Naruto: All depends on the Nine-tails Fox

"Smack!"

The wooden stick came down, but Naruto blocked it with his arm. When he looked up again, a fleeting flash of red eyes, like those of a fox, appeared before quickly returning to his usual bright blue gaze.

"Naruto-kun, you did it!"

Hinata's joyful cheer rang in his ears, and before Naruto could fully react, something soft and fragrant collided with his chest.

For a moment, he stood dazed, before suddenly bursting into excitement. With a wide smile, he lifted the elated Hinata off the ground, spinning her around several times.

"Ah, Hinata, really, thank you so much!"

"I've finally got it!"

Naruto grinned, ready to show off his success to Hinata, but suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit him.

Hinata, who had long since grown used to this, quickly brought over the food she had prepared.

"Over a year, huh? It's been so tough."

As Naruto ate Hinata's homemade meal, he couldn't help but reflect on their journey.

Yes, it had been more than a year. During that time, he had repeated this kind of training almost every day. Both Naruto and Hinata had grown accustomed to spending time together like this.

"We should tell Sasuke-kun this good news too. He's been so worried about your training. I don't know how many times he's come to check on you."

Hinata said this as she skillfully refilled Naruto's bowl.

"Heh, well, I promised him that once I got it, I'd teach him too. Even though he always says it's not necessary, I'm sure he's dying to know. But, he's probably still training and hasn't come back yet!"

After eating his fill, Naruto glanced at the clock they'd bought specifically for their home. Turning to Hinata, he asked, "Should I walk you back?"

"It's fine, I'll tidy up here first. Naruto-kun, you rest for now."

"Oh."

Naruto stood frozen for a moment, watching Hinata clean up with swift, practiced movements. Without thinking, as if guided by some strange instinct, he asked, "Hinata... do you think... we're family?"

"Huh?"

Hinata stopped, puzzled, and looked at Naruto. "Did you just say something, Naruto-kun?"

"No, nothing!" Naruto's face flushed red, and he waved his hands frantically.

"Huh?"

Hinata tilted her head cutely but soon went back to her task, not thinking much of it.

Afterward, in the dim light of the street lamps, Naruto walked Hinata home. He waved goodbye as he watched her disappear into the Hyuga compound.

In the distance, he thought he heard her talking with her father.

A sense of loss, long forgotten, resurfaced in his heart.

"Family..." Naruto murmured softly, before shaking off the feeling and turning to head back.

However, he didn't return home just yet. Instead, he headed in another direction.

There was someone else he wanted to check on—someone else who, like him, probably longed for their family.

"Ha, ha, ha..."

The sound of heavy breathing, accompanied by rhythmic thumping, echoed from the dense forest ahead. Naruto stood on a tree, quietly observing Sasuke as he pushed himself through his training.

This was the Uchiha clan's secret training ground.

Naruto understood Sasuke well because he always acted this way.

He wasn't hiding anything from Lee or the others, nor was he intentionally avoiding everyone.

Since long ago—ever since the Uchiha clan's downfall, and after the painful defeat even while activating his Sharingan—Sasuke had been secretly training here every night.

Naruto had taken that battle seriously. After learning of the Uchiha massacre, he had told Sasuke everything he knew. But Sasuke's response was resolute.

"You can't understand. I can't forgive."

He couldn't understand.

Even though Sasuke was beaten down, his body exhausted and unable to stand, he still struggled to remain conscious. That was the moment Naruto understood that Sasuke's pain was far deeper than his own.

It was also the moment when Sasuke landed a punch on Naruto for the first time.

Naruto couldn't forget how fierce Sasuke's will to win was. Beating him had become Sasuke's most important goal.

At that time, Naruto was grateful he had treated Sasuke's challenge seriously. Otherwise, using his Shadow Clones to avoid it might have exploded in a very different way.

"But thank you, Naruto, for telling me there are still members of my clan alive. That's... so wonderful."

Sasuke's voice echoed in Naruto's memory, the words spoken as Sasuke collapsed, his tears flowing before fainting.

"Who?!"

Sasuke suddenly felt something, and his eyes, now gleaming with the Sharingan's crimson, locked onto Naruto's location in the trees.

But when he looked again, there was nothing. It was as if his perception had deceived him.

Sasuke had never told anyone about this place, only Itachi knew, and only one other person had come here.

"Is Naruto... here to tell me that he succeeded?" Sasuke muttered, pausing his training.

"Maybe I'll tell Lee and Neji tomorrow."

When Naruto finally returned home, he stretched and gazed around at the neat, clean room Hinata had tidied up. A smile crossed his face, and his thoughts settled.

"I did it!"

The Nine-Tails half-opened its eyes, watching Naruto's excitement. It pretended not to notice that Naruto had, once again, gathered himself before coming to see it.

"Well then, how about you try to enter this form on your own?"

"Oh!"

With full confidence, Naruto clapped his hands together and closed his eyes, a red tinge appearing at the corners of his eyelids.

When he opened his eyes, his usual blue irises had been replaced by dangerous-looking red slits. A cold, yet restrained aura slowly enveloped him.

Naruto stared at his own body in wonder.

"This is amazing. It's like I can hear so many voices, see so many colors, and my body feels so light!"

Naruto casually threw a punch into the air, the sound of a sonic boom ringing out, almost piercing his ears.

"Just like I told you, you can get used to this power. With your current performance, you've at least increased your physical abilities by several times. But this Sage Mode might be hard for you to get accustomed to."

"This is incredible! No wonder it's such a trump card! By the way, why is it called Sage Mode?" Naruto looked at Kurama with his fox-like eyes, puzzled. "It seems more like a Sage Fox Mode, or maybe Fox Sage Mode?"

"You can call it whatever you want. It's up to you."

Kurama flicked its tail before suddenly remembering something. "Oh, there's something else. It's about your father. He wants to speak to you."

"Huh?" Naruto blinked. "Didn't you say my father was dead?"

"Hm? Did I say that?"

"I remember you saying 'his spirit is always watching over you'?"

"Naruto," a soft voice called from behind.

The voice was both unfamiliar and familiar, filling Naruto with surprise and joy. He immediately turned around and, sure enough, saw something... a flickering ghostly flame floating in front of him.

The flame hovered in the air, smiling at Naruto.

"Naruto, I am your father."

"Father?"

Naruto froze.

"See? I told you I didn't say anything wrong," Kurama chuckled, its face unable to hide the amusement.

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