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Minutes later, in the Shikkotsu Forest:
"Thank you for agreeing to this, Katsuyu. I appreciate you." Naruto said to the tiger-sized Katsuyu as they both stood in a clearing in the middle of the forest, surrounded by trees.
"Think nothing of it, Naruto-kun. But are you sure that we don't inform Tsunade-sama?" Katsuyu asked with a head tilt.
"No. While I am sure of what I am doing, I don't think Kaa-san would agree to it at all. Also, I came to you so you can watch over me if something goes wrong," Naruto replied.
"Are you sure about this, Naruto-kun? When you start, there is no turning back." Katsuyu warned, to which Naruto nodded.
"Just be careful, Naruto-kun. I would have never agreed to this if you weren't my summoner, whose capabilities I know." Katsuyu said as she watched Naruto sit down in a meditation position.
Naruto gave her a thankful smile before closing his eyes and focusing inwards. A moment later, his consciousness diverted to his mindscape.
...
In Naruto's mindscape;
"Are you ready, Kurumi?" Naruto said as he looked at the eyes of the huge, mountain-sized nine-tailed fox inside the seal.
"I have been ready for a long time, Kit. I have been waiting for this ever since you came up with the idea in Kumo." Kurumi said with a wide grin on her face.
The time had finally come; Naruto had been weakening the seal gradually for years, using his vast knowledge in fuinjutsu to safely do that while giving his body enough time to adapt to Kurumi's presence and chakra. Over the years, Kurumi's weakening seal and Naruto's own growing reserves had led to an unfathomable increase in capacity in Naruto's chakra reserves.
What remains of the seal now is so little, along with its lock, that Naruto would open it completely now.
Naruto smiles before raising his right hand and pushing chakra to his fingertips. Chakra appeared at his fingertips before a series of complex and intricate Kanji appeared, moving down from his fingertips before connecting in his palm in a spiral pattern, with extensions appearing down the inner part of his wrist connected to the Kanji spiral in his palm.
It is the key to the seal.
The seal and its key, which were given to him by his father almost eight years ago.
As the key completed forming, Naruto pulled up his shirt, revealing his abdomen while pushing chakra into it, revealing the seal on his stomach.
Naruto took a deep breath before pressing his right hand on the seal and twisting.
Nothing seemed to happen for a second, then suddenly...
Click
A loud, heavy resonance echoed in the surroundings before Naruto saw the worn-out paper on the seal-gate with the Kanji 'Seal' on it burst into flames, revealing a spiral-like locking mechanism behind it.
Click, click, click...
The spiral-like lock started to retract in a reverse spiral motion for a few moments before it fully retracted into its housing, leaving a vacant hole where it used to connect and lock the two gates.
Kurumi eyed the gates for a second before using her right paw/hand to push them, which opened without any resistance.
Kurumi slowly took a couple of steps out of the now-open gate, with multiple emotions coursing through her mind.
She then looked down at Naruto, who was looking up at her with a warm smile.
"I..." Kurumi was about to say something, only to stop as she felt a presence behind a nearby tree. A presence that caused her to leak massive amounts of killing intent, hatred, and anger as her fangs bared and she took an attack position.
Naruto, on the other hand, stood in shock; he felt the presence too. He felt the signature of two people he knew had died. People he knew were gone.
"It seems like we can't hide from them, right, Kushina?" Naruto heard a familiar voice say as his eyes widened to a huge degree upon seeing who walked out from behind the tree.
"Hey, Naru-chan. You have grown so big," Kushina said with a wide, warm smile as she looked at Naruto, who had a stunned and shocked expression on his face, looking at two of his most precious people who look exactly like the day they died.
"You have a lot of nerve appearing and showing your face like that, Namikaze. You too, Uzumaki," Kurumi said, her deafening, rough, and deep tone of voice returning in full force, filled with hatred and anger.
"Kyuubi," Kushina acknowledged with a complicated expression as she gazed at the towering bijuu.
"W...wait a second. How are you here? I saw you die. I... I buried you." Naruto said, with his voice turning emotional and uncertain at the end.
"We aren't here, per se," Minato said with a sad smile before continuing, "We are small fragments of our souls, a chakra manifestation that I sealed inside the seal. But we are truly dead."
"Was it in the inner part of the seal?" Naruto asked as he got himself back together
"When I studied the seal, I found a section that seemed like a part of a failsafe," Naruto said, looking at Minato.
"It was indeed a failsafe. I sealed a part of Kushina's and my chakra in you so that if you ever go out of control or need help with the Kyuubi, we would appear to assist you." Minato explained
"But it seems that it wasn't needed in the end," Minato said as he looked at the Kyuubi, who was standing above Naruto in an almost protective posture while glaring hatefully at him and Kushina.
"You two should have never shown your face and stayed dead." Kurumi snarled hatefully at the couple with her razor teeth gleaming menacingly.
"Kurumi. Please." Naruto said with a sigh.
"What, Kit?! I know you love them, but you know how much I despise them, especially that wretched red-haired woman." Kurumi said, her face easing up slightly while looking at Naruto.
"Who are you calling wretched, you overgrown rug?" Kushina snapped at Kurumi, her face twisting with rage, her hair starting to split into sections and stand up.
"You, you hairless monkey." Kurumi snapped back, with her huge, long tails swinging menacingly behind her.
"Oh hohooo. That is it. I am...."
"Kushina, honey. There is no need for that. I don't think you want the time we have to be about this," Minato said, trying to calm Kushina, who was still glaring at Kurumi.
"The time you have? What do you mean?" Naruto asked
"We are chakra manifestations, son. We will dissipate soon," Minato explained.
Chakra is an energy formed by the combination of spiritual and physical energy. Since they don't have bodies, they can't produce chakra to sustain themselves.
Naruto knew that. As he refocused on his senses, he could feel their presence weaken slowly.
"Kurumi." Naruto looked up at the towering bijuu in the eye with almost a pleading expression.
"Fine... I will let them be so you can talk to them." Kurumi said with an irritated tone as her voice returned to the rich feminine tone.
"But that doesn't mean I will be staying here," Kurumi said before turning around and walking through the dense trees, disappearing behind the huge cave she was sealed in, leaving Minato and Kushina looking in her direction with surprised expressions.
"You tamed the Kyuubi? How?" Kushina asked, looking at Naruto with a shocked expression. She knew that the Kyuubi saw Naruto differently than any other human. But not to the point of talking and listening to him.
"She isn't a wild animal, Nee-san. She is one of the most intelligent and nicest creatures that I wholeheartedly enjoy being around." Naruto said with a warm smile, surprising Kushina and Minato.
"She? It's a female?! Is that why you named her Kurumi?" Kushina asked confusedly.
"I didn't name her, nee-san. It's her name that she gave me after a while of knowing each other." Naruto said with a smile.
"And he is the only one allowed to call me by my name." Kurumi's voice came booming from the distance.
"I see," Minato said before looking at Naruto with a serious expression.
"I just want to make sure, Son. Are you completely sure about letting her out?" Minato said, looking at Naruto.
"Of course, Tou-san. We have been through a lot together, and I trust her." Naruto replied with a confident smile.
"Enough about this, Minato. Leave that stinking fox aside." Kushina huffed before turning to Naruto and smiling warmly.
"Let me take a look at you, Naru-chan. You became so big and strong. How old are you now?" Kushina said as she reached up and cupped Naruto's face while he laughed softly.
"I am 15 this year, nee-san," Naruto said, surprising Minato and Kushina.
"15? You look at least 18, if not 20." Kushina said with slight awe. Naruto was so tall and well-developed for anyone his age. He was almost half a foot taller than her.
"And look at you, already a jonin. You make me so proud," Kushina said with a wide, proud smile that was mirrored by Minato.
"Been one for a while now, actually. Almost for 4 years." Naruto said with a chuckle. But that answer made the smile on Kushina's and Minato's faces falter considerably.
"Almost four years? You became a jonin at 11 years old?" Minato asked, almost not wanting it to be true.
"Yeah," Naruto replied while scratching the back of his head.
"What?! That's too early, even earlier than Kakashi. What happened, Naruto? Why were you promoted that early?" Kushina asked worriedly. While it was a great achievement, to them it seemed that Naruto had been too reckless and endangering to his own well-being to be able to become a jonin this early.
"Well, it's my rank in the regular shinobi ranks. Sensei gave it to me due to my promotion to ANBU captain," Naruto replied.
"WHATTTT??!!" Kushina screamed, horrified, with Minato mirroring her feelings.
"You became an Anbu captain at 11?! How did that happen? Why are you in ANBU to begin with? And who the hell is that sensei of yours to allow that?" Kushina asked one question after the other frantically and angrily. Taking a step towards Naruto, who sweatdropped as he leaned back to give himself some space.
"Naruto, for you to become an ANBU captain, that means that you have been a part of the forces for some time? How did this come to be, and where is Tsunade from all of this?" Minato asked; he was much calmer than Kushina, but he wanted answers. He already knew who Naruto's sensei was from what Naruto said. There is only one person who can give that promotion. The Hokage. Who was the Hokage after his death?
"Kaa-san was extremely against it. She was even on the verge of fighting Sensei for coming up with the proposition at first, but things happened, and it became the best option." Naruto replied to his father before looking at Kushina.
"To answer your questions, nee-san, Saru-Jiji became my sensei. I entered Anbu at 9 years old, the main reason being what happened in the Chunin exams I participated in." Naruto replied, making Kushina speechless.
"Naruto," Minato called while rubbing his eyes
"You hadn't even been to Konoha before the night I brought you to seal the Kyuubi. So how did you become a shinobi, participate in the Chunin exams, and join ANBU by your next birthday?" Minato asked. Making Kushina focus back on the young man in front of her, making Naruto sweatdrop even more.
...
Naruto started with how he and Tsunade settled in Konoha, not bringing up what happened on his second day in the village.
He went through his academy days, his graduation, Hiruzen becoming his sensei, his first C-rank mission and other notable missions at that time, and finally, his chunin exams in Kumo.
...
"Was that old monkey out of his mind to send you to Kumo?" Kushina said, but the wide grin on her face said otherwise.
"Well, at least you won the whole thing. I bet the look on those Kumo bastards was a sight to be seen," Kushina said, grinning even more.
"It led to me being added to the bingo book. So that was why Kaa-san came to terms with me joining ANBU." Naruto said
"I see. That makes sense, even though I don't like it," Minato said, with Kushina agreeing before his face turned sad with a look of great longing.
"How is Mito, Naruto? Is she healthy? Does she eat and sleep well? Did she make friends?..." Kushina continued to throw question after question about her darling daughter. It was the first thing she wanted to ask Naruto when she saw him.
Naruto chuckled before smiling warmly and looking at Kushina.
"Don't worry, Nee-san; she is more than fine. Today is her first day in the academy." Naruto said, making Minato's and Kushina's eyes widen.
"Ohhh, my baby girl is growing up. I wish I could have been there for her all these years. I wish I could see her," Kushina said with great sadness and regret. Minato put his hands on her shoulders to comfort her, even though he felt the same.
Naruto felt for them before getting an idea.
A piece of paper appeared from thin air and into Naruto's hand. He smiled warmly at it before turning it towards Kushina.
"Nee-san," Naruto called to get her attention.
Kushina looked back at him; her eyes went wide at what was on the piece of paper before she snatched it from him.
"Ohhhhhhhhh. Minato, look at her. She is so precious." Kushina said with a wide, happy smile, looking at the picture that Naruto formed from his memory of when he reached the academy and Mito waved happily at him while surrounded by her friends.
Naruto smiled warmly as he watched Kushina gush over her daughter with Minato.
"When was this?" Minato asked with a wide smile as he looked up at Naruto.
"It was today at the academy's entrance ceremony," Naruto said
"Look at all her friends, Minato," Kushina said excitedly while taking in every detail of the picture.
"Those three are definitely Shikaku's, Inoichi's, and Choza's kids," Minato said, pointing at them in the picture.
"I am sure this is Tsume's kid. And that is definitely Sasuke. They look like their mothers," Kushina said before looking at Naruto.
"But who is this, Naru? She is definitely an Uzumaki. " Kushina asked; she had seen the girl next to her daughter almost immediately. A girl with bright red hair who was waving towards Naruto in the picture.
"That would be Karin. She is an Uzumaki whom I rescued along with her mother. Her mother, Akari, seemed to have known you." Naruto replied, making Kushina's eyes widen.
"Akari survived?!" Kushina exclaimed before looking back at Karin.
"You know her, Kushina?" Minato asked
"Yeah, we were friends and playmates before I was brought to Konoha. I am so glad she survived. " Kushina said happily.
"They live with Kaa-san, Mito, and me. Mito enjoys having her auntie and cousin around so much." Naruto said warmly
"I am glad," Kushina said with a happy grin and a happy tear falling down her face. She couldn't ask for more. Her daughter is living well, healthy, and surrounded by friends and family
"Does Mito know about us, Naruto?" Minato asked, making Kushina look up at Naruto.
"No. She is so bright and happy; I couldn't get myself to tell her that she is an orphan and my half-sister while she is still young and growing. To her, Kaa-san is her Kaa-chan, and our father died. I am planning to keep it that way until she graduates from the academy before telling her," Naruto replied, to which the couple nodded slowly.
While they know this is the best course of action, it didn't feel good to know that their own child doesn't even know about them.
"She thinks that you are a redhead, Tou-san," Naruto said with a small chuckle, drawing the attention of the couple.
"She thinks that I am a redhead like you and that she has blond hair like Kaa-san. I can't wait to see what her reaction would be when she gets to know that we have different mothers, with her mother being the beautiful redhead." Naruto said with a chuckle, making the couple join him, lighting the mood up.
"Well, aren't you sweet, calling your nee-san beautiful?" Kushina said with a teasing tone.
"Well, that is the truth. You are beautiful with gorgeous red hair. Why do you think that I keep mine growing? I love the color," Naruto said as he shook his head, making his long red hair swing from side to side.
"Oh, now you are making me blush. You can't just compliment a girl like that. I bet you have a lot of girls having their eyes on you." Kushina said with a teasing tone and a small blush on her face.
"Let's not talk about that," Naruto said, looking away with his face turning slightly red, much to Minato's and Kushina's amusement and surprise.
"Hohohho. Now I need to know. Tell Nee-san all about it." Kushina said as she stood in front of Naruto with a mischievous look and grin on her face.
"No," Naruto said, still looking away.
"Come on, tell your nee-san all about it. Who is the lucky girl, or are they girls? I know for a fact that many girls will have their eyes on you," Kushina said with her teasing tone increasing a notch.
"No, I don..." Naruto was about to report, only for multiple golden-like particles to float past his vision, making him look at where they came from.
"Oh," Kushina said, looking at her hands
"Looks like our time is up," Minato said in a low tone.
"No," Naruto breathed out
"No, no. You can't go. We still have a lot to talk about. I still haven't told you what happened after I joined ANBU, and I haven't shown or told you all about Mito." Naruto's tone turned emotional as he felt their presence start disappearing.
"We heard more than enough, son. All we wanted was to know that you and your sister are fine and healthy," Minato said as his form started to dissipate.
"That's right, Naru-chan. We knew we weren't here for long, but you gave us what we needed and more." Kushina said softly as she pulled Naruto into a hug that Minato joined
"Take care of yourself and your sister, Naruto, and know that we will always love you," Minato said
"Keep your promise, Naru-chan. Live a long and happy life, and make sure your baby sister has the same," Kushina said warmly as tears started to flow from her eyes
"I will," Naruto said softly, a tear rolling down his face, as he hugged their forms closer as they disappeared with warm smiles on their faces.
Naruto's hands fell to his sides as a flurry of golden particles dissipated all around him, the tear finally dropping to the ground as he stood alone.
"Soon"
To be continued.
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