Naruto once again stepped into the sealed space within his body.
The moment he arrived, he could already sense that the fox inside him was up to mischief again. This time, Kurama had deliberately interfered with his attempts to synchronize with Lord Fukasaku in order to enter Sage Mode.
That, Naruto decided, was absolutely unacceptable.
If he was going to carry the weight of his dreams and protect the village, he couldn't allow the Nine-Tails to keep playing tricks. He had to confront Kurama directly and find out what game the fox was playing this time.
The scenery inside the seal had shifted again rolling plains stretched beneath a clear blue sky, as though the world inside his spirit had tried to mimic the outside world.
And right in the middle of the meadow, a massive fox lounged lazily, its nine tails swishing from side to side. Kurama wasn't meditating or sleeping. No, the beast was sitting cross-legged, its attention fixed entirely on a television set, completely engrossed in a show.
Naruto snapped his fingers.
With a sharp pop, the screen flickered black and went silent.
Kurama's ears twitched. Its crimson eyes narrowed, and then the fox growled like a thunderstorm breaking across the sky. "Brat, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
Naruto crossed his arms and scowled right back. "No, the real question is, what are you doing? Lord Fukasaku was trying to help me train in Sage Mode, and you fought back against him. Care to explain why?"
The Nine-Tails snorted, raising its head high in disdain. All nine tails whipped furiously through the air, like a row of banners in a storm. "I hate toads. I'm not sharing space with one of them, not now, not ever!"
Its voice lowered into a growl. "Besides, you already have my chakra. Why waste your time learning senjutsu at all?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head, thoughtful but not backing down. "Yeah, your chakra helps a lot, but the Four Symbols Seal only lets me convert it slowly, bit by bit. Sage Mode boosts my strength instantly, way more than just relying on your chakra drip-feeding into me."
He knew enough about seals now to understand what was happening inside his body. Kurama's power was always there, leaking through the seal, but the process was slow and incomplete. If he wanted overwhelming strength on demand, Sage Mode was essential.
Kurama turned its muzzle away with a huff. "I'm not letting that toad set foot in here. End of story."
Naruto narrowed his eyes, his golden hair shimmering for an instant as chakra flared around him. With a sudden burst, his form shifted into a golden fox avatar, ears twitching and tails unfurling behind him. He grinned slyly.
"Kurama, don't tell me you're jealous."
The fox exploded into incomprehensible roars, the kind that blurred into garbled noise as though the universe itself censored them.
Naruto rubbed his head sheepishly. "Okay, okay, I get it. You don't want to admit it. But listen… whether you're jealous or not, I still need more power. Holding Sage Mode for longer is the only way forward right now."
Kurama's fangs clenched. That stupid brat how dare he twist things around like that? Him, jealous? Impossible. And yet, why did the accusation sting?
The fox let out a low growl. "You already surpass most shinobi alive. Even that old man, the Third Hokage, wouldn't be a match for you anymore. Why keep chasing after more strength?"
So Naruto told him. He told the Nine-Tails about his dream, about his vision of a world united no more endless wars, no more villages tearing each other apart.
Kurama's eyes narrowed as it repeated the words. "A united world…? Hah. You really are a naïve little brat."
Its tails lashed like whips. "Ever since the Warring States Era, bloodshed has never stopped. Hatred has been etched into every heart, passed down like a curse. I am hatred. I am malice. Do you think you can erase something so deeply woven into humanity?"
Naruto's eyes sharpened. His voice was steady, almost cold. "If hatred can't be erased, then time will erase the people who carry it. Once they're gone, the hatred goes with them."
Kurama's pupils shrank. For a moment, it looked almost rattled. "Don't tell me… you're planning to slaughter everyone alive?"
For once, the fox found itself shocked. He thought he was the embodiment of cruelty, but this boy's words was Naruto even darker than him?
Naruto shot him a glare. "What are you thinking? Of course not! I'm talking about patience. Time, Kurama. Time is stronger than anything else. If we create unity, if we give the world stability for a hundred years, maybe two hundred, the weight of hatred will weaken. Generations will pass, grudges will fade, and killing won't be anyone's first answer anymore."
His voice grew firm, resolute. "But if things stay the way they are, if every decade we fight another war, then hatred will only keep growing. People will never escape it."
The words lingered.
For the first time, Kurama said nothing. Its tails slowed. Its crimson eyes softened, contemplative. This boy this reckless, loudmouthed boy was speaking a truth even it had never considered.
Finally, Kurama rumbled, "And who's to say your unified world won't fall apart again?"
"I can't promise it won't," Naruto answered honestly. "People are complicated. Greed, love, anger they'll never disappear. But if I can protect peace for one hundred years, that's still better than this endless cycle of war. Even if it lasts only until my death, I'll make sure that peace is real while I'm alive."
Kurama stared at him, wide-eyed. "You… really think like this? You're just a kid, yet you're speaking like some ancient sage."
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Guess I picked up a few ideas from my dreams. But the rest? That's just me thinking it through."
Kurama narrowed its gaze. "If you've thought it through so clearly, then why tell me at all? You could just tighten the seal, shut me away, and I wouldn't be able to interfere with your Sage training."
"Because I don't want to shut you away," Naruto said simply.
Kurama froze.
Naruto stepped closer, meeting the beast's eyes without fear. "You're not some lifeless weapon. You're alive. You've made mistakes, sure, but you've already paid the price by being trapped here with me. Why would I punish you again for something that's already over?"
His voice softened. "You may be grumpy, but you're not mindless. You're not a monster. You're someone I can fight alongside a comrade."
The word comrade struck like lightning through Kurama's chest.
For centuries, everyone had called him a demon, a curse, a beast of destruction. No one not one person had ever called him that. Not until this boy.
The Nine-Tails stared at him, unable to speak. For the first time in a thousand years, its heart gave a small, reluctant thump.
Naruto clasped his hands together and gave a little bow. "So, Kurama… do you think you can make some space for Lord Fukasaku and me to train Sage Mode properly?"
The fox's lips curled into a sharp grin, fangs gleaming. "Space, huh? Brat, if it's power you want, then how about this instead? Do you dare to accept my power?"
Naruto blinked. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
"I want to see your so-called united world with my own eyes. I want to see if hatred truly fades with time. So here's my offer: take my chakra. Accept it, and maybe you'll gain the strength you seek. But know this my power could also consume you. You might end up as nothing more than my puppet."
A dark, tempting aura filled the air as crimson chakra began leaking from Kurama's body, flowing toward Naruto like molten fire. It pooled a short distance away, restrained by the edges of the seal, waiting for his permission.
Naruto frowned, unimpressed. "What, did watching TV rot your brain? You're acting like some big boss giving me a 'choose your destiny' speech. If you could've united the world with your power, you wouldn't be locked inside me right now."
Kurama froze, caught off guard.
The fox erupted into another series of incomprehensible roars, censored by the seal itself. Naruto winced and covered his ears.
Finally, Kurama growled, "You don't even understand the true meaning of being a jinchūriki."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Then why don't you enlighten me?"
Kurama's voice dropped low, solemn. "You humans think a jinchūriki is nothing more than a container, a prison holding a tailed beast's chakra. That's what they've told you, isn't it?"
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, that's what I was taught."
The fox's eyes glowed like embers in the dark. "But it's more than that. A jinchūriki isn't just a vessel. A true jinchūriki is someone who can wield a tailed beast's power as their own. When that bond is complete, when man and beast fight as one, the result isn't one plus one it's far greater. That's when you can be called a perfect jinchūriki."
Naruto's eyes widened. A chill ran down his spine, not from fear, but from the weight of the possibilities ahead.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Already hooked by this cosmic shinobi journey? Share what drew you in your words and reviews keep the flames of youth burning bright. And every 300 Power Stones will unlock a bonus chapter, pushing Naruto's path to the stars even faster!
Naruto's dream has only just begun, and the Unbound Evolution of his destiny is far from over. Stay with Naruto: Set a Goal, Conquer the Universe and reach beyond the horizon together!
[email protected]/_tey
Change @ to a