Naruto: The Otsutsuki Naruto

Within Naruto's mindscape, the familiar cage stood as an unyielding barrier, separating a boy and a fox whose hearts had yet to truly connect.

Naruto Uzumaki: "You're asking me to apologize, Kurama. Does that mean you think I was wrong?"

Kurama: "Whether you were wrong or not, what's the harm in apologizing to me, hmm?"

Naruto muttered under his breath, "So you're not outright saying I was wrong anymore."

Kurama: "Huh? What did you just say?"

"Nothing." After a brief silence, Naruto said, "I'm sorry."

Kurama's large ears twitched. "Hmph~."

Naruto continued, "I failed to protect you before."

Kurama: "Hmm???" Initially, Kurama thought Naruto was just going through the motions, but hearing those unexpected words, his ears perked up sharply.

Naruto spoke with conviction, "This time, I swear—no one will ever take you away from me again!"

Kurama's emotions erupted: "Hmph! Aren't you still planning to revive the Ten-Tails someday? Reviving the Ten-Tails means erasing me! Don't you understand that?"

Naruto slowly lifted his head, his gaze as clear as a reflection of his past self. "Kurama, do you know why I don't want the Ten-Tails to be revived prematurely?"

Kurama retorted without hesitation: "Because you want to find a scapegoat—a sacrificial pawn for reviving Kaguya Otsutsuki! You've said it yourself before: you want to revive Kaguya and become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki!"

Naruto nodded. "Yes."

Kurama couldn't hold back: "So, before you, there will be another Ten-Tails Jinchuriki—a powerful enemy! Without absolute certainty, you don't want to face such an enemy prematurely. That's why you don't want the Ten-Tails to be revived early, isn't it?"

Naruto admitted, "To those around me, I must say that. It's necessary to maintain my current persona."

Kurama stared him down: "What nonsense! Persona? What kind of BS persona?! Do you think you're some national idol? You're a rogue ninja!"

Naruto met Kurama's gaze head-on. "I want to find a way to revive the Ten-Tails without losing you—or any of the Tailed Beasts."

Kurama froze in place, stunned.

Naruto raised his hand, placing it over his heart, his voice passionate: "That's my true intention. You can't see it because you've been guarding yourself against me."

Kurama gazed deeply into Naruto, and after a long pause, extended one of his claws through the cage's bars. "Then let me test you. If there's even a shred of dishonesty, I'd rather be swallowed by the Gedo Statue than walk alongside you again!"

"I never lie," Naruto declared, his voice steady and confident. "Because the words I speak will always become reality."

Naruto raised his hand, open and resolute.

Smack!

After more than half a year—or perhaps half a century—their fists collided once more.

Drip.

Ripples radiated across the surface of the lake within Naruto's mind.

Having confirmed each other's intentions, Naruto and Kurama shared a knowing smile.

Click! Click! Click!

The locks of the seal began to twist and turn, unlocking with a resounding finality.

Naruto recalled the True Waterfall and the parting words of his innocent self.

"Kurama is deeply insecure. It fears that your relentless pursuit of power will turn you into a cold and unfeeling person."

Naruto: "Kurama, that day you feared will never come!"

Kurama: "Hmph! Why didn't you come to me and confess everything the day you returned?"

Naruto: "Honestly, I was scared and uncertain. I didn't know how to face you."

Kurama: "You idiot. You're over a hundred years old and still act like a child! Though in front of me, you'll always be a child."

Naruto: "And I thought you were so clever and understanding that you'd figure it out on your own."

Kurama's ears twitched. "Hmph~ Flattery won't work on me. I'm still mad~."

Naruto: "Then I'll spend more time with you from now on, making up for what's been lost."

Kurama snorted again: "Hmph~."

Bang! The cage opened, and the two whose hearts now resonated as one prepared to move forward together.

Naruto: "Let's do this, Kurama~!"

Kurama: "Oh~!"

The heart's connection, a momentary flash in reality, had been forged.

Naruto raised his head.

Golden chakra roared to life, enveloping him in a blazing aura. Black markings ran across his body, and a flowing golden cloak billowed behind him.

This mode was no longer the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode—it was the genuine article.

Kurama Chakra Mode!

Obito: "Naruto, you…!"

Black Zetsu: "At a time like this, you've managed to unite with the Nine-Tails? But so what? What difference does it make now?"

Naruto's gaze sharpened. "It makes all the difference. Before, in the golden mode, I could only separate Kurama's chakra from my own and use them individually. Even merging it with a Purple Lightning Chakra Mode required painstaking effort. But now, my chakra and Kurama's chakra are perfectly compatible—no longer divided. Do you know what that means?"

Swish!

Naruto opened his palm.

Golden chakra expanded outward, forming Kurama's massive body!

Crackle! Crackle!

Kurama's chakra fused with Purple Lightning Chakra, rapidly transforming into a terrifying purple-gold thunderous plasma that rose from the ground!

Thunderstorm Kurama Chakra Mode!

Sizzle!

Naruto's eyes narrowed sharply.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Around the thunderous Kurama, the silver-gray armor of Susanoo began to form. However, the immense internal chakra pressure exceeded Susanoo's current capacity. Naruto had no choice but to separate part of the plasma into fierce lightning bolts that surrounded Susanoo externally.

On Susanoo's forehead, amidst the vast storm of lightning, Naruto murmured, "This should do it."

Armored Thunderstorm Kurama Chakra Mode!

But against Black Zetsu, who possessed Yin-Yang Release, how could Sage Mode be absent?

Clap!

Naruto brought his palms together.

Sage Mode activated instantly!

Externally, Kurama and Susanoo remained unchanged, but to draw an analogy—the core of the power reactor had shifted from conventional energy to nuclear energy. As a result, every attack unleashed would now ascend to the realm of Sage Art.

At this point, Black Zetsu's attitude lost its earlier levity. His expression darkened as he said, "A pity. This is indeed a formidable power. But unfortunately, you're still no match for the infinite might of Maha."

Thousands of colossal wooden hands, each carrying a Gedo Statue's Tailed Beast Bomb, loomed as the ultimate symbol of overwhelming force.

Naruto's sharp gaze glinted as he replied, "Idiot, who said I'd clash head-on with that thing? Black Zetsu, if you want to control it to attack, you'll have to materialize yourself. And when you do, I'll strike directly at you. You'd better watch out~!"

Black Zetsu sneered: "Bold words. Do you really think you can pull it off?"

"I can!"

Boom! At that moment, beside Naruto, the pitch-black fully-formed Susanoo rose to its feet.

Obito: "Because I'm here!"

Black Zetsu's killing intent surged: "You think you can? Then let's see you try!"

The sky filled with countless wooden hands, propelling Gedo Statue Tailed Beast Bombs as they crushed downward.

Ten Thousand Buddhas Descend!

The ultimate clash of the Battle at Immortal River erupted!

~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~

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