"Hiss… this little thing is so strange! It's not an exploding tag, is it? That brat isn't planning to blow this place up, is he?"
"He's far too naive. The sealed space can't be destroyed by mere exploding tags."
"Still, for him to be able to conjure objects out of thin air within this sealed space… Hmph, it seems I still underestimated him."
The Nine-Tails muttered to itself, its massive paw gesturing around the computer.
The computer screen displayed a desktop, and several icons on it caught the Nine-Tails' attention.
It leaned closer for a better look.
Originally, it was illiterate, but after spending over a decade inside its previous jinchuriki, it had learned to recognize some characters.
"My Computer… Recycle Bin… Pokemon FireRed?" The Nine-Tails read out the icon labels, its head full of question marks.
"What is all this?" Having been bored for decades, the Nine-Tails felt like a child who had just stumbled upon a beloved new toy. It immediately began to investigate.
Soon, it discovered that the small, mouse-like device could control the pointer on the screen.
It promptly shrank its form, placed a fox paw over the mouse, and clumsily clicked on the various icons.
Finally, an accidental double-click launched the game "Pokemon."
The screen went black, then lit up with a vibrant game interface, accompanied by cheerful game music.
In the dim, gloomy sealed space, a crimson fox sat before the computer, its face a mask of intense concentration as it manipulated the mouse and keyboard, embarking on its journey to capture Pokemon.
An elderly man's voice emanated from the computer: "Welcome to the world of Pokemon! Pokemon are lively, cheerful, and wonderfully spirited creatures. I am Professor Oak."
"Hmph, such a childish art style. This old fox could swallow creatures like these in a single gulp," the Nine-Tails grumbled under its breath.
"And I have to choose from three at the start? Hmph, this old fox alone is already invincible."
"Well, since it's a game, I suppose I'll pick a subordinate. I choose you… Charmander! It calls itself a 'dragon,' so it must have some ability."
"I shall permit you to help this old fox conquer these lands."
"Hiss… this Pokemon looks pretty tough! How do I capture it? Throw a Poke Ball? Failed! Dammit!!"
"Damn it all! If this old fox were actually there, I wouldn't need to bother with such a troublesome thing as throwing balls! Just by standing there, countless Pokemon would flock to submit to me!"
"Alright, excellent! Capture successful! Follow this old fox, and we'll conquer the world! Your choice was a wise one."
"Hmph, this little gadget is quite amusing. It seems that stinking brat has decided to soften up. Since you've shown such an outstanding gesture, I'll reduce my interference just a little."
"If you personally apologize to me, kneel down and beg for forgiveness, then I'll allow you to become a ninja," the Nine-Tails muttered to itself, already deeply engrossed in the game.
"This little bird is so weak! Just knock it out directly. The weak don't possess the qualifications to become my subordinates."
"A Gym? Hmph, these rookies are nothing but an easy catch…"
"Aaaaargh! You bastard! Damn you, brat! How dare you scheme against this old fox!" Not long after, an enraged roar from the Nine-Tails echoed through the sealed space.
The challenge screen for the first Gym Leader had frozen, displaying a single line of text:
"Behave yourself, Fox, and I'll let you play the rest of the story."
Outside the sealed space, Naruto, having just left, wore an eerie, knowing smile.
"This," he thought, "is what's truly meant by 'repaying malice with virtue.'"
Even if you, Nine-Tails, have hurt me a thousand times over, I, Uzumaki Naruto, still treat you like a first love. Not only did I let you savor the aroma of barbecue, but I also brought you a gaming experience that transcends the entire ninja world.
Honestly, who else but him possessed such an expansive heart?
Naruto had learned from various pieces of information obtained from the Shinigami's human world that there existed an intangible affliction, more terrifying than any virus: internet addiction.
Sufferers would lose all interest in food and drink, resembling walking corpses. Their faces would become gaunt, their existence a living death. The moment they were separated from a computer, they would lose all willpower, become frantic, unable to sit or stand still.
Only when seated before the computer again would they revert to a semblance of their former, slightly more normal selves.
It was said that within that small computer lay countless games capable of utterly enthralling anyone.
He believed that the Nine-Tails, after such a long period of solitude, would definitely come to love it.
The Nine-Tails was so lonely in the sealed space; as its "landlord," Naruto naturally couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
Soon enough.
The night passed, and Naruto climbed out of bed, feeling refreshed and vigorous. After a simple wash and breakfast, he dressed and headed out into the streets of Konoha.
The food supplies at home were running low.
Dressed in his white robe, the suave and elegant Naruto walked into the bustling street.
Only, this time was vastly different from the past.
The once-hostile, now merely busy, street hadn't changed, and the villagers continued their conversations, none of them sparing Naruto so much as a glance.
Naruto's persona-building efforts over the past year had indeed borne some fruit.
At the very least, most villagers now chose to ignore him.
The vicious curses of the past were now almost never heard.
As for those bratty kids… they now made wide detours whenever they saw Naruto approaching.
Naruto bought some vegetables and meat, exchanged greetings with Tanaka-obasan, and then headed home. He put away all the ingredients, made a simple bento, and then set off for the training ground.
He had an agreement to train with Sasuke today, and he was quite curious about the Uchiha, a clan from a prestigious family.
What Naruto didn't know was that his interaction with Sasuke the previous day had already reached the ears of the Third Hokage, even sparking a considerable debate.
In the end, the Third Hokage had decided to observe the situation for the time being. If the Uchiha clan showed any covetous intentions towards Naruto, he would immediately implement decisive countermeasures.
At the training ground, Sasuke had arrived as promised.
He saw Naruto holding a dark green tachi, standing amidst the rustling autumn wind, blending seamlessly with his surroundings just as he had during their first encounter.
"Swordsmanship," Sasuke murmured.
The Uchiha clan did have methods for practicing swordsmanship, but being overly reliant on their eyes, the Uchiha weren't particularly interested in such training disciplines.
Besides, ninja already had weapons like kunai and exploding tags; there was generally no need for a long sword.
But as the saying goes, there are no useless weapons, only useless ninja. From Naruto, Sasuke felt that incisive, razor-sharp sword intent.
His young mind couldn't find the words to describe that powerful aura, only that he knew, with certainty, he couldn't block that sword.
"Sasuke, you're here." Just then, Naruto lowered his sword, looked towards Sasuke, and smiled.
"Good morning, Naruto," Sasuke greeted him politely.
Sasuke, at this period in his life, was still the Uchiha Sasuke who lived a sheltered, carefree existence, coddled and without worldly worries.
"Naruto…" Sasuke took a deep breath, as if he had something important to say.
In the past, he had always believed himself to be the Uchiha clan's second genius, that no one his age could possibly be stronger than him.
He had always firmly believed this, convinced that as one who inherited Uchiha blood, he too would one day awaken his Sharingan and live up to the expectations his brother and parents had for him.
Until he met Naruto—this refined, gentle boy who was, nonetheless, terrifyingly strong.
Faced with Naruto's oppressive aura, he couldn't even muster the courage to fight.
However…
He was a proud Uchiha!
He couldn't tarnish the Uchiha name!
A flicker of struggle crossed Sasuke's eyes.
"Naruto… please, with me…"
Before he could finish, a wave of sword energy flashed past, carving an unfathomably deep gash into the large rock in front of Naruto.
Sasuke's pupils contracted sharply, and his mouth suddenly felt parched.
Although it wasn't the first time he had seen it, the sight still shocked him every time.
He took another deep breath, mustered his courage, and shouted at Naruto, "Naruto, please fight me! I want to know just how big the gap between us really is!"