Konoha: The Honored One

"Master Gojo, is this stupid brat really your student?" Katie asked incredulously, her tail twitching in disbelief. She couldn't fathom how Gojo, the most powerful ninja around, could be teaching someone so, well, clueless.

Gojo adjusted his signature sunglasses with a smirk. "Let's just say he's a work in progress. Now listen up, fish bones can help you absorb natural Chakra. Once you get the hang of it, you won't need to rely on these from Mount Mao anymore."

"Great, now let's eat!" Gojo announced with enthusiasm.

Naruto, sitting cross-legged, held up the fishbone suspiciously. "This stinks..." He pinched his nose and bit into it. Almost immediately, he gagged and retched. "Ugh, Gojo-sensei! This is worse than those military ration bars you made me eat!"

With a swift "crack," Gojo's hand sent Naruto flying into a nearby tree. Gojo grinned, showing no remorse. "What's that? I didn't hear you over the sound of your whining."

"You jerk..." Naruto muttered, rubbing his cheek. He paused, blinking. "Wait a second. It didn't hurt...!" he exclaimed, poking at his face.

Gojo leaned in, still smirking. "See? That's the power of natural energy. You're starting to get it."

Naruto's eyes lit up in understanding—or at least what he thought was understanding. "Ohhh, I get it now! This stuff makes you... tougher, right?"

"Sure, we'll go with that," Gojo said with a shrug, tossing a handful of fish bones at him. "Whenever you lose the natural energy, just chow down on one of these. And remember: close your eyes, relax your body, and let yourself blend into nature."

Naruto puffed out his chest. "Got it! I'll master Sage Mode in no time, just watch!" He crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and tried to focus.

Meanwhile, Gojo's gaze shifted to Naruto's frog-shaped wallet lying nearby. With the subtlety of a seasoned pickpocket, he picked it up and weighed it in his hand. "Well, well, what's this? Tuition payments?" he mused, grinning.

"Hey! That's my life savings!" Naruto yelled, snapping his eyes open just in time to see Gojo stash the wallet into his pocket.

"Relax, kid. I'm doing you a favor," Gojo said, waving him off. "You'd just spend it on ramen anyway."

Suddenly, Naruto's skin began to pale, white hair sprouting as his nails elongated into sharp claws. His breathing grew ragged, and his face twisted in panic. "W-What's happening?!"

WHACK! Katie's iron rod came down on Naruto's backside with a resounding thud.

"Ow! What the heck was that for?" Naruto yelped, clutching his aching rear.

"Idiot," Katie huffed, resting the rod on her shoulder. "If you can't control the natural energy, you'll end up turning into one of us—just another cat from Mount Mao."

Naruto's eyes widened. "You mean I'd grow ears and whiskers?"

"More like fur and paws," she deadpanned.

Naruto paled further, glancing between the fish bones and his frog wallet. He swallowed hard, then closed his eyes again, determined to focus despite the rising stakes.

Gojo chuckled to himself, watching the scene unfold. "Alright, he's all yours for now," he said to Katie. "Train him however you see fit. Feel free to rough him up a bit if he gets lazy."

"Hmph," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "You're such a sadist, Gojo."

Naruto, oblivious, sat cross-legged and tried to enter a meditative state once more. His body began to glow faintly, but the blood-red hue of the Nine Tails' Chakra soon overpowered the natural energy. The shift was so sudden that he gasped, his body jerking as the malicious energy flared up.

"What's this?" Katie's eyes widened as she backed away. "His Chakra... it's so vile!"

Gojo's expression shifted, his usually carefree demeanor replaced with a focused intensity. "The Nine Tails is rejecting natural energy, huh? What a stubborn fox." He crouched down, placing his hand on Naruto's stomach.

The next moment, Gojo's consciousness delved into the sealed space within Naruto's body.

The air was oppressive, a dark, foreboding realm where a river of blood-red Chakra flowed ominously. Behind thick iron bars stood the colossal form of the Nine Tails, its golden eyes glaring hatefully.

"Yo! Long time no see, fluffball," Gojo greeted cheerfully, standing casually with his hands in his pockets.

The Nine Tails snarled, slamming a massive paw against the bars. "Gojo!" it roared, its voice filled with venom. "You dare show your face here?!"

"What can I say? I missed you," Gojo quipped, his grin unshaken. "Anyway, I need you to chill out. My student's trying to learn something, and your tantrums aren't helping."

"Tantrums?!" the Nine Tails growled, its claws scraping against the bars. "If it weren't for these seals, I'd crush you!"

Gojo raised two fingers, a tiny orb of black energy forming between them. "Ah, ah, ah," he said, wagging a finger with his free hand. "Careful now. Don't make me use this."

The Nine Tails hesitated, its gaze narrowing. It could sense the destructive power radiating from the orb.

"You're lucky I'm in a good mood today," Gojo said, letting the orb dissolve harmlessly. "Now behave, or I'll have to seal you into something embarrassing. Like a stray dog."

The Nine Tails let out a frustrated growl but said nothing, its pride taking a visible hit. Gojo turned on his heel, waving as he left the sealed space.

Back in the real world, Naruto's body relaxed, the malicious Chakra subsiding. He slumped forward, falling asleep almost instantly.

"Phew," Katie said, exhaling in relief. "That could've gotten ugly."

Gojo stood, brushing imaginary dust off his coat. "Alright, I'm off. Take good care of him, okay? I'll be back to check on his progress."

"Sure, sure," she said, waving him off. "You're leaving the hard part to me, as usual."

Gojo smirked. "What can I say? Delegation is key. Later!"

With that, he vanished, leaving Katie to shake her head in exasperation. She looked down at the snoring Naruto and sighed. "This kid better not turn into a cat on my watch," she muttered.

Somewhere in the distance, Gojo reappeared, humming to himself as he popped a lollipop into his mouth. "Man, I'm good," he said with a grin. "Naruto'll be a Sage in no time. Probably."

Katie's voice echoed faintly. "Probably?!"