What Is Baryon Mode? How Does Naruto Activate It? Does Naruto Die?

Right when it seemed that Isshiki Otsutsuki would get the better of Naruto and Sasuke, Kurama revealed a hidden trump card that ensured the shinobi victory over the Kara leader.

The Ultimate power-up of the whole franchise, the “Baryon mode”.Naruto used it in Episode 216 against Isshiki Otsutsuki.

It’s basically a fusion of Naruto and Kurama’s chakra to create new energy capable of eating away at Isshiki’s lifespan.

However it came with a hefty price of our beloved Nine-Tailed fox, Kurama’s life, since all of his chakra was drained for the Baryon mode instead of Naruto’s.

1. What Is Baryon Mode?

Baryon Mode is a type of power-up that combines Naruto’s chakra with Kurama’s, resulting in a unique energy formed through a process similar to nuclear fusion.

Kurama compares this process to how the sun generates energy by fusing subatomic particles known as Baryons, which likely inspired the technique’s name.

I. How does it work?

Baryon mode works by feeding off of Naruto and Kurama’s chakra and life span, unlike the normal Kurama mode or the Six Paths Sage Mode, which derives chakra from elsewhere.

Their chakra can not be replenished, and the transformation continues until either of their lives runs out.

Baryon Mode requires intense focus to maintain. The transformation leaves no room for unnecessary thoughts or movements since it consumes chakra at a much faster pace.

II.How is it activated?

Baryon Mode is activated when Kurama claps his palms together, followed by a billow of smoke, transforming Naruto’s appearance.

Naruto’s hair gets spikier and is raised at either end to resemble a fox’s ears. His Whisker markings get more apparent, and his eyes resemble Kuramas with red slits.

He even gains a cool chakra cape with a black swirl in the middle of his chest, connecting to the nine chakra tails.

The technique wears off only once either Naruto or Kurama’s chakra has been consumed entirely. A hefty price to pay, doncha think?

2. What Are The Abilities Of Baryon Mode?

Baryon Mode surpasses all of Naruto’s other transformations and is the most powerful power-up so far in terms of speed and power.

While Kurama Mode couldn’t lay a single scratch on Isshiki, even with Chakra Arms, Baryon Mode was able to land multiple hits and keep up with the Otsutsuki.

Baryon Mode made his reflexes even sharper than the Six Paths Sage mode, and he was able to dodge Isshiki’s attacks effortlessly and even caught his high-speed black rods, which not even the Sharingan could track.

The biggest drawback of this ability is that it significantly reduces the lifespan of the user and the fact that it wears off once either Naruto’s or Kurama’s chakra has been used up. This is why it’s considered a double-edged sword technique.

However, a bonus is that the energy created and emitted by Baryon Mode eats away at the lifespan of anyone it comes in contact with, including Otsutsuki.

With every blow, Naruto was able to shave off a sliver of Isshiki’s life, reducing it from about 20 hours to mere minutes.

3. Why did it kill Kurama?

Kurama, our beloved Nine-Tailed fox, died in Chapter 55 of the “Boruto: Naruto Next Generations” manga or episode 218 of Boruto because of the Baryon Mode.

It killed Kurama as it literally fed off of his Chakra and sucked the life out of him; as we know, Tailed Beasts are made of pure chakra, so technically, they can’t die.

However, Kurama’s chakra dried up as it was the very source of the Baryon mode. This also means that he will never be reborn, a hard pill to swallow, I know.

4. Does Naruto Survive Baryon Mode?

Yes, Naruto survives Baryon Mode and does not die as the transformation fed on Kurama’s chakra instead of Naruto’s.

While Jinchūriki usually die when their tailed beast is extracted, Naruto wasn’t harmed since Kurama’s chakra was used up.

5. What’s left of Naruto’s strength after Kurama?

Using the Baryon Mode was a big gamble of lives and led to Kuramas death, but our Hokage isn’t powerless now that he has lost his beloved beast.

He is a deft and powerful shinobi; even without Kurama’s chakra, he has an immense reserve of Chakra and can still use the Six Paths Sage Mode, Toad Sage Mode, Shadow clone Justsu Rasengan, Inferno Style Rasenshuriken and take down some really strong bad guys.

If you look at it theoretically, Naruto still has access to the rest of the Tailed Beast’s powers as he had been at the meeting point when he met the Sage of Six Paths with Sasuke.

If he wants to tap in and become their jinchuriki, it’s on him. However, I don’t think he will, as he shared an exceptional bond with Kurama.

6. About Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is written and illustrated by Mikio Ikemoto, and supervised by Masashi Kishimoto. It came into serialization in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in June 2016.

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is the series that follows the exploits of Naruto’s son, Boruto, during his academy days and further on.

The series follows the character development of Boruto and the looming evil that challenges the fate of him and his loved ones.