Naruto's actions this time had completely earned the Nine-Tails' recognition.
But for Naruto, this was only the beginning.
Not only had he reorganized Taijutsu into what he now called the Martial Arts System, he also carried a bold idea in his heart—an idea to end the Ninja era itself.
From this point on, he no longer referred to Ninja as "Ninja." Instead, he called them Sorcerers.
Those who wielded techniques—Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, or even Taijutsu—would all be known as Sorcerers.
In Naruto's vision, Ninja would no longer be bound to the shadows, restricted to missions of assassination and espionage. Instead, their roles would expand. By deconstructing the identity of Ninja and reassembling it, he created the path of the Sorcerer.
Sorcerers could devote themselves to studying techniques not only for battle but for improving daily life. They could branch into combat sorcerers or life sorcerers—or even become multi-disciplinary. With specialization, research enthusiasm would flourish, and progress would no longer be shackled by the limits of the old Ninja system.
The techniques of Sorcerers, Naruto called Sorcery Formulas.
He also established a ranking system:
Apprentice Sorcerer – equivalent to Ninja Academy students.
Primary Sorcerer – comparable to Genin.
Intermediate Sorcerer – comparable to Chunin.
Advanced Sorcerer – Jonin level.
Top Sorcerer – Elite Jonin.
Master Sorcerer – comparable to Kage.
Grandmaster Sorcerer – surpassing Kage, equal to Super Shadow level.
Six Paths Sorcerer – the tentative highest tier, representing the realm of Sage of Six Paths and beyond.
The Martial Arts System had a similar progression.
Skin Refining → Apprentice.
Body Strengthening → Primary.
Bone Refining → Intermediate and Advanced.
Tendon Refining → Top.
Organ Refining → Master.
Natural Energy Refining → Grandmaster.
Six Paths Martial Artist → tentative peak.
At the Skin Refining stage, one was only at the level of an Academy student.
At Body Strengthening, the user cultivated both physique and blood-essence. This allowed martial artists to compete with Genin, who relied on Chakra.
Bone Refining marked a major leap. At this stage, all 206 bones of the body were tempered. In the early phase, only a fraction of bones might be strengthened, allowing comparison to Chunin.
But once the full set was completed and power condensed into one, the strength achieved was enough to terrify even Jonin.
At Tendon Refining, the human body could unleash explosive force comparable to Tsunade's monstrous strength, backed with durability far beyond the average Ninja. Even Ninjutsu could be shattered by a single blow—strength rivaling an Elite Jonin.
Organ Refining tempered the five organs, removing weaknesses from the body. A martial artist at this level could withstand Ninjutsu and wield power comparable to the Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode—reaching the realm of the Five Kage themselves.
Before this stage, even a strong martial artist could perish if exposed to extreme environments—for example, standing in flames might leave the organs vulnerable to inhaled heat. But once the organs were refined, such flaws vanished.
Beyond that lay the Grandmaster Stage, where one fused with Natural Energy. At this level, the martial artist could release external energy attacks and possessed a body rivaling works of divine craftsmanship—skin like jade, bones like steel, blood heavy as mercury. Their strikes could cleave mountains, split seas, and even grant flight through Natural Energy.
What Naruto found most astonishing was that Martial Arts cultivation extended one's lifespan. Chakra cultivation, by contrast, consumed cellular vitality. While Martial Arts strengthened the very foundation of life, refining qi and blood, Chakra gradually drained it. True longevity, in the Chakra system, only appeared at the Six Paths level.
And even then, Naruto reasoned, there were distinctions.
Take Ōtsutsuki Kaguya—her power was overwhelming, bolstered by consuming a God Tree fruit that absorbed nearly all Natural Energy from the Ninja World. Her combat instincts were lacking, but her near-immortality was undeniable. The Ōtsutsuki Clan's constant search for planets to cultivate Chakra fruit must be tied to their long-lived existence.
By that logic, Hagoromo—the Sage of Six Paths—should also have possessed incredible longevity. As the Ten-Tails' Jinchuriki, his life force should not have burned out so quickly. Naruto speculated that after sealing Kaguya, Hagoromo redistributed the Ten-Tails' Chakra back into the world.
If Natural Energy was the life force of the planet, then stripping it away could only invite disaster—natural calamities, destruction, perhaps even planetary collapse itself.
This made Naruto recall the God Tree Fruit from his past life. Its effect seemed strikingly similar—though not as violent, and leaving a sliver of leeway.
Perhaps this was also why the Sage of Six Paths eventually died. Most likely, it was for the sake of preserving the Ninja World.
The reason his soul remained in the Pure Land might also have been deliberate—a safeguard, a lingering plan against the eventual arrival of the Ōtsutsuki Clan. Even the reincarnations of Indra and Asura strongly resembled a contingency prepared by the Sage himself.
All of it… for the sake of resisting the Ōtsutsuki.
Take Gamamaru, the Great Toad Sage, who once stood beside Hagoromo. He still lives even now.
By comparison, the Sage of Six Paths, who was the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki, should not have died before a toad—or even the Tailed Beasts, who live countless years. The only explanation was that Hagoromo sacrificed his vitality for some greater purpose. In fact, it wouldn't even be surprising if one day he revived Naruto himself.
Such a man surely left contingencies.
After all, even Uchiha Madara had prepared several methods to guarantee his own resurrection. For the Sage of Six Paths to be outmaneuvered by Madara? Impossible.
The original Naruto from the story would never have thought this far ahead. But after years of training, his mind had changed. If he had a status panel, his "intelligence" attribute would show a far higher value than when he began his journey.
Translated into shinobi terms, it meant his spiritual power had strengthened.
What Naruto was doing now wasn't just reshaping the Ninja World—it was also a preparation for himself, for the future enemies he knew were coming.
And he would never underestimate those ancient monsters. Each was more cunning than the last.
The true old foxes of the shinobi world!
If one wanted to survive in such a chaotic era—no, to remain invincible in it—then foresight was essential. This was Naruto's goal.
He no longer intended to walk the same path as before.
In the original story, Naruto received Six Paths Sage Mode and automatically gained nine Truth-Seeking Balls. But looking closely, Naruto himself never showed any signs of creating them. The Truth-Seeking Balls he wielded were most likely granted by the Six Paths' Yang Power. Each one diminished with use—until they were gone.
That was also why Truth-Seeking Balls never appeared again in Boruto.
From what was recorded, there were four known ways to obtain Truth-Seeking Balls:
The Sage's Method – Using Yin–Yang Release as the base, and condensing them with high-purity Chakra containing both Yin–Yang and all five elemental attributes. This was Hagoromo's approach.
Bloodline Regression – As with Kaguya. Her Truth-Seeking Balls were far stronger, even capable of expanding into world-destroying spheres.
The Tenseigan – Ōtsutsuki Toneri, on the moon, condensed green Truth-Seeking Balls through the Tenseigan.
Becoming the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki – Like Uchiha Madara and Obito, gaining them naturally after merging with the Ten-Tails.
At present, Naruto possessed no knowledge of Yin–Yang Release. Bloodline Regression was too difficult, perhaps only possible through the God Tree Fruit itself. The Tenseigan was beyond ordinary reach. And while becoming the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki might be the most direct path, Naruto rejected that route. If the Ten-Tails were ever lost, he would likely fall from the Six Paths level entirely.
Fortunately, with his Heaven Rewards Diligence ability, Naruto could approach Yin–Yang Release and even Bloodline Regression with far greater ease than others.
And he also walked the Martial Arts path—an alternative that might not even require condensing Truth-Seeking Balls at all.
Whether such a path was possible, however… remained unknown.
...
TN:
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