Late in the evening, Naruto collapsed onto his futon, utterly exhausted. A dull ache throbbed through his skull—a lingering reminder of Namori's wrath, delivered via her infamous frying pan. She had been livid, to say the least. After an earful of scolding that could have made even the Hokage flinch, she had worked him to the bone as punishment. He never wanted to see another potato again as long as he lived.
With a reluctant groan, Naruto rolled onto his side, staring at the cluttered chaos of his bedroom. Discarded clothing, crumpled scrolls, and dog-eared manga books were strewn haphazardly across the floor. His study desk, positioned near the bedroom door, was buried under empty ramen cups and stacks of untouched books. The closet stood half-open, its contents—a mountain of clothes—spilling out in a hopeless mess. Namori had long since given up on nagging him to keep his space tidy. After years of futile lectures, she had simply thrown up her hands and let him suffer the consequences of his habits.
Yawning, Naruto peeled off his day-worn clothes, tugged on his pajamas, and all but collapsed back onto his futon. The moonlight filtered through the rice-paper doors, casting a soft, ethereal glow across his room. Shadows danced along the walls as the occasional guard passed by on patrol. One might assume his flimsy doors offered little security, but intricate fūinjutsu seals were carefully woven into the wood, rendering them nearly impenetrable.
Naruto turned onto his back, waiting for sleep to claim him, but his mind refused to quiet. Too many thoughts churned restlessly, each question circling in his brain like a pack of wild dogs.
"Vision? You awake?" he asked, rubbing at his tired eyes.
"I do not require sleep, Naruto," Vision replied smoothly. "When I am not needed, I enter a standby mode until I am summoned."
"Oh, okay," Naruto mumbled, fingers absently tracing over the cool surface of the Power Stone embedded in his metallic-like skin. A strange, invigorating energy buzzed faintly beneath his fingertips. "I wanted to know more about these stones. What can they do exactly?"
"The blue stone, or Space Stone, governs movement across dimensions, allowing its user to teleport instantly and manipulate the fabric of space itself," Vision explained. "With training, you could open portals anywhere or even bend distance so an enemy's attack never reaches you."
Naruto's eyes widened, and he bolted upright, suddenly wide awake. His gaze darted toward a well-worn manga lying beside him—his beloved copy of Jujutsu Kaisen. With an eager grin, he snatched it up and pointed to the cover. "Wait, so you're saying I could be just like Gojo?!"
Vision was silent for a moment, and Naruto felt a peculiar sensation as if a ripple of water had washed over his brain. Then came the reply: "Yes, possibly. With modifications."
Naruto blinked. "Modifications?"
"We will discuss that later," Vision said, neatly sidestepping the topic. "For now, let us continue. The green stone, known as the Time Stone, grants control over time itself—rewinding, pausing, accelerating, or even glimpsing into the past or future. However, time is delicate. Use it recklessly, and the consequences may be irreversible."
Naruto shivered at the warning. Messing with time? Yeah, that sounded like a disaster waiting to happen. He made a mental note to be extra careful with that one.
"Next, we have the purple stone, the Power Stone," Vision continued. "This gem vastly enhances physical strength and chakra reserves. With it, you could destroy mountains with a mere flick of your wrist. However, power without control leads only to chaos."
Naruto scoffed. "Pfft. I doubt I'm at 'mountain-smashing' levels, especially since the stones aren't at full power anymore." Still, even a weakened version of the Power Stone was nothing to sneeze at.
"The fourth gem," Vision went on, "is the Reality Stone. The most deceptive of them all. It bends reality to your will—creating illusions that become truth, turning enemies into stone, or reshaping the very world around you. Be wary, Naruto. Power like this has tempted even the strongest minds."
Naruto stared at his hand, deep in thought. Bending reality to my will... The possibilities were endless, but the potential dangers were just as vast. He would have to tread carefully with that one.
"As I mentioned earlier, Naruto," Vision added, his tone shifting slightly, "since I have integrated into your body, I have been able to analyze your blood. I discovered several mutations that have been activated as a result of your fusion with the Gauntlet."
Naruto stiffened. "Mutations?"
Vision's response was calm, yet deliberate. "You know them as Kekkei Genkai."
Naruto's breath caught in his throat. Kekkei Genkai? His heart pounded at the revelation. What did that mean for him? What abilities had awakened?
Naruto whispered, "Really? Like what?" His heart pounded against his ribs, excitement buzzing beneath his skin.
Since he could remember, pouty princess extraordinaire—aka Sasuke Uchiha— had always boasted about his inevitable awakening of the Sharingan. The smug bastard made it his life's mission to remind everyone of his so-called superiority, strutting around like he was Kami's gift to Shinobi. It was infuriating. Naruto had wanted to pummel him into the ground countless times, but unfortunately, Sasuke always won their fights, leaving Naruto grumbling in frustration.
"Well, from your memory archive and blood analysis, you have awakened several Kekkei Genkai. One remains dormant but needs a push to awaken."
Vision was killing him with suspense. "What are they?!" Naruto practically yelled.
His eyes widened as his brain caught up with his mouth. He slapped both hands over his lips and froze, ears straining for any sounds outside. After a long, tense moment, he exhaled in relief. No one had heard him. How could they? His room had been moved to the far west wing of the compound—out of sight, out of mind—far away from his family and anyone remotely important.
"Patience, Naruto. You have awakened the Mokuton, as it is called—"
"What?!" Naruto whisper-yelled, biting down on his comforter to muffle his shock. "That's like the First Hokage's power!"
It wasn't the fact that he was a Senju that surprised him—everyone knew Tsunade Senju was his grandmother. But she, along with the rest of the remaining Senju, hadn't been able to manifest Mokuton. Yet somehow, he had?
"Yes, and you also seem to have awakened your Sharingan—"
"No way!" Naruto punched the air, a wide grin splitting his face. "Take that, duck-butt!"
The fact that he had Uchiha blood was also common knowledge. The Namikaze were distant cousins of the Uchiha, their bond dating back to the Warring States era. While the Namikaze weren't a combat-oriented clan, they had been wealthy merchants who funded the Uchiha in their battles. His great-great-grandmother had been a Uchiha, one who never awakened her Sharingan, and had been allowed to marry into the Namikaze clan as part of a political alliance. Since then, other Uchiha have also merged into the Namikaze bloodline.
Still, to his knowledge, no Namikaze had ever activated their Sharingan.
"Naruto," Vision's voice held a faint trace of exasperation beneath its usual neutrality. "Please calm down. You're getting ahead of yourself. With your current lack—or near lack—of chakra control, the possibility of successfully using your Sharingan is nearly impossible."
Naruto's grin faltered, shoulders slumping. "Thanks, Vision. You really know how to wreck a guy's parade, huh?"
"I'm not trying to discourage you," Vision corrected, "but you need to be realistic. If you wish to use these abilities, you must dedicate yourself to mastering them first. There are no shortcuts in life."
Naruto groaned, running a hand through his hair. As much as he hated to admit it, Vision had a point. He couldn't just flip a switch and master Mokuton or the Sharingan overnight. He needed training—a lot of it. But at least he had someone to guide him now.
Then, an idea struck him. He perked up. "Hey, Vision, earlier you mentioned altering my body to use a technique similar to the Six Eyes and Limitless. Can you do the same thing with the Sharingan?"
Silence.
Naruto swallowed, feeling a bead of sweat roll down his temple.
It would be beyond cool if he had his own unique dōjutsu—something beyond the regular Sharingan. He had never been one to settle for the ordinary, and the idea of having a power that no other Namikaze had ever unlocked? Priceless. He could already picture the looks on Menma and Mito's faces when they realized he had the Sharingan, not Sasuke.
An evil grin spread across his face as he rubbed his hands together. Now, all he needed was a cat to stroke while he cackled like a true villain.
"Naruto? Can you postpone your cat hunting and villainous laughter for later?" Vision deadpanned. "I have analyzed your request, and it is indeed possible to alter the Sharingan with the assistance of the Reality Stone. However, since the stone's power has been weakened, I will need to augment it with the Power Stone before merging the Time and Space Stones' energies to replicate the abilities of the Six Eyes and Limitless."
"Sweet!" Naruto grinned.
"However," Vision continued, "the process will take time. During this period, you will be unable to access your Sharingan until the alteration is complete. Additionally, you may experience slight discomfort in your eyes throughout the process."
Naruto waved a hand dismissively. "Eh, I can handle a little pain."
The excitement buzzing in his veins made him restless, but there was still one more thing bothering him.
"Alright, Vision, go ahead with the Sharingan modifications. But before that—what about the last two stones?"
"Very well," Vision replied. "The fifth gem is called the Soul Stone. It is perhaps the most enigmatic of them all. It holds dominion over the essence of life itself. Some say it connects all living things, while others claim it grants power over spirits. I advise caution—its influence is profound but not fully understood."
A shiver crawled down Naruto's spine. Spirits? "Don't tell me I can see dead people now."
"I have no conclusive evidence to suggest that. The Soul Stone's power remains an enigma, even to me."
Naruto pulled his blanket up to his chin. "Yeah, let's not dwell on the creepy ghost stone. What's the last one?"
"I agree," Vision said. "The final gem is the Mind Stone. This stone amplifies mental abilities—understanding, perception, and even telepathic communication. It is why I exist, Naruto. My consciousness is housed within it, allowing me to guide you. In time, you may even learn to sense and influence the thoughts of others."
Naruto blinked. "That's cool... and kind of sad." His curiosity got the better of him. He hesitated for a moment before blurting out, "Did you always live in the Mind Stone, or... were you human once?"
Silence.
For the first time since they started talking, Vision didn't respond right away.
Then, in a voice as calm as ever, he finally spoke. "I was not always within the Mind Stone, nor was I ever truly human."
Naruto tilted his head. "Huh? Then what were you?"
"I was... an artificial intelligence. A construct of advanced technology, given form and thought through the combined efforts of brilliant minds. I was created to assist, to learn, and, in time, to protect. Through a series of unexpected events, I gained something akin to humanity—a consciousness, emotions, and even a body of my own. But I was never human in the way you are, Naruto."
Naruto frowned. "So, you were kinda alive, but not really?"
"In a way, yes. I was alive, but I did not live as humans do. I did not have a childhood, nor did I know hunger, fatigue, or the simple joys of everyday life. I existed to serve a purpose, and over time, I chose my own purpose. But in the end... I was destroyed. And now, I exist once more—only this time, within you."
Naruto scratched his head. "Man... that's kinda sad."
Vision hummed thoughtfully. "That is one perspective. But another is that I have been granted a second chance. And so have you, Naruto. We are both more than what we once were. The question is—what will we do with that opportunity?"
Naruto grinned, determination burning in his eyes. "Easy! I'm gonna become the greatest hokage ever! And you, Vision, you're gonna be my super-awesome teacher!"
Vision let out a small, amused hum. "Then I shall do my best, Naruto."
And with that, the weight of the conversation lifted—though the question lingered in Naruto's mind, tucked away for another time.
Naruto let out a wide yawn, stretching his arms above his head before flopping back onto his futon. The warmth of his blankets wrapped around him like a cocoon, and he snuggled deeper into the mattress with a content sigh. "When will you start the alteration?" he mumbled sleepily, his voice already thick with drowsiness.
"As soon as you fall asleep, Naruto," Vision replied, his tone as steady and patient as ever. "Rest well."
Naruto hummed in response, his eyelids growing heavier by the second. "Thanks, Vision... and good night."
Sleep claimed him before he could hear Vision's quiet reply.
*** End Of Chapter 2 ***