Naruto: I am Uchiha Seiryu

"Aren't you worried those toads will trick the kid?" Kakashi asked, still concerned.

"The jutsu and summons he gets from Mount Myoboku are advantages we can't give him. As for those toads tricking him?" Seiryu listened to Naruto's excited yells from the bathroom and smiled helplessly. "Even if he gets fooled, the toads can't influence the village's future through him."

"Or… are you thinking of letting him inherit the Fourth Hokage's political resources?" Seiryu shook his head with a smile.

Kakashi fell silent and shook his head. He had considered that, but after almost a year of Naruto living with him, he understood Naruto's nature—he hadn't inherited any of Minato's cunning, only Kushina's brashness.

With Naruto's temperament, pushing him down that path would only lead to suffering.

"At this rate, raising Naruto's future son might be more reliable than forcing Naruto himself down that road," Kakashi thought.

"These kids aren't like us. They have more choices," Seiryu said with emotion.

Soon, Naruto returned, happily carrying a bunch of water balloons. Seiryu sealed them in a scroll and, with Kakashi and Naruto, headed to the training ground.

Seiryu hadn't systematically learned the Rasengan, but his chakra control far exceeded the basics needed. Kakashi had mastered it early, but it didn't fit his fighting style so he rarely used it.

Before Naruto's unique spin on the technique, Rasengan was developed by the Fourth Hokage as a counter against heavily defended enemies; its main benefit was being a seal-less, instant attack, perfect for a speedster like Minato.

Naruto's version, using it as a finishing move, was only possible because of his massive chakra reserves—others would burn out quickly.

At the training ground, Kakashi explained the Rasengan's theory, then demonstrated bursting a water balloon with chakra rotation.

Naruto eagerly tried, but under Seiryu and Kakashi's gaze, his smile turned serious, then his face reddened, until finally he just squeezed the balloon until it burst.

"Naruto, you're supposed to break it with chakra rotation, not by squeezing it," Kakashi reminded.

"This jutsu is hard," Naruto said, shaking water from his hands.

"Try a different approach," Seiryu suggested. "If you can't manage the rotation alone, try with three people."

"Three people?" Naruto said, then his eyes lit up. "Right! If I can't do it alone, three of me can!"

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" After making the signs, Naruto summoned two clones, and with their help, managed to burst the water balloon.

Kakashi was dumbfounded—he hadn't expected that kind of shortcut.

"Sensei, what's next?" Naruto asked, excited.

"First, master bursting the water balloon without clones," Seiryu said. "I told you this method so you'd remember the feeling, not to rely on it. If you need tricks for every step, you'll never truly learn the jutsu."

"Okay." Naruto nodded, reaching for another balloon—then he froze.

After a moment, he looked at Seiryu, confused. "Sensei, the big fox in my belly says this is pointless. It says I should become its disciple and it'll teach me something even stronger."

"Don't listen to it. What does a fox know about jutsu?" Seiryu answered.

As Seiryu finished, Naruto's chakra became chaotic and his clones vanished. The Nine-Tails was clearly angry at being dismissed.

"What did it say?" Seiryu asked, casually helping Naruto stabilize his chakra.

"Uh… well…" From Naruto's hesitant expression, the Nine-Tails' language was probably rather foul.

But Seiryu didn't care. "Just a powerless tantrum from an unlucky beast. If it was so tough, would Hashirama Senju have caught it? All it can offer is the Tailed Beast Bomb, but aside from brute force, can it compare to Rasengan? Even aliens learn Rasengan after getting beaten, but Tailed Beast Bombs are already outdated by then."

…

While Seiryu and Kakashi trained Naruto, in the Hokage building's meeting room, Iwata Zeki paced anxiously.

"Elder Fugaku, do you know when the Hokage will return?" After a while, Iwata Zeki couldn't help but ask.

"Please be patient, Mr. Iwata. The Hokage is busy—this concerns the safety of our jinchūriki and tailed beast. I hope you understand," Fugaku replied expressionlessly.

"My apologies," Iwata Zeki sighed, growing more anxious.

Konoha was being so honest—not only sending their third-in-command to receive him, but also revealing the jinchūriki sealing issue as a secret. He really couldn't fault them.

Why did it have to be today? Iwata Zeki thought anxiously, forcing himself to stay calm.

Twenty minutes later, an Anbu burst in.

"Elder Fugaku, urgent report! Ten minutes ago, Earth Country's ninja army attacked the border of the Land of Waterfall. Their troops suffered heavy losses."

"What?" Fugaku hadn't responded yet before Iwata Zeki rushed forward, eyes bloodshot.

"Please remain calm, Mr. Iwata." Fugaku quietly dismissed the Anbu, then attempted to reassure him.

But Iwata Zeki was already panicking. Sitting calmly in the meeting room was the last of his composure.

"Mr. Iwata, sorry to keep you waiting." About ten minutes later, Seiryu finished training Naruto and finally arrived. Seeing Iwata Zeki, he spoke first.

"Hokage?" Iwata Zeki looked up, hope filling his bloodshot eyes. He grabbed Seiryu's hand. "Please, Konoha must help Takigakure!"

"Why do you say that, Mr. Iwata? What's happened?" Seiryu feigned confusion.

"Hokage-sama, we just received word that Iwagakure attacked the Land of Waterfall's border twenty minutes ago," Fugaku explained.

"What?" Seiryu exclaimed in shock. "Onoki actually dared to start a war?"

"Hokage, please save our Land of Waterfall!" Iwata Zeki pleaded, having lost all composure. Konoha and the Land of Fire were now their only hope.

"Don't worry, Konoha will not stand idly by," Seiryu reassured Iwata Zeki, then turned to Fugaku. "Elder Fugaku, issue a statement to the shinobi world: Konoha strongly condemns Iwagakure's actions, which disregard peace!"