I'm Not Just a Jinchūriki
After negotiating with Orochimaru, Naruto did not immediately seek out Ryūchi Cave but instead returned to Uzushio Village.
The serpents of Ryūchi Cave were far more ruthless than the toads of Mount Myōboku; they thrived on cannibalism, ensuring that only the most powerful among them survived.
The risks of failing to master Sage Mode were similar in both places—one could either turn to stone, as seen with Jiraiya's failed attempts, or be devoured alive by the cave's inhabitants.
However, Naruto had hesitated to depart, seeking a sage art more suited for human physiology—perhaps something akin to the First Hokage Hashirama Senju's mysterious Sage Mode, which had allowed him to battle Uchiha Madara on equal footing at the Valley of the End.
The origins of such senjutsu remained uncertain. It could have been derived from Shikkotsu Forest, the third of the three great sage regions, or perhaps Hashirama had developed his own technique through sheer mastery of chakra control and his unique lineage.
Naruto's reluctance stemmed from his distrust of both the White Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave and the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku. These ancient beings had lived for centuries, yet their true power remained an enigma.
Moreover, Naruto was skeptical of the prophecy concerning the "Child of Destiny." Such vague foresight, which once deemed Nagato and later himself as world-changers, only made him more wary.
Just then, a knock at the office door interrupted his thoughts. Izumi Uchiha entered, bowing slightly as she handed him a scroll. "Lord Menma, this is Uchiha's record on Sage Techniques. The rest was lost during the Konoha destruction."
Naruto nodded, dismissing her. As she left, she stole a lingering glance, her expression filled with reverence.
The Uchiha clan valued strength above all else. In Uzushio Village, they had not only found a leader in Naruto but had also gained a level of political influence they could never dream of in Konoha.
As Naruto studied the ancient records over lunch, his brow furrowed. The Uchiha had preserved shockingly little information on sage arts—far less than he himself knew. After Uchiha Madara's fall, had no one else in the clan pursued senjutsu?
Then again, it made sense. If the Uchiha had ever uncovered the source of Hashirama Senju's strength, it would have rewritten history.
Unless… Madara himself had acquired it through his battle with Hashirama, leaving his younger brother, Izuna Uchiha, to study the secrets of the First Hokage's body.
Meanwhile, within Naruto's sealed subconscious, Namikaze Minato took notice of his son's search for senjutsu and spoke up, puzzled.
"If you're so determined to learn sage arts, why not train with me? I may not be a master, but I did learn it."
Naruto's gaze shifted to his father's chakra apparition. "You know Sage Mode, yet you didn't use it against Kurama?"
Minato flinched. While he could enter Sage Mode quickly, it lacked longevity. Combined with the chakra demands of the Flying Thunder God Technique, it was practically useless in battle.
Sighing, Minato pressed on. "What I mean is, instead of wasting time searching for new senjutsu, why not train at Mount Myōboku? Jiraiya-sensei may be eccentric, but he would never deceive you like Orochimaru."
Naruto held his father's gaze for several seconds before smirking. "Fourth Hokage, you seem to forget—I am the leader of Uzushio Village. If I went to Myōboku, wouldn't that make me a Konoha-affiliated shinobi?"
Minato fell silent. He knew Jiraiya would never betray Konoha, making such an alliance impossible.
Naruto continued. "Besides, Mount Myōboku has been fixated on this 'Child of Prophecy' nonsense for too long. If I ever visit, it will be on my terms, as an equal—not as their so-called chosen one."
In the depths of the sealed space, Kurama let out a booming laugh. "Well said, Naruto! I've never liked those slimy toads—their stench alone is unbearable. But in truth, you don't even need sage arts. With me at your side, you have all the power you need."
Naruto fell into silence. The air in the sealed realm grew heavy, while Isobu—the Three-Tails—simply yawned in the background, indifferent to the conversation.
Kurama's brows furrowed. "What? You don't believe me? Are you doubting my strength?"
Naruto sighed. "Kurama, that's your power—not mine. If I lost your chakra, I wouldn't even be able to defeat someone like Shisui."
Kurama snorted, clearly displeased. "Since when is my power separate from yours? Or are you afraid that once my seal is completely undone, I'll abandon you?"
"As long as you swallow your pride and ask nicely, I might consider staying."
What Kurama didn't realize was that Naruto had thought even further ahead.
Even with Kurama's strength, it would never be enough against the likes of the Ōtsutsuki Clan. In one possible future, his counterpart had neglected his training, forcing Kurama to sacrifice himself with the Baryon Mode—a desperate move that left Naruto powerless.
Without Kurama, that future version of himself had only Sage Mode left, unable to keep up in the new era. Naruto had no intention of making the same mistake.
More importantly, he had yet to master any sage arts, meaning that if Kurama were ever taken from him, he would be utterly defenseless.
He needed a power strong enough to ensure that would never happen.
Naruto's eyes gleamed with determination. "Kurama, have you ever considered becoming even stronger? Humans and summons can train in sage arts—so why can't a tailed beast?"
Kurama's ears twitched, intrigued.
"I'm not just looking for senjutsu for myself," Naruto continued. "I want us to evolve together. You once told me the real enemy is the Ten-Tails and the Rinnegan users. If we're going to stand against them, we need to push our limits beyond anything seen before."
Kurama's expression shifted. Naruto was right. If a toad or a snake could master sage arts, why not a tailed beast?
If he perfected his own sage techniques, not even Shukaku could challenge his status as the strongest of the Tailed Beasts.
"Hmph. Fine. But if we're going to do this, we need to make contact with the other Tailed Beasts. If the Ten-Tails returns, they need to be ready."
Far away in the sealed realm, Minato watched this exchange in silence, his expression unreadable.
He knew the truth—Pain, the leader of Akatsuki, was actually Nagato. The masked man pulling the strings was Obito Uchiha, his former student.
But as a mere chakra remnant, there was nothing he could do. If only he could be resurrected with Edo Tensei…
Then again, the resurrection of the dead would disrupt the balance of the shinobi world.
Minato clenched his fists, torn between helplessness and resolve.
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