In his sleep, Naruto's consciousness was swept away by the Tailed Beast's chakra and transported to a dark, damp space.
"Where… is this?"
Naruto was confused at first, but after glancing around, he quickly realized where he was.
The shallow water beneath his feet, the massive iron bars towering before him, and the distant, guttural growls of a beast beyond the cage all pointed to one conclusion—this wasn't his bedroom. He had entered the space where the Nine-Tails was sealed.
So, after all these years in this world… I've finally come face to face with the Nine-Tails.
Muttering inwardly, Naruto stepped forward. By the dim candlelight on the wall, he finally saw the beast clearly.
The Nine-Tails was striking—fiery red fur, long, sharp ears, and nine wild tails waving lazily behind it, radiating a fierce, primal aura.
Even constrained by the seal, its body remained massive, stretching several stories high—more than enough to crush a child like Naruto in an instant.
Sensing the presence of a visitor, the Nine-Tails slowly turned around. Its lantern-sized eyes locked onto Naruto.
Being stared at by such a colossal creature, Naruto forgot to move. Forgot to breathe. He stood frozen in place.
But then, the Nine-Tails' lips curled into a subtle, amused grin. A small clump of its chakra seeped through the cage and enveloped Naruto entirely.
Ominous. Hateful. Resentful. Furious…
Under the influence of the Nine-Tails' chakra, all the negative emotions Naruto had been suppressing began to boil over. They surged through his mind, wild and uncontrollable.
His frustrations from his past life, the trauma of witnessing the tragic death of the Fourth Hokage and his wife, and the unjust treatment he had endured over the past four years—all of it flashed before his eyes. His expression grew more intense, as though he were on the verge of being consumed by rage and becoming a demon of vengeance.
But soon, through sheer force of will, Naruto snapped back to clarity.
He had the mind of an adult who had endured the harsh realities of life. While he might not be able to withstand the full power of the Nine-Tails at its peak, what he was facing now was merely a small fraction leaking through the cage.
The Nine-Tails looked surprised. The four-year-old in front of it had actually regained his composure.
Even though it was just a sliver of chakra—barely one ten-thousandth of its full strength—it shouldn't have been something a child could resist.
Suppressing the negative emotions, Naruto looked up at the Nine-Tails thoughtfully and said,
"So there's a giant fox living in my body… That must be why everyone calls me a demon fox."
The Nine-Tails bristled at the phrase "giant fox." It clearly disliked being referred to that way.
But then, thinking back to all it had seen during its time sealed inside Naruto, the beast suddenly had an idea. It said:
"That's right. I'm the very reason you're treated like a demon. What those villagers say isn't wrong. I once destroyed much of the Hidden Leaf and even killed the Fourth Hokage."
"Since you are my vessel, naturally, their hatred turned to you."
"So go ahead—hate me. Despise me. Stop suppressing your emotions. Let out your hatred and anger! Take revenge on those who wronged you!"
"Accept my chakra, and you'll have the power to destroy everything!"
As it spoke, the Nine-Tails once again channeled its power, trying to tempt the young Naruto.
But Naruto merely shook his head and replied calmly:
"Big Fox, you're bluffing. If you really had the power to destroy everything, you wouldn't be trapped in here. And I wouldn't be the prison that holds you."
"So no—you don't have the power you claim."
"You…!"
The Nine-Tails was enraged. It unleashed a roar of power that shook the entire sealed space like an earthquake. But no matter how violently it struggled, it couldn't budge the seal or take even a single step beyond the cage.
Eventually, the beast calmed down. The two stood silently, face-to-face on opposite sides of the iron bars.
During this quiet standoff, the Nine-Tails continued to try influencing Naruto with chakra—but it failed every time.
Attack. Defense.
After a few exchanges, Naruto, growing bored, was the first to break the silence:
"Give it up, Big Fox. Like I said, I don't know who sealed you in here, but if someone went to the trouble of sealing you inside me, they definitely considered the possibility of you trying to break out. Struggle all you want—it won't change anything."
"As for the hatred you tried to stir up… I've long since gotten used to it."
The Nine-Tails fell silent. It knew Naruto was right.
Unless Naruto himself removed the seal, it had no way to escape. And as things stood, it had no control over Naruto's actions.
While the fox brooded, Naruto muttered to himself:
"Now that I think about it… you're kind of like a tenant. You've been living in my body all this time without saying a word—I haven't even asked you for rent."
The Nine-Tails glared at him and growled:
"You think I wanted to be sealed inside you?"
Naruto shot back without missing a beat:
"You think I wanted to be your jailor? We're both victims here. But since we're stuck together, I'll cut you some slack on the rent—for now."
The Nine-Tails scoffed and shifted the topic:
"You really won't take my offer? If I had control of your body, I could destroy those villagers who bullied you. I've seen what you've gone through—it wasn't fair."
Naruto smiled faintly.
"True, I've been treated unfairly. Since they say I'm a demon fox, maybe I should act like one. Maybe I should return all the malice they've shown me."
"It's ridiculous to think monsters would be afraid of humans. Shouldn't it be the other way around?"
He spoke casually. Then, as if remembering something, his expression changed.
"Wait—you said you've been watching me this whole time. Does that include when I'm bathing? Or going to the bathroom?"
The Nine-Tails paused, caught off guard, then quickly barked:
"I don't watch you all the time! I'm not some pervert. Besides, I have no interest in human bodies."
"What about foxes?" Naruto asked, spotting a weakness.
The Nine-Tails looked visibly flustered and snapped:
"Get lost! I'm not interested in vixens either! I'm the Nine-Tails—an entity made entirely of chakra!"
Naruto grinned mischievously.
"So, are you a male fox or a female fox?"
At that moment, the Nine-Tails seriously questioned whether he and Naruto were simply incompatible by nature. Abandoning all efforts to seduce him into breaking the seal, the fox turned away and silently faced the wall in despair.
Now it was Naruto's turn to be stunned.
Are all Tailed Beasts this sensitive? Can't even take a joke?
(End of Chapter)
If you'd like, I can help with further chapters or support me at https://www.patreon.com/YugiroTL