Naruto had already forgotten how he had returned home.
He just lay on his bed with a muddled mind, thinking over all the information he had learned today.
“Mangekyo Sharingan,” “Fourth Hokage,” “Konoha Village”…
He really wanted to go back to the Magic World soon.
If it were Grandpa Heiter, he would definitely listen patiently to his worries and then tell him how to solve these problems.
As he thought about it, Naruto drifted off to sleep.
The next day, after Naruto woke up, he looked at the books placed on the table nearby.
“Will of Fire.”
“Hmm…”
This book roughly described treating the villagers of Konoha Village as family and protecting them.
At first, Naruto really felt there was no problem; after all, the Fourth Hokage had done exactly that.
But after learning his true identity and experiencing the contrast of respect in the Holy Capital, he considered reading this book a waste of time.
Another book, “History of Konoha.”
It told of the major Ninja clans since the founding of Konoha Village.
Of course, it only provided a rough overview and the characteristics of each major clan; detailed information naturally wouldn’t be included.
What caught Naruto’s attention was that it mentioned a clan called the ‘Uzumaki Clan.’ He also had the surname Uzumaki, so besides his parents, where were the other clansmen?
Kurama had also previously mentioned the Sealing Jutsu of the Uzumaki Clan.
The book recorded that Konoha and the Uzumaki Clan were allies, and to express their friendly relationship, Konoha had specially engraved the Uzumaki Clan emblem on the vests of Konoha Ninja.
Come to think of it, Naruto remembered seeing the red spiral mark on the backs of the Ninja in green vests on the street.
He hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but now, thinking about it carefully, it felt like a sudden realization.
But it still didn’t answer where the Uzumaki Clan was.
Besides that, the book also provided quite a bit of key information for Naruto to find his ‘enemy.’
The Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan had jointly created the original Konoha Village…
Naruto looked at the clan emblem on it and remembered that within this year, while wandering around, he had indeed seen a gathering place in the suburbs of Konoha filled with this clan emblem.
It must have been the Uchiha Clan’s compound.
This book only briefly mentioned that the Uchiha’s Bloodline Limit was the Sharingan, and nothing else was mentioned.
Naruto felt it was time for him to make some friends.
Because if he wanted to learn more, understand more about the Uchiha, the Uzumaki, and especially information about the Masked Man, then he had to get to know people from those major Ninja clans.
It was almost impossible for older adults to get to know him.
So, relatively speaking, Naruto could only try to befriend those his own age, even though it would be very difficult.
…
After confirming his plan of action and the information he must obtain.
Plus, since it was the weekend, Naruto planned to go out immediately to get to know those peers from the major clans, especially…
“The Uchiha Clan!”
With this thought in mind, Naruto headed toward the park where his peers gathered the most.
Along the way, Naruto ignored every one of the villagers’ disgusted expressions.
On the way, Kurama suddenly asked Naruto, “Naruto, come and see my magic!”
This voice lacked its usual bewitchment and sarcasm, and held a hint of joy instead.
Hearing this big fox’s voice, Naruto felt very conflicted; how should he get along with it?
Even if it had been controlled at the time, it was ultimately his ‘enemy.’
“Forget it…”
Naruto sighed lightly and cast these complex thoughts out of his mind.
He turned into his Mental Space and was slightly stunned to see some colorful flowers suddenly appearing in what should have been a dark and damp environment.
“How is it?
I have skillfully mastered the magic you mentioned!
Quickly teach me some other magic!” Kurama said proudly, its nine tails involuntarily beginning to dance behind it.
Naruto, coming back to his senses, shook his head gently.
“Sorry, I’ve practiced magic for nine years, and the only thing I can show off is Flower Field Magic.”
“Are you kidding me?!” Kurama suddenly raised its voice, as if it had bristled.
“Nine years!”
Naruto said seriously, “Magic and Ninjutsu are completely different.
In these nine years, I spent a lot of time practicing magic power control, as well as the accuracy of long-range attack magic, so I don’t actually know many spells.”
“On the contrary, having returned to the Ninja World, I seem to be able to control magic with more subtlety.”
Naruto was not surprised that Kurama had mastered magic power itself and Flower Field Magic in one night.
Because the starting point for learning magic is essentially the same as Chakra.
If you can refine Chakra, learning magic at the beginning has a multiplier effect; Naruto had experienced this personally.
“…”
Kurama was silent.
It only then understood that for the past nine years, because it had restricted Naruto’s Chakra control, it might have indirectly affected the other party’s learning of magic.
After a long while,
Kurama couldn’t help asking, “Then when can you return to the Magic World and learn a few more spells?”
Naruto shook his head again.
“I don’t know.
I don’t even know how to go to the Magic World; I’m looking for a way, too.”
Kurama could be said to be the only one Naruto could confide in, so he told it everything.
“Hmph.” Kurama snorted coldly.
“Then tell me, how exactly did you return from that Magic World?”
Naruto was stunned.
He had actually thought about this question many times, but had never figured it out.
“I only remember…
at that time I was practicing long-range magic, and Grandma Frieren told me to carefully perceive the flow of magic power and not be impatient.”
“Then I closed my eyes and tried hard to feel…”
Kurama pressed, “And then?”
“Then I arrived at your place,” Naruto said, “Which is where we are now.”
Kurama was silent for a while.
“You mean that when you were in that world, your consciousness entered the Mental Space?”
Naruto nodded, then realized Kurama couldn’t see him, and added, “It should be.
After I finished talking to you here, I opened my eyes and returned to Konoha.”
Kurama did not respond immediately.
Naruto could feel it thinking about something.
After a long while, Kurama finally spoke, its voice deeper than usual: “Kid, have you ever thought about one thing?”
“What?”
“You stayed in that world for nine years, right?”
Naruto had revealed these things when he first confided in Kurama.
It was just that Kurama had thought it was a joke at the time, so it hadn’t delved into it.
“Hmm.”
“But after you returned here, almost no time had passed.”
“The flow of time in the two worlds is different,” Naruto said, recalling his guess from when he first returned to this world.
“It’s not just a matter of the time flow,” Kurama’s tone became serious.
“Think carefully: when you were in that world, did you enter here?”
Naruto said matter-of-factly, “When I returned to Konoha, that was the first time I saw you in the Mental Space.”
“In the nine years in the Magic World, I never entered here once.”
“Then that’s it,” Kurama said.
“When your consciousness’switches’ between the two worlds, the state of the other world is static.”
Naruto thought thoughtfully, “You mean…”
In fact, these were things he had already considered at the time, but Kurama was analyzing them again.
However, Naruto felt it didn’t matter.
The book “History of Konoha” recorded that this demon fox seemed to have existed for hundreds of years or more; perhaps it really did have some fresh perspectives or ideas.
“When you are in Konoha, the time in the Magic World is stopped; when you are in the Magic World, the time here is also stopped,” Kurama paused.
“But the Mental Space is different.”
“The Mental Space is in the depths of your consciousness, bound to your Chakra and your spirit,” Kurama’s voice became low.
“When you used magic power in the Magic World, your consciousness’sank’ deep enough to touch this space.”
Naruto slowly widened his eyes.
“So…
I returned because I entered the Mental Space?”
“Not just that,” Kurama said.
“Do you remember why you couldn’t control magic power in that world?”
Naruto nodded.
“Grandma Frieren said maybe something was blocking me, and combined with what you said before, I think it’s you.”
“Your idea is correct,” Kurama said bluntly, without any pretense.
Naruto slowly said, “So…
the key to my crossing is the Mental Space?”
Kurama corrected him.
“To be precise, when you perceived magic power in that world, your consciousness sank deeper and deeper, and finally inadvertently touched the ‘key’ to crossing, and you were pulled back.”
Naruto asked again, “What about the first time?
I hadn’t been to the Mental Space the first time.”
Kurama was silent for a few seconds.
“What was your state when you crossed the first time?”
“I fell asleep…” Naruto said.
“I fell asleep in my home in Konoha, and when I woke up, I was near the Holy Capital.”
“Fell asleep,” Kurama repeated, its tone thoughtful.
“That shows that even in an unconscious state, as long as this ‘key’ is triggered, your consciousness will be ‘bounced’ to another world.”
“But why me?” Naruto asked.
“Why am I the one who can go to another world?”
Kurama did not answer immediately.
Naruto felt it was hesitating.
After a long time, Kurama said somewhat irritably, “I don’t know.
These are just my speculations.
I’ve never seen things like magic before; your situation is also the first of its kind.”
“You should look for the ‘key’ yourself!
Think about what you were thinking when you crossed for the first time, and what you did in terms of Chakra!”
Kurama had lived for thousands of years; its depth of thought and logic were naturally much deeper than Naruto’s, who had a psychological age of twelve.
But being imprisoned here, and not having been a witness, anything it said was just a guess.
Naruto was stunned by Kurama’s words.
He had shown no signs of using Chakra at that time; the only thing present was a strong obsession!
At that time, he probably really wanted to escape this place.
Ever since he could remember, he had thought every day: why did he have no parents?
Why was no one willing to approach him?
Anywhere would be fine.
As long as he could leave Konoha.
As long as he could go to a place where someone cared about him.
“Is it because of obsession?” Naruto murmured.
These two crossings did have a certain similarity: the obsession before falling asleep the first time.
The second time was the urgent desire to know about Konoha after meeting Kurama.
Since he returned the second time through deep perception of magic power, then if he wanted to go back, he probably needed the same method.
Looking at the huge fox in front of him, Naruto still said thank you.
“Hmph.” Kurama snorted coldly.
“Don’t thank me; I’m just interested in that Magic World.”
Naruto smiled, didn’t expose it, and immediately left the Mental Space.