"This is probably the last lesson I'll give you on combat…"
Kazuki gave a light cough.
"Kurama, transfer some of your chakra into Naruto's body. You already know your own condition—no need for me to spell it out."
"In a solo fight, you're strong—but you're far more suited to battle as part of a duo."
Kurama froze for a moment, then nodded.
After all, he is Kazuki-sama.
Even if he may not know about the Ten-Tails, isn't it only natural that he can see through its essence?
As a fragment of the Ten-Tails, Kurama—like all Tailed Beasts—was inherently designed to function as a support entity.
Only by being paired with a powerful host could he fully realize his potential.
That was the entire purpose behind the concept of a jinchūriki—not just to restrain a Tailed Beast, but to draw out its true strength.
"All of it's yours, Kazuki-sama! My chakra's right here—take as much as you want!"
Kurama said enthusiastically.
After watching the kind of insane plays Kazuki had pulled using Naruto's body, even the fox was itching to show off a little.
It wanted Kazuki to control its power too—to go all out and shine in front of everyone!
"Watch closely, Naruto… This is how you use the power of the Nine-Tails!"
Pure Nine-Tails chakra erupted from Naruto's body in a powerful surge, forming a sturdy Tailed Beast Cloak around him.
"This is only the most basic usage of Kurama's chakra… But even at this level, your durability, recovery rate, and chakra reserves will all receive a massive boost."
Kazuki patiently explained the subtle uses of the Nine-Tails' chakra to Naruto, walking him through each detail with care.
But to everyone else watching, the situation suddenly turned tense—and dangerously so.
Just moments ago, Naruto had exuded the calm presence of a master.
Now, without warning, the Nine-Tails' chakra erupted from his body—bringing with it an ominous, malevolent aura that sent a chill through every Uchiha present.
Naruto hadn't yet responded to Uchiha Fugaku's words of gratitude—he simply stood there, cloaked in the chakra of the Nine-Tails, as if unwilling to communicate at all.
In an instant, a horrifying memory flashed through every Uchiha's mind—the night of the Nine-Tails' rampage.
Could it be?
Had the jinchūriki lost control after the battle? Was Naruto about to go berserk?
It seemed plausible. After all, Naruto was still just a seven-year-old child.
He'd burned through so much chakra in the fight—if the Nine-Tails took advantage of that opening, things could spiral out of control fast…
Yet none of the Uchiha dared make a move.
Or rather—they didn't know what to do.
Even in his normal state, Naruto had easily overpowered two Mangekyō Sharingan users.
And now with the Nine-Tails' power added on top?
He could level the entire village.
Should they intervene?
The Uchiha stood paralyzed, caught in a storm of inner turmoil.
But unlike his indecisive clansmen, Uchiha Obito's eyes lit up with a flash of excitement.
He saw it—his chance to escape.
Yes, Obito had no intention of continuing the fight with Naruto.
That one spit had crushed his dreams of controlling the Nine-Tails, at least for now.
He needed to return to the Akatsuki and regroup. Reevaluate everything.
As tension thickened and the scene grew colder than silence, a sudden roar shattered the standoff.
A new figure burst onto the battlefield—none other than the infamous political activist of the shinobi world, the Hokage's Advisor, the Darkness of the Shinobi, the leader of the Root—
Shimura Danzō.
He looked upon Naruto, now shrouded in Nine-Tails chakra, and saw what he believed was a loss of control.
And he was thrilled.
Perfect timing.
Just moments earlier, Hiruzen had told him:
If something went wrong with Naruto tonight, the Hokage seat would be his.
This was it. His moment.
"Demon Fox! Stand down!"
Danzō drew a razor-sharp kunai and charged forward at the head of the Root operatives.
"Hokage's Advisor—Shimura Danzō—is here!"
Behind him, Root squads closed in on Naruto like hungry wolves!
"The Nine-Tails jinchūriki spotted in the Uchiha compound… Hmph, this clan really is evil by nature! Good thing it's only the Tailed Beast Cloak. I'll suppress him with the cursed seal first!"
While sprinting, Danzō formed hand seals at the fastest speed of his life, exhaling a long blade of Wind Release chakra from his mouth. With a powerful swing, he flung aside his cane—the aura he exuded was overwhelming and unstoppable!
But behind him, Hiruzen's heart had already begun to tremble.
He wanted to shout for Danzō to stop… because the moment he saw the Water Prison and the fallen Uchiha, Hiruzen knew—
His sensei had returned!
That thin water membrane covering Uchiha Itachi—it looked simple, but to attain that tenacious, almost glue-like resilience while simultaneously infiltrating the enemy's five senses… that required an advanced mastery of water-based chakra shape transformation and control.
Hiruzen didn't know if anyone else could pull it off…
But he, the Third Hokage known as the "Professor of Ninjutsu," definitely couldn't. He had only ever seen such finesse from Tobirama.
'Danzō, you should've realized it too! Can't you tell this Water Prison technique—only Sensei could have crafted something like that!'
Hiruzen cursed bitterly in his heart.
He had indeed wanted his old comrade to test Naruto's abilities… but not like this!
To draw blades against their own sensei, as disciples?
No matter what Shimura Danzō's intentions were… Hiruzen knew very well—his sensei was never the type of parent who spoiled his children.
Especially considering everything Shimura Danzō had done over the years—things buried deep in the shadows—if Tobirama were to learn of those deeds, he would likely enforce the harshest of clan punishments without hesitation!
The very thought made Hiruzen's heart tremble.
Could Tobirama already know about Danzō's actions? It was entirely possible.
After all, no one knew exactly when Tobirama had taken possession of Naruto's body… and with his unmatched ability to gather intelligence, combined with his thorough understanding of Konoha's structure, he could easily deduce a great deal from subtle clues.
"Da… Danzō…" Hiruzen opened his mouth, but the voice that escaped his throat was hoarse and faint—so weak that even the nearest Anbu couldn't hear him.
Forget it…
Even if he shouted at the top of his lungs—even if he revealed that Naruto was the reincarnation of the Sage of Six Paths—Danzō, already consumed by ambition, wouldn't listen. He would only assume that Hiruzen was gripped by fear… and become even more excited.
Besides, Tobirama had specifically told him not to reveal his existence.
Now that Tobirama had clearly regained most of his strength, and with the Nine-Tails under his control, Hiruzen's mind raced through Konoha's current military capabilities in a flash of insight—and just like that, he buried any suspicion that Tobirama had succumbed to darkness deep within his heart.
Even if he had gone dark… what could they do?
With the pitiful strength Konoha currently possessed, even if they fought Tobirama and somehow managed to win, it would cost them dearly. And in that weakened state, Iwagakure and Kumogakure would crush them without mercy.
This was not like the timeline where Kazuki existed.
That version of Hiruzen had fought to bring hope to Konoha by saving Kazuki. That Konoha boasted formidable shinobi like Hatake Sakumo, Kakuzu, Shisui, Hiruko, Tsunade, and others—the village was at its peak, capable of sweeping through four great nations without faltering.
Defeating Tobirama, in that world, was a means to cast off the decaying relic of the past and hurl him into history's trash heap.
But in this timeline, this Hiruzen had no choice but to comply with Tobirama's reckless will.
There was no Kazuki here.
And Hiruzen held no leverage.
He had been thoroughly bound and shackled.
"Naruto, this time… I'm teaching you to face your enemies with raw power."
"My fight against those two Uchiha relied more on technique—turning a single unit of force into ten."
"But don't become obsessed with that. You must strike a balance between skill and strength."
"No matter how refined your techniques are, at best they can multiply the effectiveness of your existing power. But when facing enemies with vastly greater strength, only power within the same tier can give you a fighting chance."
"Simply put, the magnitude of your chakra and the level of your life essence determine what tier of enemy you can confront. And technique determines where you rank within that tier."
Kazuki spoke calmly: "No matter how sharp you carve a wooden stick, it still won't beat a rough stone."
"Skill often comes from natural refinement in times of peace—or from helplessness when you can't move forward. But remember this, Naruto—ascending your level of life and power is what truly matters above all."
Naruto nodded thoughtfully.
Kazuki's reminder had struck home. After witnessing how effortlessly he had dealt with the Uchiha Massacre Duo using barely any chakra, Naruto couldn't help but develop a yearning for that level of technique…
He too wanted to wield ordinary jutsu with the same ease and elegance—turning them into something miraculous, just like Kazuki did.
'So then… how do I elevate my power level? My life essence?' Naruto pondered inwardly. These two concepts still felt abstract to him. Without having witnessed them in action, they were difficult to grasp.
Kazuki glanced at Naruto and chuckled softly.
He already knew what the boy was thinking. But explanations weren't necessary…
Because showing him once would be enough.
The sheer beauty of overwhelming power, crushing all technique, held a more visceral, dazzling impact than elegance ever could.
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