superior naruto

Naruto hesitated as he looked at the black chakra armor on Dotō's body. Although the armor had been damaged in the explosion, it was still intact enough to be useful. However, if he took it now, Kakashi and Koyuki would surely notice. It was better to wait until things settled down and see if he could obtain it directly from Koyuki later. After all, Dotō's armor was too large for him to wear comfortably.

Inside the Nine-Tails' Seal Space

Kurama's chakra extended from the cage, brushing against Dotō's soul. After a moment, Kurama sighed in relief. "This guy's affinity is wind. You can devour it."

Naruto nodded. Dotō's final technique, the Twin Dragon Storm, had clearly been a wind-based jutsu. Naruto placed his hands on Dotō's body, and the man's soul twisted and liquefied, flowing into Naruto's own soul.

Naruto shivered with satisfaction. "I think I'm starting to love this feeling… It's so… comfortable."

He turned to Kurama, his tone serious. "Kurama-sensei, I think we need to be honest with each other about what happened the last time I merged with the ice attribute. What really went wrong?"

Kurama's eyes narrowed, his flaming pupils locking onto Naruto. "What are you implying?"

Naruto met his gaze steadily. "You've saved me twice now, and you've guided me in my training. Even if your methods are… unconventional, I consider you my teacher. I think we should be open with each other."

Kurama studied Naruto's face, searching for any hint of deception, but found only calm sincerity. "…"

Naruto shrugged. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. But I can tell you're uneasy about me merging new attributes. So, I'll promise not to merge any new ones unless absolutely necessary. I already have four attributes: fire, wind, water, and ice. Mastering them will take time, so I'm in no rush."

Kurama's gaze remained intense, his massive red eyes reflecting Naruto's image. "What are you trying to say?"

Naruto smiled. "I don't forgive those who hurt me, but I won't deceive those who've shown me kindness. You've helped me, Kurama-sensei, so I won't do anything to betray your trust. That said, if you ever betray me, I won't hesitate to turn on you."

Kurama's eyes widened slightly, then he let out a low chuckle. "Hah… You're an interesting one, brat. I've never heard someone call themselves a dog before."

Kurama still didn't explain what had happened during the ice fusion, and Naruto didn't press further. Instead, he pointed to the mark on his forehead. "Kurama-sensei, I'm more concerned about this mark. The five-pointed star, the five basic chakra attributes… I've merged two so far, and the golden streams are intertwining. I don't think this is a coincidence. Once I master the attributes I have, I'll need to explore this further. So… if there's anything you know, it'd help if you told me."

Naruto felt a weight lift off his chest after speaking his mind. Now, it was up to Kurama to respond.

Kurama stared at him for a long moment before lowering his head and lying back down in his cage. "We'll talk about it when you've mastered the four attributes."

Naruto sighed. Still no useful information… But he'd expected as much.

Back in the Real World

Naruto shifted his focus to the task at hand. "Kurama-sensei, I only found Dotō's body in the ruins. The other two are missing. Can you sense them?"

Kurama's voice echoed in his mind. "I can only sense those who lurk in the shadows, waiting to kill you. For the others, you're on your own—unless you let me out."

Naruto smirked. "That's harder than finding those two."

He withdrew from the seal space and spent hours searching the rubble. Despite his efforts, he found no trace of Nadare Rōga or Fubuki. They must have escaped during the chaos.

When the smoke cleared, Kakashi arrived, his eyes widening at the sight of Dotō's severed head. "You killed Dotō?"

Naruto shrugged. "He died in the explosion. I just made sure he wouldn't get back up."

Kakashi: "…"

Naruto reported his findings. "The other two—Nadare and Fubuki—are gone. They must've escaped before the explosion."

Kakashi surveyed the ruins, his expression unreadable. "For Koyuki's safety, we need to find them."

Sasuke and Hinata joined the search. With Hinata's Byakugan, the process was efficient. Surprisingly, despite the massive explosion, no one in the palace had been killed—only injured.

Kakashi glanced at Naruto but said nothing.

Koyuki, meanwhile, looked visibly relieved.

Later That Night

Kakashi patted Naruto on the shoulder. "Good job."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What part? Cutting off Dotō's head, or not blowing up the entire palace?"

Kakashi didn't answer.

The Following Month

The team spent the next month protecting Koyuki while searching for the missing ninja. Naruto and Hinata guarded Koyuki, while Kakashi and Sasuke tracked down Nadare and Fubuki.

Eventually, Kakashi and Sasuke returned with the bodies of the two missing ninja. Sasuke bore fresh wounds, evidence of a hard-fought battle. However, since the bodies had been dead for some time, Naruto gained nothing from touching them.

With the mission complete, the team prepared to leave.

The Night Before Departure

Koyuki sought out Naruto for a private conversation. She handed him a modified chakra armor. "This is for you. I've adjusted it to fit you."

Naruto took the armor, his eyes lighting up. "Thank you. This will help me a lot."

Koyuki smiled. "It's the least I can do after you saved Asama and the others. If there's anything else you need, just ask."

Naruto shook his head. "You already gave up the hexagonal crystal to save me. We're even."

Koyuki hesitated. "But Dotō still attacked you…"

Naruto waved it off. "That was Dotō's fault, not yours. He paid for it with his life."

Koyuki's smile softened. "You're a kind person."

Naruto chuckled. "That's the first time anyone's called me that. Especially coming from a princess and a star, it's quite the compliment."

Koyuki tilted her head, her tone playful. "Is it? I don't see you acting flattered. I think you're just arrogant."

Naruto grinned. "Well, I was hoping you'd give me a kiss, but I was afraid you'd kill me if I asked."

To his surprise, Koyuki leaned in and kissed his forehead.

Naruto's brain short-circuited for a moment. "Uh… I think I just derailed…"

Koyuki stepped back, her smile teasing. "There. Now we're even."

Naruto blinked, still processing what had just happened. "A kiss in exchange for saving fifty loyal warriors? That's quite the valuable kiss."

Koyuki winked. "It's a princess's kiss, after all."

As she turned to leave, Naruto called out, "Wait."

Koyuki paused. "Yes?"

Naruto's expression turned serious. "The hexagonal crystal your father left you—it's more than just a key. Take it to the Rainbow Ice Wall. There's something there that's more precious than any treasure. It can bring spring to the Land of Snow."

Koyuki's eyes widened. "How do you know this?"

Naruto smiled. "Let's just say I have a knack for seeing the future."

He scratched his head, his tone lightening. "Oh, and one more thing… Can I get your autograph? I owe Hinata an apology, and I think this'll make up for it."