I held the [D-Rank Gate Key] up, ready to channel my chakra into it, when a sudden mental ping echoed in my mind, making me pause.
One of the Soldiers I had ordered to keep an eye on various factions in Konoha signaled me. Through the [Shadow Link] effect, I saw the moonlit rooftop of Kikyo Castle where Gaara had killed Dosu in the main timeline. This time, however, instead of Dosu lying mangled beyond belief, I saw Hayate collapsing to his knees, coughing up a violent spray of blood. And standing over him after performing a wind-blade attack was Baki.
So it's happening right now, I noted, my eyes narrowing.
"Alright, wait until the other guy leaves and grab Hayate," I commanded. "Then pull him into the shadows. Drop him directly near the Jonin lounge by the Hokage building and fade out before anyone else sees you."
The Soldier nodded and waited to complete what it was assigned. By doing this, it guaranteed that Hayate not only survived, but that his survival would also be a key advantage for the Konoha higher-ups. Knowing that Kabuto was a spy working for Orochimaru would give them the benefit of countering the invasion from their end.
Now with that out the way, back to the never-ending grind.
Before I could sever the connection, the Soldier seamlessly transferred a memory of the conversation it had just overheard between Baki and Kabuto.
My eyebrows raised in genuine surprise as the intel filtered into my mind.
The gist of it was simple; Orochimaru was paranoid. Apparently, his designated spies hadn't been able to adequately find or track me since the preliminaries ended. Which made sense; because of my plethora of new stealth abilities and equipment, I was essentially a ghost in a village where they expected to have eyes on everyone. Because I was such a massive, untraceable wild card, Orochimaru was pivoting. In addition to the Konoha Crush, he was organizing a special strike team solely dedicated to getting me out of the way during the chaos of the finals.
A wide smirk spread across my face.
An assassination squad? Just for me? I chuckled softly, twirling the dungeon key between my fingers. How thoughtful. I'm always in need of bonus XP.
With the real-world events handled for now, I activated the key and stepped through the resulting Gate. I was transported into a massive, desolate rocky canyon. The sky above was an unnatural gray, and the cliff walls stretched up for hundreds of feet in every direction.
Before I could take in more of the scenery, a group of Wall Climbers—multi-legged bugs with hard exoskeletons—scurried out from behind the boulders on the ground.
"COME FORTH!" I commanded my Soldiers. "And clear out the area."
Hundreds of dark shapes peeled off from the shadows at my feet and darted towards the group.
"You come with me," I called out to a single, Level 6 Infantry Goblin gearing to beat a climber with a club.
It knelt before me, its shadowy form flickering in the still air.
"You've fought well for me so far," I said, my tone completely serious. I reached into my [Inventory] and pulled out the [Mask of the Shinigami] and extended it forward. "But I need a special task from you."
The Goblin looked up, giving a firm, loyal nod as it understood my intentions for it. It reached out with its shadowy hands and took the wooden mask.
"I thank you for your service," I said as the Goblin pressed the mask to its face without hesitation.
The moment the wood touched the shadow, the ambient temperature in the canyon plummeted below freezing. The world seemed to lose all its color, washing out into a stark, terrifying grayscale.
[WARNING: DIVINE ENTITY DETECTED]
[WARNING: PLAYER'S SUMMON IS BEING POSSESSED BY 'THE SHINIGAMI' (DEATH GOD)]
A suffocating, oppressive chill gripped the air. The stone beneath my feet cracked and splintered under the atmospheric pressure as a towering, ethereal presence manifested directly behind the Goblin.
So that's how the Shinigami looks up close, I thought, analyzing the entity's form.
It wore a flowing, spectral white robe. Its skin was a bruised purple, and its demonic face perfectly mirrored the mask it had been summoned through. Long, wild white hair billowed around it in a non-existent wind. Between its jagged teeth, it held a short, wicked-looking blade.
The Shinigami's hollow, glowing eyes locked onto me, expecting me to submit under the weight of its presence.
But I didn't even flinch. The idea of someone else being considered the ruler of the dead didn't sit well with me deep down.
You the ruler over the fallen? I thought as I stood my ground and instinctively let my own [Presence] flare. Now, who decided that? How can that be when I exist here?
[SKILL ACTIVATED: Aura of the Sovereign]
An abyssal wave of dark blue and black energy erupted from my body, crashing directly against the Shinigami's freezing aura. The shadows in the canyon elongated, warping and bowing towards me.
The Shinigami froze and tilted its massive head. Its glowing eyes narrowed as it stared at the deep, dark aura rolling off me.
For a long, agonizingly tense moment, the two of us just looked at each other.
Slowly, almost respectfully, the Shinigami lowered the blade from its mouth. It reached down with a massive hand and gently gripped the shadowy essence of the Goblin.
Huh? I thought, attempting to figure out what it planned on doing, until a prompt appeared in my vision that put me more at ease:
[NOTICE: THE SHINIGAMI ACKNOWLEDGES THE AUTHORITY OF THE SHADOW MONARCH.]
In a silent exchange, the Goblin dissolved, its essence consumed directly by the deity as a legitimate trade.
Having received its toll, the Shinigami parted its robes.
Without using its blade, the Death God's stomach unsealed itself. A blinding, ethereal light erupted from the entity's chest, illuminating the gray canyon.
The heavy, suffocating pressure of the Shinigami was instantly overwhelmed by an eruption of pure, unfathomable chakra. The ground beneath me shattered into craters as two glowing orbs of spiritual energy shot out of the Shinigami's stomach, swirling into the sky.
The first orb exploded into a colossal cloud of dark-orange chakra. The sheer density of it made the air vibrate.
The second, much smaller orb of glowing blue energy drifted down toward the rocky ground in front of me.
"TO ME!" I commanded another one of my low-ranked Soldiers, and out appeared a Level 6 Wolf. "Anchor the smaller soul."
The shadow sprang up, rushing to the exact spot where the blue soul was descending. As it did, I brought my hands together and channeled a large amount of chakra.
[SKILL ACTIVATED: Edo Tensei (Impure World Reincarnation)]
The moment the ethereal orb touched the Wolf, the shadow violently morphed. The darkness was bleached away by a blinding white light, the form rapidly stretching and solidifying into a three-dimensional silhouette woven from dark matter and spiritual energy.
The light faded, leaving behind an ethereal, shadowy figure wearing a white haori adorned with red flames.
Minato Namikaze opened his bright blue eyes, stumbling slightly as he looked around the desolate, gray canyon in absolute confusion before his gaze finally locked onto me.
For a moment, there was only silence in the dungeon—well, except for the sounds of my Soldiers slaying monsters in the distance, of course.
Minato stood there, his dynamic features etched with bewilderment. He looked at his hands, flexing the fingers of his temporary vessel, before raising his gaze back to me.
As a master sensory ninja, he had to be overwhelmed. He was currently housed in a body made of pure shadow, standing in a foreign environment, facing a boy who looked similar to him, yet radiated a terrifying aura that rivaled the entity he was just inside.
"Where..." he rasped, testing out his voice. He coughed once and his gaze sharpened, sweeping over my attire, my face, and finally stopping on my eyes. The confusion instantly melted into a shock so profound it made his temporary body flicker.
"Naruto?!" he whispered, taking a hesitant step forward. "You... you're so big. But... how's this possible? The Reaper's stomach… And your chakra it's… different."
Oh man, how do I go about this? I thought as I let my aura recede into a passive state.
"Hey, uh… dad. How's it goin'?" I asked, trying to keep it together before clearing my throat. "Sorry to bring you back so abruptly like this, but I need your help, so I need you to listen closely, if you wouldn't mind."
Minato paused, the shock on his face instantly replaced by the intense, serious demeanor of the Fourth Hokage. He didn't ask how I knew who he was; he just nodded for me to continue.
"I know why you did it," I began, cutting off any potential apologies about the sealing. "I know why you sealed half the Fox inside me. I'm aware of the masked man, and I hold no resentment towards you for the decision you've made. What's done is done."
Best to get this out the way first, I mused. I've never been good with sad moments like these. Especially given that I'm not the original.
Minato's shoulders seemed to lose a massive weight at my words, and a look of profound relief washed over his features.
"However," I continued, my expression hardening, "that masked man is still active, and as we speak, Orochimaru is planning to crush Konoha during the Chunin Exam finals in three weeks. Jiraiya is back in the village, and I am currently training to stop the invasion. I found the lost Uzumaki temple outside the village and utilized a divine artifact—the mask I used to free you—along with my unique abilities to forge a path to stop them."
I gestured around the rocky canyon. "To withstand the coming conflict and master the [Adamantine Sealing Chains], I need the other half. I need you to transfer the Yin-half of the Nine-Tails into my seal."
Minato processed the information at blinding speed. He glanced around at the dungeon, then at the Shadow Soldiers still clearing the remaining Wall Climbers in the distance. His eyes had widened slightly at the mention of the chains and sealing arts, a flicker of surprise and nostalgia crossing his features before he smiled—a small, proud smile.
"Other dimensions... an army of Shadow Soldiers... and surviving the Shinigami," Minato breathed out, shaking his head in absolute disbelief. "You've been busy, enduring a lot in such a short period of time."
I shrugged. "Enduring's a part of everyday life," I responded. "Especially when it comes to us. We're shinobi, after all, that's what we do."
Minato's eyes widened a fraction and he gained a brief far away look, like he had recalled something from the past.
Yea, I bet he would be surprised to hear those words again, I thought. They're the exact same philosophy he had shared with Kushina all those years ago when he sealed Kurama into Naruto. To hear it echoed back to him by the son he never got to raise—it probably hit him harder than anything he's encountered ever could.
"You carry your mother's resilience," Minato said after a short while, his gaze softened, brimming with a father's pride. "You've become stronger than I ever could have imagined, Naruto. So, If Orochimaru and the masked man pose a threat to your future and the village, then there's no question that I'll help you. That's my duty as a father, as well as a Hokage, after all."
I don't know why, but hearing those words sting, I thought briefly as he stepped closer and placed a shadowy hand on my shoulder.
"Let's get to work," he said, then turned his attention to the sky, where the colossal, dark-orange orb of Yin-Kurama's chakra was hovering heavily in the air.
The sheer density of it was warping the space around it, radiating a malevolent heat that washed over the canyon.
"Normally, a transfer of this magnitude requires a highly complex ritual space," Minato stated, his tactical mind already analyzing the orb. "But since you already possess the other half, the Eight Trigrams Seal inside you will act as a magnetic anchor. I will perform the sealing sequence to stabilize your chakra network while we funnel it in, but you need to act as the primary conduit."
Before I could ask how to do that, a flashing red screen materialized directly in front of my face.
[WARRNING: MASSIVE FOREIGN CHAKRA ENTITY DETECTED (YIN-KURAMA). TO INITIATE CHAKRA INTEGRATION, THE PLAYER MUST MAKE DIRECT PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE TARGET ESSENCE.]
I don't know that thing looks like it burns, I thought, looking up at the miniature sun of pure hatred. But I guess I have no other choice, huh?
"Alright, let's get started," I told Minato as I channeled chakra into my legs and leaped high into the air where the massive, floating orb was.
"System, initiate integration," I commanded, pressing both of my palms flat against the burning orange surface.
[INTEGRATION INITIATED.]
The moment my skin made contact, the orb violently detonated.
The condensed chakra rapidly expanded, bleaching the sky in a blinding orange light as it took shape. A deafening, earth-shattering roar ripped through the canyon as the orb quickly turned into a living consciousness.
The sky was suddenly blocked out by the towering, terrifying form of the Nine-Tailed Fox. Its crimson, slitted eyes glared down at me, burning with a surplus of concentrated malice as my hands remained stuck to its manifesting snout.
Oh shit, I thought, watching as the beast's tails started to form. Thing's just keep getting better and better.
"YOU DARE CAGE ME AGAIN?!" Yin-Kurama's voice boomed as it tried to pull away from the integration process.
[WARNING: TARGET IS RESISTING INTEGRATION. SUPPRESSION REQUIRED.]
"I ain't come this far to lose now!" I roared over the howling wind.
I pulsed a massive surge of chakra into the spiral seal tattooed on my forearm.
[SKILL ACTIVATED: Adamantine Sealing Chains (Stage 1)]
Four black-and-purple chains erupted from my flesh. Because they were only base-level, they were relatively thin. The shadowy metal, laced with glowing golden Uzumaki runes, shot forward at blinding speed. Before the Fox could even rear its head back, the chains whipped around its neck and front limbs.
Yin-Kurama roared in outrage, instantly straining against the bindings. The chains groaned under the colossal pressure, hairline fractures appearing along the links as the beast easily began to overpower them.
"Oh no you don't!" I shouted, then called upon my Soldiers. "TO ME!"
The shadows across the entire canyon erupted. Beru, Rango, my Giant Red Tiger, the Armored Polar Bear, and hundreds of Soldiers exploded from the darkness. They launched themselves into the sky like a tidal wave of shadows, dogpiling the massive Fox, grabbing its tails, and pinning its limbs to the canyon walls with sheer, overwhelming numbers.
Down below, Minato let out a sharp gasp. "Just like her..." he murmured, a wistful, nostalgic smile touching his lips. I could only imagine that the shadowy technique vividly reminded him of Kushina.
Even through his reminiscing, Minato's reflexes were unparalleled. He blurred forward, leaping into the air to join me. He landed on one of my chains, perfectly balancing himself as his hands rapidly flew through a complex sequence of hand signs.
"Hold him steady, Naruto!" he shouted. "Eight Trigrams Sealing Style!"
Minato slammed his palm directly into my stomach.
An agonizing, searing heat exploded in my gut as the colossal mass of Yin-Kurama was forcefully dragged down from the sky, sliding down the length of my chains and funneling directly into my chakra network. Every single cell in my body screamed in protest as the Fox's dark chakra violently collided with the Yang half already sealed inside me.
If it weren't for the insane durability provided by my [CON] stat, my chakra coils would have instantly melted into slag.
A barrage of golden System screens exploded in front of my eyes, chiming violently over the ringing in my ears.
[INTEGRATING YIN HALF OF THE NINE-TAILED FOX...]
[INTEGRATION SUCCESSFUL.]
[YIN AND YANG HALVES OF THE NINE-TAILED FOX HAVE BEEN MERGED.]
[CHAKRA DENSITY HAS EXPONENTIALLY INCREASED. CALCULATING REWARDS...]
[REWARDS]:
+100 INT, +50 STR, +75 CON
Item: Key to the Eight Trigrams Seal
[QUEST UNLOCKED: THE SOVEREIGN AND THE BEAST]:
Objective: The halves are unified, but the beast is still caged. Meet with the full Nine-Tails within your domain to learn how to unlock the Kurama Chakra Mode (KCM).
I hit the rocky ground of the canyon floor, landing heavily on my feet as the chains retracted into my arm and the blinding light faded. The physical power humming beneath my skin was absolutely intoxicating. My reserves felt bottomless.
I looked over at Minato. The [Edo Tensei] jutsu that was automatically applied to my shadows would keep him here indefinitely if I wanted, anchoring him to the living world as an immortal shadow.
The things I could accomplish with a shinobi of his caliber are endless, I thought. An unstoppable, untiring juggernaut. All my enemies would quake in their sandals as I—
"Are you okay, son?" Minato asked, cutting my musings short.
As I looked upon his worried gaze, a pang of guilt hit me. He doesn't belong in this world anymore, I thought, dusting myself off. And I can't let him linger on and toil on the potential what ifs.
"Yea, I'm alright," I breathed out, forcing a reassuring smirk onto my face as I brought my hands together, slowly forming the sequence to release the [Edo Tensei]. "Just thinking about things before we say our goodbyes."
Minato smiled back, a look of profound peace settling over his features as his shadow-vessel began to naturally flake away, the jutsu's hold over his soul severing.
"You now carry the full weight of the Nine-Tails," he noted, his ethereal eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and absolute faith. "It's a heavy burden, Naruto... but after seeing what you're capable of, I know you can bear it."
I gave him a reassuring nod.
"Tell your mother's spirit... and Jiraiya-sensei... that I'm sorry I couldn't be there," Minato said softly, his voice echoing slightly as he began to fade. "But most importantly, Naruto... know that Kushina and I love you. More than anything in this world."
My eyes looked down briefly.
I shouldn't be the one receiving this, I thought, finally realizing why I was feeling a deep, agonizing pang of guilt twisting in my chest. The original Naruto—my goat—the kid who actually suffered alone for twelve years... he's the one who truly deserves to have this moment with his father. I'm just someone reaping the benefits. What a piece of trash I am, huh?
"I know," I said quietly, giving him a firm nod. "I'll… I'll make you both proud, Dad. I promise."
Minato gave me one final, blinding smile before his shadow-vessel completely dispersed, his soul returning to the Pure Land.
For a long moment, I just stood there in the quiet canyon, letting the reality of what just happened wash over me.
But as the last remnants of the Edo Tensei's ash faded into the dirt, a small, glowing golden object dropped to the ground with a soft chime.
Hm? I frowned, walking over and kneeling to pick it up. It was a jagged, intricately carved dungeon key, glowing with the exact same ethereal white light that Minato's soul had emitted.
[ITEM ACQUIRED: Echo of the Yellow Flash (Boss Key)]:
Rank: S
Description: A crystallized remnant of the Fourth Hokage's lingering will and battle intent. Using this key will transport the player to a specialized Sub-Space Instance to face a phantom echo of Minato Namikaze at the height of his power.
[SUB-QUEST UNLOCKED: SURPASS THE FLASH]:
Objective: Defeat the Echo of Minato Namikaze in single combat.
A slow, anticipated grin stretched across my face as I gripped the key tightly in my hand.
Looks like this ain't the last time we're gonna see each other, I thought. What a turn of events.
I slipped the [Echo of the Yellow Flash] key into my [Inventory], taking a deep breath of the dusty canyon air. With the lingering adrenaline of the transfer fading, I finally had a second to actually feel what had just happened to my body.
The sheer volume of chakra humming beneath my skin was staggering. It wasn't just the raw power; it was the density. Having both the Yin and Yang halves of the Nine-Tails unified inside my seal felt like I had a raging, inexhaustible ocean of energy swirling in me.
I had only been grinding for about a week since the Chunin Exam preliminaries ended, and I had already knocked out half of my major objectives. I had secured the Uzumaki Vault, awakened my bloodline, saved Hayate from his canon death, and successfully reunited the two halves of the most powerful Tailed Beast currently active in the world.
But I still had twenty-three days left until the finals. Twenty-three days to clear out the rest of my list and boost my level the best that I could.
It's all very doable, I thought, mapping out my schedule for the rest of the month. I'll need to complete the remaining four Uzumaki Trials and fully master the [Adamantine Sealing Chains]. Then, I need to clear that A-Rank Castle Gate. Then, I need to track down the ingredients to craft the [Holy Water of Life]. And finally... prepare a very special welcome party for whatever special strike team Orochimaru's sending my way. There's a lot to do with so little time.
[DUNGEON CLEARED!]
[REWARD: +20,000 RYO]
[LEAVE NOW?]: Y/N
I dismissed my [Shadow Soldiers], watching them sink quietly back into my shadow, and got ready to confirm my response. But before I could, another golden prompt aggressively overtook my vision, glowing with a dark, pulsating orange light.
[NOTICE: THE NINE-TAILED FOX DEMANDS AN AUDIENCE WITH THE SOVEREIGN.]
I knew he would, but I didn't think it'd happen this quickly, I thought as a confident smirk slowly crept onto my face as I looked at the prompt.
I closed the prompt and dropped down to sit cross-legged on the rocky ground. Well, let's see what's going on with him now.