"Brother!" Naruto called out as he returned home that evening, shouting the moment he opened the door.
"Wash your hands and come eat," Menma said, already sitting at the dining table. Two of his shadow clones brought over the dishes.
"Okay!" Naruto ran off to wash up, then rushed to the table and dug in.
No matter what else he can do... when it comes to cooking, my brother is number one!
"How was today?" Menma asked curiously. He hadn't sent a clone to watch over Naruto today—Kakashi was around, and that was enough to put him at ease.
Hearing his brother's question, Naruto quickly swallowed his food, put down his chopsticks, and answered seriously:
"Brother, Mr. Kakashi taught us three important things today. First, never let your guard down until the enemy is truly defeated. Second, always protect your comrades. And third, always keep some chakra in reserve for emergencies!"
Menma nodded approvingly. Kakashi did well. That deserves a drumstick.
No flashy ninjutsu could ever replace the importance of proper awareness.
Once you're dead, nothing else matters.
"Then make sure you always remember those three points."
"Yeah!" (^o^)/
They continued eating, and before long, they had cleared every dish on the table.
"I'll leave the cleanup to you two," Menma said to the clones.
The two shadow clones obediently got to work cleaning up.
Just then, a memory surfaced in Menma's mind—
Oh? That clone?
It was the one he'd sent to report to the ANBU.
Oh no!NANI?!
Kurama, who had been quietly reading his novel, suddenly erupted with fury.
"You even stole my name, huh?!"
The Nine Tails instantly appeared on Menma's shoulder, his tails swishing in agitation.
"Nine Trumpets, let me explain!" Menma tried to plead.
Too late.
WHAM!
Kurama kicked him straight into the wall.
"Jiuba! Why'd you kick my brother?!" Naruto yelled in shock, seeing Menma fly across the room. He immediately formed a Rasengan in his palm.
"Eat this—Rasengan!" Naruto shouted, launching himself at the Nine Tails.
But before he could land the hit, someone blocked him midair.
A second fox appeared—this one orange-yellow and nearly identical to the first.
It was the Nine Tails, Naruto's own tailed beast.
The Nine Tails casually flicked Naruto's Rasengan, and it dispersed instantly.
"Hey! What are you doing, Nine Tails? I'm trying to save my brother!" Naruto shouted.
"Relax, your brother's fine," Nine Tails replied calmly. "Nine Trumpets's just giving him a massage. It's a bit painful... but he'll feel great afterward."
He even blinked at Nine Trumpets, who took the cue and continued beating the daylights out of Menma.
"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
Menma's scream echoed through the house.
Naruto turned to Nine Tails, uncertain.
"Kurama… is that true?"
"Of course," Kurama replied smoothly. "Why would I lie to you? There's nothing in it for me."
That's true, Naruto thought. What would he gain from lying?
He began to believe it was just a "massage"—albeit a really painful-looking one.
"Nine Trumpets, stop!" Menma finally managed to shout while dodging a punch and jumping away.
"What do you have to say for yourself?!" Nine Trumpets growled. "I finally accepted the name 'Nine Trumpets', and you go and use Trumpet as your code name? Why not just call yourself Loudspeaker?!"
"It wasn't me! It was the clone who picked it!" Menma said, exasperated. "I swear! That clone completely sold me out!"
Seriously, how could a clone betray me like this? I've treated you well! Unforgivable.
"And aren't shadow clones you?" Nine Trumpets snapped.
"Fine, then how about this—I summon a clone and let him beat you up instead. Sound fair, Nine Trumpets?" Menma said through gritted teeth. "You want a fight? I'll let my clone handle it."
"Oh please. Beating the clone is the same as beating you," Nine Trumpets huffed. "You'll feel the pain either way!"
"Maybe so—but at least I'll feel it later." Menma countered.
Clone:You're a real piece of work, boss.
Menma:You're dead meat.
The shadow clone "rebelled." What to do? Ask online—waiting for replies.
"I refuse!" Nine Trumpets declared and rushed Menma again.
"Wait—how about a novel?"
"Not enough."
"Two novels!"
"Still not enough."
"Three?"
After much haggling, Nine Trumpets finally agreed to let it go—for six novels.
Kurama, satisfied, glanced smugly at the Nine Tails before returning to Menma's body.
The Nine Tails smirked and also returned to Naruto.
Seeing his brother safe at last, Naruto rushed over—then delivered the final blow.
"Brother, are you comfortable now?"
PFFFT!
Menma nearly coughed up blood. Comfortable, my ass!
"Nine Tails said Nine Trumpets was just giving you a massage," Naruto added helpfully.
Menma: "..."
I've been set up. First by my clone, and now by Nine Trumpets… and I even had to pay six novels. Unbelievable.
"Y-yeah... super comfortable!"
"Cool! Then next time, I'll ask Nine Tails to give me one too!" Naruto said with sparkling eyes.
Menma: "..."
"No, Naruto. The process is... extremely painful. Why don't you handle the housework today? The place is getting dusty."
"Okay, no problem, Brother! Leave it to me! I'm way better at cleaning than that Sasuke guy," Naruto puffed his chest proudly. He and Sasuke were always competing—even over chores.
And since Naruto had blackmail material on Sasuke from a past "housework disaster," he always claimed the title of Cleaning Champion with pride.
"Yeah, go for it!" Menma said with a weak smile. He retreated to his room, made hand seals, and summoned ten shadow clones.
He stared at them with fire in his eyes.
"If you don't finish six novels tonight, none of you are sleeping!"
You little traitors... Your grandpa will always be your grandpa.
Ten clones: ╮(╯▽╰)╭
Inside Naruto's consciousness, the two foxes were now sitting side by side.
"Nine Trumpets, you got six novels. Shouldn't we split them? Three each?" Nine Tails suggested casually.
But Nine Trumpets shoved him away, waved a paw dismissively, and said,
"We tailed beasts should honor our word. Promises must be kept! Words are like spilled water—they can't be taken back!"
"I'm not human. I'm a tailed beast. I changed my mind," Nine Tails said smugly.
"Then... bye-bye!" Nine Trumpets vanished on the spot.
Turns out, it had just been a clone of Nine Trumpets.
Back inside Menma's body—
The real Nine Trumpets chuckled to himself, eyes gleaming.
You want three? No way. What's mine will always be mine.
He returned to his novel, laughing like a villain as he read.
(End Of Chapter)
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