While Kurama was still basking in his imagined triumph—convinced he'd successfully kept his little secret hidden from Naruto—on the other side of the seal, Naruto's consciousness had returned to his body. The dullness in his eyes faded as his usual sparkle and clarity returned.
Someone who could make Kurama so flustered… who else but the Sage of Six Paths could fit that bill? Naruto mused. No wonder Kurama had suddenly insisted on taking over his body—it hadn't been just for a breath of fresh air.
Turning slightly, Naruto stared up at the sky. The memories Kurama had inadvertently shared with him during their mental link had left him stunned, emotions swirling in his chest. Even though the sky above appeared empty, Naruto's gaze lingered there—on the exact spot where the old man had been.
By all normal logic, Naruto and the Sage of Six Paths shouldn't have met. But thanks to the perks of transmigrating into this world—with knowledge from reading the manga—Naruto knew well enough who that man truly was.
According to the foggy recollections of the original story, the Sage had sealed the Ten Tails, created the moon, and split its chakra into nine separate beings—each with its own will, power, and form. Thus, the tailed beasts were born. The same tailed beasts, now reviled and weaponized across the shinobi world.
But it wasn't just that.
The Sage had raised them as children. Given them names. Protected them. And so, to Kurama and the others, he wasn't just their creator…
He was their father.
After a thousand years apart, Kurama had suddenly sensed the man he saw as a father reappear. If Naruto had been capable of flying—and if Kurama hadn't been so stubborn—he probably would've dashed straight into the Sage's arms like a child coming home. The fact that Kurama had only borrowed Naruto's body to confirm his presence, without reacting further or begging him to stay, showed just how hard he'd fought to restrain himself.
…Or maybe, Naruto thought, Kurama's tsundere personality had just gotten worse over the centuries. So much so that when faced with his long-lost father, all he could do was act cold and distant, silently watching him vanish again without saying a word.
Naruto chuckled to himself, quietly shaking his head.
Prideful to the bitter end… he's probably regretting it so badly right now.
But the smile soon faded, and Naruto's expression grew serious.
In game terms, the Sage of Six Paths was like the hidden system admin—always working behind the scenes, rarely interfering directly. As far as Naruto knew, the Sage was only supposed to appear at the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War, when the world faced total annihilation at the hands of Kaguya.
So why now?
Why appear now, only to vanish again without a word? Why show up before the climax, before the war, before Kaguya—before anything even started?
From what Naruto recalled, not even Hashirama and Madara had seen the Sage appear during their battle at the Valley of the End.
So this sudden appearance… had to mean something.
Could it be… a butterfly effect? he thought, frowning. Was it because I killed Danzo? Because I saved the Uchiha Clan?
"Agh… this is a mess." He rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Whatever it is, you could've at least told me what you're planning, old man…"
But no matter how much he thought about it, Naruto couldn't figure out the Sage's true intent.
He glanced at the sky once more. "Guess I'll just take it as a warning, huh? Stick to the original timeline as best I can… minimize changes…"
Still, that wasn't so bad. Naruto liked playing the underdog.
With a sigh, he adjusted his original plan. He wouldn't stay in the middle of the pack anymore. He'd become the most absurd, underestimated "dead last" in Konoha history—while secretly preparing for whatever was to come.
"Step by step…" he muttered, eyes scanning his surroundings. With Kurama's directions in mind, he picked up his pace.
I need to reach Sasuke—fast. Otherwise… things might get messy.
Not because he doubted Sasuke's strength. After all, after a year of training with Pervy Sage, Sasuke was more than capable of dealing with three Genin.
No, what worried Naruto was that Sasuke was currently unstable. If those three kids pushed him too far…
It wouldn't end with a hospital visit. It might end with a funeral.
Meanwhile, while all eyes in the Hidden Leaf were focused on the year's most anticipated event—the ninja school's entrance exams—far from the Academy, trouble was quietly brewing on the village's border.
At the hidden outpost near Training Ground Three—where, just the night before, Orochimaru's clone had launched a devastating attack—the bodies of the fallen guards had already been recovered under the Third Hokage's orders.
Hiruzen had made sure they would be returned to their families in the best condition possible, once autopsies and healing procedures were complete.
True to his cautious nature, the Third Hokage didn't let down his guard for a moment. With the original defenders dead, he'd deployed a backup unit immediately. A council meeting had followed to organize the replacements, and Hiruzen had personally chosen Naruto to serve as an interim proctor—both to cover for his absence and to keep the exams running smoothly.
But in his haste, Hiruzen had made one small miscalculation: he underestimated how sacred the entrance exam had become in modern Konoha.
Even battle-hardened veterans like Fugaku would move mountains to see their children off to the exam. How could Hiruzen expect young, inexperienced reserve troops to remain disciplined in a forest no one ever visited?
As expected, most of the provisional guards—fresh recruits with minimal training—saw the assignment as pointless.
Among them was one squad leader, who, after giving a half-hearted farewell to his comrades, wandered off into the woods to relieve himself. He never noticed the eyes watching him—cold, sharp, and patient.
Predators had already set their trap.
The moment he broke formation, he sealed his fate.