Now that he had acquired power far beyond what Naruto originally had at this point, he knew better than to flaunt it.
Power that's revealed too early… dies quickly.
Judging from the current timeline, he estimated that he had just stepped into the early Shippuden era. Sasuke was still with Orochimaru. Akatsuki was beginning to hunt the Jinchūriki systematically.
And he—Uzumaki Naruto—was still the container of the Nine-Tails, the most dangerous tailed beast in existence. That alone placed him in the crosshairs of organizations like Akatsuki, and possibly Konoha elders who still feared the Nine-Tails' rampage.
He couldn't afford to act like the old Naruto.
He had to plan, gather resources, and become stronger… in the shadows.
He wasn't going to be a self-sacrificing hero. Not anymore. Not in this world.
The part that excited him the most wasn't just that he now possessed Naruto's body—it was that he had also claimed Kurama's essence.
Two bodies.
One consciousness.
One soul in dual form.
With careful strategy, he could become the strongest in this world—stronger than even Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, whose power dwarfed everyone else by the end of the original series.
Outside the ruined training field, Jiraiya groaned, dragging his battered body toward Naruto. His internal injuries were severe. The sheer pressure of the Nine-Tails' earlier outburst had broken several ribs and damaged his chakra network.
He was already preparing to enter Sage Mode as a last resort, knowing it was the only way he could possibly restrain a rampaging Naruto. But just as he began drawing in natural energy…
The monstrous Nine-Tails chakra disappeared.
Instantly.
Like a storm vanishing without warning.
Jiraiya froze mid-seal, his fingers trembling. He didn't know whether to resume channeling or stop. The unpredictability made it worse.
Still—he held back. Something told him not to move just yet.
From within the dust and shattered terrain, Naruto slowly opened his eyes. His breathing was calm.
Around him, trees were snapped like twigs, the ground torn into craters. Clearly, the tail-end of his transformation had devastated the environment.
And yet, he stood there without a scratch.
He shivered as he recalled what had just happened inside the seal. That direct confrontation with Kurama, fused with the overwhelming rush of chakra—it was both exhilarating and terrifying. If things had gone even slightly wrong, he could have lost his mind… or worse.
Jiraiya hobbled over. His face was pale, and sweat dripped from his chin.
"Naruto," he rasped, "how the hell did you control the Nine-Tails' chakra without going berserk?"
He needed answers. Jiraiya had seen the chakra swell to a level even greater than when Naruto lost control and entered Four-Tails Mode during their original training. Back then, Jiraiya had been left with a permanent scar across his chest.
This time? It had felt like the Nine-Tails itself was about to be unleashed.
Naruto smiled faintly and lied smoothly.
"Don't worry, ero-sennin. Just when things got out of hand, my dad showed up. His chakra appeared inside the seal… and calmed Kurama down."
It wasn't exactly wrong—Minato's chakra had originally been sealed inside Naruto as a fail-safe during the Eight-Tails rampage. But in this reality, Naruto had already consumed that memory fragment. Still, the story was believable.
Jiraiya's eyes softened. "Minato… You really did think ahead."
He sighed and rested against a shattered boulder, clutching his side.
"You already know who your father is, huh? I guess the seal must've revealed everything."
"I'm sorry, Naruto. Sarutobi-sensei thought it best to wait before telling you. Maybe he hoped to protect you from the pressure of the name."
Naruto waved it off with a grin. "It's fine. I'm actually proud. Knowing that the Fourth Hokage is my dad? That makes me want to work even harder."
He acted effortlessly—just like the original Naruto would have.
Jiraiya chuckled, relieved. "Heh. You haven't changed a bit."
Naruto stepped closer. "Hey, Ero-sennin. Since my dad left me some knowledge, I know a little about the Sage Mode you use. I want to learn it too."
In truth, Minato's chakra remnant had contained only fragmented memories—barely enough to understand the concept of Senjutsu, much less master it.
To unlock true Sage Mode, Naruto needed someone who had already walked that path. And who better than Jiraiya, the Toad Sage himself?
Jiraiya was quiet for a moment. He looked at Naruto and saw not just Minato's will—but something greater. A sense of calm and power that Naruto hadn't possessed before.
"Alright," he said finally. "We'll head to Mount Myōboku. I need healing anyway—Kurama's outburst did a number on me."
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiraiya coughed violently and spat blood into his hand.
Without wasting time, he bit his thumb and slammed it against the ground.
"Reverse Summoning Technique!"
In an instant, Jiraiya and Naruto vanished in a puff of smoke.
When they reappeared, they stood at the base of a towering waterfall surrounded by giant lilies and stone frog statues.
Mount Myōboku.
The sacred land of the Toads.
"Jiraiya, what happened to you!?"
The elderly toad Fukasaku, startled by Jiraiya's condition, leapt from the pondside and landed before him.
Behind him, Shima narrowed her eyes, already sensing the traces of Nine-Tails chakra on Naruto.
"Did someone attack you?!" Fukasaku demanded.
Jiraiya waved him off. "No enemies. Just a training accident with Naruto. The Nine-Tails almost… well, let's just say we avoided disaster."
Shima turned to Naruto and examined him closely. "So this is the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, eh?"
"Hmph. Nice-looking boy. I'll cook you a hearty toad dinner later."
Naruto's face froze. Of course, he remembered exactly what kind of "delicacies" were served here—deep-fried bugs, fermented caterpillars, and worm stew.
He forced a smile. "Thank you, but I, uh… brought my own food."
Jiraiya winced as well. He had never been able to stomach Shima's cooking.
While Fukasaku took Jiraiya away for healing, Naruto was left standing at the stone shrine, watching the scenery of Myōboku.
Here, under the guidance of the Toad Sages, he would begin his Senjutsu training.
Jiraiya later proposed Naruto as a candidate to learn Sage Mode. Fukasaku, after witnessing Naruto's chakra reserves and control, agreed.
So for the next month, Naruto remained in Mount Myōboku.
He practiced balance, stillness, and the absorption of nature energy.
But while he trained, he also planned.
He remembered all the events to come:
• Pain's invasion.
• The Akatsuki hunts.
• Danzo's rise to power.
• The Fourth Great Ninja War.
This time, Naruto wouldn't be a pawn moved by fate.
He would be the one moving the pieces.
One step at a time.