Sage Naruto Returns

The mist of Mount Myoboku always carried a damp chill. Naruto sat cross-legged before the Toad Oil Waterfall, his eyes tightly shut, the orange markings on his cheeks faintly glowing as Natural Energy poured into him. Around him sat ten Shadow Clones—each maintaining the same posture, each absorbing Natural Energy and sustaining Sage Mode.

This was the clumsy method he had come up with.

Since the original body could only maintain Sage Mode for a limited time, he would have Shadow Clones enter the state beforehand. When his Sage Art Chakra ran out, he could dispel one Shadow Clone, allowing its memories and Natural Energy to return, instantly reentering Sage Mode. Repeating this cycle could theoretically extend Sage Mode indefinitely.

"Thirteenth cycle..." Naruto opened his eyes and felt the abundant Sage Art Chakra within him. "The duration has gone from one minute to three minutes. Not enough... I need to get faster."

He recalled what Jiraiya had said before leaving: "Naruto, Konoha needs you now, but it needs a you who has truly mastered Sage Arts even more. Don't rush back. Come back when you're ready."

But he could not shake the unease in his heart.

The Pervy Sage had been gone for nearly two days. How was Konoha? Kakashi-sensei, Sakura, Granny Tsunade, and the others...

"Naruto!"

An anxious cry interrupted his thoughts. Naruto looked up and saw Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima leaping toward him from afar. They moved hurriedly, panic on their faces unlike anything he had ever seen.

"Lord Fukasaku? Lady Shima?" Naruto dispelled his Shadow Clones and rose to his feet. "What happened?"

Sage Fukasaku landed before him, his chest heaving violently. Sage Shima's gaze shifted away, unable to meet Naruto's eyes.

"Little Jiraiya..." Sage Fukasaku began, his voice dry. "He's fighting Pain in Konoha. The battle is intense, and he's consumed too much chakra. He can no longer maintain Sage Mode... so we were forcibly sent back to Mount Myoboku."

The air froze.

The smile on Naruto's face stiffened, then slowly faded. He stared at Sage Fukasaku, at those always-kind toad eyes, trying to find even the slightest sign that this was a joke.

But there was none.

"Then... how is the Pervy Sage now?" Naruto's voice was soft, so soft it was as if he feared shattering something. "Konoha... how is Konoha doing?"

Sage Fukasaku opened his mouth, wanting to offer some comfort, but then—

His body suddenly jolted.

Sage Shima reacted the same way. Both toad sages went rigid at once, their eyes widening as though they had sensed something they could not accept.

"Lord Fukasaku?" Naruto stepped forward. "What is it? The Pervy Sage, he—"

"Little Jiraiya's presence..." Sage Fukasaku's voice trembled. "It's gone."

Gone.

The word echoed through the mist of Mount Myoboku, weightless, yet so heavy that Naruto could barely remain standing.

"No... impossible..." Naruto shook his head and took a step back. "He said he'd help me bring Sasuke back... He still owes me 3,200 ryo in mission rewards... He promised he'd watch me become Hokage..."

Tears surged forth without warning, rolling down his cheeks and dripping onto the toad statue beneath his feet.

"He lied..." Naruto choked out. "He's lying again... just like before, saying he was going out to gather material, only to sneak off and peep at women's baths... It's the same this time. He must be hiding somewhere drinking sake, he has to be..."

"Naruto." Sage Fukasaku pressed a forelimb heavily onto his shoulder. "Little Jiraiya... really is dead. We can sense the life state of those bound by contract. His presence... has completely vanished."

Naruto raised his head. Through his tear-blurred vision, he saw tears glimmering in Sage Fukasaku's eyes as well.

The Pervy Sage who was always laughing and joking, writing dirty novels and peeping at women's baths, yet stood in front of him at crucial moments, taught him the Rasengan, and told him to "never give up"...

Was dead?

He had died to protect Konoha, to protect him?

"Revenge..." Naruto murmured, before his voice abruptly rose. "I'll avenge him! Konoha needs me now! I have to go back immediately!"

"Naruto, calm down!" Sage Shima shouted sternly. "Your Sage Arts are still unrefined. You can maintain Sage Mode for three minutes at most! Going back now is suicide!"

"I've already solved the duration problem!" Naruto roared, forming hand seals. "Multi-Shadow Clone Technique!"

Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!

Twenty Shadow Clones appeared around him. Every clone sat cross-legged and began absorbing Natural Energy. Three minutes later, orange markings appeared on ten of their faces as they entered Sage Mode.

"See?" Naruto pointed at those Shadow Clones. "I can use them to store Sage Art Chakra in advance! When my original body runs dry, I dispel one clone and instantly reenter Sage Mode! I can fight, I can hit them, I can—"

His voice caught again. "I can see the Pervy Sage one last time..."

Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima exchanged looks. They could indeed sense it—some kind of cyclical circuit had formed between Naruto's chakra and those Shadow Clones. The method was crude and would place an immense burden on his mind, but it was viable.

"Gamabunta and the others are still in Konoha." Sage Fukasaku finally spoke, his voice grave. "You can return using the Reverse Summoning Technique: Reverse Summoning. But Naruto, remember this—prepare at least ten Sage Mode Shadow Clones in Mount Myoboku as reserves. During battle, you must dispel one every three minutes to replenish yourself. Otherwise, if Sage Mode ends, you may be finished too."

"I understand!" Naruto wiped away his tears haphazardly and formed seals again.

Thirty Shadow Clones appeared. Fifteen began absorbing Natural Energy and entered the Sage Mode cycle. The other fifteen served as backups.

"Little Naruto," Sage Fukasaku said in final warning, gently pressing a forelimb to Naruto's forehead, "you must keep your body and mind calm. Anger and grief will disrupt the balance of Natural Energy, shortening your Sage Mode even further. Remember what Little Jiraiya taught you—no matter what you face, believe in your companions and believe in your own path."

Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

When he opened them again, the tears remained, but a hard shell had formed over them.

"Thank you, both of you." He spoke quietly, then pressed his palms together and dispelled a Sage Mode Shadow Clone.

Memories and Natural Energy flooded into his original body. Orange markings appeared on his cheeks, and his pupils became horizontal like a frog's. Sage Art Chakra surged through him as Natural Energy fused perfectly with his own chakra.

"Reverse Summoning Technique: Reverse Summoning!"

White smoke exploded outward.

Naruto vanished.

Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima remained where they were, watching the smoke slowly disperse.

"Dear," Sage Shima said softly, "can Little Naruto do it?"

"I don't know." Sage Fukasaku looked toward Konoha. "But all we can do is believe in him."

The mist of Mount Myoboku remained cold.

Konoha had become hell.

The ruins burned. Corpses lay everywhere. The stench of blood mingled with the charred smell of burned chakra, filling every inch of the air. Tsunade knelt at the center of the wreckage, her hands still holding the seal for the medical barrier. But with her Yin Seal drained dry, her chakra had already been exhausted. She could only watch as the last severely wounded person before her breathed his last.

Shizune clutched Tonton and stood in front of Tsunade, trembling all over but refusing to retreat a single step.

The Deva Path slowly approached.

There was still a hole blasted open by the Rasengan in his chest. Though the Naraka Path had stopped the bleeding, the torn flesh around the wound had curled back, exposing shattered ribs beneath. Every step left a bloody footprint, yet he seemed unable to feel pain. His Rinnegan held only absolute indifference.

"Where is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?" the Deva Path asked, his voice like rusted gears grinding together.

"I... I don't know!" Shizune answered through clenched teeth.

"Then you have no value." The Deva Path raised his hand.

Then—

"Naruto!"

A heart-wrenching cry rang out from the other side of the ruins.

It was Sakura. Her face was smeared with blood and ash, and her green medic-nin vest was torn in several places. She still held a scalpel in her hand. She had been tending to the wounded, but the moment she saw the Deva Path approaching Tsunade, she charged over without hesitation.

And at the very instant she cried out that name—

The sky split open.

White smoke poured down like a waterfall. When it cleared, a figure descended from the sky and crashed heavily between the Deva Path and Tsunade. The shockwave from the landing blew all the surrounding rubble away, filling the air with dust.

The dust slowly cleared.

Orange markings. Frog-like horizontal pupils. The six whisker-like marks on his face stood out more sharply. A massive scroll was strapped to his back, and the chakra radiating from him made the air itself tremble.

Sage Mode, Uzumaki Naruto.

"Pain..." Naruto's voice was terrifyingly low. "What did you do... to the Pervy Sage?"

The Deva Path stopped walking, his Rinnegan fixed on Naruto. "You are the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Good. That saves me the time of looking for you."

Naruto did not turn around, but he could sense it—behind him, Granny Tsunade's chakra was as weak as a guttering candle; Shizune was trembling; Sakura stood in the distance, her chakra fluctuations violent. She was clearly injured, yet still forcing herself to hold on.

And... farther away.

Kakashi-sensei's chakra had vanished.

The Pervy Sage's chakra had vanished.

Countless familiar and unfamiliar chakra signatures winked out one after another, like candles blown out by the wind.

"I'm asking you," Naruto said word by word, each one seemingly forced through clenched teeth. "What did you do to the Pervy Sage?"

"Killed him." The Deva Path's answer was concise. "Along with Hatake Kakashi and 743 Konoha shinobi. If you do not resist, fewer people will die."

Naruto's body began to tremble.

Not from fear, but rage. Rage so extreme that it instead took on a terrifying calm. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, only icy killing intent remained in the horizontal pupils of Sage Mode.

"Then," he said, "I'll kill you."

Before his words had faded, he moved.

It was not Body Flicker, nor high-speed movement. Rather—he completed his hand seals the instant he moved.

"Sage Art: Multi-Shadow Clone Technique!"

A hundred Shadow Clones appeared at once, every one bearing the orange markings of Sage Mode. These were not ordinary Multi-Shadow Clones, but Sage Art clones reinforced with Natural Energy. Each possessed combat ability close to that of the original.

"Tactical Plan A!" all the Shadow Clones roared in unison.

Fifty Shadow Clones rushed toward the other five Paths—the Animal Path, Asura Path, Human Path, Naraka Path, and Preta Path. They did not engage head-on, instead harassing, restraining, and probing them.

The other fifty Shadow Clones surrounded the Deva Path from every direction.

The Deva Path remained expressionless and raised a hand. "Shinra Tensei."

The repulsive force field erupted, instantly blasting fifty Shadow Clones into white smoke. But at the instant the clones vanished, Naruto's original body moved—he slipped into the Deva Path's blind spot, a Rasengan already formed in his hand.

"Sage Art: Rasengan!"

It was not a Big Ball Rasengan, nor an Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan. It was merely the most basic Rasengan, but infused with Sage Art Chakra, its power multiplied geometrically.

The Deva Path turned, his Rinnegan catching the trajectory. He wanted the Preta Path to absorb it, but the Preta Path was entangled by twenty Shadow Clones and could not break free in time.

He could only take it head-on.

The Asura Path flashed in front of him, unfolding its mechanical arms into a shield.

The Rasengan struck the shield.

Crack—

The shield shattered. The Rasengan's momentum did not fade as it slammed into the Asura Path's chest, blasting a huge hole through his mechanical body. The Asura Path fell, parts scattering across the ground.

"First," Naruto said, with no joy in his voice, only coldness.

But then, a voice suddenly rang in Naruto's mind—not heard through his ears, but transmitted directly into his consciousness.

"Naruto, this is Inoichi from Intelligence. I've connected to you with the Mind Body Switch Technique. Listen carefully: among the Six Paths of Pain, the Deva Path is the strongest. He can use repulsion and attraction, but there is a five-second interval between uses. The Preta Path can absorb all ninjutsu, including Sage Arts, but it must concentrate while absorbing, and its movements become sluggish after absorbing Sage Arts. The Naraka Path can restore the other five Paths and must be dealt with first. The Human Path can extract souls; do not let him get close. The Animal Path's summoned beasts can be restored endlessly, but each restoration requires the Naraka Path's assistance. Repeating..."

Inoichi Yamanaka's voice was fast and clear, conveying all the intelligence Konoha had paid for with countless lives to Naruto.

Naruto's pupils contracted slightly.

Five-second interval. Sluggishness after absorbing Sage Arts. Restoration required the Naraka Path.

This information had been bought with the lives of the Pervy Sage, Kakashi-sensei, and so many Konoha shinobi.

He could not waste it.

"Tactical Plan B!" Naruto roared.

The remaining thirty Shadow Clones formed seals together. "Sage Art: Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

They were not attacking the Deva Path, but the ground. Gale-force winds swept up sand and dust, forming a sandstorm that covered the entire battlefield. Visibility dropped to zero, and even the Rinnegan's vision was disrupted.

Under the cover of the sandstorm, Naruto's original body and five Shadow Clones quietly advanced, their target—the Naraka Path.

"Banshō Ten'in."

The Deva Path's voice pierced through the sandstorm. Gravity seized Naruto's original body and dragged him into the air.

But Naruto had been prepared. At the moment he was pulled upward, he dispelled one Shadow Clone that had been storing Sage Mode.

Natural Energy flooded into him, replenishing his Sage Art Chakra. He twisted his body in midair, forming a Rasengan in each hand. "Sage Art: Twin Rasengan!"

The two Rasengan slammed toward the Deva Path simultaneously.

The Deva Path had no choice but to interrupt the attraction and use repulsion to knock the attack away. But at the instant he used Shinra Tensei, a cold curve touched Naruto's lips.

Five seconds had begun.

"Now!"

The five hidden Shadow Clones charged out of the sandstorm. Their target was not the Deva Path, but the Naraka Path. Each clone held a Rasengan.

The Naraka Path tried to summon the King of Hell for defense, but the five Shadow Clones thrust forward simultaneously from five directions, sealing every route of escape.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Five Rasengan pierced the Naraka Path's body at once. Not its vital points, but its joints—shoulders, elbows, knees, and ankles. The Naraka Path froze in place, unable to form seals or move.

"Sage Art: Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan!"

Naruto's original body descended from the sky, the Rasengan in his hand over three meters wide, and smashed it down onto the Naraka Path's head.

Boom—!!!

The Naraka Path's head was blown apart, and its body was crushed into pulp by the Rasengan's aftershock. The King of Hell's phantom flickered once in the air, then dissipated.

"Second," Naruto said, dropping to one knee upon landing and panting heavily.

The consecutive Sage Arts had consumed too much. He immediately dispelled a second Sage Mode Shadow Clone, replenishing his chakra once more.

The Deva Path looked at the Naraka Path's remains. For the first time, a grave expression appeared in his Rinnegan.

"You are stronger than the intelligence suggested," he said. "But not strong enough."

He raised a hand toward the Human Path. "Banshō Ten'in."

The Human Path flew into his hand. Then he turned and threw the Human Path toward Naruto—not as an attack, but as a shield.

Naruto wanted to meet it with a Rasengan, but Inoichi's urgent voice rang in his mind. "Careful! The Human Path can extract your soul the moment it touches you!"

Naruto was forced to retreat. And at the instant he did, the Deva Path moved.

Not with ninjutsu, but taijutsu—so fast that afterimages streaked through the sandstorm. He appeared at Naruto's side, forming a black receiver rod in his hand and thrusting it toward Naruto's back.

"Sage Art: Toad Kata!"

Naruto counterattacked on instinct. This was taijutsu under Sage Mode, infused with Natural Energy, its attack range far greater than it appeared. His elbow knocked the receiver rod aside, while his other palm struck toward the Deva Path's chest.

But the Deva Path neither dodged nor retreated.

Squelch.

Naruto's palm struck the Deva Path's chest, Sage Art Chakra exploding and widening the bowl-sized wound there by another circle. The Deva Path spat out blood, but his hand also seized Naruto's wrist.

"Got you," the Deva Path said.

The receiver rod in his other hand stabbed toward Naruto's abdomen.

Naruto tried to break free, but the Deva Path's grip was as firm as iron pincers. He could only twist aside at the last possible moment, allowing the rod to pierce his flank rather than strike a vital point.

"Ugh—!" Naruto grunted as agonizing pain tore through his abdomen.

"It's over." The Deva Path pulled out the receiver rod, preparing to drive it into Naruto's heart.

But then, a figure slammed into the Deva Path from the side.

It was Sakura.

She gripped the scalpel in both hands, pouring all her chakra into its blade as she slashed viciously at the Deva Path's arm. That strike used every ounce of her strength, all her courage, all her resolve.

A wound deep enough to expose bone opened across the Deva Path's arm. He frowned and swung his black rod at Sakura.

Sakura wanted to dodge, but that strike had drained all her strength. She could only watch helplessly as the black rod drew closer and closer—

"Don't—!!!"

Naruto's roar echoed across the battlefield.

The black rod pierced Sakura's chest and emerged from her back. She lowered her head to look at the rod in her chest, then raised her eyes toward Naruto. Her lips moved as though she wanted to say something, but only blood spilled forth.

Then she crumpled to the ground, her eyes still open, fixed in Naruto's direction.

Time stood still.

Naruto watched Sakura fall. He watched her blood stain the ground red. He watched that final look in her eyes—without fear, without regret, containing only something deep that she had never had the chance to say...

"Sa...kura..."

The sound was forced from the depths of his throat, hoarse beyond anything a human should have been able to make.

Then something snapped.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH—!!!!!"

Golden chakra erupted from Naruto's body. It was not the orange chakra of Sage Arts, but something more violent, more sinister—tailed beast chakra. One tail, two tails, three tails... Golden tails grew behind him, each one formed from pure malice and fury.

Four tails, five tails, six tails...

The Deva Path's pupils contracted sharply. He tried to retreat, but Naruto had already seized him.

No, not Naruto.

Something older. Something far more terrifying.

The eight-tailed monster clutched the Deva Path by the throat and lifted him off the ground. Its eyes were pure beast eyes, and an inhuman roar came from its mouth:

"You... killed... Sakura..."

"You... killed... Pervy Sage..."

"You... killed... Kakashi-sensei..."

"You... killed... everyone..."

"I'll... tear you apart..."

The Deva Path struggled, trying to blast it away with Shinra Tensei, but the monster's strength was too great. The suppression of its chakra prevented his technique from taking shape. Besides, the five-second interval had not yet ended.

"Banshō—" The Deva Path had barely uttered two syllables when the monster smashed him violently into the ground.

Boom!

The impact blasted a crater ten meters wide into the ground. The Deva Path lay at its bottom, the wound in his chest completely torn open, his organs spilling through the gash. He wanted to heal himself, but the Naraka Path was already dead, and the other five Paths could barely protect themselves.

The monster leaped into the crater, raised its claw, and aimed it at the Deva Path's head.

The final blow.

But at that moment, the monster's movement suddenly froze.

Within it—or rather, within Naruto—some kind of power was awakening.

Golden light shone from his heart. It was the sealing formula the Fourth Hokage, Minato, had left behind. The instant Naruto lost control of his emotions and the tailed beast chakra ran wild, the seal activated automatically, forcibly interrupting the Eight-Tails transformation.

"No... don't..." the monster—Naruto—let out a pained growl. "I want to... kill him... I want to..."

"Naruto."

A gentle voice rang out in his mind.

Naruto froze. That voice... was so familiar...

"Calm down, son," the voice continued. "Anger cannot solve anything. Your comrades are still waiting for you."

"Dad...?" Naruto murmured.

"Yes. To make a long story short, the chakra I left within you can only appear this one time." Minato's voice carried a hint of a smile, though there was more gravity in it. "Listen to me. Pain—or rather, Nagato—is not your true enemy. Like you, he is a victim of war, someone who longs for peace but took the wrong path."

"But he killed—"

"I know. I saw it all." Minato's voice sank. "But killing only creates more killing, and hatred only perpetuates more hatred. What you need to do is not seek revenge, but understand—understand his pain, and then tell him there is another path he can take."

"I... can't do it..."

"You can. Because you are my son, Jiraiya-sensei's disciple, and the child of prophecy." Minato's voice began to fade. "Go find Nagato's real body and talk to him. In your own way, tell him your answer. Remember, no matter when, you must believe—"

The voice vanished.

The seal stabilized once more. The eight tails withdrew into his body, and the monster-like features receded. Naruto dropped to his knees at the bottom of the crater, returning to human form, though Sage Mode had already faded.

He raised his head and looked toward the edge of the crater.

The Deva Path sat up with difficulty. The wound in his chest was fatal, but he was still breathing, and his Rinnegan were still watching Naruto.

"Why didn't you kill me?" the Deva Path asked.

"Because..." Naruto wiped the tears and blood from his face. "Because I want to know why you did this. I want to know what kind of pain could turn you into this."

The Deva Path remained silent for a long time.

Then he said, "If you truly want to know the answer... come find me."

After saying that, the Deva Path closed his eyes.

It was not death. His consciousness had returned to the real body.

Naruto stood up. He looked at the bodies of Sakura, Jiraiya, and Kakashi. He looked at Tsunade and Shizune atop the building. He looked at Konoha, reduced to ruins.

Then he turned around, drove a black rod into his palm, activated Sage Mode, and sprinted northeast with all his strength.