"You know everything I've said is true."
"You know Naruto is different from all the others."
"But you simply refuse to admit it."
Chōmei looked at Kurama and sighed helplessly.
"Even if you don't want to acknowledge it, you should at least recognize who our true enemy is."
"Yes, being sealed inside a Jinchūriki is painful."
"But isn't it still better than being captured by the Akatsuki and losing your freedom forever?"
"Do you really want to become prey for the Akatsuki?"
Kurama snorted coldly.
"Don't try to scare this old fox with the Akatsuki."
"I'm not trying to scare you," Chōmei replied calmly. "I'm simply stating the facts."
"You are incredibly powerful, Kurama, but your fate is now tied to Naruto's."
"And Naruto happens to be the Akatsuki's greatest obstacle."
"For us Tailed Beasts..."
"He might truly become our savior."
Chōmei continued,
"Think about everything Naruto has already accomplished."
"He killed Orochimaru, a former member of the Akatsuki."
"He defeated Hidan."
"He severely wounded Kakuzu."
"He even rescued the Three-Tails from the Akatsuki."
"Isn't that enough to prove he's our greatest hope?"
"Even for our own survival, shouldn't we temporarily stand with him?"
Kurama fell silent.
After a long pause, he muttered,
"Hmph..."
"He only prevented the Three-Tails from being captured."
"He didn't actually save its life."
Chōmei sighed.
He knew Kurama's pride was simply too great.
At that moment, Naruto suddenly looked toward Kurama.
"So..."
"If I really save the Three-Tails..."
"Will you stop causing trouble and cooperate with me?"
Kurama frowned.
"When did I ever say that?"
Chōmei laughed softly.
"You practically said exactly that."
He turned toward Naruto.
"How about making a wager?"
"If you truly save Isobu, the Three-Tails..."
"Kurama will stop interfering with your training."
"He might even lend you his power."
Naruto answered without hesitation.
"I accept."
He looked directly at Kurama.
"What do you say?"
Kurama crossed his arms.
"Why should I agree?"
"And if you fail..."
"What does this old fox gain?"
Naruto's expression became completely serious.
"If I fail..."
"I'll release you."
"Completely."
"Even if it costs me my life."
Silence filled the spiritual world.
Both Kurama and Chōmei were stunned.
"N-Naruto..."
Chōmei stared at him in disbelief.
"What are you saying?"
Even Kurama was shocked.
"You brat..."
"Are you serious?"
Naruto nodded firmly.
"Absolutely."
"If I remove the seal..."
"You'll regain your freedom."
"If I can't save the Three-Tails..."
"Then I'll fulfill my promise."
For the first time in a very long while...
Kurama's voice trembled.
"...Why?"
"Why would you go this far?"
Naruto smiled gently.
"If I succeed..."
"We'll finally understand each other."
"No one will look down on me for being the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki anymore."
"And if I fail..."
"Then setting you free will also free me."
Kurama frowned.
"What about your dream?"
"You always talk about becoming Hokage."
"Can you really throw all of that away?"
Naruto laughed softly.
"Of course I don't want to."
"I don't want to die either."
"That's exactly why..."
"I'll do everything I can to keep my promises."
"I never go back on my word."
"That's my ninja way."
Even Chōmei couldn't hide his surprise.
He had never expected Naruto to stake everything on a single promise.
Kurama looked at Naruto for a long time.
Finally...
He snorted.
"What an idiot."
"But..."
"Since you've said this much..."
"This old fox won't back down either."
"I accept your wager."
"If you truly save the Three-Tails..."
"I'll stop interfering with your training."
"I'll even lend you my power."
"But if you fail..."
"You'll break this seal."
"And set me free."
"I hope you won't regret it."
Naruto grinned confidently.
"I won't."
"I never regret the promises I make."
"It's a deal."
Kurama slowly stretched one enormous claw through the prison bars.
Naruto stepped forward.
Without hesitation...
He raised his fist.
Smack!
One human...
And one Tailed Beast...
Sealed their promise with a fist bump.
---
Chōmei sighed.
"Naruto..."
"This is an enormous gamble."
"I believe in you."
"But what if—"
"There are no 'what ifs.'"
Naruto interrupted him.
"Still..."
"The Three-Tails died together with the Mizukage."
"Tailed Beasts can be reborn..."
"But nobody knows when or where."
Chōmei nodded.
"That's true."
"But their rebirth isn't completely random."
"The Three-Tails has already died once before."
"It was reborn roughly six months later."
"And..."
"Not far from where it originally died."
Naruto's eyes brightened.
"So..."
"It's been over six months."
"And it's probably somewhere near the Hidden Mist Village?"
"Exactly."
Naruto suddenly frowned.
"Wait..."
"You said the Three-Tails already died once before?"
Chōmei remained silent for a moment.
"...Kakashi Hatake knows the answer."
"But he probably doesn't want to tell you."
"And he certainly wouldn't want me to."
"Kakashi-sensei?"
Naruto became even more curious.
"What does he have to do with it?"
After thinking briefly, Naruto waved the question away.
"I'll ask him later."
He began counting on his fingers.
"First..."
"I'll find and save the Three-Tails."
"Then..."
"I'll make peace with Kurama."
"After that..."
"The Pervy Sage will finally teach me his ultimate trump card."
A bright smile spread across his face.
"If everything goes according to plan..."
"I'll have Kurama's power..."
"And Master Jiraiya's strongest technique."
"Helping Sasuke defeat Itachi won't be a problem."
"And becoming Hokage..."
"Will be even closer."
Chōmei asked quietly,
"So..."
"You're risking everything just to help Sasuke?"
Naruto shook his head.
"That's only part of it."
"The biggest reason..."
"Is my dream."
"I want to become Hokage."
Kurama snorted.
"You really are just like Tsunade."
"A hopeless gambler."
"If you win..."
"You reach the heavens."
"If you lose..."
"You fall into endless despair."
Naruto laughed.
"You forgot one thing."
"What?"
"My luck..."
"Is much better than Granny Tsunade's."
Kurama chuckled.
"...We'll see."
"Deal."
---
Although the conversation inside the spiritual world had lasted what felt like hours...
Only an instant had passed outside.
When Naruto opened his eyes...
Everything looked exactly the same.
Jiraiya.
Kakashi.
Sasuke.
Fū.
They were still discussing how to solve the Nine-Tails problem.
Jiraiya sighed.
"If Naruto can't completely resolve the Nine-Tails issue..."
"There are only two options left."
"The first..."
"Is following the path Minato intended."
"I'll gradually help Naruto unlock more of the Nine-Tails' chakra."
"He won't become a perfect Jinchūriki."
"But he'll eventually learn to control a portion of its power."
"This is how most Jinchūriki survive."
"Like Roshi of the Four-Tails."
"Or Han, the Five-Tails' Jinchūriki."
He sighed again.
"But it's incredibly dangerous."
"Every transformation becomes a battle of wills."
"The Tailed Beast can seize control at any moment."
"It's a life lived on the edge of death."
Fū lowered her head.
"That's probably my future too..."
"And that's already considered a fortunate outcome."
Kakashi frowned.
"Even if it's the traditional method..."
"Naruto doesn't want that."
"Forcing him won't solve anything."
Jiraiya nodded.
"I agree."
"So what's the second option?"
Kakashi asked.
Jiraiya answered,
"The second option..."
"Is permanently strengthening the seal."
"The Nine-Tails would no longer interfere."
"But Naruto would also lose access to its power."
"When Minato created the Eight Trigrams Seal..."
"He intended for Naruto to gradually learn to cooperate with the Nine-Tails."
"He hoped Naruto would one day protect Konoha using that power."
"Completely sealing it away..."
"Would betray Minato's intentions."
Just then...
Naruto suddenly burst into the room.
"Hehe!"
"Pervy Sage!"
"Kakashi-sensei!"
"Fū!"
"Don't worry anymore."
"I've already reached an agreement with Kurama..."
"I mean..."
"The Nine-Tails."
"The problem is solved!"
Jiraiya and Kakashi froze.
"...What?!"
Naruto scratched the back of his head with a grin before explaining everything that had happened inside his spiritual world from beginning to end.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)