"The gap is huge…" Naruto stared at the black tadpole wriggling on the ground with a foxish, sour look, then lifted his head to gaze up at the towering Gedo Statue in awe.
Why did I summon a tadpole while Ayato summoned such a cool, gigantic statue?
Does Ayato even use summoning?
Why is the difference so massive?
Anyway… the Gedo Statue is awesome. I want to summon something that cool too!
"Ayato-sensei, teach me how to summon the Gedo Statue!" Naruto's eyes shone with admiration. He pictured the Chūnin Exam scene already: Team 7 under attack, Sakura and Sasuke badly injured, and Naruto's grand entrance—bite his thumb, slam his palm to the ground, summon the Gedo Statue, and beat every enemy in one showy sweep!
He could almost taste the applause. If he could call that statue, Sakura would definitely admire him, right?
Naruto sneaked a glance at Sakura and caught her staring up at Ayato with lovey-dovey eyes. He scowled. Fine—just wait. When I summon that statue, I'll be the one stealing the show!
He mumbled to himself, blushing, practicing lines in his head. Sasuke rolled his eyes and muttered, "Idiot."
"Silly Naruto, Sasuke would never kneel," Sakura scolded, scowling as she chased after Naruto and socked him in the stomach. Naruto flopped and wailed theatrically, clutching his head. Why was he always the one getting hit?
Ayato looked down at Team 7 with a smug tilt of the chin. He tapped the statue's neck and said casually, "You think this is cool? It'll satisfy your desire to show off."
"Yes!" the three of them chorused, determined. In the face of raw power, who cared about "suitability"? If Ayato could teach them the Gedo Statue-level summon, all their strength would jump up several notches.
"Not happening," Ayato scoffed. His arrogance flashed. "You lot lack the ability. To call a scrap-heap like that, you need eyes similar to mine. You think it's cool because I'm cool."
The kids were delusional to think they could summon the Gedo Statue. You'd need Rinnegan-level eyes—or higher—to summon it. Even the Transmigration Eyes (Tenseigan) wouldn't do; only a true Rinnegan grants the proper link. The Gedo Statue was the husk of the Ten-Tails—what made Kaguya's resurrection possible.
Naruto blinked. He'd been thinking of summoning the Gedo Statue? That was foolish—basically walking into a trap, handing the statue over to the Nine-Tails. If Sasuke ever awakened the Rinnegan, then fine, he might one day call it. But for now—no way.
Team 7 stared speechless. If they couldn't learn it, why even ask? Ayato's smug, taunting face was infuriating.
Naruto leaped up and pointed at Ayato. "You jerk! If we can't learn it, why did you bring it up? You're just trying to rile us!"
Sakura inwardly cheered. Good—Naruto said what she and Sasuke wouldn't say. Having Naruto's blunt courage to speak up was useful; he took the heat off them and gave them a chance to complain.
Ayato sighed theatrically. "My current pose is stellar. Movement would ruin it—Sakura, give him a punch."
"Yes." Sakura's smile turned slightly dangerous as she stalked toward Naruto. He tried to back away but tripped and fell, flailing.
At that moment, within the seal's otherworldly space, the Nine-Tails jolted. Its pale-gold eyes snapped open, and a flash of fear crossed its gaze.
Ayato!
What the hell are you doing calling up such a thing!?
The beast sensed the statue's chakra—less than its own, but emitted in a pattern eerily similar to the Sharingan, and yet somehow above it. The Nine-Tails felt that the statue suppressed it.
Back outside, Naruto suddenly collapsed, face draining pale. He clutched his midsection and let out a painful howl. His body erupted with blood-red chakra that spilled out like a rolling, negative tide.
"Sakura—?" Sakura froze, eyes wide. She tried to touch Naruto but burned her palm when her healing chakra met his blood-red aura. "It's so hot!"
Sasuke watched with a frown. He remembered something like this happening back in the Land of Waves. Was Naruto actually hurt? Sakura fretted and apologized, "I didn't hit that hard—sorry!" She'd feared she'd hurt him.
Sakura gathered a faint cyan healing chakra, but when she reached Naruto the crimson chakra singed her palm. "Ouch—so hot." She pulled her hand back, puzzled. That chakra was scalding. What was wrong with Naruto?
Sasuke's expression darkened. "He isn't injured." He stared hard at Naruto; that crimson chakra could only be the Nine-Tails' power manifesting.
Ayato popped a lollipop into his mouth and said nonchalantly, "He used Nine-Tails chakra just now—the same beast that nearly destroyed the village ages ago. Honestly, it's embarrassing not to know this."
Naruto panicked and grabbed Ayato's sleeve. "Ayato-sensei—don't say that!" He was terrified his secret would be exposed.
"Secrets are meant to be shared. Is being a jinchūriki shameful?" Ayato shrugged, peering at Naruto. "A tailed beast is a strong power, but the villagers treat it as a monster. That's ridiculous."
People like Obito had gone mad hunting tailed beasts in his dreams. The village's paranoia—ostracizing jinchūriki—was comical to Ayato.
Naruto's face fell. "You've known all along, haven't you?" He felt the old wounds of being shunned, the times children threw stones, the endless taunts—he'd never understood why people hated him. When he learned he housed the Nine-Tails, the world's hatred finally made sense.
Ayato ruffled his hair. "So what? Knowing doesn't change much."
"Ayato-sensei… aren't you afraid of me?" Naruto's voice trembled.
Ayato smiled and patted his head. "Afraid of the Nine-Tails? Please. If a faint trickle of its power scares me, that'd be odd. Even if you lost control, I could stop you easily."
Afraid of the Nine-Tails? That was a ridiculous thought. Ayato could do more than glare—the Nine-Tails would behave.
"Kurama or whatever—it's fine. You're an important tool… I mean, student," Ayato corrected himself with a slight grin. Naruto—this brat—was a valuable tool for completing the side quest, a tool for displaying off his own glory.
Naruto's childhood memories cracked and reformed into the present—into training with Team 7. Warmth flooded him. Thank you, Ayato-sensei.
Sakura waved him off. "Don't be melodramatic. You're still an idiot." She was blunt, but her eyes were softer now.
Naruto blinked, cheeks wet. "Sakura—"
"Don't worry about stupid things. Whether the Nine-Tails almost destroyed the village or not, it's not your fault. If people have grievances, take them to the Nine-Tails," Ayato said, glancing at Sasuke. "You, Uchiha, dream of that power. It's only natural to covet it."
Sasuke only snorted and turned away, teeth clenched. He wanted that power—no matter the cost.
"Anyway," Ayato said, shrugging, "train hard. Learn summoning in five days, or you'll sit out the next Chūnin Exams." He began to walk off.
Naruto called after him, hopeful, "After we learn, can we be as cool as you were just now?"
Ayato paused, then looked back with a half-smile. "Hard to say. You think my summon's cool because I'm cool. But if you master summoning perfectly, you'll probably be able to show off too—maybe."
And with that, Ayato vanished.
Naruto pouted. "He just wants the spotlight."
He turned to Sasuke with a sun-bright grin. "Let's compete—this time I'll be first!"
"You? Laughable. I won't lose to a tail-ender," Sasuke said quietly and left to train alone in the Uchiha compound.
Sakura shot Naruto a warning look. "Don't slack off. If you don't finish training and we can't enter the Chūnin Exams because of you, I'll—" she trailed off as she walked into the forest to practice in peace.
Naruto clenched his fists and whispered fiercely, "Just wait—I'll summon a giant toad and blow everyone away."
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