Land of Waves.
Without Gato's interference, Dazna and the villagers made excellent progress on the bridge construction.
At the current pace, it would take no more than a month to complete.
Once the bridge was finished, the Land of Waves—an isolated island nation—would finally have a direct connection to the mainland.
Even during stormy weather, when ships couldn't sail, people would still be able to travel safely using what the locals had now started calling the Naruto Bridge.
Meanwhile, Kakashi, cautious as ever, didn't let down his guard.
Though Gato—the tyrant who had been sabotaging the bridge—was dead, Kakashi insisted that Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura take turns guarding Dazna until the bridge was done.
None of them objected. After all, this was still part of their mission.
As for Gato's shipping company—
Kurama had descended upon their headquarters with a terrifying, overwhelming presence.
Under the Nine-Tails' pressure, and with Haku and Zabuza's bloody efficiency, the criminal organization quickly fell into line.
On Naruto's orders, a major reform began.
All illegal activities were shut down. Members guilty of serious crimes were punished, while others with lesser offenses were sentenced to labor instead of prison.
Just like that...
The shipping company, which had seemed destined to collapse without Gato, found a new path forward under Kurama's iron-fisted management.
And to everyone's surprise, it actually ran smoothly.
The people of the Land of Waves began to notice something odd—
The thugs once feared under Gato were now... acting like decent people.
All thanks to Naruto and Kurama.
Back to Team 7.
That day, Kakashi kept the promise he had made to Sasuke and Sakura:
Once they mastered tree-climbing and water-walking, he'd teach them more advanced ninjutsu.
"Well," he scratched his head sheepishly in front of Sakura, "I don't have the scroll for that jutsu right now. So I'll teach you some basic medical ninjutsu first."
At the same time, he explained the future he envisioned for her.
"Sakura, you have a rare talent—precise chakra control. Unlike Naruto or Sasuke, you might not be suited for frontline combat."
"But you'd be perfect as a medical ninja."
"Just like Lady Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin."
"Tsunade-sama is an extraordinary healer. Her knowledge of medical ninjutsu is unmatched."
"And her strength in battle is nothing short of monstrous."
Sakura listened attentively.
Her refined chakra control and top academic performance made her well-suited for the role.
Romantic feelings for Sasuke aside, she was sharp—analytical.
In fact, with her intellect, she might one day become a blend of Tsunade's healing expertise and Orochimaru's scientific curiosity.
But that was a path for the future.
After addressing Sakura, Kakashi turned to Sasuke.
"And you, Sasuke..."
"There's a jutsu I've been saving. One that pairs well with your Sharingan."
"But before that, we need to test your chakra nature."
He pulled a thin slip of chakra paper from his pouch and explained:
"Each ninja has an affinity for certain chakra elements. When you infuse your chakra into this paper, its reaction will reveal your nature."
Fire burns the paper.
Wind splits it in two.
Lightning wrinkles it.
Earth crumbles it.
Water soaks it.
"For beginners, it's best to start with ninjutsu aligned to your natural affinity."
Sasuke took the paper and injected his chakra into it.
One half burned to ash.
The other wrinkled like old parchment.
"Fire and Lightning," Kakashi noted.
Fire didn't surprise him—the Uchiha Clan's signature nature.
But lightning?
Now that was interesting.
"Hmph. Perfect."
"You're ready to learn my technique."
Sasuke's eyes lit up.
Since Naruto had told him the hidden truth about the Uchiha massacre, his hunger for power had only intensified.
Now, his hatred wasn't limited to one man.
He wanted vengeance against all of Konoha's elite—the ones responsible for the Uchiha clan's fall.
Unlike Sakura, who still didn't fully grasp the weight of titles like Hokage, Sasuke knew exactly what it meant.
If he wanted revenge, he'd have to surpass even the Hokage.
Kakashi could see the fury and darkness swelling behind Sasuke's eyes.
He hesitated.
Was it wise to teach him this technique?
Just one misstep, and Sasuke could be lost to the darkness.
He knew this feeling all too well.
He had once been like Sasuke—consumed by grief and revenge.
And he had barely found his way back.
Now, maybe... he could help Sasuke do the same.
But only if he made him stronger first.
After a long pause, Kakashi finally made his decision.
"The name of this technique... is Chidori."
"You gather lightning chakra into your hand and compress it into a high-speed thrust."
"The chirping sound it makes—like the cry of a thousand birds—gives it its name."
Sasuke's eyes widened as Kakashi raised his hand—
Zzzzt! Zzzzt! Zzzzt!
The sharp, crackling shriek of Chidori echoed across the Wave Country forest, scattering birds into the sky.
Sasuke instinctively covered his ears, stunned by the violent noise.
He stared at Kakashi's hand—at the flashing current, the lethal power.
He could feel its destructive force just by watching.
He wanted it.
He needed to learn it.
And he would—
No matter what it took.
The Land of Waves.
With the tyrant Gato no longer a threat, Dazna and the villagers made rapid progress on the bridge construction.
At the current pace, they estimated that the bridge would be completed within a month.
Once finished, the Land of Waves—an island nation—would finally have a permanent connection to the outside world and the continent.
Even on stormy days when ships couldn't sail, people could travel safely across the new structure:
The Great Naruto Bridge.
At the same time, to prevent any last-minute sabotage, Kakashi remained cautious.
Although Gato—the man who once hindered the bridge—was dead, Kakashi still assigned Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura to take turns guarding Dazna during construction.
The three had no objections.
After all, this was part of their mission.
As for Gato's former shipping company—
Kurama landed at its headquarters with overwhelming presence.
Under the pressure of the Nine-Tails and the deadly efficiency of Haku and Zabuza, the company's remnants quickly submitted.
On Naruto's orders, a major reform of the shipping operations began.
Illegal trades were abolished.
Members of Gato's old criminal network faced judgment—those guilty of severe crimes were punished accordingly, while those with lesser offenses were assigned to labor instead of imprisonment.
And just like that...
The shipping company, once on the verge of collapse without its corrupt leader, stabilized under Kurama's management.
In fact, it even began to thrive.
The people of the Land of Waves were astonished—those once associated with Gato now seemed like entirely new individuals.
And all of it was thanks to Kurama... and Naruto.
Back with Team 7.
On this particular day,
Kakashi was keeping his promise to Sasuke and Sakura.
He had told them: if they could master tree climbing and water walking, he'd begin teaching them real ninjutsu.
"Well, I don't have the scrolls for any of the big techniques with me," Kakashi said with a sheepish smile as he scratched his head, "So, we'll start with some basic medical training."
He turned to Sakura first.
"Sakura, you've got a rare gift for precise chakra control."
"Compared to Naruto and Sasuke, you're not suited for front-line combat... but that's okay."
"You should consider becoming a medical ninja—like Lady Tsunade of the Legendary Sannin."
"She's one of the greatest medical ninja in history. And with her deep knowledge and mastery, even her combat ability is top-tier."
Kakashi explained carefully, laying out the future path for her.
Sakura nodded, absorbing it all.
Her ability to control chakra wasn't her only strength—she was also the top of her class academically.
Yes, she liked Sasuke a little too much for her own good...
But intellectually and temperamentally, she was perfectly suited for research.
In the future, perhaps she wouldn't just follow Tsunade's path—maybe she'd become a fusion of both Tsunade and Orochimaru in terms of medical knowledge and precision.
But that was all still far off.
Once Sakura had her direction, Kakashi turned to Sasuke.
"As for you, Sasuke—there's a technique I know that's a perfect match for your Sharingan."
"But before we get to that, we need to test your chakra nature."
From his ninja tool pouch, Kakashi pulled out a small square of chakra paper.
He explained to them:
"Everyone has natural chakra affinities. By channeling chakra into this special paper, we can see how yours behaves."
"If it burns, it's fire. If it splits in two, wind. If it wrinkles, lightning. Crumbles—earth. Becomes damp—water."
"For beginners, it's best to start learning jutsu that match your innate affinity."
Sasuke infused the paper with his chakra.
Half of it burned—half of it wrinkled.
Kakashi narrowed his eye.
Fire and lightning.
He expected fire—Uchiha always had fire—but lightning?
That was a pleasant surprise.
"Well, that's perfect," he said.
"You'll be able to learn my original technique."
Sasuke's heart began to race.
Ever since Naruto told him the truth behind the Uchiha massacre, Sasuke's thirst for power had grown even more intense.
He didn't just want to kill that man anymore.
He wanted revenge on the entire Konoha leadership.
Unlike Sakura, Sasuke understood the true weight of the title "Hokage."
If he wanted vengeance—
He'd have to become stronger than the Hokage himself.
Kakashi saw the burning determination in Sasuke's eyes.
And he hesitated.
He wasn't sure if teaching Sasuke this technique was the right decision.
Sasuke was already walking a thin line—one misstep could plunge him into darkness.
Kakashi had once walked that same path.
But he'd come back.
And now, he hoped he could guide Sasuke back, too.
Yet he also knew...
If Sasuke didn't gain strength now, he'd turn his back and walk away.
So after a long silence, Kakashi finally made his choice.
He would pass the technique on.
The jutsu's name—
Chidori.
"You gather lightning chakra in your hand, compressing it into a concentrated current and then charge the enemy at high speed."
"The sound it makes is like a thousand birds crying. That's why it's called Chidori."
And with that—
Kakashi raised his hand.
"Chidori!"
Zzzzt—ZZZT—ZZZZT!!!
A sharp, high-pitched screech echoed through the forest, scattering birds and animals in every direction.
Sasuke instinctively covered his ears.
Eyes wide in awe, he stared at the brilliant lightning pulsing from Kakashi's hand.
Even from a distance, he could feel the raw power of the jutsu.
He wanted it.
He needed it.
Meanwhile, Naruto...
He wasn't idle while his teammates were training.
On his day off from guard duty, Naruto wandered alone into the quiet forest.
After finding a peaceful clearing, he sat cross-legged in the grass, a bit nervous, a bit excited.
He closed his eyes.
"It's time."
And then—
Naruto entered the sealed space inside him.
The familiar, eerie sewer.
He walked slowly across the shallow water.
Each step sent ripples through the silence.
He stopped in front of the giant red gate.
Behind it, sealed in shadows, was Kurama.
The Nine-Tails.
While his chakra clone handled daily affairs at the shipping company, Kurama's real body sat here... like a lazy otaku.
At this moment, he was excitedly playing a video game.
Yelling at the screen, trash-talking the computer-controlled enemy with the fury of a true gamer.
Naruto watched with a mix of amusement and disbelief.
After nearly seven years together, Naruto had come to understand Kurama.
He liked games, good food, fun anime...
They weren't so different after all.
Despite appearances—
Their hearts were similar.
Naruto smiled faintly.
And finally spoke.
"Yo."
"Nine-Tails."
"You ready?"
His voice echoed in the silence.
Kurama froze mid-game.
Even as his character was being beaten to a pulp on the screen, he didn't flinch.
He had sensed Naruto's presence the moment he arrived.
But those words...
Those words shocked him.
He turned slowly to face Naruto.
Expression serious.
"Are you serious, kid?"
Naruto grinned.
"Oh, I'm dead serious."
"It's time to give you your freedom, Kurama."
And now it made sense.
Why Kurama had frozen in surprise.
For a thousand years...
Humans had only seen tailed beasts as tools.
They sealed them.
Used them.
Feared them.
No one tried to understand them.
No one but—
Naruto.
A little boy willing to give a tailed beast his freedom.
Only one person before had done that:
The Sage of Six Paths.
Could Naruto be the one who changes everything?
Kurama stared at him with complex emotions.
And then...
He smiled.
He had made up his mind.
"Alright then!"
"Let's do this—Naruto!!!"
Even without touching fists.
Even without divine chakra links or ancient techniques.
They understood each other.
Perfectly.
"Kurama."
Naruto raised the corner of his mouth and called out solemnly.
In the next instant, he jumped up onto the red cage that sealed the Nine-Tails and reached out with one hand, gripping the edge of the sealing tag.
He was ready to tear it off.
But—
Just then, a surge of chakra that Kurama deeply resented suddenly flared to life.
A man appeared, draped in the white haori of the Fourth Hokage.
Minato Namikaze.
"No, Naruto," he said gently, his eyes warm but resolute. "You mustn't."
Inside the cage, Kurama stared in stunned disbelief.
His eyes widened.
He hadn't expected this.
That man—the Fourth Hokage—had actually left behind a safety trigger within the seal.
He had left a fragment of his chakra as a last resort.
Naruto, however, didn't look surprised in the slightest.
He simply smiled.
"Yeah, I know," he said.
"I knew you left a piece of your chakra behind in the seal."
He looked directly at Minato.
"No need for introductions, Dad."
Minato's eyes widened in turn.
Dad?
The Fourth Hokage froze in place, completely caught off guard.
Naruto already knew?
He stared at his son, momentarily speechless.
"You… You knew I'm your father?"
Naruto nodded with a smile. "Yeah. I know."
Then, with unwavering conviction, he stepped forward.
"But I'm still going to do this."
"I'm going to unseal Kurama."
"Please move aside."
Minato stood rooted, unsure what to say. His thoughts raced.
But his instincts as a father—and as the one who originally sealed the Nine-Tails—kicked in.
"No, Naruto," he said firmly. "You can't. If you break the seal completely, the Nine-Tails' full chakra will be unleashed. It will kill you."
Naruto didn't respond right away.
He simply stared at his father, the smile still lingering on his face.
Behind them, a deep growl echoed from within the cage.
Kurama, hearing Minato's words, flared with irritation.
He stepped forward and bellowed at the Hokage.
"Fourth Hokage, you don't know a damn thing!"
"Me and Naruto—we're friends now! Best friends!"
"So don't talk like we're still enemies, you arrogant fool!"
The sheer force of Kurama's voice thundered through the sealed space.
Minato turned around, stunned again.
Even his thoughts momentarily blanked.
What did he just say?
Friends?
Kurama—the Nine-Tails—just called Naruto his best friend?
Minato had created this chakra failsafe long ago, back when he feared the Nine-Tails might consume his son one day.
Never in his wildest imagination did he think he'd see Kurama and Naruto standing side by side.
Not as jailer and prisoner.
But as true comrades.
Naruto stepped closer to his father again, eyes clear and unwavering.
"Dad... things aren't like what you thought."
"There's trust between me and Kurama."
"And it's exactly because of that trust—"
"I've decided to give him his freedom."
Kurama nodded solemnly from inside the cage, his massive form looming behind the bars.
Minato Namikaze glanced at Naruto, then turned his eyes to the massive Nine-Tails sealed behind the bars.
He still couldn't fully wrap his mind around it.
Naruto—his son—had actually managed to forge a partnership with the Nine-Tails.
And right then, Naruto said something even more shocking:
"Dad, can you call Mom out too? There's something important I want to tell you both."
Minato's eyes widened.
How did Naruto know Kushina was here too?
And why didn't he look surprised at all?
But even though it caught him off guard, Minato had no doubt—this was his son. And if Naruto said so, then it must be important.
Without hesitation, Minato activated the chakra imprint of Kushina Uzumaki sealed inside him.
A moment later, chakra flared up from the seal—
Taking form—
A radiant, flame-haired figure appeared.
"Nine-Tails! How dare you bully my son!? Watch yourself!!!"
Kushina's voice echoed with her usual fiery temper.
She had been jolted awake so suddenly that she thought Naruto must've been in danger.
Without a second thought, she flared up with chakra, ready to unleash the Adamantine Sealing Chains—the strongest bloodline technique of the Uzumaki Clan!
Her intent was clear—
She would suppress the Nine-Tails immediately!
Kurama, still behind the bars of the seal, was stunned to see his former jinchūriki manifest again after all these years.
Naruto hadn't warned him about this backup plan from the Fourth Hokage.
And now, it turned out Kushina Uzumaki had a fail-safe of her own!
Kurama's eyes locked on the golden chakra chains forming behind her—
And for the first time in a long while,
He felt a twinge of fear.
Damn it... this whole family's my natural enemy!
...
TN:
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