Naruto: The Nine-Tails' Legacy

"... Nine-Tails-sama?"

"Hm?"

Hearing Minato's voice, Kurama finally snapped back to reality.

Looking at Naruto's completely undisguised bright smile before him, the giant fox also grinned slightly.

"What? Finished your father-son bonding already?"

"Yes."

Minato smiled warmly.

"Both Naruto and I truly need to thank you."

"Really…"

"Thank you very much."

Kurama could even faintly see traces of redness lingering around Minato's eyes.

Though the man hid it extremely well.

"Hehe! Kurama's a really goo— ah, no, really great fox!"

Naruto still had tear stains lingering at the corners of his eyes.

Yet following his father's lead, he also bowed seriously toward Kurama.

"For over a year, I kept failing to learn Fox Sage Mode properly, but you never once got angry."

"You taught me patiently every single time…"

Naruto lowered his head sincerely.

"Thank you very much!"

"Kurama?"

Minato froze briefly upon hearing the name.

Then after noticing Kurama's reaction, he immediately realized—

That was most likely the Nine-Tails' true name.

And that "Fox Sage Mode"… Naruto named it himself?

"Hmph."

Kurama snorted coldly as always.

"Enough with the cheesy nonsense."

Still—

He accepted the gratitude from both father and son anyway.

Afterward, Naruto also dispelled Sage Mode.

Perhaps because he was still young, the physical exhaustion caused by Sage Mode amplification remained too much for his body to handle.

Thus, Kurama immediately sent him back to reality.

After all—

They still had plenty of time left to talk in the future.

Once Naruto left, the inner world once again returned to only Kurama and Minato.

"There's something I need to tell Nine—"

Minato hesitated briefly over how he should address Kurama now.

But Kurama casually interrupted him.

"You can call this old man Kurama too."

So he told Naruto first…

But not me.

No…

More likely, he simply wanted Naruto to be the first one to call him by his real name.

Completely understanding Kurama's tsundere nature by now, Minato smiled softly.

"Then, Kurama-sama…"

"Regarding releasing your seal…"

"Although perhaps you don't really need it anymore…"

"The final key still remains with Jiraiya-sensei."

"Should Naruto find a way to contact him?"

"For now, no."

Kurama lazily swayed his tails.

"Besides, that unreliable Jiraiya isn't exactly easy to find."

"There's still time."

"And Naruto's still just a child."

Kurama's voice lowered slightly.

"Giving him a happy childhood is what you should focus on as a father right now."

"Though naturally, don't let his training fall behind."

"Meeting you truly was Naruto's good fortune."

Minato closed his eyes once more and sincerely thanked Kurama again.

"I already told you."

Kurama twitched his ears irritably.

"Cut it out with the sentimental nonsense."

"Oh, right."

Minato suddenly recalled something.

"I just heard Naruto mention wanting to teach the Sage… Fox Sage Mode you created to other people."

"But based on his description, the training method sounds extremely dangerous…"

"How about it?"

Kurama immediately became smug.

"This old man's Fox Sage Mode is self-created!"

"As long as you possess enough stamina, the energy won't deplete nearly as easily as those stupid toad Sage Modes."

"It's far superior."

"However…"

Kurama's expression became more serious.

"If Naruto tries teaching it to others in reality, things become difficult."

"Turning into stone outside the mental world isn't something you can solve by simply smacking someone awake."

"They'd genuinely lose their human consciousness."

Kurama-sama really seems to like that name.

Minato thought inwardly before nodding.

"Of course."

"I already experienced how unique your natural energy is before."

"If Naruto's physical stamina were stronger, I could already tell my own Fox Sage Mode back then would've lasted much longer."

"However…"

Minato thoughtfully continued.

"The danger in the training method still exists."

"Although I don't fully understand everything yet, couldn't the process perhaps start with very tiny amounts of natural energy?"

"Then gradually increase the amount."

"That way, you could safely determine the body's upper limit without risking petrification."

The moment Minato finished speaking—

Naruto's inner world suddenly fell completely silent.

Watching Kurama freeze entirely in place—

Minato immediately understood something.

Looks like Naruto's future teaching still needs to be handled by me after all…

Meanwhile, waking up back in reality, Naruto instantly felt exhaustion crashing down upon him again.

"Looks like even mentally activating that mode burns way more stamina than expected."

"For over a year now, I've focused mostly on mental training and neglected proper physical conditioning."

"Starting tomorrow, I seriously need to—"

Knock knock.

A knock suddenly sounded at the door.

At this hour, it was probably only him.

"Yo, Sasuke."

Naruto opened the door.

The bright smile on his face was so dazzling that Sasuke instinctively felt slightly blinded by it.

This idiot's really THAT happy after learning a new technique?

Sasuke froze briefly.

"What?"

Naruto tilted his head.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Originally, I came to ask whether you mastered that so-called ultimate technique of yours yet."

Sasuke snorted.

"But looking at your expression now, I guess I don't even need to ask."

"Ehehehe, you figured it out?"

Naruto rubbed his nose proudly.

"But don't worry!"

"Tomorrow I'll head to the training ground."

"Then I'll show you, Hinata, Neji, Lee, and everyone else just how amazing this new move is!"

"And if you guys want to learn it, I'll teach you too!"

"Hmph. Like I care."

Though Sasuke spoke disdainfully, he still briefly recalled the horrifying training process Naruto previously described.

Then he answered decisively:

"And with your teaching methods, nobody on earth could ever learn it."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Naruto immediately protested.

"Then why'd you come over?"

"To collect rent."

"Hah?!"

Naruto's eyes widened.

"The month isn't even over yet!"

"I changed my mind."

Sasuke answered expressionlessly.

"Pay ten days early."

...

Naruto stared speechlessly.

Coming over in the middle of the night just to demand that tiny amount of rent—

Did Sasuke seriously believe that excuse himself?

Of course, Sasuke never actually intended to collect money tonight.

He simply needed a reason to come.

After confirming Naruto truly mastered his so-called ultimate move, Sasuke prepared to leave.

Then suddenly—

Naruto spoke.

"Sasuke."

"In the future, let's go find your clan members together."

"I think I already know roughly where they are."

"!"

Sasuke's body stiffened violently.

Yet he still didn't turn around.

His back alone told Naruto how hard he currently suppressed his emotions.

"As long as they're alive, that's enough."

"For now…"

"I still can't…"

Then Sasuke's voice suddenly hardened.

"But someday…"

"I'll carry Itachi's head before them personally!"

"... Then let's also face everything involving your brother together."

"I already told you!"

Sasuke suddenly exploded.

Spinning around, he grabbed Naruto by the collar.

"This is between me and him!"

"And you promised before you wouldn't interfere—"

"I did say that."

Naruto calmly nodded.

"Because you told me I couldn't understand."

"And back then, I really couldn't participate in your battle."

"But now…"

Naruto looked directly into Sasuke's eyes.

"I think I understand your feelings now."

"So…"

"I want to witness it."

"You're my friend."

"No matter what choice you make, I want to witness it and walk alongside you."

Naruto's voice became serious.

"Just like I want to help Neji break free from the fate he keeps talking about…"

"As your friend…"

"I absolutely won't let you become alone."

"Even if you don't believe me…"

Naruto smiled softly.

"I think now…"

"I really can understand you."

"..."

Sasuke slowly loosened his grip.

Then quietly raised his head and looked into Naruto's utterly honest eyes.

Understand.

He once told Naruto he could never understand him.

And honestly—

Sasuke himself somewhat regretted saying those words afterward.

Yet unexpectedly—

Naruto remembered them all this time.

"... Do whatever you want."

After a long silence, Sasuke returned to his own apartment.

Before closing the door, however—

He quietly left behind those final words.

"Hehe!"

Watching the neighboring door shut, Naruto revealed an incredibly satisfied grin.

Then—

A breeze drifted past.

And with it—

Spring finally arrived.

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