serious in a way that made the genin glance at each other, "I wanna share my biggest secret."

Kiba groaned, leaning back. "Come on, man, you always drop something huge in the mornings—"

But he cut off when he saw Naruto's face. Everyone did. Whatever this was, it wasn't one of his jokes. This was heavy.

At the table's edge, Kurenai leaned closer to Kakashi, whispering, "Should we intervene?"

Kakashi didn't answer. Jiraiya did. "No. It's the brat's choice."

Sasuke slid a cup toward Naruto. "Then just tell us already."

Naruto picked it up, drained the water, then set it down. His voice was flat. "I'm the Kyūbi's jinchūriki."

The words hung in the air.

Silence while confusion flickered across the genins' faces.

"Naruto," Kurenai said gently, "they haven't been taught what that means."

Naruto sighed. "Twelve years ago, the Kyūbi attacked Konoha. Everyone was told the Fourth Hokage killed it. That's a lie. The Kyūbi couldn't be killed. So… it was sealed away." His fists clenched. "Sealed inside a person."

"Inside you," Shino finished quietly, adjusting his glasses. "That's what you meant before… when you said host."

Naruto nodded.

Sakura raised her hand halfway, as though in class. "Okay, I'm confused. You're the Kyūbi's what, exactly?"

"Jinchūriki are humans who have tailed beasts sealed inside them. Think of them as living cages. Their purpose is to keep the beasts locked down so they don't destroy everything."

The genin began whispering amongst themselves, the pieces clicking together. Why adults avoided Naruto. Why the stares, the whispers, the warnings not to play with him.

Naruto ran a hand down Oscar's back to calm himself. The lizard chirped again, sensing his pulse racing.

"Alright," Naruto said finally, forcing a grin. "Let's just go rapid-fire question round, clear the air, and move on with our lives."

Kiba raised his hand halfway. "Alright… so why are you even telling us this now?"

"Because you guys are my friends. If I can't talk about it with you, then who else? I don't wanna keep acting like it doesn't exist."

Shino asked, "Did my words, about being a host influence this choice?"

"Yeah. They did. Helped me realize I wasn't alone in feeling like this."

Sasuke leaned forward. "So what does the Kyūbi actually do for you?"

"My chakra reserves," Naruto said plainly. "They're huge because of the fox. That's the main reason I can make so many clones and keep fighting."

Sakura frowned, her hand hovering at her chin. "But… why you? Why seal it into a newborn? Couldn't the Fourth have sealed it into an adult?"

"I don't know. I've asked myself that, too."

Hinata's hands balled into fists on her lap. "Then that makes you the hero of Konoha. You carried it. You kept everyone safe all these years, even as a child."

Naruto blinked at her. "Hero? Heh… I dunno about that."

Kakashi finally spoke. "Hinata's right. The Fourth intended for Naruto to be treated as a hero. But the villagers let their fear twist it. Instead of honoring him, they branded him."

The genin shifted uneasily. Akamaru's ears lowered.

"Did you… did you know about this when we were kids?"

"Nope. I only found out a few months. The night after graduation."

That hit hard. The idea of being hated, shunned, without ever knowing why silenced the table.

Shino broke it. "Then the failure lies not with you, but with those who could not see beyond fear. A host is not defined by what he contains, but by the choices he makes despite it."

Kiba slammed his fist lightly against the table. "Damn right. I don't care if you're carrying the Kyūbi or a hundred foxes. You're still Naruto. Anyone who thinks different is an idiot."

Hinata leaned forward, her voice trembling but resolute. "I've always… admired you, Naruto-kun. The way you keep moving forward, even when everyone turned away. Knowing this… it only makes me admire you more."

Sakura looked down, guilt tightening her face. "I was one of those kids who avoided you. Because the adults told me to. And I… I'm sorry. You deserved better than that. I won't ever treat you like that again."

Sasuke crossed his arms, his tone flat. "You think this changes anything? It doesn't. You're still the same loud, stubborn idiot who never shuts up. That's who you are. If the Kyūbi ever tries to take that away… then I'll drag you back myself."

Naruto blinked hard, swallowing past the lump in his throat. He hadn't expected that from Sasuke.

"Looks like you've got some great friends, brat," Jiraiya said, reaching over to ruffle Naruto's hair with a crooked grin. "Now, let's check on the seal."

"Check?"

"Yeah," Naruto said. "After all the stuff that's happened in Lordran, I'm curious about what might've happened to the Kyūbi."

The genin exchanged uneasy glances.

Kakashi noticed their faces and said, "Relax. The Fourth Hokage's seal was the best in the world. Whatever happened, it's held this long. Nothing to worry about."

"That's right," Jiraiya said, waving a hand dismissively. "No big deal. Naruto, just lift your shirt and channel chakra."

Naruto nodded. He stood, took a steadying breath, and gathered chakra into his core.

Nothing.

"Don't mess with me, kid. Show me the seal."

"I'm not messing around. Hinata, could you use your Byakugan to confirm it?"

Hinata swallowed hard, then activated her Byakugan. Pale eyes traced over his chakra network… and widened.

"…I don't see anything. Naruto is using his chakra but nothing seems to be responding."

Jiraiya froze. His hands, once poised and steady, fell uselessly to his sides. The color drained from his face. For a man like him silence was louder than a shout.

Kakashi's lone eye narrowed. "Jiraiya-sama." His tone was careful, deliberate. "What does that mean?"

When Jiraiya finally spoke, his voice had no trace of humor left. "It means… Naruto is no longer the Kyūbi's jinchūriki."

The words landed like a hammer.

Kurenai shot to her feet. "What?!" Her voice rang with disbelief. "How is that even possible?!"

The genin stared at Naruto, their faces pale, their minds spinning.

Naruto just stood there, his hand pressed to his stomach, the absence where the seal should've been somehow heavier than its presence had ever felt.

"I don't know," Jiraiya admitted, his voice low and laced with something between shock and dread. "But if the seal is gone… and Hinata sees no trace of the Nine-Tails' seal… then the only possibilities are that it was removed…"

"Or escaped," Kakashi finished grimly.

For a moment, Naruto's mind went blank, disbelief crackling through him like static. He should have felt a lot, as though a weight had lifted after years of carrying a living disaster inside him. But instead, an icy chill spread through his chest.

If the Kyūbi wasn't sealed inside him anymore…

Where had it gone?

More so… How does someone lose a bijuu?

"There are only two known methods," Jiraiya said. "Either the seal is manually undone which kills the host immediately, or the jinchūriki dies in battle and the bijuu is released."

"And what happens to a tailed beast after that?" Naruto asked again, tone growing sharper.

Kakashi responded this time. "When the host dies, the bijuu's chakra dissipates into the surrounding environment. Over time, it gathers and reforms into a body again."

The table grew quiet again.

Most of the genin were too stunned to speak, their minds catching up to the enormity of what had just been said. Kiba looked almost pale. Sakura's hand had gone to her mouth. Shino's brows were furrowed, hidden under his glasses. Hinata was visibly trembling, as if uncertain what this meant for Naruto or what it might mean for him going forward.

But Naruto… he already knew, because he had died in Lordran. A lot.

And in that moment, it all clicked together with chilling precision.

The Kyūbi didn't escape into the Elemental Nations. It escaped into Lordran.

"…Shit," he whispered.

Jiraiya caught that. "You know something."

Naruto hesitated. He opened his mouth, truth dancing on the edge of his lips. He could tell them. Tell them about Lordran, the firelinking, the bonfires, Gwyn, the Dark Sign. Tell them about the deaths and the fact that somewhere in that cursed, broken world, the Kyūbi now roamed.

But a thought stopped him.

This was an opportunity.

"Pervy Sage," Naruto said, "do you know anything about Lordran? Since you were the Fourth Hokage's teacher."

"What does Minato have to do with Lordran?"

"Well… because the Fourth is the one who put the Darksign into the Forbidden Scroll of Seals," Naruto replied. He pulled out the three-pronged kunai.

Jiraiya's eyes widened. In an instant, he snatched the kunai from Naruto's hands, turning it over to inspect the sealing formula etched into the handle. His voice dropped. "This is Minato's."

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed in thought. He stayed quiet, deep in his own memories, until Kurenai placed a hand on his shoulder.

"What's going on?" Sakura asked, glancing between them.

"Basically… the Fourth Hokage went to Lordran a long time ago. It was so secretive that no one knew about it. Except a redhead."

"Redhead?" Sasuke repeated.

"Yeah. When I found this kunai, I was told that he and a redhead fought alongside the legendary Knight Artorias to defeat the evil of Oolacile."

Kakashi shook his head slowly. "Sensei never told us any of this."

"Guess even heroes keep secrets."

"Tch. Apparently," Jiraiya muttered, though the way his hand tightened on the kunai betrayed unease. He sighed. "Fine. Minato had his secrets. But how is this connected to the Kyūbi being gone?"

"Because… think about it. The answer to what happened to the Kyūbi lies in Uzushio."

"What?"

"I spoke to the cat, Alvina," Naruto continued, "and she told me about Minato and the redhead. Apparently, Lordran had ties to the Uzumaki clan. Deep ties."

Jiraiya frowned, his mind turning over possibilities. "And you believe… because you went to Lordran, something in Minato's seal pulled the Kyūbi away? To Uzushio?"

Naruto's voice was calm, almost too calm. "I think… if we want to know what happened to the Nine-Tails, then we need to go to Uzushio. That's where I was told, by my people in Lordran, that I'll find the answers."

The room fell silent.

Naruto reached for his cup, gulping down water to steady himself. The lie had slipped from his lips more easily than he expected, half-truths twisted with mysteries, wrapped just tightly enough that no one could untangle them. And with him being the only one who could travel to Lordran, they had no choice but to accept it.

A pit of guilt coiled in his stomach. He hated lying to them. But he reminded himself why he had said it.

He needed to reach Uzushio. He needed to claim the legacy waiting for him there.

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Author Note:

Well, that was a plot twist. I'm sure some of you guessed Kurama was kinda gone, but now we're digging into it in more detail. Time for a quick Q&A before the next chapter.

1 – Why is Jiraiya's HP so high?

Before I get into Jiraiya, let me answer a more general question I've seen floating around: do shinobi have stats?

Yes. Everyone in the Naruto world has stats. Naruto's system doesn't magically create them, it just lets us see his in numbers. For example, Sasuke being able to swing a claymore makes sense because he already has the strength stat to do it. When Tenten tried to lift Naruto's zweihander, she couldn't, because her strength wasn't anywhere near the requirement. Everyone has stats baked in, Naruto just has a HUD.

Now, on to the big guy: Jiraiya.

The Naruto-verse as glass cannons

One of the hardest things about writing stat blocks for Naruto characters is how fragile they actually are when compared to Dark Souls characters. In Dark Souls, you can take three arrows to the skull, have your throat slashed open, drink an Estus Flask, and keep going. In Naruto, if someone slips for even a second, a simple kunai to the skull ends it. That makes the Naruto-verse full of what I call glass cannons. They can dish out absurd amounts of damage with ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijutsu, but if they ever get caught off guard, they crumple.

Think about how many top tier characters in Naruto go down this way. Hashirama finishes Madara by stabbing him in the back with a sword. Asuma dies because he gets caught in Hidan's ritual for a single moment. Even Kage level fighters can be brought down by a well timed sneak attack if they do not reinforce their bodies with chakra. Without chakra reinforcement, a normal shinobi is not tanking an arrow through the skull or a blade through the throat with the exception of those with regen.

That is why comparing them to Dark Souls characters gets tricky. Dark Souls is built on the idea that you can soak up punishment, heal, and go again. The Naruto world is built on the idea that one mistake means death, and that makes it feel more dangerous, but harder to measure in numbers.

So why did I give Jiraiya such high HP?

Because unlike many others in the Naruto world, Jiraiya has shown an insane level of vitality. His fight with Pain is proof enough. He had his arm ripped off, his throat crushed, his chest and body impaled, and he still lived long enough to process what had happened, think through strategy, deliver information, and even smile at the end. That is not normal vitality for a shinobi.

Yes, you can argue Sage Mode chakra reinforcement helped him last longer, but even with that, his willpower and body endurance were on another level. Most jonin would have dropped dead from one of those injuries alone. Jiraiya kept fighting through all of them. That makes him one of the few shinobi I would actually consider "tanky." So an HP stat in the 800s feels right for him.

Why 885 specifically?

The truth is, it is a joke number. Originally, I wanted to make it 80085 because that spells "boobs" on a calculator. Middle school humor. Unfortunately, the system setup did not allow me to go that high, so I shortened it. I also thought about 420 for the meme value or 669 because it is, well, nice. But those were way too low for someone of Jiraiya's caliber. So I settled on 885. A nice nod to the joke, but still high enough to reflect a Sannin's resilience.

And before anyone asks, yes, the top tiers in the Naruto world will have higher HP to reflect their standing. That said, Jiraiya's 885 is meant to stand out when compared to the average shinobi, who usually sit somewhere under 200 to 300.

This whole Naruto versus Jiraiya scene was really just a showcase of Naruto's bag of tricks clashing with Jiraiya's bag of tricks. Both of them are walking nonsense factories when it comes to abilities, so putting them together was always going to look like a circus of weird ideas. Honestly, it was fun to write. I hope it was fun to read.

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2 – Why did Naruto speak German?

So a reader left me a very interesting review saying they wanted to see more small stuff bleed over from Lordran into Naruto. The big things are obvious – his knightly ideals, his new weapons, his power-ups – all of that has already shaped the plot in pretty dramatic ways. But the reader pointed out that little quirks and ticks would be fun too, because those are what really show that Naruto is being shaped by this other world on a personal level.

And I couldn't agree more. That's why I added the German gag. Basically, if Naruto is frustrated, tired, or just too emotionally wound up, he'll sometimes blurt out German phrases that he picked up from Siegmeyer. It's a little detail, but one I think adds flavor.

Now why is Siegmeyer speaking German in the first place? Pretty simple. His name is inspired by Siegfried, a hero from Germanic mythology. In fact, Siegfried's family line is full of "Sieg" names; Siegmund, Sieglinde, and so on. That's why I leaned into it. In my interpretation, Catarina is basically "the Germany of Dark Souls," so Siegmeyer speaking German fits that cultural flavor.

I also want to clear up something before anyone asks: "Wait, how can Naruto understand Siegmeyer if he's speaking German?" The answer is the system. The status screen and system functions automatically translate between them. Naruto is speaking Japanese, Siegmeyer is speaking German, but both of them hear the other in their own tongue. The system is acting like a universal translator in the background.

That being said, the system doesn't erase the fact that Siegmeyer is visibly speaking German. Naruto can still read lips and notice the structure of the words. So, over time, he's been picking up bits of the language naturally. That's where the gag comes from. When he's stressed out or tired, he accidentally defaults into phrases he's heard a hundred times from his onion senpai.

So what do you guys think of this little trait? Do you like it? Does it add some flavor to "Dark Souls Naruto"? Would you want to see more of these kinds of bleed-over details? I'm talking small things, nothing too massive; just little habits, ticks, and quirks that show Lordran is rubbing off on Naruto in more ways than just "big flashy power-ups."

If you've got ideas for small traits I could add, drop them in the comments. I'd love to hear what you think would be fun, subtle, and true to both worlds colliding.

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3 - Should Naruto learn the Chidori?

That's the big question I want to throw at you guys. I had Kakashi bring this topic up because, honestly, I'm on the fence about it. On one hand, Naruto having the Hawk Eyes means he could potentially overcome the Chidori's biggest flaw: tunnel vision. Hawks are predators that dive at incredible speeds, yet still adjust mid-flight to track and kill prey. If Naruto applies that same predatory focus with his Hawk Eyes, then in theory, the biggest weakness of the Chidori might not even apply to him.

But then I wonder… should Naruto even have it? Chidori was born as a failed attempt at combining Lightning Release with the Rasengan. Minato dropped it because it was incomplete, but Kakashi perfected it in his own way. Would it be fitting for Naruto to inherit this jutsu as well, or would that feel redundant given he already has Rasengan and other unique tools from Lordran?

So I'm throwing it to you all: Do you want Naruto to learn Chidori in this story?

And here's a follow-up question. If you say "yes," then what would a Lightning Style Rasengan look like? We know Wind Style leads to the Rasenshuriken, but what about Lightning Style? Would it become a piercing drill of chakra? A storm that tears through defenses? Or something entirely new? I'd love to hear your theories.

Now, as for why Naruto was able to recreate an incomplete Rasengan after only seeing it once: that comes down to his Intelligence stat.

And I really want to thank you guys for the feedback on that point. A lot of you said you love how "Dark Souls Naruto" feels smarter than canon Naruto, but in a way that still feels organic. The system boosts his intelligence, yes, but it doesn't erase who he is. He's still Naruto: reckless, emotional, sometimes boneheaded. But when his intelligence stat is raised, he gains the ability to analyze, observe, and attempt things he couldn't before. His growth doesn't feel like an instant cheat code—it still takes effort, trial and error, and a lot of his personality shines through in those attempts.

That's why I wrote the Rasengan scene the way I did. He didn't just unlock it by seeing it once. He only managed a wobbly, unstable swirl of chakra before it collapsed. It shows that he's grown, but he's not suddenly perfect. He's got the intelligence to break down the mechanics, but not the skill to master it instantly. That distinction matters to me.

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4 – Why did I give the Hornet Ring to Hinata?

The short answer is plot. The long answer is because the Hornet Ring in Dark Souls 1 is one of my favorite rings. It increases critical hit damage and changes the critical hit animations, which is such a fun, brutal detail. I still remember wearing it and backstabbing players online, and the rush of it stuck with me.

So why Hinata? Because the Gentle Fist is essentially a martial art that turns every strike into a critical hit. The Hornet Ring would logically amplify it, making her already deadly style even more lethal.

I already have plans for how the ring will change Hinata's Gentle Fist in future fights, but I'd love to hear your ideas.

How would you like to see the Hornet Ring evolve her style?

5 – Why did Naruto lie to Jiraiya and the others about Uzushiogakure and the Uzumaki connection?

Two words: Danzō Shimura.

A lot of you might've forgotten, but back in an earlier setup, Danzō promised Naruto that if he kept their meetings a secret, he'd give Naruto information about his mother, including pictures and records. He even gave Naruto an Uzumaki clan book written by Tobirama, which hinted at a legacy hidden in Uzushiogakure.

Now, Naruto doesn't know that Danzō was branded a traitor by Hiruzen. From his perspective, he's just honoring a promise and holding onto the only source of family knowledge he has. That's why he lied: to protect the secret and to reach Uzushio, where he believes his true legacy is waiting.

6 – Now onto the big thing: DS Naruto isn't the Kyūbi's jinchūriki?

Yeah, that's right. It's been fairly obvious for a while. We're almost half a million words into this story and Kurama hasn't shown up once. No chakra leaks, no whispers, no interference. If you were paying attention, the clues were there all along.

Here are just a few hints off the top of my head:

Naruto took three whole days to heal on his own (something that wouldn't happen with Kurama's regeneration).

He's had no problem with chakra control, which is usually one of the biggest issues for a jinchūriki.

During life-or-death moments, Kurama never once tried to influence him.

There are plenty more scattered through the chapters, but those are the clearest ones.

So why did I remove Kurama from DS Naruto?

Originally, when I was first plotting this story, I had this wild idea of writing an Everlasting Dragon Naruto vs. Kurama fight during Shippuden. That concept eventually evolved into something else: Naruto losing Kurama altogether. Because logically, the day Naruto died in Lordran, Kurama would've been released. That's just how jinchūriki work. When the host dies, the beast is freed. And DS Naruto has died a lot of times in Lordran.

Now… where is Kurama?

That's the big question, isn't it? Don't worry, I'm not leaving you hanging forever. The next chapter will be dedicated entirely to Kurama and his time in Lordran. By popular demand—and I mean seriously popular demand—the fox is finally getting the spotlight.

That is it for now.

As always, thank you to everyone who reads, comments, and throws questions my way. You make the ride worth it.

Adam