Two days had passed since the fierce confrontation with Zabuza, and the quiet town by the sea slowly began to breathe again. At Tazuna's modest house, peace had settled like a gentle fog. Birds chirped with the rise of dawn, the sea wind whispered softly through the windows, and the once-battered shinobi were beginning to mend their bodies and minds.
Naruto sat near the window, staring out into the horizon. His injuries from the fight had healed faster than any normal human's would have, thanks to the Flesh Mending Pill and the faint golden chakra Kurama lent him at night. Though there was still a soreness in his bones, he could move without wincing now. The others noticed his recovery but didn't ask many questions—after all, the boy had never been ordinary.
Kakashi, though still slightly bandaged and limping from his own injuries, had resumed instructing Team 7 in chakra control. Beneath a shaded sakura tree outside the house, Sasuke and Sakura practiced walking up trees with their chakra, struggling but determined. Naruto, however, remained inside.
He sat cross-legged, his golden pendant resting against his chest, and before him, the silver-etched egg pulsed steadily. Its surface glimmered with a mystical radiance, fox-like patterns glowing in rhythmic waves. Something within it stirred.
That morning, as the family gathered around the table for breakfast, Tazuna spoke about the bridge's progress while Tsunami served rice and steamed fish. Naruto barely touched his food, his eyes fixed on the pendant. Suddenly, it flared to life.
A flash.
Everyone at the table turned.
Naruto stood up abruptly, knocking over his bowl. His eyes widened.
"It's happening," he whispered.
Without explaining, he rushed into the living room, his heart thudding. Kakashi followed him first, cautious but curious. Sasuke and Sakura exchanged glances and joined. Tazuna and Tsunami brought little Inari along, his eyes wide with wonder.
In the middle of the living room, the silver egg now hovered mid-air, rotating slowly. The patterns across it glowed like molten mercury. A soft hum began to echo, growing louder, vibrating the wooden floor beneath them.
CRACK.
A fracture split across the egg's surface.
A second.
A third.
And then, like the blossom of a frozen lotus, the egg peeled apart.
A soft, cold mist swept out from the center. When the light dimmed, standing atop the splintered remains of the egg was a creature none of them had seen before.
A fox—small, barely the size of a loaf of bread—stood poised and elegant. Her fur shimmered with a silver glow, glistening like fresh snow under moonlight. Her deep blue eyes sparkled with vitality, and a delicate trident-shaped mark pulsed on her forehead. Despite her size, the aura she exuded was noble and cold, commanding reverence.
Naruto stepped forward, his breath caught in his throat. The name echoed in his memory—the one his master, Yin Long, had whispered to him that night in the pendant realm.
"Lingxue," he murmured.
The little fox tilted her head at the name, her ears twitching. She looked at him with recognition. Slowly, she walked forward and leaped into his arms. Her body was cold to the touch, but soothing—as if holding winter itself.
Naruto cradled her gently. She blinked slowly and rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes and falling into a peaceful slumber.
Everyone in the room was silent.
Kakashi, with all his years of experience, found himself awestruck. "That's… not a normal summon or companion."
Sakura whispered, "She's beautiful… like something out of a myth."
Even Sasuke couldn't hide his curiosity. "Where did she come from?"
Naruto held Lingxue tighter, shielding her small body. "From a realm connected to my pendant… A gift from my master. Her bloodline carries the affinity of Ice and Illusion. She's… more than she appears."
Kakashi crouched beside him, his Sharingan deactivated but his gaze sharp. "You're treading into something old, Naruto. Something ancient."
Naruto looked up. "I know."
That night, after everyone had gone to bed, Naruto stayed up. He laid out a small fur-lined cushion beside his own futon, carefully setting the sleeping Lingxue upon it. Her breaths were slow and rhythmic, tiny mists forming with each exhale. Her cold nature was not hostile, but serene—like snowfall on a still night.
He knelt in the middle of the room.
The Void Stone hovered before him.
It had shrunk considerably over the past week—from the size of a fist to something no larger than a marble. It pulsed faintly. The moment he sat down and began refining it, the stone vanished.
A jolt of understanding struck his mind.
A name, an image, and the feeling of unrestrained movement.
**Void Travel.**
He could now tear the fabric of space in the direction he focused, moving great distances based on the amount of Qi he poured into it. The stronger his cultivation and understanding, the deeper the realms he could touch—including hidden ones.
His body began to tremble as the new technique fused with his being.
Then, something else happened.
A strange warmth coursed through his meridians, denser and more profound than before. He scanned his inner world, eyes widening.
He had broken through.
**Separation and Reunion Boundary – First Stage.**
This realm was unlike the Qi Transformation Stage. The Yuan Qi inside him now was heavier, more vibrant—brimming with clarity. His senses sharpened. His Qi responded to his will with a fluidity he'd never felt before.
But there was a whisper in his soul.
Two paths stood before him, each like a gate shrouded in mist.
One gate pulsed with reason and balance.
The other writhed with hunger, fury, and darkness.
He instinctively knew. This was the devil's temptation—the path of madness and blood. If he lost control of his emotions or desires, he could fall to the Devil's Path, like so many cultivators before him. A path of slaughter, of power at the cost of soul.
Naruto clenched his fists.
"I've seen pain. I've lived alone. But I will never be a monster."
He chose clarity. Control.
And yet, he couldn't ignore the edge of desire rising within him. The lure of power had become louder since advancing. He took deep breaths to suppress it.
The pendant glowed.
Yin Long's voice echoed from within.
"You have stepped into the Separation and Reunion Boundary, Naruto. The time has come to begin refining the **Immortal Golden Body – Second Stage.**"
Naruto froze.
"The first stage granted you golden blood, a stronger skeleton, and rapid healing. The second will begin the true tempering of your organs, meridians, and bones to withstand the strain of true Void Travel and higher Daos. But it will be excruciating. If your will falters, your body may collapse. You may die."
Naruto closed his eyes.
"I'll give you two days to prepare. Enter the pendant realm when you're ready."
The glow faded.
Naruto exhaled deeply and lay back. He looked over at Lingxue, curled peacefully in sleep. Her soft tail flicked as she dreamed.
He smiled faintly.
The road ahead would be treacherous.
But he wasn't alone anymore.
Not truly.
The world was changing. And so was he.
To Be Continued…