"Naruto, you finally achieved it."
Looking down at his son, whose eyes remained peacefully closed in deep concentration, Minato's weathered features brightened with a smile that carried years of accumulated pride and relief. The expression of a father who had watched his child struggle through seemingly impossible challenges and emerge victorious against all odds.
Through his enhanced sensory abilities, he could perceive the dramatic transformation occurring within Naruto's chakra system with crystal clarity. The energy flowing through his son's body was unlike anything he had witnessed before—vast, harmonious, and perfectly synchronized in ways that defied conventional understanding of Jinchūriki capabilities.
Wave after wave of tremendous power continued surging outward as the ancient sealing mechanisms gradually weakened and dissolved. Each pulse carried the unmistakable signature of willing cooperation rather than forced extraction—the hallmark of a perfect partnership between human and Tailed Beast.
"Naruto gained the Nine-Tails' recognition through his own unique approach," Minato realized with profound satisfaction. "Not through domination or suppression, but through genuine understanding and mutual respect."
With a soft "bang", his shadow clone dispersed, its purpose fulfilled and its creator's chakra needed elsewhere.
"ROAR!"
The moment the Nine-Tails' chakra signature vanished from its interior, the Gedo Statue erupted into a fury that transcended mere animal rage. Its bellow carried the frustration of a predator that had been denied its ultimate prize, echoing across the devastated landscape with enough force to shatter stone and bend steel.
The massive creature's attention immediately locked onto Kushina, who was visibly weakened by the tremendous chakra expenditure required for the rescue operation. Her golden energy reserves had been depleted to critical levels, leaving her vulnerable to the statue's overwhelming physical power.
With predatory cunning, the statue recognized her current state and launched itself forward with devastating intent. Its enormous palm descended toward her position like a falling mountain, promising to crush anything beneath its tremendous mass.
Kushina raised her head slightly, her expression remarkably calm despite the mortal danger approaching. Years of combat experience had taught her to maintain composure even in the face of seemingly certain death.
"WHOOSH!"
Almost simultaneously, a brilliant column of golden light erupted skyward from Naruto's position, its radiance so intense that it instantly illuminated the entire darkened battlefield. The chakra pillar carried qualities that seemed to challenge the very laws of physics—not merely bright, but alive with purpose and determination.
Swish!
Just as the Gedo Statue's massive hand was about to make contact with Kushina, a figure wreathed in blazing golden energy materialized directly between them. The intervention was perfectly timed, arriving with split-second precision that spoke to supernatural awareness and reflexes.
Tremendous chakra burst outward instantly, coalescing into an enormous golden claw that rushed forward to meet the statue's attack head-on.
"BANG!"
The collision between these titanic forces sent shockwaves rippling across the landscape, their impact creating pressure waves that flattened everything within miles. The golden chakra construct trembled under the tremendous assault before ultimately exploding into dispersing wisps of energy, but its sacrifice had achieved its purpose.
The Gedo Statue's massive form was actually knocked backward by the recoil, its seemingly unstoppable momentum reversed by the unexpected resistance.
Standing protectively in front of Kushina, chakra continued to flow around Naruto's form, condensing into a substantial golden cloak that seemed to pulse with its own inner light. The garment was adorned with distinctive black magatama patterns that marked it as fundamentally different from any Jinchūriki transformation previously witnessed.
"I'm sorry, Mom, for making you worry so much," Naruto said softly, glancing back at his mother with genuine remorse in his voice.
In that moment, Kushina felt a strange sense of déjà vu wash over her. The silhouette of the young man standing before her—his posture, his presence, even the way his golden hair caught the light—bore an uncanny resemblance to Minato during his legendary battles.
"He's become so much like his father," she thought with a mixture of pride and bittersweet recognition.
"BOOM! BOOM!"
The two mountain-sized giants locked in combat nearby—Sasuke's perfect Susanoo and the First Hokage's Wood Human—had reached a temporary stalemate, both constructs showing signs of severe strain from their prolonged battle.
Suddenly, Sasuke's enhanced perception detected the dramatic change in chakra signatures across the battlefield. His gaze shifted sideways to focus on Naruto, whose entire aura had undergone a transformation so profound that it seemed like an entirely different person had taken his place.
"Such incredible chakra density!" Sasuke exclaimed, his voice carrying genuine shock despite his typically composed demeanor.
Although Naruto had manipulated Nine-Tails chakra during previous encounters, the energy fluctuations he was generating now were completely different in both quality and quantity. This wasn't the desperate, unstable power of someone struggling to control a hostile force—this was the harmonious resonance of perfect partnership.
Even across the chaos of multiple simultaneous battles, the change was impossible to ignore.
Directly in front of Minato, Madara's characteristically indifferent expression finally began to shift as the implications of what he was witnessing became clear.
It would have been manageable if Naruto had simply survived his encounter with the Gedo Statue. But for his power to undergo such a dramatic evolution in such a brief timeframe—that represented a development that could fundamentally alter the war's trajectory.
Even Madara could no longer afford to dismiss someone who had achieved complete mastery over the Nine-Tails' chakra. The level of threat posed by such a development demanded immediate recalculation of his strategic approach.
"Madara," Minato declared, his eyes blazing with renewed confidence, "I told you that if you try to make the entire world your enemy, you will ultimately fail!"
His voice carried the authority of someone who had witnessed prophecy beginning to fulfill itself through his son's extraordinary determination.
The expression on Madara's face gradually darkened, storm clouds gathering as he replied with ominous calm: "Don't celebrate prematurely. This confrontation is far from over."
"This development..." Minato's tactical mind raced through the implications, recognizing both the tremendous opportunity and the increased danger that Naruto's transformation represented.
"Mom, please rest now," Naruto said gently, turning to address Kushina with concern evident in his voice.
He could clearly perceive her exhausted state—the tremendous amount of chakra she had expended to facilitate his rescue had pushed her well beyond safe operational limits.
"Yes," Kushina replied with a weary but satisfied nod.
Through her own enhanced senses, she could feel the incredible strength radiating from Naruto's current form. Her maternal worry finally began to subside as she recognized that he was no longer the vulnerable child who had required constant protection.
Just as she began to step back from the active combat zone, the Gedo Statue released another earth-shaking roar and charged toward both mother and son with renewed fury.
"Kurama, let's go!" Naruto called out, facing the approaching titan without the slightest trace of fear or hesitation.
The moment his declaration concluded, rich golden chakra began flowing from his body in unprecedented quantities, the energy so dense that it seemed to take on physical properties.
"ROAR!"
The chakra enveloped Naruto completely before condensing into the form of a massive fox-headed beast possessing nine magnificent tails. The transformation was unlike anything previously witnessed—not the violent, uncontrolled manifestation of stolen power, but the deliberate collaboration between willing partners.
"Is that actually the Nine-Tails?" Kushina wondered aloud, her eyes widening as she took in the spectacular sight.
Though the chakra composition and physical structure were clearly different from the original Nine-Tails she remembered, the fundamental essence was unmistakable. This was definitely Kurama, but transformed through perfect synchronization with his Jinchūriki.
The current manifestation appeared to be composed entirely of condensed chakra shaped through collaborative will rather than flesh and blood. The result was something that transcended the limitations of either human or Tailed Beast individually.
Minato observed this new form with equal fascination and analytical interest.
"Is this because most of the Yin and Yang chakra components have been separated?" he theorized, his understanding of sealing techniques allowing him to piece together the underlying mechanics.
Originally, the Sage of Six Paths had used the divine technique Creation of All Things to forge the nine Tailed Beasts, granting them physical form through Yin Release and breathing life into them through Yang Release.
The Reaper Death Seal had separated the majority of these fundamental forces, preventing the Nine-Tails from manifesting as a complete physical entity. Instead, this collaboration between Naruto and Kurama had created something entirely new—a perfect fusion of human determination and Tailed Beast power.
"Although this is your first time using Tailed Beast Mode," came Kurama's voice from within Naruto's consciousness, carrying notes of surprise and growing admiration, "you've already achieved perfect synchronization with my chakra."
The ancient fox paused before adding with characteristic gruffness that barely concealed his pride: "However, the Fourth Hokage has been preparing you for this possibility since the beginning, so perhaps it's not entirely surprising that you could reach this level."
"What should we do now?" Naruto asked, his focus shifting entirely to tactical considerations as his eyes locked onto the approaching Gedo Statue.
"After all," Kurama replied with the wisdom of millennia, "the Gedo Statue is the original body of the Ten-Tails. Even with our combined strength, it's unlikely that we can successfully extract the other Tailed Beasts through direct force."
He paused to consider their options before continuing: "If Kushina's half of my chakra were restored and added to our current power, then we might have a genuine chance of success."
"For now, let's focus on weakening the statue as much as possible."
His tone grew more serious as he delivered a crucial warning: "But you must be careful. A significant amount of my chakra was absorbed during our time inside the statue. This mode cannot be maintained indefinitely."
"Understood," Naruto replied, his eyes brightening with determination despite the limitations they faced.
No trace of panic or uncertainty appeared on his features—only the calm confidence of someone who had finally found his true strength.
The size of the Nine-Tails' chakra manifestation, while truly massive, remained slightly smaller than the Gedo Statue itself. Yet what it lacked in pure scale, it more than compensated for in agility, coordination, and focused purpose.
The statue released another furious roar before charging toward the golden fox with savage intent, its movements driven by predatory hunger and frustrated rage.
Naruto and Kurama responded by rushing forward to meet the challenge in the most direct manner possible—a frontal assault that would test their combined capabilities against the ultimate expression of Tailed Beast power.
"BANG!"
The collision between these titanic entities sent tremors through the earth that registered like earthquakes across multiple countries. The ground beneath their impact point collapsed entirely, creating chasms and valleys where solid bedrock had existed moments before.
The combatants continued their violent exchange, neither willing to yield ground as tremendous forces clashed repeatedly. In this brutal contest of strength and will, Naruto and Kurama proved they could match the statue blow for blow without being overwhelmed.
Mathematically, this outcome should have been impossible. After absorbing enormous quantities of Nine-Tails chakra, the Gedo Statue's energy reserves certainly exceeded what Naruto could access with only half of Kurama's power.
However, the statue was fundamentally limited by its inability to fully coordinate its tremendous capabilities. As a mere vessel for collected power, it lacked the finesse and tactical awareness that came from conscious cooperation.
In contrast, Naruto had achieved the status of a perfect Jinchūriki. The synchronization between his consciousness and Kurama's allowed them to generate combined effects that far exceeded what either could accomplish individually.
Gradually, through superior coordination and tactical application of their abilities, they began to gain the upper hand against their supposedly superior opponent.
"Even the Gedo Statue is being suppressed..." Madara observed with growing concern, his Rinnegan allowing him to monitor the battle even while engaged in his own desperate combat with Minato.
The revelation that the statue's current power level was insufficient to overwhelm Naruto and half of the Nine-Tails represented a significant tactical complication that demanded immediate response.
His expression hardened with grim determination as he formed hand seals with practiced efficiency.
"ROAR!"
Responding to Madara's remote commands, the Gedo Statue suddenly underwent a dramatic transformation. Its massive humanoid form, which had been standing upright throughout their battle, suddenly dropped to all fours in a predatory crouch.
Its enormous palms pressed against the earth with such force that they left deep impressions in the bedrock, while its overall posture shifted to something more primal and dangerous.
Buzz!
The creature's mouth opened wide, revealing the gathering of dense chakra particles that began condensing with ominous purpose. Behind its towering form, the translucent images of five Tailed Beasts materialized—their expressions twisted with rage and suffering as their power was channeled against their will.
Within Naruto's consciousness, Kurama's voice carried urgent warning: "Madara knows the statue cannot perfectly control its dispersed power, so he's planning to concentrate all that chakra into a single focused attack!"
"A Tailed Beast Ball!" Naruto realized with shock, understanding immediately why this development was so dangerous.
The scattered power of five Tailed Beasts, compressed into one devastating technique, would create destruction on a scale that could reshape continents.