I Will Go Back Someday
After pondering for a moment, Naruto asked Shisui if he had awakened the Wood Release (Mokuton) kekkei genkai, and the latter shook his head slightly.
This made Naruto a little disappointed. The Curse Seal of the Uzumaki was the product of combining Ryūchi Cave Senjutsu with White Zetsu cells. With Shisui's physical constitution, even he couldn't awaken the Wood Release. This meant that the chances of other ninjas awakening it were even lower.
However, from another perspective, this was also a good thing.
Although the Wood Release was a powerful bloodline limit, the mortality rate during transplantation was extremely high, making it unsuitable for large-scale application.
Thinking about this, Naruto's thoughts turned to White Zetsu once again.
These parasitic humanoid beings, after inheriting the sacred tree's properties, could not only provide chakra to their hosts but also regenerate severed limbs by transplanting parts of their own bodies. This was evidently a more advanced technique than the Curse Seal.
Sure enough, any research into chakra technology in the ninja world would eventually lead to the study of the sacred tree and the Ōtsutsuki clan.
Reeling in his wandering thoughts, Naruto and the others headed to the training ground to conduct combat trials, hoping to gather more experimental data on transplant techniques for future research.
After collecting the data, Shisui expressed his surprise: "So the Curse Seal can be transplanted more than once?"
Naruto chuckled and replied, "Of course, it can. The final evolution of the Curse Seal is akin to the Senju Clan's power—just as the Uchiha's Sharingan eventually evolves into the Mangekyō Sharingan. Senju DNA and Sharingan are complementary to each other."
With this explanation, Shisui immediately understood and was even more astonished by the Curse Seal's effects.
He had originally assumed that the Curse Seal merely enhanced physical abilities by harnessing natural energy, but he hadn't expected it to also influence the Sharingan. Realizing this, he couldn't help but feel intrigued.
That Master Mianma was willing to grant Uchiha access to this technology showed that the Uchiha Clan was truly being treated as part of the family.
After allowing Shisui time to familiarize himself with the Curse Seal, Naruto turned to Uzumaki Ashina with a smile and said, "The old man has been a great help this time. These new talents haven't given you any trouble, have they?"
"Not really, but they seem quite interested in my form and wish to study it."
"The Edo Tensei technique itself is unique, but I'd advise against letting them research it too deeply. The Pure Land is no ordinary realm, and even the great sages of the holy lands regard it with great caution."
"Of course, I'm no fool. I understand that," Uzumaki Ashina said while stroking his beard. Then, with a slight frown, he added, "However, there's an important issue in the village that requires the leader's attention."
Naruto furrowed his brows and asked seriously, "What is it?"
Looking toward Uzushiogakure, Ashina spoke meaningfully: "Naruto, don't you think the number of Uchiha in the village is growing too rapidly, while the Uzumaki population remains too small? This imbalance isn't beneficial for the village's future."
"The Uchiha don't have the strength to seize power…"
Just as Naruto was about to analyze the situation, something occurred to him, and his expression turned odd. "Old man, are you trying to pressure me into marriage? You do realize how young I am, right?"
Uzumaki Ashina chuckled. "You may be young, but having an heir early is a wise decision."
Hearing the mention of marriage, Karin suddenly rushed over, her eyes shining. "Master Mianma has no family? I thought he was in his thirties and already had several children."
Naruto's mouth twitched slightly before he stated his actual age. He was still just a child, so why was he being urged to marry already?
When Karin learned his real age, she stood there, utterly dumbfounded.
She had assumed Naruto was in his thirties—at the very least, in his twenties. Yet, he was actually younger than her and hadn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy. Despite this, he had founded a nation and a village and had even intimidated Kusagakure with a single sentence…
Moreover, she began to wonder whether she should start calling herself "Lady Mianma." After all, they were close in age.
But if they were of similar age, did this mean she had a real chance to repay him for saving her? Would her status as a clan sister be an obstacle? What should she do…?
At that moment, Naruto had no idea he had just been targeted by the lovestruck Karin.
Even if he knew, he wouldn't dwell on it. It was only natural for a girl to admire someone as exceptional as him.
After leaving the laboratory, Kurama suddenly spoke up. "Naruto, that girl you rescued seems to have feelings for you. I can smell the infatuation from a mile away."
Naruto let out a chuckle. "Nine-Tails, since when did you start caring about romance? Aren't you still single?"
Kurama sneered. "Tailed beasts don't have genders. Besides, I've witnessed the love stories of Hashirama and Mito, Minato and Kushina—I know more about love than you, brat."
"Do you even know how the Rasengan was created and who the first person to be hit by it was?"
Naruto looked at the Nine-Tails with amusement. "That's easy. Minato created the Rasengan, and the first one to get hit by it was you, Kurama."
Kurama scoffed. "You got that right, but let's see if you can guess this—who named the Rasengan?"
Naruto paused. Given Minato's usual naming style, the Rasengan should have had a long, grandiose name full of dramatic flair. That meant Minato probably hadn't named it.
That left Jiraiya, Kushina, or someone else.
Seeing Naruto's puzzled expression, Kurama placed his paws on his hips and declared, "It was your mother, Kushina, who named it. Minato and the others overcomplicated things, but your mother kept it simple. I've seen far more romance than you ever will, kid."
"…Somehow, that sounds like an insult."
Naruto looked at Kurama helplessly. He had already thought Minato's infamous "killing my sister under the moonlight" incident was outrageous, but now, even the name of the Rasengan had traces of love in it.
And to think, Kurama was the very first victim of the Rasengan. Why was he even defending it?
"Alright, alright, you win, Kurama… But unlike you, I have plenty of girls interested in me. Meanwhile, there's no vixen out there for you—only that raccoon, Shukaku, who keeps thinking about you."
Caught off guard, Kurama huffed in irritation and retreated into his cage.
As Kurama disappeared, Naruto returned to reality. He climbed to the highest point in Uzushiogakure and gazed across the sea toward the Land of Fire, where Konohagakure lay thousands of miles away.
There were many people in Konoha whom he despised, but there were also those who had found a place in his heart.
His days at the Ninja Academy had been among the few peaceful moments in his life—memories that he couldn't help but cherish.
One day, he would return to Konoha.
But not as the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
He would return openly—as the leader of Uzushiogakure.
Subscribe to Patreon.com/Akeyno to get 30+ chapters