Naruto and Sakiya stood completely still, eyes closed, unmoving.
Beneath them, a glowing circle of symbols surrounded their feet, slowly rotating.
Beyond that, a larger circle encompassed the first, its strange markings shifting like living things.
It gave off an eerie, almost hypnotic effect.
Tsunade, Kakashi, and Jiraiya stood nearby, watching closely.
They were there to intervene if anything went wrong.
Faint traces of Kyuubi's chakra flickered around Naruto's body.
The three of them exchanged glances but didn't react—
It only meant one thing:
Sakiya and Naruto were deep in negotiation with Kyuubi, and from the looks of it, things were getting intense.
As long as Naruto wasn't in immediate danger, they wouldn't interfere.
Then—
The magic circle beneath Sakiya flared to life.
The three of them tensed.
Sakiya's eyes fluttered open, meeting their expectant gazes.
A grin stretched across her face, her chin lifting smugly.
"Hmph~ With my supreme negotiation skills, I've sealed the deal!"
"The fox is behaving perfectly now."
Tsunade and the others let out a quiet breath of relief—but their eyes immediately flicked back to Naruto.
Still motionless.
"...Why isn't Naruto back yet?" Kakashi frowned.
"Is he still talking to Kyuubi?"
Sakiya shook her head, then flashed a mysterious smile.
"The Orange Flame is... meeting someone very important to him."
Kakashi and Tsunade blinked in confusion.
Jiraiya, however, understood immediately.
His expression softened, eyes filled with a deep, aching nostalgia.
"...I see."
A long, tired sigh left his lips.
"It's about time. We... owe them that much."
Tsunade and Kakashi's expressions shifted.
Realization hit.
Their gazes turned back to Naruto—
Who was still standing there, eyes closed.
But now—
A gentle smile had appeared on his face.
Soft.
Warm.
For a moment, none of them spoke.
They could feel it, though they couldn't explain it.
Naruto had changed.
Something inside him had shifted.
It wasn't obvious, but it was there—something new.
Something whole.
The warmth in his expression made their hearts ache.
Because they knew—
This moment could only happen once.
And after that…
It would be gone.
Tsunade exhaled slowly.
"...Let's not disturb him."
---
Meanwhile, inside Naruto's mind…
The three of them greeted each other warmly, their emotions overflowing.
As a mother, Kushina couldn't stop asking about Naruto's life—
She wanted to know everything.
But, of course, there was one thing she was most curious about.
"Naruto~ Do you have a girlfriend?" Kushina teased with a playful grin.
"Was that girl with you just now your girlfriend?"
Naruto's face flushed red.
He scratched his head, laughing awkwardly.
"Haha... well, I think so..."
"But... Sakiya doesn't really seem to like me that way..."
Kushina giggled, covering her mouth.
"Then you just have to try harder!"
Beside her, Minato had been mostly quiet, watching with a gentle smile.
But inwardly, he had a good impression of the girl named Sakiya.
The moment she stepped into this space, she had immediately noticed their chakras.
Then, she weakened Kyuubi's seal just enough to let them meet Naruto.
When Kyuubi moved to resist, the girl had calmly protected Minato's chakra.
Then—
She proceeded to "tame" the Nine-Tails like it was nothing.
After that, she had somehow strengthened both his and Kushina's chakra.
Minato and Kushina could feel the change inside them.
It was as if, from now on, they could remain in Naruto's inner world whenever they wanted.
More than that—
Sakiya had left behind some of her own chakra.
A failsafe, most likely aimed at Kyuubi.
From all this, Minato and Kushina could tell—
This girl was important to Naruto.
At the very least, she was a true friend.
And as for their longstanding worries about Kyuubi?
They had completely disappeared.
After ensuring everything was settled, Sakiya had gathered their chakras together—
And led them here, to Naruto.
That's how this reunion had become possible.
Now, after the warm conversations had settled, Kushina's face turned serious.
There was still something Naruto needed to know.
The night that changed their family's fate.
The day Naruto was born.
Kushina and Minato exchanged a glance—
Then, slowly, they began to tell their son everything.
Time always moves too fast when it's warm and happy.
Once again, it was time to say goodbye.
There were no extra words—just a silent embrace.
Even though they didn't want to part, they had no choice.
Because fate was not theirs to control.
Minato and Kushina, still holding Naruto close, slowly dissolved into shimmering starlight.
Their essence drifted gently, sinking deep into Naruto's heart—
Filling his inner world with warmth.
---
Naruto woke up slowly, a genuine smile on his face.
For the first time, he felt something he had never felt before.
A warmth that healed him from the inside out.
It was as if all the resentment, loneliness, and pain had been washed away.
All that remained was a deep, unshakable warmth.
From the corner of his mind, the Nine-Tails squinted at him.
"Hmph. You're different now, brat," the fox muttered.
"It's like you've got no darkness left in you at all."
---
In the real world.
Naruto finally opened his eyes.
He was smiling as he looked at the people waiting for him.
"I'm back."
Jiraiya and Tsunade smiled.
"Welcome back, Naruto."
Nearby, Sakiya bounced in excitement.
"You look like you're in a great mood!" she grinned.
"Alright, then... let's try that new mode."
Naruto blinked.
He instantly knew what she meant.
Without hesitation, he reached into his inner world—
And pulled Kyuubi's chakra into himself.
The moment it flowed into him—
Naruto's entire body ignited with golden energy.
A powerful, radiant aura surrounded him.
He felt stronger than he had ever been before.
But unlike before, this power was fully under his control.
There was no risk of Kyuubi taking over.
No more fighting against the beast's will.
Just pure strength.
Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Kakashi watched in awe.
"This chakra... it's incredible," Tsunade muttered.
Jiraiya grinned.
"Looks like we won't have to worry about Naruto's safety anymore."
Tsunade nodded.
"He's strong enough for the battlefield now. But Sakiya—make sure to keep an eye on him."
Kakashi watched Naruto's new form, his expression unreadable.
A part of him felt... envious.
But mostly, he felt proud.
"Naruto... I think you might have already surpassed me."
Sakiya circled Naruto, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Wow, this golden power is so cool!" she said.
She grinned.
"Alright, Orange Flame Warrior! Want to test your new strength?"
Naruto froze.
"Wait... you mean fight you again?"
He took a step back.
"Uh... I'll pass. Even in this mode, I still wouldn't stand a chance against you."
Sakiya just laughed and pointed at Kakashi.
"Not me. Him."
Kakashi blinked.
"...Me?"
Naruto tilted his head.
"A match against Kakashi-sensei?"
Tsunade and Jiraiya nodded approvingly.
"That's actually a great idea."
"Yeah, Kakashi—you should test Naruto's new power."
Kakashi sighed.
He had a bad feeling about this.
Would he really be able to keep up?
Would Naruto completely outclass him?
But after a brief pause—
His doubts disappeared.
Kakashi's expression sharpened, his eyes filled with determination.
"Alright then!" he said.
"Naruto—let's see just how strong you've become."
Naruto grinned.
"Yeah! It's been way too long since we last fought, Kakashi-sensei!"
A nostalgic feeling swept over him.
He smiled softly.
"If only Sakura and Sasuke were here, too..."
And with that, their battle began.
_____________
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