"Okay, okay, let's do a draw."
Naruto finally settled into the large apartment prepared for the Hokage.
He flopped onto the bed and, with a casual gesture, linked everything in the house—including the house itself—to his Summoning Contract.
Whenever he wanted something, all he had to do was shake his summoning tool.
"System, my strength is growing too slowly."
"Konoha may seem wealthy compared to the rest of the Ninja World, but it's still so poor it can barely afford a thing. I'm bored out of my mind. You'd better arrange something for me."
"That'll make it easier to start the second phase beyond the village."
Naruto rested his hands behind his head.
He watched the prize pool spin wildly before it finally stopped.
[Host, you are utterly evil and have fallen deep into Blackening. The terrifying thing is that the entire village is Blackening too. Please turn back before it's too late.]
[This system is at a loss for words over the three prizes you've won. I'm hardly worthy of them.]
[Sealing Technique: Eight Trigrams Seal: Release]
[Summoning Technique: Fivefold Rashomon]
[Sage Art: Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode]
"Finally!"
Naruto was overjoyed. These were practically three keys!
Though his chakra control and talent had both become exceptional after he crossed over.
He had probably gained the Yin Release Chakra that Naruto hadn't originally possessed.
That had let him use Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan.
But even that still wasn't enough to break through every limit on Naruto's strength.
The Eight Trigrams Seal: Release would let him approach the Nine-Tails directly and obtain more of its chakra.
Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode would make up for the shortcomings of Mount Myoboku's Sage Mode. He could activate it instantly without storing energy for a long time, and it would further enhance Naruto's already astonishing recovery and healing abilities.
"Then I'll take it one step at a time."
"Once I've mastered all three, it'll be time to launch my new plan for the Ninja World."
For now, Naruto had only secured Konoha's power.
The entire Ninja World was on the verge of spiraling out of control. He needed to become even stronger before that happened.
[It seems the Host has had a change of heart and wants to save the imperiled Ninja World.]
"Of course!"
"I'm thinking about what I'd do if I were the one to activate Infinite Tsukuyomi, or if I became the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki."
Naruto sat cross-legged and quietly practiced Sealing Technique and Summoning Technique.
An hour later.
After struggling with the Nine-Tails for quite some time, Naruto finally entered the Sealing Space.
"Kurama, let's get straight to the point."
"From now on, I want to truly possess your chakra and enter the strongest form: Kurama Mode."
Naruto released the Eight Trigrams Seal with one hand.
He stepped into the Sealing Space himself and confronted the Nine-Tails.
"Have you lost your mind? I could go on a rampage at any moment!"
The Nine-Tails looked down at Naruto, as if ready to break free and escape for real.
"You won't!"
"I told you: from now on, you're giving me all your power. I'm going to achieve the true Perfect Jinchuriki form—Kurama Mode!"
"Everything I do from here on is crucial. It'll determine whether I can reach the path to ultimate strength and completely purge this boring Ninja World!"
Naruto formed Hand Seals and summoned.
"Are you going to use Wood Style? Or that stolen Mangekyō Sharingan of yours? You wretched human! You're all the same!"
The Nine-Tails struggled. Both methods would cause it pain, yet leave it powerless to resist.
But no matter which one Naruto used, the Nine-Tails would never submit willingly. It would never connect with Naruto and activate Kurama Mode!
Never!
"Summoning Technique: Fivefold Rashomon!"
Naruto roared.
The Nine-Tails looked up as five Rashomon gates came crashing down from the sky!
They pinned the Nine-Tails firmly in place, leaving it unable to move.
"That thing's too heavy! And it's especially effective against me!"
It wasn't just that the gates had landed right on top of the Nine-Tails.
Even a Tailed Beast Bomb would veer off course if one appeared now!
It was hailed as the strongest defensive Summoning Technique!
Yet Naruto was using it as a weight to pin the Nine-Tails down.
"What are you trying to do, Naruto?"
After struggling a few times, the Nine-Tails could only bare its teeth in frustration.
Naruto seized a large amount of its chakra.
"It's useless. No matter how much chakra you take from me, all you'll get is Nine-Tails Chakra Mode."
"The strongest form you want, Kurama Mode, requires a Perfect Jinchuriki!"
"And I'll never acknowledge you!"
The Nine-Tails refused to yield, looking especially defiant.
"Idiot!"
Naruto's power continued to build.
"You're a fool if you won't join me in ushering in a whole new era!"
"The age when humans can bully Tailed Beasts at will will never end. One day, a bunch of outsiders will even come along, rough us up, and steal our chakra."
"Exactly."
Naruto's evil side erupted with overwhelming force, swallowing the Nine-Tails in darkness.
Inside the Fivefold Rashomon,
Kurama felt as if he were the human, while Naruto was the real Demon Fox!
"Only the real you is worthy of being my Tailed Beast!"
Naruto already knew what he had to do to become stronger.
"Naruto!"
Kushina Uzumaki appeared, sensing his evil side.
"Son, don't let the darkness consume you. Hatred and anger mustn't make you lose your reason!"
"The Nine-Tails is a Tailed Beast, but it's also a creature whose living space was taken away by humans."
"Come back to your senses and remember who you are! I'm here!"
Kushina immediately tried to awaken Naruto with love.
"Wait a second!"
Naruto raised a hand.
He escaped from the Vortex.
"I haven't lost myself. I'm just chatting with the little Nine-Tails."
Naruto called it a chat, but Kushina saw the Nine-Tails bound by Adamantine Sealing Chains and pinned under the Fivefold Rashomon.
Young people really did have a hard-core way of chatting.
"You almost let the darkness consume you, but luckily your kindness overcame your evil side."
Kushina patted Naruto on the head.
"Utter nonsense!"
Even the Nine-Tails couldn't help speaking up. "What kindness? He's evil by nature!"
"Oh, you can talk? All these years, I thought you could understand human language but couldn't speak it."
Kushina looked at the Nine-Tails.
At that moment, the two sworn enemies were far friendlier than Naruto.
"I'll keep this brief. You're here because I'm doing only so-so right now."
Naruto sighed.
"Son, you've already uncovered the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Technique and can use the Nine-Tails Chakra. There shouldn't be anyone in the village who could hurt you easily."
Kushina was puzzled.
Who in Konohagakure could hurt her child, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?
"I'm thirteen now, and only a few days ago I managed to get the position of Acting Hokage."
"I'm young, so I can take my time building my career, but my strength is another matter."
"I'm the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, but I only have half of the Nine-Tails. So I need to obtain all of its chakra!"
"And to do that, I have to break the Dead Demon Consuming Seal!"
Naruto's goal was now clear: he intended to undo the Dead Demon Consuming Seal and subdue the other, evil half of the Nine-Tails.
What enormous ambition!
The Nine-Tails stared at Naruto without changing expression as it listened.
It had been separated from its malice for more than a decade and had indeed grown a little too kind.
Maybe having an evil side would keep Evil Naruto from acting so smug!
But then the Nine-Tails had another thought: what if that other half got along with Naruto a little too well?
"The Dead Demon Consuming Seal?"
Kushina recalled what little remained in her memories.
"The Land of Whirlpools has fallen, but the ruins of the Uzu Hidden Village are still there."
"If you can find this Mask of the Gods, you'll find the forbidden technique for undoing the Dead Demon Consuming Seal."
Kushina tapped Naruto between the brows.
She passed on the location of the Uzumaki Clan's village and the mask's appearance.
"I understand!"
Naruto made up his mind.
"Son, go become stronger. If your darkness is one of your choices, then this world is the only thing at fault."
Kushina slowly faded away in a glow of light.
Naruto turned to Kurama and grinned wickedly.
"Kurama, surprise!"