Naruto Gojo

2

Chapter 2: Of Foxes, Sages, and a Father's Legacy

The first two years were a whirlwind of impossible concepts made real. Under Gojo’s tutelage, Naruto learned to see the world not as matter, but as a tapestry of cursed energy. He was a natural, his massive chakra reserves translating into an ocean of cursed energy that even Gojo found impressive.

But for Naruto to truly inherit Gojo's power, a bond of spirit wasn't enough. It required a bond of soul and blood.

One evening, under a full moon, Gojo sat Naruto down. "To walk my path, you must become my son in more than just name, Naruto," he said, his tone unusually serious. "The Limitless and the Six Eyes are tied to my blood. To make them yours, we must forge a pact."

He explained the ritual: a Binding Vow. Gojo would offer his lineage, a piece of his very being, to be accepted by Naruto's soul. In return, Naruto would carry his will. It was a formal adoption, written not on paper, but on reality itself. They drew each other's blood, letting it mingle in a ceremonial bowl as Gojo recited the ancient words of the Gojo clan. As the vow sealed, Naruto felt a strange energy settle deep within him—a key waiting for the right lock.

"Now," Gojo said, his usual grin returning, "your real training begins."

He learned to pull the world in with Blue and push it away with Red. Their bond, forged in the crucible of this insane training, deepened from that of a teacher and student into something far more profound. Gojo was the father Naruto never had, and Naruto was the legacy Gojo never thought he'd find.

In the third year, Gojo declared it was time for Naruto to meet his "roommate."

"He's been quiet for too long," Gojo said with a wave of his hand. "Just meditate. Focus on the energy inside you that isn't yours, and you'll find him."

Naruto did as he was told. He sat, crossed his legs, and fell inward. The world dissolved, and he awoke to the sound of dripping water and the stench of a forgotten sewer. Before him stood a colossal cage, sealed with a single piece of paper bearing the kanji for "Seal." Behind the golden bars, a pair of slitted, blood-red eyes opened, burning with ancient hatred.

"So, my jailer finally deigns to visit," a voice like a rumbling earthquake echoed in his mind.

"I've come for the truth," Naruto said, his voice steady despite the overwhelming presence. "Tell me what happened on the day I was born."

The Nine-Tails let out a cynical scoff. "Listen well, brat, for I will only speak of this once."

The great fox, Kurama, recounted the tale. The appearance of the masked man with a Sharingan. The kidnapping. Minato saving him from explosive tags, leaving his mother, Kushina Uzumaki, behind.

"Wait," Naruto interrupted. "My mother... her name was Kushina Uzumaki?"

"My second jailer," Kurama confirmed. "Like the first, she was an Uzumaki. Your clan, boy. Feared for their sealing jutsu and immense life force. Hunted and massacred by three of the great nations out of that fear. You are all but the last of them."

Naruto absorbed the blow of another loss he never knew he had. Kurama continued, speaking of how the masked man tore him from Kushina, controlled him with his eye, and unleashed him on Konoha. He spoke of Minato's victory over the man, and the final, desperate decision to seal him away again.

"...He placed you on a sealing altar, ready to perform a jutsu that would cost him his life. Your mother, despite being near death from my extraction, used her last strength to bind me with her Adamantine Chains. That useless Third Hokage arrived just in time to hear their final wish: for the village to see you as a hero." Kurama finished with a growl of pure sarcasm. "He's done a splendid job of that."