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Chapter Text

At last, Naruto could take a breath. Two years had passed since Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi sensei died at the hands of Kaguya. He was now the sole survivor in the Elemental Nations. In his final moments, Sasuke had used his Rinnegan to teleport Naruto to safety, saving him despite Naruto's protests, buying humanity a last chance for survival.

Initially, Naruto was lost. How could he alone defeat Kaguya and her White Zetsu army? The first months after the devastating battle were consumed by grief. He wandered the remnants of destroyed villages, finding nothing but desolation. Only Kurama and the other tailed beasts remained as his companions in this empty world.

As his mourning gradually transformed into determination, Naruto realized his current skills were insufficient to challenge Kaguya. While his proficiency in traditional shinobi techniques was solid, he knew he needed to develop an entirely new approach to combat the ultimate threat to humanity.

To prepare for the inevitable showdown, he devised a strategic plan. Using his shadow clones imbued with sage chakra, he began carefully infiltrating abandoned shinobi villages. His mission: to collect and study every scroll containing secret techniques that might give him an edge against Kaguya. By sending sage-powered clones, he could gather intelligence and resources without risking detection.

His first treasure trove came from Konoha. The scroll of seals contained all the village's secret techniques, but most were either deadly to the practitioner or required expertise in sealing arts—a skill set Naruto had no knowledge of. The most significant technique was his father's Hiraishin jutsu, a legendary skill that had long intrigued him.

Despite his intense efforts to understand the intricate workings of the technique, Naruto struggled to replicate it. He spent countless hours poring over the scroll, attempting to decipher the complex sealing formulas and spatial-temporal manipulation. Each attempt ended in frustration.

Kurama, ever blunt, simply scoffed at Naruto's efforts. "You're an idiot," the Nine-Tails growled. "You can't just learn fuinjutsu overnight and create something as sophisticated as the Hiraishin mark. These are skills that take years, if not decades, to master."

The criticism stung, but Naruto knew Kurama spoke the truth. The Hiraishin was not just a simple jutsu—it was a masterpiece of sealing technique that combined advanced chakra manipulation, space-time ninjutsu, and intricate mathematical precision. His father, Minato Namikaze, had been a genius in sealing arts, and Naruto was only beginning to understand the depth of that complexity.

Kurama's criticism only fueled Naruto's determination. More than ever, he was resolved to master the sealing arts and prove his worth to the bijuu. The idea of potentially sealing Kaguya—though he had no real idea how to accomplish such a feat—drove him forward. After all, he wasn't known as the most unpredictable ninja in the Elemental Nations for nothing.

With unwavering resolve, Naruto began a comprehensive search for resources on fuinjutsu. He scoured the remnants of various villages, hoping to uncover advanced sealing technique scrolls. However, his search proved frustratingly limited. Despite his extensive efforts, he could only find basic academy-level books on sealing arts, leaving him with more questions than answers.

The scrolls he collected from different villages offered tantalizingly little information. What few resources he discovered were rudimentary at best, designed for young students just beginning to understand the fundamentals of sealing techniques. These basic texts seemed laughably inadequate for his ambitious goal of mastering fuinjutsu to the point of potentially sealing a goddess-like entity such as Kaguya.

Undeterred, Naruto knew this was just another challenge—another obstacle to overcome. If there were no advanced scrolls to be found, he would have to figure out the complex art of fuinjutsu through sheer determination and creativity.

Kurama had to admit, Naruto was trying his best to find a solution to their dire predicament. Perhaps sheer determination might yield results where traditional methods had failed.

"Hey Naruto!"

Naruto remained intensely focused on his calligraphy practice, seemingly oblivious to Kurama's call.

"NARUTO! LISTEN."

"Hm, Ah Kurama, what happened? I was trying to improve my calligraphy skills," Naruto responded, looking up from his meticulous work.

"Listen, kit, you should go to Uzushio for training."

"Why? I'm already training here, and I don't even know where Uzushio is," Naruto replied, confused.

Kurama was utterly exasperated. How could his container be so dense? The fact that Naruto was unaware of his ancestral homeland was beyond frustrating. The Nine-Tails had thought Naruto would at least know something about his mother Kushina's origins, but apparently, even that basic family history had escaped him.

"Listen, kit, Uzushio was a village of seal masters, and the ancestral home of all Uzumakis."

"WHAAAAAT, MY ANCESTRAL HOME? WHY DIDN'T ANYBODY TELL ME THAT?"

"Kit, please shut up and listen. The Uzumaki were famous for their fuinjutsu and were a relatively peaceful nation. By the end of the Second Shinobi War, Uzushio was completely wiped out. Kirigakure, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure decimated the village and its residents. Konoha failed to send reinforcements in time—which I think is complete bullshit, but we can discuss that another time."

"The entire village was destroyed? Were there any survivors, like my mother?"

"I'm fairly certain there were survivors. Nagato and Karin, for example. Some likely escaped with the help of the Uzukage to ensure the Uzumaki clan's survival."

"I wish I could meet them before all of this happened."

"Well, we can go to Uzushio and you can learn fuinjutsu. I'm sure there are plenty of resources there, and it's an island that's likely been uninhabited since the end of the Second Shinobi War."

"YOSH! I'll learn every scroll in Uzushio, believe it!" Naruto leaped to his feet, quickly gathering his tools and rations. "Now we can go to Uzushio," he declared, setting off with enthusiastic determination.

"KIT, YOU'RE AN IDIOT! THAT'S THE WAY TO THE IRON NATION!"

"Heh, heh, I knew that," Naruto replied, unconvincingly.

If Naruto heard the muttering fox in his mind complaining about idiotic jinchuriki and their terrible sense of direction, he chose to ignore it completely.

Chapter Text

The salty breeze whipped through Naruto's blonde hair as he stood at the mainland's shore, preparing to jump into the ocean and run across its surface.

"Idiot, what do you think you're doing?

"I was about to run across the sea, Kurama. What's wrong?" Naruto asked, genuinely confused.

"Yo brat! Stop being an idiot and think for a second."

"What? What did I miss this time?"

"What they taught you at your puny village's academy is beyond me," the fox muttered before continuing "What is Uzushiho's name? Village Hidden in WHAT!?" Kurama said.

"Hmm, not sure. Could it be Village Hidden in Island?"

Kurama was at his wit's end. How his jinchuriki had managed to stay alive until now was, in itself, a complete mystery. The Village Hidden in the Whirlpools—and the boy couldn't even make the connection between the name and the deadly whirlpools that protected the island.

"You absolute moron! It's the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools!!!" the fox roared inside Naruto's head.

"Whirlpools?" Naruto muttered, confusion evident in his voice. His eyes finally focused before him, not sure what he wanted to sea in the ocean.

"Yes whirlpools. The island is surrounded by them. Only someone as idiotic as you would try to simply walk across them without knowing about these natural defenses. Those whirlpools have dragged down entire warships—they're what kept Uzishio safe for generations."

"Oh, then how do you suggest I cross the ocean? There's no obvious way to reach the island without going across it.

"Well you'll go under it, of course"

"Under?" Naruto's face scrunched up in confusion.

"Yes, under."

"What do you mean under? I'm not a fish y'know!"

"Well, your name is fishcake—I though that was obvious at this point. Hahaha" Kurama howled with laughter inside their shared mindscape.

"I like maelstrom bet—" Naruto was about to protest, but Kurama cut him off.

"Stop it, you idiot. Don't you remember that all my siblings left you with something? You have their chakra, which means you can use some of their techniques. I'm certain you can use Isobu's chakra to travel to the island without needing oxygen."

"I can? Really. How?" asked Naruto excitedly.

"Do you feel the presence of my siblings?" Kurama inquired.

"I mean, I can feel them somewhat."

"Try to reach out to them. Find Isobu's presence, then access his chakra and bring it to the surface."

"Okay, let me try it."

Naruto closed his eyes and delved deep into his mindscape. He had an inkling of what he was searching for. He just needed to look deeper and find Isobu's chakra and presence in his vast mind "I'm smart that's why my mind is really big." he reassured himself.

"Most of it is empty, you idiot!" Kurama muttered.

Ignoring his partner's commentary, Naruto searched deeper and deeper until at last, he encountered a presence that radiated a profound longing for ocean and freedom. The feeling was both soothing and melancholic. For a moment, he hesitated to approach, then thought, "I'll save you guys as well, don't worry. I'll find a way to free you all, believe it!"

Naruto without any second thought accepted the presence and tried to absorb little by little, unfortunately for him Isobu's presence was pretty unpatient and when Naruto started to absorb it, it directly poured itself to Naruto's chakra system and for a second Naruto thought it was going to be to much for his system and would burst his chakra coils.

After about a minute Naruto calmed down and felt a connection with ocean instantly, it was a foreign feeling which he didn't know he needed to feel. Ocean was life, ocean was freedom. Naruto understood at that moment what Isobu lost and why he longed for the ocean this much.

"Well it looks like it worked." Kurama observed.

"Yeah, I think so too. It feels pretty calming. Isobu is really different compared to you."

"Of course he's different. I am the strongest of my sibligns!" Kurama boasted proudly.

Without acknowledging Kurama, Naruto started to go to the shore and started to go to the ocean. Normally the waters should felt cold, he guessed Isobu's chakra is really helping him be one with the ocean.

After swimming about 50 meters away from the shoreline, and took a deep breath reflexively and dived to the depts of the ocean.

"You are an idiot, you know that?" Kurama laughed.

"You didn't had to take a breath, Isobu already fixed that issue for us." the fox explained, clearly amused by his partner's instinctive behavior.

With slight hesitation, Naruto released his breath, bracing himself for the inevitable rush of water—but it never came. To his amazement, he could breathe underwater as naturally as on land. The sensation was surprisingly refreshing, like discovering a whole new way of existing.

After coming to terms with this remarkable ability, Naruto focused on his primary objective: reaching Uzushio. The ocean depths stretched before him, a new path to his ancestral homeland, and somewhere beyond the powerful whirlpools that guarded the surface, the ruins of the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools awaited his arrival.

Naruto lost track of time during his underwater journey. His lack of swimming experience, combined with the effects of the powerful whirlpools above, made progress difficult. His visibility was limited to about a hundred meters—likely due to his inexperience with Isobu's chakra. He made a mental note to master this power; it could become another valuable ace in his arsenal. The thought occurred to him that he could potentially do similar training with all the bijuu chakras at his disposal.

After more than two hours of swimming, he finally surfaced at the shores of Uzushio. The immediate need for shelter became apparent—he needed to make camp before his wet clothes caused him to freeze. Half an hour of searching led him to a suitable spot near a river, where he quickly set up a fireplace. Thankfully, he had dry clothes stored in his storage seals, and he'd had the foresight to catch some fish during his ocean crossing.

As he finished his meal, exhaustion swept over him. As he drifted off to sleep, the sound of Kurama's gentle purring in his mind lulled him into peaceful darkness.

Chapter Text

Naruto woke with the first light of sunrise. A busy day lay ahead—he needed to explore the island thoroughly and locate resources for his fuinjutsu training.

After a breakfast of leftover fish, he created about a hundred shadow clones and dispersed them across the island. Within thirty minutes, he received his first feedback: the clones had located the village ruins. When he arrived at the site himself, emotion overwhelmed him. Tears welled in his eyes at the sight of his ancestral home reduced to rubble. The village lay in ruins, and scattered throughout were the remains of those who had fallen defending it.

He knew what had to be done. These people—his people—deserved proper burial rites. Naruto directed his clones to search every building, gathering the remains they found for proper burial. As he laid the last body to rest, he realized they had buried approximately eight thousand people. The number gave him pause. If he recalled correctly, Uzushio's population had been over twenty thousand, including civilians. This discrepancy sparked his curiosity—had the remaining villagers somehow escaped the catastrophic attack?

After paying his final respects to the fallen, Naruto began methodically searching the buildings. He gathered whatever functional weapons he could find—shuriken from some structures, kunai from others, and even some swords. Though he had no sword training, he collected them anyway. His most significant discovery was the library building, completely buried under rubble. Once he cleared the debris, he found countless scrolls that had somehow escaped looters when the village fell.

By noon, he came across the main tower, which stood remarkably intact—not a single dent marred its walls. Upon entering, Naruto was struck by the elaborate seals covering every wall. Most appeared to be protection and privacy seals, with the protection seals being the most intricate he'd ever encountered.

The protection seals were circular, with kanji for protection arranged around the edges. At their centers, complex binding patterns connected the seals to the walls, stabilizing the arrays and extending their influence throughout the structure. Naruto noticed that the central design appeared to be a modified version of the Uzumaki clan symbol. At first glance, the protection seal could easily be mistaken for the Uzumaki clan crest—a clever deception, Naruto realized. To an untrained eye, it would appear to be nothing more than a decorative symbol, a simple badge displaying clan pride. But hidden within its spiral pattern lay an intricate network of sealing formulas, disguised by the familiar design.

"Pretty clever of your ancestors," Kurama commented. "They hid their most powerful defensive seals in plain sight. Anyone who didn't know what to look for would just see a clan symbol."

"This is probably why the building is still standing after decades." Kurama observed.

The privacy seals, while similar to standard ones, had subtle differences that Naruto's inexperienced eye couldn't quite decipher. Each wall bore four privacy seals, positioned two on either side of the central protection seal.

After his initial assessment of the tower, Naruto continued his exploration. The main entrance contained only a lobby with a waiting area, security post, and consultation point—all ransacked like the rest of the village. Without lingering, he proceeded to the upper levels. The first few floors yielded little interest; their contents similarly destroyed.

Everything changed when he reached the fourth floor. He couldn't even assess its condition because an advanced seal barred his way—a sophisticated combination of privacy and protection seals unlike anything below. While the protection elements resembled the previous floors' seals, this design was strikingly different.

Instead of the circular pattern he'd grown familiar with, this seal was hexagonal. Privacy elements ran along its edges, while the central protection component served multiple purposes: securing the walls and doors against unauthorized access while simultaneously protecting the seal itself.

Naruto found himself at an impasse. The seal appeared to require both blood and chakra activation, likely restricted to main family bloodlines.

"Hmm, this seal looks like it needs blood," Naruto muttered, studying the intricate design. "I'm not sure if I can access the upper levels."

"You should still test it with your blood and chakra!" Kurama urged, knowing something Naruto didn't—that Kushina had been the youngest daughter of the last Uzukage's brother, placing Naruto squarely in the main family line.

"Do you think it'll work?" Naruto asked uncertainly.

"You're the unpredictable one, not me! It couldn't hurt to try it, though," the fox replied. Kurama actually wanted to tell his lineage to Naruto, but because he didn't know what they would find on the upper levels of the tower, he held back the information for now.

After steeling his resolve, Naruto bit his thumb, drawing blood in a practiced motion familiar to any shinobi trained in summoning techniques. He pressed his bleeding thumb against the seal and channeled his chakra into it simultaneously. The seal responded by absorbing both offerings, yet for several tense moments, nothing happened. Just as Naruto began to doubt, an ancient, metallic creaking reverberated through the hall. The seal illuminated with a soft blue glow that pulsed outward from its center, and the heavy door began to part with decades of disuse.

The sight that greeted him left him momentarily breathless. In stark contrast to the destruction that plagued the lower floors, this level appeared frozen in time, perfectly preserved as if the invasion had never reached it. The fourth floor revealed itself as an administrative hub, with several command offices arranged along the walls, formal meeting rooms with long tables still set with scrolls and brushes, and a dedicated training area. This training space housed an impressive array of traditional shinobi weapons—finely crafted bojutsu staffs leaned against one wall, various styles of swords hung in displays, and most remarkably, shelves still stocked with valuable chakra ink, a rare resource essential for fuinjutsu.

One particular sword caught Naruto's attention like a magnet. It resided in an ornate white sheath, its surface covered in complex sealing arrays that he recognized as containment formulae—clearly designed to suppress whatever power the blade possessed. The display plaque beneath it carried an inscription that made his heart skip: Ryujin no Kenshi - Asama Uzumaki.

The name struck a chord in Naruto's memory, triggering a connection he couldn't initially place. Then, recognition hit him like a lightning bolt. Without a second thought, he grabbed the sword from its display, his actions driven by pure instinct. He sprinted across the floor, his footsteps echoing in the preserved silence, until he came to a sudden stop before an office door. There, on a weathered but still legible nameplate, was written: Vice Commander - Asama Uzumaki.

After gathering his composure, Naruto opened the door to Asama Uzumaki's office. The space felt lived-in and humble despite its occupant's high rank. Photographs adorned the walls, and one in particular caught his attention—two men with identical shades of red hair standing side by side. The right figure wore traditional Kage robes, while the left had longer hair that fell past his shoulders. An inscription beneath read: Asama Uzumaki - Riku Uzumaki (Uzukage Inauguration).

Similar photographs decorated the office, chronicling the two men's lives together. Some showed Riku as a teenager, others as an elderly man around the Third Hokage's age. Through these visual fragments of history, Naruto pieced together their relationship—Asama was Riku's younger brother and served as his Vice Commander.

As Naruto approached the main desk, another photograph captured his attention. This one sat in an ornate frame, displaying a scene that made his heart skip a beat: a young girl, perhaps nine years old, with striking purple eyes, laughing alongside Asama Uzumaki. Their expressions held a shared mischievous glint, as if they'd just pulled off a successful prank. Something about the image held Naruto transfixed. The girl seemed hauntingly familiar, though he couldn't quite place why. He stood rooted to the spot for a full five minutes, trying to solve the puzzle of why her face stirred such deep recognition.

Kurama had reached his limit. He couldn’t tolerate his kit’s obliviousness any longer. With a roar, he bellowed:

"STOP BEING A FOOL! She’s your mother, you idiot!"

Naruto froze, his mind struggling to process the words. "Wha—?" he stammered, completely stunned.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Naruto finally found his voice. "MY MOTHER?!" he shouted, his tone a mix of disbelief and shock.

"Yes, stop being so dense," Kurama growled. "And apparently your grandfather was the brother of the last Uzukage."

Naruto’s eyes widened. "Wait… so I’m from the main Uzumaki branch?" he asked, his voice tinged with confusion.

"I had my suspicions even before we activated the seal on the door," Kurama explained. "Your mother possessed a unique chakra that allowed her to produce chakra chains. They were incredibly powerful—strong enough to restrain even me. Those chains were a clear sign of her heritage, but I didn’t realize she was the niece of the last Uzukage."

"I wish I could have met them," Naruto whispered to himself, staring at the sword in his hands. After a moment, he realized he was still clutching Ryujin no Kenshi, the blade that had once belonged to his grandfather. 'If this is part of my legacy,' he thought, 'I guess I should learn kenjutsu now too.'

The weight of his growing responsibilities settled over him. Every day, it seemed, the list of skills he needed to master grew longer—fuinjutsu, bijuu chakra, and now kenjutsu. Before diving into training, he knew he had to organize his priorities. A structured schedule, he decided. Without one, I’ll drown in all this.

Driven by a longing to connect with his roots, Naruto began collecting remnants of his grandfather’s life. He gathered the faded photograph of his mother and grandfather, a portrait of his grandfather standing proudly beside the Uzukage, and he even found a stamp—likely used to authorize official documents by his grandfather. Each artifact felt like a thread stitching him closer to the family he’d never known. He cradled the items carefully, swearing silently to protect them. These aren’t just relics, he told himself. They’re proof he wasn’t alone.

After sealing every relic from his grandfather’s office, Naruto ascended to the fifth floor—a space reserved exclusively for the Uzukage. Three chambers awaited him: a personal training hall, a resting quarters, and the Uzukage’s formal office.

The training room mirrored the design of the floors below, though smaller in scale. At its center sat a display stand holding a sword with a cerulean sheath. Like Ryujin no Kenshi, the blade radiated an aura of dormant power, as though it harbored a will of its own. Naruto reached to claim it, but the moment his fingers brushed the hilt, the sword pulsed with hostile chakra—a clear warning. It rejects me, he realized, withdrawing his hand. Reluctantly, he left the weapon untouched, its secrets still locked away.

Curiosity led him to the restroom. The room was sparse, save for a cluster of children’s toys near the far wall. Among them lay several dolls with fiery red hair, their tiny garments stitched with the Uzumaki spiral. One doll, with kind eyes and a familiar smile, struck Naruto as uncannily resembling his mother. He tucked it gently into his pouch, a bittersweet ache tightening his chest. Did her uncle—no, my great-uncle—build this playroom for her? He wondered, tracing the doll’s faded fabric. The idea of a long-dead relative carving out joy for a child in the midst of duty lingered in his mind, a fragile thread to the past.

Naruto left the resting room and stepped into the Uzukage office, the largest chamber on the entire floor. The space was split into two distinct areas: a formal meeting hall dominating the center and a smaller administrative workspace tucked to the side.

The main hall radiated authority, anchored by a circular table carved from blackened oak. At its center gleamed the Uzushiogakure crest—a spiraling vortex etched with ancient fuinjutsu patterns, symbolizing the clan’s unyielding resilience. Twelve high-backed chairs encircle the table, their crimson velvet upholstery mirroring the fiery hues of the Uzumaki clan’s hair. Above them, portraits of past leaders watched sternly. Naruto paused beneath the gilded frames labeled First Uzukage: Arashi Uzumaki and Second Uzukage: Riku Uzumaki. Their painted eyes seemed to track him, as if judging his resilience.

To the left, the workspace felt more intimate yet no less imposing. A mahogany desk, its surface weathered by decades of use, stood piled with scrolls which had intel on Kumo and Iwa, 'They have probably heard the invasion and they didn't know about the Kiri's involment until it was too late' Naruto thought. He brushed his fingers across the wood, feeling the grooves left by hurried pens and the faint thrum of chakra beneath the grain. Seals woven into the desk itself, he realized. Some likely warded against eavesdroppers; others might connect to a network of administrative fuinjutsu across the village. A half-unfurled map caught his eye—coastal defenses marked in red ink, it looked like they were planning a counter defense for the incoming invasion armies.

Naruto’s fingers drummed impatiently against the Uzukage’s polished oak desk. Sunlight streamed through the tower’s arched windows, illuminating motes of dust that swirled like lazy fireflies. The office smelled of aging parchment and lemonwood polish—ordinary, boring scents that gave no hint of secrets. He’d already upturned every cushion, tapped every floorboard for hollow echoes, and even jimmied open the antique tea cabinet (where he’d found three moth-eaten scarves and a jar of expired pickled plums). Nothing.

"You’re thinking too small," Kurama rumbled, the Nine-Tails’ voice vibrating in his skull like distant thunder. "Shinobi don’t hide treasures where clumsy idiots like yourself might stumble on them. Look for what’s meant to be ignored."

"Meant to be ignored, huh…?" Naruto’s gaze swept the room again, lingering on the wall of ancestral portraits. His grand uncle's stern oil-painted face seemed to glare at him. Then he saw it—the first Uzukage’s gilded frame sat a quarter-centimeter farther from the wall than the others, as if someone had hastily rehung it.

"Classic," Naruto snorted, recalling Iruka-sensei’s lessons on trapdoor theory. Hide things in plain sight, but make the plain sight slightly uneven. He wedged a kunai under the frame, revealing grooves worn smooth by decades of adjustments. A hidden latch clicked, and the portrait swung inward with a groan of disused hinges. Behind it pulsed a circular seal, its ink still glossy despite the years—a masterwork of spiraling patterns that made Naruto’s eyes ache.

"Storage seal?" He pressed his palm to the design, channeling a trickle of chakra. The markings flared briefly… then died.

"Pathetic," Kurama sneered. "Your chakra control’s as subtle as a landslide. See the crimson sigil in the top left corner? That’s a bloodlock. And that silver vortex pattern at the right bottom corner that looks like a space-time seal, just be caref-"

Without any thought Naruto bit his thumb until blood trickled. Smearing blood across the seal, he pushed a surge of chakra into the design and for a good measure, he shoved the wall like it owed him ramen. The wall shivered, and stone like it liquified into water dissapperd, causing him to stumble forward into another room.

—Cool, dry air that smelled of cedarwood and iron. The vault streched at least fifty meters, there were shelves crammed with scrolls bound in black silk, books wiht leather coverings, crates and lots and lots of gold.

"Believe it…" Naruto whispered, awe-struck. After a couple of seconds he created around twenty clones and started to analyse the contents of the vault, first couple of clones just face-planted into the pile of golds and started yelling, "We're going to open our own ramen shop when we save everyone!"

"Focus, you overgrown toddler!" Kuram barked clone gathered himself and join the other for searching any useful scroll, book or item.

Naruto himself approached a pedestal holding a single weathered scroll. Its label read Fuinjutsu of Flavor Transmutation: Tomato Variant. He grinned. "Sasuke’d kill for this. Imagine—tomato-flavored everything. Wait…" He flipped to Appendix 12. "Warning: Unstable matrix may convert taste receptors to perceive only tomato."

"I wish there was a ramen version of this." Naruto muttered silently.

"Found something!" A clone waved from a shelf, holding a black scroll decorated with golden chains titled: Uzumaki Special Chakra: Chakra to Chains. "Is this what I think it is?" it looked like it was a manual on the special chakra chains of the Uzumaki main branch members.

"Oy, Kurama, do you think I could learn this?" Naruto asked.

"How should I know? In theory you could. You are a main branch member. Though I am not sure what's your fathers influence on this." Kurama explained.

"I can test it out at least." and placed the scroll to the pile which his clones were creating.

Naruto wiped sweat from his brow, staring at the final chest wedged stubbornly in the vault’s far corner. Three hours of searching had yielded secrets ranging from hilarious ("First Uzukage’s Karaoke Playlist—Classified?") to horrifying ("Human Experiment Logs: Tailed Beast Chakra Fusion"), but this last artifact refused to cooperate. The chest itself was unremarkable—a dull iron box, its surface pitted with age—but the lock glowed faintly blue, its seal markings pulsing like a heartbeat.

"Come on," Naruto grunted, heaving against it with all his strength. The chest didn’t budge, as though fused to the floor. A shadow clone slammed a hammer infused with chakra into the lock, only for the tool to just bounce back. "What’s this thing made of?!"

"Stop embarrassing yourself," Kurama growled. "Just use my chakra and melt the lock itself."

"We can do that?" Naruto asked, skepticism narrowing his bright blue eyes.

"Of course. No seal can withstand me," Kurama rumbled, his voice dripping with pride. The Nine-Tails’ tails swirled lazily in the dim chamber of Naruto’s mindscape, his crimson gaze sharpening. "Even the most ancient barriers crumble under my chakra."

Naruto scratched his head, a familiar stubbornness tightening his voice. "Then how come you never broke free from my jinchūriki seal, huh?"

"Fool," Kurama snorted, though his tone softened into something almost instructive. "Jinchūriki seals aren’t mere chains. They’re symbiotic—woven to bind a bijuu’s rage to the host’s willpower. When the host falters..." A sudden image flashed in Naruto’s mind: Gaara, hollow-eyed and trembling as Shukaku’s manic laughter drowned his screams, sand spiraling wildly out of control. ...the seal weakens. But this—" Kurama’s focus shifted to the massive lock before them, its surface etched with jagged, unfamiliar runes. "—is no work of balance. It’s brute force, designed to repel intruders through raw chakra. And who, pray tell, has more chakra than me?" A fanged grin stretched across the fox’s muzzle. "Save for that old sage, perhaps."

Naruto crouched, palms flattening against the lock’s icy surface. Kurama’s chakra erupted through him, a torrent of crimson energy blazing around his hands like wildfire. The lock retaliated instantly, its azure glyphs flaring brighter, pulsing in time with Naruto’s rapid heartbeat. For a moment, the two forces clashed—scorching red against searing blue—until the lock’s light began to stutter. A hairline crack split the metal with a deafening snap, and the glow died abruptly. The lock shattered, its remnants clattering to the stone floor like broken teeth.

Inside the chest, Naruto found two separate scrolls. The first was titled Summoning Scrolls. He guessed Uzushio had multiple summoning contracts in their possession. If he could, he’d gladly sign another—it would bolster his arsenal. The second scroll, ominously labeled Kinjutsu Seals, gave him pause. Could seals really be deadly to the user directly? he wondered.

"You think this is a joke? How’d your father die, idiot? He used the Death Reaper Seal to forge your Jinchūriki prison and trap me inside you. Died right after the ritual," Kurama growled.

Naruto’s throat tightened. "Oh." He couldn’t muster more than that—the thought still cut too deep.

Shaking it off, he unsealed the summoning scrolls first. Twelve lay inside, each a different color. One, jet-black and marked Under no circumstances use this (Fatal risk confirmed), made him recoil. He shoved it aside, vowing to forget it existed. His eyes lingered on a crimson scroll adorned with a fox sigil.

"What d’you think about this one?" Naruto asked.

"Foxes are… finicky. You’d need the toads’ approval first. Though obviously," Kurama sniffed, "we’re superior."

"Guess I’ll try it. Two contracts should be enough—any more and I’d forget ’em anyway."

"True. Your pea-sized brain struggles with the toad summoning. Shocking you even remember Gamabunta’s name," Kurama jeered.

"Shut it!" Naruto snapped as the fox’s laughter rumbled through his mind.

Turning to the Kinjutsu Seals scroll, he unsealed it to find two documents. The first, Sixteen Trigram Chakra Containment Seal, drew a dismissive grunt from Kurama: "Don’t overthink it. Just a fancier Jinchūriki seal. Might be useful later."

The second scroll froze Naruto’s breath. Time Rift Seal (WARNING: Activate ONLY if world annihilation is imminent). This could fix everything, he realized—the near-extinction of the Elemental Nations, Kaguya’s carnage, he could prevent it even from before it started.

Chapter Text

With all his findings, Naruto returned to his camp. The day had already ended, and exhaustion gnawed at him. He decided to eat first and rest for the night. Using fish he’d caught earlier, he prepared a simple meal over the fire. As he ate, his mind buzzed with uncertainty. What should I focus on next? he wondered. Should I prioritize improving my seal knowledge to master the Time Rift Seal, or strengthen my other skills first? The questions swirled in his head. Before sleep claimed him, he resolved to draft a plan. Pulling out a scroll, he began jotting down his priorities:

1. Seals (Most urgent—mastering these is key to activating the Time Rift Seal. Without this, nothing else matters.)
2. Hiraishin (Once I understand seals better, learning the technique could be invaluable for mobility and combat.)
3. Kenjutsu (I need to train in swordmanship, If I ever want to wield Ryujin no Kenshi.)
4. Fox Contract (I should seek out the Fox Summons. If they allow me to sign their contract, their unique abilities could beneficial. But first, I should also consult the Toads—they might also have some idea on how to approach the Fox Clan respectfully.)
5. Uzumaki Special Chakra? (I am not entirely sure if I can use this one. We can just experiment, I know that I have used this somewhat with the seal on the upper leves of the tower.)

Satisfied with the list, Naruto tidied the camp, doused the fire, and lay beneath the stars. His final thoughts lingered on the challenges ahead, but exhaustion soon pulled him into a deep, dreamless sleep.

As the first light of morning broke, Naruto began his training with an army of shadow clones. The previous day, while returning to his camp, he had discovered a large clearing and made a mental note of its location. Now, he stood in that same space, ready for his first dedicated session. He gathered all the Fuinjutsu scrolls and books he’d recovered from the ruins and the main tower, distributing them among his clones. Each clone seized a text, diving into study and experimenting with their newfound knowledge.

While the clones focused on mastering the theoretical and practical aspects of Fuinjutsu, Naruto turned to another goal: meeting the foxes and, if possible, establishing a summoning contract with them. Pricking his thumb, he channeled chakra and called out, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

A burst of white smoke erupted, revealing Gamakichi. "Yo, Naruto! Where’ve you been? Everyone thought the humans were wiped out!" the toad exclaimed, his voice a mix of relief and curiosity.

"Yeah... seems like I’m the last one standing," Naruto replied, his tone heavy with sorrow. After a pause, he shifted the subject. "What about you guys? How’s Mount Myōboku?"

"Us? When word spread about humanity’s defeat by that ‘goddess,’ all the toads retreated to the mountain. It’s safe—protected by natural energy, like always," Gamakichi explained.

"Glad to hear it’s still secure," Naruto said, forcing a smile. "Think you could reverse-summon me there? I need to speak with Fukasaku and Shima—the elders."

"Sure thing! Gimme a sec," Gamakichi croaked before vanishing with a pop.

Minutes later, Naruto materialized beside the toad atop the mist-shrouded slopes of Mount Myōboku.

Fukasaku and Shima, the two diminutive elder toads, hopped forward to greet him. Fukasaku’s wrinkled face broke into a grin, while Shima squinted up at Naruto with her hands planted on her hips.

"Fukasaku-ji! Shima-baa-chan! It’s good to see you both," Naruto said warmly.

"Naruto-boy!" Fukasaku rasped, his voice gravelly but fond. "We feared the worst. What brings you here?"

Shima jabbed her pipe toward him. "Don’t keep us waitin’, ya hear? Spit it out!"

"Yeah, well… I’m trying to find a way to fix everything," Naruto said, determination hardening his tone. "And I think I’ve found something."

"Found somethin’?" Fukasaku leaned forward, his wizened brow furrowing. "Out with it, boy!"

Naruto pulled a weathered scroll from his pouch. "On Uzushio Island. It’s called the Time Rift Seal. I’m planning to go back—before any of this happened. Stop Zetsu, end the war, rewrite this future."

Fukasaku’s throat pouch puffed in alarm. "A time seal? Naruto-boy, that’s no ordinary jutsu! Have you even considered the risks?"

"What’s to consider? I’ll go back, punch Zetsu into next week, and save everyone. Simple." Naruto crossed his arms, though his jaw tightened imperceptibly.

"Simple?!" Shima barked, smacking her pipe against a rock. "Space-time ninjutsu eats chakra and luck for breakfast! One misstep and you’ll unravel reality itself!"

"The scroll warned it’s a last resort—for when the world’s already ending." Naruto met their stares unflinching. "And Kaguya will come here eventually. Even Mount Myōboku won’t stay safe forever."

Fukasaku exchanged a grave look with Shima, their decades of partnership speaking louder than words. Finally, he sighed, sagging under the weight of inevitability. "You’ve got your mind set, eh? Alright. But we’re chartin’ every step—no improvisin’ with time itself!"

Shima jabbed her pipe at Naruto’s chest. "And you’ll listen this time, ya hear? No ‘believe it’ nonsense!"

"Okay, okay—I’ll stick to the plan, alright?" Naruto said exasperatedly, raising his hands in surrender.

"Then let’s begin with the scroll itself. Bring it here," Fukasaku ordered, his voice sharp with urgency.

Naruto and the elder toads retreated to a cramped hut, gathering around a low circular table. Unfurling the weathered Time Rift Seal, Naruto spread it across the wooden surface. The toads leaned in, their bulbous eyes scanning the archaic script. Minutes ticked by in tense silence.

"This could work, Naruto-boy," Shima said finally, "but we must be cautious. It’s single-use—the scroll will disintegrate upon activation."

"Wasn’t plannin’ on sightseein’ through time anyway," Naruto shrugged.

"You’re missin’ the point, knucklehead!" Fukasaku snapped, slapping a webbed hand on the table. "This isn’t a round-trip ticket! Every version of this scroll across all timelines burns up when used. No second chances!"

Naruto paled. "Oh."

"And it’s temporally constrained," Shima added, tracing a claw over the text. "Thirty years maximum—no gallivantin’ to the Sage’s era or whatever nonsense you’re dreamin’ up."

"The energy requirements alone could kill you," Fukasaku grumbled. "We’ll need to combine Kyubii’s chakra with nature energy—and even that might not be enough."

"I’ve handled worse," Naruto said, thumping his chest. "Got both right here!"

"The temporal landing won’t be precise," Shima warned. "You might arrive two years early or late. We must pick a window where minor deviations won’t… unravel everything."

"What about when I became a genin?" Naruto suggested. "That’s when everythin’ really started—"

"Too late, idiot," Kurama’s voice rumbled through their mental link. "Obito’s rot had already begun by then. Pick earlier."

"Before the Third War, then?" Naruto countered. "Save Obito before Madara corrupts him. Gives us time to build alliances."

Shima hummed, calculating. "That gives us a twenty to twenty-five year window." Her claw tapped the scroll. "Twenty-three years back—lands us just after the Second War. Peacekeeping era. Plenty of cover to operate."

Fukasaku leaned forward, deadly serious. "First priority—confirm your position in time. If you arrive pre-Third War, establish a base. Watch. Wait. No rash moves until the pieces are in place."

"If you're before the Third War, make a name for yourself so Konoha takes you seriously. During the war, that would be suicide. Instead, earn their trust so you can move freely."

"If it's near the end of the Second War, be careful. Maybe hide in Uzushio—it’ll probably be destroyed by then," Fukasaku warned.

"And when the time comes, don’t try to take on Madara and Zetsu alone. You need allies!" he added.

"Alright, alright, I’ll make allies," Naruto said with a sigh.

"So, when do you plan to use the seal?" Shima asked.

"I'm not ready yet. I need more training. My shadow clones are working on Kenjutsu and Fuinjutsu, but I still have a lot to learn," Naruto admitted.

"Speaking of which," he said, his voice picking up, "I found something in Uzushio." He unrolled a scroll and held it up.

"That’s a summoning scroll," Shima observed.

"I want to sign it, but I wanted to check with you first."

"Naruto-boy, you ask a lot from us," Fukasaku said, exasperated.

"I know it's a lot, but I think it'll help," Naruto replied.

After a brief silence,

"Which summoning clan's scroll is that?" Shima asked.

"It's foxes," Naruto said curiously.

Fukasaku and Shima exchanged a glance, as if coming to an unspoken agreement.

"Alright, we'll allow it. Fox summons are pretty civil toward the toads. We have our differences, but we don’t fight." Fukasaku said.

"But make sure to explain this to the foxes too, Naruto-boy. They need to understand what's going on."

"Great! Should I sign it here and summon one?"

"No, no, that's against the summoning clan rules. No other summons should be in Mount Myōboku. Do it in Uzushio." Fukasaku warned.

"Also, take this," Shima said, handing him a toad-shaped amulet with oil engraved on the back. "We don’t know if summoning contracts will still be valid in the past. If not, you might have to sign them again."

"Huh? What am I supposed to do with this?" Naruto asked, puzzled.

"If you re-sign the scroll, I’m pretty sure Gamabunta will want to kill you," Fukasaku said.

"WHAT? Why would Chief want to kill me?" Naruto exclaimed.

"Back then, Gamabunta was pretty young, Naruto-boy. Also, there's no copy of the summoning scroll, so the only way to access it is through Jiraiya-boy. He'd assume you stole it from him." Shima explained.

"Oh, okay, so I should just show this to him before he tries to kill me?" Naruto asked warily.

"Yeah, that should make him stop and reconsider. Then tell him you spoke with us—we'll handle it from there." Fukasaku assured him.

"Alright. Thank you, Fukasaku-ji, Shima-baa-chan. We'll meet again, even though you won’t remember me," Naruto said, a bit sadly.

After exchanging farewells, Naruto felt completely drained. He just wanted to sleep and be done with the day.

Back at the clearing, he turned to his shadow clones. "Dispel ten at a time—I don’t need more headaches."

With that, Naruto returned to camp, closed his eyes, and let the darkness take him.

The next day, Naruto created the same number of clones and sent them off to train.

Today, he planned to sign the Fox contract and earn their approval. After breakfast and some basic exercises, he returned to his camp.

"I should probably clear some space so it's not threatening," Naruto murmured.

"Even if you wanted to be threatening, you couldn't," Kurama joked.

"Why you—!" Naruto huffed at the teasing.

"Relax, brat. It'll be fine. They’ll probably question you first, then test you. Be careful, though—foxes are mischievous in their own right."

"Okay, stay calm, Naruto," he muttered to himself.

Pricking his thumb, he smeared his blood onto the summoning contract.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

With a pop and a puff of white smoke, a small brown fox tumbled into a tree, rolling to a stop with a dazed look.

"Oww… What happened? I was about to catch that bunny—it looked delicious. Ugh." The fox groaned in frustration.

Glancing around in confusion, he added, "Where am I? This doesn’t feel like Tenko Valley."

"Uh… hello?" Naruto said uncertainly.

"Whoa! Who’s there? Don’t come near me!" The fox jumped up, trying to take a threatening stance.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down! I’m not going to hurt you," Naruto reassured him.

"You’re not? Then why am I here?"

"I summoned you."

"You summoned me? How? I thought we didn’t accept anyone but Uzumakis. You should be dead. The contract should’ve killed you." The fox narrowed his eyes.

"WHAT?! What do you mean I should be dead?!" Naruto gaped.

"Yep, we stopped accepting new summoners."

Naruto was momentarily stunned—until he saw the fox’s face and realized he was being played.

"You little demon! You scared the hell out of me!" Naruto yelled.

The fox burst into laughter, rolling on the ground.

"I got you! Ahaha, that was priceless!"

Naruto sighed, waiting for him to calm down so they could continue.

After a few giggle-filled minutes, the fox finally settled down—at least a little.

"Anyway, I’m still curious… How did you summon me? I thought all the Uzumakis were dead. Actually, I heard all humans were dead, like, a week ago or something. I’ve never seen one before." The fox studied Naruto while bouncing around him.

"Well… that's kind of true. Everyone is dead. I’m the only one left."

"Oh… that’s bad. Anyway! What’s your name?" the fox asked excitedly.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

"Whoa! You’re an Uzumaki?! Why didn’t you say so?! This is so cool! I’ve never met an Uzumaki before!"—forgetting that he’d also never met any human before.

Naruto chuckled. "And what’s your name?"

"Oh! I’m Kurimaru! But you can call me Kuri. My friends do. Can we be friends?" the fox asked eagerly.

"Nice to meet you, Kuri. Of course, we can be friends." Naruto smiled.

"Hey, Kuri, I need a favor. Can you go back and tell the chief and elder foxes that I’m here? I need to talk to them. If possible, have them reverse summon me to wherever your home is."

"You want to talk to the elders and the chief… in Tenko Valley?" Kuri asked, confused.

"Nice to meet you, Kuri. Of course, we can be friends." Naruto smiled.

Kurimaru’s tail wagged excitedly. "This is so cool! I have a human friend now! Wait till the others hear about this—"

Naruto chuckled but quickly refocused. "Actually, that’s something I wanted to ask you about."

"Huh? What is it?" Kuri tilted his head.

"I need a favor. Can you go back and tell the chief and elder foxes that I’m here? I need to speak with them. If possible, have them reverse summon me to wherever your home is."

Kuri blinked in surprise. "You… want to talk to the elders and the chief… in Tenko Valley?"

"Yes, I need to talk to them about my other summoning contract before they accept me," Naruto said.

"YOU HAVE ANOTHER CONTRACT?!" Kuri screamed in disbelief.

"Yeah, with the Toads," Naruto replied, a little wary.

"You can't just have two contracts at the same time! That's against the rules of every summoning clan," Kuri warned.

"Yeah, I know. I got permission from the Toads, and I'll explain everything to the Fox elders. I'm sure it'll be fine," Naruto said, trying to reassure him.

"Famous last words," Kurama muttered under his breath.

Naruto ignored the fox's comment and pressed on. "I have a plan to save the world, and I'll need the Fox clan's help. I would really appreciate it if you could talk to them and summon me there."

Kuri paused, thinking for a moment. If what Naruto was saying was true, it might be worth the effort. The Fox clan was safe in the Tenko Valley for now, but Kuri knew the Elders were preparing for something big—though he didn’t know exactly what it was.

"Alright, I'll help you. Just don't tell them I was out here chasing bunnies. They don't like it when I do that alone."

"Thank you, Kuri. I'll wait for you here," Naruto told him.

"Yeah, okay. See you in a couple of minutes!" Kuri replied excitedly. With a puff of white smoke, he disappeared.

A few minutes later, Naruto began to feel a pull on his chakra. Suddenly, he was gone from Uzushio and reappeared in a vast valley surrounded by dense jungles.

The sun peeked through the leaves of towering trees, casting dappled light on the ground. Naruto stood in awe of the beautiful environment, unaware of Kuri and the other foxes nearby. The foxes began murmuring among themselves.

Naruto, still disoriented, didn't realize where he was or what was happening at the moment.

"SILENCE!" a commanding voice roared from the stage, startling Naruto. His eyes widened at the loud shout.

"We have gathered here today for the trial of Naruto Uzumaki. We will conduct a thorough investigation and decide whether we will execute him or not," another fox, with the darkest black fur Naruto had ever seen, declared.

It took a moment, but eventually, Naruto realized where he was and processed the words of the black-furred fox.

"WHAAAAT?!" Naruto screamed, his voice filled with shock.

Chapter Text

Naruto stood frozen, struggling to process what was happening. He couldn’t find the words to respond. Kurimaru, sitting beside the imposing black-furred fox, watched him with a glint of amusement—and perhaps judgment—in his eyes.

"First, let’s hear the accusations from Kurimaru-sama," the black fox announced calmly, but with weight in his voice.

"Kurimaru... sama?" Naruto thought to himself, confused by the unexpected honorific. Why was Kurimaru suddenly being treated with such respect?

Kurimaru rose slightly, his tone sharp and accusatory. "What more is there to say? He’s already admitted it. This human has a summoning contract—with the toads. That alone is a direct violation of the laws that govern summoning clans. He cannot be bound to us and them."

Gasps rippled through the gathered foxes. A storm of murmurs filled the air, and then came the shouting.

"Hang the human!" some of the foxes cried.

The chaos snapped Naruto out of his shock. His voice boomed through the grove.

"KURIIIIII! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!"

Kurimaru turned toward him with an exaggerated shrug. "I mean, you do have another contract, don’t you? That’s strictly forbidden. It compromises the trust between summons and summoner."

Naruto clenched his fists. "Yes, I said I had another contract—but I also said I have a plan to save the world! Did you not hear that part?!"

Kurimaru let out a short giggle. "Ehhh... might’ve missed that detail. Hehe."

The black-furred fox narrowed his eyes. "A plan to save the world? What exactly do you mean by that?"

Before Naruto could respond, a small white fox piped up, voice rising with frustration. "We’re all safe here in Tenko Valley! Why should we care about the outside wor—"

"Kari, stop it," the black fox snapped, silencing her.

Then he turned back to Naruto. "Explain yourself. Now."

Naruto took a breath, choosing his words carefully. "This isn’t something for a public trial. It should be discussed with the elders and the clan chief. They need to understand the stakes."

The black fox considered this for a moment, tail twitching. Finally, he gave a short nod. "Very well. You have ten minutes. After that, we decide your fate."

Two foxes escort Naruto into a huge, dimly lit chamber. The room was sparse, with only three seats arranged in a half-circle aroun some kind of fireplace in the middle. Seated in them were the black-furred fox, Kurimaru, and a towering white-furred vixen—easily the size of Gamabunta. Her presence was commanding, and her gaze cold.

"Now," said the black fox, "explain your plan. We’ll decide your fate based on what you say."

Naruto stood tall. "I am Naruto Uzumaki. Who are you guys exactly? I know Kurimaru but you are all talking very formal with him, and he is like little a child."

"Don't disrespect Kurimaru-sama human." said one of the guards while snarling.

"Well I am Kuro, I am the chief of the fox summoning clan." said the black fox.

"I am Shirayuki, I am one of the elders." said the white fox.

"What a huge fox... She is as large as Gamabunta!" Naruto murmurs.

"What the hell are you saying, get to the point fast" the white fox snapped, her voice sharp and authoritarian.

"Right, right," Naruto said, waving his hand. "We’ve been defeated by the moon goddess, Kaguya. I’m sure you’ve heard of her. She’s not done yet—she’ll come here too. Nowhere is safe, not even this valley."

The black fox narrowed his eyes. "We are aware of her existence. But don’t underestimate us. Tenko Valley is protected—we are safe here."

"No, you’re not," Naruto replied firmly. "Kaguya’s power is beyond anything you’ve ever faced. She’s after all chakra sources. Eventually, she’ll find this place too."

The three foxes exchanged glances, their expressions growing serious.

Naruto took a breath and pressed on. "As I said, I’m an Uzumaki. I’ve been searching for a way to stop her... and I believe I’ve found it."

He reached toward a seal marked on his clothing, intending to summon something from his storage.

Immediately, the fox guards tensed. Their snarls filled the room as they tightened their grip on him.

"Wait, stop! I’m just retrieving something from my storage seal," Naruto protested.

Kurimaru chuckled. "Let him be, Hue. You can rip him apart later if it comes to that."

Naruto gave him a deadpan look.

With a sigh, he activated the seal and summoned a scroll into his hands. Carefully, he unrolled it and presented it to the elders and the chief.

"This... this is the key to stopping her," he said.

The elders and the chief gasped.

"Where did you find this?" Chief Kuro demanded, his voice laced with a raw, threatening edge.

"That scroll shouldn't be in your hands, human," Shirayuki added, her tone sharp as ice.

"I found it in the vault at the Uzumaki tower in Uzushio," Naruto replied, unwavering.

"How did you even get into that tower?" the Chief Fox pressed, his eyes narrowing.

"How many times do I have to say it? I'm an Uzumaki!" Naruto exclaimed, exasperated.

"That's not what I meant, human! That vault should only be accessible to main family members. Your hair isn't even Uzumaki Red! How did you get in there?" Kuro snarled, his patience clearly wearing thin.

"I am a main family member," Naruto stated simply.

"How? Who are your parents?" Kurimaru questioned, leaning forward intently.

"My father is the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze," Naruto stated, a hint of defiance in his voice. "You can probably guess where I got my hair color." After a beat, he added, "And my mother is Kushina Uzumaki. That technically makes me the grand-nephew of the last Uzukage."

"Oh, that makes sense! I thought you looked like someone I knew. Hahaha," Kurimaru chirped, then began to giggle, a surprisingly light sound from such a large fox.

"What the hell, Kurimaru! If you thought I looked like someone you knew, you should've said something! And what's with all that 'executing me' stuff?" Naruto yelled, his voice echoing slightly in the chamber.

"Know your place, human! Kurimaru-sama is our clan's most knowledgeable elder. You'll respect him!" Chief Kuro snarled, stepping forward menacingly.

"Okay, enough," Shirayuki interjected, her voice cutting through the tension. "We know where you're from, and we know what your plan is. Still, this is a huge risk for our clan."

"This isn't about the risks anymore; this is about our only hope," Naruto countered, his gaze firm. "The Goddess will come here and to other summoning clan realms, and she'll get all the chakra."

"Okay, makes sense," Kurimaru said calmly, nodding.

"Kurimaru-sama, think about this again. We can't use that scroll; it's too powerful. We can't even find enough chakra to power it," Chief Kuro argued, his brow furrowed.

"He's right, Kuro. The Goddess won't stop until all life and chakra are absorbed," Kurimaru replied, his voice grave. "I agree that this plan is risky, but at this moment, it's the only one we have that can save the world. Also, we do have enough chakra, Kuro."

"What do you mean we have enough chakra? Even with the whole clan together, we can't gather that amount!" Kuro exclaimed, bewildered.

"Well, we don't have it, but he does," Kurimaru said, pointing a paw toward Naruto.

"What do you mean he does? He's just a puny human! How can he have that much chakra?" Chief Kuro demanded, utterly incredulous.

"You should've sensed it by now, Kuro. He's the vessel of Kurama-sama," Kurimaru revealed, his voice steady despite the bombshell.

"WHAT?! He's the vessel!" Chief Kuro shouted, his eyes widening in shock before he let out a guttural snarl and took on a threatening stance.

"Kurama, I think this is the time you can show yourself, please help me!" Naruto whisper-shouted, desperation in his tone.

After a second, Naruto began to glow with a vibrant orange hue. The glow coalesced, forming a swirling blob on his right arm that rapidly grew and shaped itself into a fox. Moments later, Kurama fully emerged from the ethereal form. "I would stop that if I were you," the mighty fox stated, his voice even and deep, resonating with ancient power.

"Kurama-sama, forgive me! I didn't know you were there. I'll free you immediately," Kuro stammered, his voice trembling.

"Stop this, you moron! If I wanted to be free, I would have done it myself!" Kurama roared, his voice shaking the cavern.

"What do you mean? You don't want to be free from this human?" Shirayuki asked, her voice surprisingly small and even amidst the chaos.

"This human is not just any human. He's going to help us save the world. Stop your nonsense now!" Kurama commanded.

After a couple of seconds, Kurimaru spoke, "Kurama-sama, what should we do now? I think we need a plan for our next actions."

"We already have a plan; we created one with the Toads," Kurama said, then mumbled, "Disgusting creatures."

"Yes, and he has multiple contracts! That's also against the summoning clan laws," Kuro snarled, looking at Naruto.

"I said he should sign the Fox contract. He's had the Toads for a couple of years now, but with our next plan, you'll be crucial to our success," Kurama said with a calm voice, ignoring Kuro's outburst.

"What about the Toads? Did they accept this arrangement?" Shirayuki asked.

"In this case, they're not complaining," Kurama replied dryly.

"What about the plan, though? What is the plan? What's going to be our role?" Kurimaru pressed, his earlier calm replaced with urgency.

"Is the interrogation over?" Kurama asked, his gaze sweeping over the foxes. After a few tense seconds, Kuro finally said, "Yeah, it looks like it," and dismissed the guards from the chamber.

"That's it from me. I'm going to sleep. Naruto can tell you about the plan in detail," Kurama said, retreating into Naruto's seal with a swirl of orange chakra.

Chief Kuro, Shirayuki, and even Kurimaru were stunned by Kurama's declaration, left in silence.

"Yeah, well, at least you now know I'm innocent," Naruto said, his voice hesitant as he broke the quiet.

"Start with the plan! Don't waste our time!" Chief Kuro snarled, clearly still agitated.

Naruto took a step back, waiting for the fox to cool down a little.

"Okay, the plan is this..." Naruto began, his voice barely above a whisper, yet it cut through the tense silence of the chamber. He eyed the three powerful foxes before him—Chief Kuro, still seething; the stoic Shirayuki; and the usually cheerful Kurimaru, now wide-eyed with anticipation. The weight of Kurama's abrupt departure, and the responsibility now thrust upon him, settled heavily on his shoulders. This wasn't just any plan; it was their plan, a blueprint for the future of the world.