To be honest, I still can't quite see through it…
This child, Uzumaki Naruto—the reincarnation of Asura—has he already realized the secret behind the reincarnations? Or is he simply going out of his way, draining his own chakra just to help the reincarnation of Indra train?
Indra and Asura, the two brothers whose souls have cycled through endless lifetimes of conflict and rebirth… and yet now, their chakra has reunited in the most straightforward and pure of ways. Twined together once again—not in bloodshed, but through cooperation. Slowly, their energies are merging into one.
The old man whispered these thoughts to himself as his gaze shifted slightly. A brief pulse of sensory chakra and a high vantage point made it easy for him to locate a familiar young figure sparring warmly in a back alley—Uchiha Sasuke. The boy's youthful form caught his eye, and the corners of the old man's mouth curled upward into a smile, fingers brushing his white beard as he observed, pleased.
"Hahaha… fascinating. Truly fascinating," he chuckled. "In the thousand years I've watched the endless struggle of Indra and Asura play out, never have I seen such an unexpected turn—one that even I cannot judge to be good or bad."
"Compared to their past selves, these two—Naruto and Sasuke—have certainly given me more surprises than I anticipated."
If Naruto continues like this, offering his help without reservation to the reincarnation of Indra… then it's only a matter of time before that boy, Uchiha Sasuke, fully merges his chakra with Naruto's. Or rather—Indra's with Asura's. And when that fusion completes, he'll inevitably inherit a portion of my power.
As he mused to himself, the eccentric old man came to a firm conclusion—one of the few things he was now sure of:
Regardless of whether Sasuke ultimately succeeds in receiving that power… the intertwining of their destinies had already gone far beyond his expectations. This was no longer something he could control.
Thus, resolved to remain a mere spectator, he would continue to conceal his presence. Watching. Waiting.
"Now that I think about it…" he murmured, "hasn't it always been Naruto who looked after Sasuke? Whether it was training or battle, he's been the one protecting him."
Sasuke's feelings toward Naruto had clearly shifted—growing increasingly reliant, even affectionate. He trusted Naruto completely, following his every suggestion without resistance. Compared to the aloof and prideful Indra of old, Sasuke was far more… docile.
"With any luck, this generation won't fight to the death over succession again."
The old man's train of thought slowed. He bowed his head, gazing at his palms, each marked with distinct Yin and Yang seals. Silent for a moment, he shook his head and dismissed the thought.
Thinking back on the information he'd gathered over these past years of hidden observation, he couldn't help but chuckle again.
"Funny, isn't it? This time around, it's Asura who feels more like the big brother. Even though, just like before, it was Indra who reincarnated first and should technically be older."
"This role reversal… even Great Toad Sage's prophetic dreams couldn't have seen this coming. All the prophecies from Mount Myoboku combined probably wouldn't have predicted it either."
"What will the ending of this era be like? I truly can't wait to find out."
"Still… what I should be worrying about now is getting back to the Pure Land before I get too entangled in this world again. Chakra may serve as a bridge between realms, but for someone like me who's already passed on, staying here too long is… unwise."
As his final words faded into the breeze, the old man's form shimmered like mist, slowly dissipating into the sky, vanishing completely.
His appearance lasted barely two or three minutes in the sky—far too short for anyone to notice amidst the bustle of exams. Even if someone had seen him, they would find no trace left behind. Just enough to make one wonder if it had all been an illusion.
But just because no one noticed doesn't mean no one sensed it.
Hidden from view, Hinata had her face buried in Naruto's chest, too embarrassed to look up. No one realized that in that silent moment… Naruto's clear, sapphire-blue eyes had turned into narrow, slit-like crimson pupils.
"Hmph… already gone, huh?"
The voice in Naruto's head was not his own. It was the one who'd long slumbered within him—the Nine-Tails. Kurama.
"After all these years… you show up, and you can't even say hello before vanishing again?"
Emotions swirled within the beast's tone—bitterness, frustration, and a flicker of something… warmer.
"Coming and going as you please… are we really that insignificant to you?"
The fox's whiskers twitched, its eyes narrowing with a tinge of sadness and a rare, awkward joy. Shifting Naruto's gaze slightly, it peered toward the place where it had sensed an old, familiar presence.
"That damn habit of yours… still the same after a thousand years."
Kurama's chakra flared subtly, extending its senses to the limit—even though its rational mind warned that the old man had already gone, its heart clung to the impossible. Searching again and again, desperate to feel even the faintest trace of that long-lost aura.
And finally… just a whisper of that familiar chakra. Barely a wisp. But enough to make the ancient fox smile like a child given candy.
"Heh… I knew it. That twisted, voyeuristic gaze wasn't my imagination."
"I still hate you the most, you perverted old man…"
Even as he grumbled under his breath, the amused glint in Kurama's eyes only grew more obvious. After a pause, he muttered again—voice low, yet sincere.
"Next time… don't expect me to let you leave so easily."
A thousand years of loneliness had long eroded Kurama's faith in humans. But sealed inside Naruto… watching him grow… hearing his absurd, childish words… and now, sensing that familiar, once-parental chakra again…
That hatred had finally begun to fade.
'But if that kid really is the Child of Prophecy the old man spoke of…'
Kurama's consciousness gradually retreated into the seal. Within the now-bright and cozy sealed space—transformed over time into a sanctuary—Naruto lifted his tear-streaked face from Kurama's tail fluff.
"Hey… you're back? That was fast. I thought you said it was urgent?"
Kurama grunted. "Hmph. Just needed to stretch a bit. Got tired of being stuck in here."
He tried to close his eyes and feign sleep again, but under Naruto's curious gaze, he faltered.
Letting out a sigh, Kurama opened his eyes fully, shifted his tail, and gently repositioned Naruto in the soft fur of his neck.
"Hold on tight, brat. Don't go falling off and blaming me later."
"Hehe! Got it! …Not!"
Naruto burst into giggles and began rolling around shamelessly, treating Kurama's neck like a personal luxury mattress.
"Yah-hoo! Still the comfiest spot ever!"
For Naruto, this sealed space had long become his safest haven.
It was their unspoken ritual—Kurama tolerated it, pretended not to care, but never stopped him.
"…You've been stressing over not finding Sasuke's location lately, right?"
Kurama had learned to let Naruto be childish when he needed it. Instead of snapping at him, he just coiled a few more tails around his neck to act as a makeshift safety rail.
Then, casually, he dropped a hook.
"If you quit fidgeting and let me sleep, maybe I'll tell you exactly where that Uchiha brat is."
Bait cast.
And the best part?
Kurama had already found him while scanning for that old man.