Facing the Nine-Tailed's roar and accusations, Naruto's expression remained unusually calm. The dozens of Shadow Clones cultivating didn't even lift an eyelid, still immersed in their respective Chakra insights.
Naruto met the Nine-Tailed's gaze, filled with destructive desire and doubt. His clear blue eyes were as placid as water, devoid of anger, fear, or even a trace of guilt or wavering. There was only a nearly pure frankness and... indifference?
"I know," Naruto's voice was so calm that the Nine-Tailed's roar seemed abrupt. "I know Tailed Beasts and humans have been fighting and killing each other for a long time. I also know that you were controlled that night and killed many people!"
He paused, his tone still flat, as if speaking of something unrelated to him:
"But so what? That's other people's business, their grievances with you. What does it have to do with me?"
"..." The Nine-Tailed's roar stopped abruptly, its giant beast eyes filled with astonishment. It had anticipated countless reactions from Naruto—anger, accusation, fear, or hypocritical sympathy... but it had never expected this... almost cold indifference?!
"For me," Naruto spread his small hands, his expression even a little helpless.
"You, the Nine-Tailed, are now a tenant in my body, a neighbor with immense energy... well, a neighbor? I don't harbor the same malice towards you as they do. I'm different from them, and I don't want to inherit their hatred. And you've seen the reaction of the Konoha villagers; in their eyes, we are one!"
He looked directly into the Nine-Tailed's destructive vertical pupils, saying each word clearly:
"I want to coexist with you, as equals."
"Equals... coexist?" The Nine-Tailed repeated the phrase, its voice deep and strange, as if hearing an unbelievable tale for the first time. A Tailed Beast and a Jinchuriki... equals? Is that possible?
"Yes, coexist as equals." Naruto nodded assertively, a characteristic, slightly sly smile appearing on his face, and said very earnestly:
"Look, I'm exploiting you... oh no, borrowing your Chakra, that's a fact. But I can pay you! Limited freedom is my sincerity!"
Before he finished speaking, next to Naruto, a soft "poof" sound, and a brand new Shadow Clone, made of pure Chakra, condensed into form.
This clone was different from the other cultivating clones; it wasn't sitting cross-legged but stretched its limbs, then showed the Nine-Tailed a smile identical to Naruto's.
"Here, Big Fox," Naruto pointed at the new clone, "This Shadow Clone, it's for you."
"???" The Nine-Tailed was completely baffled. Give me a... clone?
"It's not giving you this body," Naruto explained, "It's giving you an 'interface,' or rather... a temporary window."
He manipulated the new clone to walk to the Sealing Space's iron bars, almost pressing against the cold bars.
"I will temporarily cut off most of this clone's connection to the main body, retaining only the most basic Chakra supply."
A strange light flickered in Naruto's eyes.
"Then, Big Fox, you can try to... project a wisp of your consciousness into this clone's body!"
The Nine-Tailed's massive body trembled violently! Its lava-like vertical pupils suddenly contracted to pinpricks! Project its consciousness into the Jinchuriki's clone's body?!
This... this was simply unheard of! This was equivalent to creating a temporary 'foothold' for the Tailed Beast's consciousness outside the Sealing Space, within the Jinchuriki's body!
"Although it's only a wisp of consciousness, and it will only control a fragile clone," Naruto continued, watching the Nine-Tailed's shocked, speechless reaction.
"But at least, through its eyes, you can see the real world outside the Sealing Space, feel the sunlight, the breeze, and even... taste food? Though it might be very faint. Isn't that better than staring at this blood-red ceiling all day?"
He paused, his tone carrying a seriousness and promise beyond his age:
"This is just the beginning, Big Fox. As long as you continue to provide Chakra, when I grow up and my strength is sufficient, I will definitely find a way to truly release you! Not destruction, not enslavement, but true... freedom! To let you go wherever you want!"
Naruto met the gaze of the giant beast eyes, then extended his hand, his small palm making an inviting gesture through the Sealing Space's iron bars:
"How about it? This deal, do you want to make it? Exchange the Chakra you can't use for now for a chance to see the world, and a promise of true freedom in the future?"
Within the Sealing Space, time seemed to freeze again.
The Nine-Tailed's massive head hung low, its lava-like vertical pupils staring intently at the small clone outside the iron bars, then at Naruto's clear and determined blue eyes.
A thousand years of resentment, distrust of humans, longing for freedom, bewilderment at this brat's strange behavior... countless complex emotions clashed violently within its vast consciousness.
That wisp of light, named "hope," which had been frozen for too long, seemed to flicker ever so faintly in this crimson space filled with hatred.
It remained silent for a very, very long time, so long that Naruto thought it was going to close its eyes and play dead again.
Finally, a low, almost inaudible voice, yet carrying an indescribable anticipation and tentativeness, echoed in the dead silent space:
"Brat... are you... serious?"
Then the Nine-Tailed suddenly roared:
"Do you know what happened three years ago?! I personally killed your parents, and you still want to make a deal?!"
The Nine-Tailed's deep, hoarse question reverberated in the Sealing Space. It cruelly told Naruto a bit of the truth from that night. It didn't believe Naruto wouldn't hate it after knowing the truth! It wanted to see how Naruto was different from the previous two Jinchuriki!
The playful smile on Naruto's face completely vanished, replaced by a serenity beyond his age. He met the gaze of those huge vertical pupils, his clear blue eyes utterly calm, without a ripple, only the frankness of one who understood everything.
"Serious, very serious." Naruto's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear, carrying an undeniable certainty.
He paused and said:
"Big Fox," Naruto said calmly, "I probably know a lot more than you imagine. I am a 'born knower.'"
"Born knower?" The Nine-Tailed's voice carried heavy doubt and a hint of imperceptible wariness. It had heard this term before, but had never truly seen it.
"Simply put, I remember many things I shouldn't remember," Naruto explained, his gaze seeming to pierce through time and space. "I have the memory of that night. I clearly remember what happened that night, and I know who my parents really were!"
Naruto touched his stomach:
"I even know that they are inside me right now!"