Beneath the bustling Crusty Kunai, the savory scent of bubbling tomato sauce and fresh dough wafted through the air. But far below the restaurant's warm ambiance, a very different kind of heat filled the cavernous space of Raven's secret training ground. Glowing seals lined the stone walls, casting an ethereal light over the bustling hive of activity. Shadow Clones moved in perfect synchronization, lifting boulders, carving new chambers, and practicing complex jutsu.
In the center of it all stood Raven, disguised as her five-year-old form, her small frame bent low as she braced her hands under a massive two-hundred-pound boulder. Sweat glistened on her forehead, her knees shaking as she hoisted the rock above her head.
"Lift with your legs, not your back!" Yuumi's voice echoed through the cavern, her tone dripping with mock authority. Perched atop a stolen pizza oven, the nine-tailed fox watched with amusement as Raven strained against the weight.
"See?" Raven grunted, her arms trembling as the boulder wobbled precariously. "Not bad for three months of training! Grandma Mito would—"
Yuumi clapped her paws sharply, dispelling a subtle genjutsu. In an instant, the cavern transformed, revealing twenty-five identical Ravens, each lifting their own boulders. The real Raven sat cross-legged in front of her makeshift pizza station, a rolling pin in one hand and a blob of dough in the other.
"Psych!" Raven said with a triumphant grin, tossing the rolling pin onto the counter. "You didn't think I was doing all the work, did you?"
Yuumi groaned, dragging a paw over her face. "You're the laziest hard worker I've ever met."
"Efficiency is key, Yuumi," Raven replied, dusting flour off her hands. "You can't argue with results."
"Efficiency doesn't mean dodging the hard stuff by hiding behind pizza dough," Yuumi countered, her tails swishing irritably. "You're supposed to be training, not running a pizzeria."
"Why not both?" Raven retorted, flipping the dough theatrically into the air. It spun gracefully before landing back in her hands. "Training and dinner, all in one."
Yuumi raised an eyebrow. "You think margherita pizzas are going to save the world?"
"Maybe," Raven said, sprinkling fresh basil over the dough. "I could seal Danzo in a scroll and serve him as a topping. Problem solved."
The cavern buzzed with the hum of concentrated chakra as Raven's clones worked tirelessly. One group practiced lifting boulders with chakra-enhanced strength, their synchronized movements precise and deliberate. Another group carved intricate seals into the walls, testing the flow of chakra through complex patterns. In a quieter corner, a lone clone pored over a glowing array, adjusting its lines with painstaking precision.
"Clone 17," Raven called without looking up from her dough. "Your chakra input is uneven. Balance the flow, or the seal will destabilize."
The clone straightened immediately. "Got it, boss."
Yuumi rolled her eyes. "You even talk to them like they're employees."
"They are employees," Raven said with a smirk. "And I'm the CEO of greatness."
As the pizza slid into the oven, Raven wiped her hands and wandered over to a corner of the cavern where a glowing red seal hovered midair. The intricate pattern pulsed faintly with energy, a mix of Uzumaki symbols and Raven's own innovations.
"These storage seals are coming along nicely," Raven murmured, tracing a finger over the design. "Standard scrolls are great for weapons and tools, but I'm thinking bigger."
"How much bigger?" Yuumi asked, hopping down to examine the seal.
"Imagine a seal that could store living creatures or seals that could steal entire buildings. Root has a lot of nice things that need stealing." Raven said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Entire constructs, summons, even large puppets. All ready to deploy in for combat or theft."
Yuumi's tails twitched. "Ambitious. And dangerous."
"Dangerous is the Uzumaki way," Raven replied, her grin widening.
Yuumi tilted her head toward another array etched on the wall. "And this?"
Raven pulled her shirt up slightly, revealing the glowing red marks on her back: the beginnings of the Uzumaki chakra chains. "These are the real deal. I've been etching the seals into my chakra system for weeks. Once they're complete, the chains will be stronger than ever."
Yuumi gave a low whistle. "Impressive. But you're still playing in the kiddie pool. When are you going to dive into the deep end?"
"Right after I finish this pizza," Raven said, grabbing a plate.
As the pizza baked, Yuumi's expression grew more serious. She leapt down from her perch and sat beside Raven, her sharp blue eyes fixed on the young girl.
"Kushina," Yuumi said softly. "We need to talk."
Raven paused mid-roll, her hands hovering over the dough. "What's with the tone? Did I burn the crust last time?"
"I'm serious," Yuumi said, her voice heavy. "There's something I've been holding onto. Something the Outsider left with me."
Raven's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"
Yuumi sighed, her tails swishing anxiously. "Memories. From the future. The Outsider gave me everything. Naruto. The Nine-Tails attack. The Uchiha massacre. The wars. Everything."
The dough slipped from Raven's hands as her heart skipped a beat. "What... what do you mean, everything?"
"I mean everything, little fox," Yuumi said, stepping closer. "The future of the ninja world. Your son's destiny. The chaos that follows. And you need to see it."
Raven's stomach twisted. "Why now?"
"Because you're ready, and I dont want pizza for supper tonight." Yuumi said simply. She lifted a paw, pressing it gently against Raven's forehead. "Brace yourself."
The flood of memories was overwhelming. Images flashed through Raven's mind: Naruto's birth, the devastation of the Nine-Tails attack, Minato's sacrifice, and the heart-wrenching loneliness that defined Naruto's childhood. She saw the pain in his eyes as the villagers shunned him, and the hope that burned brighter with each friend he made.
She saw the Uchiha's descent into tragedy, the betrayal, the massacres. And beyond that, the Ōtsutsuki Clan, their monstrous plans to harvest the Earth's chakra and reshape the world in their image.
When the torrent finally stopped, Raven staggered back, clutching the counter for support. Her chest heaved as the weight of it all settled over her.
"Naruto... my son..." she whispered, her voice breaking. "I failed him."
Yuumi's voice was firm but gentle. "You haven't failed him yet, Kushina. That's why you're here. To change it."
Raven wiped her eyes and turned back to the seals glowing on the walls. Her hands clenched into fists, her Rinnegan glowing faintly. "Then I need to get stronger. For him. For everything. But I still won't interfere with my own death and Naruto's birth the death of Minato and myself is too crucial to this world to stop but that won't stop me from helping Naruto in the future."
"That's the spirit," Yuumi said, her grin returning. "Now stop slacking off and show me some real progress and something besides pizza for supper."
Raven snapped her fingers, dispelling all her clones. Their memories and experiences rushed back to her in a wave: boulder-lifting techniques, sealing refinements. The flood of information made her head spin, but she absorbed it all, filing it away for later use.
"Alright," Raven said, her voice steady. "Back to work and Yuumi your still getting pizza tonight."
The cavern buzzed with activity once again as Raven dove headfirst into her training. Her Shadow Clones worked tirelessly, carving new seals into the walls and testing advanced storage scroll arrays. Meanwhile, Raven focused on refining the chakra chains etched into her back, each session bringing her closer to fully manifesting them.
"You're really going all in, huh?" Yuumi said, watching from the oven as Raven carved a new array into the floor.
"If I'm going to rewrite the future, I can't half-ass it," Raven replied, her tone sharper than usual. "Every second counts. Just like every missed slice of peperoni pizza is a missed opertunity."
Yuumi chuckled. "You're finally starting to sound like The Sage Of Six Slices." (Pizza Slices)
Raven shot her a glare. "Don't start."
"Fine, fine," Yuumi said, hopping down beside her. "But don't forget: the world's bigger than Konoha. If you want to change anything, you'll need to look beyond this village."
Raven paused, her gaze softening. "I know. But one step at a time."
"Speaking of steps," Yuumi said with a grin, "If i move fast enough, you will never make me eat pizza tonight, ha ha."
Raven laughed, the tension breaking. "Yuumi you will never escape the cheesy side."
Yuumi, now startled by the cheesy side, ran in terror as all people should. Before you get lost in the sauce. With a pep in her step, Yuumi ran, saying to Raven. "I will never join the cheesy side!"
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