It happened in Chapter 672. Naruto Uzumaki, quite literally back from the dead, kicks a Truth-Seeker Orb and saves Might Guy from certain disintegration. He looks different. No orange pigment around the eyes. A golden glow that feels... heavier. This wasn't just another power-up. Honestly, it was the peak of power scaling in the entire franchise.
But even years after Naruto Shippuden wrapped, people still argue about how Six Paths Sage Mode actually works. Is it the same as the Nine Tails Chakra Mode? Does he still have it in Boruto? Why did the design change?
Most people confuse the visual design choices with the actual mechanics of the transformation. It’s messy. Masashi Kishimoto, the creator, didn't exactly hand out a technical manual during the Fourth Shinobi World War. He just gave us a guy who could suddenly fly and kick gods in the face.
The Confusion Between Six Paths Sage Mode and KCM
Let's get one thing straight immediately. Six Paths Sage Mode is a divine state given by Hagoromo Otsutsuki. It is not just "Sennin Mode but better."
When Naruto enters this state, the most distinct marker is his eyes. He gets the cross-like pupil—the vertical fox slit merged with the horizontal toad bar—but without the reddish-orange "makeup" around the eyelids. If you see the pigment, he's using standard Toad Sage Mode. If the skin around his eyes is clean but the pupils are crossed, he’s tapping into the Six Paths.
It’s a huge distinction.
Basically, this mode allows Naruto to grasp the nature of all things. He doesn't just "sense" chakra anymore. He understands the literal flow of the universe. This is how he was able to stabilize Might Guy’s life force after the Eight Gates. He didn't just heal him; he literally restored a fading spark of life using the Yin-Yang Release (Onmyōdon).
The confusion stems from the fact that Naruto almost always stacks his Nine Tails Chakra Mode (KCM) on top of it. Because he does this, fans started calling the whole glowing yellow form "Six Paths Sage Mode." Technically, that’s wrong. The glow is Kurama. The power to touch Truth-Seeker Orbs without dying? That’s the Six Paths.
Why the Truth-Seeker Orbs Disappeared
One of the biggest "plot holes" fans complain about is the disappearance of the Truth-Seeker Orbs (Gudōdama). Naruto started with nine. By the end of his fight with Sasuke at the Valley of the End, they were gone.
Here is the thing: Naruto cannot create more.
Unlike Kaguya, who could generate an Expansive Truth-Seeker Orb, Naruto’s orbs were a one-time gift. He used them as shields. He used them as platforms. He lost them in various dimensions or had them pinned down by Black Zetsu. Once they are destroyed or move too far from the user, they're gone for good. This is why in Boruto, despite still having access to the Six Paths chakra, he doesn't have the black spheres floating behind him. He simply ran out of ammo.
The Three Sources of the Power
You can’t just train your way into this. You can't sit under a waterfall for three weeks and hope for the best. To achieve Six Paths Sage Mode, Naruto needed three distinct ingredients that rarely exist in the same person at the same time.
- The Chakra of all nine Tailed Beasts: He needed a piece of everyone from Shukaku to Kurama. This turned him into a sort of "pseudo-Ten Tails" Jinchuriki.
- The Sage of Six Paths’ blessing: Hagoromo physically appeared in Naruto’s subconscious and gifted him the Six Paths Senjutsu.
- Perfect Sage Mastery: He already had the foundation from his training with the Toads on Mount Myoboku.
Without all three, you just get a different version of Sage Mode. Obito and Madara had something similar when they became the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, but their version was more "on-the-nose." Naruto’s is more refined. It’s more "human."
It's actually kinda wild when you think about it. Naruto is basically a walking battery for every ancient power in the series. This is why he could suddenly use Lava Release or Magnet Release. He wasn't just mimicking them; he was using the actual chakra of the beasts residing within him.
Did Naruto Lose It After the War?
This is the million-dollar question in the fandom. People see Naruto in the Boruto era and think he’s weaker. They see the different orange glow and assume he’s back to just using regular Kurama power.
He definitely still has it. Or at least, he did until the fight with Isshiki.
In the Boruto manga and anime, when Naruto goes all out, you still see those crossed pupils without the toad pigment. That is the definitive proof. The reason he looks different—more like a solid glowing cloak and less like the open jacket look from the war—is just an art style evolution. Or maybe it’s because he only has the chakra of the beasts now, rather than being their primary host in a war setting.
But the raw power? It remained. He used it to tank moon-splitting attacks in The Last: Naruto the Movie. He used it to trade blows with Momoshiki.
The nuance here is that Six Paths Sage Mode is exhausting. Even for Naruto. As Hokage, he’s rusty. He’s sitting behind a desk. He isn't the 17-year-old kid who just received a god-tier buff and had nothing to lose. He’s a dad with a mortgage and a village to run.
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The Science of Senjutsu
Standard Sage Mode uses natural energy from the atmosphere. You balance it with your internal physical and spiritual energy. It’s a 1:1:1 ratio. If you mess up, you turn into a stone statue.
Six Paths Sage Mode operates on a level that bypasses these limitations. Because the user is infused with the chakra of the Ten Tails (or all nine beasts), the "natural energy" isn't something they have to carefully balance anymore. They are part of nature itself.
It’s the difference between a swimmer holding their breath and a fish with gills.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Lore Buffs
If you're trying to win an argument on a forum or just want to understand the series better, keep these specific markers in mind:
- Check the Eyes: No pigment + crossed pupils = Six Paths Sage Mode. Pigment + crossed pupils = Toad Sage Mode + KCM.
- Flight is Key: One of the most underrated abilities of this mode is the ability to fly. If Naruto is hovering, he’s using Six Paths chakra.
- The "Feel" of the Chakra: Character's in the series describe his chakra as feeling like a sun. It isn't just "large," it’s qualitatively different.
- The Loss of the Orbs: Don't look for the black balls as a sign of the mode. They are a consumable resource. Their absence doesn't mean the mode is deactivated.
Understanding this power scaling helps make sense of why certain villains are threats and others aren't. When Naruto lost Kurama in the Boruto manga, he didn't just lose a friend; he lost the bridge that allowed him to access the chakra of the other eight beasts easily. Without that bridge, Six Paths Sage Mode as we know it is likely gone or severely neutered.
The peak of the Uzumaki power wasn't just about being loud or having a lot of clones. It was about being the point where all shinobi history converged into one golden, glowing protector.
To truly grasp the impact of this form, re-watch the fight against Kaguya. Notice how Naruto isn't just using Rasengans. He's using the environment. He's using the literal laws of physics—laws he couldn't even name a year prior—to seal a literal goddess. That is the essence of the Six Paths. It's the ultimate understanding.