Sakura's eyes widened.
"Wait—come on, you're kidding, right? Naruto's chakra can't be more than Sasuke's!"
To her, Sasuke was one of the strongest in their class—second only to Arata.
So the idea that Naruto, of all people, had more chakra than him sounded absurd.
Arata, however, nodded without hesitation.
"No joke. Naruto's chakra isn't just larger than Sasuke's—it's greater than even Kakashi-sensei's."
"That's one of the advantages of being a jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails."
He turned to Naruto.
"By the way, your hand—does it still hurt? The one you stabbed during training."
Naruto blinked, confused by the sudden question.
Still, he raised his hand obediently.
"Uh… no, it's fine. Why?"
Sakura and Sasuke both leaned closer—and froze.
A few days ago, Naruto's palm had been pierced clean through.
Now, there wasn't even a scar.
Sakura gasped.
"What—how is that even possible?"
Naruto tilted his head.
"What do you mean? It always heals fast. Isn't that normal?"
Arata shook his head.
"That's the Nine-Tails' influence. Its chakra gives you incredible regeneration."
"For an ordinary person, that kind of injury would take months to heal—and they'd still have a scar afterward. You? It's like it never happened."
Sakura's jaw dropped.
"You're serious? That's… amazing! I mean, I wish I had that kind of recovery!"
She wasn't exaggerating. Every girl hated scars—and even at twelve, Sakura's vanity was already showing.
Sasuke, though, stared at Naruto's hand in silence.
He hadn't realized the idiot had this kind of power.
A body that could recover from mortal wounds in days?
For a shinobi, that was practically cheating.
"Tch… this fool actually has that kind of ability," he muttered under his breath.
Naruto, meanwhile, noticed the way they were staring at him. His grin widened.
"Heh, really? Sakura, you're jealous? I am pretty amazing, huh? Hahaha!"
Sakura's earlier admiration vanished in an instant.
She sighed, muttering,
"Never mind. I forgot this was Naruto we were talking about. That healing must've replaced his brain cells."
Arata couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head.
"This guy's mood swings are unreal. A minute ago he was sulking, now he's laughing like an idiot."
Naruto eventually stopped laughing and turned serious again.
"So… how do I control the Nine-Tails' power? If I can really master it, will I be as strong as the Fourth Hokage?"
Sasuke and Sakura looked at Arata too, equally curious.
Arata raised his hands.
"Whoa, slow down. I don't know how to control it. I'm just a fresh genin like you."
"Everything I've told you is what I heard from Kakashi-sensei. Even he doesn't know how to control a tailed beast's power. If he did, the Third Hokage would've taught you long ago."
He paused for a moment.
"But from what I've read, the previous Nine-Tails jinchūriki—before you—used sealing techniques to contain and harness that power."
"She was the Fourth Hokage's wife."
"And… she was from the Uzumaki clan."
Naruto blinked in surprise.
"Wait. I'm… from the Uzumaki clan?"
He'd always assumed "Uzumaki" was just a surname—he never knew there was an entire clan behind it.
Arata nodded.
"That's right. The Uzumaki clan was once one of Konoha's closest allies."
"But they were wiped out years ago. Still, the Uzumaki were incredibly powerful—masters of sealing techniques. It's one of the reasons they were feared."
Naruto frowned.
"So… they weren't part of Konoha?"
Sakura and Sasuke listened closely. This was new to them too.
"No," Arata said. "They were from the Land of Whirlpools—a small nation that allied with Konoha during the wars."
"Because of their mastery of sealing, the major nations grew wary of them. Eventually, the Uzumaki clan was destroyed in a joint attack. Their sealing techniques were stolen."
"Some survivors scattered across the world. A few found refuge in Konoha."
"The First Hokage's wife was Uzumaki Mito—the first jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails. Later, the Fourth Hokage's wife, Uzumaki Kushina, became the next host."
He shrugged.
"All of this is recorded in Konoha's public library. Most people just never bother reading about the Hokage's wives."
Naruto stood there speechless.
For the first time, he felt a strange sense of connection—a family he never knew he had.
But that joy was cut short when Arata's next words landed.
"So if you want to control the Nine-Tails like they did, you'll need to learn the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques."
Naruto slumped.
"But they're gone, right? How am I supposed to learn that if the clan was wiped out?"
Arata sighed.
"Exactly. And sealing jutsu are tightly guarded—classified as village secrets. It's not something a genin can just… pick up."
"Still, the Fourth Hokage's seal on you is incredibly advanced. It's not meant to trap the Nine-Tails completely, but to balance its chakra with yours."
"That's why you've got such enormous chakra reserves."
"If you get stronger, learn to use that balance, and build control… one day, you can master the Nine-Tails."
"Remember—this beast nearly destroyed Konoha. The fact that it took the Fourth Hokage's life just to seal it shows how powerful it really is."
"Even the tiny bit of chakra that leaks through the seal is enough to give you more chakra than Kakashi-sensei."
Naruto's eyes widened as Arata went on.
"Imagine what would happen if you could access all of it. Your chakra would surpass even the Hokage's several times over."
"And considering both previous hosts—the First and Fourth Hokage's wives—were Uzumaki, it's obvious your clan's body is built to handle that kind of power."
"You just haven't awakened that potential yet."
Naruto's eyes practically lit up.
Power. Recognition. The chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with his heroes.
If mastering the Nine-Tails' power could give him that… then he would do it.
He clenched his fists, determination blazing in his blue eyes.
"Then I'll find a way. I'll control that fox's power—no matter what it takes!"
Sasuke's gaze darkened. He said nothing, but a spark of rivalry flared in his chest.
Sakura smiled faintly, watching them both.
And Arata… just stood there, quietly observing, a knowing look in his eyes.
Because deep down, he could already sense it—
the real Naruto Uzumaki was finally beginning to awaken.
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