Chapter 16

Here @riojiyo131, your trusted writer.

I'm just here to let you know. Finally, this story will get some action in the next chapter.

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Naruto restored the privileges of the chat group members.

When the completely dark screens once again displayed real-time images from Naruto's point of view, the group members sighed in relief—except for Madara.

[Madara Uchiha: I was sure the Kyūbi would have devoured you.]

[Naruto Uzumaki: Watch what you say. You know I could mess with you right now, right?]

[Madara Uchiha: ...]

[Hashirama Senju: What do you mean by that? Madara, tell me! What secret does Naruto have on you that I don't know?]

[Tobirama Senju: Nothing good, for sure.]

[Izuna Uchiha: Brother, do you have secrets I don't know?]

[Madara Uchiha: Stop being so nosy! Mind your own business!]

[Naruto Uzumaki: The truth is, Madara...]

[Madara Uchiha has granted the group leader all his knowledge of Genjutsu!]

[Naruto Uzumaki: Sorry, Madara just bought my silence... for now.]

[Madara Uchiha: Damn brat...]

[Hashirama Senju: No way! I want to know!]

[Kushina Uzumaki: No one cares about your secrets! Naruto, can you tell us what happened?]

[Mito Uzumaki: As the first Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi, I know better than anyone how grumpy that old fox is. Most likely, a heated argument took place.]

[Minato Namikaze: None of that matters. I'm just glad Naruto is safe and sound.]

[Naruto Uzumaki: I made friends with the Kyūbi.]

[Mito Uzumaki: ...]

[Kushina Uzumaki: ...]

As the First and Second Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi, respectively, they both knew how difficult it was to deal with the Nine-Tailed Beast.

Had Naruto really managed it, or was he just boasting?

[Naruto Uzumaki: I know how to handle that grumpy fox. Kurama isn't as bad as many think—he'll be cooperating with me now.]

Thanks to Kurama's cooperation, he would no longer interfere with Naruto's chakra. Moreover, Naruto could now access Kurama's chakra.

Now, he could even use the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, also known as Kurama Mode!

Without a doubt, with this, he had already reached Kage level.

The first requirement for reviving the chat group members had been fulfilled.

All that remained was for his father, Minato, to grant him the Yin Chakra of Kurama through the system, which he had sealed within himself.

[Naruto Uzumaki: Dad, I need you to return the other half of the Kyūbi's chakra to me.]

[Minato Namikaze: How do you know that...? Never mind. There's no doubt you're from the future...]

Minato finally set aside all his doubts and believed in the story his son had told them.

[Kushina Uzumaki: Wait, Minato! You sealed half of the Kyūbi's chakra inside yourself?!]

[Minato Namikaze: It was too dangerous to seal the full Kyūbi inside a newborn.]

[Mito Uzumaki: The baby could have died if you had done that.]

Even Mito agreed with the decision Minato had made.

[Naruto Uzumaki: So, are you going to give it to me or...?]

Naruto didn't care about any of that. The only thing he wanted was the Yin Chakra of Kurama that Minato had in his possession.

What did it matter if he had nearly died shortly after birth?

The important thing was that it didn't happen.

[Minato Namikaze has granted the group leader the Yin Chakra of the Kyūbi!]

Both Naruto and Kurama simultaneously felt the surge in chakra and power.

"I don't know how you did it, but I'm finally whole again."

Kurama spoke to him through their Jinchūriki bond. His tone reflected gratitude, though he would never express it in words.

It was the same situation with Minato.

Both Minato's soul and the Yin Chakra of Kurama had been destined to remain trapped forever in the Shinigami's stomach.

With the help of the chat group, that was no longer a problem.

Since the Yin Chakra had been sealed within Minato, and Minato was no longer trapped in the Shinigami's stomach, Kurama was able to become whole once more.

Now that he was complete again, Naruto, in addition to the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, could access the Full Nine-Tails Form.

Naruto was slowly approaching the power level that the original Naruto had achieved during the Fourth Great Ninja War.

Even though he wanted to test both forms, he had to resist the temptation.

In the end, he decided to head back to his apartment and rest for the few hours he had left.

After all, soon Kakashi's survival test, also known as the Bell Test, would take place.

...

"Good morning, Sasuke, Sakura."

At five in the morning, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura met at the Third Training Ground.

"How can you have so much energy at this hour...?"

Looking at the half-asleep Sakura, Naruto couldn't understand how he had ever been in love with her.

Her forehead looked like an ice-skating rink.

As for Sasuke, even though he tried to hide his exhaustion, Naruto could tell he was also sleepy.

Naruto, who in his past life had stayed up late reading web novels and playing video games, didn't have that problem.

Besides, he was an Uzumaki.

Blood didn't run through his veins—energy did!

[Mikoto Uchiha: I'm sure he kept training until very late. That silly boy doesn't know when to stop.]

[Fugaku Uchiha: Let him be. He's still young; he has energy.]

[Mikoto Uchiha: Looks like you don't share that virtue.]

[Fugaku Uchiha: That...]

[Kushina Uzumaki: Don't worry, Mikoto. Minato can't keep up with me either.]

[Minato Namikaze: I don't think the chat group is the best place to talk about this.]

[Fugaku Uchiha: I don't think so either.]

[Naruto Uzumaki: You guys are disgusting.]

Naruto decided to stop reading the chat messages after that awkward moment.

"Have you eaten breakfast?" he asked.

He completely ignored Sakura's complaint.

"Kakashi-sensei told us not to," Sakura recalled.

"Do you guys have any idea what the survival test is about? A ninja's job largely involves gathering information. Didn't you even do a little research?"

Naruto slowly shook his head in amusement.

What good was his knowledge of the future if he didn't use it to look smart?

He didn't sense Kakashi lurking nearby, so he could speak freely.

Apparently, Kakashi really was going to be late.

Sasuke and Sakura raised an eyebrow.

Since it wasn't a mission, neither had gathered information about the survival test.

"The survival test is known by another name..." Naruto dragged out his words, trying to build suspense. "Its other name is the Bell Test."

"Bell Test?" they repeated in unison.

"If we perform poorly, we'll be sent back to the Ninja Academy. The test consists of each of us having to snatch one of the two bells from our Jōnin-sensei within a time limit."

"Wait!" Sakura interrupted. "Only two bells?! That means one of us will be left out and sent back to the Academy!"

Sakura looked at Sasuke and Naruto.

She would never compare herself to Sasuke, and she realized Naruto was much stronger than he had appeared the day before.

She wanted to pull her hair out at the thought that she would be the one to return to the Academy.

Sasuke's gaze hardened.

Both of them relaxed when they heard what came next.

"No. None of us will return to the Academy. The true test is about teamwork. Kakashi will be evaluating our ability to cooperate. If we ignore the fact that there are only two bells and decide to work together, all three of us will pass and officially become Genin."

Sakura sighed in relief.

Even Sasuke nodded silently.

[Minato Namikaze: As expected. Naruto already took this test before. Now that he has the chance to redo it, he won't make any mistakes.]

[Naruto Uzumaki: The first time, I went at Kakashi alone. And I ended up tied to a log! We passed when Sasuke and Sakura shared their food with me despite Kakashi's warning.]

[Sakumo Hatake: I had my doubts, but I'm glad to know Kakashi is a good teacher.]

[Rin Nohara: A good teacher? Uncle Sakumo, he literally told them he hated them when he first met them.]