Naruto struggled to make himself a bowl of instant noodles, but after taking a bite, he felt the taste was strange, not as good as the food he had at the orphanage.
"I'm still so hungry."
My stomach rumbled softly, reminding its owner that I wasn't full yet.
After thinking for two and a half seconds, Naruto took out a packet of instant noodles and continued eating.
After eating, I drank a glass of milk, and overall I felt about half full.
Naruto washed his face as usual, and then lay down on his new bed.
A feeling of unfamiliarity.
Children's thoughts are always varied, and Naruto's mind kept replaying the huge turning point that had happened that day.
"It's okay, Grandpa Dean will come to see me tomorrow."
"I want to become a fresh leaf to protect Grandpa Dean."
Wiping away the tears that had rolled down his cheeks, Naruto drifted off to sleep.
Meanwhile, inside the sealed space, Kurama was watching the scene in Naruto's mind, sneering disdainfully.
Over a thousand years, Kurama has witnessed countless human schemes and intrigues. If it weren't for the inherently evil Uchiha Madara who forcibly controlled it decades ago to fight his best friend Senju Hashirama, it would probably still be wandering freely in the wild.
The Nine-Tails grew angrier the more it thought about it. What did they mean by "I'm too strong"? So Hashirama Senju clapped his hands together and sealed it away.
It's alright, I'll destroy the village you built!
Hehehe, hehehehe!
"Sad, where is this place?"
A voice that made the Nine-Tails' body freeze instantly rang out in this sealed space.
"Hey, isn't this the Nine-Tails? Do you know where this is?"
Dark red armor, long black hair—yes, it's him, our vegetable—Thousand-Handed Hashira!
"Hashirama Senju!"
How did you get here?
"Aren't you already dead?"
Nine-Tails stiffly turned her gaze to that man, her waist already beginning to ache slightly.
"Hey, wait a minute, what's this?"
Hashirama did not answer Kurama's question, even though Kurama's voice was very loud.
Because a blue screen appeared in front of him.
Mission: Assist the prophesied child, Naruto Uzumaki, in his growth.
Reward: Achieve peace in the ninja world / Revive yourself.
Restriction: You cannot actively let outsiders know of your existence.
Note: Naruto is very pitiful. I hope that as the First Hokage and Naruto's elder, you can help him grow up well.
"Hmm, what is this?"
Hashirama stroked his chin, carefully examining the blue screen.
"Hey, keep your voice down."
The Nine-Tails next to him was making a bit too loud noise, so Hashirama called out to it, and then the Nine-Tails quieted down.
Damn it, my throat just won't let me speak!
Kurama lay down listlessly, looking at Hashirama Senju, who was gesturing and touching thin air.
Has he lost his mind?
An idea suddenly popped into Kurama's mind, but because Hashirama was outside the seal, Kurama couldn't directly test him.
"I see. So I'm currently inside the body of a Jinchuriki named Naruto Uzumaki."
Hashirama chopped one hand into the other, startling Kurama, who was hiding something.
After all, Kurama was genuinely afraid that if Hashirama had a moment of madness, several Myojinmon would be pressing down on his waist again.
"Uzumaki...a descendant of the Mito family?"
"Achieve peace in the ninja world? Does that mean war will break out again in the ninja world after I die?"
Hashirama looked dejected, saddened that the peace he had left behind had not been preserved.
"Alright! Then I'll stay here and see what kind of person this so-called Child of Prophecy will become."
Hashirama made his decision with a smile, then looked at Kurama, who was lying motionless to the side.
"Hey, Nine-Tails, why are you lying down?"
"Are you too tired?"
Concerned words turned into knives piercing the non-existent heart of the Nine-Tails.
Haha, who caused this old man to be like this?
you tell me!
Is it that inherently evil Uchiha Mada, or you, Senju Hasi Hot Mom, who claims to be too strong but then pins me down so hard I can't move?
"...No, how did you get back?"
After imagining the consequences of scolding Hashirama, Kurama remained silent for a while before changing the subject.
"Ahahaha... Well, I came here on a mission. Some people say that Naruto Uzumaki is the child of prophecy, and they asked me to help him grow."
Hashirama thought for a moment, then decided that Kurama wasn't human, so he told it was fine.
Hmm, I'm so clever, I'm nothing like what Tobirama said.
The Child of Prophecy?
This seems familiar... Wait, did the old man of the Six Paths mention this before?
Nine-Tails fell silent, but then asked a question.
"Who gave you this task?"
Kurama eagerly awaited the old man's answer, for only he possessed the ability to bring Hashirama back.
"I'm sorry, I don't know."
Hashirama shook his head and said regretfully.
"He just gave me a task, but didn't reveal his identity, and told me not to tell anyone else about my existence."
...
"Hey, tell me about Naruto. Is he in the Ninja Academy yet? What grade is he in?"
In Hashirama's understanding, Jinchuriki must be children who are at least 6 years old.
"Hehe, I won't tell you that the child is only three years old."
? ? ?
Hashirama fell silent. A three-year-old Jinchuriki—what kind of state must the village have become to do something like this?
Did I really do something wrong?
"Hey, Hashirama, do you want to come in for a second? I can use my chakra to tell you what happened."
The Nine-Tails attempts to lure Hashirama into the sealed space.
"Hey, Nine-Tails, you underestimate me. Do you need to break the seal to get in?"
Hashirama's gaze toward Kurama carried a hint of threat.
He clapped his hands, and a wooden figure taller than the Nine-Tailed Fox rose from the ground, with a wooden dragon wrapped around its waist. Its golden eyes shone brightly in the dark, sealed space.
"I'm warning you, don't even think about messing with Naruto."
Once the seal is broken, Hashirama can easily kill the Nine-Tails, but Naruto's body may not be able to withstand the erosion of the Nine-Tails' chakra.
Nine-Tails froze, its body, which had just stood up, slumped down again.
"Alright, alright, I still have a little chakra outside, you can use it."
Left with no other choice, Kurama had to use its accumulated chakra to communicate with Hashirama.
Damn it!
But if it really is an old man...
Nine-Tails shook its head. How could a mere human possibly live in peace with a tailed beast!
Hashirama looked at the Nine-Tails, who was going berserk on its own, shrugged helplessly, and then began to receive the information transmitted by the Nine-Tails.
However, Hashirama's complexion soon began to deteriorate.