"Naruto!"
"I'll leave it to you."
Without hesitation, Kushina stepped forward towards her son.
After the initial shock wore off, Minato slowly followed, tears glistening in his eyes.
Naruto said nothing unnecessary. He focused, channeling the absorbed power of the Mori-Mori no Mi, drawing the essence of both into his body.
Buzz—
A fluctuation rippled through the sealed space. In the next instant, Naruto returned to reality.
Inside the sealed space, Kurama glanced at the now-unlocked seal and scoffed.
"Tch… That brat can control me with a mere glance. Resisting is pointless. And I'm not happy about it."
Despite his complaints, the Nine-Tails left the sealed space and emerged into the real world.
"Master Kurama!"
Haku and Zabuza stood nearby, now dressed in completely new attire. Haku had fully embraced his feminine appearance, while Zabuza had shed his former Kirigakure uniform. At a glance, they were nearly unrecognizable.
"You two stay here. I'm heading out for a while."
Kurama's eyes flickered toward the Konoha shinobi nearby, busy practicing their chakra nature transformations.
"If they refuse to comply, use genjutsu to control them. Hold them here until I return."
These were Konoha's so-called failures—shinobi without talent, resources, or connections. They drifted through life in mediocrity.
"Understood!"
Haku bowed respectfully as Kurama left. He turned to Zabuza. "Mr. Zabuza, we made the right choice."
In the past, Zabuza might have scoffed, dismissing such optimism. This time, he remained silent.
He had witnessed something remarkable—countless Genin whose names he would have never bothered to remember, reaching levels of strength comparable to the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist within a single week.
And this was only the beginning.
If this momentum continued, the future of the ninja world would undoubtedly be shaped by that brat.
"You should train as well," Zabuza muttered. "I'll just observe."
Haku smiled, leaning in. "Yes~"
Snap—
Naruto extended his hand. From his elementalized back, two White Zetsu wood clones formed.
Infused with an immense surge of natural energy, the unconscious Zetsu clones began to greedily absorb it, their forms solidifying.
Naruto smirked at the sight of the fully-formed wooden clones.
"My dear father might struggle to accept this, or perhaps outright deny it. But with my dear mother around, she'll erase the 'Will of Fire' that has shackled him his entire life."
He placed a hand over the forehead of one of the clones. A small sphere of sentient nutrients formed and seeped into its body.
Time passed as Naruto carefully guided the process, helping the energy circulate and be absorbed.
Slowly, the transformation began—the clone's golden hair shifting to a vibrant red.
"Now, we wait for the body to stabilize."
Repeating the process, Naruto proceeded to "resurrect" Nagato.
As he worked, the real-world Kurama arrived, observing the changes.
"Kurama, unlike you, their clone quality differs. They need time to adapt."
Kurama rolled his eyes and, with practiced ease, retrieved a hidden stash of dango from a cabinet.
This was Anko's reserve supply. She would always save some, and every time, Kurama would eat all of it.
After a quarter of an hour, Kushina stirred.
She blinked, adjusting to the unfamiliar ceiling, and then registered the warmth against her skin. The familiar sensation overwhelmed her.
Tears streamed down her face as she pulled Naruto into a crushing embrace.
"Naruto!"
"Hah, belated motherly love is cheaper than dirt."
"???"
Kushina turned, glaring at Kurama. "Can't you read the mood?!"
Then she really took a good look at him.
Wait…
Kushina released Naruto and circled the now-human-formed Nine-Tails, eyes narrowing.
Her fists clenched. "Kurama, why do you look so much like Grandma Mito?!"
She paused, then her eyes blazed. "And you! Were you the one responsible for making Naruto look like a little adult?!"
Now Kurama was confused.
"First off, this is just a body! And second—I'm a tailed beast! Stop applying your dumb human logic to me!"
"Alright, alright!" Minato, having just awakened, quickly stepped in to mediate. "Kushina, Kurama, let's not fight."
Naruto took the opportunity to shift the conversation.
"Now, onto step two."
"Step two?"
Naruto nodded. "Mom, do you still remember the ruins of Uzushiogakure?"
Kushina bit her thumb, hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I remember the location, but after all these years, it'll take time to find."
Naruto smirked. "As long as we can find it, that's all that matters. If I recall correctly, the Shinigami of the Reaper Death Seal has a summoning ritual, doesn't it?"
Kushina furrowed her brows. "Yes. The Shiki Fūjin was originally not a ninjutsu, but a ritual to summon the God of Death. Later, it evolved into a technique that used chakra to call upon the Shinigami."
"Perfect." Naruto's smirk widened.
Minato's eyes narrowed. "Naruto, are you planning to summon the Shinigami and trade my soul for Kurama's Yin half?"
"That's right."
Minato frowned. "If it requires a sacrifice, then this won't be as simple as you think. The Shinigami doesn't just give back what it takes. If the Shiki Fūjin is anything to go by, there's a price. The summoner must offer either their body or soul."
"Don't worry about that. We have two plans. We'll try again after you retrieve the masks."
The first plan was to follow Aunt Snake's (fem-Orachimaru) method and track the bug, while the second was to test whether the Shinigami's soul-harvesting ability was stronger than Naruto's absorption ability granted by the Mori-Mori no Mi.
If he could absorb the Shinigami itself, then one day, he might ascend to godhood.
"We can discuss the Uzumaki clan later."
"Naruto, can you please tell your mother how you've been all these years?"
Minato sighed, his tone helpless. "Kushina's chakra has remained in a dormant state so it could help you control Kurama in the future."
Naruto's gaze flickered. "So that's why."
Minato hesitated before continuing, "Naruto… your mother… she doesn't want to live."
Kushina's life force had been slipping away ever since the masked man—who looked like Uchiha Madara—ripped the Nine-Tails from her body. Even now, her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
"If you don't want to say it, let Kurama explain," Kushina said softly.
Naruto shook his head. "I have a more direct method. Don't resist the power of my genjutsu."
With that, his azure eyes shifted, revealing the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Minato and Kushina both froze in shock.
"Sharingan… No, this is… the Uchiha clan's Mangekyō Sharingan?!"
Seeing their horrified expressions, Naruto chuckled. "I can even bring you both back to life. Compared to that, obtaining the Sharingan doesn't seem all that difficult, does it?"
Minato took deep breaths, struggling to compose himself. Too many things had happened today that shattered his understanding of reality.
Kushina, however, was less interested in explanations. "Yondaime, stop interrupting! Naruto, let me see how you've lived all these years!"
Naruto nodded. "Alright. Don't resist."
The Eternal Mangekyō spun.
Tsukuyomi.
Minato and Kushina allowed themselves to be pulled into the illusion without resistance. Unbeknownst to them, Kurama secretly followed as well.
A moment later, the fox regretted its decision.
Naruto: "..."
Kurama had lost control of its body again.
"Why do you do this to yourself?" Naruto muttered, exasperated.
Inside the Tsukuyomi world, Kurama—now in human form—scowled in frustration.
"Damn it… I just wanted to watch!"
"Hmph." The fox crossed its arms. "Naruto may not remember everything, but I do."
Naruto smirked. "Fine. Let's go take a look together."
The Sarutobi Clan Compound
A scrawny child trailed behind a Sarutobi ninja. His blond hair was messy, his expression uncertain.
"I told you already!" the man snapped. "You are never to set foot here again!"
He shoved the boy—Naruto, even smaller and thinner than usual.
Naruto stumbled, nearly falling, but the Sarutobi ninja only looked at him with disgust.
"Hurry up and leave, you brat!"
Kushina barely lasted a minute before her rage erupted.
Her chakra flared blood-red as she transformed into the "Red-Hot Habanero."
But in the world of Tsukuyomi, she was merely a spectator.
Helplessly watching.
Kushina trembled with fury, and in the real world, the Nine-Tails' chakra surged uncontrollably from her body. Naruto's eyes widened—it was passing through him directly.
So this is the Uzumaki clan's legendary Jinchūriki compatibility…
Acting quickly, he placed two fingers on Kushina's forehead, suppressing the chakra's rampage.
Back in the illusion, Kurama was suffering.
"Kushina… stop sucking…! Not again…!" the fox groaned, looking utterly miserable.
Naruto exhaled slowly.
This was going to be a long day.