In the silent passage, the only sound was the drip of water.
Even Chu Ran's footsteps were noiseless. Though the passage seemed short, it sent a chill through him.
The ankle-deep water pooling on the floor added an eerie atmosphere.
Buzz!
As he stepped out of the passage, ripples spread beneath Chu Ran's feet.
Before him stood a massive cage.
Within it, a pair of crimson slit-pupil eyes glowed—beastly eyes.
A colossal figure gradually emerged.
This was Kurama, the Nine-Tails Demon Fox, one of the nine tailed beasts.
"Naruto Uzumaki, come here quickly."
"Help me open this gate, and I'll grant you power to defeat Sasuke Uchiha."
"Then, everyone will acknowledge you."
Kurama, seeing Chu Ran's sudden arrival, couldn't hide a flicker of glee.
But he didn't realize the person before him wasn't Naruto—it was Chu Ran, disguised with the Transformation Technique.
At this stage, no one understood Naruto better than Chu Ran, except perhaps Kurama.
Kurama knew exactly what Naruto craved. As a six-year-old child, he was easily swayed by the promise of power and the fulfillment of his wishes.
Unfortunately for Kurama, the person before him wasn't Naruto.
Chu Ran merely smirked at Kurama's temptation.
[Really? Can you actually help me?]
Chu Ran's face lit up with feigned excitement, taking a few eager steps forward.
His act mimicked someone meeting Kurama for the first time.
"Of course. I'm the one who understands you best in this world."
"I'm a gift left to you by your parents. Won't you help me now?"
"If you do, I'll tell you everything about your parents."
A glint flashed in Kurama's eyes, as if he saw hope.
He pressed on with his persuasion, his desire for freedom growing as Chu Ran drew closer.
But before Chu Ran could touch the seal, dozens of golden chains erupted from behind him.
They surged toward Kurama, swiftly binding him tightly.
The Uzumaki clan's unique sealing technique, Adamantine Sealing Chains, was Kurama's recurring nightmare.
This very technique had sealed him time and again in the past.
Seeing the golden chains, Kurama's eyes blazed with fury. He realized he'd been tricked by this kid.
Roar!
His enraged roars echoed through the chamber. As Kurama struggled, the pooled water churned violently.
But no matter how he thrashed, the Adamantine Sealing Chains held him fast.
"Adamantine Sealing Chains! How could a brat like you learn this?!"
"This technique is exclusive to those with the purest Uzumaki bloodline!"
"Damn you, you little punk!"
Kurama's heart seethed with rage and resentment as he roared at Chu Ran.
He was both shocked and furious—this technique dredged up painful memories.
He'd thought a new Jinchuriki meant a chance at freedom.
To be bound by a mere child, the mightiest tailed beast in the ninja world—it was a humiliating disgrace.
Yet, despite his fury, he couldn't believe Naruto could wield this sealing technique.
Only those with the purest Uzumaki bloodline, marked by red hair, could use it—and Naruto clearly didn't fit.
[Settle down. Your chakra is indeed powerful.]
[But if you won't cooperate, you're more trouble than you're worth.]
[So, you'll have to bear with this.]
Chu Ran's lips curved into a faint smile. Without releasing the sealing technique, he turned to leave, letting the Adamantine Sealing Chains bind Kurama.
He had no plans to undo the chains anytime soon. Naruto's potential had been hampered by the Nine-Tails' chakra.
Chakra control is critical for ninjas. Relying on sheer quantity without mastery is foolish.
This was why, in the original Naruto story, Naruto was an underachiever.
As the golden chains faded from Chu Ran's body, he headed out.
"How is that possible?! How can you break free of the Adamantine Chains?"
Kurama, seeing the chains dissolve from Chu Ran, was stunned.
Yet he remained unable to escape his own bindings.
Chu Ran's Adamantine Sealing Chains were top-tier. He didn't need to stay nearby—as long as he infused enough chakra, the chains would persist.
Chu Ran only needed to periodically return to replenish the chakra.
With a wave over his shoulder, Chu Ran vanished into the passage.
…
Meanwhile, back home, Naruto showered and lay in bed.
Unaware of the changes within him, he only noticed that the chakra he once struggled to control now flowed clearly, almost instinctively.
But the day's events left him too drained to dwell on it.
Lying quietly, he began to ponder.
Under Chu Ran's subtle hints and subconscious nudging, Naruto was now fixated on his parents.
His stubborn nature made uncovering his origins his top priority.
But, soaked from the rain and exhausted, he fell asleep against his pillow.
The next morning, Naruto headed straight to the library.
He needed to investigate why he was called a demon fox.
Why had the Uzumaki clan come to the Hidden Leaf? There had to be a connection.
And what tied the sacrifice of the Fourth Hokage and his wife, five years ago, to his own birth?
In a book of ninja world chronicles, Naruto found the answers he sought.
[The ninja world has nine tailed beasts, used as war weapons by the great ninja villages.]
[The Nine-Tails, a demon fox with nine tails, is exclusive to the Hidden Leaf.]
[The Jinchuriki is the one who controls the Nine-Tails, meaning…]
[Am I the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki? Is that why they call me a demon fox?]
(End of the Chapter)