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The Naruto fandom was shocked by Kurama’s death during their fight against Isshiki Otsutsuki. While fans mourned the loss of the Seventh Hokage's closest friend and partner, many others were preoccupied with Naruto’s power level now that he can no longer use Kurama’s chakra.
The Boruto series is notorious for its ambiguous phrasing, which led many fans to believe that Kurama might have found a way to bestow Naruto with his power before dying, while others theorized that he might not have died at all.
Did Kurama give Naruto his powers before dying?
Kurama’s death
When Naruto and Sasuke’s combined efforts failed to stop Isshiki, the jinchuriki and Kurama decided to resort to activating the extremely powerful but equally risky Baryon Mode. The technique uses chakra as raw materials, converting it into energy in a manner similar to a nuclear fusion.
But while the Seventh Hokage thought that the technique was risky for both him and Kurama, in actuality, it only threatened Kurama’s existence. Kurama only revealed this to him when he was dying, with his chakra having been used up completely. In both the manga and the anime, Kurama was able to exist long enough to have a final conversation with his jinchuriki before fading away.
Many fans have compared this to the final fight at the end of the Shippuden anime, where Kurama gives what he says is the last of his chakra before seemingly falling asleep. This led to skepticism about whether Kurama really did die or if he would return again after having accumulated enough chakra. The theory seems plausible enough but does not make much sense considering Kurama’s own admission.
None of the Otsutsuki seen in the series yet have mind-reading powers, so there is no reason for Kurama to lie about his own demise. Naruto’s reaction, too, confirms Kurama’s death, as being a jinchuriki who has a strong bond with his Tailed Beast, he would be able to feel Kurama’s presence within him, even if the latter was not awake or actively interacting with him.
Does Naruto still have the Nine Tails’ chakra?
Some theories have surfaced, claiming that Kurama had enough time to seal some of his chakra into his jinchuriki before dying, which would enable him to still use Kurama’s chakra. This possibility was refuted by Kurama’s words, warning that he no longer has superhuman strength, so he has to be careful.
Fans were also confused by Kurama warning Naruto not to overdo it, or he would end up where the former was. This can be comparable to Kawaki telling Boruto that he would send him where he had sent the Seventh Hokage. While the euphemistic phrases may feel similar, the ambiguity does not work in this case. Kurama may be a Tailed Beast created out of the Ten-Tails, and thus a manifestation of pure chakra, but he is not an Otsutsuki.
Kurama would not have the Otsutsuki ability to manipulate space-time and dimension, in which case Kurama’s words meant that his jinchuriki would end up dead if he overexerted himself as before.
Another major issue with this theory is related to its inefficiency. Even if Kurama were to seal some of his chakra into his jinchuriki, it would have to be a minuscule amount because Baryon Mode, which is extremely difficult to maintain, used Kurama’s chakra as fuel. If Kurama tried to seal a large amount of his chakra into his jinchuriki, Baryon Mode would either be deactivated or run out even more quickly, risking defeat and death at Isshiki’s death.
Naruto might be able to use Tailed Beast chakra due to his bond with the other Tailed Beasts and absorbing a small part of them during the Fourth Ninja War. But it is unlikely that he would still be able to use Kurama’s chakra.
If some remnants of Kurama still exist within Naruto, he might appear in situations similar to when Minato and Kushina’s chakra sealed with him were triggered. But he will ultimately disappear once the chakra runs out. Kurama may be able to reincarnate being a beast made out of chakra, but there is no clue as to how long that might take.
