179 Arc 2 - Chapter 52

After Sasuke returned, Naruto directed him to send Itachi to train some clones and to learn the location.

After the brothers return, they caught him up on the things that happened over the past few months.

Naruto frowned.

"So they broke through during the war and captured Killer B"

Itachi nodded.

"The village hidden in the clouds retreat the moment they found out, it was at that moment they realized it was an incredibly bad idea to attack thinking the Jinchuriki would have been enough to handle the Akatsuki, needless to say, the Village in the Mist retreated soon after"

"They will be having a meeting in a month after the end of war situations calm down, they wish to discuss the issue of the Akatsuki in detail"

Naruto nodded and layed back as his headache slowly returned.

"One of you needs to go to this meeting, even if as a clone, if the Akatsuki is going to do something that will attack the villages, that means the sand will be a target too, it will be good to be informed early"

The duo nodded, then Naruto thought for a moment.

"Has the three realms been informed of what is happening?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"I sent a clone the snake realm to check if Kabuto was there and to train within the Nature environment, however I was attacked by them saying we fought their representative and captured Jiraiya and killed Orochimaru, so we don't deserve to go there anymore"

Naruto looked at the ceiling.

"For all the good they perceive, they intentionally harbor evil people and throw out the innocent, they are stubborn as a rock, we can't rely on them"

Suddenly Naruto had an understanding in his mind, there is something he didn't take into account all this time, however in his current condition, he won't be able to confirm it just yet.

Sasuke agreed then asked.

"Are we going to seek more strength?"

Naruto thought for a moment before replying.

"While I was in that dimension, as I sought a way home, I found a strength that should let me make use of it, so we can fight back and be able to retrieve anyone who is trapped inside there"

"But I fear I can't train in it without some solid method to heal myself passively, you are probably gunning to start training in extreme Yang and Yin energy too right? I presume you nearly blew yourself up when you became overconfident, if we can find a recovery passive energy, it should assist you too"

Sasuke had an awkward face, he indeed sensed the Extreme energy of the world, he didn't understand how Naruto dared to use it for a second, the pain you feel is incredible.

"I feel hesitant to use it honestly, Sage mode feels safer"

Naruto nodded.

"I was careless myself, but I was in need for strength badly back then, that is why I risked it all and pushed so hard to use it, the best thing is to make clones, it still burns the body when summoning them, but at least pushes the biggest detriments away when they explode"

Sasuke agreed but felt scared hearing the words "explode" as he nearly did when he was careless.

Naruto looked at Itachi who understood the meaning.

"Those who train in this technique have a high chance of understanding erratic energy, that goes the same with you"

"If you teach a generation later, don't be careless, make sure the clone technique is a mandatory additive and firmly warn them of the conditions of use to the point of beating them up into the hospital should they be careless even for a second, better a beat up and angry Uchiha than a dead one"

Itachi nodded and already had a plan on the way forward.

Naruto looked outside the window then said worryingly.

"I felt something else while inside that dimension too, not from that dimension but something else, a scary strength that even I have no idea if I could beat it if I can't use binds on it"

Sasuke and Itachi frowned.

Naruto looked at Sasuke.

"Take Itachi, learn the water realm Nature energy where the Sealion was, even if you must do it at the edge of the domain, or forcefully make your way in"

"I need you both at my level of Nature understanding, help me find some other domains too, with the Jinchuriki's and tailed beasts captured, as well as a being who can open dimensions at the forefront, the enemy of our clan and village is only getting stronger and stronger, we have little time as it stands"

"I will rest up for a week or two, after that, I will leave and take care of a few things first, then we'll continue"

The duo nodded then chatted a little before they set off.

Naruto rested for the next two weeks with Kakashi and his wife Temari visiting him occasionally, Tsunade of cause check his condition frequently and did her best to speed up his recovery, but there is a limit on how to fix a mind.

Gaara came after hearing his return, he thanked Naruto for protecting his sister like that to which Naruto waved his hand,

Gaara with an embarrassed look asked something he felt he shouldn't.

"Naruto, I fought Nine-tails when he went berserk and lost, I feel like I am falling behind in strength to protect the village, can you help me?"

Naruto tilted his head.

"You don't need to be embarrassed to ask something like that, but the three realms are closed at the moment, so we can only train under normal realms, I can't promise strength, but it should help with your utility"

Gaara nodded, something is better than nothing.

They chatted for a while before Gaara went to met Jiraiya for a meeting then later was teleported to train in the water domain by Sasuke after he was informed.

After two weeks of resting, Naruto still didn't feel 100% but made the choice to leave, he has something serious he needs to clarify.

As Tsunade was leaving his room after a check-up, Naruto's eyes went cold suddenly.

Naruto teleported into the entrance of the Damp bone forest and summoned a large number of erratic clones then walked to Katsuyu.

When he arrived, Katsuyu was already ready to attack but spoke in a soft voice.

"You shouldn't be here Naruto, leave or I will attack"

Naruto shook his head.

"I am afraid I need to study this energy, with or without your permission"

Katsuyu frowned.

"You already know this energy already right? what more is there to learn Naruto?"

Naruto stared at her without emotions.

"You are the strongest realm of them all right? what you have here is enough to destroy the foundation of the system of growth of power, you hold the key to stepping beyond"

Katsuyu immediately rushed at Naruto then prepared to throw out a regurgitated acid attack, however the next second she became bound unable to move by the erratic clones.

The erratic clones continued to make more seals with the intention of completing the job before they run out of power and explode.

Get a proper bind, not just a battle bind.

Naruto looked at her without caring.

"I don't know what evil you seek to keep out, but that is not my concern, if I meet it, then I might have no choice but to fight it, but I need strength to fight it"

Katsuyu did her best to struggle, but couldn't make headway with so many clones working together.

However Naruto knew she was bullshiting with her struggle, she is good at hidding her feelings, but her lies are clear as day after he understood her capacity of hidding, Naruto is simply going along with the act.

As the final seal set in, the binding seal that appeared on the ground flowed into Katsuyu as his clones exploded.

"Stop this Naruto, you must not do this"

"You are right, the strength you gain here opens the road to many paths, if the wrong person attains it, could lead to the destruction of all creatures, please, you must not attain it"

Naruto hearing this thought for a moment then decided to speak his mind, enough of the games.

"I was trapped in another dimension not long ago, while I sought a way to return, I felt a being running through the river of time, I fear he may come to us"

Katsuyu's eyes widened.

"Impossible, how can you feel the river of time? that is simply impossible"

Naruto shook his head.

"Not long after I left Konoha, I encountered a being saying his name is Otsutsuki, he apparently came from the future with a mechanical turtle named Karasuki, I even met someone claiming to be Sasuke who came from the future too"

"Their entrance into our time was felt from me even from a distance when I was still a novice at space-time thinking it was a normal but large space-time portal"

"I personally sent the future bearers on their way back home and witnessed the creation of a time portal which changed my understanding of things, while I can't actively track it, I can at least feel big movements if I put enough focus on it"

"In that dimension I was always focusing at a higher level with my clones, it wasn't hard to detect that beings movement"

Katsuyu became confused then thought again and again.

"Impossible, this should be impossible, how can people abuse a taboo"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know why and I don't care, what I care about is the fact that there is a risk they will try to interfere with my life light that guy Otsutsuki"

"This is what led me to try and understand the situation better in order to defend myself better"

"This led me to know now why you are the three realms"

"One is the keeper of justice giving chance to the hero's of the world, Mount Myoboku"

"One is the keeper of the balance of good and evil giving chance to minor evil, that snake cave thing, whatever their name is" (Author: I know it is Ryuchi cave)

"One is the keeper of the balance of power that connects dimensions and time, Damp bone forest"

"What makes your domain the strongest isn't the power it gives, it's the adaptability of absorbing power, in all shapes and forms, it is the recovery it gives, it allows the users body to balance the extremes of yang and yin, space-time, boundary energy, and I presume anything of such nature"

"I came to this conclusion after many different situations when I couldn't figure out why it is so difficult for my body to adapt, then I remembered the recovery and endurance effect of your nature energy, such a thing is dangerous as it synchronizes with the extreme energy but I gave back your energy so I didn't understand that initially while I assumed I would never get a chance to try it and test it"

Katsuyu panicked then called out.

"Your wrong, your wrong"

Naruto shook his head.

"I should be dead, the only reason why I was able to survive and make it through the portal home was because on a whim I absorbed the chaotic energy of the passage between boundaries, but I absorbed it with the understanding I have of your Nature energy"

"Just like the other Nature energies of the other realms affect the way energy is absorbed in the world turning it into their energy, your energy type affects the higher grade of energy, it actually allows absorbing it when it shouldn't be possible which the other realms can't do"

Katsuyu suddenly became quiet, the wind is the only thing that could be heard at this point.

Suddenly Katsuyu moved with ease, she broke the binds from Naruto's clones then came forward towards him, Naruto didn't panic in the least, he needs her to be serious now.

Katsuyu came straight in front of Naruto then spoke in a firm voice which is different from her shy and submissive voice while looking down on him.

"This secret isn't something that can be given freely, the world is far more valued to be destroyed than it to be let free, time is forbidden, those who came here have crossed a taboo of taboo"

Naruto looked at her straight in the eyes balls and spoke without fear, while he never wanted to say his secret to anyone, Katsuyu seems to be someone who might or might not be able to lead him to find the answers of who he really is.

"Someone is messing with time already, our time is different from the future connected with us, the Sasuke of the future couldn't understand why everything is different, whether it is because of me or something else, something is changing everything from the road we should have taken"

Katsuyu frowned at hearing this.

"You are a variable?"

Naruto nodded.

"When I was three, but I don't know who I was, but Naruto accepted me so my life is his life, however I have had a deep darkness that followed me despite the fact I have no idea why I carry that much darkness"

Katsuyu leaned in closely staring deeply.

"So you are a parasite of sorts in this world"

Naruto nodded.

"Yes"

Nothing more, nothing less, accept who you are in the fullest.

They stared at each other deeply, then Katsuyu had many thoughts on how this situation should be handled, but something inside her from the day she met Naruto made her want to help him, perhaps because he always spoke to her in kindness despite his darkness, or something else entirely.

As she thought, she regreted how she treated Naruto before, but she has a duty to uphold.

People are permitted into her domain, but they must not learn her technique, even Tsunade who has the blood of the Senju and Uzumaki in her fitted the conditions of nature energy, however Katsuyu never told her about it.

Tsunade only learned about Nature energy from Jiraiya which was a passing mention.

Katsuyu frowned a little, but then raised her head and moved back.

"The secrets of this realm can't be let out, even the other two realms don't know about my domain just thinking I am a strong but weak girl, this keeps the balance of power between domains while keeping me out of their loop"

"I am aware of many things but you are something that makes no sense, since you now know this, what do you want Naruto?"

Naruto looked at her.

"I told you a long time ago, protect family and friends, while I seek answers to who I really am, I also accept my life here so I won't travel time unless it is necessary"

Katsuyu looked at him deeply.

"There is never a time that is necessary"

Naruto nodded.

"I agree, however there are those who aren't following that rule"

Katsuyu frowned then thought for a moment.

"Are you going to actively chase?"

Naruto shook his head.

"I don't give a shit about this time traveler, but I need to be prepared in case the worse comes about, if that person messes with me and those I care about, then I will mess with him"

Katsuyu wanted to slap Naruto into pieces hearing him talk casually about time traveling to beat up someone but held back her anger, after thinking for a long time, she came to an answer.

"Very well, in honest truth I sensed the time disturbances back then too, but since the disturbance left soon after, there was no reason to be involved"

"You are a very odd one from the day I met you, I know you were different but I was worried you would be someone I couldn't trust, so I had to let you go"

"However, my instincts always felt something about you, a nearness of sorts, I get the feeling that your existence is here for a reason"

Naruto nodded.

"I don't know why I was sent here, but that isn't my concern, for now, I need to deal with my problems at hand, setting aside using your energy"

"I am seeking an alternative to your energy to supplement the method of training, will there be issues if I teach that method instead to my friends"

Katsuyu thought for a moment.

"Why come here then?"

Naruto simply shrugged.

"If I can't find an alternative, then I still need power to compete, otherwise everything is lost"

Katsuyu shook her head.

"My duty is this forest and time, whether this planet is destroyed or not, I don't care, but people must never know about the true nature of this place, warring thru time will bring an even bigger destruction than the planet alone"

"It is not specifically the Slugs who opened this domain, but rather we were tasked to handle it, exactly by who, that was lost in the generations of Katsuyu long before my time, Should I die and my successor not be born by me, then the forest will disappear with me"

"This is why those who summon me must use their own energy rather than my own energy when I help them, my life and energy always remain here"

Naruto thought for a moment.

"Setting aside your intended or unintended death, I have no intention of sending others here, there is two other alternatives realms anyways"

Katsuyu hearing this turned around then spoke in her usual voice.

"I will be locking the entrance for this generation along with the next from entering the forest, you are the only one permitted in, I won't teach you our technique, but you are permitted to figure it out on your own, don't break my trust"

Naruto nodded summoned a clone then moved to the pond and sat down and meditated.

The nature energy of this realm is indeed very good, it is gentle and vicious which is why it probably merges so well.

But the energy is not what Naruto came for, it is the understanding of the energy that he seeks, how does it filter through the body? how does it merge with the body? how does it affect the body? how does the energy interact with everything around it?

Naruto sat cross-legged for three days without opening his eyes for a second, only a clone sat next to him watching his condition but it seems Naruto's practice of other energies has made the process more and more streamlined without errors otherwise it would have taken longer to understand.

After three days Naruto opened his eyes feeling a little hungry and thirsty, however the energy seems to replenish the body if only by a little.

Naruto ready to try his new understanding released a little erratic energy into the mix of slug Nature energy from this realm, however, while they merged a little, they can't be said to have completely merged, however, this is expected.

Naruto stored excess energies into his seal and then extracted erratic energy as it came through the leafs of the trees from the sun above.

But filtered it through his body the same way the Slug method processes energy, the result? calm erratic energy, in fact the name erratic energy could be removed at this point, but since it's foundation is the same, Naruto decided to keep it.

Naruto tried it with the already stored energy and the result is the same.

Naruto had more confidence in dimensional movement should he be locked away by the masked man again, he guess that man could move so casually due to his Mangekyo Sharingan which probably filters the dimensional energy itself letting him bypass the understanding and training Naruto is going through to do the same thing.

As Naruto got up to leave, Katsuyu came to him.

"Naruto, I am truly sorry for deceiving you long ago"

Naruto shook his head.

"You have your duties, it can't be helped"

Katsuyu lowered her head looking at the ground.

"That is not what I meant"

Katsuyu didn't explain but turned and left.

Naruto looked at her softly, he sensed kindness, but he has been deceived once already, so he doesn't want to risk making the wrong decision again.

Seeing her move away, he wanted to ask her one more time if she wanted to be his friend remembering his mother's desire to be with him again after what Orochimaru did.

However he wasn't going to try to force the issue, unless a person speaks their heart from the start, the true message won't be passed so he is not going to chase it.

As Naruto left disappearing with a little sadness, Katsuyu stopped then turned to look at the place Naruto left then spoke softly to that empty place remembering the first time he asked her to be his friend.

"My name is Katsuyu, I would love to be your friend Naruto, it is nice to meet you"

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