"Then, I'll come meet you again daily," Naruto said with a cheeky grin as he turned to leave.
Kurama's eyes twitched. "Don't even dare!" he growled.
Naruto just laughed, waving over his shoulder. "Too late, buddy! See you tomorrow!"
Kurama let out a frustrated roar, but deep down, for the first time in a long while, he felt something strange—like he wasn't just a prisoner waiting to be feared.
With that, he left to train with his katana alongside others. Since unsheathing it was dangerous, he practiced sparring with the sheathed blade.
Days passed as usual, and as promised, Naruto visited Kurama daily.
One day, he even brought Karin inside the seal to meet him.
"Karin, see? This is Kurama," Naruto introduced with a grin.
Karin blinked in surprise as she looked around the vast, dimly lit space inside Naruto's mindscape. Her eyes finally landed on the massive fox-like creature behind the bars.
"So this is Kurama?" she asked, adjusting her glasses as she observed him curiously.
Kurama narrowed his eyes. "Tch. Another brat?"
Naruto grinned. "Yep! Thought I'd introduce you two. Karin, meet Kurama. Kurama, meet Karin!"
Karin hesitated for a moment before whispering to Naruto, "Are you sure this is safe? He looks kinda… well, like he'd eat me."
Kurama scoffed. "Hah! If I wanted to, I wouldn't need permission."
Naruto waved off her concern. "Don't worry, he's just grumpy. Deep down, he's a big softie!"
Kurama let out a low growl. "Brat, do you have a death wish?"
Karin giggled at Naruto's antics but still kept a respectful distance. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Kurama… I think?"
Kurama sighed, resting his head on his paws. "This is getting ridiculous…"
As time passed, Naruto continued his visits, sometimes alone, sometimes bringing others. Each time, Kurama's growls became less hostile, and his responses became less dismissive.
One day, Naruto decided to bring the person who understood Kurama better than anyone—his own mother.
When Kushina appeared inside Naruto's mindscape, the reaction was immediate.
The Kurama inside her seal widened his eyes in shock. "You… talking to me like this? Like I'm… anyone?"
Kushina smirked. "What, you expected me to yell and chain you up? Nah, I'm retired from that business."
Meanwhile, Naruto's Kurama narrowed his eyes at his other half. "Hmph. Don't look so surprised, idiot. This brat is… different."
Naruto grinned. "Of course I am! It's because you're family, Kurama. Both of you!"
The other Kurama scoffed but didn't argue. Slowly, over time, both halves of Kurama—one within Naruto, the other in Kushina—began to accept this absurd yet oddly heartwarming reality.
They weren't just sealed beasts anymore.
They were family.
One evening, during dinner, everyone sat together, listening intently to the conversation between Naruto and Tsunade. No one interrupted; they were all curious about what the two were discussing.
Naruto casually brought up, "Tsunade, I need a summoning beast."
Tsunade raised a brow. "And why are you asking me? Go ask Jiraiya."
Naruto immediately shook his head. "No way. Frogs? Not my thing. Snakes? Definitely out of the question. At least yours are kinda cool, so… yeah."
Tsunade paused mid-sip of her sake, eyeing him with mild amusement. "So, you want a slug?"
Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! They're way better than slimy frogs or creepy snakes. And they're strong, too!"
Kushina, sipping her Sake, smirked. "You just want Katsuyu to carry you around, don't you?"
Naruto chuckled. "Hehe… maybe. But mainly, I want a cool summoning partner! Come on, Tsunade-chan, you gotta help me out."
Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temples. "First of all, stop with the '-chan.' Second, you do realize summoning isn't a joke, right? You'll have to sign a contract and actually build a bond with them."
Naruto grinned. "That's fine! If I can make friends with Kurama, I can befriend a slug too!"
Tsunade stared at him for a moment before shaking her head with a smirk. "Alright, brat. We'll go to Shikkotsurin tomorrow. If you can impress Katsuyu, I'll let you sign the contract."
Naruto pumped his fist in excitement. "Yes! Summoning beast, getto!"
Seeing Naruto so happy, the mood around the table lightened, and everyone smiled.
After dinner, as they lay beside each other, Naruto turned to Karin. "So, you all set for tomorrow's trip?"
Karin, already half-asleep, let out a sleepy hum. "Mmm? You mean Shikkotsurin?"
Naruto blinked. "Oh, so you were listening when Tsunade talked about it earlier."
Karin yawned. "Of course, idiot. You both were talking in between all, not in secret. It's not every day you get to visit the land of giant slugs."
He grinned. "Yeah, I know. It's gonna be awesome. Can't wait to meet Katsuya and sign the summoning contract!"
Karin smirked, turning onto her side. "Just don't get swallowed whole. Someone's gotta be there to make sure you don't turn into slug food."
Naruto huffed. "Oi, don't jinx it!"
Karin chuckled, already drifting off. "Good night, Naruto."
"Good night, Karin," he murmured, a small smile on his lips as he closed his eyes.
The following day, Naruto stretched as he stepped out of bed, the crisp morning air waking him up. "Another day, another step toward greatness," he muttered to himself, grinning as he prepared for the adventure ahead.
At nine years old, he had already surpassed most expectations. His Mangekyō Sharingan had been honed to perfection, teetering on the edge of evolution into the Rinnegan. But he had made a conscious decision to halt the process—because for now, the Mangekyō had more versatility in battle.
For a normal Uchiha, the Mangekyō was both a gift and a curse, burning away their eyesight with every use. Itachi had suffered, and Sasuke had been forced to seek out his brother's eyes for an Eternal upgrade. But Naruto? He was different.
With Asura's chakra enhancing his regenerative capabilities and Kurama's presence acting as an internal safety net, blindness was never a concern. His eyes were as sharp as ever, and his powers only continued to grow.
"Oi, Naruto! You up?" Karin's voice rang from the other room.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!" he called back, grabbing his gear.
Today was the day he would visit Shikkotsurin. But beyond that, it was just another step in his ever-growing journey to strength.
He went through his usual workout routine, training alongside the others.
"Guys, I'm heading out on a trip for a while," he said.
Everyone paused their training, turning to look at him.
"Trip? Where to?" Ino asked, flipping her ponytail.
"Shikkotsurin," Naruto said casually, stretching his arms. "Gotta get a summoning contract. Tsunade is taking me there."
Hinata's eyes widened slightly. "Shikkotsurin… That's where the Slug Sage lives, right?"
"Yup! Slugs over snakes or toads any day," Naruto grinned.
Sakura tilted her head. "Wait, you're just leaving like that? What about training?"
"Relax, Sakura. I'll be back before you guys even start missing me." He smirked.
Karin, standing beside him, smirked. "We already talked about this last night. I'm going with him."
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Since when?"
"Since yesterday." Karin flicked her hair back. "Someone's gotta make sure he doesn't do something stupid."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Tch, as if I would."
From a distance, Sasuke continued his training, uninterested in their conversation, as he had already heard the whole thing during yesterday's dinner.
Ino crossed her arms. "Well, whatever. Just don't come back weaker than before."
Naruto chuckled. "Heh, as if that would happen. When I return, I'll be stronger than ever!"
With that, they resumed their training while Naruto and Karin prepared for their journey.
After training, everyone returned home. Naruto and Karin were ready to leave for Shikkotsurin with Tsunade.
"Is she coming too?" Tsunade asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Do you have a problem with me coming?" Karin shot back.
Tsunade sighed, rubbing her forehead. "No, but why do you want to come?"
Karin crossed her arms. "Why not? Besides, someone needs to make sure Naruto doesn't do something reckless."
Naruto scoffed. "Oh, come on, I'm not that bad."
Tsunade smirked. "Yeah, sure. Anyway, let's not waste time."
Tsunade bit her thumb and pressed it against the ground.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu-Katsuyu!"
With a puff of white smoke, a small slug appeared.
"Tsunade-sama, did something happen?" Katsuyu asked in her usual polite and formal tone.
Tsunade shook her head. "No, nothing urgent, Katsuyu. I've brought these two brats here because he wants to form a summoning contract with you", pointing to Naruto.
Katsuyu turned to Naruto and Karin. "Oh? A new summoner? And this young lady?"
Karin adjusted her posture, showing respect. "I'm just here with him."
Naruto grinned. "Yeah, I want to make a contract with you. I don't like toads, and snakes are out of the question."
Katsuyu chuckled softly. "I see. Then, Tsunade-sama, shall we proceed?"
With Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu, a surge of chakra enveloped them, and in an instant, they vanished from Konoha.
The next moment, Naruto, Karin, and Tsunade found themselves standing amidst the vast, misty landscape of Shikkotsurin—the sacred land of the slugs. Towering trees covered in moss stretched endlessly, and the air was thick with natural energy, giving the place an almost ethereal glow.