"How did you even get those two forbidden jutsu?
With luck like that… I honestly don't know what to say."
Naruto stared up at Isobu's massive claw hovering above his head, tapped his fist against it in greeting—and then frowned.
The Reaper Death Seal was fine.
But the Eight Gates… why were only the first six gates included?
Isobu sensed Naruto's confusion through their chakra link and explained immediately:
"**The Reaper Death Seal came from the old man's puppet you fought this afternoon.
And the Eight Gates—I won them from the Kakashi puppet.
Before our fight, I reviewed his memories.
Up to this point in his life, the only time Kakashi witnessed the Eight Gates was when Might Guy opened the Sixth Gate during a mission.
He must've copied only that far with his Sharingan.**"
This made sense.
Naruto had always assumed Kakashi had copied the complete Eight Gates, but apparently he had only ever seen up to Gate Six in action.
Naruto sighed.
"Thanks, Isobu.
I've wanted the Reaper Death Seal for a long time.
As for the Eight Gates—there'll be plenty of chances to get the last two gates later anyway.
What about Kurama and Gyūki? What rewards did they get?"
Isobu answered honestly:
"**Those two dragged me through several puppet fights.
They got nothing special at first.
Later, when we fought Kakashi, they both received Sharingan usage experience.
Gyūki also got a few Earth Style techniques.
Then when we fought the Third Hokage and they saw I got the Reaper Death Seal, they told me to hurry out and report to you.
After that… I'm not sure.
Do you want me to ask them?**"
Isobu lowered his head seriously, waiting for Naruto's response.
Naruto waved him off.
"No need. I'm turning in for the night. See you."
Isobu's lively expression immediately faded back into its usual blank stare as Naruto exited the seal.
Next Morning
Naruto woke unusually early.
While brushing his teeth, he used sensory perception to check the surroundings.
The six ANBU watchers were still stationed where they always were.
Sasuke had already reached the Nanga River forest.
Tenzo was hiding behind a wooden fence near his house.
After a quick visit to the Mirror World and breakfast, Naruto created a shadow clone to stay behind.
The real Naruto vanished from his bedroom window.
Once the real body left, the shadow clone slipped on yesterday's jacket—the one with the glass vial containing Tenzo's "lucky seed."
The clone headed toward the village center, but halfway there, noticing the invisible tail behind him, changed direction and walked toward the commercial district.
A moment later, Tenzo emerged from the ground, puzzled.
"School starts soon… Where is Naruto going? Is he trying to skip class?"
Fwoosh.
He flickered away, tailing the "Naruto" clone until it entered a jewelry shop.
Five minutes later, Naruto emerged wearing a crystal diamond-shaped pendant on his chest.
Tenzo's expression instantly froze.
Inside the transparent pendant—
was the seed he planted on Naruto.
So much for tracking.
Land of Waves
Naruto had taken Sasuke deep into a camphor forest.
It was June—humid, hot, and muggy.
He tossed Sasuke a training scroll and immediately created hundreds of shadow clones.
His real body sparked with black lightning.
It wasn't exactly Darui's Storm Release variant of Black Lightning—more like a blend derived from his experiment using Sasuke's Sharingan.
Unlike Chidori, which mainly increases piercing power and neuronal speed, this black lightning also reinforced Naruto's physical durability.
"Boosting my body is nice…
But Storm Release still isn't coming together.
How do I perfectly blend lightning-nature chakra with water-nature chakra…?"
As his clones kept popping with soft bursts of smoke, Naruto thought back to the Wood Release training manual he'd won from the Tenzo puppet last night.
He dropped his lightning and formed a Snake Seal.
Half a minute later, a puddle formed beneath his feet.
Sasuke stared.
"...What is Naruto even doing?"
He incinerated his scroll, rising to his feet.
Naruto muttered:
"So simple Water Style + Earth Style doesn't produce Wood Release.
If that were enough, half of Konoha could use it—yet only Tenzo can."
He ran through every historical user of Wood Release and their connection to the First Hokage, then activated black lightning again.
Sasuke approached after watching carefully.
"You're trying to merge lightning-nature and water-nature chakra simultaneously, aren't you?"
Naruto smirked.
"And you're about to tell me my method is wrong, right?"
Sasuke twitched.
"Yes. Water conducts lightning easily, which is why you keep trying to merge lightning into water—
but lightning is inherently unstable and hard to control.
You should try the reverse."
Naruto nodded with a half-smile.
"You make a good point.
In that case… I'll need your help."
Sasuke took a large step back.
"What are you planning?"
Naruto smiled pleasantly.
"Relax. If I want to borrow your eyes, I'll warn you first.
And after all—I gave you a forbidden technique this morning.
Borrowing your eyes in return seems fair, right?"
Sasuke's face darkened.
"**That Eight Gates scroll only covers the first six gates!
And the training requirements are insane!
Even if I dedicated myself to pure taijutsu from today, it'd take a year just to open the First Gate!
It's a waste of time.**"
Naruto looked apologetic.
"**Sorry—what I got was incomplete.
And trust me, having all eight gates unlocked is… fatal.
Literally.
But as for strengthening your body—I already taught you a shortcut.
And I'm not someone who wastes time.**"
He dispelled all clones at once—
then immediately created new ones.
These began practicing Water → Lightning fusion instead of the reverse.
Sasuke blinked.
"So the shortcut was…?"
Naruto didn't answer.
Instead, black lightning erupted around him with a roar.
Sasuke's eyes lit up.
He quickly tried to imitate it—and succeeded briefly, though his chakra ran out fast.
He collapsed onto the grass, panting.
By contrast, Naruto and his legion of clones kept training without pause.
Back to Konoha
By the time school was almost over, Naruto and Sasuke returned to the Nanga River forest.
Sasuke immediately used a Transformation Jutsu and hurried home.
Naruto called after him:
"The Third Hokage visited my house yesterday.
So I'll be participating in today's taijutsu sparring class."
Sasuke paused… then nodded.
Afternoon — Last Period: Taijutsu Class
Hinata sat beside Naruto in the dojo, blushing furiously.
"N-Naruto-kun… why is there a plant seed inside your pendant…?"
Naruto smiled warmly.
"A senior gave it to me.
It brings good luck.
If you want, I can give it to you, Hinata."
Hinata squeaked, face turning scarlet from cheeks to ears.
Naruto casually glanced at an upper corner of the dojo—Tenzo's hiding spot—then noticed Sasuke watching him intently from afar.
"Next match!
Uzumaki Naruto vs. Inuzuka Kiba!"
Iruka announced firmly.
Sasuke blinked in surprise.
He had intended to forfeit entirely—he had no desire to be beaten half to death by Naruto.
"Heh! Time to avenge Akamaru!"
"Kiba, maybe you should be careful. I think—"
"Shut it! As if I'd lose to that guy!"
Kiba marched onto the stage with Akamaru in his arms.
Naruto smirked.
He hadn't expected a last-minute opponent swap.
After whispering something to Hinata, he walked up as well.
Standing before Iruka, Kiba growled:
"If you surrender now, it won't be too embarrassing."
"Woof! Woof!"
Akamaru bared his teeth.
Naruto turned toward Iruka and deadpanned:
"Teacher, am I supposed to hit the dog, or the owner?"
Kiba's nostrils flared.
"You bastard—! I'll throw you clean off this platform!"
Iruka coughed.
"Kiba, put Akamaru down.
This is a taijutsu-only match.
No ninjutsu."
Naruto asked:
"That includes the Three Basic Techniques too?"
Iruka nodded strictly.
Grumbling, Kiba set Akamaru at the edge of the stage, then formed the Seal of Confrontation.
Naruto mirrored him lazily.
"Begin!"
Kiba lunged instantly—fast fist aimed at Naruto's face.
Naruto stepped aside, chopped Kiba's wrist, and pivoted—
BAM!
His palm slammed into Kiba's chest, launching him two meters backward.
"No way!"
Kiba scrambled up, rushed again—
Only to be sent flying again within two moves.
Akamaru barked frantically at the sidelines.
Naruto actually held back.
If he hadn't, Kiba wouldn't be standing at all.
After a few more exchanges, Naruto subtly maneuvered Kiba toward the platform edge.
Then—
SMACK!
A gentle tap to the back—
and Kiba flew off the stage and onto the ground below, unmoving.
Remembering sparring rules, Naruto hopped down, bent over Kiba, and formed the Seal of Reconciliation.
Just then—
Akamaru leapt—
and snapped his jaws toward Naruto's fingers.
Naruto flinched in theatrical surprise, pulling back and staggering slightly.
A snapping sound followed.
The string around his neck had broken.
Akamaru landed in Kiba's arms, proudly holding Naruto's pendant in his mouth.
Naruto looked down at them thoughtfully.
"Honestly… I'm starting to like you."
Kiba growled, eyes red.
"Who wants your approval!?"
Naruto chuckled.
"Not you.
I was talking to Akamaru."
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