Naruto finally rembered—this girl was from the Kurama Clan, the ones who possessed a terrifying kekkei genkai!
The Kurama Clan was fad for its genjutsu, with a bloodline ability so overwhelming that it could rival, perhaps even surpass, the Uchiha Clan.
Their kekkei genkai allowed them to manipulate the five senses, craft entire illusionary spaces, and even blur the line between genjutsu and reality itself.
If their clan had been larger, and more mbers had awakened this power, the Kurama might well have stood shoulder to shoulder with the Uchiha as the foremost masters of genjutsu.
Yet, their gift ca with a curse. Because the kekkei genkai was so potent, those who awakened it were often left with frail bodies, their health deteriorating under the strain of their own spiritual power.
Yakumo Kurama was one such case. Her genjutsu talent eclipsed even that of her ancestors, but her body was too weak to bear the burden. In another world, she might have been hailed as a chosen child of heaven, nurtured by rare dicines and treasures. But in the ninja world, with its cruel pragmatism, she was judged as nothing more than a failure.
For Yakumo, born into a shinobi clan, the inability to beco a ninja was the most rciless fate of all.
Years of despair gave birth to sothing else within her—a second personality born of her pain and resentnt. She called it Ido, though others might na it a heart demon.
Naruto, however, could sense that Ido was not just a split personality. It was an entity shaped from Yakumo's kekkei genkai, fused with the obsession buried deep in her heart.
In the original tiline, Naruto had helped Yakumo destroy Ido. But the act also weakened her power, for Ido itself was part of her spirit.
As Naruto's thoughts turned, the world around him suddenly cracked and fell apart like shattered glass. His overwhelming spiritual energy burst outward, breaking through the illusion.
"You're the one behind this, aren't you?" he said, stepping toward Yakumo.
Her eyes widened. In an instant, Naruto had torn through her ntal space—sothing no one had ever done before. And strangely, deep in her heart, the monster she had always feared… trembled.
That monster, the shadow that haunted her dreams and lurked within her, was afraid.
The realization stunned her. Could this boy truly be soone she could not defy?
Still, Yakumo did not stop her brush. She turned back to her unfinished painting, pretending to remain calm, though no further distortions appeared. Finally, she looked at Naruto and asked softly, "Who are you?"
"?" Naruto blinked, surprised at her composure. Then he grinned. "Uzumaki Naruto. A monster called the Nine-Tailed Fox!"
His blunt answer startled her. Who introduced themselves like that?
"But he's not just the Nine-Tails," Naruto added with a firm voice. "He's my partner."
Inside the seal, Kurama cracked open one eye. "Tch… brat." Then he shut it again, pretending to sleep—though his heart stirred faintly at the words.
To most people, Naruto's declaration might sound foolish. But to Yakumo, it struck deep. A monster? A partner? Did he… carry sothing like Ido within him as well?
For the first ti, Yakumo felt soone might actually understand her. Yet her emotions grew unstable. Because unlike Naruto, she could never accept Ido as a partner. To her, Ido was nothing but a monster.
"Do you want to beco a ninja?"
Naruto's sudden question cut through her turmoil. She lifted her gaze, eting eyes that seed like deep black whirlpools. His expression was unreadable, his aura vast and mysterious.
"…Can you make
one?" she asked, her voice trembling with hope.
"I can."
Just two words—but spoken with absolute conviction.
Yakumo's talent was undeniable. She was a natural-born genjutsu master.
What she lacked was soone who could help her wield that gift without destroying herself. Used properly, she could be an unmatched force on the battlefield, capable of subduing entire groups with illusions alone.
But Yakumo shook her head, mories of failure rushing back.
"Impossible. Everyone says I'm not fit to be a ninja!"
Naruto watched her trembling form. "I can give you the power to beco one," he said calmly.
"But it cos with a price."
Her frailty wasn't because she lacked potential. It was the imbalance between her vast spiritual power and her fragile body. Every attempt to train left her broken and exhausted.
In the original tale, after Ido was destroyed, Yakumo either abandoned the path of the shinobi—or perhaps, with her subconscious power gone, she beca ordinary. Because Ido, born from her deepest psyche, was still a part of her strength.
Losing it ant losing herself.
But Naruto did not intend to let Ido disappear. If he was to guide Yakumo, then her full power had to remain intact.
Only then could she truly beco a ninja.
Yakumo Kurama's body was weak, but Naruto knew a way to change that. By using the Martial Arts System he had developed—harnessing vital energy to cleanse and strengthen her—Yakumo's frail body could gradually recover.
Reaching the level of an ordinary person was entirely possible. After that, she could cultivate on her own. Once her physical strength caught up with her spiritual power, her fragile constitution would no longer hold her back.
But there was another issue. To preserve Yakumo's full potential, the monster lurking deep in her heart—Ido—had to be subdued, not destroyed.
Their relationship was like that of Banner and the Hulk: two sides of one being, inseparably linked. If handled correctly, the synergy between Yakumo and Ido could unleash a power far greater than the sum of its parts.
Naruto's explanation, especially the ntion of a price, made Yakumo more inclined to believe him. After all, nothing in this world ca for free.
Though… the price he spoke of was not what she had imagined.
"You can try it first," Naruto said calmly, "and see for yourself whether I'm lying."
His voice carried a weight that made people want to trust him. Yakumo found herself unable to doubt.
Naruto raised his hand and gently rested it atop her head. A strange, unfamiliar energy surged forth—vital energy.
Warmth spread through her body. Her limbs tingled pleasantly, her exhaustion faded, and she felt as if she were soaking in a hot spring—no, even better than that.
A delighted smile spread across Yakumo's face. This wasn't an illusion—it was real!
But just as she was reveling in the sensation, it ended abruptly.
Her eyes snapped open. Naruto's complexion, once healthy, had turned ghostly pale.
Her heart lurched. Did he pay such a terrible price… just for ?
Yet in truth, Naruto was secretly pleased. The energy he had given her was negligible, and the pale face was an act. For soone skilled in manipulating vital energy, altering his appearance this way was child's play.
Of course, he could have healed Yakumo in one go. But that would have been wasteful—and worse, it wouldn't bind her to him. True loyalty ca not from instant miracles, but from the impression of shared sacrifice.
"I've exhausted too much," Naruto said, feigning weakness. "I'll need ti to recover. I can only treat you little by little. After a few more sessions, your body will be no different from anyone else's."
"Ah! I'm so sorry!" Yakumo panicked, guilt flashing across her delicate features.
Naruto waved it off lightly. "I'll return in three days. Until then, you must not reveal my existence to anyone. Don't show any signs of recovery, either. Act as though nothing has changed."
"As for the reward…" He let his words trail off, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I'll tell you once I've decided."
Yakumo let out a soft breath of relief. That sounded reasonable. After all, why would a stranger pay such a heavy price for nothing?
Still, her gaze lingered on Naruto's handso face, her thoughts muddled. Could the reward he wants… be that?
A faint blush colored her cheeks.
"Okay," she said at last, without hesitation. "I promise you."
...
TN:
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