Location: Hokage Tower, Konoha
"Hiruzen, you must hand the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki over to me."
Shimura Danzo's voice echoed through the Hokage Tower's chamber as he stood across from the Third Hokage, eyes sharp with ambition.
At the heart of their clash was a boy—the vessel of the Nine-Tails, Uzumaki Naruto.
> "Danzo," Hiruzen said coldly, "the Jinchūriki will never be placed under your control."
Danzo's single, serpentine eye locked on Hiruzen's.
> "Don't you trust my ability? I can shape the boy into the perfect weapon."
> "No, Danzo. I trust your ability too much."
They had known each other for decades. Hiruzen knew exactly who Danzo was.
A man who would do anything to become Hokage.
This wasn't the first time he'd asked for the Nine-Tails. Hiruzen was sure it wouldn't be the last.
And yes, Danzo could absolutely mold Naruto into an efficient, emotionless tool.
Just like his loyal soldiers in Root.
But if Danzo gained control of the Nine-Tails… he'd essentially control all of Konoha.
Especially with Kurama being the most powerful of all the tailed beasts.
> "You can have members of the Yamanaka and Aburame clans for your experiments," Hiruzen said.
"But not the Jinchūriki. Not ever."
> "He will inherit the Will of Fire."
Danzo scoffed. "Will of Fire? Hmph."
Before he could retort further, two masked ANBU appeared—one from the Hokage's ANBU, one from Root.
Identical uniforms. Only slight differences marked their loyalties.
Danzo's face darkened as his ANBU whispered something in his ear.
Before he could act—
> "DANZO!" Hiruzen barked, fury flaring behind his half-lidded eyes.
> "How dare you interfere with ANBU again? How dare you manipulate the villagers once more? I forgave you once already! What did you promise me then, Danzo? What gave you the right?!"
Hiruzen's voice thundered through the room.
Then—his tone turned icy.
> "Effective immediately: Danzo will step down to recover from 'health issues.' The Root division is suspended."
Danzo shot to his feet, shaking with rage.
> "You can't do this, Hiruzen! Everything I've done has been for Konoha! Only I can unlock the Jinchūriki's potential! Shinobi aren't meant to feel! We're weapons!"
> "Root is disbanded," Hiruzen repeated. "And you, Danzo—rest. At home. Unless you're challenging the authority of the Hokage."
> "You'll regret this."
Danzo snarled, cloak swirling as he stormed out.
Another fight. Another stalemate.
And Naruto was once again caught in the middle.
---
Location: Forest Edge, Outside Konoha
This was Naruto's training spot—just past the edges of the Forest of Death.
> "Ki is the most fundamental form of energy within us," Kakarot explained.
"It's the latent life force inside all things—people, animals, even nature."
> "It's invisible. But it's there. And once you feel it, you'll never forget it."
> "Now, clear your mind. Focus. Feel it flowing inside you. Guide it outward."
Kakarot's explanation was vague at best. About as helpful as Gohan's chalkboard diagrams.
If Naruto had only this to go on, he'd never manage it.
But luckily, Kakarot was sealed inside him.
And in this sealed space, Kakarot could pinpoint Naruto's internal energy, and guide him directly toward it.
---
Naruto sat cross-legged on the grass, eyes closed.
Breathing slowly.
Following every instruction.
Clearing his mind.
One focus.
One purpose.
To feel it.
---
Time passed.
A day.
Two.
Three…
His breathing steadied. His presence faded.
He was no longer "there." Not entirely.
He had begun to merge with the world around him.
---
> "Captain," an ANBU with an owl mask whispered, watching from afar. "The Jinchūriki hasn't moved for days. Should we report this to Lord Third?"
The fox-masked ANBU team leader shook his head.
> "No. As long as there's no abnormality, we leave it. And his name is Uzumaki Naruto."
> "Yes, sir."
The fox-mask watched in silence.
> The child of my teacher… He really is different.
Since the incident on Konoha's main street, Naruto's guard had been switched. These weren't the same ANBU who had silently watched him suffer.
This team was different.
---
Birds landed on Naruto's shoulder, chirping away.
One tried to build a nest in his hair with a twig—only to fly away after realizing the elevation was too low to avoid predators.
---
The sun rose.
And fell.
And rose again.
Until finally—beneath the curve of a crescent moon—
Naruto's eyes opened.
Wide. Clear.
Silent as the night sky.
For a brief moment, they shimmered—deep, focused.
Then he looked at his hands.
> "So this… is Ki."
> "I can feel it… I'm stronger now."
His natural sensitivity helped. The moment he felt Ki, he could already guide it.
Now? He could control it.
---
> "That's amazing," Kakarot said, impressed. "You got it down in just a few days. It took me years to reach that level at Kami's place."
> "Even Vegeta, the genius, took a while to master Ki control."
> "You've got a real knack for it, kid. If only your physical training matched your Ki talent… I'd be dying to spar with you."
> "Well, people gotta have something they're good at," Naruto replied with a nervous laugh.
> Yeah right. I'm not about to compete with you gravity-junkie Saiyans…
---
Growl.
Naruto's stomach roared like a demon.
Followed by… exhaustion.
> "How long was I out?"
> "One, two… three… six… four… seven. About seven days," Kakarot said, counting on his fingers—with the numbers in the wrong order.
> How are you even correct?!
> "I feel like I could eat a whole cow…"
> "A whole cow? That's it? Kid, your appetite's weak!"