Naruto: Limitless Sage

He felt a strange sensation—a moment of disorientation, as if he had leapt across time and space in the blink of an eye.

This wasn't mere speed.

This was something far beyond the Shunshin no Jutsu—the Body Flicker Technique—used by ordinary shinobi.

Shunshin is simple in principle: by focusing chakra into the soles of the feet, the user accelerates to extreme speeds, making them appear to teleport. But in reality, it's just fast movement.

The naked eye of an average shinobi can't keep up, which is why it looks like teleportation.

But the Flying Thunder God Technique (Hiraishin no Jutsu)—that's on another level entirely.

That's real space-time ninjutsu.

A pure jump across the fabric of space, from one point to another.

Its speed and execution far surpass any movement technique that relies on physical travel.

In the shinobi world, there's only one individual known to compete with the Flying Thunder God in raw speed—

The Raikage of Kumogakure.

By entering his Lightning Release Chakra Mode, he hyperactivates every cell in his body, enhancing his physical attributes to their limits.

That's how he moves at lightning speed—literally.

Only with such a technique can someone keep up with Hiraishin.

But.

The Lightning Chakra Mode comes with a steep price.

The chakra drain is immense. While he may momentarily match the speed of the Flying Thunder God, he can't maintain it in a prolonged fight.

And most crucially:

Lightning Chakra Mode can only match it.

It cannot surpass it.

The speed of the Flying Thunder God isn't fixed—it scales directly with the user's reaction time.

If your reactions are slow, then no matter how fast the jutsu is, you'll only teleport into death.

But if your reactions are inhuman?

The Flying Thunder God becomes virtually omnipotent.

In short:

The Flying Thunder God has no limit—only the user's reflexes do.

And Naruto...

Even in his base state, his honed mental state allows him to process information at an astonishing rate.

His Mind's Eye of Insight—a heightened perception technique he developed—combines enhanced sensory capabilities into one seamless awareness.

With it, Naruto can predict the future by several seconds.

This means that Naruto's reaction time isn't just fast—

It transcends time.

If Naruto were to fight using the Flying Thunder God while tapping into his Mind's Eye...

He would surpass both the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and his own father—the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.

He would wield the technique with calm precision.

Like dancing on the edge of a blade.

Even the Fourth Raikage, in full Lightning Chakra Mode, would stand no chance against Naruto in terms of speed.

At this moment—

Minato watched Naruto suddenly appear beside a tree, having teleported in an instant.

He was stunned.

It took him a second to process what had just happened.

And when it sank in, he couldn't help but question everything.

This kid...

Even the Flying Thunder God Technique—

He mastered it at a glance?!

Deep down, Minato had taken quiet pride in his signature technique. Even with a son as monstrous as Naruto, he had always held onto that one thing—Hiraishin—as his own domain.

As a father, as a former Hokage...

It was something to call his own.

But even that had now been effortlessly claimed by Naruto.

His pride collapsed in a single moment.

Minato gave a bitter smile and shook his head.

"Kushina... I finally understand how you felt," he muttered softly.

Perched atop the tree, Naruto saw his father's reaction.

He couldn't hear the words—he was too far away—but he read the expression easily.

His father was feeling that old sting of frustration.

Naruto chuckled.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared before Minato and grinned.

"Dad," he said cheerfully.

"You'll get used to it eventually."

Naruto's tone was playful—he was clearly enjoying himself.

Minato let out a helpless sigh.

"You're really something else," he muttered.

Still, as Naruto's father, he couldn't help but feel a little smug deep down.

After all...

If his son was awesome—

Then he must be awesome too.

He smirked silently to himself, stubborn optimism shining through.

Naruto, meanwhile, examined his mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Sure, it was fast. Sure, it was perfect.

But something about it still felt... incomplete.

No, not flawed—but limited.

What if, he wondered, he could use the Flying Thunder God without the need for a pre-placed marker?

What if he could cross space-time freely, without relying on seals?

The boost in mobility would be unimaginable.

The world would be his playground.

But therein lay the paradox.

The Flying Thunder God's core principle relies on the seal—the anchor.

Remove that, and the technique, as it stands, becomes unusable.

So for now, it was a tradeoff.

But Naruto's mind didn't stop.

His thoughts spun wildly.

And then—

He had an idea.

If the Flying Thunder God could be performed...

Why not elevate it to a higher spatial dimension?

Carve the Flying Thunder God into the Void

So then—

What if the Flying Thunder God Technique could be activated without relying on physical contact or a pre-placed mark?

Naruto immediately thought of the spatial mastery he had developed—his Tongtian ability, which allowed him to interact with space itself on a conceptual level.

But—

Another question emerged.

To manipulate space freely…

One must first be able to "see" it.

Everyone knows that we all exist in the same space—any child understands that. But in truth…

The human eye cannot actually perceive space itself.

Space is invisible, intangible—yet undeniably real.

Upon realizing this, Naruto understood:

If only there was a way to see into the dimension of space itself…

And at that very moment—

Something clicked.

He remembered his own Mind's Eye—a sensory ability forged from intense spiritual focus and layered perception.

Combined with his deepening understanding of the Flying Thunder God's spatial principles…

An epiphany bloomed.

You have attained profound insight into the spatial perception of the Flying Thunder God, merged with the heightened awareness of your ultimate mind...

You have awakened a transcendent ability:

"Daluo Cave Insight" – The Embodiment of Ultimate Perception!

With this new perception, Naruto could now see that which the naked eye never could.

He could see space itself.

At that moment, Naruto's mind, body, and spirit aligned.

He deduced and perfected a secret art—

The true Daluo Cave Insight.

One of the Eight Great Hidden Insights of the shinobi world.

The so-called Daluo Cave Insight—

A technique that fused one's physical sight, sensory perception, and spiritual insight into one divine-level awareness.

In this heightened state,

Even the invisible and intangible nature of space itself became visible.

Suddenly, Naruto's eyes snapped open.

His sky-blue irises shimmered with a mystical radiance—like gazing into the cosmos itself.

Nearby, Minato Namikaze stood silently, unable to comprehend what Naruto had just achieved in mere moments. But instinctively, he knew—

Now was not the time to interrupt.

And then Naruto looked at him.

Just one glance.

Minato felt a chill run down his spine—

As though Naruto had peered through his soul, unearthing secrets even Minato himself had buried.

He trembled.

Not out of fear…

But awe.

He had never seen perception at this level.

This was no longer just insight—

It was divinity.

And as Naruto smiled,

Minato knew.

His son had just transcended into something completely beyond human understanding.

"Dad," Naruto said calmly, his voice filled with joy.

"I've gained a new power."

Minato's heart filled with pride.

He smiled.

"Can I see it?" he asked, genuinely excited.

There was no jealousy in his voice—only the pure hope of a father wishing the best for his son.

To see him rise.

To see him soar.

Naruto nodded.

"Watch closely."

In the next moment—

The Tao itself seemed to ripple within Naruto's gaze.

He turned his eyes toward the treetop above the training field.

Through the power of Tongtian and the insight of Daluo Cave Insight, he saw the structure of space layered in folds, like fabric waiting to be stitched.

And then—

Right there, atop the canopy, he carved the Flying Thunder God Formula directly into space itself.

There was no medium.

No contact.

No seal tag.

Just raw spatial mastery.

Immediately after—

His sensory technique activated.

Naruto vanished.

He was no longer standing in front of Minato.

He vanished before Minato's eyes.

In the next moment—

Minato's gaze instinctively shifted to the bark where Naruto had previously marked the Flying Thunder God Formula.

But—

Naruto didn't reappear there.

Instead—

He materialized atop the treetop canopy, several meters away and in a completely different direction from where the marking had been placed.

"What!?"

Minato's eyes widened in disbelief.

He was certain that Naruto hadn't carved a seal over there—so how could he have used Flying Thunder God to appear at that location?

Up in the trees, Naruto stood on the canopy, wind brushing through his hair.

The first attempt—

A complete success.

He couldn't help but grin.

He turned and waved at his father with excitement.

"It worked, Dad!" he shouted gleefully.

Then—

With no hand seals, no visible movement, not even a flash—

Naruto teleported again.

In the blink of an eye, he reappeared right beside Minato.

This time, Minato was absolutely certain.

Naruto hadn't used a pre-placed seal.

And yet—

He had just moved with the same instantaneous precision as the Flying Thunder God Technique.

But how?

Even the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, the original creator of the jutsu, had considered the idea of removing the spatial formula altogether.

And Minato himself had experimented with such variations.

But they all ran into the same immovable wall:

Without a marking—without the technique's spatial anchor—it is impossible to perform the Flying Thunder God teleportation.

Even with all sorts of workarounds—seals, formulas, chakra signatures, summoning arrays—

Some form of the Flying Thunder God anchor was always required.

But what Naruto had just done…

Was something else entirely.

"Naruto, what did you just do!?" Minato asked, astonished.

Naruto could understand his father's shock.

After all, this wasn't a simple technique. It was a paradigm shift.

"I didn't use the standard Flying Thunder God Technique," Naruto explained, calm yet confident.

"What I used… doesn't rely on formulas anymore."

He paused, then continued.

"First, you need to have the Mind's Eye—a perception powerful enough to actually see space itself."

"Then, you need Tongtian, the ability to imprint your will directly into the fabric of space—without needing a medium."

"These two things together allow me to mark space itself, without any physical object or tag. I can engrave the teleportation coordinate straight into the void."

Minato listened in silence.

What Naruto was describing…

Even for him, it was unimaginable.

These weren't just advanced techniques.

They were godlike abilities.

Abilities that even he—or the Second Hokage—could never dream of mastering.

He could only marvel at what stood before him:

A young man, not even yet a full-grown adult, who had already stepped beyond the limits of shinobi understanding.

When I was his age, Minato thought to himself,

I couldn't even achieve a tenth of what he's doing now…

And yet, Naruto—

His son—

Had transcended all of them.

Minato couldn't help but sigh inwardly, a bittersweet smile on his face.

Pride.

A little frustration.

But above all—

Awe.

...

While Naruto and Team 7 were undergoing intense training, each member sharpening their individual strengths—

The time had finally come.

The Chūnin Exams of the year were about to begin.

That day, to finalize which Genin teams would be eligible to participate on behalf of the Hidden Leaf Village, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, summoned all the jōnin instructors to the Hokage Building.

Among them were the teachers of the current rookie teams:

Kakashi Hatake, leader of Team 7.

Kurenai Yūhi, leader of Team 8, which included Hinata Hyūga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame.

Asuma Sarutobi, leader of Team 10, comprised of Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, and Chōji Akimichi.

Other jōnin instructors who oversaw upperclassmen Genin teams—such as those from Class 1, Class 2, and beyond—were present as well.

The Third Hokage looked over the gathered group and spoke gravely:

"You all likely know why I've called this meeting."

"I now officially declare—"

"The Chūnin Joint Selection Exam will be held in seven days, starting on July 1st!"

Though many of the instructors had anticipated the announcement, the short notice—just one week—still came as a surprise.

Yet, no one openly objected.

Then Hiruzen continued:

"Now, I ask the jōnin instructors currently in charge of new Genin to step forward."

At his words, Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma stood up.

Only the three of them had been assigned to this year's rookie Genin teams—graduates from the most recent Ninja Academy class.

The rest of the jōnin were handling students who had graduated in previous years.

"Ah… Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma," Hiruzen said, pretending to act surprised. Then he asked plainly,

"So—do you believe your students are ready to take the exam?"

"As you know, the basic requirement is that they've completed at least eight D-rank or higher missions."

"Beyond that—it's your recommendation that matters."

Iruka Umino, one of the senior instructors at the Ninja Academy, was also present.

He couldn't help but furrow his brow.

To him, Naruto and Sasuke were still far too green.

Typically, Genin only participated in the Chūnin Exams after completing at least one major mission—something with real risk and importance.

Otherwise, sending them into the Exams too early was dangerous. Cruel, even.

But—

No one else in the room seemed to care about Iruka's concerns.

The Third Hokage turned to Kakashi.

"Let's hear from you first."

Kakashi replied with his usual calm:

"I, Kakashi Hatake, recommend Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, and Haruno Sakura of Team 7 to participate in the Chūnin Selection Exams."

Iruka was stunned.

But before he could fully process it, Kurenai and Asuma also spoke up, following Kakashi's lead.

They, too, nominated all three members of their teams for the exam.

Hiruzen was mildly surprised that all three rookie teams were being submitted at once.

But he didn't stop them.

He knew the potential hidden in this generation—especially Naruto and Sasuke.

If these two could prove themselves in the Exams, it would send a powerful message—not just to the Hidden Sand, who was co-hosting the event, but also to the other minor villages.

It would show that the Hidden Leaf remained strong. That the Will of Fire still burned bright.

Yes… Hiruzen thought. This is what I'm hoping for.

But—

Suddenly, a voice cut in.

"Please wait!"

Iruka stepped forward, face tense.

"Forgive me, Lord Hokage… but you'll ruin them!"

Despite his past bitterness toward Naruto—the so-called demon fox—

Iruka had always genuinely cared for his students.

Sasuke, Sakura, Shikamaru, Hinata… All of them were children he had taught from the start.

He couldn't stand the thought of them being thrust into such a brutal trial unprepared.

"They're excellent students, yes…"

"But they're too young."

"They need at least another year of experience before they face something like this!"

His voice was passionate. Desperate.

But around him, the other jōnin watched in silence—unmoved.

They didn't agree, nor did they argue.

Kakashi looked at Iruka, eyes calm beneath his forehead protector.

He understood Iruka's sentiment.

The desire to protect the next generation was noble.

But—

"Iruka," Kakashi said quietly, "peace in the Leaf doesn't mean peace in the world."

"How long do you think peace will last?"

"The time will come when these kids will have to fight. Whether we like it or not."

"And a ninja's strength isn't forged through shelter."

"It's forged in adversity."

...

TN:

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