A Positive Twist

by Nasha Rei-Kun

He wanted to change the system they lived in. To allow people like Mai, Maki, and people like Toji to thrive with their own talents or desires. Naruto wanted to become a grade even become Special-Grade to work alongside his ridiculous cousin to change how the world worked. Naruto Uzumaki, 'Defect' of the Gojou Clan, wanted to put a bit of a positive twist on the Jujutsu world.

2. Facets

Okay, maybe, I'll need to double-check but do people really have a hard time figuring out how old Kushina or Naruto are?

Let me clarifying some things:

Number 1, Kushina had Naruto when she was twenty, I literally labeled each section's time or location for what is maybe the second time in my 'writing career' and people ask questions? I don't know what to do at that point.

This is around the time when Satoru and Geto were in their second-year at Jujutsu high… which, I just found out, was when they were 17 or 18… And, apparently, Jujutsu High goes on for four years. I thought it was three so that's on me but it shouldn't matter in that case.

Always wondered why Maki was somehow the same age as Nobara despite being in a later grade. Then again, Megumi, hilariously enough, is the youngest of our MC Trio at the age of 15.

Okay? So, right now:

Kushina - 27

Naruto - 7 coming up on 8

Satoru - 18

Megumi - 6

That should hopefully fix some misconceptions.

P.S. Sorry for any errors. Let me know if any are egregious enough to be distracting.

~NRK~

They just sat there as the two's words processed.

"H-Hold on! That's a bit much!" Shoko swallowed as Satoru shrugged.

"It's all that makes sense," he said. "If Six Eyes is the ability to see, understand, and break down cursed energy, Naruto would wield something opposite of it due to both being born with it and his Heavenly Restriction which opposed its original purpose."

"Yep!" Riko grinned, showing sharp teeth. "The thing is, from what Kurama told me, Naruto believes that the two powers mixed together due to the energy feeding his half-baked Six Eyes being positive energy. If that's true then it changed the function of it due to the nature of positive energy and its rarity… I think!"

"N-No, no! That's not a good response!" Utahime wheezed. "D-Do you two realize how dangerous Naruto's life would be if this ever got out?!"

"It's not like we want him in danger," Satoru said, ruffling his head of hair. "But it's the truth of the matter. It's why Naruto's sense could process Limitless's ability even if only a bit, it's why my powers would constantly get rebuffed. His powers run counter to my own and that's the important part."

Geto was just left staring as he tried to process the magnitude of what was being stated.

"S-So, what? He's going to have perfect control of 'infinity' applied to his version of Six Eyes?" God, that sentence made his skin crawl. "What?" Geto looked so confused.

"... I don't think so," Utahime said slowly. "I-If what they say is true, that is… but if it is," she sighed while brushing one of Naruto's bangs away. "It means the inverse, doesn't it? Not infinity, in this case?"

"Hmm," Satoru considered the idea, eyes closing as his head tilted. "You're probably right."

"What does that even imply?" Yaga groaned, holding his head with both hands. "What exactly would the inverse of Six Eyes and Limitless allow? Speaking of, you don't know if he has Limitless's inverse?"

"The thing is," Riko began. "Neither Naruto nor Kurama were sure, this is all new territory for them. All I can guess is, well," she rubbed the back of her head. "I-If Limitless is reversed, right? Wouldn't that mean it's Limited?"

"... yes?" Shoko said very unsurely. "W-What would that mean, though? I-It has a limit but what is defined as 'the limit'?"

"I don't know."

"... Ugh," Geto groaned a bit. "For now… what do we do?" He asked the room.

They were silent at his question.

"Naruto's powers are one thing," he began again. "But Riko Amanai, the former Star Plasma Vessel, is alive and Tengen-sama's merger time has passed."

"... Then, it won't matter, right?" Riko asked them with a frown. "N-Not to say I'm not terrified of what someone might do to me, mostly the Time Vessel Association, but it's too late, isn't it? How long has it been since the merger date?"

"Four days, basically five since it's almost night," Satoru said with a hum and a look at Naruto. "This changes a lot of things, way too many, but Riko's not going back, it'd solve nothing."

"It's true," Geto said with a smile as the fox girl sighed in relief. "... You're a fox girl now," he added like it was the oddest thing to date.

It kinda was only by proxy but since Naruto was currently down…

"Y-Yep!" Riko said with a look that said she had no idea what to do. "So, um, you guys don't have more room and board, do ya?"

"We'll take you in… but, perhaps," Utahime began. "Perhaps she shouldn't stay at this branch?"

"I don't think aunty would mind taking her in," Satoru said with a soft breath. "Honestly, I'm not sure what to really do. I don't have all the answers, I know that now."

Kuroi considered all their words. "... Perhaps, since this is the case," she began, standing up. "It'd be for the best if I, Riko, Naruto-kun, and someone else goes away from Tokyo Jujutsu High."

Yaga considered her proposal. "Still, Naruto's going to need more protection now than ever before. And, even unknowingly, he'll get that here," he frowned, shooting the comatose boy a look of sympathy. "His life has become just as important as Satoru's and that fact isn't even known enough to give him the protection he actually needs elsewhere."

"Hmph, always knew he was special," Satoru said, considering the boy.

"I made a Binding Vow with Kurama to protect Naruto," Riko said with a look of determination. "But I need to get stronger. I have cursed energy but I don't know how to use it and I got Kurama's powers, I'd bet, but, once again, I have no idea what I'd be doing."

"I'll teach you then," Utahime said with a small smile as Riko sighed in relief. "I and Masamichi-sensei are the ones most knowledgeable of Naruto's shikigami and he can't leave. It'd be too suspicious but I'm to start my tenure in Kyoto High in three years' time. They won't mind me going over there often. By that time, you should have a good grasp on your skills and Naruto will, hopefully, be awake."

"Oh, he will. He's currently, sort of, self-sealed himself," the girl explained with a frown. "Right now, Naruto's in the most vulnerable state he could possibly be in due to having to keep my body alive and my spirit attached. Kurama said due to the severity of what he did, he'd be asleep for a month a day after but due to his wounds, he immediately fell into it."

"A month-long sealing," Geto winced painfully at that while the others responded with their own grimaces. "That's… that's too steep to be of any use. What happens if he uses it in the middle of battle?"

"That's why it's a final skill, an odd one with some countdown," Riko explained, knocking her fist against her skull. "The thing is, Kurama knew everything Naruto did before he merged with me so I know the intermediate stuff on Jujutsu, thankfully. A little powerleveling, he's really too nice sometimes."

"That's convenient but not unpleasant," Utahime smiled. "If that's the case, that will allow us to skip a lot of the theories you'd need to normally learn," Riko smiled shakily as Satoru snickered. "Still, you know how cursed energy works, don't you?"

"..." Riko looked down at her open hands before she clenched them.

A small blue flame of energy formed over her hands as she clenched the tighter.

"Just because I do doesn't mean it's any-"

Her power went out.

"Good."

"That will take some time," Yaga said with a frown. 'Still, a human soul should already emit cursed energy,' and if Kurama was the link binding her soul to life itself, that would mean she inherited his self-sustained core. 'Would she have a perpetual cursed energy engine of sorts?' He didn't know.

He'd need to ask her in private.

"We'll work on it," Utahime said with a nod. "Kuroi might be able to help as well."

"I'm not much more than a bodyguard," the woman in question said before bowing. "But if I can be of assistance, please, allow me to pay you back for keeping Riko alive and making her stronger. I don't think I'll ever repay you for that."

"H-Hey, don't forget me!" Riko said, bowing with her. "I owe Naru, Geto, and Sato a lot," she admitted, looking embarrassed. "A lot. And not just the 'give me back my life' thing."

"Which isn't weird or anything," Shoko said flatly while the younger female giggled nervously. "... Well, the one big thing I can think of that needs to happen for you is to get a new name," Riko balked. "Both of you, maybe just your last names but you need to remove your names from the registry of Japan and re-enter it."

"I'll handle it," Yaga said with a groan. "I have some 'help' in the government who owe me a bit. They'll be able to do it," Satoru's eyes widened as he remembered something. "Still, for now, you all need rest," he added, looking at Satoru and Geto with a look that brokered no argument. "Haa, perhaps Naruto's parents will be able to take you two in without issue, they should be back tomorrow morning. For now, everyone, get some rest."

He got up, shot the group one last nod, and then left with a hand rubbing his nape.

"He's got a point," Shoko shrugged. "For now, I guess we need to take Toji Zenin's corpse and… uh," she looked at Satoru who rubbed the back of his head.

"I wanted to give Naruto at least one more chance to see the guy but I guess a tombstone'll have to work," he sighed but got up and raised a hand, Toji's corpse lifting in the air without too much effort. "God, does anyone know any good spots? I kind of want to put his name on the stone."

"Why? Was he not the enemy?" Utahime asked as Riko nodded, eyes narrowed… before they closed.

"He cared," she said, looking at Naruto. "I think he knew Naru."

"He did," Satoru said, shocking Utahime and Shoko, Geto nodding. "Heh, figure it out, too?"

"He literally told our broken bodies that Naruto was the reason he hadn't killed us," the other young man said, surprising even Satoru. "We owe Naruto a lot for essentially ensuring we all got out alive… here," Geto pulled out his phone before doing a couple taps. "There's an area I know that's rather nice, I rest there sometimes… and sent."

"Thanks for the space."

With that, Satoru walked over to Naruto before placing something down by his head.

"Your master's last blessing, I guess," the older Gojou said before walking off with Toji's body.

The others looked at what was clearly a Cursed Tool.

"... He really trained him," Shoko said as she crouched down before picking up the cursed item.

It was around a foot in size and… well, looked like, at best, a golden baton with something wrapped around its center.

"Huh…" She fiddled with what looked like a tied-up piece of paper.

Undoing its binds, she opened it up to read its contents.

"... W-Wait, hold on, this is a bank account?"

"Hmm?" Riko blinked, coming over with the others to stare at it. "... Did he want to leave it all with Naruto?" Was this really done by the man who'd killed her?

Really?

"I mean, it's got a password, hints to secret lots, and everything," Geto said, looking at some of the things. "Is it all monetary? Or is there more?"

They didn't know… and likely never would until Naruto awoke.

Yet, Geto saw one particular thing. 'An address?'

"It's for the best to leave it be," Utahime said, gently taking it from Shoko before re-rolling it and tying it around the 'baton' Cursed Tool. "It's not ours to deal with, it's Naruto's," she declared before placing it on the boy-in-question's chest and lifting him up. "Riko-san, Kuroi-san, you can both sleep in the same room as us, it'd be for the best that Naruto has as much protection as possible."

"I'll come as well," Geto nodded. "I'm sure Satoru will end up in the room regardless, so might as well have us all in there."

~NRK~

Come midnight, Satoru stared at the others as they slept before his gaze fell on Utahime holding onto Naruto's form.

'She always was the most attached to him,' he questioned if there wasn't a worrying reason for that. "I'm glad you're alive," Satoru whispered to the blonde asleep next to him. "This entire situation only worked out because of you," he added with an arm over his eyes. "For all that I'm blessed, none of it mattered-"

"Gojou," Utahime's voice reached him and he sighed. "... It's not wrong to feel disappointed in oneself for their own mistake but that's where you have to learn and grow."

He shifted his arm to allow one eye to lock gaze with the awake woman's pair, brown to silvery-blue.

"... I know."

"Naruto wouldn't want you beating yourself up, either."

"Yeah, that kid's something else when it comes to understanding people," Satoru said as she nodded before closing her eyes. "I can tell, you'll protect him with your life."

She smiled a bit. "Of course, he's my dear student, I couldn't do anything less."

Spoken like a true teacher.

Satoru kind of wished he might be able to spout such words, himself, one day.

~NRK~

The entire group were awoken by the sound of a mother throwing open the door.

"NARUTO?!" Kushina shouted as she rushed inside in a red qipao and black tights. "Oh, thank God," she hit her knees in relief while the other began to get up and a man entered the room.

"Satoru-kun," he said, Satoru rubbing the back of his head as he sat up. "... Thanks for keeping things going."

"It's more him than me, uncle."

Kushina's husband, Minato Uzumaki, wore a complicated solemn expression at that.

He was a moderately tall man with familiar features to their little blonde wonder. Same skin, eyes to his right eye, and hair with the father's being longer with smaller spikes and two long bangs that came down the sides of his head.

Wearing a dark blue cheongsam and black pants, he quickly entered and sat by his wife, the two looking at Naruto in relief.

"M-Minato-san," Geto said with an arm rubbing his eye, the entire group in their pajamas, or borrowed ones in Kuroi and Riko's cases. "When did you both get back?"

"Just a couple seconds ago," Minato answered as he saw the new scars on his son's chest. "God, the one time we decide to leave, he becomes wanted, it's kinda surreal."

"Apologies."

"It's not your fault," Kushina sighed before running her finger down one of her son's whisker marks. "... Come on, all of you," she said, getting up with a smile. "Clean up and come down to the mess hall for some breakfast, we can talk then."

~NRK~

One cleaning and stretching session later, the group were doing as Kushina said, eating together in a corner of one of their cafeteria areas on the campus.

Informing the parents of their young knocked-out comrade of everything, the two had one thing to say.

"Wow, we didn't… yikes," Kushina and Minato said in disbelief.

"We… In a way, I guess I should have been more proactive in Naruto's development," Minato said with a sigh and groan. "Still, only you all know?"

"Us and Yaga-sensei," Geto explained, the young man nursing some tea. "So, what do you really think?" He was worried for Naruto, really he was.

The boy would become a hot topic in time, there was no doubt in Geto's mind that the blonde's situation would become an open issue eventually.

"... I can tell what you're thinking," Kushina said sadly. "It's only a matter of time, there's not a lot we can do to stop Naruto from becoming known for this situation, it'd be impossible to stop."

"You think so?" Shoko rubbed the back of her head. "Still, what could we do in the meantime? I mean, Iori's gonna be taking care of Riko and Kuroi but Naruto's not gonna be awake for another 28 days," Riko nodded. "And, right now, the Plasma Vessel Cult is still active. The moment they know Toji's dead, that's not gonna end well."

"There's a high chance they'll hire more people to compensate," Minato said. "More people equals more individuals who might end up knowing. They may even promise these others the chance to use Naruto's power for a contract," his eyes narrowed. "For now, we need to ensure Naruto's never left alone, he's sealed himself, is currently half-baked, if you will, due to forcing an activation of an un-engraved Cursed… Blessed Technique," he stated. "At present, Riko-kun is holding Kurama within her and I can assume that she likely has a powerful connection to Naruto now."

Riko blinked, fox ears flicking up before she slammed them down, shivering at the feeling. "Y-Yep," she swallowed, shivering again. "Oh God, a-am I gonna have to get used to these?"

"It seems so," Utahime said with a sigh, drinking some tea. "Still, right now, I suppose the best course of action would be to await Naruto's awakening. There's nothing in need of too much attention, yes?"

"I mean, we still have to find the heads of the Time Vessel Association," Satoru said, a pancake half-dripping with syrup stabbed by a fork. "As long as they're around, Naruto and Riko aren't safe."

"He's right," Geto said as Yaga arrived in the cafeteria. "Yaga."

"Hmph, morning," the teacher said, nodding to Minato and Kushina. "So, they've told you everything, right?"

"Yes," Kushina tapped her noggin with her fingers. "Why is the world seemingly after my child? Honestly, next thing I know, he's gonna be in an arranged marriage with a Zenin-"

The cafeteria doors opened and the entire group felt the universe tickle them.

For, at that very entrance, stood three members of the Zenin Clan.

"Oh, fuck my life."

They watched them go about their business and let out a collective sigh of relief as the three got food and seated themselves far from them.

"Oh, God, the universe almost made my life more finite than it is," Shoko said as Riko grinned nervously, holding her hands over her fox ears-

"It's true, Shiu told me that Toji's dead."

She froze, eyes widening as she turned her head to the Zenin trio. "G-Guys," she swallowed as they stared at her before seeing her twitching ears beneath her hands.

Satoru's eyes widened before they focused. "Keep listening," he told her.

Riko nodded.

---

"It's good news," came one of the three Zenin said. "Still, Naobito, what do you plan to do with that other one?"

This was said by a man who was large and tall with wild black hair, tan skin, a scar on his forehead, small black eyes, and thick eyebrows. Wearing a darkly-colored kimono, he was currently speaking with the oldest among the three of them.

"Hm, hmm, that's odd for you to say," the old man said with a laugh, drinking some form of alcohol even then. "... Ahhh, he's your brother, Jinichi. I'd expect you to feel some kind of way."

The old man was tall, with lightly-tanned wrinkled skin, gray-green eyes, a pointy mustache, and gray hair that was slicked back and flared out by his nape.

Wearing a muted-green kimono, he was currently 'wielding' a sake gourd and drinking from it without rest.

Naobito Zenin grinned a bit as Jinichi's expression didn't change.

"Why? I'd long since disowned my sibling, we share nothing but a name and we all know he long since removed even that," Jinichi said, cupping his chin. "Ignore that, what do we do about his son?"

"..." Naobito hummed before taking another swig of his sake. "What do ya want to do?" He grinned a bit. "We don't even know if the boy's as useless as his father or not."

"But we will know. The boy's, what? six? Five? He should be showing signs of a Cursed Technique soon."

"And if he does?"

"We'll do as we spoke with Toji."

---

"Good God," Kushina grimaced. "That's sick."

"It's wrong on a level we can't imagine," Utahime sighed. "But individuals like us have no right to interfere."

Satoru simply kept his mouth covered. "..." He didn't say anything. 'I'll wait until Naruto's awake.'

It'd be best to make such a decision with all parties connected involved, of course, ignoring the Zenin family.

He was Megumi Fushigoro, after all.

---

Back with the Zenin trio, the third man grunted a bit.

"Tch, this again," he grumbled as the other two rolled their eyes. "Why do we care about his children to this extent? You chose to ignore his very existence and yet you're willing to give his progeny attention?"

He was tall like his fellow family members with slightly wrinkled fair skin, black eyes, and slicked-back black hair pulled into a high ponytail.

Wearing a dark green kimono, he grimaced as Naobito chuckled and Jinichi cupped his chin.

"Despite his failure as a sorcerer, Toji could very well have produced decent children. This one's even a boy, it'd be ignorant of us to not check and he sold him to us on contract," Jinichi said. "His other child is of no significance, that gal, all we need to know is if Megumi Fushigoro is worthwhile. We'll ignore them otherwise, Ogi."

'We should have erased his line completely!' Ogi Zenin grimaced mentally but kept his real expression slacking. "And what happens if he doesn't wish to come?"

"Hah!" The oldest among them smirked. "Right."

---

"As headstrong as always," Minato muttered as the others winced. "This isn't exactly the kind of image one would expect of wise elders," he added as Geto nodded, Kuroi looking down in thought.

They listened in through Riko a bit more before gaining one last bit of information that was… odd, to say the least.

"That blonde Gojou, honestly, I'm confused by this one."

Riko relayed the words and Satoru's eyebrows furrowed.

"Hmph, it's not like it's my business," Naobito said. "We have enough children with problems to deal with. Maki's likeness to Toji is becoming concerning and Mai's defective Cursed Technique is utterly pathetic."

"Their places wouldn't have changed much, regardless, they are weak and work as servants as they should," Jinichi said. "But I am bothered by the blonde one."

"Why?" Ogi asked. "Even other children, are you that unconcerned with your own blood?"

"Don't test me, Ogi, those failure daughters of yours aren't our pathetic marks."

There was growling, likely from this 'Ogi' guy and Riko, herself, but she listened still.

"Tch!"

"Hmm, Jinichi, why are you so obsessed with the boy?" Naobito asked, the sound of 'gluging' reaching Riko's fox ears. "What? Are you trying to upset the Gojou Clan?"

"We couldn't do that unless we attacked a member they actually cared about," this Jinichi guy said but Riko felt like he wasn't scared of this idea. "No, I'm wondering if Ranta wouldn't find some kinda purpose through him. That boy… he's too kind, too polite, he is one of the few who didn't despise Toji's existence despite wielding a rather amazing Cursed Technique."

"So, what? You wish for the two to do battle?"

"I wish for him to find out what combat will be and might be able to use that useless blonde for an experiment."

Riko fully covered her ears at Kushina's raised hand gesture.

"... I might end up attacking a Zenin, everyone," she said with a slow breath, eyes narrowed. "I'm very close to causing a repeat of a feud."

"Yeah, I'm not sure if we need the Zenin Clan save for a few," Satoru said with a growing smile. "Two Big Sorcerer families might be good enough."

"..." Kushina's eyes closed before her shoulders dropped. "Alright, stop, Satoru-kun, you're scaring the others."

Utahime felt a nervous sweat fall down her nape as Satoru closed those eyes before pulling out his usual sunglasses, donning them and allowing 'that pressure' to drop.

"That's not a good way of doing things," Geto said but his hackles had raised at some point. 'When did he change so much?' What had happened?

Was his near-death enough to turn Satoru into more of a monster?

Shoko grinned despite the sweat on her brow. "So, um, what do we do now? If they try and call Naruto into a fight-"

"Which they'd die trying to do," Minato said simply.

"... R-Right, which would be a bad idea," when had even the married-in man become such a 'scary Gojou'? "They might find out about Naruto's comatose state."

"... The Elders are going to want an update on the situation, soon," Yaga told the group with a frown. "At best, I can delay them two weeks but that's it. In two weeks' time, they'll know that he's comatose but nothing else."

"Would that be bad?" Riko asked and the man wore a pensive expression. "Do they hate him?"

"No, thankfully, but they're going to want to know what happened and, likely," Yaga grimaced. "They'll call him, Satoru, and Geto in for questioning regardless. They're going to want to know why you two failed and I doubt my words will be enough."

The two young men wore frowning expressions, looking at one another. "... If that's the case, we can tell them that Naruto got hit with an odd technique from one of the hired hands," Geto said after some consideration. "That said, Amanai really can't be here for long as is. Even right now is dangerous," he whispered, eyes going to the Zenin men. "The moment anyone sees your face, it'll only be a matter of time until the elders know and I doubt fox ears and a tail will be easy to dismiss."

"If we can, we'll be taking you to Kyoto in an hour, Riko-kun," Minato said, confusing the others.

"Didn't you guys just get back?" Shoko asked. "Wouldn't you want to rest?"

"Hmm? Oh, we will, we'll just go to Kyoto, drop her and Kuroi off, and be back in an hour," Minato told her with a smile as the others stared at him. "... Ah, they don't know," he realized as Kushina grinned.

"Wait, don't know what?" Satoru asked, leaning on Kushina's shoulder and looking at the chuckling Minato while his aunty rolled her eyes. "Come on, ne, ne, what's going on? What? You develop teleportation?"

"Yes," Minato answered with a smile.

… The group was silent as he pulled something out of his pocket.

He gently placed it on the table and allowed them all to see what had to be a talisman.

"I'd been working on something for the past couple of years since I've been involved in this side," he told the still confused group. "I finally completed it, what is essentially the pen-ultimate form of my Cursed Technique."

"The Hiraishin Talisman."

"H-Hey, you said 'teleportation' like it was the most simple thing in the world," Riko said with a swallow. "W-What?"

"My Cursed Technique is Coordinate Reversal," Minato explained. "The real name is Energy-Coordinate Zero Cursed-"

"Stop, please, we'll be here all day," Satoru said flatly as Minato pouted. "My God, for a genius your naming sense is ass," he added as Kushina grinned. "Coordinate Reversal is fine, explain yourself."

"Hmph," the others snickered or rolled their eyes at the genius's look of being put out. "The point is that my Cursed Technique allows the switching of two bits of energy, whether it's myself or something I've tagged with my cursed energy. I can use this with things I've ensured have my cursed energy… or things tagged by talismans with my cursed energy or have been recognized by my cursed energy."

"W-What does that have to do with teleportation?" Kuroi asked, confused. "T-The distance between here and Kyoto isn't small, Uzumaki-san. Surely you can't switch between such distances."

"... But I can."

The group was silent, even Geto took a couple seconds to realize what exactly the man was insinuating.

"... Y-You can transport between branches?" The young man looked so alarmed while the others choked. "T-That's…" Incredible? Outrageous?

… Genius. That was the word that came up.

This man who'd not even been in this world for as long as they had was essentially described by that one word.

A genius of nearly ridiculous intelligence.

"B-But why didn't you…?" Shoko asked, looking aghast.

"We finished it in China," Kushina smiled. "It required some studying while we were there and I can get us into places Minato can't go so that's why we left Naru-kun here."

"God and you were a civilian," Satoru snickered even as Utahime swallowed and Yaga contemplated the sheer possibilities of such an ability. "Lord, next thing you know we're gonna pick up a kid off the street who can stop time."

"I doubt it but the world's a vast place," Minato smiled. "Though, now that we know the issue with Naruto, it's clear this won't work on him. Especially if he's now rolling with positive energy."

"That's right," Utahime considered. "Naruto rebuffs Cursed Techniques?" She asked Satoru who shrugged.

"Six Eyes would usually get rebuffed and that was before he forced it to activate. Lord knows what'll happen now," he said. "But using that as a base, he should be capable of it. That's a good skill to have if he's going to fight sorcerers or cursed spirits. He'll just need to master it since I could still see a bit into his system."

"We know way too many ridiculous people," Shoko sweatdropped as Geto laughed a bit. "Still, when it does come out, at least that he can use Reverse Cursed Technique, it'll be nice to have what's essentially a protege," she said with a bright smile.

"Ah, that's true, Naruto will be a hell of a field medic," Geto smiled. "And he'll be someone who actually goes into the field-"

"Bite me, I don't have to and I can make money, nyeh."

"Our healer, of course."

The others chuckled or grinned.

~NRK~

Satoru whistled as he stood by the door of the Uzumaki home.

"Ho-Ly SHIT it's real," he said in awe as Riko appeared behind him, looking so in disbelief, he was snickering. "My God, my family's incredible."

"T-That's insane!" The fox girl wheezed as Shoko came through.

She took one look around and balked.

"I-I think he needs to set up some of these by a beach, maybe?" She asked the two with a bright hopeful expression. "My God we have teleportation, now."

Minato, Kushina, Kuroi, and Yaga came through moments later.

The cursed puppet maker took one look around and turned to Minato.

"Please send me back, I don't want to know anymore," he said with an apathetic voice, a shining talisman on all the group's shoulders.

Minato chuckled before holding his shoulder. "Sure."

They disappeared in a pulse of blue, leaving behind a chuckling Kushina and in-disbelief Kuroi.

"I don't think he's going to recover from that for a while," Kushina said.

~NRK~

Geto just stared in awe as Yaga sat in a corner and looked to all the world like he'd seen God.

"You'd be Special Grade in an instant if this came out," he said to the chuckling Minato, essentially cinching in the man's abilities.

How insane.

"T-That's incredible," Utahime said, sitting next to Naruto in his room in Tokyo Jujutsu High. "... I guess you'll have to travel back normally one day, Naruto-kun," she told the unconscious boy. "There's a lot to explain to you and vice-versa."

~NRK~

~Two Weeks Later~

Two weeks passed pretty quickly after the world officially stopped making sense.

There Geto, Satoru, and Yaga stood in front of a wide octagonal building with gray walls, a dull red roof, and wooden windows. Standing directly in front of the two large closed doors, they adjusted their new clean outfits before going in.

"Remember the story," Yaga explained. "Naruto's comatose nature is due to a Technique, that's not wrong."

"It's a fact that Shoko can vouch for," Geto whispered back. "He'll be awake in two weeks' time."

"And don't let 'em try to see 'im, yet," Satoru finished, tilting his sunglasses up. "Shouldn't be too bad."

They walked into the internal outer circle, a big looking hall that held wood-0paneled floors, old furniture, and burning incense.

Ahead of them, ten meters or so, were another set of doors that led to the chambers of their elders.

The distance was crossed quickly and they went through those next set of doors.

The change in their surroundings was immediate as soon as they entered and the doors closed.

Black filled in their surroundings with the only things being lit being a series of candles placed inside an open portion of pillars all around.

They walked ahead for a bit more, more candles becoming lit before a series of golden and black screens sprunt to life along with them.

Geto looked around. 'They're all here… Wait…' His eyebrows shot into his hairline at a voice.

"Hahaha!" No way.

"Hmm?" Yaga frowned. "Naobito Zenin?" The three's trek came to a stop, surrounded by numerous screens. "Superiors."

The three bowed in their own ways, Satoru's being the least refined with his hands in his pockets and his back a bit slouched.

"Yo, higher-ups," he said with a smile that got another laugh out of the Zenin clan head. "What can we do for you?"

"Cut the fat, Satoru Gojou," one of them said, their screen a bit brighter as he spoke. "You know why you're here."

The Gojou Clan head shrugged. "Alright, we'll explain everything."

They went in turns, each of the three explaining a bit of the details.

With Yaga handling the pre-mission explanation and the updates passed between himself, Tengen, and Naruto.

Geto about the mission's length, Riko's status throughout, and the plans.

And, finally, Satoru about the fights they got into. All of them, whether they included Naruto, Geto, or the Gojou, himself.

By the end of it all, it ended with their agreed upon story.

"And, as such, Naruto Uzumaki is in a comatose state due to the Technique brought about by the enemy," Yaga explained without a hint of a lie. 'No lies, only half-truths,' it shouldn't be a problem.

All that they'd said was factually correct, after all.

"Hmm? I thought the boy was unable to use cursed energy," one superior asked as Yaga nodded.

"He can't but due to a bit of application from my own knowledge and talisman work from both Utahime and the boy's father, we created weak shikigami for him to work alongside for the time being. His Heavenly Restriction prevents a lot but his intuition in using them, his martial skills, and his ability to react are greater than a decent amount of sorcerers the ages above him."

The superior murmured as Satoru smiled a bit.

'You're soft on him, too,' he thought about Yaga. "Yep, the kid's reactions are, being perfectly honest, close to my own," Satoru 'fluffed' the praise as more of the superiors perked up or murmured.

"Nonsense," another said, voice filled with annoyance and disagreement. "He is a boy."

"Most likely not," Geto stated politely, hands behind his back. "With all due respect, sir, Naruto's current skills aren't really questionable as far as we are concerned," he said with a smile.

More murmurs had the three nodding.

Then Naobito opened his mouth.

"So, you don't mind if he, say, sparred with a sorcerer above his age?" The old man asked as the three hummed.

"I doubt he'd mind," Satoru said as Geto nodded and Yaga cupped his chin. "The thing is, ya know? He's kinda predisposed."

"After being hurt by none other than Toji."

The area was silent as even Satoru stared in confusion and some shock. 'Wait, fuck, he knows that much?!' What?!

Yaga's hands clenched a bit while Geto's eyes snapped open.

"What?" The three asked as the Zenin head chuckled a bit.

"It's quite understandable, you wouldn't know that some of our members are always prepared to aid Tengen-sama," the old man said. "With shikigami, as you're so familiar with, we could respond to the situation but you were there, there was no need so we just watched."

Something was off here. How?

'... Wait,' Geto's eyes widened. 'Hadn't they said something about a Shiu?' This person who informed them Toji was dead… oh fuck. "... We hadn't known he was of the Zenin Clan until after he killed Riko Amanai," don't tell him they knew she was-

"Unfortunate as that is, I could care less about the girl," both good and bad. "What I'd like to know is how the boy survived such vicious wounds."

Crap. "Naruto Uzumaki nearly died, it was a miracle that he was alive but all that undue stress and shock put him into a coma," Yaga explained.

"Hmm, Toji spared some random boy, huh?" The old man hummed. "No, I don't believe that, there's something curious afoot. Especially due to his moniker, no?"

"The Sorcerer Killer, yes?" Another asked and the Zenin head chuckled.

'Oh, bastard,' Satoru's eyes narrowed even as his mouth stayed in a smile. 'He's smart, though, and knows Toji enough to cause problems,' how unfortunate. "Still, maybe he just didn't care about a kid enough. You seem to have a horrible opinion of him but, surely, he wasn't that bad."

"... Perhaps," there was a shuffle of cloth. "Yet, I can't very well just drop it, I'm too intrigued. I'd like to meet this brat of the Gojou Family when he awakens."

Geto considered the implications of this. "Why? I'd ask because Naruto literally has no connection to you and probably won't be as knowledgeable as us."

"Children have an odd way of showing odd ideas and traits, my own son is in that boat, I simply need to speak with him."

Well… that could be good or bad.

"Well, that'll only be allowed when I allow it, too," Satoru said with a bigger grin. "When I think Naruto's prepared to deal with the big ol' Zenin head, himself, I'll let him go but not a second more."

There was silence and a pressure in the air as both Big Family Heads covered the space in tension.

It came… and then went, getting a huff out of Naobito.

"Honestly, your youth have no sympathy for elderly folk," the man said to Yaga, sounding like he was pouting.

"With all due respect, I control him only so far," the teacher said completely truthfully. "The world would be a far different place if Satoru was obedient."

They all agreed on that particular topic.

"Hmph, don't let this old man fall to bones, now, Gojou, I am curious."

"... As much as it pains me to admit it, Naruto's very likely to meet you without issue." Satoru said with a shrug as Naobito made a confused sound. "He doesn't care about the bad blood from before he was even born, to him, that kind of stuff doesn't matter. It's not current day people who've caused it, he'll simply see you as a Zenin Clan member who wants to speak with him, there's nothing more to it."

Geto smiled as Yaga nodded.

"It's true," the cursed spirit user said. "Naruto's wise in ways others aren't, we've experienced it first hand with the belated Star Plasma Vessel, he'll likely meet you and speak at length if he has your ear," he grinned a bit. "You might find yourself introspective afterward."

"Hmph… they speak well of this child, Yaga," Naobito said with a curious hum. "I'm sure speaking to this Gojou will bear more interesting fruit than the other."

Satoru's grin was unfazed, causing Naobito to smirk.

'You believe in this boy more than I expected,' well, Naobito was sure to see if this child wasn't as wise as he was being told. "Hmph, go on, does anyone else need anything of them?"

There were murmurs but no real voices of agreement.

"Bring Naruto Uzumaki back to these chambers when he awakens," one of the other superiors said. "That is all."

The three nodded, bowing once more in their own ways before leaving.

As they left, the superiors spoke amongst themselves.

"What was that show you were putting on for, Naobito?" One of the others asked the Zenin Clan head, the man drinking some more sake. "What is it about Naruto Uzumaki that interests you, really?"

"Hehe," the man chuckled. "Interest. My nephew wishes to have his student-cousin spar with him and I want to assess this sad boy."

"And your remark about Toji?"

"Simply putting them in their place. They were really good about telling nothing but the truth," the man smirked. "I was just ensuring them that should something happen, we would step in."

~NRK~

"God, that old fart's good," Satoru said as he, Yaga, and Geto sat in Naruto's room, sitting around the boy's futon. "In a way, I'm not as surprised and that's my fault, sorry."

"It's fine, in the heat of the moment, we didn't consider how the other sorcerer families would respond," Geto said. "For now, though, he knows more than others would. He's curious about Naruto and most of us know that he's gonna meet him without a problem."

"It seems so," Yaga said. "For now, we'll have to follow through on our words and the superiors' wants. When Naruto awakes, we'll give him a day to truly realize what's going on before taking him to meet them and then prepare him to meet Naobito."

"That's about all we can do," Satoru said, looking down at his cousin. "God, you're asleep and somehow making things complicated," he chuckled as Geto hummed before looking at something with a raised brow.

"Huh?" He reached out before pulling Naruto's Shikigami Talisman out from his pocket, the item glowing. "What the heck?"

Satoru and Yaga blinked, looking at it. "What's happening? Is he communicating? Or is it Sage?" He asked, easily using the boy's name for his oni shikigami.

"... Hmm," Satoru took off his glasses- "What?" He blinked in confusion, reaching out for the talisman and taking it from Geto. "..." He flapped it. "Come out, Sage."

The tag glowed before a burst of smoke released Naruto's shikigami, Sage.

And the oni child looked different.

Where before, he only had a head of spiky white hair now he had a few sideburns, crazily enough, and a furry 'collar'.

Above his closed eyes, his horns had gotten bigger, too, while he was now a bit taller?

"What the heck?" Yaga blinked, the shikigami turning to him before bowing. "...?!" The man's form leaned forward in disbelief as the oni child's eyes opened.

And they found a shocking mandala within his left pupil. "Sir," the creature spoke, startling them.

"What? You can talk?" Geto asked in disbelief as the shikigami nodded, alarming him more. "Wait, no, stop. You… you understand me?"

"Of course, master's knowledge was passed on to both me and Kura," the oni child said as Yaga stared in disbelief. "That smart idiot probably didn't say anything because he was in a rush."

"... H-Hehe," Satoru blinked before snickering a bit. "Huh, ya gotta mouth on ya, huh?"

"I was given life and master would never forsake me having my own quirks," the creature said with a smirk as Yaga choked. "And, um, yes, pleased to meet you, our creator."

"... You… what exactly did Naruto's positive energy do?" Yaga asked him in disbelief. "I don't… you're alive," he said in awe as Sage nodded with a smile.

"Master's positive energy is like cursed energy, it can have qualities to it, all positive energy does. His comes with the ability to enhance life and stuff," the oni said as Geto blinked.

"Enhance life?" He asked.

"There was… another word, I think? It started with a 'v' or somethin'."

"... Vitality," Yaga said as Satoru grinned. "Naruto's positive energy enhances life itself for lack of a better phrase. Is that what you meant?"

"Yerp!" The big man smiled a bit at the energy in the spirit. "Master's power is special in that it comes from things like the 'Core of All Life'."

The three men's eyes widened. "What do you mean? Is that the Reverse of the Limitless?" Satoru asked.

"I think so," the oni said. "The thing is, the Core of All Life isn't some weird ol' thin' like Lamitless," Geto snickered as Satoru slumped. "The Core of All Life allows Master's positive energy to have its lifey element."

"I guess it is like Limitless," Yaga corrected for the spirit. "The thing is, looking at it like this, Limitless is like a doorway to 'energy' that can be composed between infinity and negative infinity. Think of it like a second power source that he pulls from by exchanging cursed energy."

"Like a library," Geto said. "So, in Naruto's case, Core of All Life is different."

"It's like Kool-Aid," Satoru said with a shrug. "If Naruto's positive energy is like water, Core of All Life mixes with it and gives his positive energy a life-enhancing element. So, with Three-Tailed Mandala, he can use that energy into a Blessed Technique," he grinned. "Okay, having his powers down more accurately helps in thinking on how he can get stronger, hehehe."

"So, Sage-kun, are you imbued with Core of All Life?" Yaga asked.

"Yeah and nah," the man smiled at the childish oni's wavy hand. "The thin' is, Master's power helps give us souls based on his info from the blood. We are connected. The moment something happens to that connection, we're kaput," the said animatedly, dragging his thumb across his neck.

"... Wait," Geto blinked. "So, you can't be exorcized?"

"... I don't think so? Well, maybe. Right now, the power in Master isn't settled."

"We heard about that," Satoru said. "He forced it out too early to save Riko."

"Yu-huh and, now, the other 40%, our Super Technique, our Supa Tech, can't be used," the shikigami said, getting a nod out of the three. "Master probably can't even use the first one, though, so that's kinda far off."

"So, if I may, Naruto's Three-Tailed Mandala is, in fact, the inverse of the Six-Eyes, right?" Yaga asked.

"Yep, Master's Three-Tailed Mandala allows him to use positive stuff a lot more than most people. He can't see like the Six Eyes but he can use positive energy like a champ."

"I see, I see," Satoru cupped his chin in thought. "So, just wondering, is there a way for him to gain that last 40%?"

"I… I think so?" The oni said, rubbing the back of his head. "We don't know what's on that side since Master kinda pushed things. So, anything could happen."

Okay, so Naruto would have to train hard to use it somehow.

"So, why did you come out, Sage-kun?" Yaga asked. "Not to say it hasn't been pleasant to meet you but how could Satoru release you? Are you not bonded with Naruto?"

"I am but it because Master's power sort of overcharged me seal," the oni explained. "It's gonna happen as he gets ahold of it. I'm gonna get bigger and stronger!" The 'boy' said with his arms up in cheers before he began to wave about like a leaf.

Satoru and Geto joined in without even thinking about it while Yaga facepalmed.

Yep, these were his students, alright.

~NRK~

The following day, now sitting in the Uzumaki home's backyard, underneath a Curtain, Satoru started laughing as Riko flopped around and down.

"D-Dammit!" The girl whined, head dropping, her tail large fox tails going limp.

"It's fine, Riko," Utahime said with a small smile, coming over and brushing the girl's fur from her forehead. "You're learning, this isn't exactly something we thought you could do," she said with a nervous smile as the fox's head raised.

Yes, Riko the Kitsune raised her head, her size that of a small car's and her fur black with a slight sheen to it.

With a new golden magatama necklace around her neck, the kitsune girl looked annoyed with herself.

"So, uh, this is new," Geto said with a look of disbelief. "S-She's a fox!"

"Yep," Shoko said with a grin. "Turns out, there's something to Naruto's power you might not know about-"

"Let me guess, it has a vitality-enhancing element?"

"Huh?!" Shoko gawked as he rubbed the back of his head.

"We learned something interesting yesterday, trust me, it's gonna be good to put together everything we all learned."

After watching Riko try her best for another half an hour, the group came together to sit by the pouting kitsune.

"Guh! I'm so bad at this!" The girl whined, sulking on her side. "Why can't we just go back to learning normal cursed energy stuff? I-I kinda had a knack for it."

"Because too much build-up makes you transform, Riko-chan," Utahime said as Yaga, Satoru, and Geto shot her a look. "When Riko tries to push her limits, this happens," she told them as the girl groaned, Kuroi rubbing her nape.

"It's fine, it's only been two weeks, Riko," the caretaker said with a smile. "You're still new to all of this."

"Ughhhh, maybe Naruto could turn into a giant fox, I wouldn't doubt it," the big fox said flatly as Satoru started laughing again. "Well, Kurama did say that he might have some extra appendages due to the amount of positive energy in his body."

"... Dead ass?" Satoru asked as he abruptly stopped laughing. "Well, I mean, it seems controllable if you're an example," he smirked as she grumbled.

"Fox parts?" Utahime asked with a shine in her eyes, Riko shooting her a flat look. "N-Not to say it'd be good i-it's just!" She tried to defend herself, Kushina chuckling nervously at the idea.

"Oh boy," she said. "Well… Maybe it'll be unnoticeable?"

Minato smiled kindly at her and she slumped.

"Of course not. Why did I ask?"

"There's hope in all our hearts," he said.

"So, what is Riko capable of?" Yaga asked with a raised brow at the now literal fox girl. "And are we sure this is controllable?"

"Well, from what we've tested so far," Utahime began. "Even in her more humanoid form, she's got enhanced physical skills and senses," she said kindly to the huffing fox gal. "Still, she's not used to walking on all-fours yet."

"Riko can conjure cursed energy," Kuroi said with a smile. "But she's still new to all of it and she can't stop it from immediately going all-out. That's how we found out about this situation," she added, patting Riko's head. "When she's pushing her output to the maximum, Riko's form undergoes a transformation."

Satoru smirked, crouching to the girl's head level. "Is it full-on? Or is it partial outside of the tail and ears?" He chuckled as she huffed.

"I don't know, I can't control my cursed energy that well, yet," she pouted, somehow doing it well despite her vulpine state. "Is it supposed to be so hard?"

"For you uncultured individuals," he began as she rolled her eyes. "Yes. For blessed beings like myself? Nope."

"Bite me."

"Nah, that's more in your doghouse, now."

The look on her face had him cackling, the sheer amount of offended Riko felt wasn't to be underestimated.

"Yeah, no, I am not a fan of you," she said with a dropped jaw as Shoko snickered.

"Ignore him, he's an idiot," she said with a smirk.

~NRK~

~Two Weeks Later~

Two more weeks passed so easily that it almost felt unreal.

Mostly because, there, at noon, in Naruto's room.

He awoke… with a hilarious appendage.

The boy sat up, heard Satoru's laughter, and groaned before laying back down.

"Goddammit," he groaned as he felt the feeling of something on his rear end. "Why?!" Naruto jumped to his feet before rearing for the thing behind him.

The laughter around him grew as he felt what had to be a monkey's tail and hit his knees in horror.

"Oh no, my life is over," he said like it really was, getting picked up and hugged by his laughing mother. "What did I do to deserve this?" Naruto wondered to the world at large.

Satoru and Geto rolled along with Riko in laughter.

Kuroi and Utahime wore looks of wonder and adoration.

Shoko and Yaga took pictures.

His parents just chuckled a bit as he scrunched in on himself.

"Dammit."

Five minutes of laughter later, Naruto sat between his grinning parents while the others just looked slightly amused.

Satoru was just taking pictures even now.

"Oh my God, this is great," the Gojou Clan head said with a look of euphoria. "I didn't think life got this good."

"Can we just seal him away? For like, a hundred years?" Naruto asked flatly, long tail curling into a question mark he groaned more at. "Why is it so bendy?"

"It's fine," Utahime said with the brightest of smiles that Naruto's eyebrow twitched at.

"Nee-chan, you're so obvious."

"T-That's neither here nor there! W-Well, how are you?" Utahime wanted to just cuddle the pouting monkey boy until she couldn't anymore!

God, he was so cute!

"... Ignoring all the laughing," Naruto aimed that particular jab at his grinning cousin. "Great, like I had the best kind of sleep."

"Hehe, it's probably all the positive energy in you," Shoko grinned as Naruto shot her an owlish look. "God, you're such an icon now."

"I wish I liked what you meant by that but I don't."

"It's fine," she snickered some more. "So, there's a lot to inform ya about."

~NRK~

They stared in fascination as Naruto went through his fifth tray of food like it was normal.

"Haa," he let out a sigh of relief as wiping his mouth with a napkin. "... Thanks," Naruto said with a nervous laugh. "God, I was super hungry."

"W-Where does it all go?" Shoko asked in disbelief as Geto snorted. "That's not fair! Do you know how many-"

"Easy, easy," her fellow brunette snickered. "God, that joke is not appropriate. For now, he's a growing monkey boy," Geto grinned as Naruto rolled his eyes. "You're a young man, better?"

"Easily. God," Naruto looked back at his tail that curled on command. "I have no idea how I'm doing this," he said.

The tail came around and curled into a spiral before uncurling and adjusting his kimono's collar.

Utahime was both squealing and sweatdropping. "A-Ahehe, I guess you're a natural."

"I'm sure it comes and goes. So, with everything ya told me-"

"After that murder show?" Riko asked in disbelief as Kuroi smiled.

"-Ignoring that. Anyway, after everything ya told me, I guess I'm in for once this gets out," Naruto said without missing a beat. "Well, it might be put-away-able."

He glowed gold for a couple seconds before the tail 'poofed' away, much to his relief.

Riko's head hit the table as Satoru started laughing again.

Utahime raised a brow at the calm-looking boy.

"So much easier."

"Naruto-kun, that was amazing, how?" She asked him, looking surprised and yet intrigued. "And could you help Riko with her own transformation?"

"Sure, it's my responsibility as is," Naruto said with a shrug as Riko's head came up with a look of relief. "H-Hehe, though, I'm guessing I have some meetings to deal with, first."

"Take the day to reorganize yourself," Yaga said with a nod as Naruto sighed in relief. "Besides, you may need to mind your control for a bit more lest it come out at the worst moment."

"Gotcha, Yaga-sensei."

~NRK~

Naruto wore a sad look as he sat in front of the tombstone, sighing a good bit.

"Goddammit," he said with a grimace. 'I wasn't strong enough to stop this.'

The blonde knew he couldn't just beat himself up about it, mind you, he couldn't have planned for the drawback for his powers after forcing it. Hell, he wasn't sure what the drawback was, yet, but he knew he'd be reeling for a good bit.

"... Well, Toji-sensei, I guess you were right, in a way," Naruto said with another sigh. "I didn't die even by you, too bad it came with the cost of your life."

Watching the boy recollect by the tombstone, the others truly were surprised by how solemn he was.

"He must have been training him for a while," Satoru said, shades on but his eyebrows twitching a bit. "... Oh God, are these not enough anymore?" He muttered, taking off his glasses with a frown.

"It's kinda surreal considering the history of the two clans," Shoko said with a somber look at the blonde's back. "A Gojou and Zenin, neither of them had issues with one another despite one's profession even, that says either a lot about them or about the old blood in your families," she said to Satoru who hummed.

"It's both," Geto stepped in, a hand on Satoru's shoulder while Kushina nodded.

"The elders would never give in to making their clan members hate us and vice-versa about our own," the female Gojou said. "Hate's a vicious cycle that doesn't even make sense half the time, we live in one of those many times."

"It's unfortunate," Utahime said with a small frown. "Considering everything, that man really did care about Naruto."

Even with knowing there was probably a humongous price on the boy's head, with the boy unprotected and at his mercy.

Toji Fushigoro had been fine to leave him be. He ensured their mission became a success in some twisted fashion.

How the world worked sometimes would forever elude her.

"Still, he left Naruto a lot, didn't he?" Riko asked. "H-He must have gotten paid for downing me and he already had it written down!"

"... Probably not just for Naru," Satoru said, confusing them.

"Satoru," Yaga said.

"His son's Megumi Fushigoro, he was originally gonna pass him on to the Zenin clan a bit back, remember?" The clan head told them, getting wincing expressions for his troubles. "But he told me to do as Naruto would when he got both the Tool and the note. He really put his trust in Naruto."

The boy in question had just opened up the paper on the 'baton' before squeezing the middle of the Cursed Tool tightly.

They were all surprised to see that it extended into a staff.

"W-Wait, isn't that the Ryu Bang?" Minato blinked in surprise. "Where did he…"

"Toji must have got that as a gift, geez," Kushina said in surprise. "That's one of the most valuable Cursed Tools known to man."

"Why? What's so special about it?" Riko asked.

"It's the same one from the Journey to the West," Satoru told her as she gawked while Kuroi looked surprised. "Yep, it's an old one."

Naruto twisted its shaft and the end of the extending 'pole' expanded, making it a hammer.

"I-I don't remember that from Journey to the West," the fox girl grumbled.

"I mean, obviously, it's not gonna be a one-to-one," Geto explained. "But a lot of Cursed Tools from the days of Tengen-sama's past were, at one point, considered to be legendary weapons. Hell, I'd bet that 'Sun Wukong' was probably a cursed spirit someone tamed and took on a journey to the west," he chuckled. "Life has a way of being odder and yet less odd than you think."

"Huh."

Naruto tapped the weapon's pommel against the ground twice, the simple taps throwing up wind.

"Alright," he whispered to the grave, holding up a half-prayer as he bowed a bit. "I'll see you tomorrow," Naruto said as the wind ruffled his hair back, the sound of chuckling leaving with it. "Annoying old man," he turned away from the grave before walking back to the others. "There's something we have to do after meeting with the superiors."

~NRK~

~One Day Later~

Naruto adjusted his orange shitagi as his legs moved in his Jujutsu High uniform pants, some black ninja sandals on his feet.

Walking with him were the trio from last time, Satoru, though, now bearing a black blindfold instead of his usual sunglasses.

"We sadly don't know what they'll want from you," Yaga said as they stood before the chamber door. "So, prepare for anything."

"Gotcha," Naruto nodded, adjusting his shitagi's collar, a small toad shikigami sitting within it. "Let's do this."

They walked through the door, doing as the trio had done last time.

Walk past the candles, stop by all the superiors, and bow.

"Hmm, welcome, Naruto Uzumaki," came the voice of one of the screens. "You seem to have been away for a time."

"I barely woke up, sir," Naruto said with a shrug. "I didn't plan on being knocked-out."

"Be that as it may, you seem to be important to someone."

'Toji-sensei,' they meant but Naruto wouldn't give himself away. "Who?"

"Naobito Zenin," the blonde blinked. "He desires to meet you and we'd like to know any information from your mission to now, that you remember."

Naruto blinked again before shrugging.

He retold the details of the mission from his memory, obviously keeping out specific details but giving basically all of it.

By the end, there was murmuring all about.

"I see," one of the old biddies said. "And what do you think of Tengen-sama's situation?"

"?" The four males were confused. 'What?'

"... I'll never be able to accept we lost life in the end of it all," Naruto said, eyes closed in thought. "I think that if things had gone well, there should have been a way to allow Tengen-sama or whoever he/she will be by that point to be able to live a normal life."

"?"

"That's about what I expected of a child."

"There's no greater honor, boy."

More of such things were passed about as Satoru frowned a bit, combing his hands through his hair.

'What annoying old bastards,' he thought, 'eyes' going to Naruto and his calm expression. 'What will you do?'

Geto thought the same. 'They're likely still going to be treating him like a child,' which, sadly, wasn't the worst thing that could happen. 'But respect's a long way from here.'

Yaga prepared to clear his throat but Naruto stepped forward without prompting. "?"

And then opened his eyes.

The area was soon covered in pressure.

It was instant, it didn't last, it wasn't really noteworthy to all who had combat experience… but it gained their attention.

That's all he needed.

"Just because I'm a child doesn't automatically make whatever you think is right, right," he said simply and fully, getting an offended 'air' from the group of superiors. "You cared so little about a person's life, you're supposed to be protecting, that you call 'honor' as if Amanai-san would have chosen to do this. She wasn't involved, she wasn't a sorcerer, she was just a civilian and you all seem so happy to just ignore the person you're supposed to protect? Are you actually sorcerers?"

"Insolence!" A shout echoed out the room. "Stand down."

"No."

A screen began to emanate cursed energy, a sickening pressure beginning to drown the room.

Naruto stepped closer to that person without hesitation before standing right in front of it.

"Things change," he said without remorse, leaning forward in a taunting manner. "Change. Actually live the world you seem to think you have a hand in protecting. Guess what?" Naruto grinned as Satoru snickered. "You don't but I do."

There was sputtering as the cursed energy dropped and was replaced by disbelief.

"I'm well aware you've all been around for probably thousands of years," Naruto joked.

Geto facepalmed but a grin formed.

Damn kid.

"But things change, your clans have, the world has, tradition has," the blonde continued. "Just because things were one way in the past doesn't mean they work anymore. Right now, the Star Plasma Vessel was just a teenage girl we plucked off the side of the street. This person isn't going to be the same as Tengen was. It's a merger, isn't it? Do you honestly think Tengen at that point is gonna be the same person? I can bet each of you have noticed at least one small change in him since he was just a normal sorcerer. That he was even the slightest bit different from the stories, tales, scrolls, and books you all would have studied to try to understand him."

… There were murmurs about as the blonde turned around and walked back to his place at the center of the room before facing them all.

"When the time comes and things change, you guys are gonna be playing catch-up," Naruto said simply. "We, the Jujutsu High Sorcerers, won't," he grinned as Yaga hummed softly. "We're going to keep changing because we understand how the world is going to change. We're not the people of Heian, the merchants of Edo, or even the citizens of Japan 30 years ago. We'll accomplish our missions using what comes our way, whether it's an inherited technique, a new skill, a new tool, anything. What about you? What are you going to do when change hits us like a train?"

There was more silence that was followed by murmurs.

"When clan heads are like this guy," he gestured to the grinning Satoru. "What exactly do you plan to do?"

That got more worried emotions around the room, Yaga running his hand down his face as Geto smiled pleasantly.

'He just weaponized Satoru as a person,' who knew the next generation were so wicked?

"... Hmph," there was a huff and grimace. "Your insubordination mars your points."

"A bit but you wouldn't have considered them without it," Naruto said simply. "Right?"

"You're dismissed, all of you, leave our chambers."

The boy and the three bowed one last time before leaving, the blonde boy walking to the front of it all with a calm smile on his face.

~NRK~

"Phew, that went well," Naruto said with a bit of a laugh before Utahime began to stretch his cheeks.

"WELL?!" She nearly shrieked as Kushina chuckled in the background with Minato and Satoru. "YOUNG MAN! You were seconds away from being executed!"

"Mit wmasm't thmt bmad," Naruto said as she kept on pulling on his cheeks.

Utahime let out rapid breaths before letting out one last long one, letting his cheeks 'whap' back together.

"Ow," he groaned as Geto laughed a bit. "I-I had a decent idea of what I was doing."

"A decent idea?" He jumped back while holding his cheeks. "Mmmmm!" Utahime stomped over and grabbed him.

She screamed into the boy's stomach like he was a throw pillow, the boy looking so confused.

"... Haaa," she put him back down and walked to the side of the room where some tea sat. "Haa, time for some tea."

"... I owe her another apology," Naruto said but he took several large steps towards the grinning Satoru. "But not right now, obviously," he added on just as quickly.

Kushina smirked at him.

"You should know better than anyone that making a lady angry is bad for your health. Not everyone can have their instant panic button like Satoru," she said as the young man-in-question gasped.

"You think I'd hide from her?!" He said, offended.

"Excuse me?" Utahime's eyebrow began to twitch. "Go-Jou."

"Come on, come on, it's all peace vibes-ack!" He began to say before finding a hot tea bag thrown into his mouth. "MMMMMMMMMM!"

Watching the 'strongest' spit out the tea bag and start gagging made Naruto's day a lot better.

"Hehehe."

~NRK~

The following morning, Naruto and Satoru prepared to leave under the watchful eye of Utahime.

"Just don't get into more trouble, please," she asked Naruto. "I can't plan for him," she said, pointing at Satoru. "So, be the voice of reason he clearly needs."

"Hmph," the young man pouted and she shot him a 'look'. "It's fine, I promise, we're just gonna go and see about this address," Satoru said with a cupped chin. "I shall return, my l-"

She walked away before he could even finish, leaving the man wheezing.

"Let's get going, Romeo, we're burning daylight," Naruto said with a grin, dressed as he was the day before when he met the superiors but with a new white and orange cloak over his shoulders, the article of clothing folded multiple times at the bottom for 'growth'.

"Mmm… Alright, let's do this. Let's. Do. This," the man self-cheered as Naruto followed behind him.

They had a 'Megumi' to find.

~NRK~

~A Day Later~

Their travel had taken some time, the two finding themselves in places they weren't familiar with and then they had to catch their rides and follow Toji's clues.

Still, one hotel room and G-Maps later and they were there.

Just in time to catch a certain kid as he got home in a rather crappy living area.

He was around Naruto's age if not a bit taller with fair skin, pale-green eyes, oddly long eyelashes, and spiky dark blue hair. Wearing a black t-shirt, black shorts, shoes, and a backpack, he shot the two a look.

"Hiya~ You're Megumi-kun, yeah?" Satoru said as his face twitched.

"Who are you and… why's your face like that?" The boy, Megumi, asked.

Naruto facepalmed at Satoru's look of utter annoyance before stepping forward.

"Sorry, ignore him, he's seeing a ghost," Naruto said quickly, the boy looking at him oddly.

"... Is your hair dyed?"

"Huh? Oh, this?" The blonde chuckled, pulling on his single white strand. "Nope, I'm actually related to this guy," he gestured to the still oddly-faced Satoru. "... Look, okay, there's a lot we'd like to actually talk to you about if you don't mind?"

"Hmm? Megumi!" Came a call from above, the two boys looking up to see a girl leaning out over a rusty-looking metal balcony.

She was a bit older than Megumi, but younger than Naruto, with fair skin, long dark brown hair with two long bangs, and brown eyes. Wearing a cream-colored blouse, a long black skirt with some patches in it, and some slippers, she grinned down at him.

"Is that a friend from school?!" She gasped before running into their apartment. "One….!"

She opened the stairwell door with a big grin.

"MINUTE!" She cheered with a bright expression that Naruto blinked before chuckling at. "... You don't dye your hair, do you?"

"Nope, all genetic down to this bit," Naruto grinned again.

"Goodness, the world really is full of so many kinds of people!"

"... They wanted to talk to us… I guess about dad?" Megumi said unsurely, looking at the surprised Naruto.

The slightly older boy smiled a sad smile, something that surprised the younger male but kept him a bit transfixed.

"Yeah, I do."

---

Sitting in a living room that was honestly well-taken care of, sitting on a clean but patchy couch, Naruto nodded to the two.

"So, well, your dad's not just a normal person," Naruto began as the two sat in little plastic chairs in front of him and the now normal-faced Satoru.

"What'd I miss?" The man asked like he'd snapped out of a daze.

"Ignore him, that's what most of us do."

Tsumiki Fushigoro, she'd introduced herself, grinned a bit at that while Megumi stared at the blonde in confusion.

'How can he look so sad but be happy?' Megumi wasn't sure what to make of this other kid in front of him.

He never hung around with other kids at school, he didn't have time, and he never really played with the kids in their rundown complex.

But something about this kid in front of him made him think he was so mature. So different compared to their mother and father.

"Please, continue," Tsumiki said with a giggle.

"Okay, so, it's like this," Satoru intercepted easily as Naruto rolled his eyes. "Tell me, you two, what do you know about the world?" He asked cryptically.

"Have you guys seen any weird things in the city before?" Naruto clarified. "Think of it like… guys like this one," the boy pulled out his oni talisman.

A single command brought Sage out, surprising the two children.

"W-What?" They said in surprise, staring at Sage as he crossed his arms with a 'sagely' nod.

Satoru took all of two seconds to realize something.

"Y-You control those things in the plaza?" Megumi asked the blonde who blinked before shaking his head.

"W-Wait, you can see them, Megumi?" Tsumiki asked, surprising Naruto.

"Wait, Tsumiki-chan, can't you see Sage?" He asked her, the girl blushing a bit but looking at the oni 'child'.

"I-I can see this guy… his name's 'Sage'?" She asked, looking surprised. "I… I didn't know Megumi had seen them before."

The boy flinched, looking a bit guilty, the 'picture' coming together for both Gojous.

"Ah, you didn't want her to know, did you?" Naruto asked with a sheepish expression. "Sorry," he apologized, bowing to the boy who looked surprised but sighed.

"Megumi…" Tsumiki said in concern. "I…"

"I… you never worried about them," Megumi began. "I figured you couldn't see them so I never said anything. I would have sounded like a crazy person."

"Well, you're not," Satoru said with a smile as the two looked at him. "And I have a feeling Tsumiki-chan is feeling the same way," he grinned as Megumi looked at his sister in surprise.

Tsumiki blushed, fiddling with her skirt. "I… I-I didn't want to worry you," she said slowly. "I thought you couldn't see them s-so I just acted like I couldn't."

"Hehe," Naruto grinned and the siblings looked at him. "I can tell, you guys care about each other a lot. You didn't want to burden the other with the idea of actual monsters, that's kind of you, both of you," he praised as they blushed, looking flustered. "So, the thing is, Toji, your pops, was my master since I was four."

He went on to explain their training, the world of Jujutsu, the two schools, and the rest of the basics of their side of the world.

By the thirty-minute mark, the two stared at him in surprise once they saw his tail.

"Jujutsu…" Tsumiki said slowly. "I-I, um, Megumi, do you get it?"

"... Yeah," the boy said, head down in thought. "... So, that's why I saw dad again?" His head came up so he could address the surprised Naruto.

"What?"

"W-Well… dad used to not be home a lot," the other boy explained. "Especially when… when my mom wasn't around anymore."

"... You guys are step-siblings," Satoru understood, the two nodding.

"After mom died, he was nearly gone all the time," Megumi continued. "But then he came home about a year or so ago," he said, looking Naruto in the eyes. "M-Maybe that was because of you? I don't… I don't think he really understood what he was doing but we'd never seen him in so long so we just welcomed him home."

"Dad looked so… weird about it," Tsumiki said with a small somber smile. "He was always so loud and full of energy but this time…" She smiled a bit brighter. "He spent the whole week with us, talking to us about stuff and school! It was so cool!" She said with bright eyes as Megumi nodded. "He, um, came by maybe three more times and did the same thing but we never saw him after that."

Naruto grimaced at that.

"... Didn't he disappear with Tsumiki's mom?" Megumi asked Naruto who rubbed the back of his head. "... H-He didn't?"

"No, he's dead," Satoru said simply and seriously.

The two kids stopped and stared at him, Naruto flinching at the sheer bluntness of his cousin but knew he'd just beat around the bush.

The two kids swallowed, processing the information before Naruto got up and pulled out a piece of paper.

"He never forgot you two, you know," the blonde said softly as he handed it to them. "He gave it to me along with a sort of Master-to-Student present. I'm sure, among all else, he meant for this to go to you two."

He let them take the paper and read the information.

"A-A bank account?" Tsumiki said, the girl biting her lip.

Megumi blinked, looking down at his shaking fist, surprised.

'I…' He'd always thought of his father like a stranger.

The man's recent year-long 'return' hadn't changed that much about that so why was…

Why did he feel so sad?

"I don't know your living situation in full but I can guess," Naruto said simply with determined eyes. "And if you guys want, would you guys want to stay here or come with me?" He asked them as Satoru whistled.

"I'd expected it, somewhat," he said to his cousin who grinned, the siblings looking at him in shock. "I had guessed it'd be a last resort but now, knowing the mom ain't around? This would be something you'd do without hesitation."

"Of course," Naruto said before focusing back on the siblings. "I live in Kyoto with my parents. You guys would probably be dealing with some tough situations even with my family but we can work together and do our best," he told them with clear eyes. "In a way, as his student, you guys are my responsibility, too," Naruto grinned.

Megumi's eyes widened at the sight of that grin.

He wanted to know about it, that grin. How could someone be sad but have such a grin?

"If we go… what will happen to Tsumiki?" He asked, hands still shaky but eyes absolute. "Will she be happy?"

"With this kid? Definitely!" Satoru grinned a bit and Megumi shot him a flat look. "H-Hey, now, grins are also my speciality."

"... not really," the boy muttered but Satoru held his heart as if shot, Tsumiki giggling a bit at his dramatics. "... Then, please, help us," Megumi said to the two. "I want to make sure nee-chan is happy, I know she'll be happier in a full home."

"Sheesh, already considering who her next husband'll be?"

"H-Huh?!" Tsumiki burned bright red as Megumi rubbed the back of his head.

"I never said that…" He pouted a bit as Naruto chuckled nervously. "... But if she wants-"

"M-Megumi!"

"I'm just thinking of you, nee-chan."

Watching the girl fumble and fluster in embarrassment had Naruto chuckling.

"Well, if you guys are fine with it, how about you get the things you want to keep and come with us to our hotel room?" Naruto asked. "If you want. We can wait and tell your school and stuff that you'll be moving out."

Megumi considered the boy's questions with a hum as his sister burned up. "Alright, it's only polite," he said.

"Usually, kids your age would love to be out of school," Satoru chuckled before nearly tilting sideways at Megumi's response.

"But school's fun."

"... Y-You are a first-grader, right?"

~NRK~

~A Week Later~

They sat on the train heading back to Tokyo Jujutsu High.

The Fushigoro siblings stared out the train windows at their shrinking-in-the-distance old city.

"We're really leaving," the boy said slowly, eyes growing a bit hazy as he just stared at it.

A hug from his side had his sister pressing the side of her head to his, the boy relaxing almost instantly while biting his lip.

Naruto simply crossed his arms as he shot the siblings an understanding smile while Satoru leaned back in his seat.

"You're really trying to take on the Zenin Clan, I'm noticing," the older Gojou said as Naruto blinked before humming.

"... Yeah, in a way, call it looking out for my belated mentor," Naruto began with a determined gaze out the window. "The system can't change with people stuck in the old ways. Tradition gives us our foundation, I won't deny that, but we need more. We need to experience life and make our own decisions to become the person we're meant to be. I just hope I'm not running headlong into trouble with those around me getting dragged or dragged in."

"Hmph, you're not and, don't forget, most of us are older than you, ya brat," Satoru said, ruffling his cousin's hair eliciting a smirk out of Naruto. "You're right in that the new generation has to change things but don't forget, all us old dogs can learn new tricks. We just need the right stimuli."

"You're eighteen."

"Your point?"

They laughed a bit at that, chatting about the little things and/or his future training.

~NRK~

~Jujutsu High~

They made it to the end of the giant torii gates, Sage putting the Fushigoro siblings down with a nod towards them.

"Thank you, Sage!" Tsumiki smiled brightly as the shikigami shot her a thumbs-up.

"No problem, Master's always happy to find reasons to bring me out, thanks fer that," the oni said as Megumi stared at him.

"I-I think I can do something like you," the boy said. "I-I just remembered," Megumi told Naruto who blinked while Satoru cupped his chin with a small smile.

"Hold on there, Megu-kun, you may want to wait," Satoru said, confusing the boy. "The thing is, there are 'eyes' all over, we'll wanna do this in private," he finished, patting both siblings on the back. "Still, welcome to Tokyo Jujutsu High School. This is the place where sorcerers are made."

"You spoke about something like that," Tsumiki said as the five of them began to walk. "... And Megumi wants to be one…" She added as her brother's head fell.

"The world's dangerous, Tsumiki-chan, Megumi," Naruto said seriously. "It's not wrong for him to want to become strong to protect you, it's an amazing reason to want to be a sorcerer."

Megumi considered him. "... Naruto-san?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you want to be a sorcerer?"

Naruto closed his eyes as they walked, Sage pulling the siblings' luggage with ease.

"... I want to do a lot of things, honestly," Naruto said, eyes opening to look up at the sky. "I want to give back to the people who gave me something precious. I want to change the system of the Jujutsu world. It's old, it's tradition-based, and it needs to be changed for the better so we can understand and accept everyone equally for who they are and what they want to be… and, lastly… I want to make Toji-sensei proud."

They stopped for a moment. "... Dad must have had a big effect on you," Tsumiki whispered.

"Probably not in the way you think," the blonde said. "I found him once, stalking me," they sweatdropped as Satoru cackled. "And ya wanna know the first thing I thought about?"

"What?" Megumi asked. "I mean, a big scary guy was stalking you."

Naruto snickered. "Oh, yeah, your dad was huge."

"He is!" Tsumiki grinned.

"Heh! And, well, the first thing I thought was to go and see what's up," the blonde said with a sly grin. "Man, you shoulda saw his face, he was not expecting me to find him so easily."

"I guess dad was really good at hiding."

"Oh, he is," Satoru said with a shaky grin. "Very good, God help me."

"Don't mind him, he just got kinda spooked," Naruto said casually.

"If we'll call that spooking, alright."

"Following that, we spoke a lot about just life and I told him what was up with me."

He explained his and Toji's 'condition', the siblings looking surprised.

"So, how can you summon Sage?" Megumi asked, looking at the oni spirit.

"Sage's talisman is a bit special. That was before I got something… different," the blonde said quietly. "I'll tell ya when we get somewhere private."

They walked in companionable silence after that, the Gojou duo taking the kids to dormitories.

When they arrived, they found a familiar woman standing there.

Kuroi smiled at the two children, crouching down to their level while smoothing out her long skirt, a baggy black long-sleeve top over her torso.

Satoru raised a brow. "Huh, didn't expect to see you here, Kuroi," he said as Naruto nodded.

"Sup, Kuroi-nee," he said before turning to Megumi and Tsumiki. "This is Misato Kuroi, she's the… older sister-mother figure to a friend of ours," Kuroi blushed but smiled brightly all the same. "In a sad way, she and a girl named Riko are kinda like you two."

"R-Really?" Tsumiki asked and the older woman smiled sadly.

"I don't suppose your family's not around anymore, right?" The woman asked softly and the girl's head fell a bit as she nodded. "Oh, dear," Kuroi lifted her chin with a smile. "I know some things aren't… they'll never be the same, things change… but I know you both can find people who will accept you, that I can promise," she grinned. "Like Naruto-kun, he's a known troublemaker."

"Guilty as charged," Naruto said proudly as Megumi raised a brow at him. "Hehe, so, this is where we start, Megumi," he told him.

"... Will she make me a sorcerer?" The boy asked.

"Nope, that'll be Uta-" Naruto began to say.

But someone surprising beat him to the punch.

"Nah, that's gonna be me," Satoru said with a smile, crouching down to the kid's level. "Likely me and Naru, right here. I'm something of a big deal around here, Megumi-kun~ I'm called one of the 'Strongest'," Naruto rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "So, would ya like me to train ya?"

The boy blinked at him in surprise, eyes going to the chatting Tsumiki who was talking at length with Kuroi.

"Can I make sure sis is never sad?" He asked.

"Nope," the boy's jaw dropped. "No, no, listen, there's probably something you'll need to understand about people like us, your dad, and I guess soldiers," Satoru whispered. "Sometimes, there's no way to make even ourselves always happy… Naruto here really cared about your dad, his master, but things got out of hand."

Megumi's head turned to see 'that smile', the sad one.

Another piece fell into place of a thousand-piece puzzle.

"B-But… then why? If you aren't happy all the time…" Megumi wondered.

"Megumi, sad as it might sound, no one's happy all the time," Naruto told the other boy with that same smile from before but a bit lighter. "It's a part of life, like losing a pet or even breaking a toy… but we're going to keep on trying to be happy," he chuckled at the boy's look of confusion. "Because the whole world's full of stuff that can make you happy. Or maybe even right here at Jujutsu High, people aren't happy all the time but when they are happy, those unhappy times are something you're willing to deal with."

The boy looked so confused… but inspired, oddly enough.

"I don't really get it," he admitted. "But… i-if that's true, I'd like to do it for nee-chan."

"Hehe~ Like Naru here said, you got the right motivation for it," Satoru said.

~NRK~

The six sat in the cafeteria, the group eating some brunch.

"So, Tsumiki-chan doesn't want to be a sorcerer, that's fine," Kuroi said as the girl blushed while nodding. "There's nothing wrong with not wanting to be on this side of our life. To step into the Jujutsu world isn't something you can easily step away from, there are trials and battles you'll fight that might push you to your limits, that's not meant for everyone."

"And Megumin's gonna be working with us!" Satoru grinned as Megumi blushed while mumbling. "You gotta do your best to keep up, Megu-kun, Naru's essentially the leading charge of your generation, that's a high bar to follow."

Naruto blushed a bit while he laughed. "Take your time to get strong, there are risks you'll have to take to get stronger but there's nothing wrong with us going at our own pace. Whether it's faster or slower, you'll find your way to it, Megumi, you just need to keep on focusing."

The younger boy nodded, looking at the blonde with confusion.

~NRK~

The first thing they did after eating was go to a small dojo.

Along the way, Geto and one other young woman arrived.

"..." She stared at the two boys with a look of adoration the moment they met.

Naruto chuckled nervously. "H-Hey, Mei-Mei-nee-"

He was up in another woman's arms almost on sight, the blonde grumbling about the situation.

Satoru smirked as Kuroi tilted her head.

"I don't believe we've met," she said to him and he grinned before throwing out his hands in a showy gesture as 'Mei-Mei-nee' smirked.

"Welcome to the Jujutsu World's Number 1 Opportunist, Mei-Mei," he declared with a laugh.

'Mei-Mei' was an above average-height young woman with fair skin, brown eyes, and long pale-blue hair set in a ponytail with two long bangs at the front.

Wearing a black, thick-looking, collared dress with a black belt, sturdy-looking dark brown boots, and a white tie, this Jujutsu High student grinned as she held onto Naruto like a stuffed bear.

The blonde just looked resigned to his fate. "I-I thought you were on a mission-vacation combo?" Naruto asked weakly as Tsumiki giggled while Megumi blinked in complete confusion. "Y-Yeah?"

"It's been almost two months, Na-Ru-To!" She squealed, hugging the boy some more. "God, I can't wait to have a little brother-boy like you!"

"That's not worrying or anything!"

"Hey, come on, Mei Mei~" Satoru grinned, standing in some baggy black clothes. "We're supposed to be training, not cuddling."

Geto snickered in a white shirt and some baggy dark blue shorts. "I don't think she'd be against doing both."

"I wouldn't~," the young woman grinned as Sage sat snuggly in her arms. "Why I…"

"Alright, Megumi, let's do this," Naruto said as he led the boy to the center of their tatami-matted floors, wearing an orange muscle shirt and black shorts. "So, you said your Technique's like Sage?"

"Huh," Geto blinked. "Learning under pressure," he rationalized like a champion.

Mei Mei blinked once more before looking at the blinking oni child. "... I'm kinda alright with this," she seemed to realize, stuffing her face into the 'child's' hair. "He smells like oranges!"

Satoru didn't even give that situation the attention it clearly needed. "Alright, boys and girls, let's do this! Megumin is a special boy that most of you will be able to figure out in a couple seconds!" He declared, blindfold resting around his neck and his hands combing through his hair. "... Mei Mei."

"I have some styling gel, we'll pick something you like," she picked up in an instant with a grin. "And 5000 yen."

"Dammit woman, I'm sure there are barbers cheaper than that-I like it!" Satoru said before immediately switching gears. "It's fine! 6000 yen!"

"Oh, he knows me so well~"

"Unfortunately. Now, Megumin!"

Megumi raised a brow, standing in front of Naruto in a long-sleeved black top and black sweatpants.

"Alright," the reserved boy said, forming a 'barking dog' shadow puppet gesture. "I-I have to do stuff like this," Megumi told Naruto. "D-Divine Dogs."

The shadows below the boy contorted before out came a pair of dogs.

One white, one black, both looking more like wolves than dogs with three dots on each of their foreheads in complementary colors of white, for the black dog, and black, for the white dog.

Both wolf shikigami bore yellow sclera with black eyes, their sizes… w-well, they'd likely be threatening… one day.

The two pups looked at Naruto curiously as Kuroi and Mei Mei adored them.

The blonde chuckled before kneeling to their level, the animals approaching him curiously before the white one scaled him to sit on his head with a look of tranquility on its face.

The black pup followed suit, using Megumi as his 'tower'.

Needless to say? Photos were taken so quickly, one would have thought the sun was flashing the boys personally.

Kuroi trembled in euphoria, the pictures quickly sent to Riko-

Her phone rang.

-OH MY GOD! WE'RE COMING, RIGHT NOW!-

In seconds, Kushina was squealing as she rubbed cheeks with the white dog while Riko did the same for the black one.

Megumi rubbed the back of his head as Naruto chuckled a bit.

"Yeah, adults are weird, trust me, it never goes away," the blonde said.

---

Sage performed a palm thrust that gently knocked the white pup back while the black one laid on the ground with swirls in his eyes.

"I-It's like a Pokemon battle," Tsumiki whispered with big ol' eyes as Minato chuckled, the two and the others sitting on the sidelines of the 'training session'. "Mmmm! C-Can I have a shikigami j-just to keep?!"

"Um, well, they're not pets," Minato said as the girl pouted. "... But, in a different vein, knowing how to protect yourself would also be nice. A shikigami is a really low-maintenance spirit to keep around just in case."

"N-Nee-chan can do that, can't she?" Megumi asked as he hurried over to pick up his Divine Dogs.

"Well, it'd depend," Utahime said. "Because if she were to be given a shikigami, Tsumiki-chan needs to know some of the basics. Maybe not enough to get her into trouble, I suppose…"

"I'll handle the background stuff!" Satoru said with a big grin as Utahime shot him a look of confusion. "Hehe~ My students are need of protection, Hime-chan~"

Her eyebrow twitched as Kushina and Mei Mei giggled off to the side. "I-Is that so?"

"Yep!"

Don't. Don't act rashly in front of the children who weren't Naruto!

But it was so hard to not just attack Satoru right then and there.

"Naruto, how'd you make yours so tough?" Megumi asked the older boy as Sage flexed. "He's also got so big," he said, looking up a bit at the shikigami.

"Sage and me are a bit different when it comes to shikigami and master," Naruto said.

"Yep," Sage said. "Master's got a whole different kinda crazy going on with 'im."

"R-Really?" Megumi asked. "How do you get used to it if it's different?" He turned the question to Naruto.

"I just gotta go with the flow and work with it."

"... Satoru," Mei Mei's smile froze on her face. "Why is that shikigami able to speak? What does he mean by Naru Naru being a different kind of 'crazy'?"

"... Is that last one rhetorical?" The blindfolded man asked.

"Satoru."

"Look, there's a bit of something going on with Naru right now… from a month or so back. We figured out what was going on with his body," Mei Mei looked surprised. "Yeah."

"Naruto's Heavenly Restriction isn't normal, not in the least," Geto smiled as the young woman tilted her head. "Hehehe."

He explained the situation without remorse, the bits and pieces necessary for understanding all told in an organic and dramatic manner.

By the end of it all, Mei Mei's eyebrow twitched rapidly while Geto and Satoru began to laugh.

"I-I see," she said slowly, Shoko coming into the area with Yaga. "... Why is my life getting so odd all of a sudden?"

"Hey, Mei Mei," Shoko called out as she and their principal-to-be came over before sitting down on her side. "So, is this that Megumi boy?"

Then she saw the boy's Divine Dogs and wheezed as Satoru grinned.

"Yep, turns out, Toji's a class act when it comes to children," he said. "He has the Ten Shadows Technique, the most prized Cursed Technique of the Zenin Clan."

"And you have him… here? Right now? And you and Naru a-are gonna-"

"Yep.",

"I don't like where this is going," Yaga said with a groan. "First what he did with the superiors and now Satoru's causing mischief."

"Huh? Wait, who?" Mei Mei asked before Yaga pointed at Naruto. "... Why is he getting into trouble?" She asked before slowly looking at Satoru.

"Oi! I don't cause all his problems… just a couple of them," he said before reconsidering some things. "Ya know…"

"Yes, we do know you're a problem," Geto smirked as his friends grinned nervously.

Back with Naruto and Megumi, the two boys nodded to something before separating again.

"Alright," Naruto said to Megumi as the boy set his wolves down at his sides before nodding to the blonde. "We'll try this instead," the Uzumaki began as Sage nodded to him. "You need to be able to lead your partners properly so Sage is only gonna dodge and block. Your goal is to get a hit on, or grab, him with either the Divine Dogs or yourself."

"M-Myself?!" The boy looked worried. "I don't… how?"

"Ah, Megumin!" Satoru called out with a raised finger as the boy blinked at him. "You'll likely get to learn a bit more about cursed energy control by trying to catch Sage. You have to devote your entire being to this task. Try your best, aim to be the best… like me!"

"There it is," Utahime grumbled as Minato chuckled.

"He's right, though, by making use of his body and shikigami, Megumi-kun can expand his senses and try to tame the weakness of most shikigami users," he said.

"Weakness?" Naruto asked as Megumi nodded in confusion. "Pops, what are you on about?"

"Most shikigami-users are like wizards," Geto explained with a smile, getting up and summoning a familiar manta ray cursed spirit. "Think of it with me as an example. I can fight up close but if I was a regular shikigami-user, I'd just hide on this cursed spirit while attacking from afar. That's another thing, that's most shikigami-user's bread and butter."

Megumi considered it, looking down at his hands. "... A-Alright," he said with determination as Naruto smiled before considering something while looking at Sage.

The shikigami caught his eye and nodded, form glowing a soft black before it stopped.

"Alright, let's try it!" The blonde said.

Sage jumped in place as Megumi stalked ahead with his shadow companions.

"We need to box him in," the boy told his 'dogs' who nodded. "... Shirou, go in!"

The white pup ran ahead as Sage crossed his arms and waited.

By the time the pup reached him, he jumped over it.

"Kuro!"

The black puppy came around with a bark before lunging at the oni.

A single raised hand repelled it, Sage nodding while looking calm.

Megumi ran at it before trying to tackle it only to find Sage ducking beneath him and sliding behind him.

"Nice try," the shikigami said as Megumi got up before trying again.

He jumped for him, hand out, before Sage slunk around the limb and grabbed it.

A second later, Megumi was on the mats below as Sage dodged Kuro and Shirou.

The puppies tried to attack but each headbutt, swipe, or nibble was either palmed away, dodged, and, most embarrassingly, avoid with chin scratches.

The Divine Dogs looked defeated in every other way than physically, the adults laughing at the expressive hounds.

Megumi rubbed his cheek before getting up and going after the oni again.

Sage slipped around the boy's tackle before smiling as he tried again.

And again.

And again.

Megumi gasped a bit as the shikigami stood ahead of his on-all-fours form.

"Y-You're so fast," he groaned as the shikigami chuckled.

"Of course," the shikigami corpse said. "I have a sort-of deep-body idea on how to use my cursed energy. With Master's positive energy around my core, I can use my life's full potential. You're not even fighting me at my best."

"Hmm?" Yaga perked up. "Sage-kun, what do you mean?"

"Well, you remember our talk, right?" The man nodded. "I can only use that cursed energy stuff but Master's positive energy does somethin' different."

"Oh?" Satoru asked. "How so? We know it enhances vitality and stuff."

"Right there, that," Sage said. "Master's power enhances life I've barely got but I can use my body to its fullest!" The oni said as he glowed. "Like this!"

He punched the air.

And a power gust nearly picked Megumi up off the ground, the boy stumbling to his feet just in time.

Satoru whistled at that. "... maybe," he considered something.

"It's limits, essentially," Minato said as Sage nodded and Yaga cupped his chin. "Likely, Naruto's power enhances like cursed energy but not so much pure attack power and defense but as an all-rounder to a lesser degree. While doing so, the positive energy releases the limits on the person who it's directed towards."

"Oh, so like the Kaio-Ken," Shoko realized as half the group sweatdropped. "Hey, I can use a reference, too, plus it's just a medically interesting technique even for an anime."

"Right…" Naruto said as he considered his own hands. "I don't know how long it'll be until I can use my own energy and stuff," he told them, looking down at the weights on his arms and legs. "So, I'll just keep training like normal, I mean, hell, it's probably doing something while I do that I guess."

"Honestly? Probably a lot," Shoko considered. "You're the 'home' for that energy, you'll likely use it to its best efficiency," she grinned shakily. "God knows how strong you'll be as you get older."

"Maybe Toji-strong if you keep at it," Satoru said with a sweatdrop. "Ahh~ Don't use that on me, I still get flashbacks."

"No promises, for the sake of my master and blackmail," Naruto said resolutely.

"H-Huh, how strong was dad?" Tsumiki asked Satoru who wore a shaky grin.

"Super Enhanced Gorilla strong," he said.

"Whoa, that's pretty strong!"

Satoru knew that well.

"... Could I get that strong?" Megumi asked Naruto who considered his question.

"Maybe not physically but definitely with your powers' potential," the blonde grinned. "I actually read a scroll that said a Zenin with your power, a thing called the Ten Shadows Technique, could fight a guy like aniki to a standstill."

"Is he that strong? H-He looks so skinny."

"Hurk?!" Satoru wheezed as Geto started laughing along with Riko. "H-Hey! I'm not skinny, this uniform is just good at hiding the temple that is my body!"

"Temple? You look like a plank of wood," Megumi muttered.

Utahime's smirk had Satoru's eyebrow twitching while Yaga…

"Kaughthat'struekaugh," the man fake-coughed as Shoko broke down in hilarity. "Excuse me, clearing my throat."

"You son of a-"

"Not in front of children," the 'miko' woman smirked as Kushina chuckled. "Honestly, not like you don't deserve it."

Satoru just grumbled.

"Go back to your training, your master demands it," he said with a huff and crossed arms.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Come on, Megu, let's do this. Sage, 25%."

The oni nodded, form glowing that black color.

"Oh, that's what you're doing," Kuroi realized as the shikigami nodded. "I thought you were bracing your body for possible pain."

"Nah, no offense to Meg over but I'm not worried about him and his dogs hurting me," the oni said.

"I see."

"Alright, let's do this!"

Megumi nodded before preparing to attack. 'How do I catch him?' His previous plan hadn't worked and he knew that the oni was holding back. 'But Naruto said just grab him, I don't need to beat him up.'

Not like he could but he was just considering a thought.

Kuro and Shirou began to prowl the oni in a circle, the two with their heads down and bodies turned.

Then they attacked, lunging like little slow comets that he dodged by ducking down and rolling forward.

They landed before going around at the oni once more, the oni child blocking, chin scratching, or dodging with ease.

Megumi observed it all for a couple seconds before noticing his turned back.

'Keep him occupied,' he pleaded as he slowly snuck up on the distracted shikigami. 'And… GOT HIM!'

He jumped at the shikigami with his arms out-

And found himself held up by the back of his top, looking confused.

"Nice try!" Naruto praised him as Megumi grumbled, being put down by the oni. "You're getting it, your shikigami can think for themselves, they can attack while you do something else. It's something."

"I still lost," Megumi muttered before getting a hair-ruffle for his troubles. "?"

"You learn from losing most of the time," the blonde said as he pat his back while Sage crossed his arms once more. "You're still new to, well, all of this. You're not a fighter yet, you can't use cursed energy, you're not used to working with your shikigami, none of it. Take it for what it is, your starting line."

"... Hmm," the boy pouted a bit and Naruto snickered. "N-No laughing… Fine."

"Good! Now, we can work on your other kinds of training!"

"Others?"

As the two boys began to go through 'Naruto Brand' training, Satoru, Geto, and Riko walked over before the five were speaking at length about how Megumi could continue his training.

"Hmm… Sometimes, I really do wonder what happened to make him so…" Utahime tried to find the words before Kushina smiled.

"Kind? Mature?" The mother said as Utahime smirked a bit. "... You might not know it or maybe you did but it took a backseat to his teasing," the younger woman grumbled. "But Satoru adores that boy of mine, probably more than we think at times."

The others raised their brows at that, watching as Naruto explained something that had him making swimming motions.

Megumi shot him a flat look.

Geto looked nervous.

Riko paled.

And Satoru… He grinned before ruffling Naruto's hair and holding up a finger in consideration that had the other rolling their eyes or obviously insulting him.

Naruto simply shot the man finger guns he shot back.

"God, they're like brothers," Shoko groaned as Minato laughed at that. "... Ya know, though? Yeah, me and Geto did notice, I guess that mission was really rough on him. I know he told me that we were gonna go get ramen one of these days, all-you-can-eat for Naruto. He knows how much that boy puts away."

The parents' eyes grew a bit sad. "I get it, I do," Minato said, rubbing the back of his head. "He's my first and only child yet it's like the world changed when we met for the first time. He makes me want to protect him, immensely, but Naruto's also wise beyond his years… sometimes, I do feel like I missed out on a lot with him," he added.

"Yeah, in a way, our boy seemed to grow up so easily and quickly," Kushina said. "Yet, Naruto's very willing to be childish, he wants to be childish, he enjoys it. I think he also thinks he missed a lot," she added as Utahime looked at the boy in question patting his shikigami on the shoulder.

Then Riko tried to wrestle it before being put on her back.

"I see…" The parents laughed as soon as Naruto did, the boy helping the girl up before giving her pointers and moving back with the others.

Sage and Riko went at it before Naruto, Satoru, Geto, and Megumi split up. The cursed spirit user grouping with Megumi while Satoru went with Naruto.

"Alright, time to teach!" Kushina grinned as they all got up before going to their 'respective tutor circles'. "How's it going boys?" The woman asked, approaching Naruto with Minato and Shoko while Yaga went towards Riko and Sage with Utahime, Mei Mei, and Kuroi.

Last but not least, Tsumiki grinned as she hurried towards her brother with an excited grin.

"Well, Naru wants to try and access his positive energy," Satoru said with a grin as Naruto focused sat by a wall and meditated. "I'm supposed to watch," he added as he took off his blindfold and did as asked for a second before putting it back on. "So, you can imagine, we're having fun."

"I can imagine," Kushina chuckled as Shoko walked over to Naruto before sitting down next to him. "Feel anything, Shoko-chan?"

"Hmm… yeah, kinda," the young woman said with a hum. "He's moving it around in his body, his control's pretty decent."

"I'm sure, Naruto's had an amazing sensory skill since he was young, after all," Minato said. "Still, right now-"

The younger blonde's tall appeared in a spasm of golden energy, it's length coming around to rest by his noggin, rubbing it.

"Oh, he's doing fine," Minato blinked before chuckling. "Still, if Sage is right, he's got a ways ahead of him until he can use his Blessed Techniques."

"I wonder if that would stop him from using Reverse Cursed Technique," Shoko considered. "I mean, usually, it's about apply 'foom' and then 'shoosh' followed by 'sploosh' and finished off with 'Hmmm'. After that, you repeat the process," she said like it was common sense.

"Oh, that's how that works?" Satoru asked sarcastically. "I just used it all over and I felt better."

"What a waste of energy."

"... Yeah, no, I'm not dealing with that."

"Shoko-chan's explanations probably need a few more… details," Kushina said as Minato walked and sat by his son.

---

"So, wait, Divine Dogs count as 'one' shikigami?" Geto asked, surprised, as the boy nodded.

"I-It feels like one thing," Megumi said as his pets licked Tsumiki's cheeks, his sister's giggles getting a smile out of him. "I-I can do anymore than this b-because the other ones are scary."

"You can do more?!" Tsumiki asked, holding the puppy spirits in her arms with big bright eyes. "That's amazing, Megumi!"

"... I-I might need to get stronger to get more."

Geto smirked a bit at the boy's look of determination. 'It's obvious but not wrong,' the boy's motivation was to make his sister happy, nothing bad. "Then, I'd like to know if you can do certain things with Divine Dogs, alright?"

The boy nodded.

---

"Guh!"

Riko laid flat on the mats, crocodile tears running down her face.

"He's like three feet tall! How is he beating?!" She whined as Sage chuckled.

"I'm fun-sized," he said like it was no big thing, Mei Mei smirking as she walked over and picked him up. "See?!"

"Oh God, I got beat by a simpleton!"

"Now, now, there's no need to be mean to Sage-kun," Yaga said as Kuroi giggled a bit. "Simple is fine for a lot of people."

"But I'm special," Riko shot him with big watery eyes he leaned back from. "Ya gotta have some ideas! I've got none!"

"Yes, well…"

"Hmph," Kuroi smiled brightly. "Why not try and copy some of Kurama's skills?" She offered as Yaga sighed in relief while Riko perked up.

"Of course!" She jumped to her feet with a grin. "Um, wait, what kinda things could he do again?"

"Barriers were a skill Kurama had," Utahime said with some thought. "Yaga-sensei?"

"Barriers, energy control," Riko whined and he rubbed the back of his head. "Right. Besides those two, Kurama had the ability to link with Naruto and expand his senses."

"Huh?" Riko blinked. "Well, me and Naru are supposed to be a cool team but I need to have 'me' skill, don't I? He's better than me at a lot of skills I have."

"Well, that's not wrong but you have to try, Riko."

"I know, I know."

---

"So, you know there are more shikigami you can summon to exorcize?" Geto asked the boy with interest. 'That's how the Ten Shadows Technique works,' that was rather enlightening.

It was such a curious technique.

"Y-Yes, they're always here," Megumi pointed at his shadow. "I know they're there…"

"Curious… And you're not strong enough to exorcize them yourself, yet. I can see how this might get in the way but you should probably focus on other things," the boy looked confused. "Right now, Megumi-kun, you only have two shikigami. If they're destroyed, you'd need to fight a shikigami all on your own to gain another 'Shadow'. So, for now, you should focus on maximizing what you can do with Divine Dogs to make sure they don't die."

The boy swallowed as his sister gasped.

"Y-You gotta be careful! Kuro and Shirou are too cute to die!" The girl said nervously.

"I-I know!" The boy said quickly as Geto smiled.

~NRK~

~One Week Later~

Days had passed since them, leaving them on the second week of Naruto being conscious.

And now prepared to go into the Zenin household to meet with the head, Naobito Zenin.

~NRK~

So, yes, there was some timey-wimey timeline fuckery here. It's kinda all my fault but we'll be running with it.

Right now, Megumi's been introduced to the world of Jujutsu, Geto hasn't gone off the deep-end yet and can provide tutelage, while Satoru is trying to step into the shoes of a teacher.

Also, Side Pairings: Satoru x Utahime… x Riko if I can make it happen. Which I know how I'd do it but, ya know, everything's complicated and I'm not even sure if I will. Next, Yaga Masamichi x Misato Kuroi. Yuta Okkotsu x Maki Zenin

Not sure if I'll do more but we'll see how this goes.

Ciao.

~NRK Out~