How Kurama Leads Naruto Astray

Actually, it wasn't hard to explain. 

As mentioned before, chakra is formed by combining mental energy and physical energy. Naruto never lacked physical energy, and mental energy plays a key role in a ninja's chakra control. 

A person's way of thinking affects their mental energy, which in turn influences their ability to control chakra. 

In other words, the more focused someone is, the better their chakra control becomes. 

Previously, Naruto couldn't fully master the Rasengan because he wasn't familiar enough with the technique. 

But another reason was that he always had too much on his mind. 

At the same time, Naruto wasn't just learning the Rasengan. 

He was also studying sealing techniques, the Yin Seal, and Adamantine Chains. 

This chaotic approach made him restless. 

Although Kurama's bet had helped him focus on the Rasengan to some extent, it hadn't been enough. 

Naruto's mind was completely blank now. At this moment, it was his instincts guiding his body. Driven by instinct, Naruto's control over chakra had reached an unprecedented level.

Let me give you an example. 

When you have an upset stomach, the more you focus on the pain, the harder it feels to hold it in. But if something distracts you and you leave control of your muscles to your instincts, you'll be surprised to find that you forget about the discomfort and can hold it much longer than expected. 

Even when it feels like you're at your limit, if you stop thinking about it, your instincts will take over, allowing your body to endure pain your mind can't handle. This gives you an unexpected level of control. 

That's why, even though you might have only held it in for a minute, it feels like forever when you finally reach the bathroom door—because you remembered the issue, and your instincts told you to let go. 

Naruto was in this kind of state. So rather than saying he "learned" the Rasengan, it would be more accurate to say his instincts allowed him to control chakra to form the Rasengan. 

Now was the time to refine that control. 

Jiraiya was still stunned, and inside the seal, Kurama immediately understood what was happening. Without hesitation, Kurama spoke up: 

"Naruto, try combining the Tailed Beast Bomb with the Rasengan." 

"Huh? Oh." 

Naruto, still dazed, instinctively stretched out his left hand. Holding the Rasengan in the center with both hands, crimson chakra began to surge from his body. 

The red and blue chakras started to merge. Just as the Rasengan stabilized, a surge of powerful chakra flooded into it, completely breaking its balance. At that moment, Naruto's instincts kicked in again. The two powerful chakras intertwined, fusing and growing even stronger. 

…Did you think Naruto's instincts would let him master the Tailed Beast Bomb Rasengan instantly? 

Nope. Instincts aren't almighty, and by now, Naruto had already regained his awareness. 

A loud "boom" echoed as the originally weak Rasengan exploded. The Tailed Beast Bomb inside detonated too, and the crimson chakra enveloped Naruto, forming the cloak of a demon fox. 

Yes, this fox cloak was a product of his instincts. 

"What a shame!" Kurama clicked his tongue, a hint of regret on his face. "Just a little more." 

"…A little more and I'd be dead, right?" Naruto stood in place, scowling (physically), his clothes hanging in tatters. His once golden hair was now charred black, making him look like a pitiful beggar. 

"Poof—" He coughed out a puff of black smoke, while tiny flames flickered on his explosion-scorched hair. 

Naruto slapped the flames out with his hand and shouted at Kurama in the sealed space: 

"Kurama! If you want to kill me, just say so! No need to mess around like this!" 

Kurama chuckled. "How can you call this messing with you? Don't I know the power of the Tailed Beast Bomb and Rasengan? At most, you'd end up in the hospital for a few days—you wouldn't die." 

"Besides, trading a few injuries for a Tailed Beast Bomb Rasengan is totally worth it." Kurama grinned knowingly. He understood the Rasengan fused with the Tailed Beast Bomb wasn't just an addition of the two—it was a super ninjutsu, rivaling the pinnacle of form and nature transformation, like the Rasenshuriken. 

Naruto's body, enhanced by Kurama's chakra and the Adamantine Sealing Chains, was steadily developing toward the level of Senju Hashirama. Though far from that yet, he could at least survive being hit by a Rasengan fused with an incomplete Tailed Beast Bomb. 

To be honest, that Rasengan wasn't all that powerful, and the Tailed Beast Bomb hadn't fully formed. Any decently strong ninja could tank it—it just looked dramatic. Naruto himself wasn't hurt at all. 

"Well, thanks so much," Naruto replied sarcastically. 

Kurama snickered. "You're welcome." 

Naruto plopped onto the ground, angrily fiddling with his clothes. The more he looked, the angrier he got. "Seriously, I was thinking of patching this up to wear again. Now it's all your fault—I've lost another piece of clothing." 

He didn't have many clothes to begin with. Most were cheap, bulk-bought outfits of the same style.

In the past, no clothing store was willing to sell clothes to him, so most of Naruto's outfits were directly ordered by Sarutobi Hiruzen. He would have his subordinates make seasonal clothes in the same style and give them to Naruto.

The fabric of these clothes was high-quality, and Naruto liked the design. If they were sold in a store, they wouldn't be cheap. Because of this, Naruto cherished them deeply.

Now that Sarutobi Hiruzen was gone, no one sent Naruto that kind of clothing anymore. Every time he lost one, it truly hurt him.

As he thought about it, Naruto felt a little upset. 

"Seriously, these clothes were given to me by Grandpa Hokage" he muttered.

Kurama shrugged. 

["f you ask me, your taste is pretty strange. I'll admit the outfit is classic, but can you tell me what's so great about it? If Auntie Fang hadn't ruined my sense of aesthetics over the years, do you think I'd actually find the clothes you wear good-looking?"

Naruto's love for orange didn't really have much to do with Auntie Fang, though. The main reason was Ultraman. 

"Orange battle suits are the best!"

Anyway, back to the point. Kurama looked at Naruto, who still seemed upset, and chuckled. 

"Congratulations on fully mastering the Rasengan" he said.

Naruto froze for a moment, then instinctively looked at his right hand before breaking into a silly grin. 

"Hehehe, now Sasuke can come train with me too!" he said.

"That's right" Kurama said with a sly smirk. 

"And congratulations on having such a pretty and adorable girl confess to you."

Naruto: "..."

He stood there completely stunned, his brain—which had only just started working again—suddenly shut down. Hinata's image popped into his head, replaying the moment from not long ago.

"On the street, in the morning light, the two of you leaning close, side by side. What a beautiful scene."

Kurama laughed mischievously.

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