What if Naruto Had Shigaraki's Decay Quirk?

Naruto Uzumaki stared at his gloved hands, flexing his fingers as the fabric stretched taut across his knuckles. The morning sunlight filtered through his apartment window, illuminating specks of dust that danced in the air—dust that might have once been furniture, books, or mementos if he'd been careless.

Five years had passed since he'd discovered the truth. Five years of wearing gloves, of maintaining a careful distance from everything and everyone. Five years of being even more alone than before.

The gloves were a necessity—black, sturdy things that covered him from fingertips to wrists. They weren't just accessories; they were shackles that kept the world safe from him.

"Good morning, Kurama," he whispered to the presence inside him. The Nine-Tailed Fox had been surprisingly sympathetic about Naruto's condition. Perhaps because it understood what it meant to be feared for one's destructive potential.

"Another day of playing it safe, kit?" Kurama's voice rumbled through his mind, tinged with a mixture of boredom and resignation.

"You know the alternative."

Naruto's gaze drifted to the corner of his room where a small plant sat in a ceramic pot—the only living thing he allowed himself to keep. He'd never touched it directly, not even once. The plant represented something important: that life could exist in his presence, so long as he maintained control.

He rose from his bed, carefully navigating the spartan room. His apartment was minimalist by necessity, not choice. Fewer possessions meant fewer chances to accidentally destroy something irreplaceable. Everything had its place, and Naruto had mapped out the exact path he took through his living space each day, a choreographed dance to avoid accidental contact.

As he prepared for the day, his routine was methodical. He pulled on his orange and black jumpsuit—modified with long sleeves that sealed at the wrists, providing an extra layer of protection against accidental skin contact. His movements were precise, practiced, the result of years of conditioning himself to be hyperaware of his surroundings.

He paused before his mirror, meeting his own blue eyes. The whisker marks on his cheeks seemed to stand out more starkly against his skin, which had grown paler from spending so much time indoors. Social isolation was just another consequence of his condition.

"Today's another step forward," he told his reflection, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Believe it."

The smile faltered as memories flickered through his mind—the first time his power had manifested, the horror on the Third Hokage's face, the immediate quarantine, the tests, the fear. He'd been only seven years old when he'd reached out to pet a stray cat, only to watch in horror as the animal disintegrated beneath his fingertips, crumbling to dust in a matter of seconds.

The memory still haunted him.

They'd called it a kekkei genkai at first—a bloodline limit unique to him, perhaps related to his mysterious parentage. But as the years passed and more tests were conducted, they realized it was something else entirely. Something that didn't fit within the known parameters of shinobi abilities. The power seemed to operate on different principles than chakra-based techniques, though Naruto's massive chakra reserves appeared to fuel and amplify it.

Whatever it was, the result was the same: anything Naruto touched with all five fingers would rapidly decay, breaking down at a molecular level until nothing remained but dust. Wood, metal, stone, fabric, water—even chakra itself wasn't immune. And most terrifying of all, living tissue seemed particularly susceptible, decaying even faster than inanimate objects.

It was a power that made even the most destructive ninjutsu seem tame by comparison.

A knock at his door jolted him from his thoughts.

"Naruto, it's me," called a familiar voice—Iruka-sensei. One of the few people who still regularly checked on him.

Naruto approached the door cautiously, calling through it, "Just a second, Iruka-sensei!"

He double-checked his gloves, tugging them securely into place before opening the door with his palm, careful to keep his fingers curled away from the handle.

Iruka stood in the hallway, a gentle smile on his scarred face and a package in his hands. "I brought you some new gloves. The reinforced kind you like, with the chakra-resistant lining."

"Thanks," Naruto said, genuinely grateful. Good gloves were essential, and these specialized ones were expensive and difficult to find. "You didn't have to."

"I wanted to," Iruka replied, his eyes softening. "Besides, I have news. The Hokage wants to see you."

Naruto tensed. "Lady Tsunade? Why?"

"She didn't say, but she mentioned something about a potential mission."

A mission. The word hung in the air between them, loaded with significance. Naruto hadn't been assigned a real mission in years—not since the incident during his first C-rank, when he'd accidentally decayed part of a bridge they were supposed to be protecting. After that, he'd been restricted to D-rank missions within the village, and eventually, even those stopped coming.

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked, unable to keep the hope from his voice.

Iruka nodded. "She specifically asked for you. Be at the Hokage Tower in an hour."

After Iruka left, Naruto stood in his doorway, frozen in place. A mission. A chance to prove himself useful, to show that he wasn't just a danger to be contained. His heart raced with equal parts excitement and terror.

An hour later, he stood before the massive doors of the Hokage's office, steeling himself before knocking.

"Enter," came Tsunade's commanding voice.

Naruto pushed open the door with his forearm, stepping into the circular office. Tsunade sat behind her desk, her amber eyes sharp as they took him in. Beside her stood Shizune, clutching Tonton to her chest, and leaning against the wall was—

"Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto blinked in surprise.

Kakashi raised a hand in his customary lazy greeting. "Yo."

"Good, you're here," Tsunade said, folding her hands on her desk. "I have a mission that requires your... unique capabilities."

Naruto swallowed hard. "My capabilities?"

"Yes." Tsunade's expression was serious. "We've received intelligence about a plot against Konoha. A group of missing-nin has developed a new type of barrier technique—one that conventional ninjutsu can't penetrate. But your decay ability might be able to break through it."

Hope bloomed in Naruto's chest. His curse, the very thing that had isolated him from society, might actually be useful?

"The mission involves infiltrating their hideout on the border of the Land of Fire," Kakashi explained. "We need to recover information about a planned attack on the village."

"You'll be working with Team 7," Tsunade added. "Kakashi, Sakura, and Sai."

Naruto's stomach twisted. Team 7. His old team, minus Sasuke, who was still with Orochimaru. He hadn't worked with them in years, had barely even seen them aside from brief, awkward encounters around the village.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" he asked, his voice smaller than he intended. "What if I... what if something goes wrong?"

Tsunade's gaze was unwavering. "Your control has improved significantly, Naruto. And your team knows to keep their distance during combat. This is an opportunity for you to use your ability constructively, for the good of the village."

For the good of the village. The words echoed in his mind. Wasn't that all he'd ever wanted? To be acknowledged, to be seen as more than just the demon container, more than just a walking hazard?

"When do we leave?" he heard himself ask.

"Tomorrow at dawn," Kakashi replied. "Meet at the main gate. Pack for a week-long mission."

Naruto nodded, his mind already racing through preparations. Extra gloves. Multiple layers of clothing. Specialized tools that he could use without direct finger contact.

As he turned to leave, Tsunade called after him, "Naruto."

He paused, looking back over his shoulder.

"This is important," she said, her expression softening just slightly. "But your safety—and the safety of your team—comes first. If at any point you feel your control slipping, you withdraw. Understood?"

"Understood, Granny Tsunade," he replied, a ghost of his old confidence surfacing in his voice.

As the door closed behind him, Naruto leaned against the wall of the hallway, sucking in a deep breath. This was it—his chance to prove that his destructive power could be used for something good. That he wasn't just a liability.

But as he pushed off the wall and headed for the exit, a chill ran down his spine. What if he failed? What if someone got hurt—or worse—because of him?

The weight of that possibility felt heavier than all the dust his touch had ever created.

Dawn broke over Konoha, painting the sky in hues of amber and crimson. Naruto stood at the village gates, his pack secure on his shoulders, his gloved hands tucked into his pockets. He'd arrived early, unable to sleep through the night with anxiety and anticipation coursing through him.

The village was still waking up, the streets mostly empty save for the occasional shopkeeper opening their doors or shinobi returning from night patrols. Naruto preferred it this way—fewer people meant fewer chances for accidental contact, fewer stares, fewer whispers.

He closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing, on the steady flow of chakra through his body. Over the years, he'd developed his own form of meditation, a technique to help him maintain awareness of his surroundings and control over his destructive touch.

"You're here early."

The voice startled him, though he was careful not to show it. He opened his eyes to see Sakura approaching, her pink hair longer than he remembered, pulled back in a practical ponytail. Her medical pouch hung at her hip, and her eyes—those green eyes that used to look at him with annoyance, then friendship, and finally fear—were cautious but not unkind.

"Sakura," he greeted, maintaining his distance. "It's been a while."

"Too long," she admitted, stopping a few meters away—a distance that had become normal in his interactions with others. "How have you been, Naruto?"

The question was loaded with unspoken complications. How had he been? Isolated. Lonely. Terrified of his own hands.

"I've been alright," he lied, forcing a smile. "Training. Keeping busy."

Sakura's expression suggested she didn't believe him, but she nodded anyway. "I've been studying new medical techniques with Lady Tsunade. I've actually been researching kekkei genkai and unique chakra manifestations. I thought maybe..." She trailed off.

"Thought maybe you could fix me?" Naruto finished for her, his tone light despite the heaviness in his chest.

"Not fix," she corrected quickly. "Understand. Maybe find a way to help you control it better."

Before Naruto could respond, a pale figure appeared beside Sakura—Sai, with his emotionless smile and ink-stained fingertips.

"Hello, Naruto," Sai said, his voice as flat as ever. "It's good to see you again. I've read that in reunions between long-separated friends, physical contact like hugging is customary, but given your condition, I assume we'll skip that part."

Despite everything, Naruto found himself laughing. Sai's blunt tactlessness was actually refreshing after years of people tiptoeing around him. "Yeah, Sai, we'll skip the hugging."

"That's for the best. I value my molecular integrity."

Sakura shot Sai a warning look, but Naruto waved it off. "It's fine. At least he's honest about it."

A puff of smoke announced Kakashi's arrival, surprisingly on time for once. "Good morning, team. Glad to see everyone's getting reacquainted."

The silver-haired jonin's visible eye crinkled in what Naruto recognized as a smile beneath his mask. Some things, at least, hadn't changed.

"Now then," Kakashi continued, unrolling a map. "Our mission takes us to the northeastern border, where our intelligence suggests the missing-nin have established their base in an abandoned temple complex." He pointed to a spot on the map, deep in the forested mountains. "The barrier they've created surrounds the entire complex and has repelled all conventional attempts to penetrate it."

"What makes you think my... ability... will work on it?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi's eye met his. "Because your decay effect doesn't operate like normal ninjutsu. It doesn't seem to be affected by chakra nullification techniques, and it can break down chakra constructs at their fundamental level. If anything can get through this barrier, it's your touch."

"We'll approach from the east," Kakashi continued, tracing a path on the map. "Travel time should be about two days at a steady pace. Once there, we'll conduct reconnaissance before attempting to breach the barrier."

He rolled up the map and looked at each of them in turn. "This is an A-rank mission with potential to escalate. The missing-nin are reported to be at least jonin level, with specializations in barrier techniques and explosive jutsu. Our primary objective is information gathering, not confrontation."

His gaze lingered on Naruto. "We'll be using a modified formation to accommodate Naruto's range limitations. Sakura, you'll take point. Sai, you'll provide aerial reconnaissance. I'll take rear guard, and Naruto will maintain center position, protected on all sides."

The formation was designed to keep Naruto away from combat unless absolutely necessary—to use him as a tool for the barrier, but otherwise treat him as a liability. Naruto understood the logic, but it stung nonetheless.

"Any questions?" Kakashi asked.

When none came, he nodded sharply. "Then let's move out."

As they leapt into the trees, falling into their assigned formation, Naruto couldn't help but feel a familiar sensation bubbling in his chest—the thrill of being part of a team again, of having a purpose. For years, his existence had been defined by what he couldn't do, by the danger he posed. Now, finally, he had a chance to be defined by what he could contribute.

The forest blurred around them as they moved at a shinobi's pace, chakra enhancing their speed and endurance. Naruto kept pace easily, his body conditioned despite his relative isolation. He'd never stopped training, even when there seemed to be no point to it.

"So, Naruto," Sai called from above, riding on one of his ink birds, "have you given your condition a name? In my books, heroes and villains always name their special abilities."

"Sai," Sakura hissed in warning.

"It's fine," Naruto called back. He'd actually thought about this during his long, solitary days. "I call it Decay Release."

"Fitting," Sai nodded. "Though somewhat lacking in creativity."

"What would you call it?" Naruto asked, curious despite himself.

Sai considered for a moment. "Touch of Oblivion. Disintegration Manipulation. Molecular Severing."

A laugh escaped Naruto—a genuine one, surprising even himself. "Those all sound like techniques from one of Jiraiya's novels."

"I have read many of Master Jiraiya's works for research on human emotions and relationships," Sai replied seriously. "They contain many colorful metaphors."

"Let's focus on the mission," Kakashi interjected, though his tone was light. "Save the naming discussion for camp."

They traveled until dusk, making good time through the familiar forests of the Land of Fire. When they stopped to make camp, the old routines came back with surprising ease—Sakura gathering firewood, Sai setting up perimeter traps, Kakashi scouting the area, and Naruto...

Naruto stood awkwardly to the side, unsure of his role. In the past, he would have helped gather wood or set up tents, but now those tasks involved too much risk of accidental contact.

"Naruto," Kakashi called, appearing beside him, "why don't you prepare the ration packs? You can use these." He handed Naruto a pair of cooking chopsticks, long enough to keep his hands well away from the food.

It was a small task, but Naruto appreciated the gesture—Kakashi finding a way to include him, to make him useful without risk. He took the chopsticks carefully and set to work.

As night fell and they gathered around the small fire (positioned so that Naruto sat upwind, minimizing the chance of stray embers reaching him), a tentative camaraderie began to emerge. Sai shared weird factoids from his books, Sakura talked about her medical studies, and Kakashi read his ever-present Icha Icha novel, occasionally contributing to the conversation.

Naruto mostly listened, soaking in the normalcy of it all, the simple pleasure of human interaction that wasn't dominated by fear or caution.

"What about you, Naruto?" Sakura asked during a lull. "What have you been doing all this time?"

He hesitated, uncertain how to answer. What had he been doing? Existing. Surviving. Trying not to destroy things.

"I've been working on chakra control," he said finally. "And studying sealing techniques from some of Pervy Sage's old scrolls." This much was true—he'd found that fuinjutsu allowed him to affect his environment without direct contact, using brushes and chakra-infused ink to create barriers, traps, and storage seals.

"Sealing jutsu? You?" Sakura's eyebrows rose in surprise.

Naruto shrugged, a little defensive. "Yeah, me. Turns out when you can't touch most things directly, you get creative."

"That actually makes a lot of sense," Kakashi commented, looking up from his book. "The Fourth Hokage was a sealing master. It might run in your blood."

The casual mention of his parentage—something that had only been revealed to him after his condition manifested—sent a pang through Naruto's chest. Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. His parents. Heroes of the Leaf. What would they think of their son now, cursed with a touch that destroyed everything it encountered?

"Have you made any progress understanding the nature of your ability?" Kakashi asked, his tone carefully neutral.

Naruto stared into the fire. "Not really. It doesn't behave like normal chakra. It's... hungrier. More aggressive. Like it wants to break things down." He flexed his gloved fingers. "Kurama thinks it might be related to his chakra somehow, but different. Like my body developed its own way of channeling destructive energy."

"The Nine-Tails communicates with you about it?" Sakura asked, surprised.

"We've had a lot of time to talk," Naruto said with a wry smile. "Not much else to do when you're avoiding contact with the outside world."

A heavy silence fell over the camp.

"I should check the perimeter," Naruto said abruptly, standing. He needed space, needed to escape the weight of their gazes—compassionate but ultimately unable to understand what his life had become.

As he walked the boundaries of their camp, he felt Kurama stirring within him.

"You're upset, kit," the fox observed.

"Just nervous about the mission," Naruto muttered under his breath.

"Liar. You're worried about them—about what they think of you."

"Can you blame me? The last time I worked with Sakura, I nearly dissolved her arm when that enemy pushed her into me."

"That was years ago. Your control has improved."

"Has it? Or have I just gotten better at avoiding situations where I might lose control?"

Kurama had no answer for that.

Naruto stopped at the edge of a small clearing, looking up at the star-filled sky. Tomorrow they would reach their destination, and he would face the true test—whether his cursed touch could actually be of use to his village, to his precious people.

Or whether, as he sometimes feared in the darkest hours of the night, he was destined to bring nothing but destruction to everything he cared about.

The abandoned temple complex loomed before them, a sprawling series of ancient buildings nestled among the mountains. Once a place of worship and enlightenment, it now radiated a palpable sense of menace. Stone pagodas and weathered shrines were connected by overgrown pathways, the entire complex surrounded by a shimmering barrier that distorted the view like heat waves rising from summer-baked earth.

Team 7 observed from the shelter of the forest canopy, hidden among the dense foliage half a kilometer away. Sai had sent several ink reconnaissance animals—birds, mice, and insects—to scout the area, but none had returned from beyond the barrier.

"What do you see, Naruto?" Kakashi asked quietly.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, focusing on the barrier. With his unique chakra sensitivity—enhanced by both his Uzumaki heritage and his jinchūriki status—he could perceive more details about chakra constructs than most shinobi.

"It's... layered," he said finally. "Not just one barrier, but several, nested inside each other. And they're not static—the chakra is constantly moving, shifting patterns." He frowned, concentrating harder. "There's something else... the outermost layer seems to be analyzing anything that touches it. Probably what triggers the defense mechanisms."

Sakura looked impressed. "You can see all that?"

Naruto shrugged uncomfortably. "When you spend years studying how not to destroy things with your touch, you get pretty good at understanding how they're put together."

"Can you break through it?" Kakashi pressed.

"I think so." Naruto flexed his gloved fingers. "But I won't know for sure until I try, and once I do, they'll know we're here. That barrier is definitely alarm-rigged."

Kakashi nodded, considering their options. "We need more information about what's waiting for us inside. Sai, can you get a bird high enough to look down into the complex?"

Sai shook his head. "Already tried. The barrier forms a dome over the entire area. Nothing gets in or out, not even from above."

"What about below?" Sakura suggested. "If we tunneled under—"

"Unlikely to work," Kakashi interrupted. "Barrier specialists almost always extend their protections underground. We'd just hit another wall, and they'd be alerted to our presence."

They fell silent, each contemplating the challenge before them. Finally, Naruto spoke up.

"What if I don't break through completely? What if I just... thin it? Create a weak spot that we can exploit later?"

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed in thought. "Explain."

"Well, my decay effect doesn't always work instantly, especially on complex chakra constructs," Naruto said, warming to his idea. "If I'm careful, I might be able to weaken a section of the barrier without collapsing it entirely. Then, when we're ready to move, I can finish the job quickly, giving us a brief window to enter before they can respond."

Sakura looked skeptical. "Can you control it that precisely?"

The question stung, but Naruto kept his expression neutral. "I've been practicing. Small-scale stuff, in controlled environments. I think I can do it."

Kakashi studied him for a long moment, then nodded decisively. "Let's try it. Tonight, under cover of darkness, Naruto will attempt to create a weak point in the barrier. Sai, prepare your fastest transportation scrolls—once we're in, we'll need to move quickly."

As the sun began to set, painting the sky in deepening shades of purple and orange, the team made their final preparations. Naruto sat slightly apart from the others, his eyes closed in meditation, focusing on the flow of chakra through his body. Control was essential—too much power, and the barrier would shatter immediately; too little, and he'd accomplish nothing.

"Naruto?"

He opened his eyes to see Sakura standing a careful distance away, a small ceramic bottle in her hands.

"I prepared this for you," she said, setting the bottle on a tree stump between them. "It's a chakra-focusing salve. You apply it to your fingertips before using precise chakra techniques. It might help you maintain control."

Naruto stared at the bottle, touched by the gesture. "Thank you, Sakura."

She smiled—a real smile, not the nervous one she usually wore around him. "We're a team, right? We help each other."

As she walked away, Naruto felt a surge of determination. For years, he'd seen his condition as a curse, a burden to be managed and contained. But maybe, just maybe, it could also be a gift—a unique power that only he possessed, one that could protect his precious people when nothing else could.

When darkness fell, they moved into position. Naruto approached the barrier at its eastern edge, where the terrain provided the most cover. The rest of the team waited fifty meters back, ready to move on his signal.

Standing before the shimmering wall of chakra, Naruto removed his right glove, tucking it into his pocket. His bare hand felt strangely vulnerable in the cool night air. He closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing, on the controlled flow of chakra to his fingertips.

"Steady, kit," Kurama murmured within him. "Remember your training."

Naruto opened his eyes and carefully applied Sakura's salve to his fingertips, feeling the tingle as the medicine was absorbed into his skin. Then, with methodical precision, he extended his hand toward the barrier, stopping just short of contact.

"Here goes nothing," he whispered, and pressed four fingers against the shimmering surface.

The effect was immediate and dazzling. Where his skin touched the barrier, fractal patterns of decay spread outward like crystalline veins of darkness, eating through the chakra construct. The barrier hissed and sputtered, sections turning gray and ashen as his power disrupted the intricate weave of energy.

Naruto focused intently, regulating the flow of his destructive force, ensuring it weakened but didn't collapse the section he touched. Sweat beaded on his forehead from the effort of such precise control. This was far more difficult than simply destroying something—he needed to break it down just enough, leaving it structurally intact but fundamentally compromised.

After several tense minutes, he pulled his hand back, examining his work. To an untrained eye, the barrier looked unchanged, but Naruto could see the difference—a circular section about a meter across was now significantly thinner, the chakra flow disrupted and unstable.

He retreated to where his team waited, pulling his glove back on as he moved.

"It's done," he reported, his voice hushed. "I've created a weak point. We should be able to break through quickly when the time comes."

Kakashi nodded. "Good work. Now we wait and watch. If their patrol patterns hold, there should be a gap in coverage around two in the morning."

They settled into a tense vigil, monitoring the movements of guards visible through the distorted barrier. As predicted, at approximately two in the morning, the patrol patterns shifted, creating a brief window where their insertion point would be unwatched.

"Now," Kakashi whispered, and the team moved silently toward the barrier.

At the weakened section, Naruto once again removed his glove. This time, he pressed all five fingers against the compromised barrier, channeling a focused burst of his decay power.

The effect was immediate—the weakened section collapsed inward, creating a hole just large enough for them to slip through. No alarms sounded, no flares of chakra response—the barrier had been compromised so precisely that its monitoring systems failed to detect the breach.

"Go," Naruto hissed, and one by one, they slipped through the opening. Naruto entered last, careful not to touch the edges of the hole with his bare hand.

Once inside, they darted for cover among the overgrown gardens and fallen stonework. The complex was eerily quiet, moonlight casting long shadows across ancient courtyards and crumbling pagodas.

"According to our intelligence, their command center should be in the main temple building," Kakashi whispered, pointing to the largest structure at the center of the complex. "That's where we'll find the information we need about the planned attack on Konoha."

They moved quietly through the complex, avoiding the occasional patrol of missing-nin. Naruto stayed in the protected center of their formation, his gloved hands kept close to his body, hyperaware of his surroundings. Every step, every breath, measured and controlled.

As they approached the main temple, something felt off. The building was too dark, too quiet—none of the activity they'd expect from a command center.

"I don't like this," Sakura murmured. "Where is everyone?"

Sai sent a tiny ink mouse skittering ahead, the small construct disappearing into the shadows of the temple. Moments later, it returned, dissolving back into Sai's scroll.

"Empty," Sai reported, frowning. "The main hall is completely deserted."

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed. "A trap? Or have they relocated?"

Before anyone could answer, a deep rumbling shook the ground beneath their feet. Stone cracked, trees swayed, and from the direction they'd entered, a massive flare of chakra erupted into the night sky.

"They've detected the breach," Kakashi said grimly, drawing a kunai. "Change of plans. We find whatever intelligence we can, quickly, then get out. Sai, prepare an escape route."

But before they could move, the air around them shimmered, and suddenly they were surrounded—twenty missing-nin materialized from concealed positions, their chakra signatures masked until now. At their center stood a tall woman with silver hair and cold, calculating eyes.

"Konoha shinobi," she said, her voice carrying easily across the courtyard. "How predictable. We knew someone would try to infiltrate eventually, though I must admit, I'm impressed you managed to breach our barrier." Her gaze fixed on Naruto, narrowing slightly. "Interesting technique."

"Katsumi Yoake," Kakashi identified her. "A-rank missing-nin from Kumogakure. Specializes in space-time ninjutsu and barrier techniques."

She inclined her head, a mocking courtesy. "I'm flattered you know of me, Kakashi of the Sharingan. Unfortunately, this little reconnaissance mission of yours ends here."

"Where are the plans for the attack on Konoha?" Kakashi demanded, playing for time as Team 7 subtly shifted into defensive positions.

Katsumi laughed, the sound echoing off ancient stone. "Attack? Is that what your intelligence suggested? How charmingly straightforward." Her smile vanished, replaced by cold determination. "We're not planning to attack your precious village, Hatake. We're planning to erase it."

She raised her hand, and the missing-nin surrounding them began forming hand signs in perfect unison. "The barrier around this complex? It's just a prototype. The real version will envelop your entire village, cutting it off from the outside world. And then, the second stage will activate."

"Second stage?" Sakura questioned, her fists clenched and glowing with chakra.

"Total molecular disintegration of everything within the barrier," Katsumi explained with terrifying casualness. "Your village will be reduced to dust and scattered on the wind. Nothing will remain—not a building, not a body, not a trace of Konoha having ever existed."

Naruto felt his blood turn to ice. Molecular disintegration—it sounded horribly familiar. Was their plan somehow connected to his own destructive power?

"Now," Katsumi continued, "I'm afraid we can't let you leave with this information. Nothing personal. Just business."

The missing-nin completed their hand signs simultaneously, and the air around Team 7 began to shimmer and distort—a localized barrier forming around them, closing in rapidly.

"Don't let it touch you!" Kakashi shouted, leaping upward. "It's a disintegration field!"

Sakura smashed her fist into the ground, creating a shockwave that disrupted the barrier's formation momentarily. Sai released a flock of ink birds that scattered in all directions, confusing the enemy's focus. And Naruto—

Naruto stood perfectly still, watching as the shimmering field closed in around them. His mind raced, processing Katsumi's words, connecting dots that had eluded him for years.

"It's the same," he whispered, finally understanding. "Their technique—it's the same as my power."

In that moment of clarity, Naruto made a decision. He reached up and pulled off both his gloves.

"Everyone, get down!" he shouted.

His team dropped instinctively at his command, and Naruto slammed both bare hands against the encroaching barrier.

What happened next defied description.

The barrier didn't just break—it unraveled. Naruto's decay spread through it like wildfire through dry grass, the molecular breakdown accelerating exponentially as it encountered the similar energy of the disintegration field. The barrier didn't just collapse; it imploded, the energy turning inward upon its casters.

Several of the missing-nin screamed as their own technique rebounded upon them, their bodies crumbling to dust before they could even register what was happening. Others, further from the epicenter, leapt back in horror as the decay spread outward in an expanding circle of destruction.

Katsumi Yoake's eyes widened in shock. "What—what are you?" she gasped, hastily erecting a personal barrier around herself as her subordinates disintegrated.

Naruto stood at the center of the chaos, his bare hands extended, eyes glowing with an eerie red light as Kurama's chakra mixed with his own. The ground beneath his feet cracked and disintegrated, creating a spreading crater as his power, unleashed after years of rigid control, consumed everything in its path.

"Fall back!" Kakashi ordered Sakura and Sai, recognizing that Naruto's decay was spreading too quickly to contain. "Get to a safe distance!"

But Naruto's focus was entirely on Katsumi, the architect of a plot that mirrored his own curse with terrifying implications. He stepped forward, each footfall leaving crumbling stone in his wake.

"You engineered this," he said, his voice eerily calm amid the destruction. "You studied my power somehow, replicated it. That's why it responds to me—it recognizes itself."

Katsumi's composure cracked, fear replacing her earlier confidence. "Impossible," she whispered. "The disintegration technique is based on ancient forbidden scrolls from—"

"From where?" Naruto demanded, taking another step forward. The decay spreading from his feet reached the edge of her personal barrier, beginning to eat away at it immediately. "From the Uzumaki clan? From experiments on jinchūriki? Tell me!"

Her barrier flickered as his decay attacked its foundations. "From the ruins of Uzushiogakure," she admitted, desperation in her voice. "Fragmentary scrolls about chakra deconstruction techniques. We never completed it—the final component was missing. We didn't know why until now." Her eyes fixed on him with a mixture of fear and scientific fascination. "It's you. You're the missing piece."

The realization hit Naruto like a physical blow. His curse—his decay release—wasn't random. It wasn't an accident or a cruel twist of fate. It was part of his heritage, a dormant Uzumaki technique activated by some unique combination of his circumstances—perhaps the Nine-Tails' chakra, or his parentage, or something that had happened during his development.

In that moment of distraction, Katsumi made her move. With a flash of hand signs, she activated an emergency transportation technique. "This isn't over," she hissed as her form began to shimmer and fade. "That power belongs to our cause. You'll see us again, Uzumaki."

"Naruto!" Kakashi's voice cut through the chaos. "You need to control it! Your decay is spreading too far!"

Shaking off his shock, Naruto looked around and realized with horror that his power had escaped his control during his confrontation with Katsumi. The entire courtyard was crumbling, ancient stonework reduced to dust that swirled in the night air. Worse, the decay was still spreading, crawling up the walls of surrounding buildings, consuming everything in its path.

"I—I can't stop it," he gasped, staring at his bare hands in panic. Once unleashed at this scale, his power fed on itself, growing stronger and more voracious. "It's too much!"

"Focus, kit!" Kurama's voice cut through his panic. "Channel it, like we practiced. Don't try to stop it—redirect it."

Taking a deep breath, Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated. Instead of fighting against the flow of destructive energy, he guided it, shaping it with his will. Slowly, the wild spread of decay began to stabilize, forming a perfect circle around him that stopped expanding.

"Everyone, get clear of the complex!" he shouted to his team. "I'm going to use this—I'm going to destroy their entire operation!"

Understanding his intent, Kakashi nodded sharply. "We'll secure the perimeter. Don't push yourself too far, Naruto."

As his teammates retreated to safety, Naruto stood alone in the center of the destroyed courtyard. For years, he had feared his power, contained it, hidden it away. Now, for the first time, he would embrace it fully, use it intentionally for the protection of his village.

"Kurama," he whispered, "lend me your chakra."

"Are you sure, kit? The combination could be devastating."

"That's what I'm counting on."

Naruto felt the Nine-Tails' chakra surge through him, red energy enveloping his form. The decay spreading from his body intensified, accelerated by the potent chakra. He raised his hands, directing the flow of destruction toward the main temple building where, according to their intel, the plans and prototypes for the barrier weapon would be stored.

The effect was immediate and catastrophic. The massive stone structure didn't just crumble—it disintegrated, collapsing inward as its very molecular structure broke down. Documents, scrolls, equipment—everything inside was reduced to its component atoms, scattered to the winds. The destruction spread from building to building, consuming the entire complex in a matter of minutes.

Naruto stood at the epicenter, a living embodiment of entropic force, his consciousness merged with Kurama's as they carefully controlled the radius and intensity of the decay. It was exhilarating and terrifying—the raw power flowing through him, the knowledge that with a thought, he could expand the circle of destruction indefinitely.

For the first time in his life, Naruto didn't feel cursed. He felt powerful. Purposeful.

When the last building collapsed into dust, Naruto finally pulled the destructive energy back into himself, like a tide retreating from shore. Exhaustion hit him immediately, his knees buckling as the strain of such precise control caught up with him.

Kakashi appeared beside him, careful to stay on solid ground rather than the decayed earth surrounding Naruto. "Are you alright?"

Naruto nodded weakly, pulling his gloves from his pocket and slipping them back on with shaking hands. "Did we get it all? The barrier plans?"

"Everything within the complex is gone," Kakashi confirmed, his tone mixing awe and concern as he surveyed the perfect circle of destruction surrounding them—where once stood an ancient temple complex, now there was only a shallow crater filled with fine dust. "The threat to Konoha has been neutralized."

Sakura and Sai approached cautiously, their expressions a mixture of relief and wariness.

"That was..." Sakura began, searching for words.

"Effective," Sai finished bluntly. "Terrifying, but effective."

Naruto smiled faintly, too exhausted for his usual bravado. "Just doing my part for the village," he murmured.

As the first light of dawn began to break over the horizon, Team 7 departed, leaving behind nothing but dust and silence. The missing-nin who had escaped would spread the word—Konoha had a new weapon, a shinobi whose touch brought absolute destruction.

For Naruto, the mission marked a turning point. His curse was also his gift, his burden also his strength. And somewhere out there, Katsumi Yoake was planning her next move, seeking the power that flowed through his veins—the power of decay that was somehow connected to his Uzumaki heritage, a legacy he had never known existed.

The journey back to Konoha was quiet, each member of the team processing what they had witnessed. Naruto spent most of it in silence, coming to terms with his new understanding of his power and what it meant for his future. One question burned in his mind, demanding answers:

What other secrets of the Uzumaki clan remained to be discovered?

The debriefing room in the Hokage Tower felt smaller than Naruto remembered, its walls closing in as he recounted the events at the temple complex. Tsunade listened with an unreadable expression, her amber eyes never leaving his face as he described the confrontation with Katsumi Yoake and the revelation about his decay ability's possible connection to Uzushiogakure.

When he finished, silence hung in the air for several long moments.

"So," Tsunade finally said, lacing her fingers together, "your condition may be a manifestation of an incomplete Uzumaki technique. And this missing-nin organization has been attempting to weaponize the same technique against Konoha."

"That's what it looks like," Kakashi confirmed, standing beside Naruto. "Katsumi Yoake escaped, but her operation has been completely destroyed. We found no survivors when we swept the perimeter."

Tsunade's gaze shifted to the mission report on her desk. "And you believe she'll try again? Come after Naruto specifically?"

"She called him 'the missing piece,'" Sakura interjected. "Whatever they were trying to accomplish with their barrier weapon, they see Naruto as the key to completing it."

Tsunade nodded thoughtfully, then turned her attention back to Naruto. "How do you feel about all this?"

The question caught him off guard. No one had asked how he felt about his condition in years—they'd been too busy figuring out how to contain it, how to keep him from accidentally destroying everything around him.

"I... don't know," he admitted. "For so long, I thought this power was just a random curse, something I had to lock away. But if it's actually part of my heritage, part of who I am..." He trailed off, struggling to articulate the complex emotions swirling within him.

"You want to understand it," Tsunade finished for him, her expression softening slightly. "To master it, rather than merely contain it."

"Yes," Naruto nodded, relief washing over him at being understood. "And I want to know more about the Uzumaki clan, about Uzushiogakure. If there are scrolls out there that explain this technique, maybe they also contain information about controlling it better."

Tsunade was quiet for a moment, considering. Then she made a decision.

"Effective immediately, Team 7 is assigned a new mission: locate and secure any remaining information about Uzumaki clan techniques, particularly those related to chakra deconstruction or molecular disintegration. Additionally, you are to track down Katsumi Yoake and determine the full extent of her organization's knowledge and capabilities."

Naruto's head snapped up in surprise. "You're keeping us together? As a team?"

"Your performance on this mission has proven that you can function effectively as a unit despite the... unique challenges," Tsunade replied, a hint of pride in her voice. "More importantly, you've demonstrated that your condition can be controlled and directed when necessary."

She stood, moving to a nearby bookshelf and pulling down an ancient, dust-covered scroll.

"This contains what little information Konoha has preserved about Uzushiogakure and the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques. It's not much—most of their knowledge was lost when the village was destroyed—but it's a starting point." She handed the scroll to Naruto. "Study it. If your decay ability is indeed related to your Uzumaki heritage, there may be clues here about how to master it fully."

Naruto took the scroll carefully, cradling it in his gloved hands as if it were made of the most delicate glass. "Thank you, Granny Tsunade."

She waved away his thanks with a characteristic huff. "Don't get sentimental on me, brat. This is a strategic decision. If Katsumi's organization is developing a weapon based on the same principles as your ability, you're our best chance of understanding and countering it."

But there was something in her eyes—a softness, a concern—that belied her brusque words. For all her tough exterior, Tsunade had always cared about Naruto, had always seen in him something more than just the jinchūriki or the boy with the destructive touch.

"Take two days to rest and prepare," she continued, addressing the entire team. "You'll depart for the ruins of Uzushiogakure on the third morning. Dismissed."

As they filed out of the debriefing room, Naruto clutched the ancient scroll to his chest, a strange mix of hope and apprehension filling him. For the first time since his power had manifested, he wasn't just trying to contain it—he was actively seeking to understand it, to master it.

"Naruto," Sakura called, catching up to him in the hallway. "Wait up."

He paused, turning to face her. "What's up, Sakura?"

She hesitated, a familiar wariness in her posture despite her sincere expression. "I was thinking... if your ability is related to the Uzumaki clan's techniques, then it might respond to the same control mechanisms as their other sealing methods. I've been studying historical accounts of their work, and there are references to chakra concentration exercises that might help."

"You'd help me with that?" Naruto asked, surprised by the offer.

"Of course," she replied, a flicker of hurt crossing her face. "We're teammates, aren't we? And... friends."

The last word hung between them, fragile yet sincere. For years, Naruto's condition had created a barrier between him and others—not just the physical distance people maintained, but an emotional one as well. It was easier for everyone to treat him as a special case, a problem to be managed, rather than as a person with normal relationships.

"Yeah," he said, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "Friends."

"Good," Sakura nodded decisively. "Then meet me at Training Ground 3 tomorrow morning. Bring that scroll, and we'll see what we can figure out." She hesitated, then added, "And Naruto? What you did out there, at the temple... it was incredible. Terrifying, but incredible."

Before he could respond, she turned and hurried away, leaving Naruto standing in the hallway with a strange warmth blooming in his chest. It wasn't just the praise—though that certainly felt good—but the sense that something had shifted, that his teammates were beginning to see him as more than just a hazard to be worked around.

Later that evening, alone in his apartment, Naruto carefully unrolled the ancient scroll Tsunade had given him. The paper was yellowed with age, the ink faded in places, but the Uzumaki clan's distinctive sealing patterns were still clearly visible. Spirals and whorls formed complex matrices, accompanied by annotations in an archaic form of writing that took concentrated effort to decipher.

Hours passed as he pored over the document, taking careful notes with a brush and ink—a skill he'd developed out of necessity, as it allowed him to manipulate and create without direct finger contact. Much of the scroll's content was beyond his current understanding, but certain passages caught his attention, hinting at techniques that resonated with his experience.

...the breakdown of matter through chakra resonance requires precise control of frequency and amplitude...

...the Five-Point Seal of Deconstruction must be balanced with its inverse, the Spiral Binding Technique, lest the practitioner be consumed by the entropic backlash...

...only those with the densest chakra reserves can attempt the complete form, as the technique draws heavily from the user's life force...

It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that Naruto found what he was looking for—a small section near the end of the scroll, partially damaged but still legible:

The Ash Palm Technique, forbidden since the time of the Second Uzukage, represents the ultimate expression of deconstructive sealing. Unlike conventional destructive techniques that apply external force, the Ash Palm breaks down matter at its fundamental level, severing the bonds between molecules and reducing all substances to their base components.

Only those with the Adamantine Chakra bloodline limit have successfully mastered this technique without self-destruction, as the practitioner's own body must be reinforced against the technique's effects. The Five-Seal Barrier Method described in scroll UZ-437 provides temporary protection but is not a permanent solution.

WARNING: Incomplete mastery of the Ash Palm results in uncontrolled decay that may spread to the user. The technique was sealed away after the incident at the Eastern Temple, where Uzumaki Kaito's failed attempt resulted in the destruction of the entire complex and the deaths of seventeen clan members.

Naruto read the passage several times, his heart pounding. The Ash Palm Technique. It had to be the same as his decay ability—the description matched too perfectly to be coincidence. And the reference to the Adamantine Chakra bloodline... was that why he could use the power without harming himself? Was this rare Uzumaki trait flowing through his veins?

But the scroll raised as many questions as it answered. It mentioned other documents—scroll UZ-437 with its Five-Seal Barrier Method, for instance—that might contain the key to truly mastering his power. Scrolls that might be lost forever, or... might be waiting to be discovered in the ruins of Uzushiogakure.

With renewed purpose, Naruto carefully rolled up the ancient document and placed it in a special storage scroll—one of his own design, created to protect fragile items from accidental contact with his skin. Tomorrow, he would meet with Sakura and share what he'd learned. And in two days, they would depart for the homeland of his mother's clan, seeking answers about a power that had shaped his entire life.

For the first time in years, Naruto fell asleep not with dread of what his hands might destroy, but with hope for what they might one day create.

The early morning mist hung low over Training Ground 3, wreathing the three wooden posts in ghostly tendrils. Naruto arrived first, the ancient Uzumaki scroll tucked securely in his pack, his gloved hands thrust deep into his pockets against the morning chill. This training ground held special significance—it was where Team 7 had first come together as genin, where Kakashi had tested their teamwork with the bell test that seemed a lifetime ago.

How much had changed since then. Sasuke gone. Naruto isolated by his destructive touch. The team fractured and reformed with Sai filling the void left by their wayward teammate.

Naruto was pulled from his reminiscence by Sakura's arrival. She approached with a determined stride, a heavy medical pack slung over one shoulder and several scrolls tucked under her arm.

"You're early," she commented, setting down her equipment.

"Couldn't sleep," Naruto admitted. "Too many thoughts after reading this." He gestured to his pack where the Uzumaki scroll was stored.

Sakura's eyes lit with interest. "You found something?"

"Yeah. I think my ability has a name—the Ash Palm Technique. According to the scroll, it was a forbidden Uzumaki jutsu that breaks down matter at a molecular level." He explained what he'd discovered, watching as Sakura's expression shifted from curiosity to deep concentration.

"Adamantine Chakra," she mused when he finished. "I've read references to that in Lady Tsunade's archives. It's supposedly what allowed Kushina Uzumaki to create those special chakra chains that could restrain even a Tailed Beast."

"My mother," Naruto said softly. The knowledge of his parentage was still new to him, revealed only after his condition had manifested, when the Third Hokage had finally decided that Naruto needed to understand his heritage to cope with his mysterious power.

"Yes," Sakura nodded. "If the Ash Palm Technique requires the Adamantine Chakra bloodline, that would explain why you can use it without harming yourself. You inherited it from her."

She began unpacking her equipment, laying out scrolls, medical instruments, and chakra-sensitive papers in a neat arrangement. "I've brought some tools to help us understand your chakra flow better. If we can map how your chakra behaves when you activate the decay effect, we might find ways to refine your control."

"Is it safe?" Naruto asked, eyeing the delicate instruments warily. "What if I accidentally destroy your equipment?"

Sakura smiled reassuringly. "These are just diagnostic tools—they won't touch you directly. Besides," she added with surprising confidence, "I trust you, Naruto."

The simple statement hit him like a physical force. Trust. How long had it been since someone had expressed such uncomplicated faith in his control?

"Okay," he said, swallowing the sudden lump in his throat. "Where do we start?"

"First, I want to take baseline readings of your chakra in its normal state," Sakura explained, lifting a small, handheld device that emitted a soft blue glow. "This is a chakra resonance scanner developed by our medical corps. It measures the frequency and pattern of chakra emissions without requiring direct contact."

She moved the scanner around Naruto's body, maintaining a careful distance as the device hummed and chirped, recording data. "Your chakra signature is fascinating," she observed, studying the readouts. "It's like two distinct patterns overlaid—your natural chakra and the Nine-Tails' chakra, woven together but still distinguishable."

"Kurama," Naruto corrected automatically.

"What?"

"His name is Kurama, not 'the Nine-Tails.'"

Sakura blinked in surprise, then nodded slowly. "Kurama's chakra, then. It's more thoroughly integrated with yours than I expected. Has that always been the case?"

Naruto shook his head. "It's evolved over time. Especially since..." He flexed his gloved fingers. "Since this power appeared. Kurama thinks they're connected somehow—that my decay ability emerged as a result of our chakras mixing in a specific way."

"That would make sense," Sakura mused. "Historical records show that jinchūriki sometimes develop unique abilities based on how their chakra interacts with their Tailed Beast's. Gaara's sand control, for instance."

She made some notes, then set down the scanner and picked up a stack of specialized papers. "These are chakra-sensitive papers infused with different reactive compounds. I want to see how they respond to minimal exposure to your decay effect."

Naruto tensed. "You want me to use my power? Here?"

"In a very controlled way," Sakura assured him. "Just the smallest activation, on these papers specifically designed to measure chakra properties. We'll start with just one finger, minimal contact."

Despite his apprehension, Naruto nodded. He needed to understand his power if he was ever going to truly master it, and that meant controlled testing.

Carefully removing the glove from his right hand, he took a deep breath, centering himself. Sakura placed the first paper on a flat stone, then stepped back, giving him space.

"Just one finger, minimal contact," she reminded him. "Focus on controlling the flow of chakra to that single point."

Naruto approached the paper, hyper-aware of every movement, every breath. He extended his index finger, hovering it just above the special paper. Focusing intently, he channeled the smallest thread of chakra he could manage into his fingertip, then briefly—for less than a second—touched the paper.

The effect was immediate. Where his finger made contact, the paper began to disintegrate, gray ash spreading outward in a perfect circle. But unlike previous uncontrolled incidents, the decay stopped after encompassing about half the paper, leaving a perfect semicircle of destruction.

"I did it," Naruto breathed, staring at his finger in wonder. "I controlled the spread."

Sakura approached cautiously, examining the partially destroyed paper with professional interest. "The decay pattern is fascinating—perfectly symmetrical, with a clean delineation between affected and unaffected areas. Your control is better than you give yourself credit for, Naruto."

Encouraged, they continued with more tests. Different papers yielded different results—some disintegrated more quickly, others more slowly, depending on their composition. Sakura took meticulous notes, occasionally consulting the ancient Uzumaki scroll for comparison with what little documentation existed about the Ash Palm Technique.

As the morning progressed, Naruto felt something shift within him—a growing confidence in his ability to control the power he'd feared for so long. Under Sakura's guidance, he practiced increasing and decreasing the intensity of the decay effect, focusing it on specific targets with greater precision than he'd ever attempted before.

"You're doing incredibly well," Sakura praised after a particularly successful test where Naruto had decayed only the outer ring of a circular target while leaving the inner circle intact. "Your control is improving with each attempt."

Naruto flexed his bare hand, studying it with newfound appreciation. "It feels different now. Like... like I'm working with the power instead of fighting against it."

Sakura nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. According to the scroll, the Ash Palm was meant to be a precise technique, not a wild, destructive force. By approaching it as a skill to be mastered rather than a curse to be contained, you're aligning with its original purpose."

They paused for a break, sitting beneath the shade of a large tree at the edge of the training ground. Naruto kept his ungloved hand carefully placed on a flat rock beside him, away from any vegetation or other materials he might accidentally damage.

"There's something I've been wondering," Sakura said after a moment of comfortable silence. "The scroll mentioned a Five-Seal Barrier Method for protection against the technique's effects. Do you think that could be adapted into something you could wear? Something more... reliable than gloves?"

Naruto considered this, remembering the relevant passage from the scroll. "Maybe. The scroll said it was a temporary solution, though. And it referenced another document—UZ-437—that contained the actual method."

"Which we might find in Uzushiogakure," Sakura completed the thought. She hesitated, then added, "Naruto, have you ever considered that you might not need to contain this power indefinitely? That with proper training, you might be able to control it without external aids?"

The question hit at the core of Naruto's deepest hopes and fears. To live without gloves, without constant vigilance, without the dread of accidental destruction—it seemed an impossible dream.

"I... don't know if that's possible," he admitted softly. "The scroll said only those with the Adamantine Chakra bloodline could master it completely, and even then, it's dangerous. The technique was sealed away after some kind of accident that killed seventeen clan members."

"But you do have the Adamantine Chakra bloodline," Sakura pointed out. "Through your mother. And you've already demonstrated remarkable control today." Her expression grew determined. "I believe you can master this, Naruto. Not just contain it—truly master it."

Her faith in him was both touching and terrifying. What if she was wrong? What if he let down not just himself, but everyone who believed in him?

"She's right, kit," Kurama's voice rumbled through his mind, surprising him with its timing. "You've spent years fearing this power. It's time to embrace it instead."

The Nine-Tails rarely offered encouragement, making his words all the more impactful.

"Let's try something new," Sakura suggested, rising to her feet. "Something more challenging."

She walked to the center of the training ground and created a shadow clone—a perfect copy of herself that stood obediently by the original.

"Attack my clone," she instructed, stepping back. "Use your decay effect as a combat technique, with precision and control."

Naruto's eyes widened in alarm. "What? No way! What if I lose control? What if—"

"You won't," Sakura said firmly. "And even if you did, it's just a clone. No real harm done." She softened her tone. "Naruto, if you're going to use this ability in the field, you need combat practice under controlled conditions. My clone will defend itself, but not aggressively. Think of it as a moving target practice."

Despite his reservations, Naruto saw the logic in her argument. If he was going to join missions like the one to Uzushiogakure, he needed to be confident in using his ability in combat scenarios.

"Alright," he agreed reluctantly, moving to stand opposite the clone. "But at the first sign of trouble—"

"We stop immediately," Sakura promised.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto settled into a fighting stance, his ungloved right hand held slightly away from his body. The Sakura clone mirrored his posture, kunai in hand, eyes alert and watchful.

For a moment, neither moved, sizing each other up across the clearing. Then, with a quickness born of years of training, the clone darted forward, kunai slashing in a precise arc toward Naruto's shoulder—a testing strike, not meant to connect.

Naruto sidestepped, careful to keep his bare hand away from the clone. This was the problem he'd always faced in combat scenarios—how to use his decay ability offensively without limiting his defensive options by keeping one hand isolated from the fight.

The clone pressed its advantage, throwing a combination of punches and kicks that forced Naruto to retreat, always aware of where his ungloved hand was in relation to his opponent.

"You're being too cautious," Sakura called from the sidelines. "Don't think of your hand as a liability—think of it as a weapon."

A weapon, not a curse. The perspective shift resonated with Naruto, altering his approach. Instead of avoiding contact, he began looking for opportunities to use his decay effect strategically.

When the clone came in with another attack, Naruto didn't just evade—he countered, his gloved left hand deflecting a punch while his bare right hand swept toward the clone's shoulder in a controlled, precise movement.

His fingertips brushed the fabric of the clone's shirt, and instantly, the decay spread outward from the point of contact. But unlike previous uncontrolled incidents, Naruto focused intensely on limiting the effect, containing it to just the clone's right arm.

The limb disintegrated up to the shoulder, crumbling away into fine dust that scattered in the morning breeze. The clone leapt back, now off-balance with the loss of an arm, but still combat-ready.

"Good!" Sakura encouraged. "Now try to target a smaller area—more precision, less spread."

The clone attacked again, compensating for its missing arm with increased speed and agility. This time, when Naruto saw his opening, he jabbed two fingers forward, touching the clone's leg just above the knee. Focusing even more intently, he limited the decay to a small circular area, essentially creating a hole in the clone's thigh without destroying the entire limb.

The clone stumbled but didn't fall, adapting to the new injury with shinobi resilience. Naruto pressed his advantage, moving more confidently now, using his decay effect as a precision strike rather than an all-consuming force.

With each exchange, his control grew more refined. A touch to the clone's weapon hand disintegrated just the kunai, leaving the fingers intact. A glancing blow across the torso created a shallow groove rather than completely bisecting the clone.

By the time Sakura called a halt to the exercise, Naruto was breathing hard not from physical exertion, but from the intense concentration required to maintain such precise control. The clone, still standing despite numerous decay-induced injuries, dispelled in a puff of smoke.

"That was... incredible," Sakura said, her voice tinged with awe. "Your progress is remarkable, Naruto. You're already using the technique with a level of precision I wouldn't have thought possible after just one training session."

Naruto flexed his bare hand, studying it with new eyes. "It feels different now. Not weaker, but... more focused. Like I'm channeling the power through a narrower path."

"That's exactly what you're doing," Sakura confirmed, consulting her notes. "According to the chakra readings I took during the exercise, you're creating a more concentrated flow to your fingertips, rather than letting it diffuse across your entire hand. It's similar to how medical ninjutsu practitioners refine their chakra for surgical precision."

She looked up at him, a genuine smile lighting her face. "Naruto, do you realize what this means? With continued training, you might be able to control this ability so precisely that the gloves become optional—a precaution rather than a necessity."

The possibility was almost too much to hope for. To live without constant fear of accidental destruction, to interact with the world freely again—it seemed like an impossible dream. Yet the evidence of his progress was undeniable.

"We should try one more exercise before we end for today," Sakura suggested, her eyes alight with scientific curiosity. "The scroll mentioned that the Ash Palm Technique can be channeled through weapons or tools. If that's true, it could give you more range and versatility in combat."

She rummaged through her pack and produced a standard kunai, placing it on a flat rock. "Try channeling your decay effect through the kunai, using it as a conduit rather than your bare hand."

Naruto approached cautiously, picking up the kunai with his still-gloved left hand. He removed his right glove, stuffing it into his pocket, then carefully transferred the kunai to his bare right hand, wrapping his fingers around the handle.

Immediately, he felt the familiar tingle of his decay power activating, beginning to break down the metal of the handle—but he concentrated intensely, forcing the energy to flow through the weapon rather than consuming it.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, gradually, a faint gray aura began to emanate from the blade of the kunai, like heat waves rippling off summer-baked stone.

"It's working," he whispered, hardly daring to believe it. "I can feel the power flowing into the blade instead of breaking it down."

"Try touching something with just the blade," Sakura instructed, setting a thick wooden log upright before him.

Naruto stepped forward and carefully pressed the tip of the kunai against the log. The effect was immediate and dramatic—the wood around the contact point instantly began to crumble, decay spreading outward in a controlled pattern exactly where the blade touched. When he pulled the kunai away, the decay stopped spreading, leaving a perfectly round hole about three inches in diameter through the entire log.

"This changes everything," Sakura breathed, eyes wide with scientific wonder. "You can channel your decay effect through weapons!"

Naruto stared at the kunai in his hand, then at the perfect hole in the log. A weapon. His curse was becoming a weapon—controlled, directed, purposeful.

"Try throwing it," Sakura suggested suddenly, setting up another log target several meters away.

Naruto hesitated only briefly before gripping the kunai firmly, feeling his decay power flow through the metal without consuming it. With practiced precision, he hurled the weapon at the distant target.

The kunai embedded itself in the log with a solid thunk—and instantly, decay spread outward from the impact point in a perfect circle, consuming nearly half the log before Naruto mentally pulled back the power, stopping its progression.

"Incredible," Sakura whispered. "Long-range decay application."

For the first time in years, Naruto felt a wild, unbridled excitement surge through him. Not fear, not dread, but genuine enthusiasm for what his power could do—controlled, directed, used for protection rather than accidentally causing harm.

"Let me try something else," he said, reaching into his weapons pouch with his gloved hand and producing a handful of shuriken. One by one, he transferred them to his bare hand, channeling his decay power through them without letting them disintegrate.

With a fluid motion, he sent all five spinning toward different targets around the clearing. Each struck true, and each created a controlled circle of decay exactly where Naruto willed it to happen.

"Your control is improving exponentially," Sakura observed, making rapid notes. "It's like your body is remembering something it always knew how to do."

Naruto flexed his bare hand, staring at it with newfound wonder. "Maybe it is. Maybe this power was always meant to be used this way, not feared."

As the morning training session came to an end, Naruto reluctantly put his glove back on, but with less of the desperate relief he usually felt when containing his power. For the first time, the glove felt less like a necessary shield and more like a temporary inconvenience.

"Same time tomorrow?" Sakura asked as they gathered their equipment.

Naruto nodded, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "Definitely. And Sakura... thank you. Not just for the training, but for believing I could do this."

She returned his smile without a trace of the wariness that had characterized their interactions for so long. "You've always had the potential, Naruto. You just needed to believe in it yourself."

As he walked back toward the village, Naruto felt lighter than he had in years. His hands—his cursed, feared hands—suddenly held possibility instead of just destruction. And tomorrow, they would train again, pushing the boundaries of what his Ash Palm Technique could accomplish.

For the first time since his power had manifested, Naruto walked with his head held high, no longer the boy everyone feared, but a shinobi beginning to master a unique and powerful ability.

The future, once so bleak and limited, now stretched before him filled with new possibilities.

Dawn broke over the ocean in a spectacular array of colors as Team 7's boat approached the distant shoreline. Naruto stood at the bow, the salt spray occasionally misting his face as they cut through the waves. Ahead lay their destination: the ruins of Uzushiogakure, the hidden village of the Uzumaki clan—his mother's homeland, destroyed decades ago during the wars.

"We're approaching the outer barrier," Kakashi called from his position near the helm. "Everyone, be alert. The protective seals may still be active even after all these years."

Naruto focused his senses, scanning the waters ahead. There—a subtle shimmer in the air over the waves, easy to miss if you weren't specifically looking for it. A barrier seal, ingeniously anchored beneath the water's surface.

"I can see it," he confirmed, pointing toward the nearly invisible boundary. "About fifty meters ahead."

"Can you tell what kind it is?" Sai asked, joining him at the railing, brush and scroll already in hand in case they needed his ink creatures for reconnaissance.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, concentrating. "It's a recognition barrier. It's designed to... sense bloodlines?" He frowned, uncertain how he knew this, the knowledge rising from some deep, instinctual place within him.

"The Uzumaki were masters of sealing techniques," Kakashi explained. "Their village barriers were designed to recognize clan members and allies, while keeping enemies at bay. If your Uzumaki blood is recognized, we might be able to pass through without triggering any defensive measures."

The boat slowed as they approached the barrier, the engine throttling down to a quiet purr. Naruto removed his right glove, tucking it into his pocket, and extended his bare hand toward the shimmering wall of energy.

"Be careful," Sakura cautioned, standing ready with a medical kit. Their training sessions over the past two days had yielded remarkable progress in Naruto's control, but this was an entirely different scenario.

"I'm not going to use the decay effect," Naruto assured her. "Just... making contact. Offering my blood to the barrier."

As his fingertips touched the invisible barrier, he felt a peculiar sensation—not the familiar tingle of his decay power activating, but something warmer, more welcoming. The barrier rippled like water, concentric circles spreading outward from the point of contact.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a soft hum that seemed to resonate in Naruto's very bones, the barrier parted before their boat, creating a passage just wide enough for them to navigate through.

"It recognizes you," Sakura whispered, awe in her voice. "After all these generations, it still knows Uzumaki blood."

Naruto swallowed hard, unexpected emotion tightening his throat. This was his heritage—this place, these ancient protections crafted by his ancestors. For someone who had grown up an orphan, unknown and unloved, the simple acknowledgment from this barrier felt profoundly significant.

They passed through the opening without incident, the barrier sealing itself behind them with the same gentle hum. Ahead, the shoreline of Uzushiogakure grew more distinct—steep cliffs and rocky beaches, with the ruins of what must have been a harbor just visible in a protected cove.

As they approached, more details emerged. Massive whirlpools churned the waters around the island, a natural defense that had given the village its name. Ancient stone structures clung to the cliffside, partially collapsed but still bearing the distinctive spiral patterns of the Uzumaki clan.

"The whirlpools are artificial," Naruto said suddenly, again surprising himself with knowledge he hadn't realized he possessed. "They're powered by sealing arrays anchored to the seabed."

Kakashi gave him a curious look. "How do you know that?"

Naruto shook his head, confusion furrowing his brow. "I don't know. It's like... like the information was always there, just waiting for me to need it."

"Genetic memory," Sakura suggested, her medical training offering a possible explanation. "Some clans possess knowledge that seems to be passed down at a cellular level, activated when exposed to specific triggers. Being here, surrounded by your clan's work, might be awakening dormant knowledge."

The idea was both comforting and unsettling. What other Uzumaki secrets might be locked away in his blood, waiting to be discovered?

They navigated carefully through the treacherous waters, following a safe channel that seemed to recognize their boat as non-threatening. Eventually, they reached a small, hidden dock tucked into a natural cave at the base of the cliffs.

"We'll establish a base camp here," Kakashi decided as they secured the boat. "According to historical records, the main village was built on the plateau above these cliffs. We'll need to find a path up."

As if in answer to his words, Naruto felt drawn to a specific section of the cave wall. Without consciously deciding to do so, he approached it and pressed his bare palm against the rough stone. Instantly, ancient sealing script glowed to life beneath his touch, spiraling outward in intricate patterns that illuminated the entire cave.

The stone wall rumbled, then parted down the middle, revealing a hidden staircase carved directly into the cliff.

"Another recognition seal," Naruto murmured, staring at his hand. "It knows I'm Uzumaki."

Kakashi stepped forward, examining the newly revealed passage. "These stairs will take us directly to the village ruins. Good find, Naruto."

They gathered their equipment and began the ascent, the stairs spiraling upward through the heart of the cliff. Periodically, they passed sealed doorways set into the rock—storage chambers or escape routes, perhaps, their purposes lost to time.

The staircase eventually opened onto a plateau overlooking the sea, where the main village had once stood. The sight that greeted them was both beautiful and heartbreaking—a city in ruins, yet still magnificent in its decay. Stone buildings with distinctive spiral motifs stood partially collapsed. Wide avenues paved with colorful tiles now cracked and overgrown with vegetation. Fountains dry for decades, their basins filled with soil and wildflowers instead of water.

And everywhere, the Uzumaki spiral—carved into buildings, inlaid in streets, incorporated into every aspect of the village's design.

"This was once the strongest hidden village outside the five great nations," Kakashi said quietly, surveying the ruins. "So feared for their sealing techniques that multiple villages allied to destroy them."

Naruto stood frozen, overwhelmed by the sight of his ancestral home. This was where his mother had been born, where generations of Uzumaki had lived before being scattered to the winds by war and destruction.

"Where do we start looking?" Sai asked practically, already sketching the layout of the ruins in his notebook.

Naruto closed his eyes, allowing instinct to guide him. "The temple," he said after a moment, pointing toward a large structure at the highest point of the village. "If there were forbidden scrolls about the Ash Palm Technique, they would have been kept in the sacred archives."

They made their way through the ruined village, stepping carefully around collapsed buildings and overgrown pathways. Occasionally, Naruto would pause, placing his bare hand against a particular stone or doorway, activating ancient seals that cleared their path or revealed hidden shortcuts.

As they approached the temple, the atmosphere grew heavier, the air charged with residual chakra that had lingered for decades. The temple itself was in better condition than most buildings in the village—its construction more solid, its sealing protections more enduring.

At the entrance stood two massive stone guardians, their features worn by time but still fierce, spiral patterns carved into their chests exactly where a heart would be.

"Stone golems," Kakashi identified them, his Sharingan revealed to examine the constructs. "Powered by sealing jutsu. They appear dormant, but be careful."

Naruto approached the guardians, drawn forward by the same instinct that had guided him since their arrival. Without hesitation, he placed his bare hand on the spiral pattern of the right-hand guardian.

The effect was instantaneous. The stone eyes glowed with blue chakra light, and the massive figure shifted, rock grinding against rock as it turned its head to look down at Naruto. Its counterpart similarly awakened, both guardians now fully alert.

For a tense moment, Team 7 prepared for battle, weapons drawn. Then, simultaneously, both stone giants knelt, bowing their heads in recognition.

A deep, rumbling voice emerged from the right guardian, speaking in an ancient dialect that nonetheless Naruto understood perfectly: "Blood of Uzumaki returns. The sacred archives open to the heir."

The massive temple doors, previously sealed and immovable, slowly swung inward, revealing a vast hall supported by ornate columns. Dust motes danced in shafts of light streaming through holes in the partially collapsed ceiling, illuminating faded murals depicting the history of the Uzumaki clan.

"They recognized you as an heir," Sakura whispered, awestruck. "These protections have waited all these years for an Uzumaki to return."

Naruto didn't trust himself to speak, the weight of his heritage pressing on him more heavily than ever. He was the heir to this lost civilization, the blood of these fallen people flowing through his veins.

"The archives should be below the main hall," he said finally, his voice steadier than he felt. "There will be a sealed entrance somewhere on the central dais."

They crossed the expansive hall, their footsteps echoing in the silence of ages. At the far end, a raised platform of stone bore the faint outlines of an enormous sealing array—partially obscured by rubble and dust, but still discernible to trained eyes.

"This is it," Naruto confirmed, kneeling to brush away decades of accumulated dust from the central spiral of the array. "The seal that guards the sacred archives."

Kakashi examined the complex pattern with his Sharingan. "This is beyond any sealing technique I've ever encountered. The complexity is... extraordinary."

"Can you open it?" Sakura asked Naruto.

He studied the array, that strange innate knowledge guiding his understanding. "Yes, but... it requires blood. Uzumaki blood, freely given."

Without hesitation, Naruto bit his thumb, drawing blood. He traced the spiral pattern with his bleeding digit, the crimson liquid seeping into the ancient stone as if it were thirsty for this offering.

As the last section of the spiral was completed, the entire sealing array blazed to life, glowing symbols racing outward from the center to the edges of the platform. The stone rumbled, then began to recede, segments folding downward to reveal a staircase descending into darkness.

"The sacred archives of Uzushiogakure," Naruto breathed, staring into the shadows below. "Untouched since the village fell."

Kakashi produced light sticks, handing one to each team member. "Stay alert," he cautioned. "Places like this are often protected by more than just entry seals. There may be traps or guardians within."

They descended the stairs cautiously, the light sticks casting eerie blue-green illumination on ancient stone walls covered in intricate sealing scripts. The air grew cooler and dryer—perfect conditions for preserving scrolls and documents.

At the bottom of the staircase, they entered a vast circular chamber lined with stone shelves carved directly into the walls. Thousands of scrolls and books filled these shelves, organized in a system whose logic was lost to time. At the center of the chamber stood a raised pedestal bearing a massive scroll, sealed with the Uzumaki spiral crest.

"The Clan Registry," Naruto identified it instantly, drawn forward as if pulled by an invisible thread. "It contains the names and bloodlines of every Uzumaki, updated through sealing techniques tied to their chakra signatures."

He approached the pedestal and placed his bare hand on the scroll. The seal glowed briefly, then unlocked with a soft click. As Naruto carefully opened the ancient document, the final entries came into view—those made just before the village's destruction.

And there, among the last names recorded, was one that made his heart stop:

Uzumaki Kushina, daughter of Uzumaki Hisano and Uzumaki Takeshi, bearer of the Adamantine Bloodline, initiated into the Primary Sealing Arts, departed for Konohagakure as vessel for the Nine-Tailed Fox.

His mother's name, written in a flowing script that somehow seemed to capture her fierce spirit. Below it, added by the self-updating sealing technique of the registry, was a final entry:

Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto, son of Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato, bearer of the Adamantine Bloodline, inheritor of the Ash Palm, current vessel for the Nine-Tailed Fox.

"It knows me," Naruto whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Even though I was never here, never registered... it knows I exist."

Sakura stepped close, reading the entry over his shoulder. "Inheritor of the Ash Palm... it confirms everything. Your ability is an Uzumaki bloodline technique."

Naruto carefully closed the registry, returning it to its place of honor. With renewed purpose, he turned to the shelves of scrolls surrounding them. "We need to find scroll UZ-437. According to the document Tsunade gave me, it contains information about the Five-Seal Barrier Method that could help control the Ash Palm Technique."

They split up, each taking a section of the archives to search. The organization system initially seemed incomprehensible, but Naruto soon recognized the pattern—scrolls were arranged according to chakra affinity, then by technique complexity, then alphabetically within those categories.

After nearly an hour of searching, Sai's voice echoed through the chamber: "I believe I've found it."

They gathered around as Sai carefully extracted a scroll bearing the designation UZ-437 from a high shelf dedicated to defensive sealing techniques. The scroll was sealed with a blood lock, similar to others they had encountered.

Naruto pressed his bleeding thumb against the seal, which dissolved immediately, recognizing his Uzumaki blood. With careful hands, he unrolled the ancient document.

The scroll contained detailed diagrams and instructions for the Five-Seal Barrier Method—a technique designed specifically to contain and control the Ash Palm's destructive power. According to the text, the method involved creating five specialized seal points around the user's arm, forming a containment circuit that allowed precise regulation of the decay effect.

"This is incredible," Sakura murmured, studying the diagrams. "With this technique, you could potentially use your ability without gloves, maintaining control through the sealing network rather than physical barriers."

As they continued reading, however, they discovered the limitation that had been hinted at in the previous scroll: the Five-Seal Barrier was not a permanent solution. It required constant chakra maintenance and would deteriorate over time, especially under the strain of active combat.

"There's more," Kakashi noted, pointing to a reference at the end of the scroll. "It mentions another document—UZ-901—that contains information about permanently mastering the Ash Palm through 'harmonic resonance with one's bloodline limit.'"

"That must be what we need," Naruto said eagerly. "If there's a way to permanently master this technique..."

They resumed their search with renewed vigor, methodically working through the sealing techniques section. Eventually, Kakashi located scroll UZ-901 in a section dedicated to the most advanced and dangerous techniques—those requiring the Adamantine Chakra bloodline to perform safely.

Again, Naruto's blood opened the seal, revealing contents that made his eyes widen in both hope and trepidation. The scroll described a ritual process for fully integrating the Ash Palm Technique with one's chakra network, allowing complete control without external aids. But the requirements were daunting:

The Integration Ritual requires absolute chakra control and balance between the five elemental natures. The practitioner must achieve perfect harmony with their bloodline limit through meditation at the Five Points Temple. Failure results in immediate decay backlash, potentially fatal to the practitioner and destructive to surroundings. Only those with fully awakened Adamantine Chakra should attempt this ritual.

"The Five Points Temple," Naruto repeated, searching his mysteriously awakened knowledge. "It should be somewhere on the island—a sanctuary built at a natural chakra convergence point."

"We should gather these scrolls and any others that might be relevant," Kakashi decided. "The more information we have about your ability and its origins, the better equipped you'll be to master it."

As they carefully selected scrolls for retrieval, a sudden tremor shook the archive chamber, dust and small stones raining down from the ceiling.

"That wasn't natural," Kakashi said sharply, instantly alert. "Something's happening above."

They quickly secured their gathered scrolls in sealing storage scrolls and rushed back up the staircase to the main temple hall. The scene that greeted them confirmed Kakashi's suspicion—the stone guardians were engaged in combat with a group of intruders at the temple entrance.

At the center of the intruders stood a familiar figure with silver hair: Katsumi Yoake.

"Found you," she called when she spotted Team 7 emerging from the archives. "I knew you'd lead us straight to the source, Uzumaki Naruto!"

The stone guardians fought valiantly, their massive fists crushing any opponent too slow to dodge. But Katsumi's forces were systematically targeting the sealing arrays that powered the constructs, gradually weakening them.

"How did they find us?" Sakura demanded, already pulling on her combat gloves.

"They must have been tracking us since Konoha," Sai concluded, his brush flying across his scroll to create ink beasts for battle.

Naruto's mind raced. Their mission had two objectives: secure information about the Uzumaki techniques and neutralize Katsumi's threat. With both now converging, they needed to act decisively.

"Kakashi-sensei," he said, his voice steady despite the battle unfolding before them. "Get these scrolls back to Konoha. They're too valuable to risk in this fight."

"And leave you three behind?" Kakashi responded, his visible eye narrowing.

"We can handle this," Naruto insisted, already removing both his gloves. "I can handle this. It's time I stopped hiding from my power and used it for what it was intended—protecting what matters."

After a moment's consideration, Kakashi nodded sharply. "Three minutes. Hold them off for three minutes while I secure an escape route for the scrolls. Then we all leave together."

As Kakashi disappeared with the precious documents, Naruto stepped forward to confront Katsumi, Sakura and Sai flanking him protectively.

"You're persistent," he called to the silver-haired missing-nin. "Didn't learn your lesson at the temple complex?"

Katsumi's eyes fixed on his bare hands, a hungry gleam in her gaze. "On the contrary, I learned exactly what I needed to know. Your power is the key to perfecting our technique—the missing component we've sought for years."

One of the stone guardians finally succumbed to the concentrated attacks, crumbling to rubble as its sealing array was destroyed. The other continued fighting, but was clearly weakening.

"You don't understand what you're tampering with," Naruto warned, flexing his fingers as he prepared to unleash his ability. "This technique was sealed away for a reason. It can't be controlled without the bloodline limit."

"That's where you're wrong," Katsumi replied, performing a series of hand signs. "We've found a way to harness the decay effect artificially. All we need is a sample of your chakra to complete the formula."

She completed her jutsu, and the air around her hands began to shimmer with a familiar effect—a crude but recognizable version of the decay aura that emanated from Naruto's own hands when he activated his power.

"You've replicated it," he realized, shocked by the implications. "But it's unstable. You can't maintain it without..."

"Without consuming massive amounts of chakra, yes," she finished for him. "But once we extract and analyze your naturally occurring decay chakra, we can perfect the formula. One sacrifice for the sake of unlimited power."

Without warning, she launched herself at Naruto, her shimmering hands extended to grab him. Sai's ink beasts intercepted her, but disintegrated on contact with her decay aura. Sakura launched a counterattack, her chakra-enhanced fist aimed at Katsumi's head, but was forced to pull back when the missing-nin's decay effect nearly caught her arm.

Naruto didn't retreat. Instead, he stepped forward to meet Katsumi's charge, his own bare hands now glowing with the full power of his Ash Palm Technique.

As their powers collided, the resulting shockwave rocked the entire temple. Decay met decay, two forces of entropy struggling for dominance. But where Katsumi's technique was artificial and unstable, Naruto's was natural and increasingly controlled.

"You can't beat me at my own game," Naruto growled, pressing forward. "This power has been in my blood for generations. It's part of me in a way it can never be part of you."

Katsumi's eyes widened as her decay aura began to falter under the pressure of Naruto's more powerful version. "Impossible! Our research was perfect!"

"Research can't replace bloodline inheritance," Naruto shot back, channeling more chakra into his hands. With precise control, he directed his decay effect to target only Katsumi's artificial aura, breaking it down at a molecular level while leaving her physically untouched.

The woman screamed as her technique collapsed, the backlash of uncontrolled decay racing up her arms. She leapt backward, frantically applying emergency seals to contain the spreading destruction before it consumed her completely. Her arms were saved, but badly damaged, the skin gray and withered.

"Retreat!" she ordered her remaining forces, genuine fear in her eyes now. "Fall back!"

As the intruders fled, Naruto allowed his decay aura to subside, the glow fading from his hands. He turned to find both Sakura and Sai staring at him with expressions of amazement.

"That was..." Sakura began.

"Completely controlled," Sai finished, his usual emotionless façade slipping to reveal genuine awe. "You didn't just use your power—you directed it with perfect precision."

Naruto looked down at his bare hands with newfound wonder. In the heat of battle, protecting what mattered, he had achieved a level of control that days of careful practice hadn't approached. "It felt different this time. Like I wasn't fighting the power, but working with it. Like it wanted to protect what I wanted to protect."

Kakashi reappeared, having secured their escape route. "The scrolls are safe. Time to go—that retreat won't keep them away for long, especially now that Katsumi knows what's here."

As they hurried from the temple, Naruto paused at the entrance, looking back at the vast repository of his clan's knowledge. "We'll have to come back," he said, a new determination in his voice. "There's so much more to learn, so much history to reclaim."

"We will," Kakashi promised. "But first, we need to get what we've found back to Konoha. Your control is improving, but mastering the Ash Palm completely will take time and the proper techniques—which we now have."

As they raced through the ruined village toward their extraction point, Naruto felt a profound shift within himself. For the first time, he saw his decay ability not as a curse to be contained, but as a legacy to be honored—a powerful technique entrusted to him through generations of Uzumaki blood.

And with this new understanding came a commitment: he would master this power completely, not just to protect himself and others from accidental harm, but to use it as it was meant to be used—as a guardian of what mattered most.

Thunder crashed overhead as rain lashed against the windows of the Hokage Tower. Naruto stood before Tsunade's desk, his posture rigid with determination, the recovered Uzumaki scrolls spread before them.

"Absolutely not!" Tsunade slammed her palm against the desk, making the wood crack beneath her strength. "The Integration Ritual is too dangerous, even for someone with your healing abilities. Did you miss the part about 'potentially fatal'?"

Lightning flashed, illuminating the fierce resolve in Naruto's blue eyes. "I didn't miss it. But I also didn't miss what happened at Uzushiogakure. Katsumi's group is still out there, still trying to weaponize this technique. And they're getting closer."

Sakura stepped forward from her position near the window. "Lady Tsunade, I've analyzed the scrolls thoroughly. The risks are significant, but so are the potential benefits. If Naruto successfully completes the ritual, he'll gain complete control over the Ash Palm technique."

"Complete control," Tsunade repeated, her amber eyes narrowing. "No more gloves? No more constant vigilance?"

"If the scrolls are correct," Kakashi confirmed from where he leaned against the wall, his casual posture belying his concern, "the ritual would integrate the Ash Palm technique into Naruto's chakra network so completely that activation would become entirely voluntary—like any other jutsu."

The Hokage fell silent, considering the implications. The rain drummed against the windows, a counterpoint to the tension in the room.

"Three days," Naruto said suddenly, breaking the silence. "That's how long Katsumi's team had been watching us before they attacked in Uzushiogakure. They're tracking me, waiting for another opportunity. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it becomes. Not just for me, but for everyone around me."

Tsunade's gaze softened fractionally. "You've been living with this burden for years, Naruto. Why the urgency now?"

"Because now I know it doesn't have to be a burden!" The words burst from him with surprising fervor. "It can be a strength—an Uzumaki strength. My mother's legacy. But only if I master it completely."

His gloved hands curled into fists at his sides. "I'm tired of being afraid of myself. Tired of watching everyone else walk on eggshells around me. This ritual is my chance to take control of my life again."

Another flash of lightning illuminated the determination on his face, throwing harsh shadows across features that had grown sharper, more defined with maturity and hardship.

Tsunade held his gaze for a long moment, then sighed deeply. "The Five Points Temple mentioned in the scroll—do we know where it is?"

"It's here, in the Land of Fire," Sakura replied quickly. "We found references to it in other scrolls we recovered. It's an ancient site built by Uzumaki clan members who settled here after forming alliances with the Senju. It's located at the center of a natural chakra convergence, about a day's journey northwest of Konoha."

Tsunade drummed her fingers on the cracked desk, weighing the risks against the benefits. Finally, she straightened, decision made.

"Three conditions," she said firmly. "First, you will be accompanied by a full medical team led by Sakura. Second, ANBU will secure the perimeter of the temple to ensure no interference from Katsumi or any other threats. And third..." her expression softened slightly, "you will come back alive, Naruto. That's an order from your Hokage."

Relief washed over Naruto's face. "Yes, Granny Tsunade!"

"Don't call me that," she snapped automatically, but there was no heat in her words. "The ritual requires preparation. How long do you need?"

"Two days," Naruto answered immediately. "One to prepare the sealing formulas, one for meditation and chakra alignment."

"Then you leave at dawn in three days," Tsunade decided. "Use the time wisely."

As they exited the Hokage Tower into the rain-soaked streets, Naruto turned to Sakura, raindrops immediately plastering his blond hair to his forehead. "I need your help with something else," he said, his voice barely audible over the downpour.

"What is it?" she asked, creating a small chakra-shield above them to ward off the worst of the rain.

"According to the scroll, the ritual requires 'perfect harmony with one's bloodline limit' and 'balance between the five elemental natures.' I think... I think I need to talk to Kurama about this. Really talk to him, not just the surface communication we usually have."

Understanding dawned in Sakura's eyes. "You need to enter your mindscape completely. To commune with the Nine-Tails on his level."

"Exactly. And I need someone to watch over my physical body while I do it. Someone I trust."

A warm smile spread across her face, all traces of her former wariness long gone. "Of course, Naruto. When do you want to start?"

"Now," he said firmly. "No time to waste."

An hour later, they sat cross-legged on the floor of Naruto's apartment, facing each other across a carefully drawn sealing array. Sakura had brought medical monitoring equipment to track Naruto's vital signs during the deep meditation.

"Remember," she cautioned as he settled into position, "your body will appear unconscious, but your mind will be fully active. If anything goes wrong—if your vitals spike or drop dangerously—I'll use the emergency sealing tag to pull you back."

Naruto nodded, taking a deep breath to center himself. "I trust you, Sakura."

He closed his eyes and began the specialized meditation technique described in the Uzumaki scrolls. His breathing slowed, his muscles relaxed, and gradually, the sounds of the physical world—the rain against the windows, Sakura's quiet movements, the distant rumble of thunder—faded away.

When he opened his eyes again, he stood in the familiar flooded corridors of his mindscape. But something was different. The water at his feet was clearer, more reflective. The walls less oppressive. Light seemed to emanate from no particular source, giving the space a dreamlike quality.

He walked purposefully toward the massive cage that had contained Kurama for so many years, only to stop short in surprise. The cage was gone, replaced by a vast open chamber. And in its center, the Nine-Tailed Fox lay curled like a massive cat, his giant head resting on equally massive paws, crimson eyes watching Naruto's approach with ancient wisdom.

"So," Kurama rumbled, his voice echoing through the chamber, "you've finally come to have a real conversation."

Naruto stepped forward, unafraid. "I need your help. The Integration Ritual for the Ash Palm technique—"

"Requires balance between the jinchūriki and the tailed beast," Kurama finished for him. "Yes, I've been listening to your discoveries. The Uzumaki clan's Ash Palm technique resonates uniquely with my chakra—that's why your condition manifested the way it did."

"You knew?" Naruto couldn't keep the accusation from his voice. "All these years, you knew what this was?"

The massive fox shifted, his tails swishing lazily behind him. "I suspected. I've been sealed within Uzumaki hosts for generations, Naruto. I've seen glimpses of their techniques, felt the resonance of their special chakra. But I've never witnessed the Ash Palm in its complete form. It was forbidden even in Uzushiogakure's prime, used only in the most desperate circumstances."

Naruto approached closer, stopping directly before the fox's enormous snout. "The scrolls say I need perfect harmony with my bloodline limit and balance between the five elemental natures. I think that means I need your cooperation—a true partnership, not just borrowing your chakra."

Kurama's massive eyes studied him, ancient and knowing. "You're asking for my willing participation in this ritual? A true melding of our chakras?"

"Yes." Naruto met the tailed beast's gaze without flinching. "Not just for my sake, but for both of us. If I can master this technique completely, it means freedom from constant fear—for me and for you. No more being seen as nothing but a danger to be contained."

Something shifted in Kurama's expression—a flicker of recognition, perhaps even empathy. The Nine-Tails knew all too well what it meant to be feared, to be seen as nothing but a source of destruction.

"The Ash Palm in its complete form is not merely destructive," Kurama said after a long pause. "The Uzumaki understood that true power lies in balance—in knowing not just how to unmake, but when to unmake, and why. Your decay ability has been restricted to breaking down physical matter because that's all you believed it could do."

Naruto frowned, confused. "What else could it do?"

"Think, kit. What is decay but one half of a natural cycle? Everything that is unmade creates space for new creation."

Understanding dawned gradually on Naruto's face. "You're saying the complete technique isn't just about destruction—it's about transformation. Breaking down what exists to make way for something new."

Kurama's mouth curved in what might have been a smile. "Now you begin to understand. The Ash Palm's true name in the ancient Uzumaki tongue translates more accurately to 'Hand of Renewal.' Destruction is merely its first aspect."

The revelation staggered Naruto. All these years, he'd thought of his power as purely destructive—a curse that could only take away, never give back. To learn that it might have a creative aspect as well...

"Will you help me?" he asked, his voice steady despite his churning emotions. "Will you join with me in the ritual to fully awaken this power?"

Kurama's tails swished thoughtfully. "It will not be easy. The melding of our chakras must be perfect—not just the crude borrowing we've done in the past. I must willingly offer my power, and you must willingly accept not just its strength, but its nature."

"I'm ready," Naruto said with quiet determination.

The Nine-Tails studied him for a long moment, then inclined his massive head in agreement. "Then let us begin. The first step is chakra resonance—aligning the frequencies of our energies until they vibrate in perfect harmony."

For what felt like hours, they worked within Naruto's mindscape, Kurama guiding him through ancient techniques to balance and harmonize their disparate chakras. The fox's energy—raw, primal, and immensely powerful—gradually synchronized with Naruto's own unique signature, creating patterns of resonance that illuminated the mindscape with dancing lights.

"You've grown, kit," Kurama observed during a brief respite. "The boy who feared his own hands would never have attempted this ritual."

"I still fear them sometimes," Naruto admitted, staring at his ungloved hands within the mindscape. "But I'm learning that fear can either control you or drive you forward. I'm choosing the second path."

The fox made a sound that might have been approval. "The second aspect of the ritual requires elemental balance. As a tailed beast, I embody all five primary chakra natures. You must open yourself to each in turn."

The training continued, now focused on elemental manipulation. Earth's stability, Water's fluidity, Fire's transformation, Wind's freedom, Lightning's energy—Naruto embraced each nature in turn, guided by Kurama's ancient knowledge.

When he finally returned to consciousness in his physical body, Sakura was still monitoring him vigilantly, though the light outside his windows indicated that many hours had passed.

"You're back," she said, relief evident in her voice. "Your chakra was doing some very interesting things. How do you feel?"

Naruto flexed his hands, surprised to find them bare—he must have removed his gloves before beginning the meditation. Yet there was no tingle of decay power, no fear of accidentally destroying anything he touched. His chakra felt... quieter. More integrated.

"Different," he said finally. "Like something that was fractured is starting to heal."

Sakura checked his vital signs one last time, then began packing up her equipment. "Did you get what you needed from the Nine—from Kurama?"

"I did," Naruto confirmed, a new certainty in his voice. "He's going to help with the ritual. And Sakura... the Ash Palm isn't what we thought. It's not just destructive. In its complete form, it's called the Hand of Renewal. It doesn't just break things down—it transforms them."

Her green eyes widened. "Transforms? You mean it can create as well as destroy?"

"That's what Kurama said. But I won't know for sure until after the ritual." He stood, surprising himself with the steadiness of his movements after hours of deep meditation. "One more day of preparation, then we leave for the Five Points Temple."

The next day passed in a flurry of activity. Naruto studied the ritual instructions obsessively, committing each step to memory. Sakura assembled her medical team and supplies. Kakashi coordinated with ANBU to secure the route to the temple and establish a protective perimeter.

And through it all, Naruto maintained the internal harmony he had established with Kurama, their chakras resonating together in a balance that felt both new and somehow ancient, as if remembering a connection long forgotten.

Dawn on the third day broke clear and crisp, the storm having passed to leave pristine skies and fresh, cool air. The journey to the Five Points Temple passed without incident, the ANBU escorts moving like shadows through the forest, their presence felt rather than seen.

By mid-afternoon, they reached their destination. The Five Points Temple was not grand like the main temple in Uzushiogakure, but it possessed its own austere beauty. Built into the side of a mountain, its five spires reached skyward like fingers, each representing one of the primary elemental natures. At its center, a courtyard contained a massive sealing array carved into white stone—the ritual site.

As Naruto surveyed the ancient temple, he felt a strange sense of homecoming, as if his blood recognized this place built by his ancestors. The air hummed with natural chakra, the convergence point creating a subtle pressure that he could feel against his skin.

"The ritual should be performed at sunset," he said, consulting the scroll one final time. "That's when the chakra convergence is strongest."

While Sakura's medical team set up their equipment and the ANBU secured the perimeter, Naruto walked the grounds of the temple, familiarizing himself with its layout and energy. Each spire contained a meditation chamber dedicated to one of the elements, and he visited each in turn, absorbing their unique resonances.

In the fire spire, he found ancient Uzumaki clan symbols etched into the walls—spirals and whorls that seemed to dance in the flickering torchlight. In the water spire, a natural spring bubbled up through the floor, its clear water pooling before disappearing back into the earth. The earth spire contained crystals that hummed with deep, resonant energy. The wind spire was open to the sky, mountain breezes flowing freely through strategically placed apertures. And in the lightning spire, metal rods conducted the natural electricity of the atmosphere, creating a constant low charge that made his hair stand on end.

As sunset approached, Naruto returned to the central courtyard where Sakura waited with her team.

"Everything's ready," she reported, gesturing to the monitoring equipment they had set up around the sealing array. "We'll be tracking your vital signs throughout the ritual. At the first sign of danger—"

"You'll pull me out," Naruto finished with a small smile. "I know, Sakura. I trust you."

Her expression softened. "This is going to work, Naruto. I know it."

With the sun touching the horizon, casting long shadows across the courtyard, Naruto moved to the center of the sealing array. He removed his gloves, tucking them into his pocket—hopefully for the last time—and then, after a moment's consideration, removed his jacket and shirt as well. The ritual required direct contact between his skin and the sealing array.

Kneeling at the array's center, he pressed both palms against the cool stone, feeling the ancient chakra pathways carved into its surface. The seal activated immediately, recognizing his Uzumaki blood, glowing lines racing outward from his hands to illuminate the entire courtyard in blue-white light.

Naruto closed his eyes and began the ritual incantation described in the scroll—words in an ancient Uzumaki dialect that nonetheless felt natural on his tongue, as if he had always known them. As he spoke, the glow intensified, the five elemental aspects of the array lighting up in their distinctive colors: brown for Earth, blue for Water, red for Fire, green for Wind, yellow for Lightning.

Inside his mindscape, Kurama rose to his full height, nine tails spreading wide as he channeled his chakra in perfect synchronization with Naruto's. "Now, kit! Open yourself to the full resonance!"

Naruto's voice rose, the final words of the incantation echoing across the courtyard. The five colored lights shot upward to the temple spires, connecting them in a perfect pentagram of energy before converging back to the center—directly into Naruto's body.

The pain was immediate and overwhelming—like being torn apart and reassembled molecule by molecule. Naruto's back arched, a silent scream frozen on his lips as the ritual's power coursed through him, rewriting the very nature of his chakra network.

"His vitals are spiking!" Sakura shouted, medical instruments beeping frantically. "Heart rate 180 and climbing! Blood pressure critical!"

She lunged forward, emergency sealing tag in hand, but an ANBU captain caught her arm. "Wait! Look at the pattern—it's stabilizing!"

Indeed, the chaotic energy was beginning to organize itself, flowing through Naruto's body in increasingly harmonious patterns. The pain remained intense, but now had purpose—the necessary agony of transformation rather than destruction.

Within his mindscape, Naruto and Kurama stood at the center of a maelstrom of elemental energy, their forms beginning to merge as the ritual reached its climax.

"Accept it fully!" Kurama roared over the cacophony. "Don't fight the transformation—embrace it!"

With a supreme effort of will, Naruto surrendered himself completely to the process, accepting rather than resisting the fundamental changes occurring within him. The pain peaked in a blinding flash of white light—

And then, suddenly, clarity.

The courtyard fell silent. The glowing lines of the sealing array faded to a soft, steady pulse. Naruto remained kneeling at the center, his head bowed, steam rising from his skin which now bore luminous markings—Uzumaki spirals intertwined with the ritual's elemental symbols, glowing briefly before fading into his flesh like tattoos absorbed beneath the surface.

"Naruto?" Sakura's voice broke the silence, concern and hope mingling in that single word.

Slowly, deliberately, he raised his head. His eyes, when they opened, blazed with new awareness—still blue, but with flecks of amber now visible, a physical manifestation of his deeper connection with Kurama. The whisker marks on his cheeks had deepened, becoming more pronounced.

But most striking of all was the calm certainty in his expression as he rose to his feet, looking down at his bare hands with wonder rather than fear.

"Did it work?" Sakura asked, approaching cautiously, her medical scanner humming as she assessed his condition. "How do you feel?"

Naruto flexed his fingers, then smiled—a genuine, brilliant smile that transformed his entire face. "It worked. I can feel the power, but it's... integrated now. Part of me, not separate from me."

To demonstrate, he focused briefly, and his right hand became enveloped in a controlled aura of decay energy—gray and shimmering, but perfectly contained to his skin. With another thought, the aura vanished completely.

"Complete control," he breathed, the enormity of the change still sinking in. "Voluntary activation, just like any other jutsu."

Sakura's scanner confirmed what they could see—his chakra network had fundamentally transformed, the formerly chaotic decay energy now fully incorporated into his normal chakra pathways, responsive to his will rather than an always-present threat.

"There's something else," Naruto said, his expression thoughtful. "Kurama was right about the second aspect of the technique. I can feel it now—not just the power to unmake, but to transform."

He knelt and placed his palm against the bare earth beside the sealing array. Concentrating, he activated his newly integrated power. The familiar decay spread from his touch, but instead of simply destroying, it seemed to restructure the soil itself. When he lifted his hand, a small sprout had emerged from the transformed earth—new life rising from the breakdown of old forms.

"The Hand of Renewal," Sakura whispered, awestruck. "It really does create as well as destroy."

Naruto nodded, a serene confidence settling over him. "Not creation from nothing—that's impossible. But transformation of what exists into something new. Breaking down barriers between what is and what could be."

As the last light of sunset faded from the sky, the first stars appearing overhead, Naruto stood in the ancient courtyard of his ancestors, finally free from the fear that had defined him for so long. The gloves in his pocket would never be needed again.

But even as this chapter of his story closed, another was opening. Somewhere out there, Katsumi Yoake and her organization were still pursuing their plans, still seeking to weaponize a power they could never truly understand.

And now, Naruto was ready to stop them—not with fear of his own abilities, but with complete mastery of what was always meant to be his inheritance.

The forest exploded into chaos as Naruto's team burst through the trees, shattered bark and severed branches whirling in their wake. Three ANBU flanked him in tight formation, their porcelain masks catching moonlight in eerie flashes as they pursued their quarry through the darkness.

"He's heading for the ravine!" called the hawk-masked ANBU to Naruto's right. "Trying to funnel us into the narrow pass!"

"Let him," Naruto replied, a confident grin spreading across his unmasked face. Two weeks since the Integration Ritual, and the freedom of movement still felt intoxicating—no gloves, no constant vigilance, just the unfettered flow of action.

The spy they were chasing—a jōnin-level shinobi working for Katsumi's organization—leapt down into the shadowed ravine, his form briefly silhouetted against the starlit sky before disappearing into the darkness below.

"It's definitely a trap," observed the cat-masked ANBU dryly.

"Definitely," Naruto agreed, his grin widening. "Spring it anyway."

They plunged into the ravine, landing with practiced silence on the rocky terrain. Instantly, explosive tags detonated around them, filling the narrow space with blinding light and concussive force. The ANBU scattered in defensive formation, but Naruto stood his ground, both hands outstretched.

Gray-tinged energy rippled from his palms, spreading outward in an expanding dome. Where it touched the explosions, it didn't just neutralize them—it unmade them, breaking down the very chakra that powered the detonations and converting it to harmless static that dissipated in the night air.

In the sudden silence that followed, Naruto cocked his head, listening. "Three hostiles. Nine o'clock, directly ahead, and above at two o'clock."

The ANBU moved with lethal precision, engaging the hidden attackers while Naruto focused on their primary target—the spy who carried vital intelligence about Katsumi's next move.

He found the man attempting to scale the far wall of the ravine, using chakra-enhanced climbing techniques to spider up the sheer rock face. With a burst of speed, Naruto closed the distance, chakra pooling in his feet as he ran vertically up the cliff face.

The spy glanced down, panic flashing across his features when he saw who pursued him. "Stay back!" he shouted, hurling a barrage of poisoned senbon at Naruto.

Without breaking stride, Naruto swept his hand through the air, a thin veil of decay energy extending from his fingertips. The senbon passed through it and disintegrated into metallic dust that scattered harmlessly in the night breeze.

"We just want to talk," Naruto called, his tone casual despite the gravity of the chase. "About Katsumi's plans for the Barrier Array. About why your group has been stealing classified items from villages across the Five Great Nations."

The spy's response was to release a hidden wire trap that sent massive boulders tumbling down the cliff face. Naruto sighed, almost disappointed at the predictable move. With precise control, he channeled his decay energy through both hands, palms facing the falling rocks. Instead of simply destroying them, he transformed their momentum and substance, the solid stone breaking down and reconstituting as harmless sand that cascaded around him without impact.

"That's new," the spy gasped, genuine fear in his voice now as he witnessed firsthand the evolution of Naruto's ability.

"There's a lot that's new," Naruto replied, finally reaching the man's position on the cliff face. "Including my patience. It's much shorter than it used to be."

The spy launched a desperate attack, kunai slashing toward Naruto's throat. With fluid grace, Naruto caught the man's wrist, careful to use only enough decay energy to disintegrate the weapon while leaving the hand intact.

"I don't want to hurt you," he said, his blue eyes reflecting the moonlight with unnatural intensity. "But I will if I have to. Where is Katsumi building the Barrier Array?"

Below, the sounds of combat had ceased—the ANBU having dispatched or subdued the other attackers. The spy glanced down at his fallen comrades, then back at Naruto, calculation replacing fear in his eyes.

"You really don't understand what you're interfering with, do you?" he said, his voice suddenly calm. "This was never about weapons or power. It's about restoration."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Explain."

"Uzushiogakure wasn't just destroyed—it was erased. Its knowledge scattered, its people hunted to near extinction. Katsumi is an Uzumaki descendant herself, did you know that? One with a diluted bloodline, unable to manifest the full power of her heritage."

This revelation hit Naruto like a physical blow. "She's Uzumaki? Then why—"

"Because you have what she lacks," the spy continued. "The pure bloodline, the untainted power. The Barrier Array isn't a weapon—it's a ritual circle. Designed to extract your Adamantine Chakra and distribute it to other descendants, restoring what was lost to them."

"At the cost of my life," Naruto guessed, the pieces falling into place. "A sacrifice for the 'greater good' of rebuilding Uzushiogakure's power."

The spy didn't deny it. "One life for the restoration of a massacred people. Many would consider it a fair exchange."

"Except it wouldn't work," Naruto countered. "The Ash Palm—the Hand of Renewal—isn't just chakra that can be extracted and redistributed. It's integrated with my entire being, with Kurama's chakra, with my specific bloodline. Attempting to extract it would just create a corrupted version, like the unstable technique Katsumi was using before."

Uncertainty flickered across the spy's face, the first hint that perhaps he hadn't been told the whole truth by his leader.

Naruto pressed his advantage. "Katsumi is pursuing a fantasy. Even if she succeeded in extracting my power, it wouldn't give her what she wants. It would just create another weapon—one that would ultimately consume its users just like it nearly consumed her at our last encounter."

The man's eyes widened in surprise. "She never told us she had already attempted to use the power."

"Because it failed catastrophically," Naruto confirmed. "It nearly destroyed her arms. The only reason she survived was because she had emergency sealing measures in place."

He could see doubt taking root in the spy's mind, and softened his approach. "I understand wanting to restore what was lost. I'm an Uzumaki too—probably one of the last with an undiluted bloodline. But there are better ways to honor our heritage than through sacrifice and stolen power."

For a tense moment, the spy seemed to waver between resistance and surrender. Then, with a defeated sigh, he relaxed in Naruto's grip.

"The Barrier Array is being constructed in the ruins of an ancient Uzumaki outpost, three days' journey north of here, in the mountains bordering the Land of Sound. Katsumi has gathered thirty-seven Uzumaki descendants—none with the full bloodline, but all carrying fragments of the heritage. The ritual is scheduled for the next full moon, six days from now."

Naruto nodded, grateful for the information freely given. "Thank you. Now, my team will need to take you into custody—"

The words had barely left his mouth when the spy's body suddenly went rigid, his eyes widening in shock and pain. A seal previously hidden beneath his clothing began to glow with malevolent light, spreading across his skin in angry red patterns.

"Dead-man's trigger," the spy gasped, horror in his voice. "Activated by betrayal. I didn't know—she must have—"

Naruto reacted instantly, pressing his bare palm against the expanding seal. His Hand of Renewal activated, gray energy racing to intercept the deadly sealing technique that was consuming the spy from within. But the malevolent seal was designed specifically to be irreversible, feeding on the victim's own chakra in a cascading reaction.

"Hold on," Naruto urged, pouring more power into his countereffect, trying to break down the killing seal without harming the man. "I can stop this!"

The spy shook his head, a sad smile touching his lips even as the seal crept up his neck toward his face. "Too late. She planned for everything. But now I understand... she never intended restoration. Just power, at any cost."

With his failing strength, he pressed a small scroll into Naruto's free hand. "Coordinates. Detailed plans. Stop her."

Before Naruto could respond, the seal completed its deadly work. But instead of killing the spy outright, it triggered a secondary effect—molecular breakdown similar to but cruder than Naruto's own decay technique. The man's body began to disintegrate from within, crumbling to dust despite Naruto's desperate attempts to counter the process.

In seconds, nothing remained but ash that scattered in the night wind.

The ANBU team arrived at Naruto's position moments later, finding him kneeling on the ledge, the scroll clutched in his hand, a grim expression replacing his earlier confidence.

"She's killing her own people," he said quietly, rising to his feet. "Using a corrupted version of my technique as a failsafe against betrayal."

"The other operatives suffered the same fate," reported the hawk-masked ANBU. "Triggered simultaneously."

Naruto's expression hardened, the whisker marks on his cheeks seeming to deepen with his anger. "Then we don't have much time. Six days until the full moon—until Katsumi attempts a ritual that will not only fail but probably kill everyone involved."

He opened the scroll, confirming the detailed information about the outpost's location and defenses. "We need to move quickly. Hawk, report back to the Hokage with what we've learned. Cat and Bear, continue with me for preliminary reconnaissance. We'll need a strike team assembled within forty-eight hours."

As the ANBU dispersed to carry out his orders, Naruto stood alone on the cliff face, staring up at the waning moon. The freedom he had achieved through the Integration Ritual now carried a new weight of responsibility. His power was mastered, but that mastery demanded action—especially against someone misusing a corrupted version of the same technique.

Katsumi Yoake, an Uzumaki descendant herself, twisting their shared heritage into something that destroyed rather than renewed. The revelation added a personal dimension to what had already been a serious threat.

With a last look at the moon—counting down the days until it would be full—Naruto leapt from the cliff face, coursing through the trees with renewed purpose. The Hand of Renewal had freed him from his personal prison of fear, but the world still contained others who would use similar powers for destruction rather than transformation.

And stopping them was now his responsibility.

Wind howled across the mountain peaks, driving snow and ice before it in blinding sheets. Naruto crouched behind a rocky outcropping, his breath forming clouds in the frigid air as he surveyed the ancient outpost below. Once an Uzumaki stronghold, the circular stone compound had been abandoned for generations—until now.

Activity buzzed within its walls, visible even through the storm. Figures moved with purpose, carrying materials, checking seals, preparing for the ritual that would begin at moonrise. At the center of the compound stood the partially constructed Barrier Array—a massive sealing circle etched into the stone courtyard, its design a corrupted version of Uzushiogakure's protective barriers.

"Thirty-six individuals with chakra signatures showing Uzumaki heritage markers," reported Sai, looking up from his sensory scroll. The former Root operative had joined Naruto's strike team the previous day, his unique skills perfect for this infiltration. "Plus Katsumi and her inner circle of seven. All present and accounted for."

"You're sure they can't detect us?" Naruto asked, never taking his eyes off the compound.

Sai nodded confidently. "My Concealment Seals are holding.