"So it's Karin. I was wondering why she had red hair," Uzumaki Hibiki muttered.
Sasuke nearly sweat-dropped. He couldn't believe this old man had confused Karin for him. But he didn't dare say anything. His father had warned him—this elder was a true relic of history and must be treated with the utmost respect.
"Father… what did you mean earlier by 'senior of seniors'?" Sasuke asked in a low voice.
"He lived during the same era as Madara-sama and Uchiha Xiuyu-sama," Fugaku replied meaningfully.
Sasuke's eyes widened. "Wait—someone actually lived that long?! From the Warring States Era to now? That's impossible! Even the First and Second Hokage have been dead for decades!"
Fugaku shook his head. "Sasuke, not all shinobi can be judged by common sense. Do you think 'God of Shinobi' is just a nickname? The Uzumaki have always had incredibly long lifespans."
Before Sasuke could ask more, Fugaku had already begun consulting Hibiki about the sealing technique.
"This seal is rough… unfinished. Hmph? There's even a trace of senjutsu influence in it? Fascinating. Who came up with this?" Hibiki's eyes, cloudy just moments before, sharpened as he examined the curse mark. When it came to sealing arts, his focus was unmatched.
"This was created by Orochimaru, once a student of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. But now he's a rogue ninja. We don't know why he attacked Naruto and Sasuke during the Chūnin Exams," Fugaku explained.
Hibiki paused, as if trying to remember.
"Sarutobi… ah yes, that monkey from the Sarutobi clan. That brat was always up to something. When he first took power, he came begging our clan for sealing techniques. I told the younger ones to give him scraps and sent him away."
Sasuke stared in awe. This is true power, he thought. To live long enough that even the Third Hokage is just a "brat" in your eyes…
"Senior," Fugaku continued, "do you mean this curse seal is connected to senjutsu?"
Hibiki nodded. "Yes. It's faint, but it's there."
Naruto and Sasuke leaned in.
"Wait, what's senjutsu?" Naruto asked, blinking.
"It's a special form of ninjutsu," Fugaku explained, "that dramatically enhances one's abilities. The reason Hashirama Senju—the First Hokage—was called the God of Shinobi is largely because of his mastery of senjutsu. His Wood Release, empowered by sage chakra, was devastating."
"Do we Uchiha have sage arts too?" Sasuke asked eagerly.
"We… used to," Fugaku said. "Uchiha Xiuyu-sama, one of our ancestors, created his own form of senjutsu. But since his time, no one in our clan has successfully inherited it."
"And Jiraiya? He knows senjutsu too?" Naruto asked, visibly surprised.
Both boys had always seen Jiraiya as a goofy, perverted hermit—not someone on par with legendary shinobi.
"You're underestimating him," Fugaku said with a chuckle. "Jiraiya learned the sage arts of Mount Myōboku. Ryūchi Cave and Shikkotsu Forest also have their own forms. But Uchiha Xiuyu senjutsu was entirely self-made, unaffiliated with any of the three holy places."
"What about Hashirama's? Was his also self-made?" Sasuke asked.
"Hard to say," Fugaku replied. "No one's sure if his came from Shikkotsu Forest or was his own creation. But one thing is clear: senjutsu from the holy places often come with side effects. Xiuyu-sama and the First Hokage's arts didn't."
"Then let's learn Xiuyu-sama's senjutsu!" Naruto grinned. "We'll train hard!"
"Yeah!" Sasuke added. "We're ready."
Fugaku sighed. "It's not that simple. First, you need enormous chakra reserves—Naruto, you're fine. Sasuke, you're not there yet."
He continued, "Second, I don't know how to use senjutsu myself. I can't teach what I don't understand."
"And third… senjutsu is extremely dangerous. The mortality rate is high. Those who succeed become legends. Those who fail… vanish, forgotten by history. That's why so few know their names."
The two boys pouted but didn't press further.
"I understand, Father," Sasuke said softly.
"Same here. Guess I'll master what I can first," Naruto nodded.
"Good," Fugaku replied. "Now, let's move on. Senior Hibiki, I'll leave the sealing to you. I'm concerned about what Orochimaru might do next."
"No trouble at all," Hibiki replied. "It's already done."
"Huh? When?" Sasuke blinked.
"When I first examined the curse mark. It's not that strong—it didn't require much effort."
With that, Hibiki waved a hand. "Now go. Take these noisy kids away. I like my peace and quiet."
"Come on, Karin-chan," Hibiki added with a rare smile. "Let the boys go home. Stay and have tea with me. I could use some real conversation."
—
Fugaku escorted Naruto and Sasuke out of the Uzumaki compound.
Far away, Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.
"Hmph… they removed it? Must be the Uzumaki clan. That was just a prototype curse seal, anyway. Nothing worth fussing over. I'll adjust the next one."
To him, the seal had always been an experiment.
—
Three days later, the final round of the Joint Chūnin Exam was about to begin. Because of the number of participants, opponents would be chosen via lottery.
This time, Fugaku didn't interfere. Everything was left to chance. He wanted Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, and the others to gain real combat experience.
Boruto's performance in the second round had been average—but acceptable. Fugaku had taken note. After all, the boy had grown up in peacetime. He lacked the caution and reverence true shinobi developed through blood and fire.
"Master," Boruto asked quietly, "do you think there'll be another invasion from Sunagakure?"
Sasuke glanced at him. "Probably. But this isn't the Konoha of our timeline. This version is stronger, more stable. Sunagakure alone wouldn't be a threat. The ones to watch are Kumogakure and Iwagakure."
Boruto nodded slowly.
Sasuke frowned, his gaze distant.
He still hadn't found a way to return to his original world. His treasured item, , was missing, and his chakra regeneration had slowed drastically. At his current state, he was barely Kage-level. That thought unsettled him.
Though grateful to see his family alive and well—his father, his mother, and even a sane Uchiha Itachi—Sasuke couldn't shake the feeling of powerlessness.
If a war broke out again… would he be strong enough to protect any of them?
------------------------
"Hey, big fox… thanks for what you did last time."
Naruto lay on the grass beside the river, staring up at the blue sky. He gently patted his stomach as if expecting a response.
Tomorrow was the final round of the Joint Chūnin Exam, and today was the last peaceful day before it all kicked off. A brief moment of quiet before the storm.
As for the Pervy Sage—who knew where he had gone off to? For the past few days, he'd been trailing Granny Tsunade like a puppy on a leash.
Naruto still remembered the first time he met her. She nearly punched him into the stratosphere. But the moment she learned he was Jiraiya's student, she pulled him into a suffocating hug—more like a wrestling chokehold than a greeting.
Of course, Jiraiya paid the price for calling her "Granny Tsunade." She decked him twice, leaving his face so swollen it looked like a pig's head.
"Tch. So you've finally realized someone else is living in that belly of yours," the Nine-Tails muttered, rolling over lazily in his sealed cage. The scenery hadn't changed in years. It was as boring as ever.
Maybe it was the warm sunlight or the gentle rustling of leaves, but before he knew it, Naruto drifted off.
Suddenly, he found himself in a damp, shadowy corridor. The air was thick with moisture, and puddles dotted the ground. A faint light glimmered ahead.
He followed it instinctively—and soon stood before a massive cage. Behind the bars lay a giant fox, its tails curled around its body, eyes half-closed.
"So we finally meet, brat," the Nine-Tails said, cracking open one eye with disinterest.
"Who are you? And why'd you bring me here?" Naruto asked, frowning.
"Think, kid. Just before you fell asleep, you were patting your stomach and talking to me. Ring any bells?" The fox's voice rumbled like thunder. "I'm the Nine-Tailed Fox—the one you were thanking. Didn't the Uchiha tell you anything?"
"Ohhh! So you're the Nine-Tails!" Naruto's eyes lit up. "Nice to meet you! Uncle Fugaku mentioned you. Said you were defeated by our ancestor."
The Nine-Tails' brow twitched. "Defeated…? Listen here, brat! I'm not some war trophy! I am the strongest of the tailed beasts!"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're the strongest, sure." Naruto casually reached out and stroked one of the fox's giant tails. "Whoa, this feels amazing!"
The Nine-Tails flinched.
"Uncle Fugaku was right," Naruto continued. "He said you've got a temper, but you're not really a bad fox. The Uchiha back then were just too harsh with you."
"You've got guts, I'll give you that," the fox growled. "You touched my tail… and walked right into my cage. Aren't you afraid I'll break this seal and devour you?"
"Nah. This seal was set by my dad," Naruto said with a grin. "It's not something that can be broken so easily. Plus, we're in Konoha. With all the Uzumaki seals floating around, there's no way you're getting out."
The Nine-Tails narrowed its eyes. There it was again—that damned sincerity. Naruto wasn't afraid. Worse, he was genuinely trying to be friendly.
"Brat, your mouth is disgusting. Everything you say is technically true, and yet I hate every word of it. Since you know so much, then tell me—can you really face me without hatred? Can you forgive me?"
He bared his fangs, eyes gleaming with malice.
"I know what happened," Naruto said quietly, resting against the fox's tail. "You killed my parents… but you weren't the true culprit. You were used."
He sighed. "It's warm and comfy. No wonder you sleep so much."
The fox flicked its tail, sending Naruto tumbling across the cage.
"You're too naive, kid! My claws were the ones that killed them. I'm the direct cause. What's with this act? Trying to be forgiving?"
Naruto climbed back to his feet, brushing himself off.
"Maybe I am a little naive. But I believe people can come to understand each other. That's what my dad wanted. I don't think he sealed you in me just to pass on hatred."
The Nine-Tails stared at him silently, tail slowly curling back around its body.
"Anyway, you look kinda cranky, so I'll leave you alone for now." Naruto waved as he started walking off. "Later, big fox."
"...What a pain," the Nine-Tails muttered. "Hypocrite. Let's see if he still talks like that when he really feels the weight of that loss…"
—
Naruto stirred awake to find four figures standing in the shade of a tree nearby.
"Awake?" a man greeted, his expression calm and friendly. He stood with two women and another man, none of whom Naruto recognized.
"Hi there… I don't think we've met," Naruto said, standing up cautiously. Something about the man felt familiar, but he couldn't place it.
There was a natural, peaceful aura about him. It made Naruto instinctively lower his guard, even if just a little.
"I haven't been back to Konoha in a long time," the man said with a smile. "It's normal for someone your age not to recognize me."
Naruto glanced at the woman beside him. Her long red hair immediately caught his eye.
"Hey, are you from the Uzumaki clan?" he asked, pointing curiously.
She smiled. "Yes, I am. And you?"
"I'm Naruto." He grinned. "If you're just arriving, you should probably check in at the Hokage's office. Konoha takes security seriously now. If you don't have an ID, the Security Department might throw you in jail."
"Noted," the man chuckled. "Thanks for the tip. Say, it's nearly lunchtime. Want to grab a bite at Ichiraku Ramen? My treat."
Naruto's eyes lit up like fireworks. "Really?! You're the best, big bro! But fair warning—I eat a lot. Don't regret this later!"
"Eat as much as you like," the man replied warmly, patting Naruto on the head.
(TL: They are back waahhahahahaha)
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Check my Pâtreon for (40) advanced chapters
Pâtreon .com/Fanficlord03
Change (â) to (a)
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9