For a heartbeat, Naruto just stared at Yakumo — not angry, not defensive... just sad.A sadness too big for someone his age, a sadness born from understanding what it meant to be betrayed by the people you were supposed to trust.
He slowly raised his hands — palms open, surrendering not to her anger, but to her pain.
"I didn't come here because of her," Naruto said quietly, his voice carrying a steady weight."I came here because... you're you."
Yakumo froze.
"I don't care what happened before. I'm not here to fix her mistakes. I'm not here on anyone's mission."He gave a small, almost mischievous smile — like a stubborn kid daring the world to stop him."I'm here because I want to be."
"You're not a job. You're not a favor. You're not a burden."He pointed to his chest."You're a person. You're Yakumo Kurama. And that's enough."
Yakumo opened her mouth, but no words came out.For the first time in a long time, she didn't know what to say.
Naruto took a slow breath, gathering his words like precious stones he didn't want to drop.
"The truth is..." he began, his voice low, steady, real,"I wanted to meet you sooner."
Yakumo blinked, caught off-guard by the rawness in his tone.
"But I couldn't. And I'm sorry for that," Naruto said, bowing his head slightly — a warrior's apology, simple and sincere.
He raised his gaze again, his blue eyes clear as a summer sky."When I first heard about you from Sensei," he continued, "I was... fascinated. I mean, how could anyone not be?"
He chuckled softly, almost in wonder."Turning imagination into reality... It's like something out of a fairy tale. Ridiculous. Impossible. Beautiful."
Yakumo's fingers twitched at her sides.
"I wanted to meet you. I wanted to be friends with you."He smiled, not the wide, cocky grin he showed the world, but a smaller, softer one — the kind reserved for promises you don't say out loud.
"But then..." His smile faded slightly."When I learned about everything... how your own people sealed your power because they were afraid... I didn't know what to say."
He shook his head, frustrated — but not at her.
"It wasn't your fault. It was theirs—for not understanding. For choosing fear over faith."He took a step closer, his hand clenching at his side, not in anger, but in fierce loyalty."And I hate that you had to carry that alone."
The air around them felt heavier, like even the trees were leaning in to listen.
Karin's voice was steady, but warm."Don't worry, he's telling the truth."Her eyes softened as she met Yakumo's gaze, no trace of malice or trickery."He saved me... when I was just a slave to others."She smiled, but it wasn't a show. It was the kind of smile that came from the heart, the kind that said, I trust him with my life."I can vouch for him... from my heart."
Yakumo looked into Karin's eyes, searching for any sign of deceit, but found none. There was no darkness, no malice — just sincerity, pure and simple.
Then, Haku spoke up, her voice like a whisper that carried the weight of the past."I know how you feel," she said softly, her eyes distant, as if recalling painful memories."When I was small... my own father was afraid of my abilities. He called me a monster."Her hands clenched, as if remembering the cold sting of his words."He hit me. And eventually..." Haku hesitated for just a moment, her voice cracking slightly."...he killed my mother."
Yakumo's eyes widened, her body stiffened with a sudden, deep understanding. She didn't need to ask if Haku was lying. She knew. She knew that feeling all too well.
Haku's voice was stronger now, tinged with a hard truth."And after that, my powers went berserk. I didn't even know it was happening, but I killed my entire village."She closed her eyes briefly, the weight of her words almost too much to bear."And when I heard about you from Naruto, I thought... I thought you were in the same place I was. Alone. With no one to turn to."
Haku's eyes turned to Naruto, a soft gratitude filling them, though they were clouded with guilt."But this guy, he saved me. Even after I stabbed him."The last part came out with a grim twist, as though it still haunted her. She hadn't forgotten what she'd done to Naruto. She would never forget.
Yakumo's heart trembled, her breath hitching as she absorbed their words. These weren't just stories of power or glory. They were stories of pain — and of resilience. Of finding strength even in the darkest moments.
She looked from Haku to Naruto, her mind a whirlwind of emotions, her chest tightening with the weight of it all.
"I know this might feel overwhelming," Haku said softly, her voice steady yet kind. "But we'll be here for you. You don't have to face this alone. If you ever need help, you can count on us."
Yakumo lowered her head, her thoughts swirling as she processed everything that had been said. She was overwhelmed by the kindness and understanding, something she wasn't used to. The walls she'd built around herself, all those years of fear and loneliness, were beginning to crumble — and it scared her.
Naruto spoke next, his tone sincere, unyielding."The investment is real," he said, his eyes unwavering. "I believe in you, Yakumo. I'm genuinely investing in you. You have a way of creating things with your art, and I know you can find your own path through it. There's always a solution, and I'll be here to help you find it — through art, through whatever you need."
Yakumo raised her head slowly, looking into their eyes, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she didn't feel so alone.
But suddenly, Yakumo's eyes changed — from warm and hesitant to dark, sharp, almost mechanical, like a possessed doll crafted only for malice.Her peaceful expression twisted into a sinister smile, cold and haunting.
A dark, heavy aura seeped from her body, staining the air around her.
Hidden in the trees, Kurenai's heart dropped.She knew.Yakumo's seal had broken.But how? How could it have shattered without any warning?
Without wasting a second, Kurenai dashed forward, her voice sharp like a kunai cutting through tension:"Naruto! Karin! Haku! Get out of here — now! Her powers... they've gone berserk!"
Yakumo — or rather, the dark being now wearing her face — chuckled lowly."I knew you'd be here, Kurenai," she sneered, her voice layered with venom. "They say revenge is a dish best served cold... so here, Sensei, have a taste of mine."
As she spoke, the very atmosphere twisted.A black cloud, like a living nightmare, formed over Kurenai's head.Before anyone could blink —CRACK!A jagged bolt of dark lightning tore from the cloud, roaring down toward Kurenai.
Thick smoke swallowed the entire area, a choking, ghostly mist that blanketed everything in sight.The sudden roar of the lightning and the flash that split the sky had already thrown the entire district into panic.
Nearby shinobi, tasked with watching over the training grounds, immediately snapped to attention, sprinting toward the disturbance.Civilians peeked nervously from behind windows and stalls, fear sketched across their faces — whispers of "Is it an attack?" already flying.
When the smoke finally began to clear...there was nothing.
Not a single soul remained.The grass was slightly scorched where the lightning struck.The only signs of life — disturbed earth, broken twigs — hinted that something chaotic had happened here.
Even the painting supplies — the brushes, the canvas, the colors — had vanished without a trace, like they were never there to begin with.
The shinobi, upon arriving, stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded.Their hands hovered near their weapons, confused whether to chase shadows or report to higher-ups.