Author's Note:

A recurring issue that many readers—and even I—have noticed is that sometimes chapters, or even the entire story, appear as unavailable with a message like: "There is no chapter, please check if you are using an outdated URL." Unfortunately, I'm not sure how to resolve this. From what I've seen, the chapters tend to become accessible again around 5–10 minutes later. If anyone knows a proper fix for this, please let me know. I've already searched on Google, but haven't found a solution yet. Thank you!

Now, on to something else—several of you have brought up how I've kept Naruto and Sasuke at roughly equal power levels. Let me clarify: Naruto is stronger than Sasuke in this story. With all his techniques and abilities, Naruto's base is about on par with Sasuke when he has the 3-tomoe Sharingan—because let's be honest, the Sharingan is extremely OP, especially with its predictive abilities and genjutsu. However, when Naruto taps into the Kyuubi's chakra, that's when he truly pulls ahead. I'm aiming to balance them out in scenarios like Kyuubi Cloak Naruto vs Curse Mark Sasuke—but only for pre-timeskip, and yes, I'll admit, a little plot armor is involved.

That said, I want Naruto to rely less on Kyuubi chakra and more on his own skill and growth. I prefer stories where Naruto's personal development shines over raw power. For more on that, check Chapter 30—it covers this idea in more detail.

First Idea (Hiruzen's apprentice ANBU Commander): 4 votes

Second Idea (Double Agent with Orochimaru): 5 votes

If we go with Idea 1, here's what I'm thinking: Orochimaru still marks Sasuke but knows Sasuke won't go willingly, so he sends the Sound Five—this time with Kimimaro and Guren—to abduct him. Danzo strikes a deal with Orochimaru and sends Root operatives to assist, since the Sound Five and Guren will be busy fighting others. Naruto and Sasuke end up at the Valley of the End, but instead of fighting each other, they face off against around 50 Root shinobi. The deal? Orochimaru gets Sasuke, while Danzo wants Naruto to turn into a mindless weapon for Root. When it seems like they're about to lose, Naruto taps into the One-Tail Cloak and Sasuke unleashes Curse Mark Level 2. My only concern—is 50 Root too much? I know Root members are supposed to be Jonin or ANBU level, but in Shippuden we see that many of them are more like high-chunin level, except for Danzo's inner circle. Let me know what you all think.

If we go with Idea 2, here's the scenario: Naruto and Sasuke clash at the Valley of the End. Sasuke confides in Naruto, explaining that he's leaving as a double agent, much like his brother, and that Tsunade is aware. Naruto then senses Kabuto's chakra watching from a distance and tells Sasuke. The two decide to go all-out to sell the illusion. The battle escalates to One-Tail Cloak vs Curse Mark 2. During the final Rasengan vs Chidori clash, Naruto's Rasengan begins to overpower Sasuke's Chidori—but Naruto pulls his hand back at the last second, getting pierced by the weakened Chidori and essentially "losing" on purpose.

Let me know your thoughts on these scenarios, or if you have other ideas!

Inside the Hokage's office, silence hung heavy in the air as Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, sat behind his desk with his fingers interlocked, staring at the man before him.

"So let me get this straight," Hiruzen said slowly, his voice calm but laced with sternness. "You saw two chunin-level shinobi attack your client, who then confessed to being the target of one of the most powerful and wealthiest men in the world. Despite this, you chose to continue the mission without requesting backup, without contacting me for approval, or suggesting that a higher-ranked team take over."

Kakashi scratched the back of his head, avoiding the old man's gaze.

Hiruzen's tone grew colder. "And then you proceeded to face off against not one, but two A-rank missing-nin—one of them being a member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist—and a B-rank shinobi with a Kekkei Genkai. All of this… with a team of fresh genin?"

Kakashi chuckled nervously under the Hokage's intense stare. "Well… you see, I didn't know about the other shinobi at the time. And once the situation escalated, I thought it best to let the team vote on it. Democracy, you know? All three of my cute little genin voted to continue… so, technically, it's their fault." He casually pointed at Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata, who stood behind him, their eyes twitching in unison.

The three genin glared at their sensei, clearly unamused.

Hiruzen let out a long sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose before looking at them. "Regardless… Team 7. Despite the recklessness and lack of protocol, the results speak for themselves. You've completed an S-rank mission. Congratulations."

Their jaws nearly dropped.

"You may collect your mission payments at the front desk. Since it's an S-rank, each of you will be compensated 200,000 ryo."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Hinata blinked. Naruto's mouth dropped open—but Hiruzen wasn't done.

"And Naruto," he continued, looking up from a document, "you're also entitled to a personal bounty reward. Raiga Kurosuki was a high-ranking missing-nin with a long list of crimes. The bounty on his head was 25 million ryo."

The silence shattered instantly.

Naruto's eyes bulged. "T-t-t-twenty-five… million?!"

Sasuke's mouth opened slightly in disbelief. Even Hinata gasped.

Kakashi gave a low whistle, visibly impressed.

Naruto looked like he might faint. "That's… that's more zeroes than I've ever written down in my life!"

Hiruzen smiled softly at their reactions. "You earned it. Now go—while I have a... conversation with your sensei."

At once, the ominous air returned. The Hokage's soft smile disappeared, replaced by a piercing gaze directed straight at Kakashi. The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

The three genin stood frozen.

"Go," Hiruzen said again.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata nodded in sync and vanished from the room with practiced shunshin, leaving their sensei to his fate.

As the door clicked shut, Hiruzen stood up from his chair and walked slowly around the desk. He stopped directly in front of Kakashi, whose posture straightened instinctively.

"You understand the gravity of your actions, don't you?" Hiruzen said, his tone sharp.

Kakashi nodded, rubbing the back of his neck again. "Yes, Hokage-sama. I acknowledge it was reckless, and I take full responsibility."

Hiruzen's stern look didn't soften. "I have no issue with the outcome. But you gambled not just with your life—but with the lives of three children under your care. And worse, you did so without informing me. If anything had gone wrong, I would have buried not just them… but you too."

Kakashi bowed his head. "Understood."

The Hokage sighed and turned to the window, looking out over the village. "You've always carried a great burden, Kakashi. I trusted you with this team because I believed you could guide them. And you've proven that. But you are still accountable."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "So… what's my punishment?"

Hiruzen didn't turn. "Two months."

Kakashi tilted his head. "Two months of what?"

The Hokage finally looked back at him, eyes narrowing.

"Two months. No Icha Icha."

Silence.

Kakashi's eye went wide in horror. His jaw trembled. "You… you can't be serious."

But Hiruzen was already walking back to his chair. "Hand them over. All volumes. Immediately."

Kakashi dropped to his knees, anime tears flooding down his masked cheeks. "You're cruel… heartless… a monster..."

Hiruzen calmly poured himself some tea. "Perhaps now you'll think twice before turning a C-rank into a bloodbath."

After Kakashi's over-the-top mourning over his beloved Icha Icha books, Hiruzen let the humor fade from his expression. He leaned forward slightly, his hands clasped over his desk, and his gaze grew sharp.

"Now then," the Hokage said, tone returning to one of a leader rather than a grandfather, "how did your team perform?"

Kakashi straightened up, his eye growing thoughtful. "They exceeded every expectation, Lord Hokage. All three of them… with the right guidance, they'll become forces to be reckoned with."

Hiruzen remained silent, waiting for him to elaborate.

Kakashi began with a small smile. "Hinata surprised me. She's still a bit too gentle-hearted, hesitating in the face of lethal force. But this mission helped her push past that hesitation. She managed to hold her own against both of the Demon Brothers—and beat them. Alone."

Hiruzen raised his brows slightly.

"Her control, her Byakugan, and her Water Release… they're already beyond most genin. She still has a long way to go, but her potential is undeniable."

The Hokage gave a pleased nod. "Good. She always had quiet strength. And the courage to find her own way."

Kakashi's tone shifted a little, becoming less measured. "As for the other two… they're freaks of nature."

Hiruzen's brows lifted in amusement.

"I say that with admiration," Kakashi added. "Naruto is a monster with chakra. His ninjutsu, taijutsu, kenjutsu, and fuinjutsu are already at high-chunin level—possibly jonin level in some areas. He can't cast genjutsu, but he's highly resistant to it and has a natural instinct for detecting and dispelling illusions."

Hiruzen smiled, though his expression darkened slightly when Kakashi continued.

"During his fight with Raiga, he tapped into the Nine-Tails' chakra."

That made Hiruzen sit up straighter, the humor now completely gone from his face. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Was he in control?"

Kakashi nodded. "From what I observed, yes. He was angry, but grounded. He didn't lose himself. In fact, he used it strategically. It wasn't a full cloak—just a small release of chakra. More importantly, he wasn't consumed by it."

The Hokage exhaled slowly, tension easing from his shoulders. "Good… very good. That boy has always carried more weight than anyone his age should."

Kakashi's expression turned serious again. "But that's not all. He awakened the Uzumaki Adamantine Chains."

The silence that followed was heavy. Hiruzen's eyes widened, and for the first time during the conversation, he looked genuinely shocked.

"Kushina once told me," he said slowly, "that very few in the Uzumaki clan were born with the chakra necessary to manifest those chains. It's not just a clan ability—it's a rare gift. A powerful one."

Kakashi nodded. "It was instinctual at first, but he's already starting to figure out how to use them. I plan to help him refine it. With control, those chains could become his most valuable weapon."

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, silent in thought for a moment before nodding approvingly.

"And Uchiha Sasuke?"

Kakashi gave a half-smile. "He awakened the full three tomoe Sharingan during the mission. His growth was just as impressive. His taijutsu is refined, his genjutsu is sharp, and he's becoming something of a specialist with bojutsu."

At that, Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

"His ninjutsu isn't as versatile as Naruto's, but it's powerful. He's got a good grasp on lightning and fire release. And his chakra pool is impressive for a genin. If we work on expanding it further, he'll grow even faster."

"Three tomoe, bojutsu talent, and an Uchiha's natural affinity for genjutsu…" Hiruzen mused aloud. "A dangerous combination."

Kakashi chuckled lightly. "That's putting it mildly."

The Hokage gave a small nod of approval. "You've done well, Kakashi. Despite the... chaos, they've grown. Far more than I anticipated."

Kakashi straightened, eye crinkling behind his mask, disappearing in a standard leaf shunshin.

The morning sun filtered softly through the windows of Naruto's room, casting light across a spread of scrolls, notebooks, and open tomes. Naruto sat cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by at least a dozen shadow clones, each flipping through a different scroll or book. Some were scribbling down notes, others cataloging the contents they'd recovered from both Uzushiogakure and Gato's old hideouts.

Naruto reached into one of the sealing scrolls and pulled out a thick bundle of documents. "Old midget didn't even know what he was sitting on," he muttered, unrolling a scroll that had been hidden in a locked safe beneath Gato's mansion. "Taijutsu manuals, chakra theory notes, battle strategy… this is gold."

One clone whistled as it unfurled a large scroll with red trimming. Naruto leaned over to see it. The scroll was faded, clearly ancient, and the paper carried a slight warmth to it. Unsealing the clasp, he opened it slowly and found that only a single name had been signed on the parchment.

"Indra Ōtsutsuki," Naruto read aloud.

The name didn't ring any bells.

There were fire-like patterns etched into the borders, faint but glowing softly. He traced a finger over them, trying to get a feel for the energy. "No animal markings… but the chakra… it's fiery," he murmured. "A fire-type summoning scroll?"

He scratched his head, frowning. "I don't know who this 'Indra' guy is, but this feels like something Sasuke might be able to use."

Naruto smirked to himself, remembering how furious Ino had been when she found out Sasuke went on such a dangerous mission without telling her. As punishment—or maybe revenge—she dragged him out on a "shopping date." More accurately, Sasuke was now carrying half the market's worth of bags and footing the bill with his S-rank mission pay. Naruto chuckled to himself, feeling a little bad, but not too much.

Turning back to the other scrolls, he found a batch that detailed specific elemental jutsu. He grinned. "Alright, let's spread the wealth."

One scroll had the heading "Earth Style: Stone Armor" Naruto read through it quickly, eyes widening in surprise. It detailed a technique to coat the user in a dense layer of rock-hard earth chakra, enhancing both defense and strength. He rolled the scroll back up and set it aside. "Perfect for Choji. Combine this with his Partial Expansion Jutsu and he'll be like an unstoppable tank."

Next was "Lightning Style: Overdrive." It was a speed and strength enhancer, flooding the user's muscles with lightning chakra for short bursts. High-risk, but powerful. Naruto made two quick copies of it with one of the duplication seals he'd learned in Uzushiogakure. "One for Shikamaru… he lacks physical speed. And one for Sasuke. It'll complement his style perfectly."

Another scroll caught his attention—"Fire Style: Exploding Flame Formation". It was a trap-based jutsu that left delayed fire tags across the ground, triggering a chain of explosions on command. Sasuke would've been a natural fit, but Naruto hesitated. "Nah. Sasuke likes sticking to Uchiha techniques for fire stuff." He glanced to the side. "But Shino… his strategic mind and precise chakra control could use this to set up traps that even the Sharingan wouldn't see coming."

Next came "Wind Style: Swift Wind Wall". It wasn't particularly offensive, but acted as a fast-forming swirling barrier that could deflect projectiles and even slow down physical strikes. He made three copies. "I'll keep one… give one to Ino. And the third… Hinata."

He paused, eyes softening.

"Even if she doesn't have wind nature… this might help her refine the idea behind the Water based Kaiten." His smile faltered slightly. "Too bad I didn't find any actual water jutsu for her. Not yet, at least."

Naruto's head perked up as one of his clones waved him over from across the room, motioning toward the corner where they'd stacked the scrolls and tomes from Uzushiogakure. He stood and walked over, stopping in front of a chaotic pile of open texts, sealing scrolls, half-translated diagrams, and stacks of chakra paper covered in notes and annotations.

He blinked, rubbing his forehead. "Okay… I really need a better place for all this."

The Namikaze estate was sizeable, but it had never been intended to hold a full-scale archive or clan library. Both of his parents had powerful jutsu, sure—but they weren't archivists. The estate simply didn't have the space for hundreds of scrolls, not to mention the security needed to store ancient Uzumaki knowledge.

Naruto mentally made a note to ask the Hokage about acquiring a separate compound or building—somewhere to build a proper Uzumaki archive, a place where his clan's legacy could be preserved and rebuilt.

But for now, he turned his attention to the scrolls from Uzushiogakure.

One in particular caught his eye. It outlined a unique summoning seal—not for living creatures, but for objects. The user could tag any object with the seal, and then summon it by simply thinking of the item while performing the summoning jutsu's hand signs. No scrolls, no physical contact—just intention and chakra. Naruto's eyes lit up.

"This would be perfect for Crimson Tide," he muttered, already picturing the ease of summoning his sword mid-fight, even if disarmed. "No more worrying about where I left it… or anyone stealing it."

He carefully rolled the scroll up and placed it aside for study later.

The next seal he studied made him pause. A genjutsu detection seal. This one was incredibly advanced. Rather than dispelling genjutsu, it detected the shift in chakra flow when a genjutsu was cast on the user and sent a jolt to their nervous system as a warning. The scroll explained that the seal came in tiers, ranked from level 1 to 15.

Each level corresponded to the rank of genjutsu it could detect:

· C-rank detection seal: level 7

· B-rank: level 8

· A-rank: level 10

· S-rank: level 13 and beyond

Naruto had just barely completed sealing theory at level 6 a few weeks ago and had only recently begun working on level 7.

"Guess I'll have to wait a bit longer before trying this one," he muttered, placing that scroll into a new 'future use' pile.

One of the clones tossed him a small book, and Naruto caught it midair. Its title was faded but clearly written in classic Uzumaki script. He flipped through the pages and realized it was one of many history texts—written from within the village during its prime.

"This… I need to read."

He immediately created fifteen shadow clones, assigning each one to a separate volume of Uzumaki history. He figured they could finish within a day or two. He needed this knowledge—not just for himself, but for the future. Knowing the truth of his clan, their battles, alliances, losses… it would give him insight into the shinobi world that no academy ever could.

As he turned back to his section of the scroll pile, his eyes landed on one he hadn't dared to open before.

The massive scroll at the center of the Uzumaki archive.

His fingers ran across the smooth binding before he unrolled it carefully. The moment he touched it, he felt a pulse of chakra—not hostile, but ancient. Powerful. As the scroll opened, a wave of reverent silence settled in the room.

Names.

Dozens of names.

All Uzumaki.

Naruto scanned through the elegant calligraphy, feeling the weight of each name as if they were speaking to him. Warriors, scholars, sealmasters, medics… all etched into history.

And then he saw it.

The last name.

Arashi Uzumaki.

The name hit like a hammer.

Naruto paused, his eyes narrowing in recognition. From the journals his mother had left behind, he remembered that name. Arashi Uzumaki—the final Uzukage.

A shinobi so powerful, he was ranked SS-class in his prime. During the final battle that destroyed Uzushiogakure, Arashi led 800 Uzumaki against an allied force of over 50,000 shinobi from Kumo, Kiri, and Iwa.

They slaughtered nearly 80% of the enemy.

And with his dying breath, Arashi had unleashed a forbidden sealing jutsu that vaporized over 2,000 more, sacrificing himself in the process. A final, defiant roar of a dying nation.

Naruto sat in silence, fingers tightening on the edge of the scroll.

"This… this isn't just a summoning scroll," he whispered. "This was passed down to the leaders of the Uzumaki Clan."

It wasn't filled with beasts or animals or creatures. This was a clan summoning scroll. Perhaps with secrets far more ancient and spiritual. Perhaps something that wasn't even meant to be used often—only by those who carried the weight of the clan.

He gently rolled the scroll closed and placed it to the side with reverence.

He would sign it.

But not yet.

With a sense of purpose and a stack of scrolls tucked neatly under his arm, Naruto darted through the village streets, making his way toward Training Ground 10. The sun was high, the breeze light, and he felt surprisingly energized despite everything he'd been through recently.

He slowed his steps as he approached the familiar clearing, where the trio of Team 10 typically trained. Sure enough, under the shade of a large tree, Choji was sitting with his back against the trunk, munching loudly on a bag of chips. A little further ahead, Asuma and Shikamaru were locked in a casual game of shogi, both of them seated on a stone bench, eyes scanning the board with differing levels of intensity.

"Yo," Naruto called, grinning as he approached.

Choji waved with a chip-stained hand, while Asuma raised a brow and gave a half-smile. Shikamaru looked up briefly, then returned his gaze to the board.

"Hey, Naruto," Asuma greeted. "Didn't expect to see you here today."

Shikamaru gave a lazy glance. "We're training… sort of. Choji's taking a break after some physical drills, and I'm keeping my mind sharp. And Ino—well, she's off with her 'troublesome' boyfriend," he added with a sigh.

Naruto scoffed, arms folded. "So you mean you're lazing around while Choji does the work."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Troublesome as always."

Naruto chuckled and reached into his pouch, pulling out two small scrolls. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed one to Choji and the other to Shikamaru.

"Here," he said. "Picked these up during a mission. Thought they might help with your... 'projects.' You'll see."

Choji opened his scroll first, his eyes going wide as he read the technique. Shikamaru blinked and unraveled his scroll, reading the title. "Interesting. This'll help cover my biggest weakness."

Both of them looked up at Naruto, genuinely grateful.

"Thanks, man," Choji said with a grin.

Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah… this is actually useful. Maybe you're not all talk."

Asuma gave Naruto a curious look. "You wouldn't happen to be the reason my team's so strong for genin, would you?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head with a grin. "Well, I might've helped a little…"

Shikamaru muttered under his breath. "You still haven't seen his team fight. Troublesome."

Naruto laughed. "You'll see one day."

With a final wave, he turned and took off toward his next stop.

Training Ground 31

As Naruto arrived, he spotted Sakura sitting beneath a tree with her arms crossed, watching the training session with an expression that shifted between boredom and forced interest. A few meters away, Shino was moving through silent taijutsu forms with his usual precision, while Kiba was locked in a heated spar with their sensei, Kurenai Yuhi—the famed genjutsu specialist of Konoha.

Shino was the first to notice Naruto's approach and gave a short nod. "Naruto."

Kiba, mid-swing, paused just long enough to glance over his shoulder. "Hey, dead last! You come to get wrecked? I could use a warm-up."

Naruto snorted. "Keep barking, mutt. I don't waste time fighting strays."

Kiba growled. "Say that again!"

Before it could escalate further, Sakura's voice pierced the air like a shrill alarm. "Naruto! What are you doing here?!"

Naruto winced. "Apologizing."

Sakura blinked in confusion. "For what?"

Naruto smirked. "For forgetting earplugs. Gotta protect my hearing from your voice."

Her eyes blazed and she lunged at him, fist raised. Naruto smirked and substituted himself with Kiba, who was mid-charge and couldn't stop in time.

"Wha—!"

CRACK!

Kiba was sent flying across the field, landing in a dusty heap.

Kurenai stormed over, eyes narrowed. "Naruto."

He held his hands up. "What? You expect me to just take a hit?"

She stepped closer, ready to scold him—but the moment their eyes locked, Naruto narrowed his own, letting just a flicker of killer intent seep out.

It wasn't overwhelming—but it was sharp, focused. Enough to surprise her.

She blinked, taken aback by the shift. For a brief moment, she saw something behind that goofy grin—something colder. Something more dangerous.

Naruto relaxed immediately after, all smiles again as if nothing happened. "Anyway, I came to deliver something."

He turned to Shino, pulled out a scroll, and handed it to him.

"It's not exactly tailored for your current project, but I think this jutsu suits your style."

Shino opened the scroll and scanned it, the title catching his interest. He gave a small nod. "Tactical. Thank you."

Just then, Kiba staggered back into the clearing, growling. "You're dead, Naruto!"

Naruto casually substituted again—this time with Sakura.

She blinked in horror. "Wait, wha—"

KRAK!

Kiba's punch landed squarely in her stomach. Sakura's eyes widened as she went flying back, landing beside the tree with a muffled groan.

Naruto collapsed in laughter. "Worth it!"

Kurenai stepped forward again, but by the time she spoke, Naruto had already vanished in a shunshin, his laughter echoing through the trees.

T he sun had already dipped below the horizon, casting a golden-orange glow across the village rooftops when Naruto finally spotted them.

Ino and Sasuke.

Or more specifically, Ino striding confidently ahead, chatting away and gesturing animatedly, while Sasuke trudged behind her, looking like a man who had just survived a war. He was buried under no less than a dozen shopping bags, his arms weighed down, a slightly vacant expression in his eyes as he followed without resistance.

Naruto couldn't help it—he burst into laughter. "Yo!"

Ino turned and waved. "Naruto! We were just talking about you!"

Sasuke groaned. "She was. I was suffering."

Naruto walked up to them, still grinning, and reached into his pouch to pull out a scroll. He tossed it to Ino, who caught it easily.

"What's this?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Wind Style: Swift Wind Wall," Naruto explained. "A defensive technique—complicated one, too. Should keep you busy for a while."

Ino's eyes lit up as she unraveled the scroll slightly. "This is amazing! Thank you!"

Sasuke, meanwhile, gave Naruto a dead-eyed look. "If you're feeling so generous, how about you make a couple clones to carry these bags?"

Naruto held up his hands in mock surrender, laughing. "I'll do it the day I get a girlfriend. Until then—good luck."

Before Sasuke could retaliate, Naruto vanished in a puff of smoke, shunshining away, leaving Sasuke yelling "YOU TRAITOR!" behind him as Ino tried to hide her smile.

Later that night, back at their shared apartment, Sasuke all but collapsed onto the couch. His entire body slumped forward, the bags finally dumped unceremoniously onto the floor.

Naruto was already lounging in the kitchen with a glass of water, watching with amusement.

"You alright there?" he asked, grinning.

"I've never been this tired," Sasuke muttered. "Not even after training for hours."

Naruto smirked. "Shopping's harder, huh?"

Sasuke didn't respond. He just groaned and closed his eyes.

Naruto got up, heading into his room briefly before returning with a pair of scrolls. "Well, to cheer you up, I've got something for you."

Sasuke blinked, lifting his head slightly as Naruto tossed him one of the scrolls. He caught it midair and read the title.

Lightning Style: Overdrive.

"Physical enhancement through lightning chakra," Naruto explained. "Boosts your speed and strength temporarily. Just be careful—too much can mess with your nerves."

Sasuke looked genuinely surprised, and for a brief moment, his usual stoicism cracked. "Thanks."

Naruto gave a small shrug. "That's not all."

Sasuke blinked. "What?"

"I've been holding onto these for a while," Naruto continued, pulling out another scroll. "Didn't want to drop them on you until the mission was done. These came from the Forbidden Scroll of Sealing. I made clean copies."

Sasuke sat up straighter.

Naruto tossed the second scroll to him. "Theory on changing the color of lightning, written by the Second Hokage himself. And...Bringer of Darkness Genjutsu."

Sasuke's fingers gripped the scroll tightly. His eyes widened slightly, realization dawning. "These are…"

"Advanced," Naruto said, nodding. "Might take you a while to get a grasp, but if anyone can figure it out, it's you."

Sasuke stared at the scroll for a long moment. Then, with no warning, he stood—or tried to. His legs wobbled like jelly, and he staggered forward a step before collapsing onto Naruto with the grace of a falling tree.

Naruto let out a surprised laugh, catching him. "Whoa, easy there, lover boy. Don't die on me."

"You're unbelievable," Sasuke mumbled, but his voice was light.

Naruto smirked and helped him over to his futon.

"Oh, wait—one last thing," Naruto said, reaching back into his pouch.

He unsealed the fiery-patterned summoning scroll from Gato's base and handed it to Sasuke. "I found this. Ancient as hell. Only one name's on it—'Indra Ōtsutsuki.' I don't know who that is, but the chakra's got a fiery vibe. Thought it might suit you."

Sasuke took the scroll reverently, staring at it in awe. There was something about it that felt... powerful. Right. As if it was calling to him.

He didn't say anything.

He just gave Naruto a look.

Naruto blinked. "Uh… you okay?"

Sasuke lunged forward with all the energy of a dying sloth and wrapped his arms around Naruto in a slow, stiff hug.

Naruto froze. "…What the—"

"I'm too tired to punch you," Sasuke muttered.

Naruto laughed, then patted his back. "You're welcome."

They both collapsed onto their respective beds, utterly spent.

The Next Morning

The morning sun spilled gently over the Namikaze training grounds, warming the stone tiles and casting long shadows from the tall trees that lined the secluded space. It was early, and the village hadn't quite come alive yet—but within the grounds, two figures stood, wide awake and focused.

Naruto and Sasuke stood at the center of the field, a gentle wind brushing past them. Around them, the faint shimmer of seals glowed against the tree trunks and ground.

"Privacy seals are up," Naruto said, brushing his hand along one of the etched symbols near a post. "No one's seeing what we're doing in here."

Sasuke nodded, arms folded, the old summoning scroll unrolled on a clean patch of grass between them. He stared at the elegant, flame-streaked patterns decorating its edges.

"So… what exactly am I supposed to do with this?" Sasuke asked, eyebrow raised. "The Uchiha never had summons. Not that I know of."

Naruto shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Just bite your thumb, sign your name in blood, and we'll take it from there."

Sasuke looked skeptical but followed the instructions. He bit into his thumb, letting a few drops of blood pool onto the scroll, and then wrote his name with a deliberate, clean stroke. The moment his name settled on the paper, the spiral at the center of the scroll pulsed faintly.

"Now," Naruto said, crouching down next to him. "Watch closely. These are the signs."

He demonstrated the hand seals slowly—Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram. Sasuke memorized each one carefully.

"And pour chakra into it. As much as you can without knocking yourself out."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "You seem to know a lot about this."

Naruto smirked. "Let's just say… I've had some practice. Got my scroll from my dad."

Sasuke nodded slowly, taking that in. He then took a breath, focused, and began the hand seals. "Summoning Jutsu!"

He slammed his palm onto the ground, chakra flooding out. A massive puff of smoke exploded outward, enveloping nearly the entire training field. Naruto jumped back, coughing and waving it away.

The ground trembled slightly, and from the heart of the smoke, a shadow loomed—tall, regal, and burning with a quiet intensity.

As the smoke cleared, both boys froze.

Standing before them was a phoenix—a creature of elegance and power. Its feathers shimmered in hues of crimson, gold, and deep violet. Its long tail fanned out behind it, trailing heat waves that shimmered in the air. Its eyes were deep and ancient, burning like embers, and its wings, now folded, seemed large enough to blanket the entire training ground.

The phoenix lowered its head slightly, scanning the two boys before it.

"Which one of you summoned me?" it asked, voice calm but heavy, as if echoing from the depths of time itself.

Sasuke swallowed and stepped forward. "That would be me."

The phoenix's gaze lingered on him before nodding.

"I am Ra, guardian of the phoenix summoning contract," he said. "It has been many years since one has called upon our flames. We welcome you as our new summoner."

Naruto blinked in disbelief. "Wait… that's it? No test? No 'prove your worth' battle? Then why's there only one name on that entire scroll?"

Ra turned to him, amusement flickering in his molten gaze.

"The test is signing the scroll," he explained. "If one unworthy of the phoenix flame dares place their name on our contract, they combust into flames. Instantly. The fact that your friend still stands is proof enough of his worth."

Naruto took a half-step back. "Okay. That's... terrifying."

Ra's tone sobered. "But take heed, Sasuke Uchiha. Our last summoner was strong. Worthy. But power corrupted him. Darkness consumed his spirit. So we installed a fail-safe."

Sasuke's jaw tensed slightly, listening intently.

"If you ever lose your way—if darkness overtakes your heart—the phoenix will answer your summons not as allies, but as executioners. We will come to end you, summoner or not."

There was a long silence.

Sasuke nodded slowly, his voice low but certain. "Understood."

Ra straightened, feathers glowing faintly in the morning sun.

"Try the summoning again, sometime soon. The phoenix you summon next will become your familiar—a lifelong bond forged in flame and loyalty. And one day, when your chakra is strong enough, you must call upon our leader."

He paused, wings slowly spreading.

"The one known as Ifrit, Flame of Final Dawn. The mightiest of us all."

With that, Ra beat his wings once and vanished in a swirl of fire and ash, leaving a faint heat in the air and two very stunned shinobi behind.

They stood there for a moment, eyes wide, letting it all settle in.

Then Naruto ran both hands through his hair and blurted out, "What the fuck just happened?!"