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Chapter 203 The Return to Uzushiogakure
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It took Team 8 three long days to finally reach the familiar forests surrounding Konoha. The sun had just begun to dip below the horizon, casting the gates in a warm, orange glow.
"Man, it feels good to be home. First thing I'm doing is finding a hot meal and a long nap."
Akamaru barked in agreement from Kiba's shoulder.
"A mission that long will require a full debrief. Rest will have to wait."
Hinata smiled softly at the two of them. "It was a good mission. I'm just glad everyone made it back safe."
They didn't even make it to the gate guards before two ANBU appeared out of thin air.
"Team 8," one of them said curtly. "Where is Genin Naruto Uzumaki?"
The group froze.
"Naruto?" Kiba blinked. "Don't you mean Team 7? He's not even part of our team."
The ANBU didn't answer. Their attention shifted to Kurenai, whose calm expression faltered for just a moment. She noticed the chūnin guards nearby watching intently, their faces expectant. It wasn't just curiosity; rather, it was tension. Everyone wanted to know where Naruto was.
"Team 7 is currently traveling with Jiraiya-sama. Their location and status are for the Hokage's ears only."
The ANBU exchanged a quick glance before nodding. "Understood. You are to report to the Hokage's office immediately."
The air shifted as they prepared to use the Body Flicker Technique for the genin, but Kurenai lifted a hand.
"There's no need," she said evenly. "My team has already mastered Shunshin no Jutsu. We can manage on our own."
That earned her a rare reaction. One of the ANBU tilted his head slightly, and the chūnin gate guards exchanged looks of surprise.
Kiba smirked, catching the look. "Heh. You heard her. We're not amateurs."
"Very well," the ANBU replied, his voice clipped but respectful. "Proceed directly to the Hokage Tower."
And with that, both masked figures vanished in a swirl of leaves.
"Alright, you heard them. Let's move."
As they moved through the darkening village, Kurenai couldn't help but notice the way everyone seemed more alert—from shinobi on rooftops to civilians whispering, even the guards more focused than usual.
Something had changed in Konoha.
And she had a feeling it had everything to do with Naruto Uzumaki.
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Leaving her team outside the Hokage's office, Kurenai followed the secretary's polite but firm instructions, as the Hokage had ordered to see her alone.
The door slid open with a soft creak, and the familiar scent of tobacco and parchment filled her senses. Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, pipe in hand, his robes wrinkled and eyes sunken. The man looked as though he hadn't slept properly in days.
"Kurenai. I'm glad to see you returned safely."
"You might not be so glad once you hear my mission report, Hokage-sama."
He gave a tired chuckle at the joke. "I'll take my chances. Was the mission a success?"
"Yes. But… there were complications."
The Third leaned forward slightly, pipe resting between his fingers. "I've heard that Team 7 has been accompanying Jiraiya. Is that correct?"
Kurenai nodded. "Yes. They are currently en route to the ruins of Uzushiogakure. The Kyūbi is… gone. Naruto also believes that both the Fourth Hokage and the Uzumaki clan have connections to Lordran."
Hiruzen's brows furrowed deeply. "Wait. Wait, slow down." He raised a hand, rubbing his temple. "What exactly is Lordran?"
"It's a summoning realm that is the source of all Naruto's… uniqueness."
Hiruzen froze mid-inhale. The pipe wavered in his grasp. "A summoning realm connected to Minato…?"
"It would seem so," Kurenai replied. "I'd recommend speaking with Kakashi for more context. He's more informed about what transpired before we separated."
The Hokage leaned back heavily in his chair, exhaling smoke through his nose. "Yes. I think… I'll have to."
He snapped his fingers once. "Cat," he called.
A shadow shifted behind him, and an ANBU with purple hair and a cat mask stepped into view, kneeling.
"Tell my secretary to clear the next hour," Hiruzen ordered. "Then activate the sound barrier seal."
The ANBU nodded silently and vanished.
When the hum of the barrier filled the room, Hiruzen turned back toward Kurenai. "What is the status of the Kyūbi?"
"Unknown," she replied honestly. "That's part of the reason Team 7 is heading to Uzushiogakure—to find clues about its condition. Or… if it's even recoverable."
The Hokage's complexion paled slightly, and his jaw tightened. "And Naruto? Is he… alright? Normally, when a bijuu is released, the jinchūriki doesn't survive. I know the Uzumaki have incredible vitality, but even they have limits."
"There's nothing to worry about, Hokage-sama. Naruto is alive and doing well."
"Thank god. I don't think this village could bear another loss like that."
Kurenai hesitated, her mind flickering back to all the strange and unbelievable things she had witnessed, from his hawkeyes to his dragonic physiology.
She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again.
"And I thought the situation couldn't get more complicated."
Kurenai gave Hiruzen a sympathetic smile as she reached into her pouch and pulled out the mission report scroll. She began unrolling it.
And unrolling it.
And unrolling it… until it slid off the desk, rolled across the floor, and curled neatly at the base of a potted plant.
Hiruzen stared at it, his pipe nearly falling from his mouth. "That's not real!"
"It's not," Kurenai replied with a mischievous smirk. "Naruto gave me twenty ryō to prank you. I figured a little levity would do you some good, Hokage-sama."
For a moment, the Third just blinked, then a quiet chuckle escaped him. "That brat," he said, shaking his head. "If he's back to pulling harmless pranks, that means his anger toward me must be fading."
"Seems so."
"I appreciate it nonetheless," Hiruzen said as he took the real mission report from her hands. He began reading it… and within seconds, the color drained from his face.
The first line read: Mission Report: Initial C-rank escort of Tazuna of the Land of Waves, re-evaluated as S-rank by Jonin Kakashi Hatake, Jonin Kurenai Yuhi, and Sannin Jiraiya.
The Hokage opened his mouth, then closed it again. He tried once more, but no words came. His pipe wobbled dangerously in his hand. Finally, he managed to croak out a single word. "How?"
Kurenai sighed, brushing a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "Let's just say it involved a stupid crime lord, several rogue shinobi, an unexpected revolution, and somehow... don't ask me how... political reform."
She paused, then added dryly, "But if I had to simplify it, Naruto happened."
Hiruzen stared at her in silence for a long moment, then leaned back in his chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Naruto happened," he repeated under his breath.
"That's the short version."
"I genuinely do not know if I should laugh… or cry."
Kurenai nodded. "Let's decide after you read the entire report."
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Meanwhile, outside the Hokage office, the air felt… off.
Every shinobi that passed cast them sidelong glances. A few chūnin even paused like they wanted to ask something but then thought better of it and moved on.
Kiba finally snapped. "Okay, what the hell is going on? Why is everyone looking at us like we're about to drop a bombshell?"
The Hokage's secretary adjusted her glasses and leaned forward slightly. "They're not looking at you," she said, voice low. "They're hoping he's with you."
"Who?" Hinata asked, already suspecting the answer.
"Uzumaki Naruto."
Kiba's brows furrowed. "Wait, what? Why? Don't tell me something from the Wave leaked. Please don't tell me the Archer thing made it back here already."
"Not sure what you are talking about," the woman said, reaching into a drawer. "But you should see this."
She handed over a thin leather-bound folder, marked with the black-and-red seal of the Intelligence Division.
The latest Bingo Book.
Kiba opened it slowly and flipped to the marked page. His eyes widened as he read:
[ BINGO BOOK DOSSIER — TARGET #007: "UZUMAKI NARUTO" ]
[ STATUS: ACTIVE CONTRACT ]
[ ISSUED BY: MULTIPLE HIDDEN VILLAGES ]
[ DISTRIBUTION LEVEL: HIGH ]
[ IDENTITY FILE ]
[ NAME: Uzumaki Naruto ]
[ AFFILIATION: Konohagakure no Sato ]
[ SUMMONING AFFILIATION: Unknown – data suggests a nonstandard summon ("Oscar") ]
[ CLASSIFICATION: Confirmed Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox ]
[ LINEAGE RECORD ]
[ FATHER: Minato Namikaze – The Yellow Flash of Konoha ]
[ MOTHER: Kushina Uzumaki – The Crimson Valkyrie of Chains ]
[ NOTES: Direct descendant of two high-priority combat-class assets. Subject possesses abnormal chakra reserves, unknown medical ninjutsu, and hidden jutsu. ]
[ KNOWN ALIASES ]
[ "Son of Calamity" – Iwagakure Designation ]
[ "Knight of Konoha" – Otogakure Designation ]
[ RANK & THREAT ASSESSMENT ]
[ KONOHA RANK: Genin ]
[ IWAGAKURE CLASSIFICATION: B-Rank Threat ]
[ OTOGAKURE CLASSIFICATION: B-Rank Threat ]
[ THREAT SUMMARY: Despite low official rank, displays tactics and combat potential comparable to a jōnin. Subject's use of Nine-Tails chakra elevates potential to S-Rank if controlled. ]
[ ENGAGEMENT ADVISORY: Avoid prolonged contact. Subject demonstrates high adaptability and unknown techniques. If cornered, terminate swiftly or disengage. ]
[ ACTIVE BOUNTIES ]
[ IWAGAKURE: 10,000,000 Ryō – DEAD OR ALIVE ]
[ OTOGAKURE: 5,000,000 Ryō – Uzumaki Naruto ]
[ OTOGAKURE: 5,000,000 Ryō – "Oscar," Crystal Lizard summon (Specimen Retrieval Preferred Alive) ]
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A small boat skimmed across the churning waters, carried forward by a massive toad swimming just behind it.
The toad's skin was a deep mossy green, covered in black swirling markings that looked almost like tattoos. His arms were thick and muscular, webbed fingers slicing through the waves with the power of a small engine. With each powerful kick of his hind legs, the boat surged forward, cutting through the mist. Every few seconds, his wide golden eyes would flick up toward the humans on board, croaking in rhythm with the waves.
"You're doing great, Gamasui," Jiraiya called out, bracing one hand on the boat's railing as spray hit his face. "Ten more minutes and I'll switch you out!"
The toad croaked in acknowledgement, tailing off into a long rumble that sounded like thunder beneath the sea.
Jiraiya turned back to the group. Sakura looked miserable, pale as chalk and gripping the side of the boat like it was her last lifeline. Sasuke was next to her, steadying her with a hand on her back. Kakashi sat cross-legged under the shade of his orange book, fast asleep or pretending to be.
"Alright, listen up, brats," Jiraiya called out, his voice cutting through the roaring wind. "We're entering Uzushiogakure's waters now, and there's a damn good reason this place is called the Land of Whirlpools. Even experienced sailors refuse to come within miles of this coast. But that's not the worst part."
He looked out across the stormy expanse, his face grim. "The entire coastline is wrapped in layers of fuinjutsu that have been active for centuries. The closer you get to the ruins, the more the water reacts to movement, chakra, even sound. The whirlpools form as a defense mechanism, targeting anything alive that comes too close. Ships vanish here without a trace, sucked into the sea before anyone can even blink."
As if to prove his point, Sasuke's eyes flicked toward the horizon. "Whirlpool forming, a hundred meters to the left."
"Heh. Didn't know the Sharingan could see that far."
Sasuke's expression didn't change. "It can't. Not normally. My eyes can now see at a greater distance due to having the traits of the Byakugan."
"Wait, what? How in the world did that happen?"
Sasuke only tilted his head toward Naruto, who sat silently at the front of the boat. The blond boy was holding Oscar high above him. The little crystal lizard chirped happily, enjoying the salty wind rushing past.
"You've been awfully quiet, brat," Jiraiya said as Gamasui moved the boat sharply to avoid another whirlpool that was forming beneath the surface. "That's not like you."
"It's nothing," Naruto said quietly. His hawk eyes were focused ahead, where the fog began to part. Through the haze, he could just make out the faint outline of broken towers rising from the waves… his ancestral home.
The ruins of Uzushiogakure.
"If a loudmouth like you goes silent," Jiraiya muttered, "it's usually something."
"I guess I'm just thinking. I don't know much about my clan or what this place really means. But seeing it like this… it hits differently."
"Don't hold it in," Kakashi said, lowering his book. "If you want answers, Jiraiya-sama's the man to ask. Despite how he looks, he's one of the greatest spymasters alive. He probably knows more about your clan than anyone still breathing."
"Yeah…" Jiraiya began, scratching the back of his head. Then he froze, glaring at Kakashi. "Hold on. What do you mean 'despite how I look,' huh?"
"Just saying what everyone's thinking, Jiraiya-sama."
Naruto snorted, trying and failing to hold back his laugh.
"East, fifty meters," Sasuke said suddenly. He was sitting upright now, eyes glowing faintly as he mapped the currents.
Jiraiya adjusted the rudder, and without missing a beat, Gamasui moved with the boat, dodging the swirling waters.
"Well, my first question is… how did Uzushiogakure even get destroyed? I mean, if this is what the ocean around it looks like, who could even get close enough to attack it?"
Jiraiya's expression darkened. "During the era of war and unrest, when the power of the jinchūriki began to rise, every major village started fearing the Uzumaki. Their knowledge made them too dangerous to be left alone. So, naturally, they became a target."
Naruto frowned, pointing toward the massive whirlpools that twisted and crashed around them like hungry beasts. "But how? They had defenses like this. These seals could tear apart fleets."
"It wasn't brute force that broke Uzushiogakure. It was betrayal."
Sakura looked up, pale from seasickness but listening intently. "Betrayal?"
"Yeah," Jiraiya said. "The village wasn't like the others. It was built by the Uzumaki, but not everyone there was Uzumaki by blood. There were civilians, refugees, and shinobi from smaller clans who came to the islands seeking protection. Over time, envy started to grow. The Uzumaki could live for decades longer than most, they healed faster, their chakra never seemed to end, and their sealing arts could make or unmake clans. The outsiders felt small in comparison. That envy festered into fear, then hatred. Civil war broke out within the village walls. And when the fighting started, the great villages saw their chance."
The group fell silent. Even the sound of crashing waves seemed distant. Naruto sat quietly, eyes lowered. Sasuke watched him, understanding more than he liked to admit. They were both survivors of dead clans.
"Alright," Jiraiya finally said, his tone sharp again. "Enough history. We're officially in the danger zone. Time to pull your weight."
He pointed at Sakura. "Pinky, I need a chakra barrier. Sphere formation, cover the whole boat like a shell."
Sakura took a shaky breath, wiped her mouth, and nodded. "Right." Glowing paper tags flew into the air, carried by chakra threads as they attached themselves to the hull and sides of the boat as it formed a barrier.
"Sasuke," Jiraiya continued, "you're our eyes. Guide us through this death trap. Use your eyes to spot currents before they form."
Sasuke's tomoe spinning rapidly as he scanned the sea. "There's a vortex forming thirty meters to the right. Another one ahead, smaller but growing fast."
"Got it," Jiraiya said, turning the rudder sharply. "Kakashi, on me!"
Kakashi closed his book with a sigh, already forming hand signs. "Fire Style?"
"Fire Style," Jiraiya confirmed.
They both exhaled twin waves of fire toward the rear of the boat, propelling them forward like a rocket. The little ship leapt over the swirling currents, skimming just above the deadly whirlpools.
"East, fifteen meters!" Sasuke called. "The next current's shifting!"
The team adjusted course instantly. The sea around them glowed faintly, patterns of old Uzumaki seals appearing beneath the water's surface. The glowing symbols pulsed with a rhythm, like a heartbeat.
Naruto stared at the churning sea, his reflection fractured by the violent motion of the water. The whirlpools spun endlessly, like eyes staring back at him from the deep.
A whirlpool holds its shape, unchanging, like a memory etched in stone. But a spiral breathes and grows, shifting with each turn. What begins as a simple swirl transforms, as the vortex gives way to the spiral… ever deeper, ever evolving.
For even if it seems to spin the same, every turn carves a new path. The floor beneath it changes, the air thickens, and the scenery shifts. In each twist lies a new truth, in each descent, a hidden strength. So, too, does life shift and flow, as we are bound not to the flatness of fate but to the living spiral of choice and change.
The Uzumaki walk this spiral, unbroken and ever-reaching.
His thoughts broke when Oscar chirped sharply in a warning.
A monstrous whirlpool was forming ahead of them, dwarfing everything they'd seen before. It stretched across the horizon, a vast circle of black water devouring the light. The roar of the sea grew deafening as the air itself trembled.
"Shit!" Jiraiya barked, gripping the rudder. "We're not getting around that thing! We'll have to destroy it with a powerful jutsu!"
"Leave it to me!" Naruto yelled, already leaping to the bow of the boat. He thrust his hand out, chakra swirling violently in his palm. A rough, unstable sphere of blue light began to form as the Rasengan. The chakra wobbled and sputtered, unable to maintain its shape.
"Tch." Jiraiya clicked his tongue, shouting over the wind. "Naruto, your chakra's not rotating right! You need multiple rotations at once to keep the sphere stable. It's collapsing on one side!"
"How do I fix it?"
"Your chakra rotation depends on your natural flow — clockwise or counterclockwise — it's tied to your hair growth pattern! Sasuke, check it with your eyes!"
"Right rotation! Move your chakra clockwise!"
Naruto adjusted instantly, his energy twisting tighter, denser. The Rasengan steadied but still flickered. Then he looked up, and the answer hit him like lightning.
The whirlpool ahead wasn't spinning in one direction. It was colliding forces of multiple flows crashing together, forcing each other to turn.
That chaos was the spiral.
That was what it meant to be Uzumaki.
He grinned, his blue eyes blazing. "Got it."
Naruto's chakra roared as he jumped while altering his flow, forcing his chakra to move in opposite rotations, currents crashing against each other to form perfect balance. The sphere solidified, a perfect Rasengan glowing like a star in his palm.
Then, midair, he formed a single seal. "
Shadow Clone Jutsu.
In an instant, the sky erupted with smoke as hundreds of Naruto clones appeared around him, each holding a Rasengan of their own. The sight was breathtaking. A storm of blue light suspended over a sea of darkness.
"Now!"
Together, over a hundred Rasengans crashed into the giant whirlpool.
The impact was thunderous. The air exploded with sound as blinding blue light burst across the sea. The water surged upward in colossal waves, the whirlpool screaming as its spiral unraveled under the assault. The surface of the ocean twisted and rippled outward, shockwaves racing across the waves like an echo of power.
The whirlpool shuddered, then collapsed inward as the roaring silence that followed felt like the world holding its breath.
The boy was flung through the air, spinning before crashing onto the sandy shore. His clones vanished in bursts of smoke.
For a long moment, no one spoke. The ocean had gone still. The whirlpools around them began to subside, their furious spirals slowing into calm, rhythmic waves.
Naruto groaned, sitting up on the beach, sand clinging to his clothes. Jiraiya and the others watched from the boat, speechless.
The setting sun bathed everything in gold and red, its light glinting off Naruto's damp hair. In that moment, his blond strands caught the glow of dusk, burning crimson as the same red as the Uzumaki"s hair.
It was as if the island itself was welcoming a young Uzumaki back home.
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Author's Note: And with that, we have finally arrived at Uzushiogakure. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, it was one of my favorites to write. The Q&A section will be short this time, but there are a few interesting points I want to go over.
1. Was the Uzumaki Clan in a Civil War?
Answer: In the manga and anime, there is never any clear confirmation of a civil war in Uzushiogakure. However, in the official Naruto databook, Kushina's entry includes a very interesting line:
"A former kunoichi from the Land of Eddies, she gave birth to Naruto. Having grown up during the turbulent civil war years, Kushina fervently wished for days of peace and calm."
That single mention of a civil war really caught my attention and opened up a lot of creative potential.
So, I decided to expand on that idea. Think about it, the Uzumaki clan had long lifespans, incredible vitality, and some of the most dangerous sealing jutsu in existence. It makes sense that envy and resentment could grow among those who did not share their gifts.
If Uzushiogakure was a proper shinobi village, it could not have been made up entirely of Uzumaki. There must have been civilians and other clans who lived under their rule, and that sort of imbalance often leads to conflict. Envy turns to fear, fear turns to hatred, and hatred turns to rebellion. The civil war within the village gave the great nations the perfect opportunity to strike and finish what internal conflict had already started.
It also ties well into canon. We already know that the Uzumaki were wiped out because their sealing jutsu were feared by the other nations. A divided village would have made that outcome inevitable.
I also plan to explore the Uzumaki in much more depth.
If any of you have ideas about the Uzumaki clan's history, culture, or techniques, feel free to share them. If something fits the tone and direction of the story, I would love to include it.
2. How Will DS Naruto Use the Rasengan?
This one is more of an open question to all of you because it touches on one of the key points of this crossover: the fusion of the Naruto and Dark Souls power systems.
In the Dark Souls world, magic does not simply make something stronger, it changes the very nature of what it touches. For example, when the Transformation Jutsu is amplified by magic, it becomes true shapeshifting. Naruto could literally alter his body into another form, like a hawk or even a woman.
The same idea applies to every jutsu. If chakra techniques are fueled by magic, their effect could evolve beyond what they were originally meant to do.
So here is the question: What would a magic-infused Rasengan look like?
How would elemental Rasengans, such as Wind, Fire, or Lightning, behave when combined with the influence of the Dark Soul, magic, or even chaos itself?
Would a Lightning Rasengan pull the energy of a storm straight from the sky?Would a Fire Rasengan act like a miniature sun, burning everything it touches?Would a Dark Rasengan twist the space around it and swallow the light itself?
Remember, in this world, magic amplifies the concept behind a jutsu. It takes what the technique represents and makes it physically real.
So, I want to hear from you. What do you think the ultimate evolution of the Rasengan would look like in this story?
Share your ideas in the comments, and let's shape the next stage of this crossover together.
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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P@treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P@treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 94, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.
To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!