Chapter 248: The Chūnin Exams Arc
Hiruzen Sarutobi studied Naruto for a moment before choosing his words carefully.
"Kakashi already gave me his report about what happened in the Land of Waves."
Naruto waited quietly.
Hiruzen continued.
"There are a few things I would like to understand."
His gaze settled on Naruto.
"That sword you summoned, the transformation you underwent, and the other unusual abilities you displayed."
He paused.
"Can you tell Grandpa where they came from?"
Naruto hesitated.
These were matters connected directly to Asuramaru.
He did not know how much he should reveal.
Before he could decide, Asuramaru's voice sounded within his mind.
"It's fine."
Naruto's eyes shifted slightly.
"Hiruzen is your greatest backer in Konoha right now. If he wants to know, tell him."
Naruto thought for a few seconds.
Then he made his decision.
"All of those abilities came from Asuramaru."
Hiruzen's expression changed.
Naruto continued.
"The god Asuramaru."
For a moment, Hiruzen simply stared at him.
"So the legend was true..."
Even though he had already suspected this possibility, hearing Naruto confirm it himself was completely different.
Excitement rose in Hiruzen's chest.
Gods were not myths in the Shinobi World.
The Shinigami summoned through the Reaper Death Seal was undeniable proof that beings beyond ordinary human understanding existed.
But throughout everything Hiruzen knew of Shinobi history, he had never heard of a person truly receiving the power of a god in this manner.
Naruto had done exactly that.
Even Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, had never possessed anything comparable.
Hiruzen looked at the blond boy before him with growing wonder.
Perhaps Naruto's potential was even greater than he had imagined.
Perhaps one day...
He could reach the level of the First Hokage.
Or even surpass him.
Hiruzen forced himself to calm down.
There was still something more important to determine.
"Naruto."
His expression became serious.
"Is there a price for receiving Asuramaru's power?"
Naruto answered after only a brief pause.
"No."
It was true in the narrowest sense.
He did not need to sacrifice anything merely to receive Asuramaru's abilities.
There were other details he chose not to explain.
Hiruzen, overwhelmed by the implications of what he had just learned, did not press further.
Instead, he smiled warmly.
"Then remember something."
Naruto looked at him.
"Do not reveal these abilities carelessly."
"Power that others do not understand will inevitably attract attention."
Naruto nodded.
"I understand."
Hiruzen seemed satisfied.
"There is one more matter."
"In a few days, Konoha will host the Chūnin Selection Exams together with Shinobi from other villages, including Sunagakure."
Naruto's attention sharpened.
"You'll be participating as well."
A faint smile appeared on Hiruzen's face.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what you accomplish."
Naruto smiled back.
"I won't disappoint you."
After a little more conversation, Hiruzen finally felt satisfied.
He stood, said goodbye, and left Naruto's apartment.
Once the door closed, silence returned.
Naruto sat cross legged on his bed and prepared to resume his usual training.
His consciousness descended into the mental world.
The familiar boundary between sea and sky appeared around him.
Naruto was about to begin cultivating when Asuramaru stopped him.
"That's enough of that for now."
Naruto opened his eyes.
He looked toward Asuramaru in surprise.
"What's wrong?"
Asuramaru folded his arms.
"You've already earned my recognition."
"So there's something else you should begin learning."
Naruto immediately became interested.
"What?"
"Swordsmanship."
Naruto's eyes brightened.
Before he could ask anything else, one of the colossal swords suspended within the mental world began to tremble.
A figure slowly emerged from within it.
Naruto stared.
A young man stepped forward.
He wore a checkered haori over his uniform.
His hair was dark with a deep reddish tint, and a flame like Demon Slayer Mark rested across his forehead.
There was something remarkably gentle about his eyes.
Naruto could feel it almost immediately.
Despite the sword at his side and the unmistakable strength within him, the young man gave off no sense of hostility.
Instead, there was a warmth to his presence that was difficult to describe.
Asuramaru looked at him with a trace of nostalgia.
"This is Tanjiro Kamado."
Naruto turned toward Asuramaru.
"He was my first Sword Master."
Naruto's expression immediately became serious.
The first?
Someone who had travelled with Asuramaru long before Naruto had even been born.
Naruto straightened and bowed respectfully.
"Tanjiro senpai."
"I'll be in your care."
Tanjiro smiled.
"I'll do my best."
He rested one hand on the hilt of his sword.
"I'm going to demonstrate several Breathing Styles and their sword forms."
"You should watch carefully."
Naruto nodded.
"Then choose the style that feels most suitable for you."
Tanjiro drew his sword.
His breathing changed.
The atmosphere around him seemed to shift with it.
Then heat erupted.
Flames wrapped around the arc of his sword.
"Hinokami Kagura: Dance!"
Tanjiro stepped forward.
His sword swept across the air.
A magnificent arc of fire followed the slash.
Naruto's eyes widened.
Tanjiro did not stop.
One form flowed into the next.
The movements of the Hinokami Kagura unfolded before Naruto in rapid succession, each strike fierce yet controlled, the transitions smooth enough to resemble an actual ritual dance.
Then the rhythm changed.
The fire vanished.
Tanjiro demonstrated Water Breathing.
His sword flowed with smooth, continuous movements, adapting from one angle to the next like a current changing course.
After that came Thunder Breathing.
Explosive.
Direct.
A sudden burst of speed that condensed everything into decisive movement.
Then Beast Breathing.
Wild, instinctive, aggressive.
One style after another appeared before Naruto.
By the time the demonstration ended, he was almost overwhelmed by the variety.
Every Breathing Style had its own rhythm.
Its own logic.
Its own way of turning the body and sword into a single weapon.
Tanjiro lowered his sword.
"Have you decided?"
Naruto looked at him.
There was no hesitation.
"Tanjiro senpai."
"I want to learn the Hinokami Kagura."
Tanjiro studied him for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"All right."
He stepped closer.
"Then we start with breathing."
Naruto blinked.
"Breathing?"
"Yes."
Tanjiro pointed toward his chest.
"Before you can properly use any form, you need to learn how to breathe correctly."
Naruto immediately focused.
Tanjiro began explaining the rhythm.
How to draw air into the lungs.
How to control the breath.
How to coordinate breathing with the body.
How to maintain movement without breaking that rhythm.
Naruto listened carefully and imitated each instruction.
Before long, teacher and student had begun their first true lesson.
Asuramaru stood some distance away and watched.
For a while, his expression was unusually quiet.
Seeing Tanjiro teaching another Sword Master brought back memories from a world that now felt impossibly distant.
Then, almost unconsciously, Asuramaru's gaze drifted sideways.
Toward the seal.
Toward Kurama.
The Nine Tails noticed.
Their eyes met.
Kurama's pupils contracted.
Every strand of fur across his enormous body seemed to stand on end.
Why is he looking at me?
Asuramaru said nothing.
Kurama somehow found that even worse.
The night passed peacefully.
The following day, Naruto finished his assigned duties and headed home alone.
He had barely made it through one of Konoha's streets when a familiar voice called out.
"Big Brother Naruto!"
Naruto stopped.
A small figure suddenly jumped into his path.
Konohamaru Sarutobi stood proudly before him.
Naruto blinked.
The boy was wearing goggles and a scarf in a style that looked extremely familiar.
Konohamaru spread his arms.
"Well?"
He grinned.
"Do I look like you used to?"
Naruto stared for a moment.
Old memories surfaced.
He could not help smiling.
"You actually do."
Konohamaru's grin became triumphant.
"I knew it!"
He immediately took advantage of the praise.
"In that case, you should treat me to barbecue."
Naruto laughed.
"That's quite a leap."
"You said I look good."
"I said you look like me."
"Same thing."
Naruto stretched his shoulders.
His body was still slightly stiff from training.
"Well, I'm free today."
He glanced toward the street ahead.
"And I haven't eaten yet."
Konohamaru's face lit up.
"Then let's go!"
He immediately ran ahead.
"Barbecue has been really popular lately. Hurry up, Big Brother Naruto, or all the seats will be taken!"
Naruto followed at a more relaxed pace.
Konohamaru reached the next corner.
Then ran straight into someone.
Thud!
"Ow!"
Konohamaru fell backward and landed on the ground.
Naruto stopped.
Two unfamiliar Genin stood at the corner.
Both wore Sunagakure forehead protectors.
The boy was dressed in black and had purple face paint across his features. A large object wrapped completely in bandages was strapped to his back.
Beside him stood a blond girl with four distinctive pigtails.
A large folded fan, nearly as tall as she was, rested across her back.
Asuramaru recognized them immediately.
Kankurō.
Temari.
The moment he saw them, he knew exactly what this meant.
The Chūnin Exams were close.
Naruto reached the same conclusion from their forehead protectors.
Sunagakure Genin.
They had almost certainly come to Konoha for the upcoming exams.
Before Naruto could speak, Kankurō bent down and grabbed Konohamaru by the front of his clothes.
He lifted the boy from the ground with one hand.
"That hurt, brat."
Konohamaru struggled.
"Let go of me!"
Temari looked annoyed.
"Kankurō."
She glanced around.
"Stop messing around. You're going to get yelled at when the others arrive."
Kankurō ignored her.
He looked toward Naruto instead.
His eyes lingered on the Konoha forehead protector around Naruto's neck.
"So you're a Genin too?"
Naruto said nothing.
Kankurō smirked.
"Konoha's Genin look pretty weak."
His grip on Konohamaru tightened.
"Before the troublesome ones show up, maybe I'll entertain myself for a bit."
The provocation could not have been more obvious.
Naruto's expression changed.
He moved.
Kankurō's fingers twitched.
Invisible chakra threads that had already been spread across the ground moved in response.
He expected Naruto to walk straight into them.
Instead, Naruto jumped.
His body passed cleanly over the trap.
Kankurō's eyes widened.
He saw them?
Naruto landed beside him.
A three pronged kunai appeared against Kankurō's neck.
The sharpened edge rested lightly against his skin.
Temari's pupils contracted.
Kankurō went completely still.
Naruto's blue eyes had lost their earlier warmth.
"Let him go."
Kankurō stared at him.
The chakra threads had been placed subtly enough that an ordinary Genin should never have noticed them.
Yet Naruto had avoided them without hesitation.
And now there was an unfamiliar three pronged kunai against his throat.
Naruto's voice remained calm.
"Can you put him down?"
For a moment, Kankurō said nothing.
Then his fingers slowly loosened.
Konohamaru dropped back to the ground.
Naruto immediately withdrew the kunai.
....
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