How Kurama Leads Naruto Astray

"Can we not joke around at a time like this?" Sasuke sighed, glancing at Kurama beside him. "Also, that whole 'falling faster than cherry blossoms' line? That was full of malice." 

Even without any special ability to sense emotions, Sasuke could *feel* the sarcasm dripping from Kurama's words. 

Kurama grinned. "You're imagining things. No malice here." 

Below, Shikaku lowered his hands from his seals, watching as Minato, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Naruto landed beside him. He let out a breath. 

"Well, I'd say that went pretty well." 

Fukasaku, sitting on Jiraiya's shoulder, twitched slightly, eyeing Shikaku with curiosity. "It's not surprising that natural energy can turn people to stone, but the way you used it to set a trap… Hmm, Mount Myoboku should take notes." 

Fukasaku: *I've learned something new. I can teach this to the other toads. The other toads will learn it. And once they do, all of Mount Myoboku will know it.* 

Perfect. 

If they ever found themselves outmatched, they could just flood their opponents with natural energy. 

Naruto, watching the dust settle in the distance, was curious. "I know natural energy can turn people into stone, but can it really affect someone using the Rinnegan to absorb chakra?" 

"I wasn't sure at first," Shikaku replied calmly. "But something Kurama said made me believe it could. So while Jiraiya-sama was gathering natural energy, I asked Fukasaku and Shima about it, and they confirmed it—yes, it works." 

"By continuously attacking with Sage Jutsu, we forced him to absorb more and more natural energy. Then, once he reached his limit, we struck with full force, sealed him in place, and let a Taijutsu user finish him off." 

Minato thought for a moment, then gave Shikaku an approving nod. "A simple strategy, but very effective." 

It was such a straightforward plan, yet none of the four Sage Jutsu users present had thought of it. Maybe, when someone gets too powerful, their mindset shifts toward brute-force combat, making them overlook basic strategy. 

If they kept relying on raw strength to overwhelm their enemies, then how different were they from the Otsutsuki?

Minato reminded himself to stay focused, then looked at Naruto. 

"Naruto, no matter what, remember this battle. Strength alone isn't everything. You need a heart that matches your power—that's the most important thing." 

Even Senju Hashirama, as strong as he was, never neglected tactics and ninjutsu planning. In the end, he barely defeated Uchiha Madara with a wood clone strategy. That's what happens when great strength is combined with a strong heart. 

Both Hashirama and Madara were the same in that regard. 

Right now, Naruto's raw power was overwhelming—so overwhelming that everyone present had to look up to him. The power of the Sage of Six Paths, the Sage Body, the Tailed Beasts… Any one of these abilities alone was far stronger than anyone else here. 

Yet, he was being suppressed by Urashiki. Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Tsunade, who were weaker in pure strength, were actually able to push Urashiki back. 

That's the difference a strong heart makes. Power alone isn't true strength. True strength comes from the synergy between power and a strong will. 

Otsutsuki Kaguya was immensely powerful, but without a heart to match, she still ended up sealed away. 

Anyway, back to the fight— 

Kurama watched the dust and sand rising in the distance, a strange look flashing across his face. 

"Hey, Sasuke, have you ever heard this saying?" 

Sasuke, expressionless, replied, "No, and I don't want to. Don't say it." 

"I'm saying it anyway." Kurama lifted his head proudly. "There's an old saying: 'Where there's smoke, there's no—'" 

Boom—! 

Before Kurama could finish, the dust cloud suddenly exploded outward, and Urashiki's battered figure was sent flying. 

His chest was caved in, blood seeped through his clothes, and crimson dripped from the corner of his mouth, staining his shirt. He looked completely miserable. But his voice remained disturbingly unhinged. 

"So close… Just a little more, and I would've died at the hands of you lowly creatures… Heh… Heh heh…" 

As if responding to his madness, the sky darkened. Heavy storm clouds had gathered overhead at some point, pressing down like an impending explosion of rage. 

But Kurama was more concerned with something else. 

Sasuke, still expressionless, stared at the deranged Urashiki and sighed. 

"Kurama, do me a favor. Talk less from now on." 

Kurama: "…" 

Urashiki: I swear to— …Never mind, it's already too late. 

"This has nothing to do with me!" Kurama shouted at Sasuke. "That guy just refuses to die! How is that my fault?!" 

He absolutely would not admit that his words somehow jinxed the situation. Absolutely not! 

"Well, I wasn't expecting that one move to take him down anyway," Shikaku said, scratching the back of his head. "Alright, moving on to phase two of the plan." 

"Got it!" Naruto was the first to shout in response, forming hand seals. The massive Kurama opened its mouth, gathering chakra. 

"Sage Art: Super Big Rasenshuriken!" 

Sasuke's Mangekyou Sharingan spun as he summoned his half-body, third-stage Susano'o once again. 

"Sage Art: Blaze Release—Amaterasu Arrow!" 

Then— 

"Blaze Release: Kagutsuchi!" 

Kurama opened his jaws wide, a gigantic Tailed Beast Bomb forming in his mouth. 

"Sage Art: Super Tailed Beast Bomb!" 

"These guys have way too much energy," Jiraiya joked, watching the scene unfold. 

Then, he looked up at the massive jutsu being prepared, his eyes turning serious. 

"We older generations can't let the younger ones outshine us." 

"Fukasaku! Shima! Let's go!" 

Jiraiya and the two Toad Sages formed hand seals at the same time, unleashing a massive surge of natural energy. 

"Sage Art: Fire Release – Divine Flame Spirit's Decree!" 

Kushina closed her eyes as a crimson aura surged out from her body. In the next moment, she opened them again, her pupils turning into vertical slits like a beast's. She formed a hand seal. 

"Sealing Jutsu: Earth – Ninety-Eight Quintillion Wild Hammer Style!" 

Uchiha Fugaku stood behind them, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan fixed on the battlefield. But he wasn't looking at Urashiki—he was watching Sasuke in the distance. 

After a long pause, he suddenly let out a quiet chuckle, so faint that no one noticed. The next second, he formed a hand seal. 

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!" 

Kurama: "…" 

Why is his move so weak compared to the others? 

Kurama looked at Fugaku in disbelief. Also, when did this guy even show up? 

But that wasn't the main concern right now. 

Urashiki looked down at the colorful Ninjutsu gathering below him. A crazed grin spread across his face, his expression almost sickly. 

"You really think the same tricks are going to work on me again?" 

He ignored the powerful chakra gathering beneath him and pressed his hands together. The massive energy of the Dragon Vein responded instantly, and a pillar of purple light shot into the sky. 

"Shinra Tensei!" 

With the boost from the Dragon Vein, Urashiki's Shinra Tensei was far stronger than usual. He blocked every attack in one go—no… not all of them! 

The sky looked like it was being torn apart. The heavy, oppressive clouds finally burst, and rain started to fall. 

"Heh… *cough!*" 

Urashiki coughed up blood from the strain of blocking the attacks. Under the stunned gazes of everyone, he spoke. 

"I know what you're trying to do. You want me to keep using this power until it overwhelms me and kills me. That way, you won't have to deal with me yourselves…" 

Then, suddenly, he let out a wild, unhinged laugh. 

"I'll grant your wish!" 

"Now, take this! You lowly creatures!" 

"Chibaku Tensei!" 

The earth… the sky… even the exploding chakra—everything started to gather toward a single point under Urashiki's madness. 

Chibaku Tensei—the strongest known sealing jutsu in the shinobi world. 

It was also Urashiki's final trump card. 

— 

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