I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

Arriving in the Land of Whirlpools

The Flying Thunder God Technique is a space-time ninjutsu developed by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and perfected by Namikaze Minato. However, without precise calculations, teleporting blindly can result in materializing inside a solid object, such as stone.

The Dead Demon Consuming Seal is a forbidden sealing technique created by the Uzushiogakure clan, summoning the Shinigami to devour the user's and their enemy's soul, condemning them to eternal struggle in the afterlife.

Minato, fully aware of the dangers of these techniques, only intended to make lighthearted conversation with Naruto. However, humor never seemed to be his strong suit.

Noticing Naruto's disinterest, Minato sighed and gave a helpless smile. He could easily remove the seals on the Scroll of Seals, even forcibly deciphering them with his unparalleled Fūinjutsu skills in under half an hour.

But he refused to assist Naruto in this.

As a former Hokage, Minato understood the destructive potential of these forbidden jutsu. Naruto, despite his strength, lacked the full grasp of their consequences.

No matter how much Naruto had matured or how powerful he had become with the Dark Kurama Mode, he was still young. A true shinobi needed experience, wisdom, and restraint—something Naruto had yet to fully develop. When the time was right, Minato would teach him, but not yet.

Naruto, sensing Minato's reasoning, chose to ignore it.

The jutsu recorded in the Scroll of Seals were undeniably powerful, but they were only tools. With his current KCM (Kurama Chakra Mode), Naruto could already rival the Five Kage. His only real concern was being overwhelmed by multiple Kage-level opponents.

Yet, only a handful of factions in the shinobi world could muster such an army.

The next morning, as sunlight streamed through the carriage window, Naruto stretched, lifting the curtain. Beyond the bustling port city of the Land of Fire, the endless sea stretched before him. The salty breeze tickled his nose—an unfamiliar sensation.

Upon arrival, Naruto swiftly declined the caravan leader's invitation to rest. Under the wary eyes of the samurai guards, he disappeared into the crowded marketplace.

A few hours later, after purchasing half a month's worth of supplies and sealing them into a storage scroll, Naruto walked toward the docks, searching for a ship bound for the Land of Whirlpools.

Despite his Body Flicker Technique being fast, the island was several hundred kilometers away. Running across the sea for that long was out of the question—both physically and financially.

After questioning the dock master, Naruto learned that no merchant ships dared to approach the former Uzumaki territory. Since the fall of Uzushiogakure, the island had become a haven for rogue ninja and criminals, notorious for attacking passing ships. Over time, traders began avoiding it entirely.

Nowadays, only desperate outlaws and fearless fishermen ventured near the island.

After asking around, Naruto finally found a fisherman willing to take him—for an exorbitant fee. Paying in advance, he boarded the rickety fishing boat.

The old boatman, after checking the weather, started the small engine, guiding the boat into open waters.

As the sky and sea blurred into one endless horizon, boredom crept in. Naruto broke the silence, casually probing the boatman for information on the Land of Whirlpools.

At first, the old man hesitated. But under the weight of Naruto's well-placed ryo, he sighed and spoke.

"Uzushiogakure was destroyed more than 30 years ago," the boatman muttered. "Now, only drifters and missing-nin call it home."

"If you're not a shinobi, you'd best turn back."

Naruto smirked. "If it's so dangerous, why risk taking me there? You seem to know these waters very well."

The boatman's expression darkened. "You must be from a privileged clan. You wouldn't understand the struggles of common folk like us."

Naruto merely glanced at the man before shifting his focus inward, summoning Minato's presence within the sealed mindscape. Naruto was always eager to challenge the Fourth Hokage in a battle of wits.

After a pause, the boatman continued, bitterness in his tone.

"Back during the Great Ninja Wars, we ran from shinobi. Now, we run from corrupt officials and warlords. Heavy taxation is forcing people to desperate measures."

"If we had another choice, none of us would fish near that cursed land."

The old man trailed off, catching himself mid-sentence. With an awkward apology, he refocused on steering the boat through the rising waves.

Minato, long accustomed to Naruto's antics, remained silent, though his frown deepened.

The boatman's story was grim, but what bothered Minato more was Naruto's growing tendency to lecture him rather than the other way around. A father should guide his son—not the other way around.

After half a day of sailing, Naruto finally spotted the distant island. The Land of Whirlpools.

It was much larger than he had imagined—perfect for establishing a base in the future.

When they were only a few kilometers from shore, Naruto stopped the boatman. "No need to go further."

The old man looked at him, bewildered. "The sea's rough. Swimming that far will take hours, and if someone spots you, you'll be a sitting duck."

Naruto considered this, then nodded. "Fair enough. Why not just take me straight to your boss?"

The boatman's face tensed. "I don't know what you mean. I run this boat. If you're having second thoughts, we can return to port."

Naruto smirked. "I read once that there's little difference between an adventurer and a pirate. It wouldn't be strange if a fisherman dabbled in both trades—catching fish by day, kidnapping by night."

Stepping off the boat, Naruto walked onto the water, standing firm against the crashing waves.

The boatman exhaled sharply, his body stiffening.

"So, you're a shinobi…" the old man muttered. Then, with a weary chuckle, he added, "If I had known, I wouldn't have charged you at all. No need to push an old man around."

Naruto waved a hand. "It's not about intimidation. I just want intel on the island—especially about the rogue ninja hiding there."

The boatman's posture faltered slightly, his silhouette wavering in the salty breeze. Then, in a grim voice, he muttered:

"The peace never lasts, does it? It's only been a few years since the last war… and already the ninja villages are testing each other again."

Hearing this, Naruto's eyes narrowed. He activated Chakra Sensory, scanning the boatman's presence.

He had miscalculated.

The old man wasn't an ordinary fisherman. He had chakra—weaker than a Genin, but still present. More importantly, he lacked even the basic training for tree climbing or water-walking.

A survivor, perhaps? Or a former outcast?

Naruto's gaze flickered toward the island.

Landing here wouldn't be simple. A battle unlike any he had faced before was waiting for him.

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