Naruto: The Nine-Tails' Legacy Chapter 77: A New Wind

"... Nine-Tails-sama?"

"Hm?"

Hearing Minato's voice, Kurama finally snapped back to reality.

Looking at Naruto's completely undisguised bright smile before him, the giant fox also grinned slightly.

"What? Finished your father-son bonding already?"

"Yes."

Minato smiled warmly.

"Both Naruto and I truly need to thank you."

"Really…"

"Thank you very much."

Kurama could even faintly see traces of redness lingering around Minato's eyes.

Though the man hid it extrely well.

"Hehe! Kurama's a really goo— ah, no, really great fox!"

Naruto still had tear stains lingering at the corners of his eyes.

Yet following his father's lead, he also bowed seriously toward Kurama.

"For over a year, I kept failing to learn Fox Sage Mode properly, but you never once got angry."

"You taught patiently every single ti…"

Naruto lowered his head sincerely.

"Thank you very much!"

"Kurama?"

Minato froze briefly upon hearing the na.

Then after noticing Kurama's reaction, he imdiately realized—

That was most likely the Nine-Tails' true na.

And that "Fox Sage Mode"… Naruto nad it himself?

"Hmph."

Kurama snorted coldly as always.

"Enough with the cheesy nonsense."

Still—

He accepted the gratitude from both father and son anyway.

Afterward, Naruto also dispelled Sage Mode.

Perhaps because he was still young, the physical exhaustion caused by Sage Mode amplification remained too much for his body to handle.

Thus, Kurama imdiately sent him back to reality.

After all—

They still had plenty of ti left to talk in the future.

Once Naruto left, the inner world once again returned to only Kurama and Minato.

"There's sothing I need to tell Nine—"

Minato hesitated briefly over how he should address Kurama now.

But Kurama casually interrupted him.

"You can call this old man Kurama too."

So he told Naruto first…

But not .

No…

More likely, he simply wanted Naruto to be the first one to call him by his real na.

Completely understanding Kurama's tsundere nature by now, Minato smiled softly.

"Then, Kurama-sama…"

"Regarding releasing your seal…"

"Although perhaps you don't really need it anymore…"

"The final key still remains with Jiraiya-sensei."

"Should Naruto find a way to contact him?"

"For now, no."

Kurama lazily swayed his tails.

"Besides, that unreliable Jiraiya isn't exactly easy to find."

"There's still ti."

"And Naruto's still just a child."

Kurama's voice lowered slightly.

"Giving him a happy childhood is what you should focus on as a father right now."

"Though naturally, don't let his training fall behind."

"eting you truly was Naruto's good fortune."

Minato closed his eyes once more and sincerely thanked Kurama again.

"I already told you."

Kurama twitched his ears irritably.

"Cut it out with the sentintal nonsense."

"Oh, right."

Minato suddenly recalled sothing.

"I just heard Naruto ntion wanting to teach the Sage… Fox Sage Mode you created to other people."

"But based on his description, the training thod sounds extrely dangerous…"

"How about it?"

Kurama imdiately beca smug.

"This old man's Fox Sage Mode is self-created!"

"As long as you possess enough stamina, the energy won't deplete nearly as easily as those stupid toad Sage Modes."

"It's far superior."

"However…"

Kurama's expression beca more serious.

"If Naruto tries teaching it to others in reality, things beco difficult."

"Turning into stone outside the ntal world isn't sothing you can solve by simply smacking soone awake."

"They'd genuinely lose their human consciousness."

Kurama-sama really seems to like that na.

Minato thought inwardly before nodding.

"Of course."

"I already experienced how unique your natural energy is before."

"If Naruto's physical stamina were stronger, I could already tell my own Fox Sage Mode back then would've lasted much longer."

"However…"

Minato thoughtfully continued.

"The danger in the training thod still exists."

"Although I don't fully understand everything yet, couldn't the process perhaps start with very tiny amounts of natural energy?"

"Then gradually increase the amount."

"That way, you could safely determine the body's upper limit without risking petrification."

The mont Minato finished speaking—

Naruto's inner world suddenly fell completely silent.

Watching Kurama freeze entirely in place—

Minato imdiately understood sothing.

Looks like Naruto's future teaching still needs to be handled by after all…

anwhile, waking up back in reality, Naruto instantly felt exhaustion crashing down upon him again.

"Looks like even ntally activating that mode burns way more stamina than expected."

"For over a year now, I've focused mostly on ntal training and neglected proper physical conditioning."

"Starting tomorrow, I seriously need to—"

Knock knock.

A knock suddenly sounded at the door.

At this hour, it was probably only him.

"Yo, Sasuke."

Naruto opened the door.

The bright smile on his face was so dazzling that Sasuke instinctively felt slightly blinded by it.

This idiot's really THAT happy after learning a new technique?

Sasuke froze briefly.

"What?"

Naruto tilted his head.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Originally, I ca to ask whether you mastered that so-called ultimate technique of yours yet."

Sasuke snorted.

"But looking at your expression now, I guess I don't even need to ask."

"Ehehehe, you figured it out?"

Naruto rubbed his nose proudly.

"But don't worry!"

"Tomorrow I'll head to the training ground."

"Then I'll show you, Hinata, Neji, Lee, and everyone else just how amazing this new move is!"

"And if you guys want to learn it, I'll teach you too!"

"Hmph. Like I care."

Though Sasuke spoke disdainfully, he still briefly recalled the horrifying training process Naruto previously described.

Then he answered decisively:

"And with your teaching thods, nobody on earth could ever learn it."

"What's that supposed to an?!"

Naruto imdiately protested.

"Then why'd you co over?"

"To collect rent."

"Hah?!"

Naruto's eyes widened.

"The month isn't even over yet!"

"I changed my mind."

Sasuke answered expressionlessly.

"Pay ten days early."

...

Naruto stared speechlessly.

Coming over in the middle of the night just to demand that tiny amount of rent—

Did Sasuke seriously believe that excuse himself?

Of course, Sasuke never actually intended to collect money tonight.

He simply needed a reason to co.

After confirming Naruto truly mastered his so-called ultimate move, Sasuke prepared to leave.

Then suddenly—

Naruto spoke.

"Sasuke."

"In the future, let's go find your clan mbers together."

"I think I already know roughly where they are."

"!"

Sasuke's body stiffened violently.

Yet he still didn't turn around.

His back alone told Naruto how hard he currently suppressed his emotions.

"As long as they're alive, that's enough."

"For now…"

"I still can't…"

Then Sasuke's voice suddenly hardened.

"But soday…"

"I'll carry Itachi's head before them personally!"

"... Then let's also face everything involving your brother together."

"I already told you!"

Sasuke suddenly exploded.

Spinning around, he grabbed Naruto by the collar.

"This is between and him!"

"And you promised before you wouldn't interfere—"

"I did say that."

Naruto calmly nodded.

"Because you told I couldn't understand."

"And back then, I really couldn't participate in your battle."

"But now…"

Naruto looked directly into Sasuke's eyes.

"I think I understand your feelings now."

"So…"

"I want to witness it."

"You're my friend."

"No matter what choice you make, I want to witness it and walk alongside you."

Naruto's voice beca serious.

"Just like I want to help Neji break free from the fate he keeps talking about…"

"As your friend…"

"I absolutely won't let you beco alone."

"Even if you don't believe …"

Naruto smiled softly.

"I think now…"

"I really can understand you."

"..."

Sasuke slowly loosened his grip.

Then quietly raised his head and looked into Naruto's utterly honest eyes.

Understand.

He once told Naruto he could never understand him.

And honestly—

Sasuke himself sowhat regretted saying those words afterward.

Yet unexpectedly—

Naruto rembered them all this ti.

"... Do whatever you want."

After a long silence, Sasuke returned to his own apartnt.

Before closing the door, however—

He quietly left behind those final words.

"Hehe!"

Watching the neighboring door shut, Naruto revealed an incredibly satisfied grin.

Then—

A breeze drifted past.

And with it—

Spring finally arrived.

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