When Naruto returned to Konoha, he realized the gravity of the situation. Nagato had not yet attacked the village, and the tragedy could still be averted. Naruto knew it was important to act quickly and find a solution to prevent the attack from happening.
Despite the fact that this situation strengthened Tsunade's position as Hokage, Naruto was not willing to make so many sacrifices just for that reason. He believed there were other ways for Tsunade to earn the love and support of the village, as she had already done so much for them. Naruto did not want to see anyone getting hurt or making unnecessary sacrifices.
Shima, who summoned Naruto, asked with her aged and thin voice: "Naruto-chan, what happened to the tip of your hair? Why is it red?"
"Oh, that?" Naruto touched his hair, but could only pull a little of the tip to see it with his own eyes. He replied, "I'm not quite sure, it just happened to turn like that while I was training." He lied.
Of course, he knew the reason. It must be related to the fact that he had awakened his Uzumaki powers. However, the fact that only the tips of his hair turned red was strange, but he noticed something: his hair strands had become stronger. Even to pull out a single strand, he had to use a bit more force.
Shima did not ask any more questions about the subject but asked instead: "Naruto-chan, why are you in Sage Mode?"
"Oh, that." Naruto had forgotten to deactivate it, and upon hearing Grandma Toad's question, he quickly deactivated it, scratching his head with a touch of embarrassment. "I forgot to deactivate it."
"Hohoho, I see, I see." Shima laughed. She added, "Well, with your talent and speed for entering Sage Mode, even if you stayed like this, it wouldn't be a problem. Moreover, your idea of using the shadow clone to enter Sage Mode and then deactivating the clone to return Sage Mode to yourself is a brilliant idea."
Shima did not skimp on praise for him. Unlike Fukasaku, the Grandpa Toad, she did not feel the need to be stingy with compliments.
"True, hahaha." Naruto laughed and nodded in response.
"Okay, Naruto-chan, I'm heading back." Saying that Shima began to disappear, most likely summoned by someone on Mount Myoboku.
Sunlight filtered through the open curtains of the Hokage's office, bathing the room in a warm glow. Tsunade sat at her desk, a welcoming smile on her face, as she waited for Naruto's arrival. When he entered, she greeted him cheerfully.
"Naruto, I'm glad you're back," she said, her tone laden with enthusiasm.
Although Naruto's smile was sincere, his expression quickly turned somber. He knew there was a serious situation to be addressed.
"Yes, I've completed my training," he replied. "But, Oba-chan, I need a favor from you."
Tsunade arched her eyebrows, intrigued by Naruto's request: "Of course, Naruto. What do you need?"
"I want one of those black things that were on Pain's body, if possible," Naruto answered.
Tsunade was confused by the request and asked, "What do you need that for, Naruto?"
"I believe with it, I will be able to find the location of Pain's real body, Nagato," Naruto replied sincerely.
There was no reason to hide it anymore since Naruto had done this in the previous version of events. However, at that time, it only happened after the tragedy had already occurred. Naruto wanted to prevent it from happening again and find Nagato before he attacked the village.
Tsunade granted Naruto's request with her solemn voice and soon after asked a curious question: "By the way, Naruto. Why did you become so handsome, and the tips of your hair turned red?"
Naruto took the opportunity to lie: "Ah, it's because I awakened part of my Uzumaki lineage. I was also able to talk to my father and mother."
Upon hearing this, Tsunade quickly created a sound-isolating jutsu around the room and looked astonished at him.
"How were you able to talk to them?" Tsunade asked, surprised. After all, his parents should have been dead.
Naruto's parents had given him detailed explanations. They had left part of their own chakra sealed inside him when they imprisoned the nine-tailed fox in his body. They revealed all the events, and now Naruto had full knowledge of the past. He pretended to be thrilled by the discovery, though he couldn't reveal the whole truth. It was necessary to maintain the lie, making Tsunade believe he had spoken with his parents in this timeline.
Tsunade sighed, staring at Naruto with a piercing gaze. She questioned him, seeking to understand his motivations: "You have a reason for saying this, right?"
"Of course I do. I have many reasons, actually. I feel a little angry thinking about everything I went through, but I don't want to let it affect me now." Naruto's eyes became sharp and cold but soon softened: "I want what is rightfully mine. My parents left inheritances for me, but I lived in such scarcity that I even drank spoiled milk for breakfast."
If it had been before, perhaps Naruto wouldn't think this way. Even when he discovered the truth about his parents, he didn't seek the inheritance left for him. However, something bothered him now, and he wondered why he hadn't acted earlier. It simply didn't make sense.
Tsunade understood Naruto's point of view and sighed. She seemed to realize that he was right. Although it was necessary to keep his connection to the Fourth Hokage secret before, there was no reason to continue doing so, especially now that Naruto had possibly surpassed his father's power.
So, she stated: "I'll take care of it. Your parents' belongings are still safely stored; don't worry, everything will be returned to you."
"Mhm, thank you." Naruto finally displayed his classic smile.
"But, Naruto." Tsunade showed her curiosity: "To what extent have you awakened your mother's Uzumaki lineage, Kushina Uzumaki?"
"I'll tell you because I trust you, Oba-chan." Naruto replied: "I've awakened the Adamantine Sealing Chains and Kagura's Mind's Eye."
The news surprised Tsunade, revealing a shocking discovery!
"Wow!" Tsunade exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table and standing up. She looked at Naruto with bright eyes: "This is incredible, Naruto!"
Tsunade's excitement was justified, as she understood the meaning of the revelation. With these new powers, Naruto would have an even greater chance of facing Nagato. She felt even more confident that, at the moment, Naruto was the only one capable of stopping their enemy.
Tsunade, also a descendant of the Uzumaki, had unfortunately not managed to awaken the Uzumaki side in herself. She remembered well how valuable that would be and knew that with these abilities, Naruto would have a new arsenal of powers to face his opponents.
After calming down, Tsunade advised: "Okay, Naruto. Don't tell anyone else about this for now. Keep it as your trump card. Use it only if necessary."
"I know, thank you for reminding me, Oba-chan." Naruto smiled.
"Okay, I'll remove the sound barrier and ask someone to take you to your parents' sealed property." Tsunade took a deep breath, calmed down, and sat back down as she continued: "Your parents must have left many things that can be useful to you, like jutsus and other things."
"Mm." Naruto nodded.
He himself was curious to discover what his parents had left for him.
"Ah, yes, I'll ask someone to deliver the black object to you." Tsunade stated: "Just don't forget to use it carefully."
"I know." Naruto nodded.
He was aware of what he was doing and briefly explained his idea to Tsunade before leaving with Shizune, who had arrived upon hearing Tsunade's call.
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