🌟 HEAR YE, HEAR YE, BRAVE SOULS! 🌟✨
🔥 Let the drums of destiny roar as we welcome our newest LEGENDARY adventurers… ⚔️ Buddyschlym! ⚔️ and ⚔️ Moran! ⚔️🎉⚡️ Our journey just leveled UP with their arrival!
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The forest path stretched endlessly before Naruto, the dense canopy above casting shifting shadows across the dirt road. The air was crisp, and the soft rustling of leaves and the distant calls of birds accompanying his steady footsteps.
He walked with purpose, his dark cloak billowing slightly with the wind, and a simple mask covering the lower half of his face to avoid unnecessary attention.
Inside his mind, Kurama's deep voice echoed, a steady companion as the journey unfolded.
"So," Kurama began, his tone gruff but curious, "are you going to tell me where we're heading, or do you plan to keep me in the dark forever?"
Naruto smirked faintly beneath his mask. "You're impatient, you know that?"
Kurama snorted. "I've been stuck with you for years, brat. I think I've earned the right to know what you're up to."
Naruto's eyes scanned the path ahead, his voice calm but firm. "First, we're heading to the Fire Temple. There's someone I need to meet—a monk in training. He's carrying something that belongs to you."
Kurama's curiosity sharpened instantly.
"A pseudo-jinchūriki," He rumbled.
"Exactly," Naruto replied. "The monk carries a piece of your chakra. I'm going to take it back."
Kurama was silent for a moment, his tone shifting slightly when he spoke again. "And what happens to the monk? Are you planning to kill him?"
Naruto shook his head, his expression thoughtful. "No. There's no need to kill him. If I can extract the chakra without harming him, that's what I'll do. He's not the enemy—he's just carrying something he shouldn't."
Kurama let out a low growl, though it wasn't directed at Naruto. "My chakra has always been a prize for others. It's frustrating, but… fine. If you can get it back without spilling blood, do it."
Naruto chuckled softly. "You're getting soft, Kurama."
"Don't push your luck, brat," The fox muttered, though there was no real bite to his words.
The conversation shifted as Naruto continued walking, his thoughts drifting to his next destination. Kurama picked up on the change in his mood, his voice curious.
"You're thinking about something else now," Kurama said. "What's next after the Fire Temple?"
Naruto's expression darkened slightly, his gaze lowering to the ground as he walked.
"The Land of Grass," He said quietly.
Kurama's ears perked up in Naruto's mind. "The Land of Grass? What's in that place worth your time?"
Naruto's voice softened, though his resolve remained firm. "Two members of the Uzumaki Clan. They've been hiding there, or at least that's what the information I've remembered. I don't know exactly when they're supposed to be there, or even if they're alive yet. But if I can save them… I will."
Kurama was silent for a long moment, his tone unusually gentle when he finally spoke. "You're not obligated to do this, you know. You don't have to carry the weight of the Uzumaki name alone."
"I know," Naruto replied, his voice steady. "I'm not doing this out of obligation, Kurama. I'm doing it because I can. The Uzumaki Clan has been scattered and nearly wiped out because no one was strong enough to protect it. But now… I'm strong enough. If I don't help them, who will?"
Kurama's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "And what if you're too late? What if they're already gone?"
Naruto's jaw tightened as he stared at the horizon, his blue eyes reflecting a mix of determination and guilt. "Then I guess there's nothing I can do to change the past… nothing except being sorry for being late."
His fists clenched at his sides. "But sorry doesn't mean anything to them—not after what they've gone through. I've heard how they've been treated… like animals... I might have to cut down a lot of ninjas to even begin to balance their pain. And I won't hesitate to do it if that's what it takes."
In his mindscape, Kurama let out a deep, rumbling sigh, the sound resonating through the endless expanse. His crimson eyes regarded Naruto with something between exasperation and quiet respect. His tails swayed slowly behind him, their rhythmic motion betraying his otherwise calm demeanor.
"You're a stubborn brat, you know that?" Kurama growled, though there was no real bite to his words. "You think you can just take the weight of the world on your shoulders and fix everything by sheer force of will. It doesn't work like that."
Naruto's lips thinned, but he didn't interrupt. He had learned that sometimes, listening to Kurama offered more than just reassurance—it offered clarity.
Kurama continued, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. "Your heart's in the right place, but you need to tread carefully Naruto. If you try to shoulder too much, you'll break. And if you lose yourself to that anger, to that need to make things 'right' no matter the cost… then you'll become the very thing you're fighting against. A blind avenger, wielding power without restraint."
Naruto's eyes softened, his breath leaving him in a shaky exhale. He knew Kurama wasn't just scolding him; the fox was worried.
"I get it, Kurama," Naruto replied, his voice quieter now but no less resolute. "That's why I'm not rushing in headfirst, not this time. I'm taking it step by step. I'm trying to figure things out so I don't lose myself... I'm doing it because it's the right thing to do. If I don't try to help, who will?"
Kurama shifted again, sensing Naruto's focus shifting to something darker. "And after the Land of Grass?"
Naruto's eyes sharpened, his voice taking on a harder edge. "The Land of Water. Kirigakure. The Bloody Mist."
Kurama growled softly. "Yagura Karatachi."
"Exactly," Naruto said, his tone icy. "The Fourth Mizukage. He's nothing more than a puppet, controlled by Obito Uchiha. I don't care about Yagura himself, but Isobu—the Three-Tails—deserves to be freed."
"You're planning to kill him, then?" Kurama asked, though he already knew the answer.
"Yes," Naruto replied without hesitation. "I'll kill him and release Isobu. It's the only way to break Obito's control over Kirigakure and free poor Isobu."
Kurama hummed thoughtfully. "And you think Kirigakure will welcome you with open arms after that?"
Naruto's lips curled into a sly smile. "They won't have a choice. Once I've freed them from their nightmare, my name will spread. 'Jack' will be known as the one who brought Kirigakure out of the Bloody Mist era."
The fox chuckled darkly. "You really are a schemer, brat. I can't say I hate it."
Naruto's pace slowed slightly as he glanced up at the sky. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, painting the forest in hues of gold and orange. "This is just the beginning, Kurama. Everything I'm doing now is laying the groundwork for what's to come."
"And what is to come?" Kurama asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
Naruto did not answer his question immediately but smiled mysteriously.
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