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"Naruto, I'll be traning sasuke for the chunin exams." Kakashi said his tone calm yet firm.
He waited for the now identified Naruto to absorb the information before continuing. "Naruto you need to understand that sasuke will be fighting garra which is very dangerous as the said person is anything but normal."
Looking as the still confused blond, Kakashi failed to notice the complex emotions flickering in Naruto's eyes, mistaking them for mere sadness or panic.
He quickly appeased. "Don't worry though, I've arranged another tutor for you. He's a jonin just like me and has been my comrade during many life and death battles. And is more than capable enough to help you in what you are lacking."
Naruto as if finally coming to terms stammered, "D - don't worry Kakashi sensei. I realise the severity of sasuke's fight with garra.
I need some time to think this over. you don't need to worry about my traning. And you must not feel bad, sasuke currently needs your help the most. Moreover I won't need any special traning to beat neji."
Deciding it was best not to waste any time, Naruto turned and left, leaving Kakashi alone with his thoughts.
Currently Naruto was going through countless thoughts in his mind, but the only thing he could mutter was. "W-what.?" It was more of a question to himself, he was beyond confused and scared. Which seems a obvious reaction of someone who suddenly finds him in another world.
Flashback~
"Hey there, I'm yuki satoru currently studying in high school. I'm 17 this year, and am a proud shut in otaku who hasn't touched grass since the last 2 years."
Currently we see yuki sat alone in his dimly lit room, the faint glow of his computer illuminate his face as he was scrolling through some reddit vs battles. As the latest episode of boruto played in his mind.
"This is disappointing. I know Boruto is the MC, but it just feels wrong seeing Naruto and Sasuke being treated like dirt by Isshiki," he muttered, sighing deeply.
"And the fact that the anime is constantly downplaying Naruto as useless without kurama... Though I have to admit that Naruto heavily relied on kurama after the start of 4th shinobi war. But I still feel Naruto could have done so much better."
He glanced at the clock—it was 2 a.m. Too late for complaints, yet too early to sleep without overthinking. As he shuffled toward his bed, a thought lingered.
"Naruto never reached his true potential, with his cheats, he could have been far more stronger."
He exhaled heavily, lying down and letting the exhaustion take over.
"What's the point of wondering? What's done is done...," he muttered before drifting off into slumber.
Flashback end~
Suddenly, Naruto clutched his head in agony as a torrent of memories flooded his mind. The searing pain was overwhelming, and he quickly succumbed to unconsciousness. The last thing he saw was a group of medical ninjas rushing toward him to catch him before he fell.
Naruto's Mindscape~
As Yuki regained consciousness, he found himself lying in a dimly lit sewer. Before he could fully process his surroundings, the scene abruptly shifted, and the sewer transformed into a bustling marketplace. However, something felt off. The people in the market weren't going about their business—they were all staring at a mop of blonde hair. The boy didn't look sad or distressed; instead, he wore a confused expression, as if wondering why they were even looking at him in the first place.
Soon, murmurs rippled through the crowd, growing louder with each passing moment. The whispers turned to accusations, as people began calling the blond boy names—"monster," "fox," "demon brat," and more. Their voices dripped with hatred, and their glares pierced through him like daggers.
The boy's confusion quickly gave way to despair as tears welled up in his eyes. Unable to bear the weight of their scorn, he turned and ran, his small frame trembling with each step. The sound of their jeers echoed behind him, growing fainter as he fled.
Yuki watched the scene unfold before him, a growing sense of realization dawning on him. Almost subconsciously, he murmured,
"Naruto... These are his memories?"
As if responding to his voice, the mindscape trembled violently. Suddenly, fragments of Naruto's life began to play out before Yuki's eyes, as if he were an observer in a third-person perspective. He witnessed everything—the pain, the loneliness, the longing, the occasional moments of stupidity. Every experience, every emotion was laid bare before him.
Yuki's expression remained impassive as the memories flooded in, though his heart grew heavy with every scene. What felt like days passed as the reel of Naruto's life finally came to an end. It was then that Yuki realized these weren't all of Naruto's memories, but the ones that mattered most to him—moments that had shaped him, left an indelible mark on his heart.
As he was deep in thought, the space shifted once again, and he found himself back in the same sewer. He glanced around and muttered to himself,
"This should be Na... my mindscape, the place where Kurama is sealed."
Pausing for a moment, he continued,
"From Kakashi's conversation, I can conclude that I've taken over right after the preliminary rounds of the Chunin Exams. That means I have about a month to prepare for my fight against Neji—and I'll also have to survive the Konoha Crush plan."
His thoughts quickened as he processed the situation.
"There are a lot of other things going on, but I don't have the time to worry about them. From the memories, I can see that Naruto had a very deep relationship with the Hokage. But he was just a kid. I noticed the sharpness in those dark, calculating eyes. Honestly, it's better if he just dies. I'm pretty sure he's more of a liability to Konoha anyway."
After finishing his thoughts, Naruto decided to check his surroundings. He sensed a faint yet feral energy emanating from a larger section of the sewer, one that seemed to connect all the smaller tunnels. Without thinking, he began moving toward it, staying alert and carefully monitoring his surroundings as he went.
Soon, he reached a massive cage, within which nothing was visible—like light itself was being absorbed and scattered away. Naruto approached cautiously, making sure to keep his distance, fully aware of what the cage contained.
Two bright red eyes, with enormous slits, suddenly opened, casting a crimson glow that illuminated the surrounding area. They radiated an intense hatred and despair unlike anything Naruto had ever encountered in his life.
As Naruto felt a surge of fear, his eyes took in every detail around him. His mind was in turmoil. 'T-this feeling of powerlessness and despair... Is this what it's like to be in the Nine Tails' presence? To think that Minato was able to seal this monstrosity... it's just unbelievable.'
As if sensing Naruto's emotions, the eyes briefly flickered with an amused expression. For a moment, Naruto's thoughts froze, and then a deep, feral voice echoed throughout the mindscape.
"So, the brat finally decides to pay this humble prisoner a visit."
Seeing Naruto's silence, he growled, "What's the matter? Lost your voice, boy? Where's all that bravado of yours gone now, huh?"
Naruto, on the other hand, was deep in thought, trying to figure out how to respond. 'It'll be impossible to train effectively as long as Kurama is messing with my chakra reserves. If I want to move forward, I need to find a way to stop him from causing problems.'
Naruto, as if finalizing his thoughts, said, "You're the Nine Tails, right?"
Kurama, taken aback, felt a surge of confusion. He couldn't understand how Naruto remained so calm in his presence. Curiosity piqued, he asked, "Why are you so calm after seeing me? Shouldn't you be terrified, or at least trying to act tough?"
Naruto, seeming to gather some courage, replied, "I know you can't break free from this prison, which means you won't be able to harm me in any way."
Kurama, hearing this, snarled in anger. "You've got some guts, I'll give you that, brat. Just come closer, and I'll show you what I can really do."
Naruto, maintaining an impassive expression, replied calmly, "I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline your offer."
Kurama scoffed, his impatience growing. "So, are you here to draw my portrait or something? If you're not here to free me, then just leave."
Naruto quickly responded, "I'd be lying if I said I don't have a purpose." This piqued Kurama's interest, and seeing the opening, Naruto continued, "I have a deal for you. All I want is for you to stop interfering with my chakra control."
Kurama smirked and replied, "That depends on what you can offer me. I know you won't be releasing the seal."
Naruto smiled, unfazed, and continued, "Well, that's obvious. Releasing you would mean I'd die, and I don't want to die. I'm quite selfish in that regard."
Kurama's expression darkened with anger as he growled, "The human race is selfish to its core—you're nothing special. Now, stop wasting my time and speak."
Although taken aback by Kurama's outrage, Naruto quickly regained his composure and continued, "I suppose the seal restricts all of your senses. What I propose is this: I'll tear a part of the seal that will allow you to see through my eyes, share my sense of smell, and experience my other senses. I will also make some changes to the mindscape to make it more comfortable for you. So, what do you think?"
Kurama fell silent for a few minutes, as if weighing his options. 'Though I act like I just want to escape this place, the fact remains that Madara is alive and has some plan involving me. But let's set Madara aside for now. If I were to be released from this seal, there are at least two people in Konoha who could seal me again using the same jutsu Yondaime used.'
Kurama, as if finally coming to terms with the proposal, replied in a heavy, expectant voice, "I accept. But remember, if you try anything funny, I'll rip you to shreds."
Naruto gave him a confident smile, feeling proud of his accomplishment. "Don't worry," he said, "You won't regret it."
Naruto slowly approached the cage, staying highly alert. He was relieved to find that Kurama made no move to attack as he carefully tore a small part of the seal. The tear wasn't large enough to release Minato's chakra, but it was enough to grant Kurama some freedom without risking Naruto's own chakra being corrupted.
As soon as Naruto tore the seal, the changes were immediate, though subtle. While Naruto didn't fully feel them, given that he was in his mindscape, the atmosphere shifted. Kurama closed his eyes, as if absorbing the changes. Naruto, not wanting to wait for Kurama to snap out of his trance, sat down and began meditating. From his knowledge of fiction, he understood that the mindscape represented a person's true self. While Naruto's mindscape had always been a sewer, he wasn't entirely Naruto anymore.
After a few minutes, Naruto opened his eyes and smiled as he noticed cracks forming in the sewer walls, spilling out streams of white light. He turned his attention to Kurama, who had finally snapped out of his trance. The fox's eyes widened in shock as he took in the changes happening around him, clearly astonished by the transformation.
In a matter of moments, the entire sewer began to crumble, its dark, damp walls disintegrating before Naruto's eyes. The oppressive atmosphere shifted, replaced by the vast expanse of a serene ocean. Bright sunlight poured from above, casting a warm, golden glow across the new landscape. The change was almost surreal, as the mindscape transformed into a place of openness and light.
Kurama's cage, too, had expanded, its once confining walls now stretching to give him more space, allowing the mighty fox a greater sense of comfort. The ocean stretched endlessly around them, the air now filled with a sense of freedom that had been absent before. The oppressive weight that once hung over the mindscape seemed to lift, replaced by a strange calm that enveloped both of them.
On the other hand, Kurama was stunned, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. He stared blankly at Naruto for a moment, processing the sudden shift. Then, slowly, his expression twisted into a smirk. Before Naruto could react, he felt a powerful force pushing him out of the mindscape.
As he was expelled, Kurama's voice echoed in his mind. "I'll accept this deal, brat."
To be continued....
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A/N: so how was the chapter?