Naruto's expression was resolute.
Despite hearing from those who had been to the Pure Land, the true nature of it remained a mystery.
The entity or force governing the Pure Land showed no interest in communicating with him.
So, he decided to drag it out himself.
Preparing in advance.
A precise strike with the Adamantine Sealing Chain pinned down the invisible force.
Four souls were fixed in mid-air.
"Come out," Naruto called, "it's not good to keep hiding forever. Let us meet."
Yet, no voice responded.
The invisible force was retreating underground, pulling against Naruto with an immense power, like a tug-of-war.
Naruto continued, "I'm curious about the Pure Land."
"I mean no harm."
Before he could finish, a tremendous sense of threat surged up from below him.
A force erupted from the ground.
A seemingly ordinary black sphere.
It shot towards the Adamantine Sealing Chain.
Naruto reached out, abandoning the chant.
"Way of Binding Number 39: Round Gate Fan."
An orange chakra shield spun rapidly, protecting the golden chains.
However, the usually reliable Way of Binding failed to work effectively.
Upon contact with the black sphere, the chakra maintaining the "Way of Binding" instantly dissipated, leaving the weakened Round Gate Fan shattered. The black sphere continued its unimpeded collision with the Adamantine Chains, dissolving and then shattering it.
The "manager of the Pure Land" wasn't targeting Naruto.
It vanished once the obstacle preventing the retrieval of the souls was destroyed.
"What... was that power?" Naruto stared, eyes wide with wonder.
The Nine-Tails leapt onto Naruto's shoulder, speaking gravely: "That was a Truth-Seeking Orb."
Naruto looked at it.
"It's an ability of the Sage of Six Paths," the Nine-Tails explained, "a power surpassing all ninjutsu and bloodline limits."
"A power that surpasses all jutsu and bloodline limits?"
"Unheard of."
"But undeniably terrifying."
What concerned Naruto more was its effect.
The moment "chakra" made contact with it, it was completely dissolved. However, the "soul power" within it remained, resisting the Truth-Seeking Orb, but not enough to be highly effective.
It managed to "surpass jutsu" but seemed only to exceed chakra?
"It seems the master of the Pure Land is indeed the Sage of Six Paths," Naruto thought to himself, lowering his head as he spoke.
Around the shrine, a circle of Konoha ninja had already gathered.
Fifth Hokage Kakashi Hatake was among them.
They were cautious, yet dared not approach.
Even the force unleashed in Naruto's brief clash with the "invisible enemy" was overwhelming for the regular jonin present.
"Naruto," Kakashi greeted warmly, "You've returned to Konoha?"
"Who were you fighting just now?"
"Do you need our assistance?"
Naruto shook his head, "No need, just a small issue."
He swiftly moved to Karin's side.
"I have other matters to attend to, so I'll leave first."
In a flash of gold and red light, he vanished under the eyes of the ninja, leaving only a corpse behind.
Kakashi felt a sense of loss; he didn't even get a second greeting in.
An ANBU member went to check and quickly returned to report.
"Lord Hokage, it is a missing-nin from the Hidden Waterfall Village, already deceased."
He reported, "But no signs of battle."
"It seems."
"It seems the method of death is similar to that of the Third Hokage."
Kakashi frowned.
So, this missing-nin was killed under the "Reaper Death Seal" technique?
Naruto, having locked it in a barrier and fought with it, could that enemy be the Reaper?
A somewhat positive realization for him.
The village itself hasn't been invaded by enemies.
And matters concerning the "Death God" are too distant from the lives of ordinary ninjas.
Still, he looked up at the sky.
"Has the teacher's child already reached such heights?"
Naruto, accompanied by Karin, left Konoha and headed to the remote mountains mentioned by the Second Hokage.
They weren't in a rush to find the lab that stored "Madara Uchiha's body."
He instructed Karin to stay vigilant.
Sitting cross-legged, he entered his inner world.
Side by side sat two identical-looking foxes. Yet, they were easily distinguishable.
The aura of the Yin Nine-Tails was colder.
Conversely, the Yang Nine-Tails exuded a more gentle energy.
The Yin Nine-Tails spoke up, its gaze fixed on Naruto, "The other me just filled me in on everything."
"Minato really did have a fine son."
"But the things you mentioned about the Soul Society..."
"They truly astound me."
Naruto observed it. "I thought that after obtaining the other half from my father's body, you'd immediately become whole again."
The Yin Nine-Tails bared its teeth: "Minato didn't just split our chakra; he also divided our consciousness."
"But Naruto, you're doing even better than Minato did."
"If only Kushina were more like you."
Naruto sheepishly scratched his head. "How can a mom be like her child?"
"Can't you two merge back together?"
The Yang Nine-Tails shook its head, "Of course, we can.
It's just a bit tricky."
Naruto leaned in closer, scrutinizing them.
"Naruto, you know the nature of our tailed beast existence," the Yin Nine-Tails said, lying down, "we are simply chakra."
"Even if some power is lost, it'll gradually restore itself over time."
"Just like back then."
"When the Hidden Cloud Village was newly established, they sent descendants of the Sage of Six Paths, known as the Gold and Silver Brothers, to capture me."
"They were swallowed into my stomach, yet they survived by consuming my chakra."
"The chakra they seized has completely healed in less than a month."
Yang Nine-Tails continued, "Although losing half is still a significant blow to us."
"But it takes only a few years for a Tailed Beast to revive."
"The years we spent apart have allowed us to replenish the chakra we lost before."
"Now we are two entities with the same origin, but independent of each other."
Yin Nine-Tails tilted its head, "How do you know it only takes a few years for a Tailed Beast to revive?"
"I don't remember us ever dying before."
Yang Nine-Tails replied, "I asked when Naruto and I met with Isobu in the Hidden Mist."
"So you two don't plan to merge?" Naruto asked, nodding slightly.
He didn't mind, in fact, he thought it was quite good this way.
But...
Yang Nine-Tails had its own sword; would Yin Nine-Tails have one too?
That would mean he'd have three swords. Should he consider what Might Guy said about collecting six swords?
Yang and Yin Nine-Tails said in unison, "Of course not, two bodies are too strange."
"If you did merge, would your power double?" Naruto mused, eyeing their identical forms.
Yang Nine-Tails shook its head, "I'm afraid not."
"But it would complete the power we're missing."
Complete?
Naruto paused.
"The chakra of a Tailed Beast is decided from the moment we are born," Yin Nine-Tails explained, "Even if we were to unify completely, it wouldn't increase our chakra further."
"However."
"The completion of Yin and Yang is our true strength."
"When you're with the other me, you should feel the vigorous life force emanating from him, right?"
Naruto nodded.
"That's the power of the Yang." Yin Nine-Tails grinned, "In ninja terms, it's called Yang Release."
"And I embody the power of the Yin."
"Also known as the Yin Release."
Yang Nine-Tails gave a light pat with its tail onto its counterpart. "This will be quite the intricate issue we face if we merge."
"The fusion of Yin and Yang."
"This will take time."
"But time is the easiest hurdle for us to overcome."
Naruto smiled, "Well, that's just great!"
"The other Nine-Tails can also come out and play. Being sealed away all the time in that demon's belly must be quite boring."
Yin Nine-Tails shook its head, "Minato is quite an interesting person."
"He told me many fascinating things, so it hasn't been too boring."
It paused and looked at its counterpart, "There's something you're very keen on."
"And that is the name."
Naruto looked serious. He truly wished to learn Nine-Tails' "true name."
Yin Nine-Tails continued, "Although I've learned a lot about you from the other me, it's just narration."
"I'm hesitant to tell you the name now; it feels a bit rushed."
"Let's wait until we merge and understand our memories, and then let the complete me decide."
"However—"
It drew out its words, "The other me is quite willing to tell you its name."
"Only you've not asked it recently."
"And it thinks telling you of its own accord is quite humiliating."
Yang Nine-Tails' ears froze, looking incredulous, "What are you saying!"
"You are me!"
"Saying such things, don't you feel embarrassed?"
What's happening here?
Am I being backstabbed by myself?
Yin Nine-Tails snorted, "We are currently two independent entities. Only you're the embarrassed one!"
"We are both Nine-Tails!" Yang Nine-Tails cursed, starting to paw at its counterpart, "If you make me look shameful, you're embarrassing yourself too."
Yin Nine-Tails retaliated unceremoniously, "Not at all! Only you are being embarrassing."
The two beasts continued their spirited brawl in the mindscape, creating quite the spectacle.
Naruto watched with a contented smile, not interfering.
He noticed that in the exchange between the two, whether it was consciousness or chakra, there was a mutual blending.
This was also a way for them to merge.
(End of Chapter)