"Red Chakra? Are you referring to Kurama's Chakra?"
Kurama? Hearing this affectionate yet respectful address, Jiraiya's heart skipped a beat. 'Could the Old Man be telling the truth? Has Naruto really formed a friendship with the fierce beast inside him, and can even use its power without burden?'
Jiraiya had personally witnessed the destructive power of a Tailed Beast on the battlefield. Now, Konoha also possessed this power, and in such a... peaceful way?
When Jiraiya expressed his desire to see the Nine-Tailed Chakra firsthand, Naruto had no objections. He skillfully formed hand seals, and the next moment, a scorching, violent, yet unusually docile crimson Chakra began to surge out from around him like living flames, enveloping his body.
Jiraiya stared intently at Naruto's still relaxed expression, but his own heart involuntarily tensed. After all, he had witnessed the tragic state of a Jinchuriki losing control, and secretly prepared to intervene at any moment to stop a rampage.
Within seconds, the Tailed Beast cloak on Naruto's body rapidly transformed—from an initial Chakra form with only one tail swaying, it gradually condensed, eventually forming a small Nine-Tailed form with four materialized Chakra tails, emitting a chilling aura!
However, Naruto, in his Four-Tailed state, felt a hint of confusion. Although Kurama had impatiently grumbled earlier, "That's all the Chakra there is! Take it or leave it!"
But Naruto clearly sensed that the vast, ocean-like Chakra deep within the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style was still responding to his call, far from reaching its limit.
Then... let's try again. Naruto decided to continue guiding it.
Gradually, he felt that the Tailed Beast cloak covering his body seemed to be condensing into a more solid substance—a dark red, bone-like structure that outlined the contours of a fox skull and a stronger skeletal framework for the four limbs on the surface of the Chakra cloak.
He turned his head slightly, glimpsing that the number of tails swaying behind him had already increased to six!
'Sure enough... that phrase "that's all" was completely tsundere, wasn't it?' Naruto understood.
Under his continuous guidance, Kurama's Chakra continued to surge out, undergoing deeper transformations in form.
He didn't notice that Jiraiya beside him was already dumbfounded. This small Nine-Tailed, while maintaining clear consciousness, was evolving in form?! He even saw the claw covered with bones making hand seals?!
Finally, Naruto felt he had reached a critical point; the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style seemed to temporarily stop supplying him with more Chakra. He slowly opened his eyes, instinctively looking behind him first.
Not a single tail?
Jiraiya stared blankly at Naruto's confused expression, his brain almost ceasing to function. He had seen a complete Tailed Beast transformation... but was a complete Tailed Beast transformation supposed to look like this?!
Naruto realized the anomaly of his own form. He quickly walked to the nearby stream and leaned over, looking at the mirror-like water surface.
Reflected in the water was not the expected crimson fox demon, but a figure enveloped in a brilliant, sun-like golden Chakra cloak.
Nine-Tailed Chakra Mode?!
Looking at the dazzling golden figure reflected in the water, Naruto was also somewhat incredulous for a moment. He cautiously split off a wisp of consciousness and probed the sealing space within his mind.
"Ku... Kurama?"
Within the sealing space, Kurama was still lazily sprawled on the grass. Hearing the call, he merely lifted an eyelid slightly, glancing sideways at Naruto.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing..."
Pretending to be impatient, but actually feeling a bit guilty, Kurama turned his head away. Even he hadn't expected that over the years, with Naruto's modifications, the space within the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style had become more stable and comfortable, and along with it, the seal's restraint on Chakra had quietly loosened a lot, allowing far more power to leak out than anticipated.
The attitude he was displaying now was simply because he didn't want to admit that he had actually tacitly allowed or even facilitated this change—wouldn't that make him seem like a hypocrite? Too embarrassing!
Naruto instantly understood Kurama's transparently tsundere behavior, acknowledging it in his heart, and was sensible enough not to press further, simply filing away this gratitude.
Since he could now mobilize such a vast amount of Chakra, and even condense into this form... did that mean that if he tore open the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style, he would be able to use the complete, fully synchronized Tailed Beast Chakra Mode with Kurama?
As this thought arose, a strange unease suddenly swept through Naruto's heart. He abruptly remembered something: in a state of true synchronization and full Chakra connection with Kurama, it seemed both parties could see each other's deep memories and true thoughts!
Then... would Kurama not know that the story about "dreams" and the "Child of Prophecy" he had used to establish contact and gain trust was actually a strategy?
At that time... how would Kurama view him? Would he think that all his friendliness and efforts were built upon an initial deception?
A wave of regret and worry surged into his heart. Due to a lack of affection in his own upbringing, Naruto had an instinctive fear of losing important bonds deep within his personality. At this moment, he couldn't help but be overly worried, and at the same time, he underestimated the genuine affection Kurama had accumulated for him over their years of interaction... Jiraiya looked at the golden, shimmering Naruto in front of him with confusion, not understanding why he suddenly seemed somewhat downcast after mastering a new power.
"Hey, Naruto, what's wrong?" Jiraiya spoke in a deliberately casual tone, trying to break the heavy atmosphere. He feigned a nonchalant attitude, walking halfway around Naruto, sizing him up and down. "This new look of yours... it's quite unique! All shiny and golden, but I wonder about its actual strength? Don't tell me it's just for show!"
His tone, clearly bursting with curiosity yet trying hard to act indifferent, successfully pulled Naruto back to reality from his jumbled thoughts.
Looking at Jiraiya's feigned composure, Naruto took a deep breath, temporarily pushing aside his worries about Kurama.
Forget it, let's deal with the present matters first. Naruto decided internally. Anyway, with his current power, as long as he didn't encounter an enemy on the level of a healthy Nagato, he should be able to handle it.
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