Chapter 403: Golden Naruto Appears, Asura's Will
Snap!
Tsunade heard a finger snap, and suddenly her vision blurred. The tool in her hand turned into an image—visible but untouchable.
Tsunade's expression darkened. She now understood more clearly that she wasn't as important in Li Yao's eyes as she had imagined.
At that moment, Li Yao was focused on sensing the tug-of-war between Naruto and Kurama's chakra wills. He had no time to toy with Tsunade.
"Hmm… what kind of jutsu was that?"
From afar, behind a large boulder, Samui—watching through binoculars—was startled by the scene where Tsunade vanished in an instant.
Earlier, Li Yao's sudden appearance could be explained by a powerful Body Flicker Technique.
But Tsunade's sudden disappearance couldn't be explained that way.
The enemy possessed a jutsu that could make people vanish in an instant.
Samui thought to herself.
That man who had suddenly appeared—she had no memory of him at all.
"You don't know who that is?" Omoi was visibly shocked.
As the renowned encyclopedia of Kumogakure and its head of intelligence, Samui's brain held vast amounts of intel.
That man, who could stand so calmly before a Nine-Tails-transformed jinchūriki, clearly wasn't a nobody in the shinobi world.
For someone that powerful to be completely unknown to Samui left both Omoi and Karui shocked.
Frowning in thought, Samui took out pen and paper and quickly jotted down information and speculations on Li Yao's abilities. She sent Omoi off to relay the intel back to the village so they could begin gathering more information on this mysterious figure.
A strong sense of foreboding rose in Samui's heart.
It was very likely that Konoha's current state had been caused by this unknown man.
Why?
Because it was obvious he wasn't aligned with Konoha—in fact, he might be their enemy.
Someone like that, with that kind of power—and she had zero information on him? It was completely abnormal. The village had to prepare, and quickly.
"No, I'm Naruto Uzumaki!"
"I'm the son of the Fourth Hokage!"
"I'm the man who will become Hokage!"
"I… will never run away!!!"
Within the spiritual world, Naruto roared in defiance. Just as his mind was about to be completely consumed by darkness, he found himself again.
The massive black and red Nine-Tails chakra quickly receded, and Naruto regained his consciousness.
"Good!"
Kurama finally let out a long breath of relief—Naruto had made it through. He hadn't been completely consumed by the chakra and had managed to gain control over it.
In the seal space, a massive red chakra projection of Kurama floated in the air like an upside-down funnel, its narrow end connected to Naruto.
Huff… huff… Naruto panted heavily.
Even though he had ultimately regained himself, the entire ordeal had taken a mental toll on him.
But the outcome was excellent—Naruto had finally mastered Kurama's chakra completely.
From this moment on, he no longer had to fear being consumed by Kurama.
He had become a perfect jinchūriki.
Even if he were to lose control in the future, Kurama's chakra would no longer erode him—instead, it would be a source of power.
"This feeling… it's incredible!"
Within the seal space, having absorbed Kurama's chakra and now transformed into the golden Nine-Tails chakra cloak, Naruto felt an unprecedented sense of liberation. His spiritual body felt light as a feather, and with a simple movement, he appeared ten meters away in an instant.
Crack!
Clenching his fist, the strength within him felt like a collapsing mountain—unmatched and overwhelming.
Then came the perception—besides chakra, Kurama also carried intense malice. Naruto looked up at him, eyes filled with guilt, remorse, and compassion.
"Kurama… thank you!"
During the battle against the negative emotions within the chakra, Naruto had seen fragments of Kurama's past. He learned that Kurama, like humans, had a name. For the first time, he understood Kurama's suffering from his perspective.
Those days spent locked in a dark cell by humans… that feeling of being bound, unable to move.
Pain. Torment. Loneliness. Hatred.
Those emotions had gnawed at Kurama's soul every moment of every day.
Naruto imagined if he had been in Kurama's place, he too would have hated himself deeply, and humanity even more.
That Kurama would help him now, no matter the reason—even if he still wanted Naruto dead—Naruto was truly grateful.
"Brat… don't think a simple thank-you makes up for the past!"
Naruto's gaze made Kurama uncomfortable. He wasn't going to let go of the past just because of one word.
Naruto smiled, unfazed. He turned around, his back facing Kurama. He clapped his fists together, voice full of determination.
"Kurama, let's go."
Seeing Naruto fully exposing his back in trust, Kurama—feeling trust for the first time—fell silent. For a moment, he thought he saw the image of the Sage of Six Paths.
"One day, you will meet a blue-eyed boy who will call you by your name…"
Kurama shook his head. That memory was too old, and he didn't think Naruto was the one the old man spoke of.
Right now, the priority was getting through the crisis at hand.
"That man is outside, Naruto," Kurama reminded.
"I know," Naruto replied. After entering the Nine-Tails chakra cloak, he immediately sensed the malevolent presence outside locked onto him.
…
Outside.
Li Yao straightened up. The black and red Nine-Tails chakra around Naruto faded—proof that Naruto had won the tug-of-war of will.
But… it wasn't Naruto who truly won. Or at least, not Naruto alone.
At the final moment, it wasn't Naruto's own willpower that helped him recover. Having been mentally crushed by Li Yao's unstoppable presence, Naruto had lost the crucial courage he needed.
And yet, he still made it through.
But it was thanks to a unique will hidden within Naruto's chakra that helped him through the darkness.
That will—intangible yet extraordinarily tenacious—resisted Kurama's negative chakra, preventing Naruto from falling into complete darkness.
Because of that special will, Naruto succeeded in the end and mastered Kurama's power.
"Asura, huh?"
Li Yao murmured thoughtfully before smiling. If Naruto had any other special advantage, it was the soul of Asura, the greatest cheat code for the Child of Prophecy.
In the world of Naruto, many believed Kurama was Naruto's greatest advantage—but in reality, it was being the reincarnation of Asura.
Without that identity as the Sage of Six Paths' son, Naruto—despite all his effort—would have at most reached the level of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Becoming a Sage of Six Paths? Impossible.
Even if the Sage granted him power, without Asura's soul, Naruto wouldn't have been able to withstand it.
Just like now—without Asura's will, Naruto never would've overcome Kurama's chakra corruption.
A powerful Li Yao needed a powerful vessel to be contained.
And clearly, the soul of Asura—son of the Sage of Six Paths—was strong enough.
(END CHAPTER)
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