How to Get to Mount Myōboku
"Let Naruto have the power to protect himself?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned, puzzled by Xu Fan's words.
Hadn't he already arranged for Naruto Uzumaki to attend the Ninja Academy, with the expectation that he'd grow into a capable shinobi? That in itself was giving him the power to protect himself. But Naruto was still a child. Growth would take time.
"Indeed," Xu Fan nodded, acknowledging Hiruzen's point. But he still shook his head, rejecting the idea as insufficient.
"Lord Hokage, you should understand that Naruto's greatest strength isn't the ninjutsu he might learn. It's the Nine-Tails sealed within him."
As he spoke, Xu Fan glanced toward Yugito Nii—Yugito being the correct name of the Jinchūriki of the Two-Tails, not Nine-Tails—who was currently being treated by Konoha's medical-nin. Earlier, she had suffered a brutal blow in a confrontation involving the Nine-Tails, leaving her in a weakened state.
Hiruzen followed Xu Fan's gaze and quickly understood his implication.
It wasn't mere luck that Yugito had become a perfect Jinchūriki.
During the Third Shinobi World War, Killer Bee had earned renown alongside the Fourth Raikage by fighting as a perfect Jinchūriki. It stood to reason that Kumogakure had developed a method to help their Jinchūriki achieve harmony with their tailed beasts.
"I believe Kumogakure has a method to turn a Jinchūriki into a perfect one," Xu Fan said confidently.
Hiruzen's expression grew serious. He recalled Minato's final words before sealing the Nine-Tails. Minato had sealed half of Kurama's chakra into Naruto because he believed his son could one day use that power.
Even more, Minato had entrusted the key to the seal to Gerotora, the scroll toad of Mount Myōboku.
Which meant… Minato had planned for Naruto to master the Nine-Tails all along.
But Naruto was only six or seven years old. Was it too soon?
"I understand your concern," Xu Fan said. "But this isn't just about Naruto—it's about the village. After this recent rampage, people's fear of the Nine-Tails will only deepen."
"Even if we order silence about Naruto being the Nine-Tails' host, the villagers' behavior will still harm him."
"So instead of hiding it... we should face it. Tell Naruto the truth, and teach him to control the Nine-Tails' chakra."
Xu Fan laid out his plan in one breath.
He had already thought this through.
Inside Naruto were the residual chakras of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki—his parents. With time, those chakras would guide him. Control over Kurama was only a matter of when, not if.
Originally, Xu Fan had intended to wait until Naruto graduated from the Academy to begin the process of turning him into a perfect Jinchūriki.
But now, with the pressure of a time-limited mission, both goals could be accomplished at once.
Using Naruto's chakra training as a reason, he could travel with him to Mount Myōboku. There, he could gain the key from the Great Toad Sage.
It was, in his view, the best way to complete his current mission—signing in at Mount Myōboku.
After hearing Xu Fan's proposal, Sarutobi Hiruzen fell into deep silence.
Xu Fan's ideas were always bold—audacious, even—but never without logic. If this could work, it might just benefit both Naruto and the village.
"Naruto isn't just the container of the Nine-Tails," Hiruzen finally said. "He's also the son of the Fourth Hokage…"
But Xu Fan cut him off.
"I know. He's the orphan of the Fourth Hokage. That much is obvious."
Hiruzen's eyes widened. "How did you know that? That information is classified."
Xu Fan smirked. "Guesswork. The name 'Uzumaki' might not stand out to most, but I'm of Senju lineage—I know what the Uzumaki name means."
He paused. "Before Naruto, the only Uzumaki in the village were Mito Uzumaki, the First Hokage's wife, and Kushina Uzumaki, the Fourth's wife."
"Put the pieces together, and it's not hard to figure out."
He glanced again at Yugito.
"I won't let Naruto be in danger. My Wood Release can suppress the Nine-Tails' chakra. If Naruto loses control, I can subdue him before anyone gets hurt."
Hiruzen nodded slowly. Xu Fan was right—Wood Release had once enabled Hashirama Senju to suppress all the tailed beasts. If Xu Fan had inherited that ability, he could act as a safeguard.
"But how do you plan to make Yugito tell you how to become a perfect Jinchūriki?"
Hiruzen looked skeptical. "That's a secret technique unique to Kumogakure. Even in her condition, I doubt she'd betray it."
"Besides, Jinchūriki like her aren't easily affected by genjutsu. With two different chakras—hers and the Two-Tails'—they can cancel out illusions."
"Don't worry," Xu Fan said with a calm smile. "I have my ways."
"Have I ever deceived you, Lord Third?"
The truth was… Xu Fan didn't need anything from Yugito at all.
He already knew how Naruto could become a perfect Jinchūriki.
He merely intended to use Yugito's presence to make his plan more convincing to the elders of the village.
In fact, Xu Fan didn't even care whether Naruto truly learned to control the Nine-Tails right now.
His true goal was reaching Mount Myōboku.
Helping Naruto along the way? That was just a bonus.
Besides, he had more than Wood Release. With the power of the Sharingan, he could enter Naruto's inner world directly…
And speak to Kurama himself.
Perhaps even draw on some of the Nine-Tails' chakra for his own use.
Road to the Heavens
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