The Hokage's office was more tense than ever. The reports from the Anbu who had witnessed Gojo's confrontation with Danzo were more than enough to confirm what Hiruzen already suspected: the secret of Danzo's Sharingan arm had been exposed, not by a spy, but by Gojo's peculiar curiosity.
Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his fist against his desk, something he rarely did. "Danzo! You knew the consequences of such experiments!" His voice was thick with anger and disappointment.
The clan leaders present, who had already heard the whispers, now had visual confirmation from the Anbu. The implications of the Sharingan array on Danzo's arm were terrifying. It was a violation of shinobi principles, a desecration of the dead.
"It's for the good of Konoha, Hiruzen," Danzo replied with his usual coldness, though for the first time, a trace of vulnerability crept into his voice. "Such immense power cannot be wasted. And with the threat of Gojo Satoru..."
"The only threat here is you, Danzo, with your twisted methods!" Hiruzen spat. "You have jeopardized the safety of the village and the trust of our allies. And now you have provoked the most powerful being to ever walk our land!"
As the scolding continued, Hiruzen's mind was already focused on what had happened next. Gojo Satoru had taken Naruto Uzumaki under his wing.
The Nine-Tails. The boy who carried such a heavy burden, now in the hands of the most unpredictable being in the world. An explosive mixture.
Meanwhile, at a remote training ground, Gojo Satoru's "training" with Naruto had begun in a... unique way. Gojo lay on the grass, his blindfold covering his eyes, while Naruto jumped in circles, throwing shurikens aimlessly.
"¡Gojo-sensei! What are we going to do first? Learn a super-secret jutsu? Or an incredible taijutsu? I'm ready, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed, bursting with energy.
"Easy there, noisy blond," Gojo said with a yawn. "First, let's do something fun. Let's talk to your little friend."
Naruto stopped, confused. "Little friend? What are you talking about?"
"You know, the tenant inside you," Gojo said, sitting down. "The great fox. Or as they call it around here, The Nine-Tails. It's a little loud and grumpy, but it has incredible power. It's time you two got to know each other better."
Naruto paled. "How... How do you know about the Kyubi?"
Gojo laughed. "My Six Eyes see further than your little eyes can. Now, get ready." This is going to be a trip."
With a simple gesture, Gojo touched Naruto's forehead. For Naruto, the world distorted. Suddenly, he found himself in a vast space, with pipes and water up to his ankles. And in front of him, the gigantic cage, and behind it, the menacing red eyes of the Nine-Tails.
"Kyubi!" Naruto shouted.
But what surprised Naruto was the figure that appeared calmly beside him, as if he were strolling through a park.
It was Gojo Satoru, without his blindfold, his piercing blue eyes glowing with an intensity the Nine-Tails hadn't seen in millennia.
Kurama roared, the sound vibrating through space. "Who are you, human?!" How dare you enter my domain?!"
Gojo laughed, his voice resonating with a casual power that astonished Naruto and enraged the Nine-Tails.
"My, my, what a grumpy genius. You should smile more, foxy. You look better when you're not trying to scare children."
"I'm not a foxy! I'm the Nine-Tails!" Kurama snarled, trying to launch a chakra claw at Gojo, but the claw dissolved before reaching him, stopped by the Limitless.
"What... what kind of power is that?!"
"The power of the strongest," Gojo said with a grin. "Now, let's be clear. I'm training this brat. And you're part of his power. So let's establish some rules for living together. The first: no more trying to eat Naruto. The second: you will cooperate when I ask you to. And third: if you behave, maybe I'll get you some extra ramen."
Kurama, who had been feared and hated for centuries, was stunned. No human had ever dared speak to him like that, treated him so lightly. Gojo's power was overwhelming, incomprehensible, and the fox felt a sense of helplessness he had never experienced before.
Naruto, for his part, was speechless. "Gojo-sensei, you're talking to the kyubi!"
"Of course you are, Naruto!" said Gojo. "Communication is key. Now, foxy, are we going to be friends, or am I going to have to forcefully teach you some manners?" Believe me, my manners lessons really hurt."
Kurama growled, but for the first time, the growl wasn't one of anger, but of resignation. The threat was real.
"Human... what do you really want?"
Gojo smiled. "I want Naruto to be the best Hokage. And for that, he needs your help. And you need to get out of this mental cage. I'll give you something in return. I'll show you what true power feels like, the kind of power that makes everyone else look small."
The atmosphere in Naruto's mindspace changed. Kurama's cage, the one that had imprisoned the fox for years, slowly opened, not by Naruto's will, but by Gojo's spatial manipulation. Kurama, surprised, hesitated.
"Come on, fox," Gojo said, offering a hand. "It's time for some fun."
And so, under the blind sorcerer's guidance, Naruto not only began to forge a relationship with the Nine-Tails, but also witnessed the first step toward a fusion of powers that would change the ninja world forever. The path to Hokage, with Gojo Satoru as his sensei, would be anything but conventional.