Chapter no.106 The Blood of Humanity births these Trees?!

"How has your time in the Anbu been treating you?" Hiruzen asked, his tone mild as they made their way through the forest path.

"It's been… manageable," Yamato replied. "Kakashi senpai's leadership methods were unique but I learned much from him while he was still my captain. Now that I lead my own unit, I've been applying his lessons to keep things… stable." He paused for a moment. "Though I could do without the paperwork."

"I'm sure Kakashi would be happy to hear that, Tenzo."

"My apologies, Hokage sama," Yamato corrected smoothly, bowing his head slightly. "While on duty, I prefer to be addressed by my codename. Yamato."

"Of course." Hiruzen inclined his head in acknowledgment, a small smile playing on his lips as he took in the young man beside him. Short brown hair, dark almond eyes that always seemed to be scanning their surroundings; alert, but never tense. His navy shirt rose high up to his chin, tucked beneath a flak jacket that lacked the Uzushiogakure crest of the standard Anbu variant. Two hip pouches sat neatly strapped to his lower back, balanced perfectly for reach and mobility. The happuri style forehead protector framed his face neatly, reminding Hiruzen of a certain white haired teacher of his.

After a few moments of quiet walking, Yamato finally asked, "Hokage sama, if I may inquire. What is my mission?"

"Relax, for now."

"That usually means something serious," Yamato replied without missing a beat.

"You always were perceptive. In this case, you're right. We've discovered a natural Wood Release user."

For the first time, Yamato's composure faltered. "That's… impossible, Hokage sama. Wood Release has never been observed in any of Lord Hashirama's direct descendants. His children and even Tsunade sama did not inherit it. The ability was believed to have died with him, which was why his cells became the foundation for all later experiments."

He fell silent for a beat, mind already running through possibilities. "Either this person carries a dormant fragment of Hashirama's bloodline that somehow reawakened, or…" his brow furrowed, "we're looking at an artificial case, but you said that it developed naturally."

Yamato glanced toward the Hokage. "Do we have confirmation of their lineage? Any DNA comparison to the Senju or related clans? And what is their age? If they are a child, it could indicate a recessive trait resurfacing after generations. But if they are older, that might imply a failed experiment that somehow stabilized."

He paused. "Does this have any connection to Tsunade sama? Could she have unknowingly passed on a latent genetic factor?"

Not even giving Hiruzen a chance to answer, Yamato continued. "If it is not Tsunade, then perhaps the bloodline has dispersed through intermarriage, maybe through one of the branch families that settled outside the main clan. Or…" His tone lowered slightly, pragmatic and grim, "there is the possibility that one of Orochimaru's older test subjects survived without our knowledge."

Hiruzen placed a hand on Yamato's shoulder. "Calm yourself, Yamato. We have confirmation of the boy's lineage. He is related to the Senju by blood; distantly, but undeniably. He is twelve years old, and no, he has no direct connection to Tsunade. As far as we know, she has not passed on her genes. He is not from any branch family, nor does he have any link to Orochimaru's experiments."

Yamato inhaled slowly, his sharp mind sorting through the information, connecting and discarding theories as he went.

"Through this boy," Hiruzen continued, "we have learned something remarkable. Wood Release is not an inherited trait in the traditional sense. It is… potential of the soul."

"Potential?"

"Yes. It means that you did not survive Orochimaru's experiments merely by chance. You survived because you had that potential. It was not luck, Yamato. It was compatibility."

"Even if I had the potential… it came at a cost. Those experiments destroyed many lives. I was the only one left. And I have spent every mission since then wondering why it had to be me."

"Survival is never fair, Yamato. But it gives us a chance to make meaning out of what others could not. You took something born from cruelty and turned it into a force that protects others. That is why I trust you."

Yamato exhaled, steadying his breath. "Thank you, Hokage sama." He paused. "Who is this person who awakened Wood Release?"

"Naruto Uzumaki."

Yamato blinked once. Then again. "I'm sorry, what?"

"It is true. Both Jiraiya and Kakashi have witnessed it firsthand. That is why I am assigning you to help him. You are the only one in Konoha with real experience controlling and refining Wood Release."

"Hokage sama, if Naruto Uzumaki is a natural Wood Release user, then theoretically he possesses the same affinity as the First Hokage himself. Combined with his father's talent, his potential would be…" Yamato stopped mid sentence, realization dawning on him. "He could even tame the Nine Tails."

"Naruto is not the Nine Tails jinchuriki anymore."

Silence.

Yamato went completely still. Then, very slowly, he turned his head toward the Hokage. "I beg your pardon," he said, as if hoping he had misheard.

Hiruzen handed Yamato a sealed report as the two walked side by side down the winding dirt path that led toward the outskirts of Konoha. "This is everything we have gathered on Naruto so far. I would prefer you read it before you meet him."

"Yes, Hokage sama," Yamato replied, taking the report and scanning the first few pages as they walked. But as they rounded the final bend, both men froze.

The Uzumaki Clan Mask Temple stood ahead of them.

Hours ago, it had been a wreck of collapsed beams and half buried stone. Now, it looked as if it had been built yesterday. The wood gleamed with new polish, the paint along the spiraling clan crest glowed, and the great steps leading up to the entrance had been cleared and repaired perfectly.

Hiruzen let out a long, weary sigh. "Why is it that every time I take my eyes off Naruto, the world decides to get more complicated?"

Before Yamato could respond, his senses flared. His eyes widened slightly. "There is… a massive chakra source here." Instinctively, his hand moved toward a kunai pouch.

"Ally. Stand down."

Yamato blinked, then stared as a small army of Naruto's shadow clones began spilling out from the forest like a migration of very busy ants.

One clone was balancing a full bed frame on its head, wobbling left and right but somehow managing not to drop it. Another clone behind it was doing a handstand while using its legs to carry an entire couch. A third clone juggled three potted plants, a rice cooker, and what looked suspiciously like a teapot while whistling.

Yamato stared, expression unreadable. Am I witnessing a circus or something?

"...Naruto," Hiruzen said finally, his voice carrying the patience of a man who had raised generations of headaches. "What are you doing?"

Yamato turned and blinked. Naruto was already standing beside them with Oscar perched lazily atop his head like a crown.

Yamato had not even sensed him appear. How did he get there? He did not flicker in. I would have felt that. Was I… distracted by the clones?

"Actually, I'm moving in here. The civilians keep showing up at my house. They leave gifts, knock on my door at weird hours, and ask for forgiveness or something. It is exhausting. So, I figured I would move out here. Nobody is crazy enough to wander to the edge of the village especially if they do not know where I live, and this land belongs to my family anyway."

"I see," Hiruzen said, nodding slowly, his eyes drifting toward the temple again. "That is understandable… but how did you repair all of this?"

"I would like to know that too. You seem to have quite a talent for Wood Release, Naruto."

Naruto turned to him, and for a heartbeat, Yamato's breath caught. His irises gleamed like molten sapphire, light shimmering beneath the surface. The slit pupils cut clean through the blue like the blade of a kunai.

His instincts screamed predator.

He had only ever felt that kind of pressure once before; back in the lab, under Orochimaru's piercing gaze. But where Orochimaru's eyes had studied him like a specimen on a table, Naruto's eyes did not analyze. They judged. Coldly. Calmly. Like a creature at the top of the food chain deciding whether what stood before it was worth sparing.

Yamato's hand twitched slightly toward his weapon, his body reacting before his mind could catch up.

"Easy, Naruto," came a lazy, familiar voice. "I would be sad if you killed my cute little junior before I got to brag about him."

Both Hiruzen and Yamato turned to see Kakashi strolling up the hill, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his ever present book.

"Kakashi senpai," Yamato said immediately, standing straighter, his tone shifting to one of respect.

"Still calling me that? I feel old already."

"You are old," Naruto said with a grin.

"Old, sure, but still better looking than you."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Grandpa. Pretty sure my reflection disagrees."

Oscar, sitting smugly on Naruto's head, gave an approving chirp clearly siding with his partner. Kakashi lowered the book just enough to give the lizard a betrayed look.

"So what are you doing here?" Hiruzen asked.

"Lunch invitation," Kakashi said, gesturing lazily toward the temple with his book. "Naruto wanted to treat Team Seven to a meal in his… how did you put it… new home." He made exaggerated air quotes that earned him a twin dagger glare from Naruto and Oscar.

"Come on, sensei, do not tease him too much," Sakura said, appearing beside them in a flicker.

Sasuke followed with his usual stoic scowl, which only deepened when Naruto grabbed both of them by the arms. "Come on. You guys have to see this place. It is awesome!" he said, dragging them into the temple before either could protest.

"Ten ryo says lunch is just ramen," Kakashi muttered, turning his page.

"I am not foolish enough to bet against that."

Kakashi shrugged and strolled after them, hands in his pockets. That left Yamato standing alone beside the Hokage, feeling slightly out of place, as if he had just walked into someone else's family reunion.

"They are quite the handful."

Yamato nodded, his voice steady. "Kakashi senpai seems… lighter around them. Happier."

"That is the beauty of a genin team," Hiruzen replied. "They test your patience every single day… but somehow, they end up carving out a place in your heart like family."

"I suppose getting out of Anbu was good for him. It suits him better."

"And it is probably for the best that he stopped bullying his juniors too," Hiruzen added with a chuckle.

Yamato winced slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ah… yes, well, senpai can be… enthusiastic in his lessons." He cleared his throat, trying to change the topic. "Speaking of which, what did he mean earlier when he told Naruto not to kill me?"

He half expected the Hokage to wave it off as a joke. Instead, Hiruzen sighed. "He meant exactly that. When you mentioned his Wood Release and reached toward your weapon, Naruto nearly attacked you. He has been on edge ever since his last meeting with Danzo."

"I see… I will make sure to keep my movements calm around him."

"A wise choice," Hiruzen said quietly. "If Kakashi or I had not been here, your head would likely be decorating the floor right now."

There was no hint of jest in his tone.

Yamato nodded once, a single bead of sweat sliding down his temple as he followed the Hokage into the temple's shadowed interior. He was beginning to understand why this assignment was not going to be easy.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Lunch went about as anyone who knew Naruto would expect, with several steaming bowls of Ichiraku ramen lined across the low table. Team Seven sat cross legged on mismatched furniture Naruto had dragged in, their chopsticks clinking in unison as they ate. Oscar, on the other hand, was sprawled on a small pile of freshly steamed towels, looking like he was having a spa day.

"Okay, Naruto," Sakura began between bites, setting her bowl down. "No offense, but I do not think moving into this old temple is a great idea."

Naruto paused mid slurp, blinking. "Hmm?"

"For one thing, this place is in the middle of nowhere. If something happens, nobody is getting here in time to help you. Second, it is a temple, not a house. There is no second floor, no real rooms, and definitely no bathroom. You are sleeping in what is basically a glorified storage hall," Sasuke said.

"Relax, it is not a big deal. If something goes wrong, I can just use a Homeward Miracle to teleport out. As for security, I am planning to set up a few barrier seals around the perimeter. And the whole fixing up part?" Naruto pointed his thumb toward himself proudly. "That is what shadow clones are for. Give me a couple of days, and this place will look like a mansion."

"Or," Yamato interjected politely, setting down his chopsticks, "you could use the temple as a heritage site and construct your home nearby. A separate building with Wood Release."

Sakura and Sasuke both turned, narrowing their eyes in perfect synchronization.

"Who are you and how do you know about Naruto's Wood Release?"

Yamato sweatdropped. The pair's synchronized suspicion was… unnerving. He glanced at Hiruzen, who gave him a small nod of permission.

"I am Yamato," he explained evenly. "I specialize in Wood Release myself. Earth chakra in one hand, water in the other. When I combine them, they create vegetation. Trees, grass, anything that can grow from a surface."

He pressed his palms together, and the stone floor cracked softly as a small tree sprouted up between the tiles.

"Hey, hey. Watch the floor," Naruto shouted, grabbing the tree's tiny trunk protectively. "This place just got fixed."

"My apologies."

Hiruzen looked amused. "Any questions for our guest?"

Sakura raised her hand like a student. "So… can you control what kind of plant you grow? Like, instead of trees, could you make a rose bush or something?"

"That depends on the technique," Yamato answered patiently. "Wood Release primarily produces timber based growth, but advanced versions can influence shape, density, and even flowering. I can make vines, blossoms, or dense wood walls depending on chakra control and intent."

Naruto leaned forward eagerly. "Can you influence seeds? Like, if you had pumpkin seeds, could you make some kind of Wood Style: Great Pumpkin Jutsu?"

Sakura facepalmed, whispering to Sasuke, "He is still on that pumpkin idea."

"Hn."

Yamato smiled faintly despite himself. "In theory, yes. If I had the right seeds and chakra control, I could accelerate their growth or modify their structure. Trees can grow from earth, from preexisting flora… even from my own cells if needed."

Naruto's eyes lit up with excitement, his mind already spiraling into possibilities. Wood Style: Garden of Glowing Light… Wood Style: Ent Army. Just the thought of using Lordran's strange flora in his jutsu sent a thrill through him.

Before he could spiral further into his daydream, Sasuke's voice cut through the air. "What is the difference between a dojutsu kekkei genkai and an elemental one?"

Yamato looked intrigued. "That is an interesting question. Can you elaborate on what you mean?"

"You said combining two elements at once can create a new nature, right? That does not sound too hard. Most jonin have at least two chakra natures, so why do they not have kekkei genkai? With something like the Sharingan, only Uchiha can awaken it. But elemental ones seem different. Why can others not just… make them?"

"That is a fair question," Yamato said. "Why do others not simply create them?"

Kakashi leaned back against the wall, raising his hand lazily. "Because it is not about having two elements rather it is about how they merge. Using two natures at once is not that difficult. But combining them in perfect harmony to create a third, completely new chakra nature? That is practically impossible for most shinobi."

"Not impossible," Hiruzen interjected, setting down his bowl. He lifted his right hand, gathering dust from the air as earth chakra solidified it into a small rock. Then, he placed his left hand over it, releasing controlled fire chakra. The stone glowed, heat waves distorting the air as it slowly began to melt into liquid magma.

"You used Lava Release?"

"No, Sasuke kun. What I did was mimic it. I used Earth Style to form stone, then melted it with Fire Style to create lava. That is not true Lava Release."

Sakura frowned thoughtfully. "Is that basically the same thing though?"

Naruto shook his head before Hiruzen could answer. "Not really. What the old man is doing is using chakra control and manipulation to simulate the result. He is combining the output, not creating a whole new nature. It is like painting with two colors versus inventing an entirely new pigment."

"Correct," Hiruzen said approvingly. "To answer your question, Sasuke, elemental kekkei genkai users are not just mixing elements. They are born with a unique disposition that allows the fusion to occur naturally. Think of it like baking a cake. A normal shinobi has all the ingredients but no recipe. They can try mixing things together, but it will not rise properly. A kekkei genkai user, however, has that recipe ingrained in their soul from birth."

Sasuke's eyes glinted with thought. "So… you can replicate it, but never recreate it perfectly."

"With enough training and control, a shinobi can imitate the effect of a kekkei genkai. Science and chakra theory have made that much possible. But the level of precision required is beyond measure. It took me fifty years of research to replicate what a child with natural Lava Release could do by instinct."

Hiruzen paused. "Though… perhaps calling it impossible would be unfair. Theoretically, such mastery is within reach."

Team Seven watched him closely, the quiet in the temple deepening.

Then Hiruzen made a sound that did not quite match the weight of his next words. "No, perhaps I should not say theoretical at all. There was once proof it could be done."

Everyone froze.

Hiruzen's eyes gleamed faintly with the reflection of the temple's lantern light. "Long ago, there were tales of a lineage of masters and students, each passing down their knowledge, refining it, pushing the limits of elemental manipulation. Every generation stood on the shoulders of those who came before, sacrificing comfort, time, and sometimes even sanity in their pursuit."

He exhaled slowly, pipe smoke curling upward. "It was said that their work spanned centuries. When the final student surpassed his teacher, he achieved what no bloodline had granted; fusion of three chakra natures, a Kekkei Tota. A synthesis beyond the reach of birthright."

There was a beat of silence. Even Naruto, who usually interrupted anything remotely resembling a lecture, sat utterly still.

"Humanity has always chased the impossible. When told they are not born with power, they find a way to build it. When told they cannot surpass their limits, they make new ones. The Kekkei Tota was proof of the will and stubbornness of humans."

Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto all looked awestruck.

Naruto spoke first, breaking the silence. "Wait… but I have more than four chakra natures already, right? So, if I trained enough, could I make multiple kekkei genkai? Like Ice Release, Lava Release, Scorch Style or maybe even something new?"

Kakashi sighed, giving him a patient, long suffering look. "Theoretically, yes, Naruto. But let us not get ahead of ourselves. You already have Wood Release, and most shinobi would kill for that. Focus on mastering what you have before collecting new toys."

"You are no fun, sensei."

Sakura chuckled. "Even if I have two elements, that does not mean I can suddenly use Wood Style, right?"

"Exactly. And Sasuke, sorry to break it to you, but Fire and Lightning do not combine into anything. At least, not that we know of."

"Hn."

Naruto smirked mischievously. "Do not worry, Sasuke. You will come up with something. Maybe… Plasma Style: Brooding Aura."

Sakura burst into laughter, Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose, and even Yamato cracked a smile behind his hand.

"That is enough theory for today. Naruto, Yamato here will be helping you refine your Wood Release. Even if Kakashi mentioned that yours… operates a little differently."

Yamato inclined his head politely, his expression neutral, though his eyes wandered over the temple's structure. "If I may, did you only repair the front of the temple with Wood Release?"

"Dude…"

"Captain Yamato."

"Captain Wood," Naruto countered, completely serious. "And no, I cannot use Wood Style on my own yet."

"I see. Can you at least generate wood chakra?"

Naruto shook his head. "Nope." He raised a hand, and with a twitch of his fingers, the nearby tree groaned as it ripped clean out of the floorboards, floating beside him via telekinesis. "But I can still do this."

"Then how did you fix the temple so quickly?"

"Easy. I had a thousand shadow clones rebuild it. Teamwork, dattebayo."

Yamato blinked, scanning the structure again. His professional instincts kicked in almost immediately. "I can tell," he said flatly. "The beams in the front are uneven, the foundation is not properly reinforced, and you have placed too much pressure on the outer supports. The structural weight is being distributed through the floor instead of the pillars."

"Oh."

"And these planks," Yamato continued, crouching to inspect them, "are nailed in the wrong grain direction. You will get warping once the humidity shifts. Not to mention, the roof tiles are mismatched… see that one? It is backwards."

"So what you are saying is… it is fine."

Kakashi let out a quiet laugh.

Naruto thought for a second before snapping his fingers. "Wait a second, you have Wood Release, do you?"

The entire room went silent followed by facepalms.

"Yes. I have had it since before this conversation started."

"No, no, what I mean," Naruto said quickly, "is that since you can use Wood Release, you can build me a small house connected to the temple!"

"That is… exactly what I suggested earlier."

"Perfect, so we agree!" Naruto said triumphantly.

"Yes, fine. But I will need to draw up a proper blueprint before I start anything. What kind of house do you want?"

"I dunno, what would you recommend?"

"Why do you not walk the property, Yamato, and come up with something suitable? It will give you both time to think."

Yamato gave a polite bow and left to survey the grounds.

Naruto watched him go, frowning slightly. His system screen flickered open in his eyes:

[ Name: ? ]
[ HP: 1400 / 1400 ]

"Who is this guy supposed to be?"

"Yamato?" Sakura said, looking confused.

"No, it is not. That is a fake name. And he does not have a rune. So how does he have Wood Release?" Naruto turned toward Hiruzen. "Old man, I trust you, but can I trust this guy not to be one of Danzo's?"

"I can vouch for him," Kakashi said before Hiruzen could answer. "He was my junior back when I was still in ANBU. Despite everything he has been through, Yamato is loyal to Konoha and to the people in it."

"Despite everything?"

Kakashi nodded. "As an infant, he was abducted by Orochimaru. One of sixty children taken for human experimentation. Orochimaru wanted to recreate the First Hokage's Wood Release. He injected them all with Hashirama's DNA, hoping one would survive." The white hair jonin's tone grew quieter, more serious. "None of them did. At least, that is what Orochimaru believed when he was caught and forced to flee the village."

Sakura's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

"Yeah," Kakashi continued. "Yamato was the lone survivor. He did not just survive, either. He inherited a stable form of Wood Release that no one else ever managed. That is why he is here. It is also why he does not use his real name. Yamato is his civilian codename, a cover identity for his ANBU status."

Sakura frowned. "Should we really be hearing all this?"

"It does not hurt to know," Hiruzen said calmly, taking another puff of his pipe. "You are a team. Trust begins with understanding."

Naruto hummed, eyes narrowing in thought. So Yamato's body accepted Hashirama's power because his soul had the potential for it… maybe his soul had been affected by the First's rune. The realization made something click in his mind.

"So, he is my Wood Release teacher for the next month?"

"For the next month, yes," Hiruzen confirmed. "He will be assisting you alongside me."

Sakura immediately spoke up, concern written all over her face. "Hokage-sama, is that not too much for him? He is already training with Kakashi, handling being the fourths' son, traveling to Lordran, working on fuinjutsu, and dealing with his… um, body modifications."

"Add restoring the Uzumaki clan to that list, learning the Adamantine Chains, and starting my own compound."

Sasuke exhaled through his nose. "I feel exhausted just hearing that."

"Do not worry," Naruto said, waving a hand. "I have got shadow clone training to help me out. It is not just one guy doing all that."

Sasuke leaned back and muttered, "I will say it again. The Shadow Clone Jutsu is the biggest load of crap I have ever seen."

"You are just jealous you cannot use the shadow clone training method."

"Hn."

Kakashi decided to cut in. "If you are that confident, why not start using the shadow clone scheme we talked about?"

"I thought we were going to wait until old man Hiruzen finalized the list of all Chunin Exam participants."

"We are, but Team Seven is already confirmed to enter. No point waiting."

Naruto thought about it for a second, then nodded. "Fair point."

Sasuke and Sakura leaned forward, curious. "Shadow clone scheme?"

Naruto explained the scheme of using weed to boost chakra regeneration for training with shadow clones.

"That…" Sakura began, blinking slowly, "is the dumbest smart thing I have ever heard."

"Let us do it," Sasuke said immediately, standing up with a rare flicker of enthusiasm. "Give me the weed."

"Say please."

"You are already giving it to me."

"Does not hurt to be polite."

Sasuke exhaled through his nose like a tea kettle about to boil. "Fine. Please give me the weed."

"The Hashirama."

Sakura blinked. "The what now?"

"That is the codename," Naruto said, completely straight-faced. "So nobody connects me to the weed. Think about it, Hashirama was known for his Wood Style. Perfect cover for a chakra boosting plant. Magic weed becomes Hashirama. It even sounds classy."

Sasuke closed his eyes for a long, painful moment, clearly deciding whether it was worth hitting his teammate or not. "Fine. Please give me the Hashirama."

"Add Supreme Handsome Gallant Knight Naruto-sama to that."

Sasuke looked one breath away from throwing a fireball at his face. Then, with terrifying calm, he turned to the sleeping lizard. "Oscar, Naruto is bullying me."

Oscar, who had been snoozing peacefully on a pile of freshly steamed towels, slowly lifted his head, glaring at Naruto with the quiet fury of a betrayed dragon.

"Hey, that is cheating, teme!" Naruto protested, tossing Sasuke a small pouch of crushed green blossom.

Sasuke caught it and walked out to the courtyard like a man on a holy mission.

"I should probably follow him," Sakura muttered.

"He will be fine," Naruto said, waving her off. "Besides, I wanted to talk to you about something important."

Sakura turned her full attention to him as Naruto began outlining his next grand plan of registering the Uzumaki clan, restoring its status in Konoha, and using the Chunin Exams to spread his name across the nations.

"Wow, Naruto, you really are planning something big here," Sakura said, smiling with equal parts admiration and worry.

"I presume you want Sakura and me to act as retainers for the newly revived Uzumaki clan?"

"I do not know. What do you think?"

Sakura leaned back on the tatami mat, tapping her chin in thought. "Honestly? It is a smart idea. If you are rebuilding the Uzumaki clan, you are going to need structure and people you can rely on. But…" She tilted her head slightly. "Why not ask Sasuke, too?"

"I do not want to disrespect him like that. The Uchiha are a proud clan. Asking him to be a retainer might make him feel like I am treating him as less than an equal. I would rather fight beside him than have him serve under me."

"That is actually… really thoughtful of you."

Naruto scratched his cheek awkwardly. "What can I say? I am growing up."

Before she could reply, a sound of quiet muttering came from across the room. Hiruzen was being tugged backward by a very determined Oscar, the little lizard gripping his robes and chirping until the Hokage sighed in defeat.

"Fine, fine," Hiruzen muttered, fumbling for a kettle of water. "I will make more steamed towels."

Naruto stifled a laugh before saying, "Hey, old man, what is the process for hiring retainers for my clan?"

"It is a formal procedure. You will need to submit a written petition to the Konoha Council stating your intent to establish retainers under the Uzumaki banner. Your chosen retainers must be registered shinobi in good standing with the village. Once the council approves, I will sign it, and the positions become official."

Naruto frowned. "So basically… paperwork."

"Paperwork," Hiruzen replied, "meet politics. You will be seeing a lot of each if you want to play the clan head game."

"Great. So what happens after that? Do I pay my retainers? Do I have to provide, like, health benefits? Do we get a clan logo? Matching jackets or wait, do retainers live with me? Because Sakura snores, and Kakashi reads questionable books."

"I do not snore."

"And my books are literature."

Hiruzen's chuckle broke through the bickering. "Retainers are not servants, Naruto. They are shinobi who pledge loyalty to your clan's cause. You will handle their personal pay and housing if they live on your land, and the village covers official missions. In essence, you will be running your own small unit within Konoha."

"So I am the boss, the accountant, and the one who gets blamed when things go wrong?"

Hiruzen nodded. "Welcome to adulthood."

Naruto slumped. "Man, adulthood sucks."

Kakashi flipped a page in his book. "You will fit right in, then."

Naruto looked to Sakura and Kakashi, his tone softening. "So what do you guys think? About being my retainers, I mean."

Sakura hesitated, looking down for a moment before saying, "I think… I want to do it. Not because I have to, but because I want to. My parents have always made my choices for me. If I do this, it is my decision. My first real step as an adult shinobi. I want to stand beside you as myself."

"Then I will be honored to have you with me, Sakura."

Kakashi finally looked up from his book, eye crinkling. "Guess I am in too."

Naruto blinked. "That is it? No lecture? No cryptic lesson wrapped in sarcasm?"

Kakashi shrugged. "You are my student. Someone has to make sure you do not accidentally do something stupid while chasing your dreams. Consider it… proactive damage control."

"More like babysitting," Sakura teased.

"Semantics."

Sakura glanced at the two of them. "Still… will it not be weird? We are still Team Seven, but now we would also be part of your clan. It is kind of a strange overlap."

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I have thought about that. But to me, this is not about hierarchy. It is about trust. Team Seven has always had my back. This just makes it official."

Sakura nodded. "Then I am in."

Kakashi gave a lazy salute. "And so am I."

Naruto grinned wide. "Alright then. Team Uzumaki is born."

Before anyone could reply, a loud voice shouted from the courtyard, "Naruto. The weed works."

Yamato entered the room at that exact moment, holding a rolled up parchment. "Hokage-sama, I have finished surveying the entire area. I also drafted an architectural layout for the proposed estate."

He unrolled the parchment across the table, revealing a beautifully detailed sketch.

The design was meticulous and clearly modeled after traditional estates. A central courtyard surrounded by wooden halls, sliding shoji doors, and a koi pond to the east that reflected the morning sun. There was even a small zen garden near the entrance, outlined with carefully drawn stones and trees, and a long veranda connecting the main residence to a smaller guest house. A torii gate marked the path from the main temple to the estate proper.

"Wow… this is incredible, Captain Yamato. Where did you learn to design something like this?"

"Architecture has always been a bit of a passion of mine. It started as a way to refine my control over Wood Release, but I came to appreciate the craft itself." Yamato glanced down at his blueprints, a hint of pride on his face. Realizing he had spoken more than usual, he cleared his throat softly. "Anyway, it is just a hobby."

"No need to be embarrassed," Sakura said. "It is an amazing hobby. Way more respectable than some people's."

"Who?"

"You know who, Kakashi sensei."

Naruto did not join in the banter. He was still staring at the blueprint. Something about it did not sit right with him. It was not bad. If anything, it was beautiful, but it felt too peaceful. Maybe it was his time in Lordran, surrounded by ruins and towering gothic cathedrals, but when he pictured his clan's home, it was not a quiet manor by a pond. It was a fortress that could weather centuries.

"What do you think?"

The little lizard stared at the paper, cocked his head, and shook it once.

"What is wrong with it?"

"No offense, Captain Yamato," Naruto said, raising his hands placatingly, "but I think I want something more castle like. Stone instead of wood. Something… that feels like it has been here forever."

"I can manage that. What era are you thinking?"

"Actually… I kind of want to build it myself. You know, make it my own."

Yamato's smile did not falter, but the tension around his eyes said otherwise. "I see. In that case, would you still like something small for now?"

"A small two story house connected to the temple sounds good to me."

Hiruzen nodded. "A wise choice. And what about your retainers? Will they be living with you as well?"

Naruto turned to look at Kakashi and Sakura. "I am still working on that. The Uzumaki clan is not even officially registered yet, and I do not know if my retainers would want to live here anyway."

Kakashi shrugged. "I am fine either way."

"I trust your judgment, Naruto. Whatever you decide, I will follow your lead." Sakura said after a moment of pause.

Naruto blinked. The words hung in the air longer than they should have.

For a moment, everything went quiet. He looked down at the blueprint again and it hit him. This was not just about him anymore. It was not about some cool fortress or a new home away from the villagers. This was about people, about the trust Sakura had just handed him without question, about Kakashi who followed despite never saying why, and about a clan that did not even exist yet but would bear his name.

"Then I will make sure it is a home worthy of everyone who believes in me."

Even Yamato could not help but smile at that.

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Coming out to the courtyard, they were greeted by the sight of Sasuke sprawled out on the grass, pale, drenched in sweat, and weakly chewing on some green blossom.

"Sasuke kun," Sakura gasped, rushing to his side. She knelt down, fanning him frantically. "What happened?"

"He is fine," Naruto said nonchalantly, nudging Sasuke's leg with his foot. "He just got a little too high on the green blossom's chakra regeneration and made way too many shadow clones at once."

The evidence was scattered all over the courtyard as more than a dozen Sasuke clones, each struggling to pop a rubber ball in their palms. Their grunts blended into a chorus, punctuated by the occasional hiss from Tora, who had been napping in a nearby tree and clearly did not appreciate the noise.

"What on earth are they doing?"

"Training for the Rasengan."

Hiruzen turned his head toward Kakashi with a slow, pointed look that said we are going to talk about you teaching Minato's jutsu to another student.

Kakashi gave a lazy shrug and subtly gestured with two fingers. Later.

Naruto grinned and patted Sasuke's shoulder. "Good luck with that, teme." Then he turned toward Yamato, who was finishing a long string of hand seals.

Wood Style: Four Pillar House Jutsu.

Chakra flowed into the ground like rippling water. The earth trembled as roots twisted upward, reshaping and hardening into beams, walls, and floors.

The building had a central courtyard encircled by open wooden halls and sliding shoji doors. A small zen garden rested near the entrance, bordered by smoothed stones and young pines. A long veranda stretched along the first floor, connecting the main residence to a smaller guest house. A single torii gate stood at the path leading from the temple to the new estate.

"It is perfect, dattebayo."

"Go," Kakashi said, smirking behind his mask.

Naruto did not need to be told twice. "Oscar, let us go."

He bolted toward the house at full speed, dragging the small lizard through the air like a waving banner. Inside, his footsteps echoed through the empty wooden halls. He moved from room to room. He peeked into what would be the kitchen, the guest room, and finally reached the upper floor where he could see the temple roof through an open gap in the wall.

Oscar climbed up to his shoulder, looking around with what could only be described as cautious approval.

Naruto grinned. "It is empty now, but I can already see it. Tables here, bookshelves there, a bed over by that door..."

"You will have to buy the doors yourself," Yamato called up from below, his voice carrying through the halls.

"Or," Naruto said, jumping down toward the others, "I can make them myself."

He held his hands apart, one glowing with earth chakra, the other with water chakra, and clapped them together dramatically.

Nothing happened.

Oscar blinked at him.

"Okay, maybe I will buy them," Naruto sighed. "Why did my Wood Style not even respond though?"

"You did not produce any wood natured chakra," Sasuke said as he analyzed Naruto's chakra flow. He did not get to enjoy his analysis for long as Sakura immediately bonked him on the head. "Do not use the Sharingan, idiot. You are draining your chakra reserves again."

"I am fine," Sasuke muttered, rubbing his temple. "The weed is fueling me."

Another bonk followed, harder this time.

"What am I doing wrong? I am using both elements at once."

Naruto turned toward Yamato, who looked thoughtful but uncertain.

"How did you do it the first time?" Hiruzen asked, stroking his beard. "Since your Wood Release functions differently. Try to recreate the same conditions."

Kakashi reached into his pouch and handed Naruto a chakra paper.

Naruto poured his chakra into it. As before, it split into multiple strips, some curling, some crumbling, others wetting and turning to ash all at once.

"Now we wait," Naruto said, remembering how it had taken a while before the tree appeared last time.

Twenty minutes passed in awkward silence.

Then Naruto's patience finally broke. "Why is it not working this time?"

"Maybe it was just a fluke," Sakura offered hesitantly.

"Do you still have the tree?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto nodded, reached into his inventory, and pulled out the strange archtree. It hit the ground with a heavy thunk, the texture somewhere between polished stone and petrified wood.

Yamato's eyes widened immediately as he felt his instincts scream at him.

Kakashi and Hiruzen began murmuring in low tones. The old Hokage's sharp eyes tracked every detail of the strange mineralized trunk as Kakashi explained his observations. Whatever Naruto had created, it was not normal Wood Release.

Sasuke despite his fatigue smirked faintly. "Do not worry, maybe it is something else. Maybe you have got a different release entirely like Scorch Release or something."

Naruto shot him a flat stare. "You are never letting that go, are you?"

Sakura, crouched beside the strange tree, ran her fingers along its surface. "He might be right though. Maybe it is a wood release but with a third element added to it. I do not know."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully, glancing at the adults. "So, did you find anything?"

"Hard to say," Kakashi admitted. "Every time I push chakra into it, the energy rebounds. It does not absorb or conduct rather it outright rejects it."

Sakura frowned. "How can a tree made from chakra resist chakra?"

Hiruzen did not answer immediately. He gripped a small branch, applied pressure, and after several seconds of strain, it snapped with a sound like breaking glass. The broken edge shimmered faintly, veins of mineral glinting beneath the surface like crystallized blood.

He frowned deeper. "I do not understand how something like this could exist. It is alive in form… but inorganic in substance."

"Blood," Naruto said suddenly.

Hiruzen blinked. "What?"

Oscar chirped, raising a tiny claw as if agreeing. Naruto pointed. "Oscar said something about blood."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly. "He is not wrong. You had dried blood on your hands after that rite of passage, remember?"

Sakura's face lit up with realization. "Right. Maybe your blood acts as a catalyst. It could be part of what makes your wood release behave differently."

Naruto flexed his hand. "Only one way to find out."

The kunai blade flashed once before he sliced across his palms. Warm blood welled up instantly, running down his fingers in thick crimson streaks.

He inhaled deeply, centering himself, then began to weave chakra; earth in one hand and water in the other.

The blood did not fall naturally.

Each drop hung suspended for a heartbeat, quivering in the air before turning darker. The red slowly dulled into a muted gray, then brightened again with a metallic sheen. The liquid rippled unnaturally, stretching and warping as the red hue was devoured by silver.

It was not blood anymore.

The quicksilver began to crawl across Naruto's skin, tracing along his veins like glowing serpents. The sound it made was faint but sickening like wet metal sliding against glass. Every pulse of his heart sent another wave of that metallic shimmer down his arm until it dripped to the earth.

When the first drop hit the ground, the courtyard trembled.

A low, thrumming hum filled the air as the soil rippled outward like disturbed water. The silver seeped into the earth, spreading in veins beneath the dirt. Then, with a shudder, the ground split open.

From the fracture, roots of obsidian and silver erupted upward, spiraling and coiling into one another. The formation grew with impossible speed, twisting and solidifying, shedding sparks of chakra light as it rose. Within seconds, a new Archtree stood before them.

The air around it hummed with a metallic resonance, vibrating through their bones.

Kakashi's Sharingan spun once. "I saw the chakra flow of earth and water merged first, forming the base structure. But then Yin and Yang chakra joined in. It was not just a fusion. It was harmony. Four elements, all stabilized around your blood."

Yamato stepped forward, his brow furrowed as he placed a hand on the trunk of the Archwood. "This is not like any Wood Release I have ever felt," he said slowly. "Wood Release has a warmth to it. It feels alive, natural, almost soothing like the world itself breathing with you." He closed his eyes, sensing the chakra deeper. His voice lowered. "But this… this feels different. It does not breathe with the world. It stands against it. It feels unmoving, absolute. Like a wall that nothing can surpass."

Hiruzen's expression hardened in thought, his pipe forgotten in his hand.

"Hokage sama," Sakura asked softly, "if Naruto's technique has four elements, what does that even make it?"

"To combine four natures perfectly especially when Yin and Yang are involved is something even the Sage of Six Paths only achieved in legend. Kekkei Genkai combine two natures. Kekkei Tota use three. But this…" Hiruzen turned toward Naruto, his tone thoughtful. "This is something new. A step beyond what we understand. A Kekkei Josho… the ascension of a bloodline."

Sasuke tilted his head, smirking faintly. "So nothing is ever normal with you, huh dobe?" He kicked at the dirt and looked at the Archwood. "Fine then. Call it what it is… your Archwood or Archtree Release."

Naruto did not respond. His gaze was distant, his thoughts spiraling. The world felt too quiet.

[Humanity: 10 → 9]

He swallowed hard, feeling something cold twist in his chest. His blood still shimmered faintly where it had dripped onto the dirt. "What does that mean?" he muttered under his breath.

If my Wood Release is tied to my blood, and my blood connects to my Humanity… does that mean this power is not chakra alone? Are dragons linked to Humanity somehow? Or is Humanity a resource like chakra, just older? Since Sakura has got Liquid Humanity too, could she use it? What happens if we run out and try to use wood release? What even is Humanity now?

His thoughts tangled in confusion and unease until he felt something small tap the top of his head.

Oscar looked up at him, beady eyes calm.

"Yeah, you are right. No need to freak out." Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, forcing a small smile. "First step is figuring out what I have got."

Oscar laid his head gently atop Naruto's hair as he let out a low, rhythmic trill.

Naruto's shoulders eased, the tension fading bit by bit as the eerie glow of the Archwood flickered in his eyes. Whatever this new power was… whatever it meant for him, for his Humanity… he was not facing it alone.

Oscar chirped once more, softer this time, like a promise.

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Author Note: Let us dig into the Q and A. This time we are diving into the messy, inconsistent world of chakra nature theory, Kekkei Genkai, and why I think the canon explanation kinda falls apart because a lack of information.

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1 – On Kekkei Genkai, Kekkei Tota, and Regular Shinobi

Let us start with the big one: elemental Kekkei Genkai. Canon describes them as the result of two chakra natures being combined simultaneously, something supposedly impossible for a normal shinobi unless they are born with the right bloodline.

That has always bothered me.

What does bloodline even mean here? Are we talking about genetics, epigenetics, chakra pathways, or some metaphysical imprint in DNA that tells your chakra, Hey, combine Fire and Wind into Scorch Release?

If chakra is just an energy that merges physical stamina and spiritual power, what exactly is being passed down?

And if elemental combination is just advanced manipulation of chakra ratios and nature transformation, why cannot any shinobi theoretically train themselves to do it with enough control and understanding?

This ties directly into the Naruto novels where Sasuke is shown performing a pseudo Ice Release by rapidly cooling his Water Release with Wind chakra. He even explains that it demands absurd levels of precision, control, and focus so much that almost no shinobi could ever pull it off consistently. And honestly, I love that example. It is human creativity at its finest. Pushing the boundaries of what is possible through intelligence, training, and stubbornness, not just because your great grandpa had a cool bloodline.

My biggest gripe with canon has always been the almost rigid insistence on bloodlines being the only way certain powers exist.

I am not against bloodlines, I actually love them.

They are iconic, full of history, tragedy, and style. But when the story implies that only bloodlines can achieve certain chakra combinations, it just feels lazy.

Because what, the first Ice Release user woke up one day and said, Oh, cool, I can combine two elements now, because of some random genetic mutation? No study, no refinement, no trial and error through generations of shinobi trying to do something new… just genetics? Please.

That is why I love Sasuke's pseudo Ice Release scene so much. It proves that mastery and discipline can recreate what genetics supposedly gatekeep. It is less about being born special and more about becoming exceptional.

So my stance is simple, especially for my fanfic. Kekkei Genkai are not genetic superpowers, they are inherited shortcuts. You are not born with the power to combine chakra, you are born with the instinct or imprint for how it is done.

That is why in DS Naruto, I take the stance that in theory, anyone can create a pseudo Kekkei Genkai with enough control, understanding, and the right creativity.

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2 – Why did you add the lore to Kekkei Tota?

In canon, it is supposed to be an even rarer mutation as three chakra natures combined instead of two. But here is the weird part. Mu and Onoki do not share a clan.

So if it is a bloodline, how does that work? Did the Dust Release gene skip family lines like a recessive trait? Or did Mu just teach Onoki how to do it? Because that second option changes everything.

If Mu could pass Dust Release to Onoki through instruction, then that means it is a learnable technique, not a genetic one. That implies that Kekkei Tota is an advanced formula of chakra manipulation as a fusion of three elements balanced perfectly through immense chakra control and experience.

That idea excites me far more than being born special.

I know some people argue that the bloodline part of Kekkei Tota implies Mu and Onoki might be distantly related, and honestly, sure. If you want to go with that interpretation in canon, fine. It makes a certain kind of sense within the series logic.

But personally, I find it way more interesting if they are not related at all.

I also deliberately headcanon that Mu and Onoki are not related. I find it more compelling to imagine a master and student lineage stretching across generations, refining technique through knowledge rather than blood. Every master adding one more step to the impossible equation until one day, it clicks.

A Kekkei Tota is born, not inherited.

A lineage of knowledge, not genetics. A tower built on the shoulders of teachers, not ancestors.

That is the kind of power fantasy that feels awesome.

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3 – What about the Naruto castle plotline?

It will happen in the future when Naruto learns how to control his wood release and makes his own castle. What do you think? Should Naruto do it on his own or get Yamato to make him a castle estate?

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4 – What is the deal with Naruto's Wood Release? Why does it need blood? And what does Humanity have to do with it?

Alright, one step at a time. To really break this down, I need to give you a bit of extra context. Both from Dark Souls lore and from classical alchemy.

So let us get into it.

Do you guys remember when Naruto fought the Gargoyles on the church rooftop, to explain why there is a second phase to that fight.

That is where the idea of Rebis comes in.

Rebis is an alchemical symbol that represents the perfect union of opposites. In classical alchemy, you have the Red King and the White Queen, the Sun and the Moon, Sulfur and Mercury, male and female. Rebis is the state where those two sides are no longer fighting each other but are merged into a single perfected being. A lot of old illustrations literally show Rebis as a single body with two heads, one male and one female, holding the sun and moon in each hand.

In alchemical terms, Rebis appears after the main stages of the Great Work. You start with nigredo as blackening, death, and decay, then albedo as whitening and purification, then citrinitas as yellowing and the dawning of inner light, and finally rubedo as reddening and completion. Rebis belongs to that final stage. It is the result of solve et coagula, dissolve and recombine. Break things apart, purify them, then fuse them into something new that did not exist before.

Now, Dark Souls is soaked in occult and alchemical vibes, so this fits the setting really well. My personal headcanon is that the entire Dark Souls cycle can be read as a twisted alchemical process. The Age of Fire and Age of Dark are not just fantasy eras. They are opposite states of the same world. Fire brings light, separation, ego, kingdoms, and identities. Dark brings stillness, humanity, and the collapse of those boundaries.

In that lens, everyone in Dark Souls is basically stuck arguing over which side should win. Keep the Fire going or let the Dark rise. But alchemy is not about picking one side. It is about transcending the duality. So my headcanon is that what comes after the Age of Dark is not just more nothing, it is a return to or evolution of the Age of Ancients, where the world was ruled by stone Archtrees and Everlasting Dragons.

To add to the evidence from the games that dragons are tied to the Dark, let us look at what the lore itself tells us.

The Dragon Scale description reads: A scale from the body of an ancient dragon. Offer to the dragon to bring your own flesh closer to that of the eternal ancient dragon. Touching an ancient dragon scale gives one a glimpse into the abyss. Believers in the dragon will rise above this petty corporeal existence.

That one line, Touching an ancient dragon scale gives one a glimpse into the abyss, is incredibly direct. It draws a clear connection between the dragons and the Dark itself.

Then we have figures like Darkstalker Kaathe and Kingseeker Frampt, both primordial serpents, both scheming toward the coming of the Age of Dark. And what are the serpents, canonically? Imperfect dragons.

The Covetous Gold Serpent Ring even spells it out: The serpent is an imperfect dragon and symbol of the Undead.

So what we are seeing is a consistent pattern of two primordial, imperfect dragons trying to usher in the Age of Dark, and an item description that directly links dragon scales to glimpses of the abyss. That is about as solid as it gets.

Now what does that mean for the lore?

The intro of Dark Souls 1 says that in the beginning there was no disparity. No heat or cold, no life or death. Just gray crags, Archtrees, and Everlasting Dragons. That is basically a Rebis state. It is unity before the split. Then the First Flame appears and suddenly there is contrast. Light and dark. Life and death. The Lords take the flame, build their empires, and the cycle of burning and fading begins.

So for my story, I like to imagine that both dragons and Archtrees are Rebis type entities that came out of the Dark as perfected fusions of opposing forces. They are not good or evil, they are what you get when the world stops choosing sides and stabilizes in a new form. The Fire Age and Dark Age are just phases, like alchemical stages, and the true end point is something closer to that original state but changed by everything that happened between.

Now, the reason I bring this up is because I had the idea of using blood as the catalyst for Archtree Release as DS Naruto's version of wood style.

Why?

Because it fits perfectly within an occult framework and it is deeply alchemical. In alchemy, there is a concept called Mercury or Mercurius, and it is not just the metallic element we know today. It is a symbolic, metaphysical substance as the first matter, the primal chaos, the bridge between opposites.

To explain it simply: alchemy treats the beginning of existence like what we might call the Big Bang as a moment of separation from the Prima Materia, or first matter. Before that split, everything existed in one undifferentiated form: dark, formless, and fluid. This is often described as Mercury, the Void, or Water, depending on the text or tradition.

Mercury, in alchemical symbolism, is not quite solid, not quite liquid, not quite spiritual, not quite physical. It is everything at once as the chaos that gives birth to form. That is why alchemists saw Mercury as the key to transmutation. It was the substance that allowed change, the living bridge between spirit and matter.

Now, if you apply that lens to Dark Souls, you start seeing these Mercuries everywhere.

The Void or Abyss in Dark Souls 1, where Manus and Humanity originate, represents the dark chaos, the shadow side of the soul.

The Deep in Dark Souls 3 is a corrupted, stagnant form of water that represents the second aspect of that same chaos, the heavy, sinking darkness.

And in Bloodborne, the concept of Mercury appears more directly through the Quick Silver Blood, the substance that links humanity, divinity, and madness.

So, connecting this back to Naruto and the Archtree Release, the idea of using blood makes perfect sense. Blood, after all, is life essence but also the one thing that connects every being physically and spiritually.

If Naruto were to use the Mercury within his blood to create, he would be using his own life essence to manifest a Rebis like creation.

And since we have already established that dragons and Archtrees are both Rebis forms, the union of opposites born from darkness, this aligns perfectly with the lore. Both represent permanence and transcendence as beings that escaped the cycle of Fire and Dark. The dragons embody balance of eternal, unchanging, neither alive nor dead. The Archtrees are the vessels of that balance, the pillars of the world that emerged from the same primordial dark.

In a way, Naruto using his blood as Mercury to create Archtrees is him re enacting the alchemical process itself. He becomes the alchemist and the crucible. His blood fuses with Yin as the spiritual and Yang as the elemental, forming a perfect Rebis, the living Archtree.

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5 – What is the link between Humanity and Naruto's Archtree Release?

The Dark Soul was shattered into countless fragments of Humanity, and each of those fragments carries a spark of the abyss, raw and unrefined potential born from the Dark itself. My theory for DS Naruto is that his Archtree Release draws on this same principle.

Naruto's blood acts as a medium. When he infuses Humanity into it, the essence transforms into something closer to quicksilver, a substance often seen in alchemy as a symbol of the soul, fluid, reflective, and unstable. That mercury becomes the bridge between his chakra and the primal force of creation tied to the Archtrees. So every time Naruto uses Archtree Release, he is basically burning a piece of his Humanity to shape the world, which limits how often he can use it.

Now, I know some of you might groan and say, Why add a limitation to such a cool power up? But here is the thing, Wood Release is already broken in canon. Hashirama became the strongest shinobi of his time because of it. If DS Naruto had unrestricted access to something even stronger, why would he ever bother with his other abilities? Why use fire, wind, pyromancy, miracles, weapons, anything, when he could just spam god tier trees?

That is exactly what I wanted to avoid. My version of Naruto is meant to be a versatile fighter, a jack of all trades who uses spears, shields, pyromancy, miracles, and now Archtree Release as part of his arsenal. The blood limitation grounds it in both logic and lore.

It also gives me a clear line to build on for the future. When Naruto eventually faces the Abyss or encounters Manus in Lordran, he will learn to master the Dark and refine his Humanity, finally gaining full control over Archtree Release. The restriction is not a weakness, it is a milestone on his path to evolution.

If you do not like the limitation, that is fine, but trust me, it is there for a reason, and it is going to pay off later.

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6 – What is Kekkei Jōshō?

Let us go over the basics first.

Kekkei Genkai literally means Bloodline Limit. It is the fusion of two chakra natures, like Fire plus Earth equals Lava Release.

Kekkei Tōta is the next step up, meaning Advanced Bloodline, combining three chakra natures. The best example is Dust Release, used by Mū and Ōnoki.

Truth Seeking Orbs mix five elements plus Yin and Yang, making them essentially the peak of chakra manipulation.

So what about a combination of four elements?

That is what I call Kekkei Jōshō, meaning Transcendent Bloodline. It represents a step beyond Kekkei Tōta, not just in number but in balance.

Naruto's Archtree or Archwood Release is the perfect example, a mixture of four chakra elements working in harmony, centered around his blood and Humanity. It is not just evolution through genetics but through transcendence, a fusion of chakra, soul, and will.

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Question for you all: What should I officially name Naruto's version? Archwood Release. Archtree Release. Or just keep calling it Wood Release for convenience?

Let me know what you think in the comments.

That's it for this Q&A!

As always, let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Until next time... Do not go hollow, my friend.

-Adam