As soon as Team 7 was dismissed, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi made their way to the top of the Hokage Monument, where they took a moment to enjoy the view before traveling into the forest behind the monument. After moving some distance through the thick canopy, they arrived at a two-story house, bordered by a sturdy wooden fence and gated at the front.
Naruto stepped forward, biting his thumb and pressing the bleeding finger against a scroll he had carried. Instantly, a blue glow radiated from the scroll, and after a few seconds, the light faded, and the scroll opened itself. In the center was a large storage seal. Naruto pressed his hand over the seal, and in a burst of smoke, two items appeared—a letter and a brass key.
He took a moment, studying the letter before slipping it into his pouch to read later, knowing well what it contained from his memories of the future. Instead, he took the key and inserted it into the gate lock, twisting it until he heard a clicking sound. The gate swung open smoothly, granting them entry to the compound.
Once inside, Naruto led the way to the main door. As he placed his hand on the door handle, a tiny needle shot out from the handle, pricking his palm and drawing a drop of blood. The mechanism, sensing Naruto's unique chakra signature, accepted his presence with a final click, and the door opened.
The interior of the house was impressively well-preserved, thanks to preservation seals his parents had placed long ago. The main hall was spacious, with a comfortable sofa set and a center table. To the side, an open kitchen connected with a small dining area, while a single bathroom and a private office space, once used by his father, were also on the ground floor.
On the upper floor, they found four bedrooms, each with an attached bathroom. One room had been his parents' bedroom, and another was thoughtfully decorated for a baby—clearly meant for him. The remaining two rooms were set up as guest bedrooms.
"Wow, this place is amazing," Sakura commented as she looked around.
"Feels like stepping into a time capsule," Kakashi added, admiring the place's state.
Naruto nodded, feeling a deep, nostalgic connection to the space despite the fact that it was his first time physically being here. However, there was more to see.
Guiding them down to the basement, Naruto showed them the first level, which was a library filled with scrolls and books. "This is where my parents kept their knowledge. All the jutsu they mastered and created are here, including the Flying Thunder God technique and my mom's Uzumaki sealing journals."
"Impressive," Sasuke remarked, scanning the shelves with interest.
They descended to the second basement level, a spacious sealing room. The walls and floor were lined with intricate symbols and patterns, marking it as a place for experimenting with and maintaining powerful seals.
After showing them around, Naruto led them back upstairs, where they gathered in the living room. He created four shadow clones and ordered them to prepare the sealing room below, instructing them to inscribe a seal on the floor.
"Now that we've taken care of the basics, we need to discuss the changes we'll have to make to the timeline," Kakashi said, glancing at Sasuke. "But before anyone says anything, Sasuke, remember that Danzo will die, but we'll need to choose the right moment so his death doesn't cause massive disruptions in the timeline."
Sasuke's face hardened at the mention of Danzo, but he nodded, signaling his agreement.
"Alright, first point of change: the Wave Mission," Naruto suggested.
Kakashi nodded. "I agree. We should definitely avoid killing Zabuza and stop Haku from sacrificing herself. They were both revived by Kabuto during the Fourth Shinobi World War. If we keep them alive, that prevents him from resurrecting them as Edo Tensei."
"Saving them sounds like a good idea," Sakura added, looking thoughtful.
"So, we save Zabuza and Haku, take out Gato, and free the Wave Country," Sasuke summarized, receiving a nod from Kakashi in response.
"After that, the next major event is the Chunin Exams," Sasuke continued. "We'll encounter Kabuto there for the first time. What should we do about him?"
"I say we reveal his identity as a spy," Sakura suggested firmly.
Naruto was about to respond when he heard Kurama's voice echo in his mind. "Naruto, create a shadow clone for me. I want to participate in the discussion, but set up a barrier around the house first so no one can sense my chakra."
Following Kurama's instructions, Naruto formed several hand seals, clapping his hands to the ground. A series of intricate kanji symbols spread across the room, creating a barrier that blocked any chakra from leaking outside.
Sakura gave Naruto a questioning look. "What are you doing?"
"Setting up a barrier," Naruto replied. "It'll keep our chakra from being detected. Kurama wants to join in on the conversation, so I'm creating a shadow clone for him."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Kurama? Why does he want to get involved in this?"
Naruto smirked. "He's got a perspective on time travel that might be useful."
With a final hand sign, Naruto formed a shadow clone. Instantly, the clone's chakra shifted, changing from a bright and warm presence to something darker. The clone's whisker marks thickened, and its eyes turned red with black slits—a sign that Kurama had taken control.
The others instinctively tensed but remained in place.
"Now listen up," Kurama began, his deep voice carrying a weight of authority. "Before you start changing things in the timeline, you need to understand the risks. Every one of you being here has already altered the timeline. Expect consequences, both good and bad, depending on your actions. And do not reveal to anyone that you're from the future unless it's absolutely necessary."
Sakura frowned. "So, we just keep it all a secret?"
Kurama shook his head. "I'm not saying you should never tell anyone. But be mindful of how much you reveal. Once people know future events, they might subconsciously act to avoid them, which will throw your knowledge out the window. So if you must tell someone, avoid giving them a full picture of what's to come."
The team members exchanged glances, each contemplating Kurama's advice.
"Understood," Kakashi said, breaking the silence. "We'll have to be cautious."
"There's something else you need to keep in mind," Kurama continued. "Some significant events cannot be changed. For example, if you prevent the death of the Third Hokage, he'll continue making decisions as Hokage that could completely alter the future, rendering your knowledge useless."
The team digested this revelation. After a moment, Kakashi nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. We'll have to choose our actions carefully."
Naruto, taking Kurama's words to heart, returned to the topic. "So, what do we do when we encounter Kabuto in the Chunin Exams?"
Kurama replied, "For your first encounter, do nothing. Don't act suspicious or draw attention to yourselves. When Kabuto reports back to Orochimaru, he'll likely underestimate you. Then, when Orochimaru attacks in the Forest of Death, that's when you strike—surprise him, and don't let him mark Sasuke with the cursed seal."
"Sounds good to me," Sakura said, agreeing with the plan.
Just then, one of Naruto's clones entered the room. "The seal is ready, boss. You can apply it whenever you're ready."
Kakashi looked at Naruto. "We'll discuss the rest later. Go ahead and apply the seal now."
Naruto nodded. "Once the seal is active, my chakra core will be capped at its current capacity and won't generate any more chakra beyond the limit set by the seal. It'll knock me out so my body can adjust, so I'll need one of you to put me to bed afterward."
Naruto turned to Kurama. "Kurama, you'll have to stay outside the seal, separated from my chakra, during this process. Otherwise, the seal will interfere with your chakra generation."
With that, Naruto placed his hands on Kurama's clone and began transferring all of Kurama's chakra into it. Once the process was complete, he looked at the clone.
"Stay here and don't make any movements; the clone won't handle much activity with all your chakra."
Turning to Kakashi, he added, "Once I'm out, put me in this room so Kurama can return to me when I wake up."
Kakashi nodded. With that, Naruto led the team down to the basement. The sealing array on the floor spanned ten meters in diameter, intricate kanji filling the space in a mesmerizing pattern.
Naruto removed his outer clothing, keeping only his shorts, and stepped into the center of the seal. Taking a deep breath, he began performing a series of hand signs. Sasuke, his Sharingan active, counted each movement, marveling as Naruto completed a total of 389 seals before finishing with the serpent hand sign.
Immediately, the entire seal lit up in a radiant yellow, pulsing with Naruto's chakra as it spread across his body. Once the sealing process was complete, Naruto collapsed to the ground, his chakra core silent and no longer pulsing.
Sasuke Pov
As Sasuke locked his Sharingan onto Naruto, he was alarmed to see that Naruto's chakra core was no longer pulsing. When a user's chakra core stops pulsing, it indicates that the individual has ceased generating chakra and is essentially dead.
Panic gripped Sasuke for a brief moment, but he quickly checked Naruto's pulse. Relief washed over him as he felt the steady thrum of Naruto's heartbeat. This meant that the seal was functioning properly .
"Let's move him," Kakashi said, He carefully picked Naruto up in his arms and carried him to the room where Kurama was waiting.
Once they arrived, they found that Kurama had prepared the room. A futon lay neatly in the center, ready for Naruto to be placed on it. Kakashi gently laid Naruto down
Kurama, still inside Naruto's shadow clone, stepped forward and placed his hands on Naruto's stomach, directly over the seal that marked him as a jinchuriki. Almost instantly, a stream of red chakra began to seep from Kurama, filling the space around Naruto's body.
"Listen " Kurama said, glancing at Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi. "You all can go home. He will be unconscious for the rest of the day. Once he wakes up, he'll send shadow clones to inform you of his status. For now, you should all rest."
With that, the shadow clone occupied by Kurama dispelled, its chakra flowing back into Naruto. The room fell silent as they watched Naruto's chest rise and fall steadily, a sign that he was stable.
Kakashi nodded, the seriousness of the situation weighing on him. "Let's give him the time he needs. We'll regroup later."
Sasuke hesitated, still staring at Naruto, but finally stepped back. "I'll be back later," he said, determination in his voice.
Sakura placed a gentle hand on Sasuke's shoulder, her own expression a mix of worry and hope. "We'll make sure he's okay. We've gotten through worse together."
With that, the trio left the house, each heading to their respective homes.