Naruto into the world of Star rail

by strongeandkind634them

He arrives and lands, but doesn't know when or how. He had already left footprints on several places. Unfortunately, he can't remember and no one seems to be able to help him retrieve those memories. But still, he is Naruto Uzumaki and will not stand and let fate drag down the people he cares for.(Chakra element included, element regarded as an outsider. Only usable by Naruto)

20. Chapter 20

Here's another one!

Firstly, ever good critic is always useful. We don't always have the time to completely check everything as we write in rush and secondly, if the story plot isn't going as you plan sorry but we are not professionals or experts.

Thirdly, sorry for the long wait. I had to paused and farm for Arlecchino and her weapon. Since I only have nights to write or play games, I had to farm starting from zero primogems in Genshin. Had a Hu-tao but I lost every time her weapon banner comes. So, I decided to change main dps and I'm quite happy with it. My cousin (kind) and co-writer was also absent at the time. So, we couldn't write anything until yesterday's night.

But anyway, hope you enjoy since we really didn't plan on writing the length of this chapter.

Disclaimer: We do not own any Franchise. We just love being imaginative.

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Chapter - 20

The dim, artificial lights of Belobog's underworld cast long shadows across Naruto's home under a clinic, highlighting the stone roads and dozens of crates near his door. Naruto within his room, his own fluffy nine tails, usually concealed by a transformation jutsu, swayed gently behind him, their fiery orange tips twitching with a life of their own. He had grown comfortable in his new existence, a far cry from the initial shock and disorientation of being ripped from his own world. The constant chatter of Doctor Vache, the gratitude of the Boulder Town residents for the great deeds he had done and crops he'd helped cultivate, and the surprisingly regular visits from the energetic Serval Landau had all helped to ground him.

But even in this newfound contentment, the warrior in Naruto couldn't remain idle. He needed to train, to hone his skills, to be ready for whatever threats lurked beyond the jagged horizon of the Underworld. And so, he began to revisit his Sage Mode, a technique that had always been a source of immense power but hadn't been able to use to due to the frozen world.

Now, seated in the center of his sparsely furnished room, Naruto struggled. The problem wasn't his technique; it was the environment. The life energy, the natural chakra he was accustomed to drawing upon, was almost nonexistent in Belobog. The planet was wounded, scarred by the long history of unnatural control of the cold, and the very air crackled with an alien energy that felt hostile, corrosive.

"Damn it," Naruto muttered, frustration simmering beneath his usually sunny demeanor. "I can't even pull a decent whiff of energy. It's like trying to drink old ramen broth."

"Kurama, how long do I have to do this?" Naruto grumbled, his voice echoing slightly in the small room beneath Vache's clinic. He remained in a meditative pose, legs crossed, hands resting on his knees, trying to coax the strange energy of this world into his chakra network.

"As long as it takes to absorb this world's energy. So, shut up and focus," Kurama retorted from within Naruto's mindscape. The image of the gigantic, Ying-Yang orange fox lounging within the familiar landscape was enough to simultaneously soothe and irritate Naruto.

He focused, drawing on the teachings of the toad sages, Fukasaku and Shima. The process in his world had been simple: drawing in natural energy and delicately balancing it with his own chakra to achieve sage mode. Here, however, it was an exercise in futility. The energy of this world felt…wrong. Alien. Chaotic. After hours of painstaking effort, only the smallest trickles could be absorbed, a pathetic comparison to the torrents of natural chakra he could pull in back home.

"!?" Naruto recoiled, a shuddering shockwave rippling from his core. It was a familiar sensation, a consequence of the energy's refusal to harmonize with his chakra.

"Like I've been saying, I can't enter Sage Mode," he complained, his eyes still closed. Memories flickered through his mind of lush jungles, rolling hills, and serene rivers filled with life. How could he tap into nature's energy here, in a world that seemed devoid of it? The chakra around him was different—rushing and wild, electric in its intensity, almost hostile.

"Maybe the lack of nature and life in this world makes it seem so uncontrollable. Argh! This is annoying!" Naruto felt the familiar rotation of thoughts that often accompanied his training. The world he and Kurama had been thrown into often presented challenges, but this one was particularly vexing.

"Is that your declaration to stop training and getting stronger?" came Kurama's voice, deep and imposing, with a hint of disdain. The Nine-Tails' frustration echoed in Naruto's mind; it was clear that the fox wasn't going to let him slack. "Are you certain the unpredictable dangers that might come can be handled if you're this lax? Relying on my chakra is one thing, but what if I weren't here? How much can you protect with your clones and chakra? You can only give up if that had been the case."

The word hung in the air, a sharp, unwelcome intrusion into Naruto's thoughts. "Give up!?" The word was like a jolt of electricity. It bypassed his frustration, his doubt, and struck directly at the core of his being. 'Give up' was a forbidden phrase. A concept he actively rejected. It immediately reignited his inner fire.

He refocused, visualizing the raw power of this world's energy, imagining himself forcing it, pulling it, coaxing it into his chakra network. He would make it work. Hehadto. He pictured the faces of the people he had sworn to protect, the faces of his friends, his family. He envisioned Serval's bright, inquisitive eyes, Penya's gruff but genuine concern, and the hopeful faces of all who had relied on him. He couldn't let them down. He wouldn't let them down.

Naruto's body began to tremble violently. Sweat poured down his face as he wrestled with the alien energy. He focused on Kurama's words, on the faces of the people he wanted to protect. He pushed harder, forcing the energy into his chakra network, little by little.

"Argh!" Suddenly, a searing pain shot through his body. He roared in agony, his eyes snapping open, revealing the slitted pupils of a sage. The energy flooded him, overwhelming him, threatening to tear him apart.

But Naruto held on. He remembered his training, his struggles, his losses. He remembered the moments of joy, the bonds of friendship, the unwavering hope that had always guided him.

Slowly, painstakingly, he began to wrestle the energy into submission. He channeled it, molded it, bent it to his will. The alien energy mixed with his chakra, barely creating a new, potent force within him.

The throbbing pain continued, a surge of power unlike anything he had ever felt. He could feel the energy coursing through him, amplifying his senses, sharpening his reflexes, making him feel faster, stronger, more resilient. But the struggle continues.

Naruto stood, his tails swaying with newfound confidence. He felt the energy resonate in small progress within him and he was about to bring out a new ability, new power. He now had taken a small step in the ability to manipulate the world's energy.

Meanwhile, within the depths of Naruto's mindscape, Kurama chuckled, a low rumble that shook the very foundations of the mental realm. "Ha, such a simpleton." The vast, crimson landscape echoed with the sound, the only visible feature in the swirling darkness save for Kurama's colossal form, seated like a mountain range amidst the ethereal fog. He watched, not with malice, but with a detached amusement as wisps of chaotic energy, like rogue sparks from a dying fire, danced and flickered around a distant, indistinct figure – Naruto's mental representation, battling an unseen foe in the waking world.

But Kurama, despite his initial mockery, grew increasingly concerned. The amusement faded like dissipating smoke, replaced by a grim observation honed over centuries of bearing witness to the folly and resilience of mortals. He saw the strain etched on Naruto's face, though it was a mental projection, the very essence of the boy's willpower seemed to flicker and dim. Nearly imperceptible tremors ran through the incorporeal form, mirroring the agonizing struggle in the physical realm as Naruto fought to control the foreign energy that threatened to overwhelm him. This wasn't the usual youthful exuberance causing trouble; this was something deeper, something threatening to break the boy from within.

A low growl rumbled in Kurama's chest, a sound not of anger, but of deep consideration. He'd felt the encroaching energy himself, a cold, alien presence that had seeped into Naruto's being, a parasitic intrusion that the boy, bless his naive heart, was attempting to wrestle into submission with sheer grit and determination. A plan, born of pragmatic necessity and a surprising, grudging respect for the stubborn human, began to form in the fox's mind. Direct intervention was risky, muddling with the boy's already precarious balance could have disastrous consequences. Subtlety was required.

With a flick of one of his massive tails, each tip sharp as a mountain peak and radiating contained power, Kurama hauled forward a quivering, transparent entity. It was a Stellaron, a being of pure energy, shimmering with an alien light that pulsed with an unsettling rhythm. The Stellaron had been locked away in a deep, forgotten corner of Naruto's mind since the day chaos itself had seemingly coughed it up into the boy's psyche months ago. It was a silent, unwanted guest, a source of memories, of knowledge, a wellspring of cosmic strangeness.

The Stellaron trembled in terror, its form constantly shifting like heat haze above scorching sand. It registered the faint echo of an unknown power, a power that resonated with the very fabric of existence, a force it instinctively knew was both ancient and terrifying. Stellarons, Kurama knew, were dangerous entities. Untamed, they could corrupt entire worlds, twisting reality to their alien whims. The one within Naruto, however, was strangely docile, muted. He suspected the forbidden words encroaching Naruto's unknown sealed memories.

Kurama smirked muttering how the young man was never a dull one. Kurama will continue to help Naruto not because he wanted to but because he felt that was what he needed to do. He had seen enough suffering in his long life, and he wouldn't stand by and let this boy, this vessel, be broken by the cruel hand of fate.

The sound was like a subterranean earthquake, Kurama's chuckle a deep, resonant rumble that shook the very fabric of his mindscape. It was an unnerving sound, even for him, honed over centuries of war and forced imprisonment. In the swirling darkness, a single one of his nine massive tails snaked out, a dark crimson serpent encircling a figure huddled in the corner, trembling with an almost palpable fear.

A being of pure, raw energy, a cosmic anomaly ripped from some distant star and deposited here, and now within the innermost recesses of Naruto Uzumaki's psyche. How it arrived, Kurama was not amused. He only knew it was here, and, more importantly, he knew it will be useful.

The great fox narrowed his crimson eyes, focusing on the distant, struggling figure of Naruto. "Alright, brat," he rumbled, the sound echoing like thunder in the mental void. "Let's see if you're as much of a simpleton as you appear. Because I have a feeling things are about to get a whole lot more complicated." He began to draw the Stellaron closer, its alien light pulsing brighter, a silent promise and a looming threat contained within the crimson mindscape.

The game was once again tipping in their favour. "Now, it's time for you to be useful, Stellaron," Kurama declared, his voice echoing through the void, a sound that threatened to unravel the Stellaron's already fragile form. The space around them shimmered, a canvas of swirling nebulae and phantom stars, a reflection of Kurama's own vast inner world where this captive energy being was now held. He raised his massive claws, each tipped with obsidian claws that gleamed in the ethereal light, and began to weave and mold his chakra. A complex, intricate pattern began to form in the air, a swirling tapestry of crimson and gold, pulsating with raw power. It grew, tendrils of incandescent energy reaching out, slowly enveloping the terrified Stellaron, a cage woven from the Nine-Tailed Fox's very essence. The Stellaron, a jittering mass of raw, untamed energy, pulsed with fear, its chaotic form flickering like a dying flame in a gale.

"I now know why Naruto can't mold this world's energy," Kurama continued, his gaze hardening, fixed and unwavering as if boring into the very core of the Stellaron. He had spent weeks, subjective a great amount of time within the mindscape that translated to precious hours in the external world, analyzing the chakra, the essences of this new world, the energy that flowed through its very core. He had initially dismissed it as simply different, a variation on the chakra he knew so intimately, unlike anything he had encountered before in the myriad dimensions they had traversed. But the more he observed, the more he delved into the subtle currents and undertones, the more a disturbing truth revealed itself. There was a lack... a fundamental absence of life. Just as Naruto had said to him, his brow furrowed with confusion and a deep unease that mirrored Kurama's own growing apprehension.

Kurama, despite the world's perception of him as a being of destruction, a chaotic force of nature, carried within him a deep, primal connection to life itself. He had been born from the Juubi, a being that sought to unify all life, however distorted that goal had become. He had witnessed life's creation in the primordial soup of the early world, its exuberant flourishing in vibrant ecosystems, and its tragic, agonizing demise in countless battles and calamities. He had learned, not just through passive observation, but through the explicit and patient teachings of the Sage of Six Paths himself, that energy followed life as rivers followed gravity. The more abundant and vibrant the life, the more harmonious and balanced the energy that sustained it. It was a symbiotic dance, a reciprocal flow, that ensured vitality and growth.

This world, the one they had stumbled into alongside Naruto, was a stark and horrifying contrast. It was frozen in a perpetual state of near-death. A barren landscape, choked cities crumbling under skies the colour of rust, where survival was not just a challenge but a desperate, brutal daily war. The very air crackled with a desperate, unforgiving energy, a static charge of decay and stagnation. Its energy reflected that desolation, cold, harsh, and utterly unwelcoming. Naruto, with his boundless optimism, his sun-like chakra, and inherent, almost naive connection to life, was struggling to connect to it, to truly influence it. His chakra, usually a catalyst for growth and healing, felt muted, almost repelled by the world's inherent negativity.

"You'll be a living husk for this harmonizing," Kurama said, his voice devoid of malice, only purpose echoing in the void. He felt no joy in the Stellaron's palpable terror, only a grim necessity. His nine tails converged, each tipped with a swirling ember of chakra, pointing towards the caged and trembling Stellaron. He was a bijuu, a being of pure chakra and immense destructive power, yes, but he was also a living library of ancient knowledge. He had, nestled within his vast consciousness, techniques and understandings gleaned from the Sage of Six Paths himself, techniques that resided dormant within his memory, waiting for the precise, desperate conditions to warrant their use. Techniques he had once dismissed as overly subtle, too nuanced for his raw power-oriented existence.

"Ninshu Six-Path Art: Minor Manipulation," he intoned, the words ancient and heavy with power, resonating with a weight far beyond simple sound. It wasn't a jutsu, not in the common, battle-focused sense. It was a Ninshu art, a descendant of the Sage's original teachings, a delicate process of molding and creation, of shaping something not through force but through understanding, of gently guiding energy without harming its fundamental essence. A technique far more nuanced and powerful than any of the explosive Six Paths techniques he'd previously dismissed as unnecessary, frivolous even. It was a technique that required not just raw power, but a deep understanding of the principles of life and energy, a level of refinement, of patience he had never possessed… until he came to watch Naruto's life. Until he had witnessed the unwavering, persistent growth of a boy filled with life and hope, a boy who had unknowingly taught a creature of destruction the true power of creation.

Light erupted. The void, usually a realm of shadows and starlight, blazed with an unbearable luminescence. The Stellaron was engulfed in a blinding radiance emanating from Kurama's tails, a super explosion of pure energy, refined chakra, and something ancient – the very essence of Ninshu – that threatened to overwhelm even Kurama's senses. He gritted his teeth, channeling his immense willpower, anchoring himself to the process, refusing to lose control. The Stellaron writhed, its form flickering and distorting violently within the chakra cage, as if caught in a cosmic storm, a maelstrom of creation and forced evolution. It screamed, a silent shriek that echoed through the mindscape, a primal scream of resistance against the forced change, a desperate plea for its chaotic freedom.

Then, just as suddenly as it began, the light subsided. The blinding brilliance receded, leaving behind a soft, pulsating glow. The chakra cage dissolved, no longer needed. The Stellaron, no longer trembling and formless, had solidified. It was no longer a being of raw, uncontrolled energy. Instead, it had been molded, shaped, refined into something… beautiful.

It was a perfect Yin Yang symbol, about the size of Kurama's paw, levitating gently in the void. One half swirled with a dark, almost consuming energy, a deep obsidian hue that seemed to absorb all light. The other possessed a radiant, life-giving light, a pure, untainted white that pulsed with warmth. But these were not static halves, frozen in opposition. They flowed, they danced, they chased each other in a perpetual cycle of creation and destruction, darkness and light, constantly moving, representing the continuous flow of energy, the eternal dance of life, death, and rebirth.

Kurama observed the symbol, a low rumble of satisfaction vibrating in his chest. It was done. The Stellaron, now transformed, was no longer a creature of raw chaos. It was a harmonizing agent, a living conduit for balanced energy. It would be a beacon, a seed of life forced into this barren world. He could feel it, even from within his mindscape, a subtle shift in the ambient energy of the real world, a faint, almost imperceptible warming. It was a minuscule change, a whisper in a hurricane, but it was there. A spark of hope ignited in the oppressive darkness.

"Now," Kurama murmured, his voice regaining its usual resonant depth, but tinged with a newfound resonance of purpose, "let's see if Naruto can finally work his magic." He turned his gaze towards the void, towards the faint light emanating from the connection to the real world, a world he had just nudged, ever so slightly, back towards the path of life. The Yin Yang symbol pulsed gently, a silent promise of balance and a testament to the unexpected usefulness of a terrified Stellaron and the evolving heart of a once-destructive Bijuu.

Kurama observed his creation, a low, almost meditative growl rumbling in his chest. It was a start. A small, almost insignificant start, but a start nonetheless. Now, he finally had a way to properly help Naruto. "Let's see... what kind of element does this seems to be?"

"What have you done to me?" The Stellaron's voice, no longer a chaotic shriek, now resonated with fear and confusion.

"I molded you into something that will help the brat," Kurama replied, his voice laced with weariness. The transformation had taken a toll, draining him more than any battle he could remember. He shifted in his massive form, a wave of drowsiness washing over him. The desolate darkness of the mindscape began to subtly shift, the harsh edges softening, the colors deepening. A recreation of Konoha during a soft, silent night began to materialize around them, a testament to Naruto's unwavering memories of home.

"This kind of power… Will-!"

Before the Stellaron could finish its sentence, Kurama silenced it, manipulating its new form of a Yin Yang symbol. "No one said anything about taking your power. You'll be a constant flow, absorbing and filtering the disruptive energy of this world."

This feat was only possible due to the restoration of his Yin and Yang powers, a gift from the Sage and the culmination of his long journey with Naruto. He understood now that power was not just about destruction, but about creation, about balance, about nurturing the delicate flame of life.

In the concept of Yin and Yang, the idea is not that either force directly "absorbs" energy, but rather that they represent the constant flow, while one absorbs, the other transform energy within a system. This in Kurama's thought will help Naruto once again achieve something similar to sage mode.

The humid air in the room under Doctor Vache's clinic clung to Naruto like a second skin. Sweat streamed down his face, plastering his spiky blonde hair to his forehead in damp clumps. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, each fiber strained to its limit. He was trying to absorb it,thatenergy, the one Kurama had cautiously introduced him to – a raw, untamed force that felt like a tempestuous ocean crashing against the shores of his chakra network.

"Gotta… gotta… focus," Naruto grunted, his teeth gritted against the building pressure. It was nothing like absorbing natural energy for Sage Mode. That had been gentle, nurturing, like breathing in the fresh forest air. This was… violent. It felt alien, like the energy of the stars, burning and distant, yet somehow… closer, almost invasive. He felt like he was trying to hold back a supernova with sheer willpower. Doubts gnawed at him. Maybe Kurama was wrong. Maybe his body just wasn't compatible with this...energy, as the fox had called it. Maybe he was pushing himself too hard, about to shatter his chakra pathways.

He was on the verge of giving up, his shoulders slumping, the fight draining out of him with each agonizing pulse of energy slamming into his system. Then, suddenly, it happened.

A shift, subtle yet profound, resonated through him. The chaotic, aggressive energy that had been battering against him, the force that felt like it wanted to rip him apart from the inside, abruptly… subsided. It didn't vanish, but its nature transformed. It became gentle, almost coaxing, receptive instead of resistant. It was like the ocean, moments ago a raging storm, had calmed into a tranquil lake reflecting the serene sky. The oppressive, unbearable weight of the world's energy, which felt so alien and chaotic, softened. It was still powerful, undeniably so, but it was no longer a hostile force. It flowed into him, not with resistance, but with a smooth, almost eager willingness, as if it had been waiting for him to… understand it. It moved through his chakra network, not like a harsh current tearing at the banks, but like a gentle river finding its natural course.

"What the heck…?" Naruto breathed, his eyes widening slightly, though he remained in his meditative pose, afraid to break the connection. "The energy… it's… different."

A soft pulse of energy emanated from him, not violent bursts, but gentle waves that spread outwards, caressing the air. He could feel his own chakra harmonizing with this altered energy. It was… easier. Faster. Even gentler and yet somehow more potent than when he used to gather natural energy for Sage Mode in Mount Myoboku. A surge of triumphant elation coursed through him. He thought he had done it. He had pushed through the barrier, broken through to the next level. He had tamed the world's energy, found a way to harness it. Another incredible power, just within his reach.

He was so caught up in his own victory, in the sheer relief and burgeoning excitement, that he completely missed the subtle hum resonating deep within him, a hum that was not his own, but belonged to the ancient fox demon sealed within him, Kurama. Unseen, unheard, Kurama had subtly interwoven a thread of his own powerful chakra into the chaotic Stellaron energy as it flooded Naruto. He had acted instinctively, a protective measure, but the result was far more profound. Kurama's influence, mixed with the Stellaron's unique properties, had acted as a catalyst, not just taming the energy, but fundamentally altering it in a way neither of them could have predicted.

What Naruto didn't realize, in his burgeoning excitement, was that the Stellaron's modification of this world's energy, coupled with Kurama's interference, had gifted him something entirely new, something wholly unique. It wasn't just tamed energy; it was something… else.

Slowly, cautiously, Naruto released his meditative pose. His stiff limbs protested with a chorus of pops and cracks as he stretched. The air around him shimmered, barely perceptible, but undeniably there, like the heat haze on a summer day. It was the faint, telltale aura of Sage Mode, activated without him consciously intending to. He hadn't even tried to draw in natural energy, yet here it was, subtly humming around him.

Intrigued, Naruto kept his eyes closed and focused his senses. Sage Mode always sharpened his perception, allowed him to feel the flow of natural energy, to sense the presence of living beings. But this… this was different. It was like his senses had exploded outwards. He could see, with his closed eyes, not just the immediate surroundings of his small room, but further, much further. He could vividly picture Doctor Vache, slumped asleep in his armchair upstairs, surrounded by stacks of medical journals. He could see every utensil laid out on the clinic's examination table, the soft rise and fall of the chests of the other patients resting in the overnight recovery rooms.

It wasn't just a slightly extended radius, not like his usual Sage Mode. This was… vast. It stretched beyond the normal limitations of his sensory perception, encompassing a distance he would normally only be able to see in his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, if not further.

Finally, he opened his eyes. He glanced quickly towards the small, cracked mirror hanging near the door of his room. He expected to see the familiar orange pigmentation around his eyes, the characteristic Sage Mode markings. But what reflected back at him was something… unsettlingly beautiful.

His Sage Mode eyes were active, vibrant and glowing with the familiar golden hue. But the pupils… the pupils were not the usual fox-like slits of Kurama's influence, nor the toad-shaped pupils of Mount Myoboku's Sage Mode. Instead, they were star-shaped, perfectly symmetrical four-pointed stars, a deep, shimmering blue that seemed to draw in the light and hold it within. And within those star-shaped pupils, tiny, almost imperceptible motes of light shimmered, like minuscule stars twinkling in a miniature galaxy contained within his irises.

Naruto stared at his reflection, speechless. He reached up, touching his face gingerly, tracing the strange, star-shaped pupils with a fingertip. It was beautiful, ethereal, and yet… unnerving. He felt… different. Changed. This wasn't just Sage Mode anymore. It was something… more. He had a power now, something born from the Stellaron's strange energy and Kurama's unexpected intervention, something unlike anything he could have imagined.

A slow smile spread across his face, wonder and a spark of excitement lighting his eyes. This was… interesting. Very interesting indeed. But for now…

"Let's get some rest first," he murmured to his reflection, his voice hushed with awe and anticipation. The mysteries of this new power, this new Sage Mode, could wait until morning. For now, sleep, and dreams filled with shimmering stars and untold possibilities, beckoned.

---

Naruto was dead to the world. Face mashed into his pillow, limbs sprawled at odd angles, the rhythmic snores escaping his lips were the only evidence he was still among the living. The rigorous training session with Kakashi-sensei had been brutal, even by his standards. He'd pushed himself until his chakra reserves were practically scraping the bottom of the barrel. Sleep had come like a blessed oblivion, pulling him under as soon as his head hit the futon.

So, when a sharp, insistent knocking echoed through his small apartment, it felt like a rude awakening orchestrated by the universe itself. Groaning, Naruto burrowed deeper into his pillow, hoping the unwelcome sound would simply vanish. But the knocking persisted, growing louder, more demanding. With a monumental effort, he pried an eye open, squinting at the sliver of pale, pre-dawn light filtering through his window. It wasn't even properly morning yet. Who in their right mind would be banging on his door at this hour?

"Just… go away…" he mumbled into the pillow, his voice thick with sleep and protest. But the knocking continued, relentless. Finally, with a sigh that could deflate a balloon, Naruto pushed himself up. Pajama pants askew, hair even more of a mess than usual, he shuffled towards the door, dragging his feet like heavy weights.

Before flinging it open and unleashing a barrage of sleepy complaints, habit took over. He cautiously slid open the small latch, peering through the narrow opening. And then he blinked, twice. Staring back at him was… himself. Or rather, a very familiar face wearing a very familiar perplexed expression. It was undeniably a clone of himself.

"What the hell are you doing?" Naruto hissed through the slightly ajar door, his voice a low growl laced with sleep-induced irritability. "Do you even know what time it is!?"

The clone recoiled as if struck. A wounded expression bloomed on his face, his cerulean eyes widening. "You're the one to talk!" the clone retorted, his voice rising in volume, "You were the one who ordered us to follow Penya's ex-fiancé and then you just vanished for months!"

Naruto's sleep-addled brain struggled to catch up. "Penya's ex-fiancé? Months?" He vaguely remembered a mission… something about helping Penya with a troublesome ex. Penya, the slightly flamboyant information broker with a penchant for dramatic flair and even more dramatic problems. But months? That couldn't be right.

The clone, however, was just getting started. His voice grew louder, bordering on a shout, the forced whispers becoming increasingly strained. "Months! Don't play dumb, Boss!" He gestured wildly, his orange jumpsuit, identical to Naruto's pajamas, looking rumpled and dusty. "You created us! You told us to keep tabs on Lev Morozov, that slimy creep! And then… poof! You just disappeared! We couldn't dispel ourselves! We've been stuck… we've been… out there!"

The clone's rant tumbled out in a torrent of pent-up frustration. He recounted tales of sleeping in alleyways, dodging suspicious glances from civilians, scavenging for scraps of ramen to survive. He spoke of hunger pangs, bone-chilling nights, and the constant, gnawing boredom of shadowing a man who seemed to spend most of his time at dry cleaners and pastry shops. The longer he talked, the more bitter his tone became, laced with resentment that stung like a kunai to Naruto's sluggish conscience.

"We had to figure things out ourselves! Find places to… recharge our chakra… learn how to blend in! You think it's easy spending weeks, no,months, pretending to be a… a mime practicing in the park just to get close to Morozov's apartment building!?" The clone's voice cracked with exasperation. "Mime, Boss! A mime! Do you have any idea how humiliating that is for a Naruto Uzumaki clone!?"

Naruto's brow furrowed, the last vestiges of sleep finally fleeing. The clone's words were starting to chip away at the fog in his mind. Penya… Lev Morozov… Yes, he remembered now, vaguely. Penya had come to him, tearful and distraught about her ex-fiancé supposedly causing her trouble again. He'd offered to help, creating shadow clones to tail the guy, just to make sure Penya was safe. It was supposed to be a quick, discreet surveillance job. He'd been juggling so many missions back then… it was all a bit of a blur. Months… though? That still seemed impossible.

"Months… are you sure it's been months?" Naruto asked, his voice now laced with a hesitant curiosity, the sleepiness replaced by a dawning unease. He folded his arms, leaning against the doorframe, trying to sift through his fragmented memories. Had he really forgotten about them for that long? It was unlike him, even with his notoriously unreliable memory.

"Boss!" The clone snapped, his voice sharp and impatient, pulling Naruto back to the present. "Are you even listening? Of course, it's been months! We've seen seasons change! We've learned the entire menu of the 'Golden Croissant' bakery Morozov frequents! We know his shoe size! We even know his… his… never mind! The point is, we've been out here for ages, doing your dirty work, while you've been… what? Sleeping in!?"

The clone's fury was palpable. Naruto could almost feel the accumulated frustration radiating off him in waves. He could see the exhaustion etched around the clone's eyes, the weariness in his slumped posture. This wasn't just a grumpy morning visitor; this was a soldier returning from a forgotten campaign, bearing the scars of neglect.

A yawn escaped Naruto's lips, involuntary and ill-timed. He rubbed his eyes, a wave of fatigue suddenly crashing over him again. The mission… the details were still hazy, shrouded in the mists of forgotten responsibilities. Dealing with this now, at this hour, felt overwhelmingly complicated.

"Alright, alright, I get it," Naruto said, trying to placate the increasingly agitated clone. "You've had a rough time. Sorry about that." He couldn't bring himself to fully confront the reality of his possible negligence just yet. It was too early, he was too tired, and honestly, the whole mime thing was slightly amusing, even in his sleep-fogged state.

"Puff!" Naruto dispelled the clone. The orange puff of smoke dissipated instantly, leaving behind the lingering scent of morning dew and a faint echo of righteous indignation. Naruto blinked, the image of the resentful clone fading from his mind.

He turned back to the rumpled bed, yawning again. "Months, huh?" he mumbled to himself, scratching the back of his head. The memories, fragmented and blurry, were starting to coalesce, hinting at a much larger, more complicated picture than he'd initially thought. "I'll let the memories settle in and get back to it in the morning."

He barely had time to sink back into the bed when another knock, even more insistent than before, echoed through the room. He groaned again, dragging himself up and back to the door. This time, not one, but two clones stood outside. What in the world had he been making these clones do? He couldn't remember.

"Boss! I got them, so please let me in!" One of the clones, practically vibrating with excitement, yelled. Naruto had noticed that sometimes clones developed slight quirks, exaggerated personalities. This one seemed particularly enthusiastic.

"…" Naruto was at a loss for words, not at his clones or his happy grin, but at the four tied-up, bound people behind the clone. Judging from what he could see, it looked like his clone had kidnapped them, but why?

"You idiot!" Naruto roared, grabbing the excited clone by the shirt and shaking him. "What did you do?! Why did you do this?!" He was beyond frustrated, overwhelmed by the sheer absurdity of the situation. Desperately asking why they did this.

While Naruto vented his fury, the second clone nonchalantly dragged the four bound and gagged men into Naruto's room, ignoring their muffled struggles.

"D-Didn't the other clone that came before us explain?" The clone asked, a little dizzy from Naruto's constant pulling of his shirt.

"Ah…" Naruto muttered, the realization hitting him like a physical blow. Fragments of memories, hazy and chaotic, flooded his mind – the frantic whispers of his clones, the hurried instructions he'd given them that night.Follow Lev Morozov. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid to Penya.It had been a simple precaution, born of his usual impulsive protectiveness. He hadn't expected those clones to… well, to remain active for this long. The details sharpened into focus – the panicked reports from his clones, their apprehension about some clandestine meeting related to the upcoming Belobog Expedition. High-ranking nobles and officers… something bad was definitely brewing. His clones, bless their simple-minded hearts, had seemingly interpreted "something bad" as "kidnap everyone involved." Transformation Jutsu… of course. It was the only way they could have maintained the charade. He rubbed his temples, a headache beginning to bloom. How long had this been going on? Days? Weeks? Months? The thought was a cold knot in his stomach.

"Now, what am I going to do?" he groaned, dispelling the lingering traces of his shadow clones with a puff of smoke. The silence in the room returned, thicker now, punctuated only by the muffled sounds of protest from his unwilling guests. Naruto raked a hand through his spiky blonde hair, the familiar gesture doing little to soothe his frayed nerves. He was furious, but not at the clones. They were just extensions of him, reflections of his own tendency to leap before he looked, amplified and let loose upon the unsuspecting city. This mess, this ridiculous, utterly avoidable mess, was entirely his fault. And cleaning it up? That was all on him.

Just as despair started to creep in, a scroll materialized in his outstretched hand with a softpoof, startling him. The oppressive silence broke, replaced by the rustle of paper and a low, rumbling voice in his head.

"Naruto, use the sealing scroll. It should help," Kurama's voice echoed in his mind, laced with an unusual weariness.

Naruto blinked, staring at the scroll as if it had grown legs. "How did you do that?" he blurted out loud, forgetting for a moment the bound figures at his feet. "And I didn't know you could make sealing scrolls!" Relief washed over him in a tidal wave, so potent it almost knocked him off his feet. The thought of having to spend the entire night, or gods forbid,days, guarding these men… it was unbearable. "Thank you, Kurama! You're a lifesaver!"

Silence stretched between them, thick and uncomfortable, before Kurama finally grumbled, "... Don't mention it."

He could practically feel the Kyuubi's exasperation radiating from within. Kurama had gleaned snippets of sealing techniques over centuries of confinement, fragments of knowledge absorbed from the minds of generations of Uzumaki jinchuriki. He had witnessed glimpses of their artistry, their mastery over seals, firsthand. The sheer, bewildering ignorance of Naruto, an Uzumaki himself, regarding something as fundamental as a basic sealing scroll… it was beyond comprehension. Especially considering this particular scroll. Kurama internally sighed, a sound Naruto couldn't hear. This was a scroll he'd haphazardly crafted eons ago, a temporary measure for emergencies, something akin to tying a knot in a thread to remember something. He'd never imagined it would be deployed in a situation as…Naruto-esqueas this.

Naruto, oblivious to Kurama's internal turmoil, eagerly unfurled the scroll. Intricate kanji characters danced across the parchment, glowing faintly with a soft, orange light. He recognized the swirl of Uzumaki script, even if he couldn't decipher the exact meaning. Trusting Kurama implicitly, he knelt beside the first bound figure, a portly man in a finely tailored coat who was unconscious like the others.

Knock, knock.

Before Naruto could utilize the scroll's power, a third insistent knock echoed through the small apartment, shattering the fragile peace.

"..." Naruto held his breath, hoping against hope that it wasn't another rogue clone. He needed to seal these guys, decided to ignore it.

"Naruto, it's me, Serval."

Serval's voice, clear and urgent, sent a jolt of surprise through him. He almost dropped the scroll. The girl had become a close friend, a beacon of normalcy in his chaotic life. The scroll slipped from his sweaty fingers, landing on the wooden floor with a distinctthudthat he knew Serval couldn't have missed.

"Please, Naruto, open up. It's important." The knocks intensified, each one laced with desperation.

Naruto, already frayed and exhausted, scrambled to his feet, frantically searching for the escaped scroll. The flickering lamplight cast long, dancing shadows, making the task even more difficult. He didn't want Serval to see this mess that could only be called a crime scene.

"Naruto, come on!" Serval sounded increasingly frantic. "I'm knocking this door down if you don't open it!"

"Damn it!" Naruto cursed under his breath, his fingers brushing against the cold wood of the bed frame. The scroll had rolled further than he thought. He should've turned the lights on.

Suddenly, he heard a brief commotion outside the door, a muffled struggle, followed by an unsettling silence. This felt wrong, deeply wrong.

Naruto yanked open the wooden door, the hinges groaning in protest. He blinked, expecting to see Serval, maybe even something more… sinister if his imagination was running wild. But there was no one. Just the quiet, still night air of Boulder Town's back alleys.

Confusion knit his brows together. "Serval?" he called out tentatively, his voice a low murmur in the stillness. Nothing.

He looked down. Scuff marks marred the stone pavement right in front of his doorway, long, dragging streaks cutting through the dust. He followed them with his eyes, and then he saw them. Two figures, cloaked in dark trench coats even in the dim moonlight, their backs to him. They were halfway down the alley, each struggling with a large, heavy sack slung over their shoulder. The sacks shifted and groaned as they moved.

Something cold and sharp sliced through Naruto's confusion, replaced by a knot of icy dread in his stomach. Those sacks… they were definitely not filled with grain.

"What the hell!?" Instinct took over. Forget the scroll. Forget his pajamas. Forget even his shoes somewhere inside his room. Barefoot, clad only in his sleeping clothes, Naruto exploded out of his doorway and into the alley, his heart hammering against his ribs. He launched himself forward, his bare feet pounding silently against the cobblestones, the adrenaline coursing through him like lightning.

…..

The two perpetrators, the thugs, the men in black – whatever they were – were already deep into the winding network of Boulder Town's alleys. Each sack on their shoulder writhed and muffled whimpers escaped from within. Both of the sacks were unmistakably smaller, more slender… two girls clearly from the muffle cries and one of them was Serval. Naruto's friend, Serval Landau. The reason for this abduction was still a murky blank in Naruto's mind, but the sight of her being carried like cargo ignited a furious protective instinct within him.

A crackle of static broke the night air. From a small radio device clipped to one of the men's coat, a voice rasped, "Is the Golden threat out of your tail, over."

The man carrying the sack with, Naruto was almost certain, Serval inside, grunted. "No, we are in line of the destination. Golden threat has yet to follow us, over." His voice was flat, devoid of emotion, like a machine reciting lines. They were surprisingly fast, moving with a practiced, almost unsettling efficiency despite the heavy burdens they carried. Their trench coats billowed behind them as they sped through the narrow passages, their faces still hidden in shadow.

"Good," the voice on the radio replied, its tone hardening, becoming chillingly cold. "If 'Golden threat' does interrupt the situation. Take the precautions made. Killing is confirmed and allowed, over." The radio clicked off, leaving a heavy silence in its wake.

The thugs were masters of the urban maze. They weaved through the alleys with an almost preternatural agility, zig-zagging through tight corners, ducking under low-hanging laundry lines, leaping over discarded crates and barrels. They moved with a practiced grace that suggested they knew these alleyways like the backs of their hands.

"Destination, Rivet Town," one of the men muttered, his voice barely audible but confirming their direction.

"Confirmed, Rivet Town," the other echoed, his voice equally monotone. They were heading towards the neighboring town, Rivet Town, a place known for its sprawling industrial district and darker, more dangerous underbelly than Boulder Town.

"HEY!" A raw, furious bellow tore through the night. It was Naruto, his voice echoing off the stone walls of the alleys. Even though he was still some distance behind, his shout carried with an undeniable power that made the thugs' backs stiffen under their trench coats. They could hear him. And he was gaining.

Driven by pure adrenaline and righteous fury, Naruto was closing the distance at an astonishing pace. He was weaving through the alleys, his bare feet padding silently, his pajama pants billowing around his legs, a golden blur of motion against the dark backdrop of the night. He was relying solely on his raw, untamed speed and the burning determination that fueled him. He was coming for them. And they knew it. The "Golden threat" was no longer a distant possibility, but a rapidly approaching reality.

"Golden threat is on our tail, initiate, automaton mobility hounds!" The words were barked out, laced with panic. Two clanking, whirring machines erupted from a hidden compartment in the lead vehicle. They were little more like platforms on wheels, but the wheels were enormous, powered by like most automatons, humming with barely contained power. The two thugs, faces masked, scrambled onto the platforms, their speed instantly doubling. Dust billowed, their escape accelerating.

Naruto slammed his fist into the dirt. "Seriously!? Well, two can play this game!" He squeezed his eyes shut, desperately trying to tap into Kurama's chakra. He needed the raw power, the blinding speed of Kurama Mode. But the familiar surge didn't come. Instead, a flicker, a tantalizing hint, then nothing. The golden aura around him dissipated like smoke in a hurricane.

"Kurama, come on!" He yelled internally, frustration burning in his throat. This wasn't the time for games. Children were at stake. These thugs had snatched them right from under his nose, their motives unclear, but the threat palpable.

"No, Naruto." The response was flat, unwavering.

"What do you mean, no!?" Naruto roared back, his physical exertion turning to ragged breaths. He pounded the earth, his bare feet striking the ground with bone-jarring force. He was losing ground. He could feel it. He could practically taste the acrid fumes spewing from the automaton hounds.

"Naruto, wouldn't it be time to test out your new power?" Kurama's tone was infuriatingly casual, as if they were discussing the weather, not the abduction of innocent children.

"Right, why didn't I think of that!" The realization hit him like a physical blow. The countless hours of training, the agonizing trials, the near-death experiences – it had all led to this. He grinned, a feral, almost manic expression on his face. He wouldn't need Kurama's brute force. He had something better.

He focused, pulling on the threads of energy that permeated everything around him. It used to take minutes, even wasting enough seconds, to achieve Sage Mode, to tap into the natural energy and weave it into his own chakra. But with Kurama's yin and yang halves working in unison, focusing on the balance, the process was streamlined, almost instantaneous. Still he had to release it due to the surprised obstacles that suddenly came out of nowhere.

"Golden threat, engage him!" The command was curt, efficient. A wave of black-clad figures surged from behind the automaton hounds, weapons glinting menacingly under the artificial light of the underworld. They were armed, not with kunai and shuriken, but with cold steel and firearms. Guns. A surprised gasp escaped Naruto's lips. He could practically feel the cold shudder of the weapon's aim.

"Damn it!" He reacted instinctively, leaping forward, summoning two shadow clones in a blur of motion. They hurtled towards the blockade, a whirlwind of fists and feet, dismantling the formation with brutal efficiency. Naruto refused to slow down. He had to reach his friend. "Get out of my way!"

The first few went down with broken noses, the second half with a painful blow that landed them a few yards away. The others fared no better. Naruto and his clones moved with a speed and ferocity that bordered on the supernatural. He carved a path through the line of attackers, bodies crumpling around him like discarded dolls. A bullet whizzed past his ear, another ricocheted off the steel pipe he used, but he remained undeterred, a force of nature unleashed.

He burst through the last of the attackers, his eyes fixed on the dwindling forms of the automaton hounds. They were further away now, their lead substantial. Time was running out.

The flickering gas lamps of Rivet Town cast long, dancing shadows, revealing glimpses of lives still clinging to wakefulness. A game of cards, a late-night meal, a watchful gaze from a window – all were disrupted by the sudden, earth-shaking roar. People spilled from doorways, craning their necks, whispering questions. Who was causing such a ruckus?

Then, they saw him. A figure, a blur of yellow, leaping across rooftops with impossible agility, following the puttering, metallic growl of two strange automatons, wheeled contraptions that might resembled hounds.

As Naruto moved, he took deep breaths, once again centering himself. Closing his eyes, he focused all his energy, and as time slow due to his harmonizing and his concentration of the new power, the power he had been training, a transformation similar to Sage mode but instead using the power of this harsh frozen world. Unnatural energy swelled around him, but instead of blending with his chakra in the familiar golden hue of Sage Mode, it began to coalesce, to solidify into a new form of element.

A low hum radiated from his body, the air around him shimmering with an unnatural luminescence. The ground beneath his feet cracked and crumbled. Then, with a final, earth-shattering burst, the transformation was complete. His eyes once wider open.

"Okay! Sage Art: Sage Mode!"

The words, though indistinct, carried a palpable force. A surge of energy, unlike anything they had ever witnessed, washed over the area. The air crackled with an unseen power. The young man's eyes seemed to shift, pupils morphing into shimmering, dark stars. He radiated an almost unbearable intensity.

He seemed lighter, faster, almost… ethereal.

"Right, I'm coming to save you, Serval!"

Naruto surged forward, his thoughts focused solely on his friend. He pictured Serval's worried face, her quick wit, her unwavering loyalty. And then, something extraordinary happened. It wasn't just enhanced speed, not mere physical prowess. The world seemed to bend around him. Space twisted, time faltered, and in a blink, he was standing directly behind the automaton wheel hounds, his voice echoing.

"I finally caught up-!"

But his triumphant cry was cut short. The two thugs, startled but quick-thinking, executed a sharp, unforeseen turn. Naruto, still mastering the nuances of his newfound power, hadn't anticipated the maneuver. He braced himself, but it was too late. He slammed face-first into the thick stone wall of a building, pulverized stone raining down around him.

"That really hurt!" he groaned, scrambling to his feet amidst the rubble. Miraculously, despite the force of the impact and the debris scattered around, he was completely unharmed.

He stood, dusted himself off, and tried to recapture the feeling, the focus that had allowed him to warp space and time. He needed to reach Serval, to pinpoint her location. But this time, it was different. A cacophony of voices erupted in his mind, a jumbled chorus of fear and desperation.

Help me!

No!

We have to fight!

The monsters are coming!

For the people!

He squeezed his eyes shut, clutching his head. The voices were overwhelming, a relentless assault that threatened to shatter his focus. It was like a migraine, but far more terrifying.

"Naruto!"

The fox's called out cutting through the noise like a knife, silencing the voices instantly. His head snapped up as his muscle spasm.

"!"

"Remember, Naruto," the deep, rumbling voice of Kurama filled his mind, laced with a rare note of warning. "The powers you absorb from this world isn't like natural chakra. From what just happened it carries the painful past and memories of the dead. I can only help you so much in filtering the bad attributes of this world's power. So, learn to ignore them or find a way to get over them."

"Huh…" Naruto shook his head, trying to clear the lingering fog in his brain. He didn't have time for philosophical debates about the nature of his new sage power. He will just have to make do with the physical enhancement it provided. "That can wait. I need to catch up to them. But where did they go?"

Just as he began to ponder his next move, a gruff voice broke the silence.

"Naruto, what was all that commotion about?"

A figure emerged from the shadows – Oleg, a middle-aged fighter, his face creased with concern and a hint of awe.

"And did you crash into that...and still stood up?" Oleg, a man known for his own considerable strength, stared at the crater Naruto had left in the stone wall, a mixture of respect and disbelief in his eyes.

"Oleg!" Naruto grabbed the man by the shoulders, his grip tight, almost frantic.

"…" Oleg, surprised by the sudden intensity and the young man's unexpected strength, was about to question why his eyes looked so strange.

"Did you see those guys I was chasing?!" Naruto's voice was laced with urgency. "Where did they go?!"

"Oh, those two men riding on automaton hounds?" Oleg nodded, his gaze following the path they had taken. "With the direction they were going, they're probably heading towards Rivet Town's east section."

"Got it, thanks!" Naruto released Oleg and, with a renewed burst of energy, leaped onto the nearest rooftop.

The dust settled, leaving Oleg staring at the blurry afterimage where Naruto had been just a split second ago. The shinobi was fast, impossibly so. Oleg barely registered the flash of orange as Naruto zipped past, hugging the side of the crumbling building before vanishing over the rooftops. He moved across the townscape with incredible speed thanks to his new sage mode, a blur of yellow against the backdrop of Rivet Town's flickering lights, determined to find his friend. Oleg shook his head, the image still burned into his retinas. What in the blazes was that kid? He'd seen speedsters before in the underbelly of Boulder Town, chrome-limbed runners juiced up on stims, but this was different. This was… natural. Instinctive. And terrifyingly fast. The weight of Kurama's warning pressed on him, a constant reminder of the burden that came with this newfound power, but he pushed it aside. He had a friend to save. Oleg watched, a silent observer in the desolate alleyway, as the yellow blur vanished completely, swallowed by the labyrinthine rooftops. He hoped, for the kid's sake, and maybe even for Rivet Town's, that he knew what he was doing.

"Damn it!" Naruto cursed under his breath, his voice tight with frustration. He'd wanted to go all out, unleash the raw, power of Kurama's chakra. Let the Nine-Tailed Fox power bulldoze through these kidnappers like paper. But the furry jerk was being uncooperative, digging his claws in, refusing to budge. "Meditate, Naruto. Control. Learn your new senjutsu." That's all he'd gotten from the fox. Leaving him stuck with his new, nascent Sage Mode. This new power was incredible, unpredictable, like trying to hold lightning in his bare hands. He could feel the raw energy thrumming beneath his skin, buzzing with an almost painful intensity. But it was the only edge he had in this chase. He grit his teeth, the worry for Serval a cold knot in his stomach. "Okay, then back to basics!" A crazy idea sparked in his mind, fueled by desperation and a lifetime of unconventional tactics.

He sprinted across the rooftops, his sandaled feet barely making a sound on the crumbling concrete. Boulder Town was perfect for losing someone, perfect for hiding secrets. He navigated the maze of broken antennas, rusted pipes, and precarious ledges, his sage senses reaching out, trying to catch a scent, a sound, anything that would lead him to Serval. Scavenging along the way, his eyes scanned the debris fields that littered the rooftops. Then he spotted it: discarded automaton armor plating, ripped from some unfortunate machine in the scrap yards below. Perfect. He grabbed a large piece, surprisingly lightweight for its size, yet undeniably durable. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He pumped chakra into the familiar technique, and with a puff of smoke, three clones materialized beside him. The shared thought process, amplified by the Sage Mode's heightened senses, accelerated his plan, solidifying the crazy idea into a tangible strategy.

"Now!" He barked the command. Two clones instantly grasped him, one by each arm, their sage-enhanced strength surprising even him. The third clone positioned itself behind them, bracing against a sturdy, half-collapsed chimney. On the count of three, they would launch him. "One… two… THREE!" The two clones hurled him forward and upward with explosive force, and the third clone, using the chimney as leverage, amplified the launch with a chakra-infused kick to his back. Enhanced by Sage Mode, the launch was beyond anything he had imagined. He was a projectile, rocketing skyward. The remaining clone, now a tiny speck against the darkening sky, began focusing chakra, its movements precise and economical. Sage Mode amplified the chakra manipulation, the swirling energy coalescing into a destructive vortex in its palm - a Rasengan, larger than his usual one.

While still arcing through the air, his stomach lurching with a mix of exhilaration and terror, Naruto braced himself. He adjusted the armor plating in front of him, angling it slightly upwards, his position precarious but balanced. He crouched low, feet firmly planted against the surprisingly grippy surface of the plating. Rivet Town, his destination, lay spread out in the distance, a grimy tapestry of flickering lights and shadowed alleys. "GO!" he roared at the tiny clone above, the wind ripping the sound from his throat.

The clone slammed the Sage Art: Rasengan into the center of the armor plating. The impact was deafening, a thunderclap that echoed through the skeletal buildings of Boulder Town. The force of the chakra detonation slammed into Naruto, not just as a shockwave, but as a physical push, accelerating him forward with brutal momentum. He was a human cannonball, propelled by pure, raw chakra energy. The armor plating, mangled and smoking, spun away behind him, a testament to the sheer power of the technique. The only thing saving him from shattering into a million pieces upon impact with the town below was the enhanced resilience granted by his sage mode, a strange, almost alien durability he was still learning to understand.

"…!" The wind screamed past his ears, a deafening roar that drowned out all other sound. Rivet Town was rushing up to meet him at terrifying speed. He released the mangled armor plate, letting it plummet earthward as he tumbled into a controlled freefall, his descent surprisingly graceful despite the insane velocity. He slammed his hands together, forming the familiar seal, his mind racing, a frantic prayer echoing in his thoughts: Find her. Find Serval. "MULTI-SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"

Hundreds of Narutos exploded into existence in a chaotic burst of smoke, each a perfect replica, eyes burning with the same desperate determination. They scattered like dandelion seeds in a gale, a chaotic swarm descending upon Rivet Town from every angle, each tasked with the same urgent mission: find Serval and the kidnappers. The scale of Rivet Town, its sprawling, labyrinthine streets, suddenly seemed smaller, more manageable. A hundred Narutos were better than one, especially when guided by the focused clarity of Sage Mode. Somewhere in this sprawling mess, Serval was waiting. And Naruto, in a hundred different forms, was coming.

Meanwhile, in the shadows, a pair of figures watched the chaotic arrival. "'Golden threat' has already landed on our path again. Send more of those assassins." The voice on the radio was cold and calculating. His associate, his face hidden by the shadows, shoved the bound and gagged girls into the back of a heavily armored vehicle, concealed behind the crumbling orphanage.

"Argh! I can't anymore!" Naruto, one of the original, was leading the charge, leaping and bounding across the rooftops. The Sage Mode was a double-edged sword. The power was immense, but the constant influx of energy had a side-effect and it was overwhelming, driving him to the brink of irritation. "Shut the hell up!" he screamed at the relentless voices in his head.

He desperately wanted to abandon the power, to retreat to the familiar stability of his normal chakra. But he needed the edge, the enhanced senses, the raw speed. "Okay, focus."

"Ah! Over there!" He scanned the skyline, finally spotting the kidnappers on the highest point near the orphanage. They were moving the girls.

"Serval, I'm coming!" He launched himself from the rooftop, landing with a thud on the stone steps leading to the orphanage.

The remaining citizens of Rivet Town, those still awake in the late hour, watched the spectacle unfold. They knew of Naruto, the strange, energetic kid with the outlandish hair and even more outlandish powers. They didn't understand what was happening, why he and his legion of clones were running amok, shouting and searching. But they knew better than to interfere. They had already learned that he was genuinely nice. And some of the citizens even gave some of the clones advice and what they knew of.

As he ascended the stone stairs, Naruto in his new sage mode side stepped and maneuvered his body mid-air, dodging multiple knives thrown at him before catching one and throwing it back at the origin.

"Aren't you strong."

"!?" The ambusher, who thought he was well-hidden, had a fist slammed on his face by Naruto, who had already seen through the hidden disguise. His new sage mode easily saw the life energy of the hidden man without an issue.

"Don't get in the way, you damn third-rate ninja!" Naruto shouted, feeling a little insulted at the poor strength of the so-called assassin.

"Don't let him go through!" More and more of these dark assassins came into the scene with weapons, but none of them scared Naruto.

"Come at me," Naruto smirked; he could easily fend them off. The strength he currently held was nothing to scoff at, but he wasn't planning on killing any of them, though the hit he was going to give them was pretty hard.

"Now, jump him!"

"What!?" Naruto could easily blast them off, but he didn't think they would all jump at him and try to hold him down. Their objective of killing had turned to creating time for the kidnappers to escape.

"Men, don't let him go!" The so-called men in dark clothing, assumed to be assassins, held Naruto down. Naruto wasn't a cruel person, since he didn't kill others who wouldn't fight back for no reason.

"Get off me!" Naruto bellowed, straining against their weight. He was no stranger to fights, but this felt different, almost… predatory. He wasn't going to hurt these guys unless absolutely necessary, not when Serval was in danger. He pushed upwards with his immense strength, legs driving against the pavement, thick muscles bunching under his worn jacket. He bucked and swayed, trying to shake them off like annoying flies. He threw a wild elbow, catching one of the men in the ribs, but they were relentless, clinging to him.

"Okay, fine," Naruto thought, his patience snapping. "Since you want it, here we go!" He knew he needed to reach Serval, who was being hauled up the stairs of what looked to be a flight of stone stairs leading up to the orphanage or the passage near it in Rivet town. He took a deep breath, channeling his new strength. With a mighty heave, Naruto easily propelled himself upwards. He didn't just jump; it was more like a vertical explosion. He shot into the air, feet leaving the ground and soaring upwards, carrying the men still stubbornly clinging to him like unwanted baggage.

The sudden ascent, coupled with the sheer force of Naruto's leap, completely threw off his attackers. They yelped in surprise and terror as they were yanked off their feet and hurtled into the air. Their grips loosened, and they tumbled downwards with panicked cries, landing in a heap on the street, their dark clothing doing little to cushion their fall.

Naruto landed gracefully at the top of the stairs, momentum carrying him forward. He spotted them – more men in black, hustling Serval and another girl towards the back of a bulky, armored vehicle parked further up. He could see Serval struggling inside the sack, her small hands pushing against the thick fabric.

"Naruto! I'm here!" Serval's muffled voice finally reached him, strained with fear as she was roughly shoved inside the armored car.

"Hands off her, you bastards!" Naruto landed and charged forward, a blur of yellow against the drab backdrop.

Just as he reached striking distance, the men in black, who had paused at the back of the vehicle, moved with unnatural speed. They weren't just thugs; there was a terrifying efficiency to their movements. They each raised a gauntlet on their left arm, and with a synchronized flick of their wrists, activated something.

The air around Naruto buzzed with an almost palpable hum. Suddenly, from the surrounding buildings – from doorways, windows, even seemingly empty alleys – hundreds of automaton robots emerged. They were a motley collection – security drones, construction bots, even obsolete cleaning units, all now moving with a single, menacing purpose. Their usually benign optical sensors glowed an ominous red. Local automated defense system, street cleaners, delivery bots – all turned against him.

"That's not going to scare me," Naruto growled, but the sheer number of robots was undeniably unnerving. He stopped in his tracks, planting his feet firmly on the ground. He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing, drawing on a power that felt ancient and boundless. He raised his right hand forward, palm open.

A swirling vortex of chakra and energy began to form above his palm, crackling with raw power. It was a Rasengan, but not like any he had created before. This one was different. Within the swirling blue energy, tiny, shimmering particles began to appear, like miniature stars caught in a cosmic gyre.

"Sage Art: Cosmic Rasengan," Naruto intoned, his voice low and resonant. The energy in his hand pulsed, a miniature universe contained in his palm. He could feel the immense power thrumming within it, capable of obliterating anything in its path.

But instead of unleashing the devastating sphere as he usually would, an instinct – a strange, sudden understanding – took over. Just as the Rasengan reached its peak intensity, Naruto clenched his fist, deliberately squeezing and shattering the swirling energy within.

Instead of an explosion, a strange ripple expanded outwards from his hand. A dark, void-like space blossomed in front of him, a sphere of pure blackness that swallowed light and sound. It consumed everything in its path, encompassing the alleyway, the robots, even the armored car in the distance. Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the void contracted, shrinking back inwards until it vanished completely, leaving behind only normal air.

"Huh?" One of the kidnappers, who had been watching Naruto with a mixture of bravado and genuine fear, blinked in confusion. They had been informed, heard whispers, legends even, about the blond-haired anomaly called Naruto, about his destructive power. They were braced for devastation, for explosions, for utter annihilation. But… nothing had happened. Or so it seemed. "Is that it?" he sneered, regaining a sliver of courage.

"…" Then it started. A low, mechanical groan rippled through the alleyway. One by one, the hundreds of robots that had swarmed towards Naruto began to falter. Their red eyes flickered, dimmed, and went out. They stumbled, their metallic limbs spasming, before collapsing in heaps of inert metal and plastic. It was as if an invisible force had reached out and simply… switched them off. Or worse, disassembled them from the inside out. They fell apart, piece by piece, as if they had been attacked by a silent, unseen wave of disintegration, just moments after being enveloped in that chilling void.

"What!?" The sneering kidnapper's bravado vanished, replaced by wide-eyed terror. He stumbled back, his voice catching in his throat. The other thugs, who had been slowly advancing again, froze in their tracks, their dark silhouettes suddenly looking far less menacing and a whole lot more vulnerable. They stared in horrified silence at the silent, lifeless heaps of robots that littered the alleyway, understanding dawning in their eyes. They were now profoundly, deeply, and utterly fearful of what the seemingly ordinary blond-haired man, who had just saved his friend from a sack, was truly capable of.

Then, a blur of orange, a shout, and the men in black were sent sprawling. "Naruto!" she cried out, relief flooding her as she recognized the vibrant spiky blonde hair, even in the dim light of the underworld. He was bathed in the warm, tranquil glow of Sage Mode, the toad-like features enhancing his familiar face. He looked strong, capable, her rescuer.

"Serval!" Naruto grinned, his Sage Mode eyes crinkling at the corners as he rushed towards her, his hand outstretched. For a moment, everything felt right. She was safe, he was here. She ran towards him, ready to throw her arms around him in gratitude.

But as he drew closer, his vibrant aura seemed to flicker. His smile faltered, and he stumbled back, a hand clapped to his head. "No… no, not again…" he muttered, his voice strained with a different kind of pain, one that wasn't physical.

The serene calm of Sage Mode began to waver. His eyes lost their focused clarity, becoming clouded with a turmoil he couldn't understand. Voices echoed in his ears, though he knew they weren't external. They seemed to claw from within himself, whispers of despair, lament, and disillusionment."Betrayal… failure… you can't save anyone… the world is lost…"The chorus of negativity, laced with grief and broken promises, emanated from him like a suffocating miasma.

Naruto's stance faltered, his Sage Mode unraveling like threads coming undone. The golden glow dimmed, the toad-like features receding, leaving him looking vulnerable and disoriented. He swayed on his feet, his usual boundless energy replaced by a palpable weariness.

Seeing her friend suddenly weakened, on the verge of collapse, Serval's relief turned to alarm. She surged forward, desperate to reach him, to help. But the men in black, though momentarily stunned, were professionals. They were quick to recover, their movements precise and ruthless. Before Serval could reach Naruto, they were between them, short, wicked-looking spears appearing in their hands like phantoms rising from the shadows.

There was no hesitation. They moved with cold efficiency, plunging the spears down, again and again, into Naruto's unprotected form. Serval gasped, a strangled cry escaping her lips as she watched in horror. Each thrust was sickeningly deep, the barbs on the spears catching, tearing. A guttural grunt tore from Naruto's throat, a sound of pure, agonizing pain that ripped through Serval's heart.

But then, something shifted. As the men in black continued their brutal assault, a wave of golden energy erupted from Naruto's body. It wasn't the soft glow of Sage Mode, but a raw, untamed power. Tendrils of golden chakra, edged with something sharp and claw-like, burst forth, lashing out with incredible force. The men in black were thrown back, sent tumbling away from Naruto like ragdolls, their carefully planned attack shattered in an instant.

The golden energy solidified, coalescing into a vibrant, golden fox cloak around Naruto. Nine tails of shimmering energy swirled behind him, and his eyes blazed with slit pupils, radiating a ferocious power. Kurama had answered the call of pain, the raw instinct to protect his host overriding the earlier mental turmoil.

The two men, though thrown back and clearly injured, were not broken. They were clad in some sort of protective weave beneath their black suits, absorbing much of the impact. They scrambled to their feet, their faces grim but resolute. They knew they couldn't win in a direct confrontation with this… creature. Their mission was still paramount.

Without a word, they seized Serval once more, dragging her back towards the armored car. The engine roared to life, and the vehicle lurched forward, speeding away. "Naruto!" Serval screamed, her voice cracking with fear and helplessness. She was trapped, a prisoner again, but now her terror was doubled, laced with the agonizing image of Naruto, speared and bleeding, left behind. She was a useless observer, forced to watch her friend get hurt, possibly die, while she was dragged away.

The armored car accelerated, heading directly towards a massive, cylindrical shaft yawning open in the cavern wall. The shaft that connected the underworld to the glittering city above, Belobog's overworld. They were heading up. They weren't running, they were advancing, their destination clear.

"That hurt!" a voice roared from behind them, a voice filled with pain, but also with an undertone of almost amused defiance. The armored car shuddered slightly as if something substantial had impacted the tunnel walls nearby.

"Finally, Kurama, I almost died there. Ow! I can't even pull this thing out!" Naruto's voice, still laced with pain, but regaining its familiar, slightly whiny tone. Serval could barely believe it. He was alive. He was getting up.

From the back window of the armored car, Serval glimpsed Naruto, standing, wreathed in golden-red chakra. He was pulling at something embedded in his side, grunting with effort. He was injured, horribly so, but he was standing.

"That Uchiha of a friend, would've seen that coming," a gruff voice rumbled within Naruto's form, distinctly deeper and more cynical – Kurama.

"Shut up! Don't mention that big ego of a bastard here!" Naruto retorted, his voice regaining strength, even as he struggled with what Serval now realized were the spears lodged in his body.

He was moving, despite the obvious agony. He was already focused, his gaze fixed on the shaft, on the direction the armored car had taken. "Right, looks like I have to give chase upstairs in the overworld."

Naruto clenched his fists, the Kurama chakra around him blazing brighter, hotter. He could sense them, the kidnappers and Serval, already ascending in the platform like shaft. He knew what he had to do. He had to save Serval.

"Hang on, Serval," Naruto whispered to himself, his voice laced with steel despite the pain. "I'm coming for you."

Drawing upon every ounce of his strength, every flicker of Kurama's power, the golden fox cloak intensified, becoming a radiant beacon in the darkness. With a fierce cry of determination, Naruto launched himself forward, diving headfirst into the gaping shaft. He was a golden comet streaking through the gloom, chasing after the kidnappers, chasing after his friend. The oppressive darkness of the underworld receded, replaced by a faint, growing light from above. The overworld was above, and Naruto, in his blazing Kurama form, was a promise, a symbol of hope, and an unwavering vow to rescue Serval, no matter what awaited him in the glittering city above.

---

The mechanical shaft shuddered, a metallic groan accompanying their ascent from the underworld. Serval's vision blurred with tears, each one a sting of guilt. She'd seen the blood, heard Naruto's agonizing cry. In her mind, she had led him to his death. Now, tied and helpless, she was being dragged away.

Suddenly, one of the thugs, a greasy-haired brute with a chipped tooth glinting in the dim light, bellowed, "Golden threat! He's still coming!"

Serval's head snapped up, her heart seizing in her chest. Hope, fragile and desperate, flickered to life, a tiny ember resisting the smothering ash of despair. She strained her neck, peering over the edge of the rickety metal platform that hung precariously suspended in the cavernous depths. Her jaw dropped, breath hitching in her throat.

There, against the gargantuan, mechanical support beam of Belobog's two settlement, was Naruto. Not just Naruto, but something…more. He was a streak of pure, incandescent gold, a living comet hurtling upwards. Tendrils of shimmering chakra, thick and potent, snaked out from his form, acting as impossible claws, gripping the metal and propelling him upwards with a speed that defied gravity, defied logic.

"What?!" she gasped, the word caught in her throat. The other kidnappers, their bravado momentarily shattered, echoed her shock in a chorus of bewildered curses.

Naruto's roar echoed from the abyss below, vibrating through the metal floor, through the very bones in Serval's feet. "I'm coming for you bastards!" The raw fury in his voice was palpable, a physical force radiating even from that dizzying distance. He wasn't just angry; he was a force of nature unleashed, a golden whirlwind fueled by righteous rage.

Panic, raw and untamed, flashed across the thugs' faces. "Can't this damn thing go any faster?!" one shrieked, his voice cracking, jabbing a grimy finger at the control panel. But the platform, groaning under the strain of its maximum speed, was already trembling violently. They were out of time, out of options. Except one, the ugly, desperate Plan B.

"Hey!" one of the thugs snarled, grabbing Serval by the arm and yanking her back roughly. A cold, metallic barrel pressed against her temple, the scent of gun oil sharp in her nostrils. The other thug, equally frantic, mirrored the action with the veiled girl who stood beside Serval, her silence amplifying the terror that shimmered in the air. Silent tears tracked paths through the dust on her cheeks, betrayal mixed with fear in their glistening depths.

"We'll kill them both if you—!" the thug with the gun to Serval's head began to spit out the threat, his voice thick with desperation.

But he didn't get to finish.

Before the words fully left his lips, golden tendrils erupted from below, like furious, living light. With impossible speed and precision, they snaked upwards, plucking the guns from the thugs' hands. The weapons vanished in a blur, snatched away as easily as children's toys, leaving the kidnappers gaping, their hands empty and trembling.

Then, with a speed that blurred the edges of perception, Naruto was upon them. He enveloped Serval and the veiled girl in a protective cocoon of golden chakra, a warm, shimmering bubble that insulated them from the sudden shift in momentum.

He landed on the platform with a soft thud, the golden chakra dissipating around them, leaving them blinking in the sudden normalcy. His eyes, however, were anything but normal. They blazed with incandescent rage, the blue irises almost swallowed by the furious gold swirling within. A dangerous, chilling smirk played on his lips. "Checkmate."

The two kidnappers, stripped of their weapons and facing this golden force of nature, were utterly outmatched. Naruto unleashed a flurry of blows, each one a hammer strike of controlled fury. They were sent reeling backwards, stumbling and grunting. The platform vibrated and shuddered violently with the force of the onslaught. He held back, a sliver of control amidst the rage, enough to avoid killing them, their pathetic reinforced vests barely cushioning the brutal impacts.

Safe inside the lingering warmth of the golden chakra, Serval felt a surging wave of relief, of elation so intense it almost brought tears to her eyes. "Naruto! You're alive!" The desperate hope that had flickered moments before now blazed into a roaring bonfire. But then, guilt gnawed at her again, sharp and unpleasant, quickly followed by a burning, insistent curiosity. "How are you alive? Those spears... they went right through you!"

"It's fine," Naruto reassured her, his voice roughened by exertion and anger, his gaze quickly scanning her for any injuries she might have sustained. "Just need time to get them off and heal."

"Heal-?" Serval began to inquire, her mind racing to catch up with the impossible things she was seeing and hearing. But Naruto cut her off with an annoyed look, the golden light in his eyes flickering slightly.

"But!" Naruto snapped, his voice laced with irritation, pulling her attention sharply back to the present danger. "Serval, you better have a damn good explanation for why these bastards were even after you in the first place."

The platform shuddered to a halt, reaching the top of its ascent. The rough metal grated against something above, and with a final, jarring clang, they were there. The entrance to the Belobog overworld. But instead of the promised freedom, of the crisp, clean air of the surface, they were met with a chilling, metallic wall.

Dozens of Silvermane Guards and knights surrounded the area, their gleaming armor reflecting the harsh overhead lights. Their laser rifles and energy blades were trained on the platform, forming an impassable barricade of steel and unwavering resolve.

A towering figure stepped forward, the clear leader of the detachment. He was a captain, his knight armor even more ornate, his shield larger and more imposing, and his spear gleaming with an ominous energy. He fixed his gaze directly on Serval and Naruto. "Serval Landau, Naruto Uzumaki. By order of the Belobog administration, you are both under arrest. We are here to apprehend you, dead or alive. I suggest you come quietly, if you know what's good for you." He pointedly excluded the veiled girl from his statement, as if her presence was merely a minor detail, an afterthought in the face of whatever larger issue concerned Serval and Naruto.

"What?!" Naruto's temper flared instantly, the golden chakra sparking back to life around his hands. "Serval, you know I just got my freedom back! Now this?!" A chilling sense of déjà vu washed over him, a bitter taste of injustice that he thought he had finally escaped.

"Ah... hahaha..." Serval chuckled nervously, the sound strained and unconvincing. She avoided Naruto's burning gaze, fiddling with the strap of her goggles. "It's kind of complicated, but don't worry. I got a plan."

Her forced confidence did little to reassure Naruto. He remembered those 'plans'. They often involved explosions, questionable shortcuts, and narrowly avoiding catastrophic disasters. He'd been imprisoned before, wrongly accused, subjected to a farce of a trial filled with biased officials and prejudiced assumptions. And just two months ago, after what felt like an eternity of fighting to prove his innocence, he had finally finished his probation due to the kind hearted statement of his probation officer. He was not going back. Not without a fight. He glanced at the wall of Silvermane Guards, at the grim determination etched on the captain's face, and a hard resolve settled within him. This time, things were going to be different.

"Fire! The criminals are plotting!" the captain barked, his voice echoing across the metal grating platform. Silvermane Guards, clad in gleaming white armor, leveled their rifles, the barrels glinting ominously in the harsh, artificial light of the holding platform. Below, the city of Belobog stretched out, a breathtaking vista usually enjoyed by tourists, but today, it felt like a cage.

Naruto instinctively pulled Serval and the veiled girl closer, shielding them and even the unconscious kidnappers slumped to the side with a surge of golden chakra. It shimmered around them like a protective dome, deflecting the initial volley of warning shots that ricocheted off the metal floor, sending sparks flying. He could easily overwhelm these guards, they were just ordinary humans after all, he hesitated. Blasting through them would paint an even bigger target on his back, and frankly, he was still trying to figure out justhowhe'd gotten into this mess in the first place. Yeah, fragmentum monsters, those grotesque creatures he could obliterate without a second thought. But these people… he could feel the hesitation, the ingrained reluctance to harm humans but the needing to listen to orders, radiating from in his Kurama Chakra Mode.

As he debated his next course of action, Serval, who had been unusually quiet until now, whispered in his ear. Her breath was warm against his sensitive chakra hearing.

He stared at her, his bright golden fox-like eyes wide in disbelief and a touch of exasperation. "Are you serious?! And you're not kidding, right?" He glanced at the veiled girl, whose wide, frightened eyes were peeking over Serval's shoulder, then back at Serval. This felt… ridiculously reckless, even for him.

"Just trust me," she said, her voice barely a breath, but filled with an unexpected confidence. Even as she spoke, her nimble fingers were already working at the restraints binding her wrists. It was almost comical how easily she manipulated the supposedly secure cuffs, a testament to her engineering skills no doubt. From somewhere within her bulky jacket – and Naruto had no idea where she'd been hiding them – she produced three metallic balls, each about the size of a fist and labeled in bold, red letters: "EXPERIMENTAL". She surreptitiously tossed them onto the metal platform, away from them but close enough to the approaching guards.

A beat of silence. Then, with a series of muffledpops, the balls exploded. Not with fire or shrapnel, but in a cloud of thick, blinding, acrid smoke. It billowed outwards, quickly engulfing the platform, obscuring everything in a dense grey fog. The Silvermane Guards faltered instantly, their organized firing ceasing abruptly as they coughed and stumbled, visibility completely gone.

"I hope you know what you're doing!" Naruto yelled, though he couldn't help the grin tugging at his lips. He, of course, was completely untouched by the smoke thanks to his chakra cloak acting as a perfect barrier. With a burst of speed that blurred the air, he shot forward, scooping up Serval and the veiled girl. The unconscious kidnappers were left behind, their fate now in the uncertain hands of the smoke-blinded guards. He maintained the chakra tendrils, ensuring his companions were safely enveloped within their golden warmth.

"Here we go!" he roared, channeling all his chakra, all his strength, into his legs. He activated his perfected Kurama Chakra Mode fully now, the fox-like slits in his eyes becoming more pronounced, glowing with vibrant red energy. He launched himself upwards, leaping towards the towering, imposing great wall of Belobog that loomed in the distance. Each stride was a thunderous clap against the platform, propelling him higher and higher. The air rushed past him, whipping at his clothes. With a final, colossal jump, he cleared the colossal wall with breathtaking ease, soaring over its icy ramparts and out into the open world beyond.

The wind whipped around them, a frigid caress that bit at exposed skin, but inside Serval's hastily erected chakra barrier, it was a pocket of warm defiance against the winter's fury. The ground rushed up to meet them with alarming speed, the landscape transforming from a distant vista to a blur of white and grey. Naruto's stomach clenched, a familiar thrill mixed with a sharp spike of urgency. He yelled over the roar of the wind, "Kurama! Now!" plummeting towards the direction Serval had indicated, a vague sense of where 'away' was.

A low growl resonated deep within him, vibrating in his very bones. "It's been a while," Kurama's voice rumbled, not with malice as it sometimes had in the past, but with a deep, crackling anticipation. Years of forced dormancy, of being a source of controlled power, were about to be unleashed. He was about to once again form the strongest power he could offer to Naruto, a raw, untamed surge of energy that could shatter mountains and boil oceans.

The veiled girl shivered, her small body trembling as she burrowed deeper into Serval's side, seeking refuge from the dizzying rush and the sheer unknown. Serval, in stark contrast, was practically vibrating with excitement. Every fibre of her being resonated with the sheer audacity of their escape, the impossible become reality. Her trust in Naruto, forged in shared meals of instant noodles and whispered plans in dimly lit workshops, was absolute. This wild stunt was insane, reckless, utterlyNaruto, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Tail Beast Mode! Let's go!" Naruto screamed, pushing every ounce of chakra he could muster, every shred of Kurama's power he could access, outward. A flood of golden chakra erupted around him, not just a cloak this time, but a raw, untamed explosion of energy. It coalesced, shifted, grew with impossible speed, warping into an immense, translucent fox, its nine tails swishing with nascent power, crackling with barely contained energy. It was a being of pure energy, radiating both a comforting warmth and an immense destructive potential that hummed beneath the surface. The Kurama avatar engulfed them, swallowing the wind, the cold, the fear, shielding Naruto, Serval, and the veiled girl within its surprisingly warm embrace.

The colossal form landed with a ground-shaking tremor that sent plumes of snow billowing into the air like miniature blizzards. The impact resonated through the chakra construct, yet inside, it was surprisingly still, the roaring wind now muffled, distant.

"Serval! The direction!" Naruto demanded, his voice booming, echoing within the chakra construct, amplified to match its immense scale. He needed to move, to put as much distance as possible between them and Belobog.

Silence.

He turned his head slightly, peering at the two girls. They were transfixed, mouths agape, eyes wide with a mixture of awe and disbelief. Naruto, first covered in a pulsing golden cloak that had been impressive enough, now piloting this gargantuan, chakra-fueled beast… it was a spectacle beyond their wildest imaginings. The sheer scale of it dwarfed everything around them, a titan of energy in a world of snow and metal.

"You can actually turn into a gigantic fox monster!" Serval finally managed, her voice barely a whisper, filled with unadulterated glee. The outlandish claim he'd made months ago – the one she'd initially dismissed as just another one of his outlandish stories, filed away with tales of ramen-eating contests and impossible pranks – had become reality. She stepped closer to him, forgetting her earlier terror of the dizzying heights, her hand reaching out as if drawn by an invisible force to touch the shimmering chakra that formed his fur. It looked solid, yet somehow fluid, like solidified light. Naruto was nothing less than impressed by her fascination.

"Serval!" he scolded, his voice laced with a mixture of exasperation and concern. Every second they wasted was a second closer to being caught, to having their brief taste of freedom snatched away.

"Sorry, sorry. It's just… amazing!" She didn't hesitate, her initial hesitation completely evaporated. She leaned back, then sprawled onto the surprisingly soft floor of chakra fur, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. A blissful sigh escaped her lips. The positive warmth radiating from the chakra wasn't just comforting; it was invigorating, chasing away the lingering chill of Belobog's oppressive atmosphere.

The veiled girl tentatively approached; her silent demeanour as saucers. She whispered something in Serval's ear, her voice too soft for Naruto to catch.

"Don't worry, you can guess it too, right?" Serval turned to Naruto, a genuine smile gracing her lips, a smile that banished the shadows of fear that had clung to her for so long. "Naruto will never let any harm fall on us." She had placed her bet on this strange, unpredictable boy, and seeing him now, in all his impossible glory, she knew she hadn't been wrong.

"That's right!" Naruto smirked, his confidence unwavering, yet beneath the bravado, urgency still pulsed. He still needed a direction, though, and Serval was still lounging. "Serval! The location! We need to move! Before they realize where we are!"

Since they weren't actively engaged in combat, and the warmth of the chakra was soothing, Naruto seized the opportunity. He called out a shadow clone, the familiarpoofechoing inside the gargantuan fox head. The clone, with practiced efficiency, began to remove the spear fragments still lodged in his body from the earlier… incident. The sheer size and power of the Tailed Beast Mode made delicate surgery impossible for him in his main form. He watched as his clone worked, relief flooding him as the sharp aches began to recede.

Serval and the veiled girl watched in stunned silence as Naruto's wounds rapidly healed, the golden chakra knitting flesh and bone back together with astonishing speed. It was like witnessing magic, a power that defied logic and understanding. Finally, Serval scrambled to her feet, her earlier awe now sharpened by purpose.

"On the west side of Belobog. The Architects are there. Those bastards in the administration took advantage of the chaos to pull something crazy while they were away." Serval's voice was tight with suppressed fury, her blond platinum had plastered against her cheek as she was enjoying the ride they were on. She hugged her friend tightly in joy. The veiled girl stiffened slightly, her posture as rigid as the new experience was quite amazing, but she didn't protest, accepting the gesture as a source of reassurance in the swirling unease.

"Okay, let's go!" Naruto commanded, his voice ringing with determined energy. A pulse of golden chakra erupted from him, coalescing and expanding until a colossal nine-tailed fox shimmered into existence. He shifted the behemoth onto all fours. With a deafening roar that echoed across the desolate landscape, the Tailed Beast Mode charged forward, leaving a swathe of destruction in its wake. Snow and ice churned beneath its immense paws as it hurtled west, the ground trembling with each stride. Serval laughed, a wild, unrestrained sound that cut through the wind, relishing the exhilarating ride. Even the veiled girl, usually shrouded in an impenetrable quietude, seemed to be succumbing to the euphoria, the warmth radiating from Naruto's chakra cloak and the sheer motion acting as a balm to her anxieties.

"Hey, so, what's your name?" Naruto yelled over the roar of the wind and Kurama's guttural breathing, glancing back at the veiled girl nestled securely on his chakra palm.

Serval's hand clamped down on his arm, her grip surprisingly strong. "Don't pry, Naruto. She's already told us more than she intended. Just call her 'Veil' for now, alright?" Her voice was sharp, brooking no argument. Naruto, sensing a deeper reason behind her insistence, nodded, respecting Serval's protective stance.

They reached their destination – a smaller, more makeshift version of the grand Belobog outdoor expedition base he'd seen depicted once, built from prefabricated structures and powered by roaring generators. It was a stark contrast to the main city's imposing architecture, a testament to the Architects' more pragmatic, and perhaps, more limited resources out here in the fringes of the civilized world. The Silvermane Guards and soldiers stationed there, bundled in thick winter gear, were frozen in shock at the sight of the gigantic, golden, nine-tailed fox barreling towards them, their rifles raised in reflex.

"Stop! We're not here to cause trouble!" Naruto shouted, his voice amplified by the chakra, quickly lowering Serval and Veil from the chakra palm of his Tailed Beast Mode. The fox form dissipated with a swirl of golden energy, leaving Naruto standing firmly on the snow-covered ground.

Before the guards could react, a group of old men wearing similar, intricately designed clothing to Veil, though in muted earth tones instead of her stark white, rushed out of the base. They stumbled through the snow, their faces etched with a mixture of relief and profound respect, then dropped to their knees before Veil. "Young miss!" one of them exclaimed, his voice cracking with emotion. "We were so worried!"

Naruto watched from his vantage point, a knot of unease tightening in his stomach. The sheer deference, the urgency in their voices, it all spoke of something significant, something beyond what Serval had revealed. His hand instinctively went to the seal on his stomach, a subtle shift of posture that belied the immense power contained within, ready to unleash the full force of Kurama if necessary.

He deactivated the last vestiges of the Tailed Beast Mode, the golden chakra cloak fading completely, and followed Serval and Veil as they were ushered towards the base camp. The elite guards, now recognizing Veil, snapped to attention, offering deep bows as she passed. She acknowledged them with a slight nod, her veiled face still unreadable. They led Veil inside, presumably for a debriefing with the elder Architects.

Naruto turned to Serval, a question in his eyes. "So… does this mean we're not wanted criminals?" He gestured around at the respectful guards and kneeling elders.

"Don't worry," Serval said with a confident smirk, hooking her arm through his. "After my 'friend' does her job, none of those bastards back in the city would ever dare to lay a finger on us again."

Naruto frowned, tilting his head. "Why are you holding my arm?" He felt a bit awkward, despite the warmth being quite welcome in the frigid air.

Serval just laughed, squeezing his golden arm tighter. "I really like the warmth this cloak gives off," she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "And beside, I am currently with the strongest man alive."

"Haha…" Naruto laughs, a little embarrassed but her compliment really did made him feel a little proud.

She looped her arm through Naruto's cloak, a casual gesture that felt surprisingly comforting despite his initial reluctancy. "Besides," she added, a playful edge to her voice, "you owe her. She's the judge who won you that trial, remember? The one the old farts tried to rig."

Naruto's eyes widened in realization. "That's why she seemed so familiar!" The pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. He remembered the veiled figure in the courtroom, a silhouette of unwavering fairness amidst the biased pronouncements of the council. He'd been so consumed by the injustice of the charges, by the palpable prejudice in the air, that he hadn't truly focused on the judge. Now, seeing Veil in this context, the connection was undeniable. "Wait, she's… the 'Young Miss' those old guys were also talking about? From the Architects?"

"Bingo," Serval confirmed, her smirk widening. "Pretty important 'Young Miss', wouldn't you say?"

"So, is this a political power play? Those bastards want to kill her and take over?" Naruto inquired, his brow furrowed in concern. He'd seen enough power struggles in his life to recognize the signs. This felt like the calm before a storm, or perhaps, the controlled detonation of one.

"Almost," Serval said, "But don't dwell on it too much. This will get resolved with no bloodshed, but a good number of people will be getting thrown behind bars. Even the ones who accused you way back."

Naruto's frown softened, replaced by a slow grin. Justice. Real justice, not the warped version he'd almost been subjected to. A warmth spread through him, not just from Serval's arm or the lingering heat of Kurama's chakra, but from a genuine sense of relief and vindication. He had been wrongly accused, wrongly judged, and now, the person who had seen through the lies was here, ready to set things right. Maybe, just maybe, Belobog wasn't as bleak as he'd initially thought. And maybe, having friends like Serval and even the enigmatic Veil, wasn't so bad either.

The biting Belobog wind whipped at Veil's cloak, tugging at the edges as she stepped out of the outpost. Behind her emerged the Architects, their ancient faces etched with lines of worry and deliberation. The small, cramped outpost, normally a beacon of civilization, now felt like a cage they'd just escaped.

Naruto, still humming with the lingering warmth of Kurama's chakra that had been needed to ensure the safe passage of their… precious cargo, turned to face the elders. He'd been instrumental in navigating the treacherous Fragmentum-infested wilds to bring someone vital to them within the outpost's protective walls. He'd expected thanks, maybe a warm meal and a bed in from the cold. He hadn't expected this somber procession.

"Mr. Naruto Uzumaki," the eldest Architect, his voice raspy like dry leaves rustling in the wind, began. He bowed deeply, his long white beard sweeping the snow-dusted ground. "As explained and instructed to us, we are in great debt to you for risking your life to bring someone extremely important to us." He straightened, his gaze surprisingly sharp despite his age. "But," he hesitated, his gaze now falling to his worn leather boots, "something has come up that you might want to hear."

Naruto's bright blue eyes narrowed slightly. He knew that phrasing. It translated to trouble, big trouble. He'd heard it from Iruka-sensei before missions went south, from Tsunade when a situation was… complicated. Good news didn't tiptoe in; it burst through the door with a smile and a feast. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice losing its usual easy-going tone, adopting a sharper edge.

"You were a part of the Belobog outdoor expedition, I presume?" another elder, slightly younger but carrying the same weight of years in his eyes, inquired.

"Yeah? Why?" Naruto responded, a knot tightening in his stomach. He had joined the expedition to explore, to help, to make connections in this new world. He'd met so many good people, and the ones he was close to like Penya, Natasha…

"We received information," the first elder continued, his voice now laced with a palpable sorrow, "that the outdoor expedition base was attacked by a large wave of fragmentums, despite the front line joining the fray." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Although we would like to send reinforcements, due to our… important mission and a gravely important individual now with us, it will be impossible to send one right now. Especially with the distance between…!"

He didn't need to finish. The words hit Naruto like a physical blow. Fragmentum attack. Outdoor expedition base. Front line overwhelmed. No reinforcements. Frostweave hill. It all clicked into place with sickening clarity. Frostweave hill, despite nestled in a valley with great height advantage there was still problems due to unsual attacks of monster, and was the current location of the main expedition base. It was where Penya tirelessly tinkered and led the expedition, where Natasha dispensed her calming wisdom and medical expertise, where he'd laughed and worked alongside so many others.

Before the old man could even draw another breath, Naruto was gone.

Not in a puff of smoke, not with a ninja shunshin, but with an explosive burst of golden chakra. The desolate landscape flared with blinding light as Kurama's immense chakra form erupted back into existence. The nine massive tails unfurled like banners of incandescent energy, whipping up a whirlwind of snow and ice. A deafening roar ripped through the silence, shaking the very foundations of the outpost.

Naruto, within the head, his expression a terrifying mask of fury and determination, felt the agonizing certainty settle in his gut. Frostweave hill. The details, the location, it all pointed to one place, one base. His base. His friends.

He clenched his fists, channelling every ounce of his power, every fiber of his being into a single, desperate thought. Get there. Now.

Kurama responded instantly, understanding the urgency that pulsed through their shared connection. With a ground-shattering leap, the colossal fox shot forward, becoming a golden blur against the stark white landscape. The wind screamed past Naruto's ears, laced with the howl of a raging beast and his own terror. He could almost smell the acrid stench of Fragmentum decay on the wind, a phantom scent that fueled his speed and his fear.

He pictured Penya's bright, inquisitive eyes, Natasha's calm, reassuring smile, the warmth of the campfire they'd shared, the camaraderie, the laughter. All of it threatened, all of it potentially crumbling under the onslaught of Fragmentums.

He had to get there. He had to.

Serval, who had been watching the exchange with the Architects with a growing unease, gasped as Kurama materialized. The sheer power emanating from the Bijuu was breathtaking, terrifying, and strangely… reassuring. She watched him disappear in a whirlwind of snow and golden light, her expression a complex mixture of worry and grim determination.

She knew Naruto. She'd seen him in action many times now, his boundless energy, his unwavering loyalty, his reckless courage. He wouldn't hesitate to throw himself into the fire, especially when his friends were at risk. He was a whirlwind of chaotic good, and right now, that chaos was pointed directly towards Frostweave Hill.

All she could do now, standing there amidst the swirling snow and the fading echoes of Kurama's roar, was hope he got there in time. And maybe, just maybe, pray that fate would tip the scales in favor of his friends. The biting wind seemed to whisper a chilling response, a reminder of the relentless harshness of the outside walls of Belobog and the ever-present threat of the Fragmentums. But somewhere in the distance, a golden streak of light tore through the desolate landscape, a beacon of desperate hope against the encroaching darkness.

And done!

---

Age:

Naruto: ?

Serval: 14

Gephart: 12

Lynx: 4

Natasha: 19

Penya: 23 (No, she will not be interested in Naruto)

Abilities

Rasengan, Odama Rasengan, Incomplete tail beast bomb, Rasen shuriken, Sage art: Cosmic Rasengan.

Multi-Shadow clones

Fire manipulation and ignition

Transformation technique (How he hid his fox features.)

Substitution jutsu

Perfect Kurama yin yang chakra mode

Cosmic Sage mode (He's still learning the ups and downs despite the accessibility)

Bye!