Unpleasant Topics

But the next instant.

Uchiha Akira's figure flashed like a black gleam, seemingly surpassing the speed of light.

He appeared before Minato Namikaze in an instant and pressed his palm against Minato's forehead beneath his astonished gaze.

"If I were facing your real body, I might still be interested in talking. But you're only a remnant mass of Chakra, so you'd better stay sealed."

Hiss—!

Minato Namikaze's eyes dimmed, and his figure was swiftly sealed away once more.

The current Minato Namikaze was merely a mass of Chakra, completely incapable of resistance.

"Teacher Akira, who was that guy? Why does he look kind of familiar?"

Naruto Uzumaki's little face was full of curiosity.

"You mean him?"

Uchiha Akira waved dismissively. "Just a mass of your dad's Chakra. I've sealed him for now. Let's get to business first. Go into the mindscape, Naruto."

He

Huh?

Naruto Uzumaki stood there blankly, his little face filled with confusion.

No.

He thought meeting his parents would count as... getting to business, okay?

"Naruto, you want to play tug-of-war and obtain my Chakra?!"

The cage swung open. The vicious-looking Nine-Tails froze, its pupils suddenly contracting before it realized something.

"You damned brat, don't even think about it! I will never let any human obtain my power!"

"Even if I'm sealed right now!"

The next moment.

"Ahem."

Uchiha Akira coughed and quietly looked at the Nine-Tails.

Nine-Tails: "..."

Who understands this, family?

His voice had just been a little too loud.

And a guy who could use Wood Release and the Mangekyō Sharingan had heard him.

If he encountered Hashirama Senju, he would struggle desperately.

If he encountered Uchiha Madara, he would roar in fury. But now that he had encountered Uchiha Akira, he only wanted to act meek. He was no longer his younger self; he had already been beaten up by Wood Release and the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Now.

He did not want to get double-teamed by Wood Release and the Mangekyō Sharingan again.

"So you were here too."

The Nine-Tails bared its teeth, its massive body obediently lying on the ground. "Since it is your command, of course there is nothing I cannot do."

He hurriedly explained, "I'll stay right here and won't move."

"Hurry up, Naruto. Start the tug-of-war. If not, I'll help you. Don't strain yourself!"

As he spoke, the Nine-Tails took the initiative to move closer. The crimson energy covering his body turned golden the instant it entered Naruto's body, instantly filling him from head to toe. His blond hair fluttered wildly, as though the son of a sun god had descended!

This meant Naruto could now freely draw upon all of the Nine-Tails' Chakra.

As long as he mastered the Nine-Tails' power.

He would unquestionably become a Kage-level expert!

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the mission: Make Naruto a powerful ninja.]

[Mission reward: Summoning Technique!]

Not bad.

It counted as a powerful ninjutsu.

"All right, let's go back."

A trace of satisfaction appeared in Uchiha Akira's eyes. He patted Naruto's shoulder, and the two returned to the real world in an instant.

Neji and the newly arrived Asuma's eyes trembled, as though they had seen a ghost!

"No, Brother Akira, what's going on? Naruto's Chakra feels terrifying even to me. I'm scared!"

Asuma Sarutobi, who had only just been able to enter Sage Mode with Akira's help, was suddenly unhappy.

"What kind of power is that?! Brother Akira, I want to learn it too!"

That was clearly a power even stronger than Sage Mode!

He envied it.

He was jealous!

"Oh, it's nothing."

Uchiha Akira said flatly, "I merely helped Naruto master Nine-Tails Mode. From now on, he can freely control the Nine-Tails' Chakra."

He made it sound far too simple.

As though it were no different from eating or drinking.

"So he mastered the Nine-Tails' Chakra... my ass!"

Asuma Sarutobi's breathing halted, his heart pounding wildly as he could not help swallowing.

"How is that possible? Even Mito Uzumaki back then was said to only be able to suppress and use the Nine-Tails' power. She could not freely control it at all. The Nine-Tails... is the strongest monster among the Nine Tailed Beasts!"

As someone who had witnessed Nine-Tails's Rampage.

He knew all too well how terrifying the Nine-Tails was.

Slaughtering Jonin was as easy as eating and drinking to it. Even he would certainly die before the Nine-Tails.

But now.

Brother Akira had actually turned it into a power Naruto Uzumaki could freely control. Just how much unknown power was Brother Akira still hiding? He understood it all too clearly: the powerful one was not Naruto Uzumaki, but Brother Akira!

Before him stood Naruto Uzumaki, bathed in golden light.

Without the slightest ominous or terrifying aura, Naruto still left him with no choice but to believe it.

"Brother Akira! Please keep pushing me hard! I must master Sage Mode as soon as possible!"

Asuma Sarutobi gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with self-loathing.

Useless.

You're useless!

A child only a few years old is already stronger than you!

"All right."

Uchiha Akira smacked his lips, a hint of pity in his eyes. "Don't compare yourself to a cheater like Naruto. Among all the students, your talent..."

Under Asuma's expectant gaze.

He slowly said, "Can already be ranked in the lower-middle tier."

Asuma: "..."

He said faintly, "Brother Akira, it would've been fine if you hadn't said that last part. I'm not the kind of person who holds grudges."

But now he was!

"I need to train hard too!"

Neji and Asuma were fired up, training diligently late into the night beneath the lamplight.

After finishing his training, cheating Naruto went home to sleep.

Completely unaware that tonight was darker than usual!

Akira also went to the Uchiha Clan. Today was an extremely important day: Shisui had returned, and it was also the first gathering since Shisui's death.

At Akira's home.

Uchiha Itachi sneaked around furtively, his eyes flickering. Only when he saw a familiar figure did he let out a sigh of relief, his eyes filled with eagerness and excitement.

"Shisui, you're really not dead!"

It could be said that the Uchiha had become divided into two factions, ready to rebel at any moment, largely because of Shisui's death.

"It's thanks to Akira."

Shisui smiled gently.

"At the time, I had lost all hope and was prepared to jump off a cliff and die. If Akira hadn't detoxified me and talked me through it, I might really have committed suicide. Itachi, while I was gone, you must listen to Akira. He is our leader!"

For some reason.

Itachi felt that Shisui seemed to have changed.

Although Shisui had always been optimistic before, he always carried an air of melancholy and sorrow, as though he were pessimistic about the Uchiha Clan's future.

But not this time.

Shisui... those clear eyes of his seemed to have seen through everything.

"By the way, Shisui, how did Brother Akira persuade you?"

Itachi suddenly asked, "With your personality, if Danzo ambushed you and you discovered that the village had betrayed you, you definitely would have committed suicide. Just like if you were gone, I might... have killed every Uchiha clansman."

He fell silent for a moment.

"Except for Brother Akira."

Shisui: "..."

How had he been persuaded?

He recalled the violence of being controlled by his own Kotoamatsukami, then forcibly snapped back out of it.

He gave a fake smile. "Forget it, Itachi. Let's not talk about such unpleasant topics."