Naruto was in the Western Forest, busy practicing his Taijutsu moves. The concept was simple—he merely mimicked someone's movements and refined them to their fullest potential, something he'd grasped after training with Guy.
He stopped his movement. The tree he had been using as a punching target was now riddled with holes.
"Not bad… my training's not going to waste. I can even manipulate chakra now," Naruto murmured in satisfaction.
"Indra—"
A faint voice echoed. Naruto turned around, but there was no one there.
"Who's there?" Naruto wanted to yell, but he realized it might just be an Anbu keeping an eye on him.
He tried not to act recklessly… though he had done that once before.
"Indra—"
The voice grew clearer. And finally, Naruto recognized who was calling him.
"Kurama? Is that you?" he asked in his mind.
"Indra, you finally hear me. My chakra is beginning to flow through you… I've been trying to reach you, but—"
Kurama's voice was cut off, as if something was blocking it.
"That seal is a pain…" Naruto thought.
He then looked for a shady spot and sat down. His chakra was running low, and his body was exhausted. It was the perfect condition.
Naruto tried to dive back into his subconscious. He focused his mind and shut out all bodily senses until—clack.
His foot touched water, sending out a small ripple.
"That was easier this time… Kurama, you did a great job!" Naruto shouted.
Slowly, Kurama emerged. But this time, he didn't show any expression. He tried to appear equal to the person before him—the legend of death. A title once given to him after he massacred anyone who stood in his way.
"Indra, so you finally came…" Kurama spoke. His tone was flat, his eyes locked onto Naruto.
Naruto sighed. "I told you, my name is Naruto now… Why do you keep calling me Indra?"
Kurama was silent. He hadn't forgotten—it was just that the name Indra still rolled off his tongue by habit.
"I'm so—"
Kurama was about to apologize, but Naruto cut him off, "It's fine. Call me whatever you want." He gave a small smile.
He slowly stepped forward. "I'm going to open this seal… even though it won't release all of it."
"Minato placed a layered seal on me. He used a double Shiki Fuin, each counterbalancing the other."
"On top of that, Jiraiya, my dad's teacher, added a Fuin Kagi—a key that lets me strengthen or weaken the main seal."
"Honestly… he cared about me, in his own way, hahaha."
Naruto kept moving forward.
"And you know what? This seal was designed so I could use your chakra safely, without risk. No matter how hard you try to break free, it's pointless."
Kurama's eyes glowed red. Rage flared from deep within. He was truly angry… to think that all his hopes of escaping had been in vain.
"So even if I tear this paper…" The water beneath Naruto began to swirl, lifting his body toward the seal.
"…it's only a small part of the full seal."
"And you know what?" Naruto stared into Kurama's red eyes. "I'm going to meet my father. Their consciousnesses are trapped between the seals. So I hope… you'll cooperate."
Screech!
He tore the paper in an instant.
Kurama had wanted to ask who "they" were, but at this point, it didn't seem to matter.
A hand touched Naruto. It felt neither warm nor cold.
The room brightened. The once-tight atmosphere gradually faded.
"Minato!" Kurama shouted.
But Minato swiftly cast a barrier over Kurama's neck and mouth, silencing him.
"You… are you Minato?" Naruto asked softly.
Minato turned to him and smiled. He didn't mind the way Naruto addressed him. "At last, we meet again, my son." Minato's face was filled with happiness. It had been a long time since he last saw Naruto.
Naruto looked at him. Minato didn't look too different from himself, though perhaps… his own face was slightly more handsome than his father's. Charismatic and good-looking—that was Naruto's impression of his father. Other than that? Not much difference.
"So, what happened? Why did you tear that paper?" Minato asked, trying to understand. He also glanced at Kurama, prompting Naruto to do the same.
"Indra… make him remove this barrier…" That was what Kurama wanted to say, but he couldn't speak. He simply stared at Naruto, hoping to be understood.
"Release him," Naruto said.
Minato turned. "What do you mean?"
"Kurama… no, you might know him as the Nine-Tails. He's not that bad, and we've become partners now."
Minato was surprised. His eyes narrowed. "Is that true?"
Naruto nodded. "Yes."
Upon hearing that, Minato immediately lifted the barrier.
"Damn you, Minato… you bastard… You tormented me back when I was with Kushina. Then you sealed me away. Not just that—you used me…"
Kurama kept cursing, but Minato only watched him silently.
"That's enough, Kurama," Naruto said.
Kurama's face remained fierce. "But he—"
"I said that's enough," Naruto repeated, his gaze cold. Kurama immediately fell silent. He grunted and turned his back.
Naruto shifted his focus back to Minato.
"There's something I need to talk to you about."
"What is it?"
Silence fell.
Naruto lowered his head and muttered, "Why…? Why…? WHY?"
"Why me, of all people?"
"Why? You know, Minato… I've suffered all this time…"
"Do you know… everyone in the village hates me…"
"They insulted me, avoided me, even hurt me…"
"And what then? You left me so early…"
"You left me with a burden you never even thought about."
"You know, Minato? I was in so much pain. Sometimes I wanted to end it all… I hated them. I hated you too…"
Naruto poured his heart out. He truly felt the need to speak, to finally find peace within.
Minato was silent. His throat tightened. He imagined all that Naruto had endured.
"…Naruto," Minato said softly. His face was filled with deep guilt.
Naruto took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He seemed calmer.
"But now, I've let it all go. There are people I want to protect."
Naruto looked at him again.
"So Minato… help me."
Minato smiled. "I want to help you, no matter what. But this version of me is just chakra trapped in a seal. I'll disappear in a few minutes."
Minato didn't want to disappoint Naruto, but there wasn't much he could do.
"In that case… technically, you're just a fragment of chakra. So if you have a chakra donor, it's not impossible for you to stay."
Minato glanced at Kurama. Naruto followed his gaze.
Kurama felt uncomfortable under their stares. He was slightly angry, but powerless. If it was Indra… he wouldn't lie, and working with him might be the best option.
"Fine then. Loosen the seal so I can keep feeding you chakra," Kurama said sharply.
Minato nodded.
"So, what do you want to do next, Naruto?"
"I want your techniques. Like Rasengan and Flying Thunder God."
"So you know about them?" Minato asked.
"Yes. You know, even after your death, the stories about your deeds never stopped."
Minato chuckled lightly. But with their current situation, he thought of something better.
"So you want my techniques?" Minato asked, his voice calm and deep.
Naruto nodded.
"In that case, let's use the Soul Seal."
"Tamashi Fuin: Nimon Gattai…"
Minato immediately formed a hand seal. He didn't explain anything.
"Kyuubi… no, Kurama… give me a large amount of chakra."
Kurama didn't speak, but chakra flowed from him. With the seal loosened, it moved easily.
Naruto simply watched. He didn't understand what was happening.
After completing the hand signs, Minato stepped toward Naruto.
"Naruto, you might feel some pain… but bear with it for a bit."
A glowing yellow orb began forming in Minato's hand. It was incredibly warm.
Then—
Thud!
Minato pushed the orb into Naruto's chest.
Naruto staggered backward a few steps. Once steady, he looked at Minato.
"What… what did you do?"
"Minato!" Naruto shouted.
He felt like something terrible had happened.
But in front of him, Minato just smiled. Slowly, his form began to fade, like ash carried by the wind.
"Naruto… live a happy life…"
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Enjoy to reading XD
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