"You let him face the darkness in his heart without saying anything. This is too harsh," Kushina said, her voice carrying a mixture of worry and gentle reproach as she watched Naruto's motionless form with growing concern.
The sight of her son standing completely still, his consciousness transported to some inner realm that she couldn't perceive or protect him from, triggered every maternal instinct she possessed. After years of shielding Naruto from the various dangers and challenges that had threatened him since childhood, watching him face this trial alone felt almost unbearable.
"Although he has encountered numerous troubles and obstacles since he was a child, we've always been there to solve most of them for him," Minato replied thoughtfully, his eyes never leaving Naruto's face as he monitored his son's condition through subtle chakra fluctuations.
"But Naruto has finally reached a level of maturity where he understands the weight of his mistakes and the consequences of his actions. There are some challenges that he needs to face and overcome entirely on his own."
Minato's voice carried the weight of hard-earned wisdom as he continued, "Otherwise, there is absolutely no way he could ever hope to truly tame the Nine-Tailed Fox."
His own experience with achieving harmony with the Nine-Tails had taught him valuable lessons about the nature of the powerful entity sealed within his son. Although the Nine-Tails harbored deep resentment toward humans due to centuries of being treated as nothing more than a weapon, its thoughts and emotional structure were far less complex and contradictory than those of human beings.
However, the Nine-Tails possessed its own fierce pride and sense of dignity. If Minato and Kushina continued to shield Naruto from every challenge and solve every problem for him, the Nine-Tails would never develop the respect necessary to truly acknowledge Naruto as its partner rather than merely its jailer.
Within the vast expanse of Naruto's spiritual consciousness, the confrontation between light and darkness was reaching its crucial moment.
"Huh?" Naruto's eyes widened with a mixture of confusion and growing understanding as he processed what his darker self had just revealed.
"You should be able to feel that we are fundamentally one and the same," the dark version of himself continued, his mouth curling into a smile that was both familiar and deeply unsettling.
"Or rather, I represent the most real and honest part of you—the part that you've been trying so hard to suppress and deny."
Naruto's expression grew tense as he struggled to comprehend the implications of what he was hearing. "What exactly do you mean by that?"
The dark side of his personality laughed with bitter amusement before launching into a devastating psychological attack that struck at Naruto's deepest insecurities.
"Having parents and a sister who are so extraordinarily talented and accomplished is really frustrating, isn't it?" the dark Naruto said, his voice dripping with resentment and self-pity.
"No matter how hard you try, no matter what incredible feats you accomplish, you can never seem to earn genuine recognition from anyone. The only praise you ever receive is 'You are worthy of being the son of the Hokage' or 'You're living up to your family's reputation.'"
Each word hit like a physical blow, targeting the fears and doubts that Naruto had carried with him throughout his entire life.
"You have always been nothing more than an appendage of your parents—defined not by your own achievements, but by your relationship to their legendary status!"
"That's not true! Shut up!" Naruto shouted angrily, his voice cracking with emotion as he fought against the painful truth embedded in his darker self's accusations.
"They only say things like that because I haven't done enough yet. As long as I work harder and eventually surpass my father's achievements..." His words trailed off, lacking the conviction he desperately wanted to feel.
The dark side of Naruto laughed with cruel disdain, seizing on the uncertainty in his voice. "You say that with such determination, but can you really accomplish something so impossible?"
"Your intelligence and natural ninja skills are far inferior to both your father and your sister. You've always been the troublemaker, the one who causes problems rather than solving them. There's absolutely no way you can accomplish something that extraordinary!"
The person who understood Naruto's weaknesses and limitations better than anyone else was, inevitably, himself. As his dark side continued its psychological assault, Naruto felt the familiar weight of self-doubt pressing down on his spirit.
Deep in his heart, the questions that had plagued him for years continued to echo: Could he really surpass his father, who was revered throughout the ninja world as the God of Ninja? Was it even possible for someone like him to achieve such legendary status?
"It may be incredibly difficult," Naruto admitted, his voice growing stronger as he forced himself to confront his fears directly, "but how can I possibly know what I'm capable of if I don't try with everything I have?"
He shook his head firmly and stared directly at the figure before him. "I understand roughly who you are now. You represent the part of me that's still not strong enough, still plagued by doubt and fear."
"Why do you insist on pursuing something that seems impossible?" the dark side of Naruto roared, his composure finally cracking under the pressure of his counterpart's growing resolve. "Even if you somehow manage to accomplish your goals, there's no guarantee that those people will ever truly recognize your worth!"
"Because Mom and Dad believe in me!" Naruto's eyes suddenly blazed with renewed determination, his voice carrying absolute conviction as he drew strength from the memory of his parents' unwavering support.
At this crucial moment, he remembered the words that Minato had spoken to him before beginning this inner journey—words about believing in himself and recognizing his own potential for greatness.
"Not only that," Naruto continued, his voice growing even stronger, "but there's someone else who has been walking the same difficult path as me, facing similar challenges and refusing to give up. I don't want to lose to him, and I won't disappoint his example!"
Though the specific memories remained frustratingly vague, Naruto could feel the emotional resonance of someone who had believed in him completely, someone who had shared his struggles and encouraged him to never abandon his dreams.
"You..." the dark side of Naruto stared at his counterpart with something approaching amazement, clearly not having expected such a powerful response.
"I'll move forward with courage and determination, always keeping my promises and staying true to my word," Naruto declared with absolute finality. "This is my ninja way, and nothing will ever change that!"
The confusion and self-doubt that had plagued him for so long finally began to fade away as he spoke these words. When he finished his declaration, both his dark side and the white spiritual space around them started to gradually dissolve, like morning mist touched by the first rays of sunlight.
Deep within his heart, Naruto acknowledged that he did indeed harbor doubts about his own abilities and worth. Those insecurities were real and would probably never disappear completely.
But more powerful than those doubts was his burning desire to fulfill his dreams and prove himself worthy of the trust that others had placed in him. Someone had told him recently—though the exact details remained frustratingly unclear—that he didn't need to live under anyone's shadow or serve as anyone's appendage.
He was Naruto Uzumaki, unique and valuable in his own right. All he needed to do was practice his own ninja way and continue growing stronger, both as a warrior and as a person.
When Naruto finally opened his eyes and returned to normal consciousness, the first thing he saw was Minato's proud and relieved smile.
"It looks like you've succeeded in overcoming your inner darkness," Minato observed with satisfaction. "The speed of your resolution was beyond my expectations, though perhaps it shouldn't have been surprising given your character."
This accomplishment was indeed faster than Minato had anticipated, yet it was also somewhat within his expectations. After witnessing Naruto's confrontation with his own psychological shadows, and hearing the words that had emerged from that struggle, Minato could see clear evidence of his son's inner strength and maturity.
Kushina seemed slightly shocked by how quickly the process had been completed, but a genuine smile gradually spread across her face as she felt deep happiness for Naruto's personal breakthrough.
"Dad, can we begin the second step of training now?" Naruto asked eagerly, his eyes bright with anticipation and newfound confidence.
"This isn't a suitable place for that kind of advanced practice," Minato replied thoughtfully. "I can't leave the office for extended periods during the day due to my administrative responsibilities. Let's wait until tonight when we can find a more appropriate training location."
Naruto heard this explanation and nodded with understanding, though his eagerness was clearly evident.
Far from Konoha, in the hidden laboratory within a remote cave system, White Zetsu's distinctive form slowly emerged from the rocky wall like a ghost materializing from solid matter.
He looked toward the figure whose back was turned to him and delivered his report with characteristic detachment. "The disturbance at Rōran has completely subsided. My surveillance clones conducted a thorough search of the area but found no trace of Mukade or any evidence of what happened to him."
"Based on the available evidence, it appears that he was eliminated by Konoha's ninja forces."
"I see," Madara responded with calm indifference, his expression showing no particular surprise or concern at this news.
The loss of Mukade was clearly not unexpected, and his reaction suggested that the man had been considered expendable from the beginning.
"But if Mukade is dead, who will command the army of powerful warriors reborn through Edo Tensei?" White Zetsu asked, his attention shifting to the collection of glass vials arranged on the table before Madara.
Each vial bore a different label, and the contents appeared to be genetic material and biological samples of extraordinary significance.
"From the very beginning, I never had any intention of allowing that insignificant fool to control the Reincarnation of the Impure World technique," Madara replied dismissively.
As he spoke, the ground around them began to ripple and shift like liquid, and another figure emerged from the earth itself. This newcomer's appearance was more sinister than White Zetsu's, with black coloration and an aura of ancient malevolence.
It was Black Zetsu, Madara's most trusted ally and the embodiment of his will.
"With your unique abilities and knowledge, you should be able to control these reanimated warriors effectively, shouldn't you?" Madara asked, turning his attention to Black Zetsu.
According to Madara's understanding, Black Zetsu represented his own consciousness and will, possessing all of the knowledge and experience that he had accumulated over his long lifetime. Only by entrusting the control of the Edo Tensei army to such a reliable extension of himself could Madara feel truly confident in their effectiveness.
Furthermore, with the benefit of this accumulated intelligence and tactical experience, Black Zetsu would be able to unleash the full potential of the legendary warriors who would be resurrected through the forbidden technique.
Black Zetsu frowned as he considered the challenge before him. "Most of the reanimated warriors will be relatively easy to manage and control. However, these six particular individuals present a much more significant problem. I'm concerned that suppressing their consciousness and maintaining control over them may be beyond my current capabilities."
His gaze shifted to the collection of specially marked vials on the laboratory table. "Their genetic material has all been extensively modified and enhanced. These aren't ordinary ninja—they represent something far more dangerous."
Madara nodded with understanding and a hint of anticipation. "That's only natural, considering who they are. After all, these are the individuals who established the very foundations of the modern ninja world."
As he spoke these words, Madara reached out and carefully gathered the six most important vials from the collection before him.
"It appears that the genetic modification process is finally complete," he observed with satisfaction.
Madara withdrew a specially prepared scroll from his robes and then, with deliberate precision, threw all six vials into the air simultaneously. With a swift motion of his hand, he shattered them all at once, allowing the genetic material and flesh samples contained within to fall onto the unfolded scroll surface.
The biological components were immediately sealed within the scroll through advanced fuinjutsu techniques, preserving them for the ritual that was about to take place.
"Let's proceed," Madara announced, his voice carrying the weight of momentous decision.
After completing these preparations, he led the way out of the cave laboratory, with both Black Zetsu and White Zetsu following behind him in respectful silence.
In the open area outside the cave, under the pale light of the moon, Madara began forming the complex hand seals required for one of the most forbidden techniques in the ninja arts.
The sequence was unmistakably that of the Edo Tensei—the Reincarnation of the Impure World technique that could summon the souls of the dead and bind them to new bodies for the purpose of serving their summoner.
As the final seal was completed, the ground in front of Madara began to crack and split with tremendous force. Six ornate coffins rose slowly from the earth, each one bearing elaborate decorations that suggested the extraordinary importance of their intended occupants.
After the coffins had fully emerged from the ground, Madara turned to Black Zetsu with instructions that would complete the summoning process.
"I will handle the initial summoning and use the visual techniques of the Rinnegan to weaken their consciousness and suppress their natural resistance to being controlled," Madara explained.
"With their awareness diminished in this way, your manipulation of their actions should proceed without significant difficulty."
Black Zetsu nodded with understanding, though his expression showed a mixture of anticipation and concern as he regarded the six coffins that now stood before them.
Bang!
With a sudden, decisive motion, Madara brought his hands together and formed one final hand seal. All six coffins opened simultaneously, their heavy lids falling to the ground with thunderous impacts that echoed across the landscape.
"Come forth," Madara commanded with the authority of someone who had transcended the normal limitations of life and death, "the Kage who founded the five great ninja villages!"