"Shhhhhh!"
In the early morning, several sharp sounds broke the peaceful silence. Six masked Anbu appeared in the dense forest near the border of the Land of Fire.
Calling it a dense forest was not entirely accurate. This place had once been a thick forest, but now, it was nothing more than a bare clearing. The surrounding trees were filled with broken roots and scattered leaves, creating a chaotic scene reminiscent of the aftermath of a hurricane.
The air carried the fresh scent of grass. The Anbu swiftly spread out, searching for something.
After a while, the six Anbu regrouped at the center of the clearing, seemingly having completed their search.
"Did you find anything?" One Anbu crouched down, took out a map, and spread it on the ground while asking. The map was detailed, with numerous small red circles and crosses, clearly used for marking specific points.
"There are no traces of Shisui. This must have been a battlefield. The scent of the trees still lingers in the air."
"The battle must have happened recently."
"What should we do? Report to the village?"
One Anbu scanned the battlefield with a solemn expression.
The Anbu who had been crouching marked a cross on the map, thought for a moment, and said, "Send the information back to the village. They will decide our next move and dispatch reinforcements if necessary."
"That will take several days."
"First, inform the border forces. Have them send people to assist us immediately."
"The village still needs to be notified. Uchiha Shisui disappearing during a mission is a serious matter."
"He is a disciple of the Fourth Hokage and a member of the Uchiha clan. If he's alive, we need to find him. If he's dead, we need to recover his body."
After saying this, the Anbu tucked the map away inside his uniform. The six Anbu disappeared in a flash.
"Ha!"
"Yahh!!"
Outside Konoha, at the Uzumaki residence, the sharp sounds of training echoed from the dojo.
Inside, Uzumaki Raiden wore a loose training uniform, facing off against a red-haired boy. The boy, who was sparring with Raiden, was only ten years old, around 150 cm tall, with fair skin and a handsome face. However, a large red flame-patterned birthmark covered part of his face, giving him a distinctive appearance.
Sweat dripped down the boy's face, his red hair matted against his forehead. With each cry and shout, he swung his wooden sword fiercely at Raiden.
"Da-da-da!"
Raiden calmly placed his left hand on his waist while holding a long sword in his right hand. Effortlessly, he raised his blade to block the boy's attack, his expression composed.
"Yoriichi, your attacks are too slow—go faster!"
"Your body needs to adapt to the first gate of the Eight Gates Technique. From now on, keep the first gate open at all times!"
"Only by doing so will you have a chance to catch up to your brother."
The boy, feeling fatigued, slowed his swings slightly. However, even the smallest hesitation did not escape Raiden's sharp eyes. He immediately pointed it out.
The red-haired boy, Namikaze Yoriichi, was Naruto Uzumaki's younger brother. He had already passed the academy's graduation exam ahead of schedule and officially became a ninja.
However, Yoriichi was still young, and with Konoha currently at peace with neighboring nations, there was no urgent need to send a child like him on missions. With an abundance of older, more experienced genin available, younger ninja like Yoriichi often found themselves without assignments.
As a result, he stayed at Raiden's home, training to improve his strength while waiting for missions.
"Yes!" Raiden's reminder snapped Yoriichi back into focus. Realizing his mistake, he adjusted his stance and launched another attack.
Unlike most ninjas, Yoriichi had an extremely poor aptitude for ninjutsu. Despite years of effort, the only techniques he had successfully learned were the Three Basic Jutsu. While most academy graduates also knew only these jutsu, it was because the academy deliberately limited their curriculum. In contrast, Yoriichi had genuinely struggled to learn anything beyond them.
However, what he lacked in ninjutsu, he more than made up for in taijutsu. His natural talent in physical combat was extraordinary. With sharp perception, impeccable coordination, and immense stamina inherited from the Uzumaki lineage, he was exceptional.
Under the guidance of Might Guy, Yoriichi had already built a solid taijutsu foundation. In terms of hand-to-hand combat alone, he was already stronger than most genin.
Raiden's goal was to help Yoriichi fully integrate the Eight Gates Technique with his breathing techniques, training him to keep the first gate open at all times. He wanted Yoriichi to reach the point where the Eight Gates Technique became a natural part of his body.
At the center of the dojo, Yoriichi kept the first gate open as he swung his wooden sword with increasing intensity. His breathing grew heavier, but it helped him maintain his endurance despite the immense physical toll.
On the edge of the dojo, Naruto Uzumaki sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes following Yoriichi's movements.
Ever since the messengers from Cloud and Stone left, Naruto had been grounded by the village due to being a Jinchūriki. He had no missions and was left with nothing to do.
However, Naruto was not the type to sit around idly. Understanding his situation, he threw himself into training. His mentor? None other than his uncle, Uzumaki Raiden.
Originally, Raiden considered sending Naruto to Mount Myōboku to train in Sage Mode. But after careful thought, he decided it would be better for Naruto to master the power of the Tailed Beast first. Since both Sage Mode and Tailed Beast control were meant to enhance strength, mastering the Tailed Beast's power first would provide a solid foundation for learning Sage Mode later.
However, despite the plan, Naruto had remained in the village for a long time without starting his Tailed Beast training.
Watching Yoriichi practice for days, Naruto finally lost patience. He yawned, stretched, and then approached Raiden.
"Uncle, I've been watching Yoriichi train for days."
"When are you going to start teaching me?"
"If you're too busy, why not send me to Mount Myōboku first? I can start training in Sage Mode while you're handling other things."
Naruto's eyes sparkled with hope. He hated wasting time and felt a sense of urgency. Seeing Yoriichi train every day made him anxious—he didn't want his younger brother catching up to him. Losing his position as the big brother would be humiliating.
"Don't worry. This time, I've arranged a special training camp."
"You're not the only one learning to control a Tailed Beast's chakra."
"There are several Jinchūriki in our village."
"Speak of the devil, here they come now."
As Raiden spoke, the dojo doors slid open. Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin stepped inside. Behind them, Senju Karin peeked in, waving at Naruto and Yoriichi.
"What? I have to train with them?"
Upon seeing Karin, Naruto groaned in disappointment. He had expected private lessons from his uncle, not a group training session.
"Lord Raiden."
"Teacher Raiden."
Obito and Rin greeted him respectfully before approaching Naruto. Obito grinned, bent slightly, and ruffled Naruto's hair.
"Do you really think Rin needs to train with you?"
"She's already far ahead of you in controlling a Tailed Beast."
"This so-called 'training camp' is actually just Teacher Raiden having Rin teach you, you little brat!"
Naruto pouted. "Teach me? Pfft, what's Sister Rin going to teach me? I don't want to learn medical ninjutsu!"
Raiden chuckled. "Naruto, you're wrong. Mastering medical ninjutsu requires precise chakra control—something crucial for controlling a Tailed Beast."
He placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder.
"Yoriichi, after you rest for a while, continue practicing in the dojo. I'll take your brother outside to train with the others."
Uzumaki Raiden gave the order, then stood up and waved to Naruto and the others.
The group quickly walked out of the Uzumaki compound and arrived at the open space beside the waterfall just outside the courtyard.
"Speaking of which, I know why Sister Rin and Karin are here, but Brother Obito, what about you?"
Uzumaki Naruto followed them to the open area, looking at Obito with a curious expression. Then, his smile gradually turned mischievous.
"Could it be…" Naruto's tone became playful, hinting at something.
"Don't talk nonsense. This time, Lord Raiden personally invited me," Obito said.
"It's for—"
Just as Obito was about to explain, Uzumaki Raiden interrupted him.
"Obito, as long as you understand, that's enough."
"There's no need to say anything more."
Raiden lightly tapped Obito's shoulder and spoke in a calm voice. Hearing this, Obito simply smiled at Naruto and chose not to continue the conversation. Anyone who understood the power of the Sharingan would know, but for Naruto, there was no need to spell it out so clearly.
"Alright, now that everyone is here, the training camp officially begins."
"You all know your identities, so there's no need to hide anything."
Uzumaki Raiden clapped his hands and spoke loudly. Uchiha Obito silently moved beside Raiden, folding his arms and glancing at Rin with a distant look in his eyes.
"Jinchūriki—every one of us here is one. No one is special."
"Right now, we face the threat of Uchiha Madara. Mastering the power of the Tailed Beast will be crucial to surviving the battles ahead."
"My expectations for you aren't high. I don't demand that you become great figures or gain fame in the ninja world. I only want one thing—"
"For all of you to survive this war."
"You must have the ability to protect yourselves."
After Raiden finished speaking, he glanced at Obito. Without hesitation, Obito weaved hand signs and used Earth Release, creating three stone platforms on the ground.
"Before we officially begin training, there's something you must understand."
"A Tailed Beast—while forced upon you by the village—is now an inseparable part of your destiny from the moment you became a Jinchūriki."
"A Tailed Beast is not just a weapon; it is bound to your fate and will always be a part of your life."
"Sit on the platforms first."
"Have a conversation with your lifelong companions."
As Raiden spoke, three golden chains extended from his back, wrapping around each of them and placing them onto the stone platforms.
Uzumaki Naruto felt his body lift involuntarily as he was guided onto the platform. His eyelids became heavy, and his vision darkened before he lost consciousness.
When Naruto opened his eyes again, the scene around him had changed drastically. The lush green ground had disappeared, replaced by an endless darkness.
It took a moment for Naruto to adjust to the pitch-black surroundings.
"This is…?" Uzumaki Naruto looked around in confusion, his eyes filled with surprise.
"Drip…"
Naruto found himself in a dimly lit sewer, with shallow pools of light yellow water at his feet. Though the world around him lacked any noticeable smell, he could feel the dampness of the cold pipe walls.
At the end of the tunnel, a faint light flickered.
Naruto, drawn to the light, cautiously moved forward.
"Naruto, you're so slow!"
After walking for a short while, Naruto arrived at an open space. In front of him stood a massive iron cage, shrouded in darkness, yet exuding an overwhelming presence.
Standing in front of the cage was a red-haired young man, who turned his head and addressed Naruto.
"Uncle? Why are you here? Where is this place?"
Naruto asked in surprise, staring at Uzumaki Raiden.
At that moment, the darkness within the cage was illuminated by a sudden light, revealing a strange, vibrantly colored giant insect.
(End of Chapter)