Crimson Legacy: The Awakening of Naruto's Hidden Bloodline

The midnight moon hung like a pale eye over Konoha, its light seeping through the cracks of Naruto Uzumaki's apartment window. He tossed in his sleep, tangled in sweat-drenched sheets, while beneath his skin, something ancient stirred.

"Kurama," he gasped, bolting upright as crimson chakra seeped from his pores—but this wasn't the Nine-Tails' chakra. This energy felt different—older, somehow. It coiled around his fingers like liquid metal, pulsing with a rhythm that matched the sudden, thundering beat of his heart.

Three years after the Fourth Great Ninja War, peace had settled across the lands like dust after a storm. Naruto, now eighteen, had grown into his role as Konoha's hero, his path to Hokage clearer than ever. Yet tonight, that future suddenly seemed uncertain.

The chakra receded as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind an unfamiliar sensation—like a door unlocked inside him, waiting to be pushed open.

"What the hell was that?" He stumbled to the bathroom, flipping on the harsh fluorescent light. His reflection stared back, unchanged save for the faintest tinge of red at the roots of his blond hair. Naruto blinked, and it was gone. Hallucinating. Had to be.

Morning brought no answers, only a bone-deep exhaustion that coffee couldn't touch. Naruto dragged himself to the Hokage Tower, where Kakashi awaited with his typical laid-back posture that belied the sharpness of his gaze.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Kakashi remarked, visible eye narrowing. "Everything alright?"

"Fine," Naruto lied, forcing a grin. "What's the mission?"

Kakashi slid a scroll across his desk. "Something interesting. Reports of unusual chakra disturbances near the ruins of Uzushiogakure. Given your heritage, I thought you might want to investigate."

Naruto's fingers froze halfway to the scroll. "Uzushiogakure? My mother's village?"

"The very same. Strange timing, isn't it? Almost like the land itself is calling for its lost children." Kakashi's masked face revealed nothing, but his tone carried an undercurrent of suspicion. "Sasuke's already in the region following up on another lead. You'll rendezvous with him there."

The coincidence was too perfect, too neatly packaged. Naruto's eyes narrowed, but he took the scroll anyway. "When do I leave?"

"Immediately."

The journey to the Land of Whirlpools took three days at a ninja's pace. Three days of sleepless nights where the strange chakra returned with increasing intensity, painting Naruto's dreams with fragmented visions: spiraling patterns carved into stone, chains of light cutting through darkness, and a woman's voice—not his mother's—whispering words in a language he somehow understood despite never having learned it.

"Ketsueki no isan," the voice murmured. The blood inheritance.

By the time the shattered ruins of Uzushiogakure appeared on the horizon—a skeleton of a once-proud village spread across small islands connected by crumbling bridges—Naruto was running on soldier pills and determination. The islands rose from the swirling waters that gave the land its name, mist clinging to the broken structures like ghosts unwilling to depart.

A familiar figure waited at the edge of the main island, black cloak billowing in the salt-laden wind.

"You're late," Sasuke said by way of greeting, mismatched eyes instantly assessing Naruto's condition. "And you look terrible."

"Nice to see you too," Naruto shot back, the familiar banter steadying him. "What's going on here?"

Sasuke turned toward the ruins. "Something's awakening. I can feel it with my Rinnegan—a chakra signature that wasn't active before. Ancient. Powerful." He glanced sidelong at Naruto. "And it resonates with you."

"With me?"

"Your chakra's changed. Subtly, but it's there. I noticed it the moment you arrived." Sasuke's expression darkened. "What aren't you telling me?"

Before Naruto could respond, a pulse of energy rippled through the ground beneath them. The ruins seemed to shift, stones grinding against one another as if the very island was rearranging itself.

"What the—" Naruto stumbled as the earth bucked beneath his feet. Instinctively, he reached for Kurama's chakra, the familiar golden energy enveloping him—but as it did, the strange crimson power surged in response, the two energies colliding like opposing waves.

Pain lanced through him, driving him to his knees. Through blurred vision, he saw Sasuke activate his Sharingan, sword drawn against an enemy neither of them could see.

"Naruto!" Sasuke's voice seemed distant. "Your chakra—it's destabilizing!"

The world tilted sideways as Naruto collapsed. The last thing he saw before consciousness fled was a spiral pattern in the stone beneath him, glowing with the same crimson energy that now burned through his veins.

He dreamed of chains.

Chains that sang as they moved, forged from chakra so concentrated it had become almost physical. They writhed around a woman with hair as red as blood, extending from her back like deadly appendages as she faced down an army alone.

Not his mother—someone older, her face severe yet beautiful, eyes burning with determination.

"The Uzumaki bloodline must survive," she declared to someone Naruto couldn't see. "Even if Uzushio falls today, our legacy will continue. The Ketsueki Kusari will sleep until it's needed again."

The scene shifted. The same woman, now wounded and exhausted, carving seals into stone with her own blood. Around her, the sounds of battle—Uzushiogakure's final stand.

"Into the blood, I seal our power. Into the spiral, I seal our knowledge. Only one who carries both the burden of a Bijuu and the pure blood of Uzumaki can awaken what sleeps here." Her hands formed seals Naruto had never seen before, complex patterns that seemed to bend reality itself. "When darkness threatens to consume all, when the world stands at the precipice once more, our heir will come."

As the final seal closed, her eyes met Naruto's across time itself, seeing him watching this moment from decades in the future.

"You," she whispered, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. "Are you the one?"

Naruto tried to speak, but no sound emerged. The woman smiled anyway, as if she had heard him.

"Then receive our legacy, child of the whirlpool. The Ketsueki Kusari awakens for you."

Her hands slammed down onto the spiral seal, and the dream exploded into crimson light.

"—unstable chakra network—"

"—never seen anything like it—"

"—seal is adapting, integrating with—"

Fragments of conversation pierced the darkness as Naruto floated in a sea of semi-consciousness. He felt hands on his chest, the cool flow of medical ninjutsu trying to stabilize whatever was happening to him.

"His hair—look!"

That was Sakura's voice. When had Sakura arrived?

With tremendous effort, Naruto forced his eyes open. Blurry faces surrounded him—Sakura, her hands glowing with healing chakra; Sasuke, Sharingan active as he monitored something only he could see; and surprisingly, Orochimaru, observing with clinical interest.

"Welcome back," the Sannin said, thin lips curving into something that wasn't quite a smile. "You've given us quite the puzzle, Naruto-kun."

"What's... happening to me?" Naruto's voice emerged as a rasp.

Sakura pressed a water flask to his lips. "We were hoping you could tell us. Your chakra network is undergoing some kind of transformation. And..." She hesitated, exchanging glances with Sasuke.

Orochimaru had no such compunctions. "Your appearance is changing as well. Most fascinating. It seems your Uzumaki heritage is asserting itself rather... dramatically."

Naruto tried to sit up, ignoring Sakura's protests. "Mirror," he demanded.

Reluctantly, Sakura produced a small compact from her medical pouch. Naruto flipped it open and froze.

Red. His hair—previously sunny blond—had darkened to a deep crimson, the color of fresh blood. His face seemed sharper somehow, cheekbones more pronounced, and faint markings—like seals—had appeared at his temples, subtle but unmistakable.

"What the hell?" he whispered, touching his transformed hair in disbelief.

"A Kekkei Genkai activation," Orochimaru supplied, clearly enjoying the drama. "Long dormant in your bloodline, but now awakening. The Uzumaki clan was known for more than just their sealing techniques and longevity, after all."

"Ketsueki Kusari," Naruto murmured, the words from his dream surfacing. "Blood Chains."

Orochimaru's eyes sharpened with interest. "Oh? You know of it already?"

"I saw it in a dream. A woman using chains made of chakra, but different from my mother's technique. More... substantial. She sealed this power away, said only someone with Uzumaki blood and a Bijuu could awaken it."

"The perfect storm of circumstances," Orochimaru mused. "Your Uzumaki heritage, combined with being Kurama's jinchūriki for so long, then adding the chakra of all nine Bijuu during the war... It's no wonder dormant genes have activated."

Sasuke, who had remained silent, finally spoke. "There's more. While you were unconscious, we explored deeper into the ruins. We found a chamber that seems to have been sealed for decades. Inside was an archive—scrolls, weapons, artifacts—all bearing the Uzumaki crest." His eyes met Naruto's. "And a prophecy, carved into the central stone, describing exactly what's happening to you."

"A prophecy?" Naruto echoed, disbelief coloring his tone.

"'When the last child of two bloodlines bears the burden of nine, the Crimson Legacy shall awaken,'" Sasuke recited. "'The chains that bind fate shall manifest once more, and the world's destiny shall hang upon their strength.'"

A heavy silence fell over the group.

"Great," Naruto finally muttered, running a hand through his newly crimson hair. "Just what I needed. Another prophecy."

Sakura's laugh held a tinge of hysteria. "Only you, Naruto. Only you could go on a simple reconnaissance mission and come back with an awakened bloodline limit and an ancient prophecy."

Naruto attempted to stand, wobbling slightly before Sakura steadied him. "Where are we, anyway? How long was I out?"

"Three days," Sasuke replied. "We're in a secured section of the ruins. After your collapse, I summoned reinforcements. Orochimaru was nearby, investigating... something else." His tone suggested he didn't entirely believe the Sannin's convenient presence was coincidental.

"I merely follow the scent of interesting developments," Orochimaru demurred, his serpentine eyes never leaving Naruto. "And you, Naruto-kun, have become very interesting indeed."

Before Naruto could respond, another pulse of energy surged through him, less painful than before but no less intense. Crimson chakra manifested around his arms, coalescing into glowing chains that emerged from his palms, hovering in the air before him.

Unlike his mother's Adamantine Sealing Chains, these were blood-red, inscribed with seals that shifted and changed as he watched. They seemed almost alive, responding to his thoughts rather than just his chakra control.

"Remarkable," Orochimaru breathed. "The density of that chakra—it's almost physical."

Naruto flexed his fingers experimentally, and the chains moved with fluid grace, extending and retracting at his command. The sensation was oddly familiar, as if he'd always known how to use this power but had simply forgotten until now.

"I can feel... everything through them," he said wonderingly. "The air currents, chakra signatures, even the stone beneath us. It's like they're an extension of my senses, not just weapons."

"Try channeling different chakra natures through them," Sasuke suggested, analytical even in his surprise.

Naruto concentrated, pushing wind-natured chakra into the chains. Immediately, they took on a sharper edge, the links becoming bladed. When he switched to water, they became fluid, almost liquid while maintaining their form.

"That's not a normal Kekkei Genkai," Sakura said, medical training kicking in. "Most bloodline limits allow for combining two chakra natures or manifest in specific ways. This seems more... adaptable."

"The Uzumaki were always special cases," Orochimaru noted. "Their techniques blurred the line between ninjutsu and fuinjutsu. This appears to be the pinnacle of that approach—living seals that can adapt and evolve."

The chains suddenly retracted, dissolving back into Naruto's body as fatigue hit him. He sagged, Sakura quickly moving to support him.

"You need rest," she insisted. "Your chakra network is still adjusting. Pushing too hard could damage it permanently."

Naruto wanted to protest, but the room had started spinning again. "Fine," he conceded. "But tomorrow, we find out everything there is to know about this Ketsueki Kusari. If I'm stuck with it, I need to understand it." His gaze swept over his companions, settling finally on Orochimaru. "And why it's chosen to awaken now, of all times."

The Sannin's answering smile held secrets Naruto wasn't sure he wanted to uncover. "Indeed. Why now, indeed?"

As darkness claimed him once more, Naruto couldn't shake the feeling that the answer to that question would change everything—again.

Dawn broke over the ruins of Uzushiogakure, painting the ancient stones in hues of gold and amber. Naruto stood at the edge of a crumbling balcony, watching as the whirlpools that gave the land its name churned in the distance. His crimson hair—still startling when he caught glimpses of his reflection—danced in the salt-laden breeze.

Three more days had passed since his collapse, days spent poring over scrolls recovered from the hidden chamber, trying to understand the legacy that had suddenly awakened within him. The answers they'd found had only spawned more questions.

"You're up early," Sasuke's voice came from behind him, the Uchiha moving with characteristically silent steps.

"Couldn't sleep," Naruto admitted, not turning around. "Too many things happening in here." He tapped his temple.

Sasuke joined him at the balcony's edge, mismatched eyes scanning the horizon. "Sakura says your chakra has stabilized. The integration is nearly complete."

"Yeah. It doesn't hurt anymore, just feels... strange. Like wearing someone else's clothes that somehow fit perfectly." Naruto extended his hand, summoning a single crimson chain that coiled around his arm like a serpent. "I'm beginning to understand it better. These aren't just weapons or tools—they're alive, in a way. Responsive. Intelligent."

"Like Shikamaru's shadow techniques?"

"Similar, but more advanced. The scrolls say the Ketsueki Kusari was the Uzumaki clan's ultimate technique—their most closely guarded secret. Not even Konoha knew about it." The chain extended, lashing out to wrap around a distant piece of rubble, which Naruto lifted effortlessly before setting it down. "It responds to intent more than specific commands."

Sasuke observed silently for a moment. "Have you tried communicating with Kurama since this started? The fox might have insights."

Naruto's expression darkened. "That's the problem. Kurama's been silent since this whole thing began. I can still feel him, but it's like there's a wall between us." He dismissed the chain, which dissolved back into crimson chakra before vanishing. "The scrolls mention something about 'balance of powers'—apparently, the Ketsueki Kusari and a Bijuu's chakra aren't designed to coexist peacefully. They're... competing, I guess."

"That could be dangerous."

"Tell me about it. I need to find a way to get them working together, or—" Naruto broke off as a flare of pain shot through his temple, the seal-like markings there briefly glowing before fading back to normal.

Sasuke tensed. "What is it?"

"Nothing. Just growing pains." Naruto forced a grin that didn't reach his eyes. "So, what's the plan for today? More dusty scrolls, or are we actually going to do something?"

Before Sasuke could answer, Sakura appeared in the doorway leading to the balcony, her expression grim. "You might want to come see this. Both of you."

She led them deeper into the complex they'd been using as a base, down winding stairs to the chamber housing the archives. Orochimaru was already there, examining what appeared to be a freshly uncovered section of wall. The stone was covered in intricate seals, spiraling outward from a central point that pulsed with faint chakra.

"It activated while you were outside," Sakura explained, gesturing to the wall. "The seals just... appeared, as if they were rising to the surface of the stone."

Orochimaru turned, excitement barely contained behind his composed façade. "This, I believe, is what we've been looking for. A blood seal—one that will only respond to a true Uzumaki."

Naruto approached cautiously, the seals seeming to pulse more strongly as he neared. "What do you think it hides?"

"Knowledge, most likely. The most sensitive information would have been protected this way, accessible only to those with the right... credentials." Orochimaru's gaze flicked meaningfully to Naruto's transformed appearance.

"You want me to try opening it."

"Unless you'd prefer to leave the secrets of your clan buried forever," the Sannin replied smoothly.

Naruto exchanged glances with his teammates. Sakura looked concerned but nodded encouragingly. Sasuke remained impassive, but the slight narrowing of his eyes betrayed his wariness.

"Fine," Naruto decided, stepping forward. "What do I do?"

"Blood seals typically require exactly that—blood. Place your hand at the center and channel your chakra. The seal should do the rest."

Taking a deep breath, Naruto bit his thumb, drawing blood. He pressed his bleeding hand against the central spiral and pushed his chakra into it—not Kurama's golden energy, but his own, now tinged with the crimson of his awakened bloodline.

The effect was immediate and dramatic. The seals flared to life, glowing bright enough to illuminate the entire chamber. They began to move, rearranging themselves into new patterns, spiraling faster and faster until they converged at the center—directly beneath Naruto's palm.

Then, with a sound like breaking glass, the wall simply... dissolved.

Beyond lay another chamber, smaller and perfectly preserved. At its center stood a pedestal, upon which rested a single scroll, bound with chains made of the same material as the Ketsueki Kusari.

"The clan's most guarded secret," Orochimaru breathed, eyes gleaming with unconcealed fascination. "Hidden even from the archive."

Naruto stepped into the chamber, drawn forward by something he couldn't name. The moment he crossed the threshold, the chains binding the scroll reacted, uncoiling like awakening serpents. They hovered in the air for a heartbeat before shooting toward him.

Sasuke moved with blinding speed, Sharingan activated, but the chains ignored his attempt at interception. They struck Naruto squarely in the chest—then sank into his body, merging with his chakra network in a flash of crimson light.

"Naruto!" Sakura rushed forward as he staggered.

But instead of pain, Naruto felt only a rush of... information. Knowledge pouring directly into his mind, too fast to process consciously. He gasped, overwhelmed by the flood of memories and techniques that weren't his own.

"I'm... fine," he managed, steadying himself. "It's—they're showing me. The chains. How to use them, what they can do. It's like... downloading the user manual directly to my brain."

The scroll on the pedestal unrolled of its own accord, revealing text written in what appeared to be blood. As they watched, the writing shifted, changing from ancient Uzumaki script to modern characters that they could read.

To the Heir of Crimson Chains, it began. If you read these words, our clan has fallen as foreseen, and you carry both our blood and our burden...

Hours later, they gathered in what had once been a meeting hall, now repurposed as their command center. The scroll lay open on a stone table, its contents partially translated.

"It's a history," Naruto explained, running his fingers over the ancient parchment. "Not just of the Ketsueki Kusari, but of what it was created to fight."

Sakura leaned forward. "Which is?"

"The Ōtsutsuki." Naruto's expression was solemn. "Apparently, the Uzumaki clan encountered them long before Kaguya came to Earth. Or rather, they encountered evidence of previous harvests on other worlds."

Sasuke's interest sharpened visibly. "How? When?"

"Through dimensional research. The Uzumaki were experimenting with space-time ninjutsu—trying to create better storage seals, ironically enough—when they accidentally opened a window to another dimension. What they saw terrified them: a dying world, its chakra completely harvested, its people reduced to husks." Naruto tapped the scroll. "They spent generations studying what they'd found, developing techniques to combat what they called 'the Devourers.' The Ketsueki Kusari was their ultimate weapon—chains that could bind and absorb chakra at its most fundamental level, even from beings as powerful as the Ōtsutsuki."

"That explains why it's manifesting now," Orochimaru interjected. "After Kaguya's defeat and the revelation of the Ōtsutsuki threat, your blood recognized the need."

"But there's a problem," Naruto continued grimly. "The technique was never completed. The clan was attacked and destroyed before they could perfect it. What I have is the prototype—powerful, but unstable. Especially combined with Kurama's chakra."

Sakura frowned. "Is that why you've been having trouble accessing the Nine-Tails' power?"

"Yeah. According to this, the Ketsueki Kusari wasn't designed to coexist with a Bijuu. It sees Kurama as an outside chakra source to be contained or absorbed." Naruto ran a hand through his crimson hair in frustration. "I need to find a way to make them work together, or I'll end up with less power than I had before."

"The scroll doesn't explain how?" Sasuke asked.

"It mentions a 'Harmonization Ritual,' but doesn't give details. Says they're in another scroll, hidden somewhere else for security." Naruto stood, pacing restlessly. "But that's not all. The reason the Uzumaki were attacked and wiped out—it wasn't just because other villages feared their sealing techniques. It was because something was trying to prevent the completion of the Ketsueki Kusari."

A heavy silence fell over the group.

"You believe the Ōtsutsuki were already monitoring Earth," Orochimaru concluded, "and eliminated the Uzumaki as a precaution."

"Or someone working for them. The scroll suggests there were... humans who served the Ōtsutsuki. Willingly." Naruto's expression hardened. "Which means there could still be such people around today."

Sasuke's hand moved unconsciously to his sword. "That would explain certain... inconsistencies I've encountered during my travels."

"What kind of inconsistencies?" Sakura demanded.

"Strange chakra signatures. Unexplained disappearances of powerful shinobi. Ancient sites being disturbed." Sasuke's mismatched eyes met Naruto's. "I thought they were isolated incidents. Now I'm not so sure."

"We need to find that second scroll," Naruto decided. "If the Ketsueki Kusari is meant to fight the Ōtsutsuki, I need to master it properly."

"And where, exactly, do you propose to start looking?" Orochimaru inquired, though his tone suggested he already had theories.

Naruto turned to the Sannin with a grim smile. "The scroll mentions a failsafe—if Uzushiogakure fell, key knowledge would be hidden in three places: one in the ruins, one with their closest ally, and one 'in the belly of the enemy.'"

"The ruins would be this archive," Sakura reasoned. "And their closest ally was Konoha."

"Exactly. The Harmonization Ritual scroll should be somewhere in the Leaf Village, hidden for centuries, waiting for an Uzumaki to claim it." Naruto's eyes hardened with determination. "We need to return to Konoha."

The journey back should have taken three days. Instead, they made it in two, pushing hard through forests and across rivers, a sense of urgency driving them forward. Naruto's control over the Ketsueki Kusari grew with each passing hour, the chains now responding to his thoughts with increasing precision.

He discovered new applications for them constantly—using them to swing through forests at incredible speeds, creating barriers against the elements, even channeling his senses through them to scout ahead. The chains could extend far beyond what his mother's technique had been capable of, reaching nearly half a kilometer at their limit.

But with each new discovery came a price. The seal-like markings at his temples spread slightly, creeping across his face like crimson vines. And Kurama remained frustratingly silent, a presence Naruto could feel but not reach.

They arrived at Konoha's gates as dusk fell, the village's lights just beginning to twinkle in the gathering darkness. The guards did a double-take at Naruto's transformed appearance but admitted them immediately with wide eyes and hurried messages to the Hokage Tower.

Kakashi was waiting, his posture casual but eyes alert. "I'd say the mission was eventful," he remarked dryly as they entered his office. "Red suits you, Naruto."

Naruto cracked a tired smile. "Not like I had much choice in the change."

Quickly, they brought Kakashi up to speed on everything they'd discovered. The Hokage listened without interruption, only the occasional narrowing of his visible eye betraying his concern.

"So," he said when they finished, "we potentially have agents of the Ōtsutsuki operating within the shinobi world, and you need to find a scroll hidden somewhere in Konoha that will help you master a newly awakened bloodline limit that might be our best defense against them." He sighed deeply. "I miss the days when our biggest concern was Akatsuki."

"Any ideas where we should start looking?" Sakura asked. "The scroll could be anywhere."

"Not anywhere," Kakashi countered, rising from his desk. "If it was entrusted to Konoha for safekeeping, certain protocols would have been followed. Follow me."

He led them deeper into the Hokage Tower, past the administrative offices to a secure wing that few even knew existed. A series of security seals required Kakashi's blood and chakra signature to bypass, eventually opening onto a staircase that spiraled deep underground.

"The Hokage's Vault," he explained as they descended. "Every sensitive document, forbidden technique, and village secret that isn't stored in the regular archives ends up here. If your scroll exists, it's in this room."

The vault, when they reached it, was massive—a cavernous space lined with shelves, drawers, and sealed containers, all meticulously organized and labeled. Scrolls dating back to the founding of the village occupied one section, while more recent additions filled another.

"The Uzumaki section would be over there," Kakashi pointed to a small but distinct area marked with the spiral symbol. "Though I should warn you, most of these materials haven't been accessed in decades. There's no guarantee the scroll survived, especially if someone was actively trying to suppress the knowledge."

Naruto approached the Uzumaki section with reverence. These were the remnants of his clan, preserved by their allies after their destruction. His fingers trailed over scrolls detailing sealing techniques, histories, genealogies—

And then he felt it. A pulse of chakra responding to his own, coming from a small, unassuming box tucked away on a bottom shelf. When he lifted it, the box grew warm in his hands, seals appearing on its surface that mirrored the markings on his face.

"Another blood seal," Orochimaru observed, having silently followed.

Without hesitation, Naruto pressed his thumb to the central seal. The box clicked open, revealing a scroll bound with a single strand of crimson chain—much thinner than the ones he could now manifest, but unmistakably the same energy.

As before, the chain reacted to his presence, dissolving into his body as soon as he touched the scroll. This time, however, the influx of knowledge was gentler, more focused.

"The Harmonization Ritual," he confirmed, unrolling the scroll carefully. "It's all here. The technique to make the Ketsueki Kusari and Kurama's chakra work together."

"That seems suspiciously convenient," Sasuke noted, Sharingan activated as he examined the scroll for traps or genjutsu.

"Not convenient," Naruto corrected. "Planned. The Uzumaki knew their knowledge would be scattered. They designed each piece to be found in sequence." He scanned the contents, brow furrowing. "But this is... intense. The ritual requires specific conditions—a place where the boundary between dimensions is thin, during a celestial alignment, with catalysts I've never even heard of."

Sakura peered over his shoulder. "Some of these ingredients... frozen sage oil? Blood amber? Where would we even find those?"

"I might be able to help with some of the more exotic components," Orochimaru offered smoothly. "My research has often required... unusual materials."

Kakashi fixed the Sannin with a skeptical look. "Out of the goodness of your heart, I'm sure."

"Let's just say I have a vested interest in seeing Naruto-kun achieve his full potential. Particularly if that potential might be useful against an Ōtsutsuki invasion." Orochimaru's smile was thin but genuine in its own way. "Self-preservation is a powerful motivator."

Naruto continued reading, his expression growing increasingly troubled. "There's something else. The ritual requires a location with specific properties—a nexus point where multiple dimensional boundaries converge. According to this, there are only five such places in our world."

"And let me guess," Kakashi sighed, "one of them is 'in the belly of the enemy'—wherever the third scroll is hidden."

Naruto nodded grimly. "Exactly. We need to find the final piece of the puzzle—the scroll that explains how to complete the Ketsueki Kusari itself. And according to this, it's hidden in a place called 'Shikkotsu Forest.'"

Sakura gasped. "Shikkotsu Forest? That's where Tsunade-sama's slugs come from. It's one of the three sacred sage regions, along with Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave."

"It's also notoriously difficult to access," Orochimaru added. "Unlike the other sage regions, Shikkotsu doesn't permit human visitors without specific invitation. Even I was never able to find its true location."

Naruto rolled up the scroll, determination setting his jaw. "Then we'll need an invitation. Sakura, can you contact Tsunade? If anyone can get us into Shikkotsu Forest, it's her."

"I'll try," Sakura nodded. "But Naruto... this ritual. The scroll says it has to be performed within a lunar cycle of the bloodline's awakening. How long has it been already?"

"Almost a week," Naruto admitted. "We have about three weeks left."

"And if you don't complete it in time?" Kakashi asked, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.

Naruto's hand unconsciously rose to the seal markings on his face, which had spread further since they'd entered the vault. "Then the Ketsueki Kusari will continue to adapt to my body, but without harmonization... it'll eventually see Kurama as a threat to be contained. Permanently."

The implications hung heavy in the air. Kurama, sealed away within Naruto by his own bloodline. His access to the Nine-Tails' chakra—the power that had helped save the world—cut off forever.

"Then we have no time to waste," Sasuke broke the silence. "Sakura, contact Tsunade immediately. Kakashi, we'll need clearance for a high-priority mission to Shikkotsu Forest, wherever it is. Orochimaru..." He paused, clearly uncomfortable with relying on the Sannin. "Begin gathering the components for the ritual."

As they dispersed to their tasks, Naruto remained behind in the vault, staring at the scroll in his hands. The weight of his newly discovered legacy pressed down on him like a physical burden.

"You okay?" Kakashi asked, lingering by the doorway.

"Just processing," Naruto admitted. "A week ago, I was just... me. Now I'm suddenly the heir to some super-powerful Uzumaki bloodline that's supposed to save the world from alien chakra vampires." He let out a humorless laugh. "And if I don't figure it out in three weeks, I lose access to Kurama forever. No pressure, right?"

Kakashi approached, placing a hand on his former student's shoulder. "If there's anyone who can handle impossible situations with impossible deadlines, it's you. You've been defying expectations since you were twelve."

"Yeah, but this is different. This isn't just about me pushing harder or believing more. This is ancient clan stuff, rituals, dimensional boundaries—not exactly my area of expertise."

"Perhaps not," Kakashi conceded. "But adaptation is. The Naruto I know takes whatever tools fate gives him, however unusual, and figures out how to use them in his own way." His eye crinkled in a hidden smile. "Besides, the crimson hair is quite striking. Very Kushina."

At the mention of his mother, Naruto's expression softened. "You think she knew about this? The Ketsueki Kusari?"

"I doubt it. From what Minato told me, Kushina was brought to Konoha very young, with minimal knowledge of her clan's deeper secrets. If the Ketsueki Kusari was as closely guarded as that scroll suggests, it's likely only the clan elders knew of its existence." Kakashi's gaze grew distant. "Though it does explain why certain nations were so determined to wipe out Uzushiogakure completely."

Naruto carefully returned the scroll to its box. "I need to talk to Kurama. If we're going to make this work, he needs to understand what's happening too." He closed his eyes, focusing inward. "But it's like trying to shout through a wall."

"Perhaps the forest will provide answers," Kakashi suggested. "Shikkotsu is said to be a place of great spiritual power. If anywhere can help you bridge the gap between your bloodline and your Bijuu, it's there."

With a nod, Naruto tucked the box under his arm and followed Kakashi out of the vault. As they ascended the stairs, a thought occurred to him. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei... what do you know about 'blood amber'?"

"Not much. It's extremely rare—amber that's trapped the blood of an ancient creature within it. Why?"

"It's one of the components for the ritual. Along with 'frozen sage oil' and something called 'dimensional shards.'"

Kakashi's step faltered slightly. "Dimensional shards... I've heard that term before. In relation to Kaguya, I believe. Fragments of space-time that were fractured during her battles with her sons."

"Great," Naruto sighed. "So we need impossibly rare materials for an impossibly complex ritual in an impossibly hidden location. All within three weeks."

"When you put it that way, it sounds almost like a normal Tuesday for Team 7," Kakashi quipped.

Despite everything, Naruto found himself smiling. "Yeah. I guess it does."

Tsunade's response came faster than anyone expected—a small slug messenger appearing in Sakura's quarters before midnight with coordinates and terse instructions: "Dawn. The eastern border. Only those with sage potential. Come prepared for trials."

The message spread quickly through their makeshift team. By first light, four figures stood at Konoha's eastern gate: Naruto, his crimson hair now tied back in a short ponytail; Sakura, medical pack strapped securely to her back; Sasuke, travel-worn cloak billowing in the morning breeze; and, surprisingly, Orochimaru, carrying a case that presumably contained some of the ritual components.

"I'm still not sure about him coming," Naruto muttered to Sakura, eyeing the Sannin suspiciously.

"Neither am I," she admitted. "But Tsunade-sama specifically approved it. Apparently, Shikkotsu Forest is particularly interested in meeting him."

"That doesn't sound ominous at all," Naruto replied dryly. He adjusted the scroll case secured across his back, wincing as a pulse of pain shot through his temples. The seal markings had continued to spread overnight, now tracing delicate patterns across his cheekbones and forehead.

Sasuke noticed his discomfort. "Getting worse?"

"More frequent," Naruto confirmed. "And Kurama's presence feels fainter each time. Whatever this integration process is, it's accelerating."

"Then we should depart," Orochimaru interjected smoothly. "The coordinates indicate a location approximately three hours from here at top speed."

The journey took them deep into territories rarely traversed by shinobi—ancient forests untouched by the wars that had scarred much of the continent. The trees grew larger and more primordial the further they traveled, until they found themselves moving through a canopy so dense it filtered the sunlight into ethereal green shafts.

When they reached the coordinates, they found... nothing. Just a small clearing in the ancient forest, unremarkable save for a single massive stump at its center.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Naruto squinted around the clearing. "There's nothing here."

"No," Sasuke corrected, Sharingan activated. "There's a barrier. Extremely sophisticated—it's bending light and chakra around this entire area."

Sakura approached the stump, examining the weathered surface. "It's a summoning point. Look—these patterns carved into the wood. They're similar to the ones Tsunade-sama uses to summon Katsuyu."

"Indeed," Orochimaru agreed. "A reverse-summoning trigger. The forest doesn't come to us; we must be brought to it."

Sakura placed her palm on the stump. "Tsunade-sama said only those with sage potential could enter. That would be..." She looked at her companions assessingly.

"Naruto and myself, certainly," Orochimaru supplied. "Sasuke, with his Rinnegan, likely qualifies as well. You, Sakura, are the question."

The kunoichi bristled. "I've been trained by a Sannin too, you know."

"Yes, but Tsunade never completed proper Sage training. Her connection to Shikkotsu is based on the summoning contract, not Sage Mode." Orochimaru's tone was matter-of-fact rather than condescending. "However, given her specific invitation, I suspect an exception has been made."

Naruto stepped forward. "Only one way to find out. Everyone, hands on the stump." When they complied, he channeled his chakra—not the golden energy of Kurama nor the crimson of the Ketsueki Kusari, but his own blue chakra, the core of his being.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then the stump began to glow, patterns lighting up with pale blue energy that spiraled outward to encompass the entire team. The air shimmered, reality folding around them like paper.

The sensation of reverse-summoning was unlike anything Naruto had experienced before—not the disorienting lurch of Hiraishin or the compressed feeling of the Summoning Technique. Instead, it felt as though the world itself was being rewritten around them, the forest they stood in transforming gradually into somewhere else entirely.

When the light faded, they found themselves in a different clearing—one dominated by trees so massive their trunks were wider than Konoha's walls, stretching upward until their canopies vanished into mist. The air here was thick with moisture and chakra, each breath filling their lungs with energy that tingled down to their fingertips.

And everywhere, slugs. Not just Katsuyu and her kin, but hundreds of species in every color imaginable, from tiny irridescent creatures no larger than a fingernail to behemoths that could rival Gamabunta in size. They moved with surprising grace across the forest floor, leaving trails of luminescent slime that formed intricate, seemingly meaningful patterns.

"Whoa," Naruto breathed, turning in a full circle to take in the sight. "This place is..."

"Alive," Sakura finished for him, her medical senses overwhelmed by the concentrated life force surrounding them. "The entire forest is saturated with natural energy."

"Welcome, seekers," a voice echoed from everywhere and nowhere. "Few are granted entry to Shikkotsu. You stand here by exceptional dispensation."

The mist before them coalesced, taking the form of a slug unlike any they had seen before. It was relatively small—perhaps the size of a large dog—but its translucent body contained swirling galaxies of color, as if entire universes resided within its form.

"Lady Kodama," Sakura bowed deeply. "Tsunade-sama sends her respects and gratitude for receiving us."

"Tsunade's apprentice," the slug acknowledged, its voice melodious despite having no visible mouth. "Your teacher has spoken highly of your potential." Its gaze—or what passed for a gaze from a creature with eyestalks—shifted to each of them in turn. "The Last Uchiha. The Serpent Sage who never was. And..." It paused when it reached Naruto, its entire body pulsing with light. "How fascinating. The Nine-Tails jinchūriki with awakened Uzumaki blood. The forest has been waiting for one such as you."

Naruto blinked in surprise. "Waiting? For me specifically?"

"For the confluence you represent. Bijuu chakra and Ketsueki Kusari have never before existed in harmony within a single vessel. Such a combination was theorized, but thought impossible." Lady Kodama undulated closer. "Until you."

"That's why we're here," Naruto explained. "The bloodline is trying to seal away Kurama's chakra. I need to complete the Harmonization Ritual to make them work together, and supposedly the final scroll I need is hidden here."

"Not hidden," Lady Kodama corrected. "Protected. There is a difference." The slug turned, beginning to move deeper into the forest. "Follow. There is much to show you, and your time is more limited than you know."

They followed the slug through the primordial forest, paths appearing before them as slugs of all sizes moved aside to clear the way. The journey took them past ancient ruins half-reclaimed by nature, stone structures carved with symbols that resembled both Uzumaki seals and something older, more primal.

"Shikkotsu Forest exists at a nexus of dimensions," Lady Kodama explained as they walked. "It is one of the five convergence points in your world where the barriers between realities grow thin. The slugs have been guardians of this boundary since before human civilization."

"Like Mount Myōboku for the toads and Ryūchi Cave for the snakes," Orochimaru observed.

"Similar, yet distinct. The toads preserve knowledge. The snakes accumulate power. We slugs... we maintain balance." Lady Kodama's eyestalks swiveled back to regard them. "Balance that the Ōtsutsuki threatened with their harvesting of worlds."

Naruto nearly stumbled. "You know about them?"

"Of course. The slugs have witnessed countless worlds fall to their hunger. We have helped many civilizations develop defenses—some successful, others less so. Your Uzumaki ancestors were particularly promising students."

They emerged into a vast grotto where a lake of perfectly still water reflected the bioluminescent ceiling like a mirror. At the center of the lake stood a small island dominated by a shrine that seemed to be grown rather than built, its structure a seamless blend of stone, wood, and living matter.

"The Shrine of Convergence," Lady Kodama announced. "One of the few places where the Harmonization Ritual can be performed."

Sakura gasped. "You mean we can do the ritual here? Now?"

"If you have the necessary components, yes. The celestial alignment is currently favorable—what you would call a 'hunter's moon' begins tonight." The slug regarded them with what almost seemed like amusement. "Though I suspect you lack some of the required elements."

"Blood amber, frozen sage oil, and dimensional shards," Naruto listed. "We have none of them yet."

"Incorrect." Lady Kodama's body rippled. "You already possess one—dimensional shards exist within the Uchiha's Rinnegan, fragments of Kaguya's power that were passed down through her bloodline."

Sasuke's eyes widened fractionally. "My Rinnegan contains these shards?"

"Indeed. They are what allow you to manipulate space-time. During the ritual, you will need to extract a small portion of this power—a painful but necessary sacrifice."

Sasuke's expression remained impassive. "If that's what's required."

"As for the other components," the slug continued, "blood amber can be found within Shikkotsu itself. The ancient trees here sometimes trap the essence of creatures within their sap, creating a substance with properties similar to amber but infused with natural energy."

"And the frozen sage oil?" Sakura asked.

"That," Orochimaru interjected, opening the case he carried, "I have already acquired." Inside, nestled in protective padding, was a vial of luminescent liquid that seemed to move with a life of its own, its surface frosted despite the warm, humid air of the forest.

Lady Kodama's eyestalks extended in surprise. "You have been busy, Serpent Sage. That oil comes from Ryūchi Cave—extracting it without permission would have been... challenging."

Orochimaru's thin smile revealed nothing. "Let's just say I still have some connections in my former sanctuary. They were persuaded by the gravity of our purpose."

"Hmm." The slug seemed unconvinced but continued. "Regardless, we must first retrieve the final scroll before any ritual can be attempted. The knowledge it contains is essential not just for the ritual itself, but for what comes after."

"What comes after?" Naruto asked warily.

"Completion of the Ketsueki Kusari. Your ancestors began the work, but it was interrupted before they could perfect the technique. You must finish what they started if you hope to face what is coming."

"And what exactly is coming?" Sasuke demanded.

Lady Kodama's color dimmed slightly. "We have sensed disturbances in the dimensional barriers. Probing. Testing. Someone—or something—is seeking entry to your world. The pattern matches previous Ōtsutsuki invasions."

A chill ran down Naruto's spine despite the forest's warmth. "How long do we have?"

"Impossible to say with precision. Weeks. Perhaps months. The signs suggest they are being more cautious this time, more methodical in their approach." The slug gestured toward the shrine with an eyestalk. "The scroll you seek is within, but retrieving it requires a trial. Only one with both Uzumaki blood and Bijuu chakra can enter the inner sanctum—and even then, what you face inside will test both aspects of your power."

Naruto squared his shoulders. "Then I'll go alone."

"No," Sasuke countered immediately. "We don't know what's in there."

"That's kind of the point of a trial, Sasuke," Naruto replied with a hint of his old grin. "Besides, you heard the slug—only I can get in anyway."

"Actually," Lady Kodama corrected, "while only you can enter the inner sanctum, your companions can accompany you through the outer chambers. They will face their own challenges."

Sakura stepped forward, determination in her eyes. "Then we go together. As always."

Orochimaru observed with thinly veiled fascination. "Am I to be included in this touching display of teamwork?"

"You have your own role to play, Serpent Sage," Lady Kodama responded cryptically. "The forest has questions for you. Long-overdue questions."

Before Orochimaru could respond, the still waters of the lake began to part, revealing a stone pathway to the shrine that had been hidden beneath the surface. Lady Kodama moved onto the path, leaving a faintly glowing trail behind her.

"Come. Night approaches, and with it, the hunter's moon. If you are to attempt the ritual today, we must move quickly."

As they followed the slug across the water, Naruto felt a familiar stirring within—the faintest echo of Kurama's presence, stronger here in this place saturated with natural energy. For the first time since his bloodline awakened, he sensed the fox's awareness focusing on their surroundings.

Kurama? he attempted mentally. Can you hear me?

No direct response came, but he felt something like acknowledgment—a brief flare of the fox's massive chakra pressing against the barrier created by the Ketsueki Kusari.

Progress, however small. Naruto allowed himself a moment of hope as they approached the ancient shrine where his clan's greatest secrets awaited.

The interior of the shrine defied conventional architecture. What appeared from outside as a modest structure opened into a vast complex of interconnected chambers, some so large they couldn't possibly fit within the physical dimensions of the island. Light emanated not from torches or windows but from the walls themselves, which pulsed with soft luminescence that responded to their presence.

"Dimensional folding," Orochimaru observed with appreciative wonder. "Space itself is compressed within these walls."

"A collaborative creation," Lady Kodama explained as she led them deeper. "Uzumaki sealing techniques combined with slug wisdom and natural energy. This shrine exists partially in your dimension and partially in ours."

The central corridor eventually split into four separate paths, each marked with a different symbol: a spiral, a fan, a circle, and a serpent.

"Here is where you must separate," the slug announced. "Each path is attuned to one of you. What you find will be personal—a reflection of what you bring to this quest."

Naruto eyed the spiral path. "And these all lead to the inner sanctum eventually?"

"If you pass your trials, yes. The paths converge where the scroll is kept." Lady Kodama's body rippled in what might have been concern. "Be warned—these trials are not mere tests of strength or skill. They will examine your resolve, your understanding, and your capacity for the power you seek."

The companions exchanged glances—Sakura concerned, Sasuke resolute, Orochimaru intrigued, and Naruto determined.

"We meet at the center," Naruto stated, making it sound like both a plan and a promise. "No matter what."

With nods of agreement, they each moved toward their designated paths. As Naruto stepped onto the spiral path, he felt the Ketsueki Kusari respond, crimson chains momentarily manifesting around his arms before sinking back beneath his skin. The markings on his face pulsed warmly.

"The blood remembers," Lady Kodama commented. "Good luck, Heir of Uzushio. You will need it."

Then she was gone, dissolving into the mist that suddenly filled the chamber, obscuring the others from view. When it cleared, Naruto found himself alone at the beginning of a corridor that stretched farther than seemed possible, its walls covered in spiraling seals that matched those on his face.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward into the trial.

The path led Naruto through a series of chambers, each seemingly designed to test a different aspect of his abilities. The first required precision control of the Ketsueki Kusari, forcing him to manipulate the chains through an elaborate three-dimensional maze without touching the walls. The second tested endurance, as he had to maintain a barrier of chains against a relentless assault of energy for what felt like hours.

But the third chamber held no obvious challenge—just an empty room with a single chair in the center. Cautiously, Naruto entered, senses alert for traps.

"Sit," a voice commanded from nowhere.

After a moment's hesitation, Naruto complied, lowering himself into the chair. Immediately, seals flared to life beneath him, racing across the floor to form a complex pattern that he recognized from the Uzumaki scrolls—a mind-diving technique, similar to what jinchūriki used to commune with their Bijuu.

"What is—" he began, but consciousness was already slipping away, his mind pulled into a space between spaces.

When awareness returned, he found himself in a familiar place—Kurama's chamber within his mindscape. But it had changed dramatically. Where once an open space had surrounded the fox's cage, now the entire area was wrapped in crimson chains, layers upon layers of them, all pulsing with the energy of the Ketsueki Kusari.

And behind those chains, barely visible, was Kurama himself, his massive form restrained by the blood inheritance that had awakened in Naruto.

"Kurama!" Naruto rushed forward, but the chains refused to yield to his touch.

"So you finally visit," the fox's voice rumbled, weaker than Naruto had ever heard it. "Come to see your handiwork?"

"This isn't what I wanted," Naruto protested. "I'm trying to fix it—that's why we're here in Shikkotsu Forest."

"Fix it?" A harsh laugh escaped the Bijuu. "You cannot fix what is intentional, Naruto. The Ketsueki Kusari was designed specifically to bind beings like me. Your blood is doing exactly what it was meant to do."

"No," Naruto shook his head vehemently. "The scrolls say it can be harmonized with your chakra. That's why I need the final scroll—to complete the ritual."

Kurama's massive eyes narrowed. "And you believe that? After everything we've been through, you would risk our partnership on ancient words written by people who feared and sought to control Bijuu power?"

The accusation struck Naruto like a physical blow. "That's not fair. I didn't ask for this bloodline to awaken. It just... happened."

"Nothing 'just happens,' especially not with power of this magnitude." Kurama shifted, chains creaking with the movement. "Tell me, have you considered why it awakened now? After all these years, after the war, after we finally achieved true partnership?"

Naruto fell silent, the question resonating uncomfortably.

"I'll tell you why," Kurama continued, voice low and intense. "Because something doesn't want us working together. The timing is too perfect, too calculated. This bloodline awakening is no coincidence—it's interference."

"From who? The Ōtsutsuki?"

"Or their servants. Think, Naruto. Who has been suspiciously helpful since this all began? Who appeared at exactly the right moment with exactly the right knowledge?"

The implication was clear. "Orochimaru," Naruto breathed. "You think Orochimaru triggered this somehow?"

"I think nothing happens by chance when that snake is involved. His interest in bloodlines and Kekkei Genkai is well-documented. As is his fascination with the Ōtsutsuki since learning of their existence."

Naruto ran a hand through his crimson hair, mind racing. "But why would he help the Ōtsutsuki? They're a threat to everyone, including him."

"Unless he's made some sort of arrangement. Orochimaru has always valued knowledge and immortality above all else. What might the Ōtsutsuki have promised him?"

The theory was disturbing but not implausible. Orochimaru's convenient appearance at Uzushiogakure, his ready supply of ritual components, his eagerness to assist... it could all be part of a larger scheme.

"If that's true," Naruto said slowly, "then this whole quest could be leading us into a trap."

"Or," Kurama countered, "it could be exactly what we need—but not in the way you think. The Ketsueki Kusari is genuine power. The question is whether it can be used as your ancestors intended, or if its awakening has been manipulated to serve another purpose."

Naruto placed his hand against one of the chains restraining Kurama, feeling the pulse of his own blood within it. "So what do I do? Abandon the ritual? Try to suppress the bloodline somehow?"

"Neither." Kurama's eyes gleamed with ancient cunning. "Complete your trial. Find the scroll. Proceed with the ritual—but on your terms, not his. The Uzumaki were master seal-makers, Naruto. And you have something even they didn't."

"What's that?"

"A Bijuu who is your partner, not your prisoner." Despite his restraints, Kurama managed something like a grin. "If there's anyone who can adapt this bloodline to work with my chakra rather than against it, it's you—the stubborn brat who changed the relationship between jinchūriki and Bijuu forever."

Warmth bloomed in Naruto's chest—the familiar feeling of Kurama's faith in him, something he'd sorely missed these past days. "I won't let you down."

"See that you don't. These chains are becoming rather annoying." Kurama shifted again, more chains materializing as he moved. "Now go. Complete your trial. But watch the snake, Naruto. His path through this shrine will reveal his true intentions, one way or another."

The mindscape began to fade, reality reasserting itself. As Naruto returned to his body, Kurama's parting words echoed in his mind:

"Remember—the blood is yours to command, not the other way around. Don't let ancient expectations dictate what you become."

Naruto opened his eyes, finding himself still seated in the otherwise empty chamber. But something had changed—he could feel Kurama's presence more clearly now, the connection between them strengthened by their conversation. The barrier created by the Ketsueki Kusari hadn't dissolved, but it had thinned, becoming permeable where before it had been impenetrable.

Progress.

Rising from the chair with renewed determination, Naruto continued down the path. Two more chambers awaited him—two more trials before he would reach the inner sanctum and, hopefully, the scroll that would complete his understanding of the power awakening within him.

And beyond that, a confrontation with Orochimaru that suddenly seemed inevitable.

The final chamber of Naruto's trial path was vast and empty, its walls adorned with spiraling patterns that seemed to move if viewed from the corner of the eye. At the center stood a single pedestal, upon which rested what appeared to be a mirror framed in crimson metal.

Approaching cautiously, Naruto studied his reflection in the polished surface. His transformed appearance still startled him—the crimson hair, the seal markings tracing patterns across his face, the subtle sharpening of his features that made him look more like his mother than ever before.

"The Mirror of Blood Truth," a voice announced, seemingly emanating from the mirror itself. "The final trial before the inner sanctum."

"What does it do?" Naruto asked, instinctively wary.

"It reveals the truth within your blood—the legacy you carry and the destiny you face." The voice was neither male nor female, old nor young, yet carried an authority that made Naruto stand straighter. "Are you prepared to see, Uzumaki Naruto?"

After his conversation with Kurama, Naruto hesitated. If someone—Orochimaru or otherwise—had manipulated the awakening of his bloodline, what other manipulations might be waiting? But standing here indefinitely would solve nothing.

"I'm ready," he declared, meeting his reflection's eyes.

The surface of the mirror rippled like disturbed water. His reflection dissolved, replaced by a vision of a battlefield. Naruto instantly recognized it—the final confrontation with Kaguya during the Fourth Great Ninja War. He watched himself and Sasuke, empowered by the Sage of Six Paths, executing the sealing technique that had imprisoned the progenitor of chakra.

"You sealed away a god," the voice observed. "Yet you knew not the full truth of what you faced."

The scene shifted, showing not just Kaguya but other Ōtsutsuki—Momoshiki, Kinshiki, figures Naruto didn't recognize but whose power was evident in their bearing. They moved between worlds, harvesting the chakra of entire planets, leaving devastation in their wake.

"They are legion," the voice continued. "Each world they consume only fuels their hunger for the next. Your world, with its abundant chakra, is a feast they have long desired."

"I know all this," Naruto responded impatiently. "What does it have to do with the Ketsueki Kusari?"

The mirror's surface changed again, now showing Uzushiogakure in its prime. The island city gleamed with vitality, its buildings adorned with sealing arrays, its people—all with hair in various shades of red—going about their lives.

"The Uzumaki were not simply gifted in sealing techniques," the voice explained. "They were architects of reality itself. Their greatest minds discovered the nature of dimensional boundaries and the beings that traversed them. They foresaw the threat long before others."

The scene shifted to show Uzumaki researchers working with a familiar-looking substance—chakra chains, but in their raw form, being shaped and imbued with seals.

"They created the Ketsueki Kusari as the ultimate defense—chains that could bind not just chakra but reality itself. Chains that could seal dimensional rifts and imprison even beings as powerful as the Ōtsutsuki."

The vision changed to show the fall of Uzushiogakure—the village under attack not just from shinobi of other nations but from shadowy figures directing the assault. With a chill, Naruto recognized the distinctive white garments and pale skin of Ōtsutsuki clan members, orchestrating the destruction from the shadows.

"They were betrayed," the voice said solemnly. "Infiltrators in human form, servants of the Devourers, ensured that knowledge of the Ketsueki Kusari would be lost. All but a final, desperate measure—sealing the technique into the blood itself, dormant until needed most."

"Until now," Naruto murmured.

"Until now," the voice agreed. "But beware—those who destroyed Uzushiogakure still walk your world. They know the blood has awakened. They will stop at nothing to prevent the Ketsueki Kusari from reaching its full potential."

The mirror's surface rippled again, now showing Naruto a vision of himself—but different. In this vision, his hair was fully crimson, the seal markings covered his entire body, and he wielded chains of such complexity and power that they seemed to bend reality around them. He stood before a dimensional rift, chains extended to seal it closed, preventing something massive and ominous from emerging.

"This is what you could become," the voice stated. "The fulfillment of your blood's purpose. But the path is fraught with danger, sacrifice, and choice."

The vision shifted one final time, revealing something that made Naruto's breath catch—himself again, but twisted. In this version, the seal markings had consumed him entirely, his skin pale and alien, eyes hollow and white, the chains binding not an Ōtsutsuki threat but his friends, his village, the very world he sought to protect.

"And this is what you could become if you lose yourself to the blood's hunger for control," the voice warned. "The Ketsueki Kusari can protect or imprison. Its nature depends on the heart that wields it."

The mirror cleared, once again showing only Naruto's reflection—his current self, poised between the two possible futures.

"This is your trial, Uzumaki Naruto: Know the truth of your blood, and choose your path forward with open eyes. The scroll you seek contains the final key to the Ketsueki Kusari's power—but whether that key opens a door to salvation or destruction rests with you."

Naruto stared at his reflection, absorbing the implications of what he'd seen. "And if I choose not to continue? If I walk away now?"

"Then the blood will continue its work unguided. The chains will bind the fox entirely. Your power will diminish. And when the Devourers come again—as they surely will—you will face them diminished, the greatest weapon against them lost."

No real choice at all, then. Naruto squared his shoulders, decision made. "I choose to continue—but on my own terms. Not as a slave to destiny or bloodline or ancient expectations. The Ketsueki Kusari will adapt to me, not the other way around."

The mirror glowed in response, its frame dissolving into chains that briefly surrounded Naruto before sinking into his skin. The wall behind the pedestal parted, revealing a passage forward.

"Then proceed to the inner sanctum, Heir of Uzushio. The final scroll awaits."

Naruto stepped through the opening, the weight of his choice heavy on his shoulders but his resolve unshaken. Whatever awaited him—be it salvation or trap—he would face it with eyes open. And if Orochimaru had indeed manipulated events to this point, he would find that Naruto Uzumaki was not so easily controlled.

The inner sanctum was nothing like Naruto had expected. Rather than an elaborate chamber filled with ancient artifacts, he found himself in what appeared to be a simple garden. Cherry trees in full bloom surrounded a small pond where koi fish swam lazy circles. A wooden bench sat beside the water, and upon it, a scroll case made of a metal that gleamed like fresh blood.

More surprisingly, he found he was not the first to arrive. Sakura sat on the bench, her expression troubled as she stared into the pond's depths.

"Sakura!" Naruto called, hurrying forward. "You made it through your trial already?"

She looked up, relief washing over her features. "Naruto! Yes—it was... intense. The path tested my resolution, my commitment to helping you. Made me face some uncomfortable truths about my motivations." She glanced back at the pond. "I'm still processing it, to be honest."

Naruto settled beside her, eyes drawn to the scroll case. "Is that...?"

"Yes. The final piece of the puzzle." Sakura made no move to touch it. "But I think it's meant for you to open. It wouldn't respond to me."

As if on cue, the case pulsed with energy, responding to Naruto's proximity. Before he could reach for it, however, another figure emerged from a different pathway entrance—Sasuke, his expression even more closed than usual, a new intensity in his mismatched eyes.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called. "You okay?"

The Uchiha nodded curtly. "My trial was... enlightening." He offered nothing more, but his gaze lingered on Naruto's transformed appearance with new understanding.

"What about Orochimaru?" Sakura asked, glancing toward the remaining sealed pathway. "No sign of him yet?"

"His trial will take longer," Sasuke stated with quiet certainty. "The slugs have many questions for the one who sought their power without permission."

Naruto exchanged a look with Sakura, Kurama's warning about Orochimaru foremost in his mind. He debated whether to share his suspicions but decided against it for now. First, he needed to see what the scroll contained.

Reaching for the case, Naruto felt it respond to his touch, the metal warming beneath his fingers. Like the previous Uzumaki artifacts, this one recognized his blood, the lid opening with a soft click to reveal a scroll bound with the thinnest, most delicate chain he'd seen yet—barely visible, like a strand of crimson hair.

The moment he touched it, the chain dissolved, and the scroll unrolled of its own accord. Unlike the previous scrolls, this one contained no text—only a complex sealing array that began to glow as soon as it was exposed to air.

"What is—" Naruto began, but the seal flared brightly, and the garden around them shifted. The trees, pond, and bench remained, but now they stood at the center of a much larger space—the shrine's true inner sanctum, a circular chamber with walls of pure crystal that reflected and amplified the seal's light.

"A space-time displacement technique," Sasuke observed, Sharingan active. "The garden was real, but isolated in a pocket dimension. This seal has brought that pocket back into alignment with the main shrine."

At the chamber's center, where the pond had been, now stood a raised dais inscribed with sealing arrays that matched the patterns on Naruto's face. The entire room hummed with power—ancient chakra, dormant for generations, now awakening in response to the blood of its rightful heir.

"The Harmonization Nexus," a new voice announced, and Lady Kodama appeared, gliding into the chamber from a previously invisible entrance. "The heart of the shrine, where dimensions converge and barriers thin. Here, if anywhere, your ritual can succeed."

Naruto clutched the scroll, which continued to glow with inner light. "This doesn't have instructions like the others. Just this seal."

"Because it is not meant to be read, but activated," the slug explained. "That seal is the final component of the Harmonization Ritual itself—the anchor that will allow the Ketsueki Kusari and your Bijuu's chakra to find balance."

"Where's Orochimaru?" Sakura asked again, voicing the concern they all shared.

"Still undergoing his trial," Lady Kodama replied, though something in her tone suggested there was more to it. "He will join us when—if—he completes it."

"We should proceed without him," Sasuke stated firmly. "The hunter's moon is rising. If the ritual must be performed tonight, we can't afford to wait."

Naruto hesitated, torn between suspicion of Orochimaru and uncertainty about proceeding without all the components he had prepared. "But the frozen sage oil—he has it."

"We have alternatives," Lady Kodama assured him, gesturing with an eyestalk toward the entrance through which she'd arrived. Several smaller slugs entered, carrying objects on their backs: a chunk of amber with what looked like droplets of blood suspended within it, and a vial of luminescent fluid similar to what Orochimaru had shown them.

"Blood amber from our oldest trees," the slug explained, "and essence of Shikkotsu—our version of sage oil, perhaps more suited to your purpose given the location of the ritual."

Naruto looked to his teammates, silently seeking their counsel. Sakura nodded encouragingly, while Sasuke's expression remained carefully neutral—but his hand had moved away from his sword, a subtle indication of approval.

"Alright," Naruto decided. "Let's do this. What's the first step?"

Lady Kodama directed them to position the ritual components around the dais—the blood amber at the north, the sage essence at the south, with the scroll unrolled across the center. As they worked, the crystal walls of the chamber began to glow more intensely, responding to the rising of the hunter's moon above the forest outside.

"Now the dimensional shards," the slug instructed, turning to Sasuke. "They must be freely given by one who carries Ōtsutsuki power."

Sasuke stepped forward without hesitation, activating his Rinnegan. "How do I extract them?"

"Focus on the space between dimensions—the pathways your eye allows you to access. Visualize a fragment of that power, just enough to catalyze the ritual, and draw it forth."

With a single nod, Sasuke closed his normal eye, concentrating entirely through his Rinnegan. The tomoe within it began to spin slowly, then faster as he reached into the well of power granted by Hagoromo. A bead of sweat formed on his brow, then tracked down his face as the strain increased.

Finally, with a gasp, he extended his hand. Floating above his palm appeared a shard of what looked like broken glass—except it seemed to contain an entire universe within its facets, stars and cosmic matter swirling in miniature.

"Quickly," Lady Kodama urged. "Place it at the center of the scroll."

Sasuke did so, then stepped back, a hand pressed to his Rinnegan as he recovered from the effort. The shard settled onto the scroll's sealing array, which immediately began to reconfigure itself around this new component, lines and symbols shifting into new patterns.

"Now, Naruto," the slug directed. "Take your position at the center. The Ketsueki Kusari and Nine-Tails must both be present and active for the harmonization to work."

Naruto moved to the dais, standing directly upon the central spiral. Closing his eyes, he reached inward, first to the Ketsueki Kusari. The blood inheritance responded eagerly, crimson chains manifesting around him, emerging from his chakra points and coiling in the air like living things.

Then, with greater effort, he reached for Kurama. The barrier between them had thinned after their conversation in the mindscape, but still required force of will to penetrate. Kurama, he called silently. I need you now. Both of us, working together.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then golden chakra began to seep through the cracks in the barrier, mingling with the crimson energy of the chains. Kurama's presence pressed against Naruto's consciousness, no words exchanged but intent clear—the fox was lending his power, despite his reservations.

"The final step," Lady Kodama announced as the hunter's moon reached its zenith, visible through the crystal ceiling above. "The blood price. A sacrifice to seal the covenant."

"Blood price?" Sakura questioned sharply. "What kind of sacrifice?"

"Not life," the slug assured her. "But something precious nonetheless. The ritual requires balance—for the Ketsueki Kusari and Bijuu chakra to harmonize, neither can dominate. Something must be surrendered from both."

Understanding dawned on Naruto. "I need to give up part of each power."

"Yes. A portion of the Ketsueki Kusari's potential, and a portion of the Nine-Tails' chakra—permanently relinquished to fuel the harmonization."

It was a steep price. The chains around Naruto quivered, as if reluctant to surrender any of their newborn power. Similarly, Kurama's chakra flared defensively.

"How much?" Naruto asked quietly.

"That is for you to decide," Lady Kodama answered. "The greater the sacrifice, the more stable the harmonization—but also the more power lost forever. It is a balance only you can determine."

Naruto closed his eyes again, communing silently with both aspects of his power. The Ketsueki Kusari, for all its alienness, was still his blood, his inheritance. And Kurama had been his partner through the most harrowing battles of his life.

What do you think? he asked the fox internally.

A grudging response came through their thinned connection. Don't you dare give up too much of my power, brat. I didn't spend centuries accumulating it just to have it burned away in some ritual.

Despite everything, Naruto smiled. That was the Kurama he knew.

Opening his eyes, he addressed Lady Kodama. "I'll sacrifice twenty percent from each. Not enough to cripple either power, but enough to show good faith."

The slug's eyestalks quivered with what might have been approval. "Then let it be done. Focus on the portions you will surrender, and direct them into the seal beneath you."

Naruto concentrated, mentally separating the designated portions of each power. It was like trying to divide a river with his bare hands—both energies resisted, wanting to remain whole. But gradually, with careful precision, he managed to isolate the sacrificial amounts.

With a sharp gesture, he directed these portions downward, into the sealing array beneath his feet. The effect was immediate and dramatic. The scroll's seal flared blindingly, the dimensional shard at its center absorbing the surrendered power and transmuting it into pure energy that spread through the entire array.

The blood amber and sage essence dissolved simultaneously, their components drawn into the expanding seal that now covered the entire dais. The crystal walls of the chamber resonated in response, amplifying the energy until it became a visible dome surrounding Naruto.

Pain lanced through him as the sacrifice was accepted—not physical pain, but the unmistakable sensation of loss as parts of both powers were permanently severed from his being. For a moment, it felt like he'd made a terrible mistake, his strength diminishing just when he needed it most.

Then something extraordinary happened. The remaining portions of the Ketsueki Kusari and Kurama's chakra, rather than continuing their conflict, began to interweave. Crimson chains took on a golden hue at their core; golden chakra developed crimson patterns along its surface. The barrier between them, which had been steadily growing since the bloodline's awakening, began to dissolve.

Within his mindscape, Naruto felt Kurama's prison of chains transforming. Instead of restraining the fox, they now formed a network—a framework through which his chakra could flow freely, but with new structure and precision. The fox himself seemed surprised by the development, testing the new arrangement with cautious movements.

This is... unexpected, Kurama admitted. The chains aren't gone, but they're no longer restraints. They're... conduits?

Conduits, Naruto agreed, understanding intuitively. The Ketsueki Kusari isn't just for binding—it's for channeling. Directing. Focusing.

In the physical world, the harmonization continued. The scroll on the dais burned away to ash, its purpose fulfilled as the seal it contained transferred itself to Naruto's body. The markings on his face pulsed once, then settled into more defined patterns—still present, but no longer spreading.

With a final surge of energy, the ritual completed. The dome of power collapsed inward, absorbed into Naruto's chakra network. He staggered, nearly falling before being caught by Sakura, who had rushed forward the moment the seal's light dimmed.

"Naruto!" she exclaimed. "Are you alright? How do you feel?"

It took him a moment to find words for the sensation. "Balanced," he finally said. "Like two pieces that were fighting each other have finally clicked into place." He flexed his hand, and a chain emerged—but unlike before, it now glowed with both crimson and gold energy intertwined, stronger than either had been separately.

"The Harmonization is complete," Lady Kodama confirmed, eyestalks examining Naruto closely. "The Ketsueki Kusari and Nine-Tails chakra now exist in equilibrium within you. Neither dominant, neither submissive—true partnership."

Sasuke approached, Sharingan still active. "Your chakra network has completely reconfigured. It's unlike anything I've ever seen—the efficiency is... remarkable."

"But what about the Ketsueki Kusari itself?" Naruto asked, dismissing the test chain. "The scroll from the archive said it was unfinished—that I needed to complete it."

"That knowledge was contained within the seal," Lady Kodama explained. "It has transferred to you, though it may take time to fully integrate. The completion of the technique will come through understanding, not instruction."

Before Naruto could respond, a disturbance rippled through the chamber. One of the crystal walls cracked, a spiderweb of fractures spreading across its surface.

"What's happening?" Sakura demanded, instantly on alert.

"Interference," the slug replied, body contracting in alarm. "Someone attempts to breach the shrine's defenses from outside."

A second wall cracked, then a third. The harmonious energy that had filled the chamber moments before now felt disrupted, discordant.

"The Serpent Sage," Lady Kodama realized, a note of betrayal in her voice. "He has failed his trial—failed it deliberately—and now seeks to take by force what he cannot earn by right."

Sasuke drew his sword, expression grim. "I knew his cooperation was too convenient."

Naruto closed his eyes briefly, confirming what he already suspected. The connection with Kurama was now fully restored, the fox's presence clear and strong within him. You were right about Orochimaru, he communicated.

Of course I was, Kurama replied, a hint of his old arrogance returning. Now let's show the snake what happens when he crosses us.

With a nod to his teammates, Naruto extended his hands. The harmonized chains manifested, stronger and more substantial than before, their links inscribed with seals that combined Uzumaki heritage with Bijuu power.

"Let him come," he declared, crimson hair stirring in the energy currents now filling the chamber. "We'll be ready."

The crystal walls of the inner sanctum continued to fracture, hairline cracks expanding into fissures as something—or someone—applied increasing pressure from outside. Lady Kodama's form rippled with agitation, the colors within her translucent body swirling chaotically.

"This is impossible," the slug protested. "The shrine's barriers have stood for millennia. No single shinobi should have the power to breach them."

"Orochimaru is no ordinary shinobi," Sasuke countered, Sharingan tracking the spread of cracks. "And he's had decades to accumulate forbidden techniques."

Naruto expanded his senses through the harmonized chains, probing the disturbance. What he felt made his blood run cold. "It's not just Orochimaru," he reported. "There's something else—a chakra signature I don't recognize. Ancient. Powerful. Almost like..."

"An Ōtsutsuki," Sasuke finished for him, Rinnegan now active alongside his Sharingan. "I can see it—a dimensional distortion forming around the breach point."

Sakura took up a defensive position, chakra-enhanced fists ready. "But how? Why would Orochimaru be working with them? It makes no sense—they're a threat to everyone."

"Power," Lady Kodama said grimly. "The Serpent Sage has always hungered for it above all else. The Ōtsutsuki can offer knowledge and abilities beyond human understanding—if one is willing to serve their interests."

A final, resonant crack echoed through the chamber as the easternmost wall shattered completely. Through the breach stepped Orochimaru—but not as they had last seen him. His pale skin now bore strange, angular markings reminiscent of Ōtsutsuki patterns. His eyes had changed too, the pupils replaced by pale lavender circles.

"Fascinating ritual," he remarked, voice unchanged despite his altered appearance. "I must thank you for completing it so efficiently, Naruto-kun. The harmonization of two opposing chakra natures into a unified whole... the applications are endless."

"What have you done, Orochimaru?" Naruto demanded, chains coiling protectively around himself and his companions.

"Evolved," the Sannin replied simply. "While you three focused on ancient scrolls and bloodlines, I pursued a more... direct approach to power." He gestured to his transformed features. "Ōtsutsuki DNA is remarkably adaptable, especially when one already possesses certain enhancements."

"You let them modify you?" Sasuke's disgust was palpable. "After everything you've seen of what they do to worlds?"

"Oh, I harbor no illusions about their ultimate goals," Orochimaru assured them. "But their arrival is inevitable. The question was never if, but when—and whether I would be standing with the harvesters or among the harvested." A thin smile stretched across his face. "I chose my position accordingly."

"You're a traitor to your entire world," Sakura spat.

"Such limited thinking. I prefer to see myself as a pioneer—the first to embrace the next stage of evolution." Orochimaru's gaze settled on Naruto. "Just as you have embraced yours, Naruto-kun. The Ketsueki Kusari is impressive, but incomplete—a shadow of what it could become with Ōtsutsuki knowledge to perfect it."

"That's what this was all about," Naruto realized, the pieces falling into place. "You engineered the awakening of my bloodline. Somehow, you triggered it."

Orochimaru inclined his head in acknowledgment. "A catalyst, nothing more—a specially prepared drug slipped into your food during a routine mission briefing. The potential was always there in your blood; it simply needed... encouragement. The Uzumaki were so close to creating the ultimate dimensional manipulation technique. With your bloodline and my Ōtsutsuki enhancements, we could perfect it together."

"Never," Naruto growled, chains tensing. "The Ketsueki Kusari was created to fight the Ōtsutsuki, not serve them."

"A shortsighted application of magnificent technology," Orochimaru sighed. "But I expected your rejection. Fortunately, I don't need your cooperation—just your blood."

With blinding speed, he launched forward, hands forming seals that warped the space around them. Sasuke intercepted, sword clashing against a blade Orochimaru manifested from his arm—a bone-white weapon that seemed to cut through reality itself.

"Go!" Sasuke shouted as they locked blades. "Get Naruto out of here! I'll hold him!"

"No!" Naruto countered, sending chains to support Sasuke. "We fight together!"

But before the chains could reach their target, the air behind Orochimaru distorted. A rift opened—similar to Kaguya's dimensional portals but smaller, more controlled. Through it stepped a figure that made all of them freeze momentarily in shock.

It was unmistakably an Ōtsutsuki—tall, pale-skinned, with the characteristic white robes and horn-like protrusions. But unlike Kaguya or Momoshiki, this one's features were sharp, almost fox-like, eyes gleaming with calculated intelligence rather than arrogance.

"The harmonization is complete," the newcomer observed in a voice like ice cracking. "Excellent work, Orochimaru. Our patience has been rewarded."

"Lord Shiroga," Orochimaru acknowledged with a deference that seemed alien coming from him. "As promised. The Uzumaki bloodline is awakened and balanced with Bijuu chakra—ready for harvesting."

Lady Kodama contracted in visible horror. "Shiroga... the Harvester of Bloodlines. You were banished from the dimensional pathways millennia ago."

"Banished, yes. Defeated, no." The Ōtsutsuki—Shiroga—smiled thinly. "I simply found more... subtle methods of continuing my work. Why conquer worlds openly when one can manipulate them into offering up their treasures willingly?" His gaze settled on Orochimaru. "Humans are particularly susceptible to promises of power and knowledge."

Naruto felt Kurama's rage building within him, the fox's chakra surging. He's unlike the others we've faced, the Bijuu warned. Less raw power, but far more cunning. I sense ancient malice in him.

In response, Naruto expanded his chains, creating a protective barrier around the entire group, including Lady Kodama. The harmonized chains pulsed with combined crimson and golden energy, forcing the dimensional rift to waver.

Shiroga's eyes narrowed with interest. "The Ketsueki Kusari... more advanced than reports suggested. The dimensional manipulation properties are particularly intriguing." He extended a pale hand. "Orochimaru, secure the specimen. I will stabilize the portal."

"With pleasure," the Sannin replied, disengaging from Sasuke with a powerful push that sent the Uchiha sliding backward. His hands blurred through a sequence of unfamiliar seals. "Binding Art: Celestial Prison!"

The floor beneath them erupted with sealing script—not Uzumaki patterns but something more alien, glyphs that burned with pale blue fire as they spread across the chamber. Sakura attempted to leap clear but found her movements suddenly slowed, as if the air itself had thickened around her.

"Space-time manipulation," Sasuke recognized, his own movements similarly impeded. "He's altering the dimensional properties of the shrine!"

Only Naruto, protected by the Ketsueki Kusari's chains, remained unaffected. Understanding flashed through him—the bloodline's true purpose. The chains weren't just weapons or seals; they were anchors in reality itself, allowing the wielder to remain stable even as dimensions shifted.

"You can't have him!" Sakura shouted, fighting against the binding technique with sheer determination. Her fist struck the ground, chakra-enhanced strength shattering the floor beneath them—but the sealing script simply re-formed around the breakage, undeterred.

"Admirable, but futile," Shiroga commented dispassionately. "The Celestial Prison was designed specifically to contain beings of your level. Only dimensional manipulation techniques can counter it—techniques like the one your friend possesses."

Orochimaru began advancing toward Naruto, his transformed body moving with unnatural fluidity. "Don't resist, Naruto-kun. Lord Shiroga doesn't wish to destroy you—merely to study the Ketsueki Kusari. Consider it a contribution to greater knowledge."

"Like hell," Naruto growled, chains lashing out in attack. They struck with precision, aiming for Orochimaru's vital points—only to pass through him as his form rippled and distorted.

"Another application of Ōtsutsuki science," the Sannin explained, his body resolidifying behind Naruto. "Partial dimensional phasing. Quite useful against physical attacks."

Naruto spun, chains reforming into a defensive spiral around him. "Then how about this!" He channeled wind-nature chakra through the chains, transforming them into razor-sharp blades that sliced through the air with screaming intensity.

This time, Orochimaru was forced to dodge physically, the wind-enhanced chains leaving shallow cuts across his arm as he narrowly evaded. "Impressive adaptation," he acknowledged. "But predictable."

From his sleeve, he produced a small device—a crystalline orb that pulsed with sickly purple light. "A gift from Lord Shiroga. It emits a frequency that disrupts blood-based techniques specifically. Your ancestors encountered similar devices during the fall of Uzushiogakure."

The orb flared, sending out a wave of energy that hit Naruto's chains like a physical blow. The harmonized links wavered, their structure momentarily destabilizing as the alien energy interfered with the blood-chakra connection.

Naruto staggered, pain lancing through his temples as the Ketsueki Kusari fought against the disruption. Inside him, Kurama roared in fury, pouring more chakra into their shared network to stabilize the technique.

Don't let them separate us again! the fox warned. That's what the device is really targeting—our harmonization!

Understanding flashed through Naruto. The Ōtsutsuki didn't just want the Ketsueki Kusari—they wanted to prevent it from working with Bijuu chakra, to ensure it couldn't be used against them as originally intended.

With a surge of will, Naruto forced his chakra to adapt, just as he had during countless battles before. The chains flickered, then steadied, their color shifting slightly as he adjusted their fundamental nature.

"What?" Orochimaru's eyes widened in surprise. "The disruptor should have—"

"Should have, could have, would have," Naruto mocked, chains now fully stabilized. "You forgot who you're dealing with, Orochimaru. I've been making the impossible possible since I was a genin!"

The chains shot forward with renewed vigor, no longer aiming for Orochimaru directly but for the crystal orb in his hand. With a satisfied crack, they connected, shattering the device. Orochimaru hissed in pain as feedback energy scorched his hand.

"Enough games," Shiroga interjected, stepping fully through the dimensional rift, which widened behind him. "The specimen is more resilient than anticipated. We'll take him by force."

The Ōtsutsuki raised both hands, and reality seemed to bend around him. The very air became heavy, gravity intensifying until even Naruto felt his knees buckling under the pressure.

"This technique crushed a thousand warriors on the world of Kanashi," Shiroga stated coldly. "Their bones became diamonds under the pressure. You will fare no better."

Naruto gritted his teeth, chains straining against the gravitational force. Across the chamber, he could see Sasuke and Sakura completely pinned to the floor, unable to move. Even Lady Kodama had compressed into a flat disc, her slug body unable to maintain its form.

Kurama, Naruto called internally. We need to push back with everything we've got!

I'm with you, brat, the fox responded immediately. Let's show these pale freaks what real power looks like!

Drawing on their combined strength, Naruto forced his way to standing, chains creating a framework around him that partially counteracted the gravitational technique. Each movement was agonizing, muscles screaming in protest, but he refused to yield.

"Impossible," Shiroga murmured, genuine surprise crossing his features. "No native life form has ever resisted the Crushing Heaven technique."

"First time for everything," Naruto managed through gritted teeth. He took one step forward, then another, chains expanding outward in a web-like pattern that seemed to stabilize the space around him.

Orochimaru, recovering from the destruction of his device, moved to intercept. "Lord Shiroga, allow me to—"

"Stand aside," the Ōtsutsuki commanded. "This specimen requires my personal attention."

As Shiroga increased the pressure further, Naruto felt something shift within the Ketsueki Kusari—a new understanding blossoming. The chains weren't just manipulating chakra; they were manipulating the dimensional fabric itself. If he could fully grasp that aspect...

With sudden clarity, he changed his approach. Instead of pushing against the gravitational force, he redirected his chains to wrap around it, encircling the technique rather than opposing it directly. The chains began to glow with intense light as they traced the boundaries of Shiroga's power, mapping its dimensional properties.

"What is he doing?" Orochimaru questioned, backing away as the light intensified.

Shiroga's eyes widened in alarm. "He's reverse-engineering the technique! Stop him!"

But it was too late. Naruto had found the fulcrum—the point where Shiroga's dimensional manipulation connected to normal space. With a sharp gesture, he sent a specialized chain directly into that nexus.

The effect was immediate and dramatic. The gravitational field imploded, collapsing in on itself before dissipating completely. Released from its pressure, everyone in the chamber dropped to the floor, gasping for breath—everyone except Naruto, who remained standing at the center of his chain network.

"That's impossible," Shiroga hissed, genuine fear crossing his features for the first time. "The technique cannot be undone by an inferior being."

"Guess that makes me superior then," Naruto shot back, chains now reconfiguring into an offensive formation. "And for the record, we're done being harvested by you Ōtsutsuki. This world is under protection."

Shiroga's expression hardened. "Orochimaru. Initiate the contingency."

The Sannin hesitated, glancing between Naruto and his Ōtsutsuki master. "But the subject is still—"

"Now!" Shiroga commanded.

With clear reluctance, Orochimaru produced another device from within his robes—this one larger, a complex mechanism of crystal and metal that pulsed with ominous energy. "As you wish, Lord Shiroga. But I protest the waste of valuable research material."

"Your protests are noted and dismissed," Shiroga replied coldly. "Activate it."

As Orochimaru began channeling chakra into the device, Sasuke managed to push himself to his feet, recognizing the danger before any of them. "It's a dimensional collapse trigger!" he warned. "They're going to collapse this entire pocket dimension with us inside it!"

"What happens if they succeed?" Sakura asked, still struggling to stand.

"We get crushed between dimensions," Sasuke explained grimly. "Worse than death—our very existence would be erased."

Lady Kodama, reforming her body with visible effort, slithered toward them. "The shrine cannot withstand such an attack. You must escape—now!"

"How?" Naruto demanded. "The pathways are sealed!"

"There is one way," the slug replied. "The primary convergence point—the dais where you performed the ritual. It connects directly to the dimensional pathways. With the Ketsueki Kusari, you might be able to force open a route back to the physical world."

"Might?" Sakura questioned.

"It has never been attempted," Lady Kodama admitted. "But it is theoretically possible for one with both Uzumaki blood and sufficient understanding of dimensional mechanics."

The device in Orochimaru's hands began to emit a high-pitched whine, the air around it visibly distorting. Cracks appeared in the chamber floor, but unlike the physical damage from earlier, these were literal tears in the fabric of reality—glimpses of the howling void between dimensions.

"We don't have a choice," Naruto decided. "Everyone to the dais—now!"

As they rushed toward the center of the chamber, Shiroga moved to intercept, hands forming seals for another attack. Sasuke engaged him, Rinnegan powers activating to counter the Ōtsutsuki's dimensional techniques.

"Go!" he shouted to the others. "I'll hold him off!"

"Not alone, you won't," Sakura declared, joining the fight with a chakra-enhanced leap that caught Shiroga by surprise, her fist connecting solidly with his shoulder and sending him staggering backward.

Naruto reached the dais, Lady Kodama close behind. The dimensional cracks were spreading rapidly now, the entire shrine groaning as its structure began to fail. The collapse trigger's whine had risen to an unbearable pitch, the device now floating above Orochimaru's hands as if too dangerous to touch directly.

"How do I open a path?" Naruto asked urgently, chains already exploring the dais's surface, seeking the convergence point the slug had mentioned.

"Focus on the place you wish to return to," Lady Kodama instructed. "The Ketsueki Kusari can lock onto familiar coordinates in space-time. Visualize your destination and use the chains to pierce the barrier between here and there."

Naruto closed his eyes, picturing Konoha—the Hokage monument, the familiar streets, the academy where his journey had begun. Through the harmonized chains, he sent that image outward, probing the dimensional barriers surrounding the shrine.

There—a resonance. A point where the barriers thinned naturally, corresponding to a location near Konoha's eastern gate. Focusing his chakra, Naruto directed the chains toward that point, shaping them into a drill-like formation.

"Sasuke! Sakura! Fall back!" he shouted as the chains began to spin, generating friction against the dimensional barrier.

His teammates disengaged from their battle with Shiroga, who was proving disturbingly resilient despite their combined attacks. They raced toward the dais as the chamber continued to disintegrate around them, void-cracks expanding into gaping fissures.

"Hurry!" Lady Kodama urged as Sasuke and Sakura reached them. "The collapse is accelerating!"

With a final surge of power, Naruto drove his chains through the dimensional barrier. There was resistance—like pushing through thick rubber—then a sensation of breakthrough as the chains pierced reality itself. A portal began to form, edges ragged at first but stabilizing as Naruto poured more of the harmonized chakra into maintaining it.

"Go through!" he commanded, straining to hold the passage open. "I'll follow last!"

"We go together or not at all," Sakura insisted, grabbing his arm.

"For once, I agree with her," Sasuke added, positioning himself on Naruto's other side. "The three of us jump simultaneously."

"What about the slug?" Naruto asked, glancing at Lady Kodama.

"I cannot leave Shikkotsu," she replied sadly. "My existence is bound to this realm. But the forest will endure in some form—it has survived dimensional attacks before."

"Orochimaru and the Ōtsutsuki?" Sakura questioned.

As if in answer, another voice cut through the chaos—Orochimaru, calling from near the collapse trigger. "This isn't over, Naruto-kun! What has awakened cannot be put back to sleep. We will meet again, when you've had time to reconsider my offer!"

The Sannin and Shiroga were already retreating through their own portal, the Ōtsutsuki casting one final, threatening glance at Naruto before disappearing. The collapse trigger remained behind, its countdown irreversible.

"Now!" Sasuke shouted as a particularly violent tremor shook the entire chamber. "Jump!"

The three teammates leapt together, passing through Naruto's portal in a flash of combined crimson and golden light. Behind them, the dais, the shrine, and Lady Kodama vanished as the dimensional pocket began its final collapse.

For a moment, they existed nowhere—suspended in the void between spaces, held together only by the tether of Naruto's chains. Then reality reasserted itself, and they crashed onto solid ground, rolling with the impact before coming to rest on grass damp with evening dew.

Gasping for breath, Naruto looked up to find the familiar stars of their own world shining overhead. They had emerged in a small clearing just outside Konoha's walls, exactly where he had visualized. The portal snapped shut behind them, leaving only a faint shimmer in the air that quickly faded.

"We made it," Sakura breathed, sitting up slowly. "Is everyone okay?"

Sasuke nodded, already on his feet and scanning their surroundings for threats. "No pursuit, at least for now."

Naruto remained on his back a moment longer, the enormity of what had just happened washing over him. The betrayal, the revelation of the Ōtsutsuki's continued interest in Earth, the true nature of the Ketsueki Kusari—and its newly harmonized state within him.

"We need to tell Kakashi," he said finally, pushing himself upright. "Orochimaru working with the Ōtsutsuki changes everything. And we need to warn the other villages too."

"Agreed," Sasuke replied. "This Shiroga seems different from Kaguya or Momoshiki—more patient, more strategic. That makes him more dangerous."

As they made their way toward Konoha's gates, Naruto felt Kurama stirring within him, the fox's thoughts now clear and accessible after the harmonization.

We've faced worse than manipulative aliens and traitorous snakes, the Bijuu commented with characteristic confidence. And now we have a new weapon they clearly fear.

The Ketsueki Kusari, Naruto agreed internally. But I still don't fully understand it. There's so much to learn about what it can do.

Then learn, Kurama replied simply. You have both Uzumaki creativity and my chakra at your disposal. And unlike your ancestors, you know exactly what you're fighting against.

Naruto looked down at his hands, summoning a small chain that coiled around his fingers—gold and crimson intertwined in perfect balance. Already he could feel new applications of the technique forming in his mind, possibilities that neither the Uzumaki clan nor the Ōtsutsuki had anticipated.

They had survived the immediate threat, but a greater battle loomed. Shiroga would return, perhaps with more Ōtsutsuki allies. Orochimaru's betrayal meant their enemies had insider knowledge of the shinobi world. The stakes had never been higher.

But as Naruto looked at his teammates walking beside him, at the village gates standing strong ahead, at the chain glimmering between his fingers, he felt something unexpected: optimism. Throughout his life, every challenge had ultimately made him stronger. This would be no different.

His crimson hair stirred in the night breeze as he quickened his pace. They had work to do, preparations to make. And he had a bloodline to master—on his own terms.

The Ketsueki Kusari had awakened to face the Ōtsutsuki threat. With Naruto Uzumaki as its wielder, it would exceed even its creators' wildest dreams.

One month after the confrontation in Shikkotsu Forest, Konoha hummed with unusual activity. Shinobi from all five great nations moved purposefully through the streets, an unprecedented cooperative force assembled in response to the revealed Ōtsutsuki threat. Intelligence sharing, joint training exercises, and strategic planning sessions had become the new normal as the shinobi world prepared for what increasingly seemed like an inevitable confrontation.

At the center of this activity, both figuratively and often literally, stood Naruto Uzumaki. His transformed appearance—crimson hair now grown longer and typically pulled back in a short ponytail, seal markings a permanent feature across his face—had initially raised eyebrows, but the village had quickly adapted. Some even claimed the look suited him better than his original appearance, particularly those who had known his mother.

More significant than the physical changes, however, was the evolution of his abilities. The harmonized Ketsueki Kusari had proven to be more versatile than anyone could have predicted, its applications expanding daily as Naruto explored its potential.

On this particular morning, he stood in Training Ground Three, the same field where he had passed Kakashi's bell test so many years ago. Around him, a complex network of chains hovered in the air, forming what appeared to be a three-dimensional seal matrix that spanned nearly fifty meters in diameter.

"Impressive," Shikamaru commented from where he observed at the edge of the field, clipboard in hand. "The spatial stability is maintaining even at this size."

"It's getting easier," Naruto replied, adjusting the configuration with subtle hand movements. "The chains remember patterns they've formed before. I barely have to think about the basic structures anymore."

Shikamaru made a note. "And the chakra consumption?"

"Still significant, but much more efficient since the harmonization. I can maintain this formation for about three hours now before needing to rest."

The Nara genius nodded, satisfied. As Konoha's strategic advisor and Naruto's appointed liaison to the Joint Defense Council, he was responsible for cataloging and analyzing the capabilities of their primary weapon against the Ōtsutsuki—the Ketsueki Kusari.

"Alright, let's test the dimensional properties," he suggested, gesturing to the targets set up around the field. "Standard sequence."

Naruto nodded, focusing on the chain matrix surrounding him. With practiced movements, he began manipulating the spatial properties between the targets. The first test was simple displacement—making a kunai thrown at one target appear at another. The second involved compression, shrinking the apparent distance between two points without affecting the space between. The third, and most difficult, was selective phasing—allowing objects to pass through solid matter by briefly shifting them partially out of normal space-time.

Each test was executed flawlessly, the chains responding to Naruto's will with increasing precision. What had been clumsy, instinctive manipulations during the escape from Shikkotsu Forest had evolved into controlled, reproducible techniques under Shikamaru's methodical guidance.

"That's enough for today," Shikamaru decided after the final test, making a last notation on his clipboard. "The Kages want an update on your progress at this afternoon's council meeting. Based on these results, I'd say you're ready for field deployment if necessary."

Naruto released the chain matrix, the construct dissolving into particles of light that were reabsorbed into his chakra network. Despite the intensive training, he felt only mild fatigue—another benefit of the harmonization. The sacrifice of power had been more than compensated for by the increased efficiency and control.

"Any news from Sasuke?" he asked as they walked back toward the village.

"Nothing concrete. His last hawk arrived three days ago from the borders of the Land of Earth. He's following a lead on unusual chakra signatures, possibly related to Orochimaru's movements." Shikamaru's expression darkened slightly. "The Tsuchikage is getting nervous about having an Uchiha operating in his territory, even with Kakashi's assurances."

"Old prejudices die hard," Naruto sighed. "Even with the threat we're facing."

"Speaking of threats..." Shikamaru hesitated, then continued in a lower voice. "The research division has been analyzing the data you brought back from Shikkotsu. This Shiroga—his capabilities suggest he's not just any Ōtsutsuki. They think he might be what they call a 'Cultivator.'"

"Cultivator?"

"A specialist in bloodline harvesting. According to the ancient records we recovered from Uzushiogakure, the Ōtsutsuki hierarchy includes different roles. Harvesters collect chakra from worlds. Progenitors plant Divine Trees. Cultivators... they identify, develop, and extract valuable genetic traits from indigenous species."

A chill ran down Naruto's spine. "Like the Ketsueki Kusari."

"Exactly. The theory is that Shiroga has been monitoring Earth for centuries, subtly influencing bloodline development, perhaps even engineering conflicts to accelerate beneficial mutations." Shikamaru's gaze was troubled. "The Fourth Great Ninja War might have been the equivalent of ringing the dinner bell—announcing to the Ōtsutsuki that our bloodlines had reached harvest-ready status."

"And Orochimaru?"

"Possibly his agent, knowingly or unknowingly, for years. Who better to track bloodline development than a scientist obsessed with genetic manipulation?" Shikamaru shook his head. "It's still just a theory, but it fits the available facts."

They walked in silence for a while, each contemplating the implications. Finally, Naruto spoke again.

"If Shiroga has been watching us for centuries, he'll know our capabilities, our weaknesses. We need something unexpected, something he can't anticipate."

"Like a newly harmonized Ketsueki Kusari?" Shikamaru suggested with a hint of his old wry humor.

"Maybe. But I can't help feeling we're still missing something. The final scroll from Shikkotsu mentioned 'completion' of the technique. What if what I'm doing now is still just... preliminary?"

They had reached the village proper, the streets busy with the midday bustle. Civilians and shinobi alike nodded respectfully as they passed, many offering words of encouragement or thanks to Naruto. His role as their primary defense against the Ōtsutsuki threat had become common knowledge, elevating his already considerable status among the villagers.

"The council meeting is at four," Shikamaru reminded him as they prepared to part ways. "Try not to be late? The Raikage is still annoyed about last time."

Naruto grinned, a flash of his old mischievous self. "No promises. I've got a stop to make first."

The Konoha Hospital's research wing had been expanded significantly in recent years, particularly the section dedicated to bloodline analysis. When Naruto arrived, he found Sakura exactly where he expected—hunched over a microscope in her private laboratory, surrounded by notes and sample vials.

"Don't tell me you've been here all night again," he chided, setting a takeout container of ramen on the one clear corner of her desk.

Sakura straightened, rubbing her eyes. "Not all night. Just since about four this morning." She eyed the ramen with undisguised gratitude. "You're a lifesaver."

"Find anything interesting?"

"Maybe." She pushed aside her notes, making room for the food. "I've been comparing your blood samples from before and after the harmonization. The cellular structure has continued to evolve, even after the ritual stabilized the integration with Kurama's chakra."

Naruto settled into a chair across from her. "Is that good or bad?"

"Neither—it's fascinating." Her eyes lit up with scientific enthusiasm. "The Ketsueki Kusari isn't just a technique, Naruto. It's literally rewriting your genetic code, incorporating aspects of the Nine-Tails' chakra at a fundamental level."

"Wait, I'm becoming part fox?" Naruto asked, alarmed.

Sakura laughed. "No, nothing that dramatic. But the boundaries between your chakra, your bloodline, and Kurama are becoming increasingly... fluid. It's unprecedented."

She pulled out a folder containing comparison images—microscopic views of chakra pathways and cellular structures. "Look here. These are normal chakra coils. These are yours, before the awakening. And these are yours now."

The difference was striking even to Naruto's untrained eye. Where normal chakra pathways resembled a network of veins, his current structure showed something far more complex—spiraling patterns reminiscent of the Uzumaki crest, with pathways that seemed to fold in on themselves impossibly.

"Dimensional folding at the cellular level," Sakura explained, unable to hide her excitement. "Your body is creating microscopic pocket dimensions within your own chakra network. It's like... internal storage seals, but for energy rather than objects."

"So I'm becoming more efficient?"

"Far more than that. You're developing the ability to store and process chakra in ways that shouldn't be physically possible. In theory, this could allow you to channel and manipulate energies that would normally be incompatible or too dangerous to contain."

Naruto absorbed this information slowly. "Like the different chakras of all nine Bijuu? Could this be related to how I was able to use their powers during the war?"

"Possibly. But I think it goes beyond even that." Sakura leaned forward, voice dropping despite them being alone. "Naruto, I think your body is developing the capacity to directly manipulate the dimensional energy that the Ōtsutsuki use for their techniques. Not just counter it or resist it—actually use it yourself."

The implications were staggering. If true, it would mean Naruto could potentially employ the same fundamental forces that made the Ōtsutsuki so formidable—their ability to transcend normal space-time limitations, to harvest and transmute chakra at its source.

"Have you told Kakashi about this?"

"Not yet. I wanted more data before making such a significant claim." She hesitated. "There's one more thing. These changes... they're accelerating. Whatever completion process the Ketsueki Kusari is undergoing, it's happening faster than we anticipated."

"Is there a risk?" Naruto asked quietly. "To me, or to Kurama?"

"I don't think so, not after the harmonization. But it does mean we're working with a moving target. Your capabilities tomorrow might be significantly different from today."

Before Naruto could respond, a knock at the laboratory door interrupted them. A young medical-nin entered, looking slightly flustered.

"Sakura-san, Naruto-sama. The Hokage requests your immediate presence in his office. A messenger hawk just arrived from Sasuke-san. Priority one."

Exchanging concerned glances, they quickly gathered their things and headed for the Hokage Tower. Sasuke rarely sent priority messages unless the situation was critical.

They found Kakashi in his office with Sai and Yamato, all three studying a map spread across the desk. The Hokage looked up as they entered, his visible eye grave.

"Good, you're here. We have a situation." He gestured to a message scroll bearing Sasuke's distinctive handwriting. "Sasuke has confirmed Orochimaru's location—a hidden facility in the mountains north of Iwagakure. More concerning, he's detected multiple chakra signatures consistent with Ōtsutsuki presence."

"How many?" Naruto asked, immediately alert.

"At least three, possibly more. One matches what we know of Shiroga from your description. The others are unknown."

Sakura stepped closer to examine the map. "What's Orochimaru doing so close to Iwagakure? It's risky, even for him."

"According to Sasuke's intelligence, the facility is built around something the Ōtsutsuki consider valuable—valuable enough to risk operating near a major hidden village." Kakashi tapped a location on the map. "There's an ancient shrine here, predating even the founding of the hidden villages. Local legends call it the 'Crossroads of Worlds.'"

"Another dimensional nexus," Naruto realized. "Like Shikkotsu Forest."

"Exactly. But this one has no guardians, no slug sages protecting it. Just ruins largely forgotten by history—until now."

"What are they planning?" Sai asked, expression carefully neutral despite the obvious concern in his voice.

"Sasuke believes they're attempting to construct some kind of amplification device—a means of opening a larger, more stable portal than what we've seen before." Kakashi's gaze settled on Naruto. "Possibly large enough to bring through something significant. Or someone."

The implication hung heavy in the air. An invasion force, perhaps. Or something worse.

"We need to stop them," Naruto stated flatly. "Now, before they complete whatever they're building."

"Agreed," Kakashi nodded. "But we can't simply charge in. This requires precision, coordination, and most importantly, a plan to deal with multiple Ōtsutsuki simultaneously."

"The Joint Defense Council meeting this afternoon," Yamato suggested. "We can present this intelligence and mobilize a united response."

Kakashi shook his head. "Too slow. By the time we negotiate a multinational task force, it could be too late. Sasuke's intel suggests they're in the final stages of their project."

"Then we handle it ourselves," Naruto decided. "A small team can move faster, strike harder, and has a better chance of success than a large force anyway."

"Exactly what I was thinking." Kakashi straightened. "Team Kakashi, reactivated for a specific mission. Naruto, Sakura, Sai, Yamato, and myself. Sasuke will rendezvous with us at the border." His eye curved in a familiar smile that didn't quite reach his voice. "Just like old times, except with significantly higher stakes."

"What about the council meeting?" Sakura asked.

"I'll send a shadow clone with Shikamaru to keep the Kages updated without revealing our mission. Better to ask forgiveness than permission in this case, especially where the Tsuchikage is concerned."

They spent the next hour reviewing the limited intelligence available and formulating a strategy. The plan was straightforward: infiltrate the facility, assess the Ōtsutsuki device, destroy it if possible, and retreat. Direct confrontation with the Ōtsutsuki would be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

As they prepared to depart, Kakashi pulled Naruto aside.

"The Ketsueki Kusari—how confident are you in controlling it under pressure? Against enemies specifically equipped to counter it?"

"More confident than I was a month ago," Naruto replied honestly. "But there's still so much I don't understand about it. So much potential I haven't accessed."

Kakashi nodded thoughtfully. "Sometimes, understanding comes in the moment of greatest need. Your father didn't master Hiraishin by practicing in controlled environments—the technique evolved most dramatically when his back was against the wall."

"You think the completion the scroll mentioned might happen during battle?"

"I think," Kakashi said carefully, "that the Uzumaki bloodline has always responded to its wielder's will and determination more than technical mastery. Your mother's chains were strongest when her precious people were threatened. Yours may follow a similar pattern."

It was a sobering thought. If the Ketsueki Kusari's full potential could only be unlocked in extremis, what did that say about the challenges that lay ahead?

"We depart in thirty minutes," Kakashi announced to the team. "Pack for three days. Travel light, move fast. This is a precision strike, not an extended engagement."

As the team dispersed to prepare, Naruto took a moment to center himself, closing his eyes and reaching inward to where Kurama waited.

Ready for another round with the pale-eyes? the fox asked, anticipation evident in his tone.

As ready as we'll ever be, Naruto replied. But something tells me this is just the beginning.

Of course it is, Kurama agreed with surprising solemnity. But beginnings are powerful things, kit. Especially for those who write their own destiny.

Naruto opened his eyes, resolve hardening within him. His crimson hair stirred in the breeze from the open window, chains briefly manifesting around his arms before sinking back beneath his skin—ready, waiting for the moment they would be needed.

The Ketsueki Kusari had awakened for this purpose. It was time to show the Ōtsutsuki exactly what it could do.

The journey to the Land of Earth's northern mountains took a day and a half at top speed, the team moving in silent formation through forests and across plains, avoiding populated areas. They crossed the border without incident, Kakashi's intimate knowledge of patrol schedules and blind spots ensuring they remained undetected.

Sasuke met them at the appointed rendezvous point—a sheltered valley nestled between two towering peaks. His expression was even more serious than usual, the strain of extended surveillance evident in the slight shadows beneath his eyes.

"The situation has escalated," he reported without preamble. "Two more Ōtsutsuki arrived last night. Based on their chakra signatures, they're significantly more powerful than Shiroga—closer to Kaguya's level."

"Have they detected you?" Kakashi asked.

"No. I've been using a new technique to mask my presence—a modification of the Sharingan's genjutsu applied to my own chakra signature." Sasuke spread a hand-drawn map on a flat rock. "The facility is here, built into the mountain itself. Three entrances, all heavily guarded with both conventional traps and dimensional barriers."

"Any sign of what they're constructing?" Yamato inquired.

"It's some kind of portal apparatus, but unlike anything I've seen before. Not a Rinnegan technique or conventional space-time ninjutsu. They're channeling massive amounts of chakra into the mountain's core, where the dimensional nexus is located."

Sai studied the map with practiced precision. "Infiltration points?"

"Here and here." Sasuke indicated two locations. "The eastern approach has lighter security but more natural obstacles. The northern is more heavily guarded but offers a more direct path to the central chamber."

"We'll split into two teams," Kakashi decided. "Naruto, Sakura, and I will take the northern approach. Sasuke, Sai, and Yamato will come in from the east. Our primary objective is intelligence gathering—confirm exactly what they're building and why. Secondary objective is sabotage if possible. Under no circumstances are we to engage multiple Ōtsutsuki in direct combat."

Everyone nodded their understanding, though Naruto felt a familiar restlessness building inside him—the desire to confront their enemies directly, to end the threat once and for all. Kurama sensed his mood and offered a rare caution:

Patience, kit. Even with the Ketsueki Kusari, five Ōtsutsuki at once would be suicide. Information first, heroics later.

Sasuke provided each team with a communication seal—small pieces of paper inscribed with his unique variation of the Sharingan pattern. "These will allow us to share information without chakra transmission that could be detected. One pulse means proceed, two means retreat, three means emergency."

With the planning complete, they rested briefly before moving out at dusk, using the fading light to mask their approach. The mountain loomed before them, ancient and imposing, its peak wreathed in clouds that seemed unnaturally still—as if time itself moved differently in its vicinity.

As Naruto's team approached the northern entrance, he extended his senses through the Ketsueki Kusari, probing the area for traps and guards. The chains had developed a sensitivity to dimensional disturbances, allowing him to detect the subtle wrongness that characterized Ōtsutsuki techniques.

"Two barriers ahead," he whispered to Kakashi and Sakura. "One physical, one dimensional. The physical one I can handle easily, but the dimensional one is... tricky. It's designed to trigger if anything with human chakra passes through."

"Can you create a bypass?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto considered for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I think so. Not by breaking the barrier, but by folding space around it—creating a tunnel that technically doesn't cross the barrier's boundaries."

"Like Obito's Kamui," Sakura realized.

"Similar, but less destructive. The Ketsueki Kusari doesn't tear holes in dimensions—it persuades them to cooperate." Naruto extended his hands, chains emerging to form a complex, three-dimensional lattice in the air before them. "This will take concentration. Stay close to me, and whatever happens, don't touch the chains directly."

As Kakashi and Sakura moved to flank him, Naruto began the delicate work of manipulating the space between them and their destination. The chains extended forward, probing the invisible dimensional barrier, mapping its properties and limitations. Unlike bypassing a physical obstruction, dimensional work required thinking in geometries that defied conventional understanding.

Slowly, a distortion formed in the air—not a portal exactly, but a folding of reality that created a passage through the barrier without actually breaching it. The effect was disorienting to look at, like trying to focus on an optical illusion.

"Through here," Naruto directed, stepping into the distortion. "Quickly—I can't maintain this for long."

Kakashi and Sakura followed, experiencing a moment of strange displacement—as if they'd simultaneously moved both a great distance and not at all—before emerging on the other side of the barrier. They found themselves in a rough-hewn tunnel that sloped downward into the mountain's depths, dimly lit by crystalline formations embedded in the walls.

"Impressive," Kakashi murmured, Sharingan active as he scanned their surroundings. "Your control has improved significantly."

"Necessity," Naruto replied with a small smile, allowing the chains to retract. "Nothing motivates like potentially being squished between dimensions."

They proceeded cautiously down the tunnel, encountering several conventional traps that Kakashi's Sharingan easily identified and disarmed. The passage gradually transitioned from natural cave to constructed corridor, the walls now lined with the same crystalline material they had seen in Shikkotsu Forest's shrine.

"Ōtsutsuki architecture," Sakura whispered, examining the patterns etched into the crystal. "These look like circuit pathways of some kind."

"They are," Naruto confirmed, the Ketsueki Kusari allowing him to sense the energy flowing through them. "The entire facility is one massive chakra conduit, channeling power toward the center."

As they descended deeper, the ambient energy grew stronger, a palpable pressure that made their ears pop and skin tingle. The corridors became increasingly complex, branching and rejoining in patterns that seemed designed to confuse intruders.

Without warning, Sasuke's communication seal pulsed once against Kakashi's palm—the signal to proceed. The eastern team had successfully infiltrated as well.

"We're getting close to something important," Naruto murmured, chains partially manifesting around his arms in response to the thickening energy. "The dimensional distortions are getting stronger."

They reached a junction where three corridors met, each identical in appearance. Kakashi's Sharingan revealed no obvious clues about which to choose.

"Naruto?" he deferred.

Closing his eyes, Naruto extended his senses through the Ketsueki Kusari, probing the energy flow around them. "This way," he indicated the rightmost passage. "It has the strongest dimensional resonance."

The corridor led them to a balcony overlooking an enormous chamber carved from the living rock of the mountain. What they saw below froze them in place, awe and horror mingling in equal measure.

A massive structure dominated the center of the chamber—a ring of interlocking crystal segments suspended above a natural depression in the floor where energy visibly coalesced. The ring pulsed with power, each segment inscribed with seals and circuitry that glowed with otherworldly light. Around it worked dozens of white-clad figures—some human, others unmistakably Ōtsutsuki.

And supervising it all, standing on a raised platform opposite their position, were three figures that radiated power so intense it distorted the air around them. Shiroga was easily identifiable from their previous encounter. Beside him stood two others—taller, more regal in bearing, with horns more elaborate than any Ōtsutsuki they had encountered before.

"The portal device," Kakashi breathed, Sharingan recording every detail. "It's massive—large enough to bring through an army. Or worse."

"There," Sakura pointed to a separate structure near the ring. "That looks like some kind of container. Could that be what they're planning to transport?"

Naruto focused on the container—a crystalline sarcophagus that hummed with contained energy. Something about it triggered a response in the Ketsueki Kusari, the chains stirring beneath his skin as if recognizing a threat.

"We need to get closer," he decided. "I can't tell what's in that container from here."

"Too risky," Kakashi countered. "We need to rendezvous with the others and compare intelligence before—"

The communication seal suddenly pulsed three times in rapid succession—the emergency signal. Simultaneously, alarms blared throughout the facility, crystal pathways flashing from blue to angry red.

"Intruders detected in the eastern quadrant!" a voice announced over some kind of speaker system. "All units converge!"

"Sasuke's team has been compromised," Kakashi stated, instantly alert. "Change of plans. Sakura, find them and provide backup. Naruto and I will use this distraction to gather intel on the portal device."

Sakura nodded grimly, already plotting her route to the eastern section. "Be careful. If those Ōtsutsuki detect you..."

"We'll be fine," Naruto assured her, chains now fully manifested around his arms. "Go help the others."

As Sakura departed, Kakashi and Naruto moved silently along the balcony, seeking a path down to the chamber floor. The alarm had drawn most of the guards away from the portal device, leaving only the three high-ranking Ōtsutsuki and a handful of attendants.

"There," Kakashi spotted a maintenance ladder partially hidden behind a crystal column. "That should get us close enough for a better look without being detected."

They descended cautiously, the chaos of the security response providing cover for their movements. From their new position behind a cluster of equipment, they had a clear view of both the portal device and the mysterious container.

"Can you sense what's inside that sarcophagus?" Kakashi whispered.

Naruto extended a single chain, keeping it close to the ground as he probed the container's energy signature. What he found made his blood run cold.

"It's... a Divine Tree sapling," he replied, voice tight with shock. "But modified somehow. Its chakra signature is wrong—too concentrated, too... purposeful."

"They're planning to transport a Divine Tree through the portal? Where?"

"Not where—when." The voice came from directly behind them, smooth and coldly amused. "How fascinating that you managed to infiltrate our facility, Uzumaki Naruto. Shiroga said you might attempt something so foolish, but I had my doubts."

They spun to find one of the three Ōtsutsuki standing calmly behind them, having approached without triggering even Kakashi's heightened senses. Up close, his alienness was even more pronounced—skin so pale it seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it, horns that curved elegantly from his forehead, and eyes like pale moons that held neither pupil nor iris.

"You know my name," Naruto stated, chains instinctively forming a defensive perimeter around himself and Kakashi. "But I don't know yours."

"I am Kinmoku, Observer of Harvests." The Ōtsutsuki made a gesture that might have been a bow in his culture. "And you are the unexpected variable in our carefully designed experiment. The bloodline hybrid who achieved harmonization when all previous attempts failed."

"Experiment?" Kakashi questioned sharply. "Is that what you call planetary genocide?"

Kinmoku's expression remained placid. "Your perspective is understandably limited. We don't destroy worlds—we elevate their essence to serve a higher purpose. The strongest traits survive, incorporated into the greater collective."

"By draining all chakra and leaving husks behind," Naruto countered. "We've seen what happened to Kaguya's world before she came here."

"Ah, Kaguya." Something like disdain crossed Kinmoku's features. "A renegade who stole rather than harvested, consumed rather than cultivated. Her methods were crude, wasteful. Ours are precise, scientific."

"Is that what the sapling is for?" Naruto demanded, chains tensing. "Some kind of 'precise' harvest?"

"The Temporal Divine Tree is not for this world—at least, not this version of it." Kinmoku gestured toward the portal device, which had begun to activate, its segments rotating slowly. "Time is not the linear construct you perceive it to be, Uzumaki. It branches, loops, intersects with itself. We have found a way to harvest not just across space, but across time as well."

The implications hit Naruto like a physical blow. "You're planning to send that thing into the past? To drain chakra that already existed?"

"Elegant, is it not?" Kinmoku's pride was evident. "Why limit ourselves to the chakra of a single timeline when we can harvest the same world repeatedly across different temporal nodes? The Temporal Divine Tree is designed to tap into the chakra flow of an entire timeline, from its beginning to its predicted end."

Kakashi's visible eye widened in horror. "You'd be erasing history itself. Billions of lives across thousands of years, gone in an instant."

"Precisely. Far more efficient than traditional harvesting methods." The Ōtsutsuki made a dismissive gesture. "But enough exposition. Your presence here is problematic, particularly yours, Uzumaki. The Ketsueki Kusari represents the only significant threat to our temporal harvesting technology."

Without warning, Kinmoku moved—faster than even Kakashi's Sharingan could track. One moment he stood conversing with them; the next, his hand was thrust toward Naruto's chest, pale energy crackling between his fingers.

Only the Ketsueki Kusari's instinctive response saved Naruto from instant death. Chains erupted from his body in all directions, creating a defensive sphere that the Ōtsutsuki's attack struck with devastating force. Even partially deflected, the impact sent Naruto flying backward into a cluster of equipment, the chains absorbing most but not all of the blow.

"Naruto!" Kakashi called, already weaving signs for a lightning technique. "Chidori!"

The lightning blade formed around his hand, but as he lunged toward Kinmoku, the Ōtsutsuki simply gestured. Space itself seemed to warp around Kakashi, redirecting his attack into the ground beside him, the lightning discharge leaving a smoking crater in the stone floor.

"How primitive," Kinmoku observed coldly. "Using physical energy to manipulate physical matter. We evolved beyond such limitations eons ago."

As Naruto struggled to his feet, he sensed the other Ōtsutsuki turning their attention toward the disturbance. Shiroga and the third figure were now moving in their direction, abandoning their supervision of the portal device.

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto called, voice tight with pain—several ribs had cracked despite the chains' protection. "We need to retreat. Now."

The Hokage nodded, recognizing the futility of engaging multiple Ōtsutsuki simultaneously. He brought his hands together, preparing a smokescreen technique to cover their escape—but Kinmoku was too fast. With a casual wave, he dispelled Kakashi's chakra before the jutsu could even form.

"Your time manipulation techniques are impressive, Copy Ninja," the Ōtsutsuki commented. "But ultimately just pale reflections of our true mastery over temporal energy."

Naruto knew they had only seconds before they were completely surrounded. Pushing through the pain of his injuries, he reached deep within, drawing on both the Ketsueki Kusari and Kurama's chakra simultaneously. The harmonized energy responded, chains extending outward in an expanding web that began to interfere with the dimensional properties of the chamber itself.

Kinmoku's eyes narrowed. "Interesting. You're attempting to create a dimensional fold. Crude, but effective if you succeed."

"Not trying to fold dimensions," Naruto grunted, chains continuing to expand. "Trying to anchor them."

With a sharp gesture, he sent the chains plunging into the floor, walls, and ceiling of the chamber. Where they connected, reality seemed to solidify, the ambient dimensional energy suddenly fixed in place rather than flowing freely.

The effect on the portal device was immediate and dramatic. Its rotating segments stuttered, energy discharges arcing between components as the carefully calibrated field destabilized. Alarms blared throughout the facility, more urgent than before.

"Dimensional lockdown!" one of the technicians shouted. "The portal matrix is becoming unstable!"

Kinmoku's calm demeanor finally cracked, genuine anger flashing across his features. "Stop this, you fool! Destabilizing the portal at this stage could tear open the fabric of space-time itself!"

"Better that than letting you erase our entire history," Naruto shot back, grimacing with effort as he maintained the technique. "Kakashi-sensei, find the others! I'll keep them busy here!"

"I'm not leaving you—" Kakashi began, but was cut off as the third Ōtsutsuki finally reached them, a wave of energy forcing him to dodge aside or be obliterated.

"Go!" Naruto insisted, chains now glowing with intensely bright light as they continued to anchor the dimensional energy around them. "That's an order, Hokage!"

After a moment of conflicted hesitation, Kakashi nodded sharply. "Don't you dare die here," he commanded, then vanished in a blur of movement, using the chaos of the destabilizing portal to mask his retreat.

Now alone against three Ōtsutsuki, Naruto knew his chances of survival were slim. But he'd faced worse odds before, and now he had a new weapon—one that, according to Kinmoku's own words, the Ōtsutsuki genuinely feared.

"Ketsueki Kusari: Dimensional Anchor," he named the technique as he poured more chakra into it, the chains pulsing with combined crimson and golden light. The portal device's rotation had completely ceased now, energy building up dangerously within its frozen components.

"You don't understand what you're doing," Shiroga hissed, advancing cautiously. "The temporal energies must be released gradually or the backlash will destroy everything within a hundred-kilometer radius!"

"Then help me shut it down properly," Naruto countered, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth—the strain of maintaining the technique was enormous. "Or we all go together."

The third Ōtsutsuki, who had yet to speak, placed a restraining hand on Shiroga's arm. Unlike the others, his expression showed not anger but curious assessment.

"The Uzumaki bloodline has evolved further than our calculations predicted," he observed in a deep, resonant voice. "Fascinating adaptation. You are not simply restraining dimensional flow—you're redirecting it."

Naruto hadn't realized it consciously, but the Ōtsutsuki was right. The chains weren't just anchoring the energy; they were channeling it, creating a circuit that bypassed the portal device entirely. The excess power was being funneled... somewhere else.

"Retreat," the lead Ōtsutsuki commanded suddenly. "Initiate emergency translocation. This facility is lost."

"But Lord Zetsuga," Shiroga protested, "the Temporal Divine Tree—"

"Will be recovered later. The dimensional cascade is approaching critical threshold." Zetsuga—apparently the highest-ranking Ōtsutsuki present—made a complex gesture. Ripples appeared in the air around all three of them, the beginning of a transportation technique.

"Oh no you don't," Naruto growled, redirecting several chains toward them. The Ketsueki Kusari responded to his intent, the chains transforming into barbed harpoons that shot toward the retreating Ōtsutsuki.

Kinmoku and Shiroga evaded easily, but one chain managed to graze Zetsuga's arm as he disappeared. A few drops of pale blood splashed onto the chamber floor—along with something else. A small, crystalline device clattered to the ground, apparently dislodged from the Ōtsutsuki lord's robes during the hasty retreat.

With the Ōtsutsuki gone, Naruto turned his full attention to the destabilizing portal. The excess energy had reached critical levels, the entire ring structure now vibrating violently as cracks appeared in its previously flawless surface. If it detonated, the resulting dimensional catastrophe would indeed destroy everything for kilometers around—including his friends, wherever they were in the facility.

Kurama, I need everything you've got, he called internally. We have to contain this explosion!

I'm with you, kit, the fox responded immediately. But this much dimensional energy... I'm not sure even our combined power is enough.

The truth of the Bijuu's assessment became increasingly clear as Naruto struggled to maintain control. The chains were absorbing and redirecting massive amounts of energy, but the portal's power reserves were far greater than he had anticipated. Sooner or later, the containment would fail, and when it did...

A new thought struck him—a desperate gamble. If he couldn't contain the energy, perhaps he could transport it. The Ketsueki Kusari allowed for dimensional manipulation; in theory, he could open his own portal and send the destabilized energy... elsewhere.

But where? He couldn't risk sending it randomly—it might emerge near a populated area or even another world. He needed a destination that could absorb or neutralize the energy harmlessly.

The dimensional void, Kurama suggested suddenly. The empty space between realities. Nothing there to harm.

It was risky—Naruto had never attempted to access the void directly, and doing so incorrectly could be fatal. But with the portal's detonation imminent, he had no choice.

Redirecting the chains, he began forming a new configuration—a spiraling pattern that mimicked the Uzumaki crest but with subtle differences. This was no defensive technique or attack; it was pure space-time manipulation, creating a gateway to the emptiness that existed between dimensions.

The strain was enormous. Sweat poured down Naruto's face, the seal markings glowing brilliantly as he pushed the Ketsueki Kusari beyond anything he had attempted before. Blood vessels burst in his eyes, turning the whites crimson, but still he persisted.

Slowly, a dark aperture formed before him—a perfect circle of absolute nothingness, not black but somehow the absence of visual information entirely. The void between worlds, a place where nothing existed, not even the basic laws of physics.

Now redirect the energy, Kurama urged. Quickly!

With the last of his strength, Naruto sent his chains into the failing portal device, embedding them deep within its crystalline structure. Then, with a wrenching gesture, he established a connection between the device and the void portal he had created.

The effect was like uncorking a bottle of pressurized gas. Energy surged from the destabilizing portal into the void, a blinding torrent of power that threatened to overwhelm Naruto's control at any moment. The chamber shook violently, equipment toppling and crystals shattering as the structural integrity of the entire facility began to fail.

Just when it seemed the technique would collapse, taking Naruto and half the mountain with it, something unexpected happened. The Ketsueki Kusari... changed. The chains, previously solid constructs of chakra, became something more fluid, more adaptive. They transformed into a network of living seals that wrapped around the energy flow, guiding and containing it with newfound precision.

Naruto felt the change within himself as well—as if a final barrier in his understanding had been breached. This was what the scrolls had meant by "completion." Not a specific technique to be learned, but a fundamental evolution in how the bloodline manifested. The Ketsueki Kusari was becoming something beyond what even the Uzumaki had envisioned—a true synthesis of bloodline, Bijuu, and Naruto's own indomitable will.

With this new control, he was able to accelerate the energy transfer, draining the failing portal device completely before collapsing his void gateway with a gesture. The sudden silence was almost as shocking as the previous chaos had been.

Exhausted beyond measure, Naruto sank to his knees. The immediate danger had passed, but the facility was still crumbling around him, structural damage too severe to be reversed. He needed to find the others and escape before the entire mountain came down.

As he struggled to his feet, his gaze fell on the object Zetsuga had dropped—the small crystalline device lying forgotten amid the debris. Despite his fatigue, Naruto recognized its potential importance. Summoning the last of his strength, he crossed to where it lay and carefully picked it up.

It was warm to the touch, pulsing faintly with the same type of energy the portal had utilized. Some kind of control device, perhaps, or a data storage unit. Whatever it was, it was clearly of Ōtsutsuki design and potentially invaluable.

Pocketing the device, Naruto began making his way toward where he sensed his teammates' chakra signatures. The Ketsueki Kusari, though diminished after the massive energy expenditure, still allowed him to track them through the dimensional distortions that permeated the facility.

He found them in a collapsed corridor, Sakura using her strength to hold up a section of ceiling while the others evacuated injured members of Sasuke's team. Yamato was creating wooden supports, but it was clearly a losing battle against the mountain's increasing instability.

"Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed when she saw him, relief obvious despite her strained position. "What happened? The whole place started coming apart!"

"Long story," he managed, moving to help support the ceiling with his chains. "Short version: Ōtsutsuki fled, portal destroyed, we need to get out. Now."

Sasuke, who appeared to have suffered a significant injury to his left arm, nodded grimly. "Eastern exit is blocked. We need another way out."

Despite his exhaustion, Naruto knew what needed to be done. "Everyone gather around me. Close as you can get."

As the team huddled together, Naruto summoned the last reserves of his strength. The Ketsueki Kusari responded sluggishly at first, then with increasing vigor as Kurama channeled more chakra to support the technique. Chains extended outward, forming a protective sphere around the entire group.

"Dimensional Fold," Naruto murmured, focusing on a destination outside the mountain—the valley where they had first rendezvoused with Sasuke. "Hold on to something."

With a sensation like reality itself being stretched and then snapping back, they vanished from the collapsing corridor. A moment of disorientation followed—the uncomfortable feeling of existing everywhere and nowhere simultaneously—before they reappeared in the valley, the chains dissipating as Naruto finally surrendered to exhaustion.

The last thing he saw before consciousness fled was the distant mountain, its peak collapsing inward as the dimensional instabilities continued to wreak havoc on its structure. Then darkness claimed him, the completion of the Ketsueki Kusari taking its toll on his already depleted body.

Naruto dreamed of chains that spanned worlds.

They stretched from planet to planet, star to star, across the infinite void of space—not restraining or binding, but connecting. Each link contained universes in miniature, possibilities both realized and unrealized, timelines branching and converging in endless fractal patterns.

And at the center of this vast network stood Naruto himself, not as he was but as he might become—the chains extending from his very being, his consciousness expanded beyond the limitations of a single form or timeline. He could see everything at once: past, present, future, all equally accessible, all equally malleable.

This is the true potential of the Ketsueki Kusari, a voice whispered—not Kurama's, but somehow familiar nonetheless. Not just a weapon or a technique, but a way of being. A bridge between what is and what could be.

The dream shifted, showing him glimpses of other possibilities—worlds where different choices had led to different outcomes. A timeline where the Fourth Great Ninja War had ended in defeat. Another where Naruto had never contained the Nine-Tails. Yet another where the Ōtsutsuki had never come to Earth at all.

All connected by the chains, all accessible to one who understood how to navigate the dimensional pathways between them.

But with such power comes danger, the voice cautioned. The Ōtsutsuki seek this knowledge as desperately as they fear it. To control time is to control everything—and they will stop at nothing to ensure that power remains theirs alone.

Images flashed more rapidly now: the Temporal Divine Tree reaching across multiple timelines, draining chakra from countless versions of reality; Zetsuga standing at the center of a vast dimensional nexus, directing the flow of time itself; worlds blinking out of existence one by one as their energy was harvested across every possible version of themselves.

This is what awaits if they succeed, the voice warned. Not just the end of your world, but the end of every possible version of it—past, present, and future.

The dream began to fade, reality reasserting itself. But as consciousness returned, one final image burned itself into Naruto's mind: a symbol he had never seen before, complex and alien, yet somehow intimately familiar—as if he had always known it but simply forgotten until now.

Remember this, the voice urged as it too began to fade. When the time comes, it will show you the way.

Naruto awoke to the familiar antiseptic smell of Konoha Hospital. Sunlight streamed through partially closed blinds, casting striped patterns across the standard-issue blanket covering him. His body felt heavy, chakra reserves depleted but slowly recovering.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," a dry voice greeted him. Tsunade sat in a chair beside his bed, medical chart in hand, looking both relieved and annoyed in that unique way only she could manage. "You've been unconscious for three days. Again."

"Sorry," Naruto croaked, throat parched. "Didn't exactly plan it that way."

Tsunade poured water from a pitcher, helping him sit up to drink. "Never do, yet here we are. Again." Despite her scolding tone, her hands were gentle, medical chakra automatically checking his vitals as she supported him.

"The others?" he asked once his thirst was somewhat quenched.

"All recovered, or nearly so. Sasuke's arm required extensive reconstruction—he intercepted some kind of dimensional cutting technique that severed several chakra pathways. But he'll regain full function eventually." She set the empty glass aside. "Meanwhile, you've set new records for chakra exhaustion. Your network was completely drained—we had to use specialized equipment just to jump-start your recovery."

Naruto nodded, unsurprised. The completion of the Ketsueki Kusari and the subsequent dimensional techniques had demanded more energy than he'd ever channeled before. "But it worked," he stated rather than asked. "The portal was destroyed."

"Thoroughly. The entire mountain collapsed, leaving nothing but a massive crater. Earth Country officials are furious, of course, but even the Tsuchikage can't argue with the intelligence you recovered." Tsunade's expression turned grave. "The Ōtsutsuki attempting temporal harvesting... it changes everything."

Naruto sat up straighter, memories flooding back. "The device! I grabbed something one of them dropped—a crystal thing. Did they find it on me?"

"Yes, and it's been the subject of intense study for the past two days. Shikamaru and the research division haven't slept since it arrived." A hint of pride crept into her voice. "You may have delivered the most significant intelligence coup in shinobi history."

Relief washed over him. At least something good had come from the near-disaster of their mission. "Have they figured out what it does?"

"It's some kind of control device—contains stored information about the Ōtsutsuki's temporal technology, coordinates of other facilities, even communication protocols." Tsunade hesitated, then added, "It also contains something else—something they're calling a 'dimensional map.' Shikamaru thinks it might be a complete overview of the Ōtsutsuki network across multiple worlds, possibly even timelines."

A chill ran down Naruto's spine as he remembered his dream—the vast network of chains connecting different realities, the vision of the Ōtsutsuki harvesting across time itself. "I need to see it."

"You need to rest," Tsunade countered automatically, then sighed at his determined expression. "But that's not going to happen, is it? Fine. You can have visitors for thirty minutes. They've been waiting anyway."

Before Naruto could respond, the door opened, and Shikamaru entered, followed by Sakura, Kakashi, and surprisingly, Hinata. The Hyūga heiress immediately blushed upon seeing Naruto awake, but her expression held determination alongside her usual shyness.

"Bout time you woke up," Shikamaru drawled, though relief was evident in his usually lazy posture. "Some of us have been working overtime because of your vacation."

"Vacation?" Naruto snorted. "Yeah, collapsing mountains and fighting aliens. Real relaxing."

"Naruto," Hinata spoke up, stepping forward with uncharacteristic assertiveness. "I've been assigned to your case by the research division. My Byakugan can see things in the Ōtsutsuki device that normal instruments can't detect."

"Hinata's been invaluable," Kakashi confirmed. "Her visual abilities, combined with Shikamaru's analytical skills, have gotten us further in three days than we might have managed in months otherwise."

Naruto smiled warmly at the young woman. "That's great, Hinata. I'm not surprised—your eyes have always been special." The compliment earned him another blush, but also a small, pleased smile.

"We've brought the device," Shikamaru announced, producing a sealed container from within his vest. "Figured you'd want to see it, given that you nearly died retrieving it."

Opening the container revealed the crystalline object Naruto had grabbed during his escape from the mountain facility. In the clear light of the hospital room, its structure was more apparent—a multifaceted crystal about the size of a fist, with intricate circuitry visible within its translucent depths. It pulsed gently with pale blue light, responding to the chakra of those around it.

"It's beautiful," Sakura murmured, medical curiosity overriding caution as she leaned closer. "The internal structure is almost organic, like a combination of technology and living tissue."

"That's exactly what it is," Hinata confirmed. "When I examine it with my Byakugan, I can see that the circuitry is actually grown, not constructed. And it responds differently to different chakra signatures."

Naruto felt drawn to the device, an inexplicable sense of familiarity washing over him. When Shikamaru placed it in his hands, the crystal immediately brightened, its internal patterns shifting and reorganizing.

"It's responding to you," Hinata observed, Byakugan active. "More strongly than to anyone else we've tested."

"Probably because of your contact with multiple Ōtsutsuki," Kakashi suggested. "Or perhaps it's recognizing the Ketsueki Kusari somehow."

But Naruto suspected it was something else—something connected to the dream he'd had, the vision of chains spanning realities. Almost instinctively, he channeled a small amount of chakra into the crystal, not his normal blue energy but the harmonized crimson-gold of the completed Ketsueki Kusari.

The effect was immediate and dramatic. The crystal flared with brilliant light, projecting a three-dimensional hologram into the air above it—a vast, intricate network of interconnected points that filled the hospital room from floor to ceiling. Each point pulsed with light of varying colors and intensities, connected by lines that shifted and flowed like living things.

"The dimensional map," Shikamaru breathed, eyes wide with wonder despite his usually controlled demeanor. "We've been trying to access this for days!"

Hinata gasped, her Byakugan processing information at a level the others couldn't perceive. "It's... it's not just a map of places. It's mapping time itself—different timelines, alternate realities, potential futures."

"This point here," she continued, pointing to a particularly bright node near the center of the display. "I think it's us—our world, our timeline. And these others," her hand swept to indicate clusters of nearby points, "they're alternate versions, branches where history took different paths."

Naruto stared at the holographic display, recognition dawning. It was exactly what he had seen in his dream—the vast network connecting different realities. But now, awake and seeing it physically manifested, he understood something more: this wasn't just a map. It was a tactical display, showing the current status of the Ōtsutsuki's multi-dimensional campaign.

"The red points," he said slowly, understanding coming as he spoke. "Those are worlds they've already harvested. The yellow ones are in progress. And the green..."

"Targets," Kakashi finished grimly. "Future harvesting sites."

Sakura pointed to a disturbing pattern within the display. "Look at how they're moving—not randomly, but in a specific sequence. They're creating some kind of... dimensional cascade effect."

"Exactly," Shikamaru nodded, his brilliant mind already analyzing the strategic implications. "By harvesting worlds in this specific order, they're maximizing efficiency while minimizing resistance. Each successful harvest weakens the dimensional barriers around neighboring worlds, making the next harvest easier."

"And our world?" Tsunade asked, voice tight with concern.

Hinata focused on the bright node representing their reality. "We're... we're a nexus point. If they successfully harvest us, it destabilizes this entire section of the map. Dozens of alternate timelines would become vulnerable simultaneously."

The implications were staggering. The Ōtsutsuki weren't just targeting their world; they were targeting every possible version of it across the multiverse. A successful harvest wouldn't just end their reality, but potentially every branch timeline connected to theirs.

"That's why they're so interested in temporal technology," Naruto realized. "They don't want to just harvest our world in the present—they want to access every version of it throughout history. Past, present, future, alternate timelines... all of it."

"Wait," Sakura interrupted, pointing to a different section of the map. "What are these black areas? They look like... voids in the network."

Hinata focused her Byakugan on the indicated regions—places where the flowing connections of the map simply stopped, as if something had removed entire sections of reality from the network.

"I'm not sure," she admitted after a moment. "They're like blind spots—places the map can't or won't display."

The symbol from Naruto's dream suddenly flashed in his mind. Without thinking, he channeled more of the Ketsueki Kusari's energy into the crystal, focusing on the strange alien glyph he had seen just before waking.

The map shifted in response, zooming in on one of the black voids. At its edges, a symbol appeared—the exact one from his dream, pulsing with a light that seemed to both attract and repel attention simultaneously.

"What did you do?" Shikamaru asked sharply.

"I'm not sure," Naruto admitted. "I saw this symbol in a dream while I was unconscious. It seemed... important somehow."

Hinata studied the symbol with her Byakugan, expression growing increasingly confused. "It's... it's not Ōtsutsuki. The chakra signature is completely different. Older, somehow, but also... newer?" She shook her head in frustration. "I can't describe it properly. It's like looking at something that exists outside normal time."

"The Sage of Six Paths?" Kakashi suggested. "Could this be connected to Hagoromo somehow?"

"No," Naruto replied with certainty, though he couldn't have explained how he knew. "This is something else. Something the Ōtsutsuki fear."

He focused again on the symbol, allowing the Ketsueki Kusari to resonate with whatever energy it contained. A sense of recognition flooded through him—not memory exactly, but something deeper, more instinctive. The blood remembers, Lady Kodama had said in Shikkotsu Forest. And his blood was telling him something important about these blank areas on the map.

"They're safe zones," he said suddenly, understanding crystallizing. "Places the Ōtsutsuki can't access or influence. Worlds or timelines that have somehow been... protected."

"Protected by what?" Tsunade asked. "What could possibly keep out beings capable of harvesting entire dimensions?"

The answer came to Naruto not as knowledge but as intuition—a certainty born from the completed Ketsueki Kusari resonating with whatever the symbol represented.

"The Guardians," he said, the term feeling right even though he had never heard it before. "Beings who exist specifically to counter the Ōtsutsuki. To maintain balance across the multiverse."

As if in confirmation, the map shifted again, zooming out to show the larger pattern. The black voids weren't randomly distributed after all—they formed a deliberate counterpattern to the Ōtsutsuki harvesting network, strategic positions that contained and limited the aliens' expansion.

"This is bigger than we realized," Kakashi said quietly. "We're not just fighting to protect our world or timeline. We're part of a much larger conflict—one that spans reality itself."

"But who are these Guardians?" Sakura pressed. "And why haven't they intervened directly in our world if they oppose the Ōtsutsuki?"

Before anyone could speculate further, the crystal pulsed sharply and the holographic display flickered. New information appeared—a set of coordinates that meant nothing to most of those present, but caused Hinata to gasp in recognition.

"Those coordinates," she breathed. "They're on the moon. Specifically, the ruins of the Ōtsutsuki settlement where Toneri lived."

Naruto's pulse quickened. Two years ago, he and his friends had prevented Toneri Ōtsutsuki from destroying Earth with a fragment of the moon. During that mission, they had discovered ancient ruins belonging to a branch of the Ōtsutsuki clan that had split from the main family millennia ago.

"The device is directing us there," Shikamaru concluded. "But why? What's on the moon that connects to these Guardians?"

As if in answer, the crystal projected one final image before going dormant—a temple structure built into the lunar landscape, its architecture unlike anything they had seen in Toneri's compound. At its center stood a massive door sealed with the same symbol that had appeared on the dimensional map.

"A hidden temple," Kakashi mused. "One that Toneri either didn't know about or chose to avoid."

"I think it's time we paid the moon another visit," Naruto decided, already moving to get out of bed before Tsunade's firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Not so fast. You're still recovering from extreme chakra depletion. No one's going anywhere until you're medically cleared."

"But—"

"No buts. Besides," she added with a meaningful look at the now-dormant crystal, "we need time to analyze this information properly and prepare a mission plan. Rushing off half-cocked to the moon is exactly what got you into trouble last time."

Reluctantly, Naruto subsided, recognizing the wisdom in her words. The stakes were too high for impulsive action, no matter how urgent the situation felt.

"Three days," Tsunade declared after a moment of consideration. "That's how long it will take for your chakra network to fully recover, and coincidentally, how long Shikamaru needs to complete the mission preparations." Her tone left no room for argument. "Use the time to rest and continue developing your control over the completed Ketsueki Kusari. You'll need every advantage for what's coming."

As the others filed out, leaving Naruto to rest with a promise to return tomorrow, he found himself staring at the ceiling, mind racing with implications. The Ketsueki Kusari had completed its evolution, but that completion had only revealed how much more there was to learn. His dream of chains spanning realities, the dimensional map, the mysterious Guardians—all pieces of a puzzle far larger than he had imagined.

What do you make of all this? he asked Kurama internally.

The fox was silent for a long moment before responding. I think we've stumbled into a war that began long before either of us existed—one that makes our previous conflicts seem like playground scuffles in comparison.

And these Guardians? Could they be allies?

Perhaps. Or perhaps they're simply a different type of manipulator, using us for their own purposes just as the Ōtsutsuki attempt to do. Kurama's skepticism was evident. Power rarely comes without strings attached, kit. Even power that appears beneficial.

The warning was well-taken, but something about the symbol, about the concept of the Guardians, resonated with Naruto on a level deeper than logical analysis. The completed Ketsueki Kusari had changed something fundamental in how he perceived reality—as if he were seeing not just the physical world, but the dimensional lattice underlying it.

And that lattice was under threat.

Three days, he thought as fatigue began to reclaim him. Three days to prepare for a journey to the moon, to a temple that might hold the key to understanding their place in a multiversal conflict. Three days to master whatever new abilities the completed bloodline had granted him.

It wasn't much time. But then, when had he ever had the luxury of adequate preparation?

As sleep approached, the symbol from the map flashed once more in his mind's eye, pulsing with significance he couldn't yet fully comprehend. Whatever awaited them on the moon, one thing was certain: nothing would be the same afterward.

The chains of fate were drawing tight, and Naruto Uzumaki—heir to the Crimson Legacy, jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, and now wielder of the completed Ketsueki Kusari—was at their very center.

The journey to the moon took significantly less time than their previous expedition. With the knowledge gained from the Ōtsutsuki device and Naruto's newly enhanced dimensional abilities, they were able to create a direct portal rather than relying on the cumbersome chakra cannon method they had used during the Toneri incident."Hurry!" Lady Kodama urged as Sasuke and Sakura reached them. "The collapse is accelerating!"

With a final surge of power, Naruto drove his chains through the dimensional barrier. There was resistance—like pushing through thick rubber—then a sensation of breakthrough as the chains pierced reality itself. A portal began to form, edges ragged at first but stabilizing as Naruto poured more of the harmonized chakra into maintaining it.

"Go through!" he commanded, straining to hold the passage open. "I'll follow last!"

"We go together or not at all," Sakura insisted, grabbing his arm.

"For once, I agree with her," Sasuke added, positioning himself on Naruto's other side. "The three of us jump simultaneously."

"What about the slug?" Naruto asked, glancing at Lady Kodama.

"I cannot leave Shikkotsu," she replied sadly. "My existence is bound to this realm. But the forest will endure in some form—it has survived dimensional attacks before."

"Orochimaru and the Ōtsutsuki?" Sakura questioned.

As if in answer, another voice cut through the chaos—Orochimaru, calling from near the collapse trigger. "This isn't over, Naruto-kun! What has awakened cannot be put back to sleep. We will meet again, when you've had time to reconsider my offer!"

The Sannin and Shiroga were already retreating through their own portal, the Ōtsutsuki casting one final, threatening glance at Naruto before disappearing. The collapse trigger remained behind, its countdown irreversible.

"Now!" Sasuke shouted as a particularly violent tremor shook the entire chamber. "Jump!"

The three teammates leapt together, passing through Naruto's portal in a flash of combined crimson and golden light. Behind them, the dais, the shrine, and Lady Kodama vanished as the dimensional pocket began its final collapse.

For a moment, they existed nowhere—suspended in the void between spaces, held together only by the tether of Naruto's chains. Then reality reasserted itself, and they crashed onto solid ground, rolling with the impact before coming to rest on grass damp with evening dew.

Gasping for breath, Naruto looked up to find the familiar stars of their own world shining overhead. They had emerged in a small clearing just outside Konoha's walls, exactly where he had visualized. The portal snapped shut behind them, leaving only a faint shimmer in the air that quickly faded.

"We made it," Sakura breathed, sitting up slowly. "Is everyone okay?"

Sasuke nodded, already on his feet and scanning their surroundings for threats. "No pursuit, at least for now."

Naruto remained on his back a moment longer, the enormity of what had just happened washing over him. The betrayal, the revelation of the Ōtsutsuki's continued interest in Earth, the true nature of the Ketsueki Kusari—and its newly harmonized state within him.

"We need to tell Kakashi," he said finally, pushing himself upright. "Orochimaru working with the Ōtsutsuki changes everything. And we need to warn the other villages too."

"Agreed," Sasuke replied. "This Shiroga seems different from Kaguya or Momoshiki—more patient, more strategic. That makes him more dangerous."

As they made their way toward Konoha's gates, Naruto felt Kurama stirring within him, the fox's thoughts now clear and accessible after the harmonization.

We've faced worse than manipulative aliens and traitorous snakes, the Bijuu commented with characteristic confidence. And now we have a new weapon they clearly fear.

The Ketsueki Kusari, Naruto agreed internally. But I still don't fully understand it. There's so much to learn about what it can do.

Then learn, Kurama replied simply. You have both Uzumaki creativity and my chakra at your disposal. And unlike your ancestors, you know exactly what you're fighting against.

Naruto looked down at his hands, summoning a small chain that coiled around his fingers—gold and crimson intertwined in perfect balance. Already he could feel new applications of the technique forming in his mind, possibilities that neither the Uzumaki clan nor the Ōtsutsuki had anticipated.

They had survived the immediate threat, but a greater battle loomed. Shiroga would return, perhaps with more Ōtsutsuki allies. Orochimaru's betrayal meant their enemies had insider knowledge of the shinobi world. The stakes had never been higher.

But as Naruto looked at his teammates walking beside him, at the village gates standing strong ahead, at the chain glimmering between his fingers, he felt something unexpected: optimism. Throughout his life, every challenge had ultimately made him stronger. This would be no different.

His crimson hair stirred in the night breeze as he quickened his pace. They had work to do, preparations to make. And he had a bloodline to master—on his own terms.

The Ketsueki Kusari had awakened to face the Ōtsutsuki threat. With Naruto Uzumaki as its wielder, it would exceed even its creators' wildest dreams.