Transcending Realities: A Journey to Reclaim Home

I could hear faint voices from downstairs.

"Kushina, are you not really worried about him and that Kyubi?" Mikoto-obasan asked, her tone laced with concern.

"It's not that I'm not worried," Mom replied with a gentle smile. "But Naruto has grown up. I've taught him well, and he's strong enough to make his own decisions now."

There was a pause before Mom added, "Oh, I almost forgot—did Sasuke tell you about meeting Itachi in Suna?"

"Yes," Mikoto-obasan replied, her voice tinged with both pride and sadness. "He told both me and Fugaku at the same time. Sasuke promised us he'd bring Itachi back to the village someday, just like before he fled."

Mom's smile softened as she reflected. "Our children have really grown, haven't they? I still see Naruto as the same little boy he was when he was a baby."

"Yes," Mikoto-obasan agreed warmly. "They've already grown, but in my heart, Sasuke is still the little boy who clung to my side."

A sudden realization struck Mom, and her tone shifted. "Ah, I completely forgot I need to prepare dinner for Naruto! Mikoto, are you staying for dinner, or are you heading back home?"

"I should be going, Kushina. Thank you, and take care," Mikoto-obasan said as she stood up to leave.

Mom saw her out and then headed to the kitchen to start cooking. Meanwhile, I was still chatting with Kurama in my room before finally heading to freshen up.

About half an hour later, Mom called out from downstairs. "Naruto, come down! Dinner is ready!"

"Wait a second, Mom! I'm coming!" I shouted back, quickly wrapping things up.

I rushed downstairs, with Kurama still perched on my shoulder, looking around curiously. The aroma of my mom's cooking filled the house, and my stomach growled loudly, making Kurama snicker.

"You get this excited over food? You're hopeless," Kurama teased.

"Hey, you'd get excited too if you tried my mom's cooking," I retorted, smirking.

As I entered the dining room, I saw the table filled with all my favorite dishes—ramen, rice balls, grilled fish, and even some dessert on the side. My mom smiled warmly as she set the last dish on the table.

"Come sit, Naruto. And Kurama, you're welcome to join too," she said, glancing at the small fox on my shoulder.

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "You're... inviting me to eat?"

"Of course! If you're going to be Naruto's partner, you're part of the family now," she replied with a grin.

I laughed, nudging Kurama. "See? Told you my mom's the best."

Kurama huffed but leaped down onto a small cushion my mom had placed near the table for him. "Don't think this means I'm getting soft," he muttered.

As we started eating, my mom asked, "Naruto, how was training today? You look exhausted."

"It was intense, Mom," I said between bites of ramen. "But I made a lot of progress. Kurama even came out to spar with me, and we had a good fight."

Kushina glanced at Kurama, who was quietly eating some grilled fish. "Well, it seems like you two are getting along better now. That's good to see."

Kurama paused and looked up at her. "Don't get the wrong idea, woman. The brat just happens to be tolerable... for now."

I laughed. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Kurama."

After dinner, I helped my mom clear the table while Kurama stretched out on his cushion, looking unusually content.

"Naruto," my mom said softly, "I'm proud of you. You've come a long way, and seeing you and Kurama working together... it reminds me of your dad. He'd be proud too."

I paused, feeling a lump in my throat, but managed a smile. "Thanks, Mom. I'll keep making you and Dad proud, I promise."

She ruffled my hair, her eyes glistening. "I know you will."

With that, I headed upstairs with Kurama, ready to rest and plan for the next steps in my journey. The bond with Kurama was just beginning, and I knew it would only grow stronger from here.

As the morning sun rose, I followed my usual routine—finishing up my chores, eating breakfast, and preparing to meet my friends. But before that, I had an important stop to make: a visit to Tsunade.

Entering the Hokage's office, I greeted her with a cheerful tone, "Hey, Tsuna! How are you doing?"

She glanced up, looking a bit drained. "I'm fine, Naruto," she replied, though her tone betrayed her exhaustion.

"Come on, Tsuna! It's morning—you should be bursting with energy. Show some life!" I teased.

With a faint smile that looked more forced than genuine, she replied, "Fine. How's this?"

"Better," I said with a grin. "Wait—I have something to show you."

I stepped back and activated my KCM (Kurama Chakra Mode). The air around us shifted dramatically as a golden aura surrounded me. The sheer force of the chakra pressure blew papers off her desk and swirled the atmosphere like a brewing storm.

Tsunade's eyes widened in awe. "Naruto... Did you manage to control the Kyubi's chakra?"

"Yes," I replied confidently, "and his name is Kurama, by the way."

"Oh, so the Tailed Beasts have names too?" she remarked, still taking in the sight.

"Yeah. So, how is it?" I asked, smirking as I powered down the form.

"You've grown even stronger. I can feel the immense power behind that form," she said, her tone a mix of pride and concern.

"Don't worry. This is just the starting stage," I assured her. "There's another form that's even stronger, but if I used it here, I don't think we could handle the consequences."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "There's another form?" she asked, standing and stepping closer to me as I let the aura fade completely.

Without warning, she wrapped her arms around me in a heartfelt hug. "Naruto, I don't know how I can ever thank you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have uncovered the truth about those four, and I wouldn't have had the chance to see my grandfathers again after all these years. Thank you so much."

"Hey, you don't need to thank me," I said softly, holding her close. "You're my women and my family. I'd do anything for you."

Leaning in, I kissed her deeply, pouring all my affection into that moment.

Tsuna froze for a moment, her eyes widening slightly at my sudden boldness. But then, to my surprise, she softened and leaned into the kiss, wrapping her arms around me briefly before pulling away with a small smirk.

"You've certainly grown in more ways than one, Naruto," she said teasingly, her golden eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Well, I've had some good teachers," I replied, grinning. "And besides, I meant every word. You're important to me, Tsuna. Always will be."

She shook her head with a chuckle. "You've really become quite the charmer, haven't you?"

"Only for the people I care about," I said, crossing my arms with a playful grin.

Tsuna smiled warmly, her earlier tiredness seeming to fade. "You really do have your father's charisma and your mother's stubbornness. It's no wonder you've managed to bring so many people together."

"That's just who I am," I replied confidently.

As the moment settled, Tsuna stepped back, returning to her desk but still smiling. "Alright, enough of that. I assume you didn't just come here to show off your new form and flirt with me."

"Well, partly," I admitted with a laugh. "But I also wanted to check if you needed help with anything. You looked pretty swamped earlier."

Tsuna sighed, gesturing to the mountain of paperwork on her desk. "It's just the usual Hokage workload. Nothing you'd want to deal with, trust me."

I tilted my head, feigning deep thought. "Hmm, maybe I should aim to become Hokage sooner than later and take that burden off your hands."

She laughed, shaking her head. "You're not ready for this kind of headache, kid. But one day, I have no doubt you'll make an incredible Hokage."

"Thanks, Tsuna," I said sincerely. "But for now, I'll let you handle the boring stuff. I've got friends and my other girls to meet."

"Go on, then," she said, waving me off with a smile. "And try not to get into too much trouble."

"No promises," I called out as I headed for the door, feeling a surge of confidence and determination.

As I left the office, Kurama's voice echoed in my mind.

"Did you seriously just kiss her in her office? You're fearless, I'll give you that."

"Hey, don't act like you weren't impressed," I shot back mentally.

Kurama snorted. "You're definitely something else, brat."

Grinning to myself, I headed off to find my friends, the warmth of Tsunade's embrace and her words still lingering with me.