----
Naruto felt like a guilty teenager sneaking back into the dorms after a late-night adventure as he climbed over the compound wall to return home.
To his dismay, Kushina was waiting in the corner, arms crossed, her stern gaze fixed on him.
The bad news? Naruto couldn't escape her scolding, and his ears took the brunt of her anger.
The good news? Kushina, being his loving mother, didn't let her fury linger. She angrily put on her apron and warmed up some dinner for him.
Over the next few days, Naruto avoided taking missions, focusing solely on perfecting Sage Mode. He was so close just one step away.
Naruto's routine became rigid: out early, back late, following an intense training schedule. However, impatience began creeping in, slowing his progress.
As many have observed, humans can be forced to do many things except understand advanced math or master complex techniques under stress.
Sage Mode requires calmness and patience. Naruto, in his relentless push, was unintentionally sabotaging himself. Despite this, he persisted, convinced that just a bit more effort would lead to success.
---
On the seventh day, Naruto grabbed a glass of milk and a sandwich, ready to head out. Minato stopped him at the door.
"Naruto."
"Huh? Is there a mission? Can I skip it?" Naruto asked, confused.
Minato shook his head. "No mission. You're coming with me today."
Naruto hesitated, then nodded reluctantly under Minato's serious gaze. "Alright…"
"Finish your breakfast first," Minato added.
Naruto sat back down, eating quickly while glancing at Minato, who appeared unhurried. His legs bounced impatiently under the table.
Kimimaro finished his meal, patted Naruto on the shoulder, and said, "I'm heading out." Naruto still had no idea what was going on, but Kimimaro's calm demeanour only added to the mystery.
Naruto scanned the others in the room for answers. Kushina was her usual self, showing no hints of anything unusual.
Haku gave him a friendly smile, and Karin, caught peeking at him, quickly adjusted her glasses and turned away.
"What's going on?" Naruto muttered to himself. Desperate for answers, he turned to the Nine-Tails. "Hey, big fox, any idea what's happening?"
"Busy. Don't disturb me," Kurama grumbled, not even turning to face him. Its tails waved lazily but decisively, shutting Naruto out.
Moments later, a massive chakra hand shoved Naruto away and slammed the gate of the seal shut. Two glowing words appeared on the gate:
"DO NOT DISTURB"
"ENTRY PROHIBITED"
Naruto stared blankly. This seal isn't just to imprison him; it's his personal 'do not disturb' sign.
With no answers forthcoming, Naruto resigned himself to waiting. After what felt like forever, Minato finally stood and said, "Let's go."
---
Father and son walked through the streets of Konoha, looking strikingly similar with their matching blond hair, blue eyes, and even similar clothes.
At fourteen, Naruto stood just over 1.6 meters tall, reaching Minato's shoulder. Minato, at 38, looked nearly the same as he did at 24, his youthful appearance confusing some passersby.
The two walked side by side, drawing attention from villagers, many of whom greeted them warmly.
Minato responded politely, smiling and nodding, while Naruto awkwardly mimicked him. To Naruto, it felt like he was a zoo animal forced to "perform."
Unbeknownst to him, several of the villagers they passed had been saved by him in recent months, further elevating his already bright reputation in Konoha.
Their destination was a training ground Naruto hadn't visited before. There, a young girl with twin buns stood waiting.
"Tenten?" Naruto blinked in surprise.
Tenten bowed politely. "Lord Hokage. Hello, Naruto."
Minato smiled. "Sorry, we're late. Did you wait long?"
Tenten shook her head. "Not at all. I just arrived."
Naruto tilted his head. "What's going on?"
When Minato didn't answer, Tenten stepped in. "I've been learning the Flying Thunder God Jutsu. Hokage-sama said he'd teach me something new today."
"You mastered it?" Naruto recalled helping her practice with his clones, endlessly repeating the technique until she grew comfortable with it. "That's awesome!"
"Of course!" Tenten beamed, pulling out a specially designed kunai with a bun-shaped design on the handle. She threw it about 20 meters away and teleported to its location instantly, albeit with slightly jerky movements.
From Naruto and Minato's perspective, her form was a bit unpolished, but she had clearly succeeded.
"Very good!" Minato praised. He handed her a scroll. "This contains information about space-time barriers. If you have questions, you can ask me or Naruto."
Tenten accepted the scroll like a treasure and bowed deeply. "Thank you so much!"
Minato continued, "There's another matter. Gai mentioned you felt you lacked a powerful finishing move. Is that correct?"
Tenten nodded, her eyes shimmering with emotion. She remembered venting her frustrations to her teammates about not having a signature technique like Neji's Gentle Fist or Lee's Eight Gates.
While she excelled with weapons, she didn't have a single definitive move to call her own.
"Watch closely," Minato said. He raised his hand, forming a glowing blue sphere.
"Ah! That's the Rasengan!" Tenten exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "Naruto uses this all the time!"
"Then you know its power," Minato said with a smile.
Tenten nodded eagerly. "Yes!"
----
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