The sealed space fell into a heavy silence. Naruto kept his head bowed, lost in thought, while the Nine-Tails waited patiently for his response, its burning red eyes never leaving him.
"To be honest, Kurama, your honesty surprised me a bit," Naruto said at last, lifting his head with a quiet smile. "But honesty is the foundation of good cooperation."
His tone was calm, almost detached. There was no trace of sadness, no anger only a curious satisfaction. "The topic of parents is strange for me. They gave me life, sure... but along with it came the hatred of the entire village and you."
"They could've sealed you in someone else, or sent you far from the village. But no they made sure you stayed in Konoha. They never once considered how the Jinchūriki would be treated. In the end, they chose the village over me."
Naruto's smile deepened, though it was anything but warm.
"Maybe that wasn't their intention. But that doesn't matter. They still pushed the first domino. So I won't hate them but I won't hate you either. You don't have to worry that I'm harboring any personal grudge."
Kurama narrowed his eyes as Naruto's expression darkened. Even the mighty Tailed Beast could feel the cold emanating from behind that grin. Yet, he quickly recomposed himself, and his massive face twisted back into its usual scowl of arrogance.
To destroy the village once built by Hashirama Senju... It was a tempting thought.
"If that's how it is... I'll play along. What do you want me to do?"
"The reincarnation of Asura," Naruto replied.
"Just give me your power."
A thick, red stream of chakra extended through the damp, dim space, forming a link between Naruto and the Nine-Tails, pulsing with malicious energy.
——
At that exact moment, inside the Hokage Residence...
Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, sat hunched over his desk, drowning in scrolls and the weariness of leadership. The burden of protecting Konoha lay heavy on his aged shoulders. As always, he remained in the village's heart, shuffling through disputes this time, a conflict between the Uchiha-led Police Force and the civilian district.
Despite having Shisui Uchiha, a loyal and peace-seeking ninja, the clan remained troubled.
He reached for the familiar pipe that had sat near his desk for decades and took a long drag, the faint glow of embers lighting his wrinkled face. The exhale brought temporary relief, but only just.
What truly disturbed him now wasn't the Uchiha.
"Suddenly pulling chakra... Did someone guide the Jinchūriki? Or was it the Tailed Beast?"
His mutter vanished in the swirl of smoke. He narrowed his eyes. There had been no reports of anyone breaching Naruto's quarters. And yet...
"Bang!"
The door burst open without warning, and a hunched old figure hobbled in cane in hand, full of self-importance and contempt.
He didn't even have to look. Only one man would storm into the Hokage's office unannounced: Shimura Danzo.
"Danzo," Hiruzen said, voice cool.
"Hiruzen," Danzo cut in, ignoring formalities. "I've just received word. The Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki has begun chakra extraction..."
"Bang!"
The pipe slammed down on the desk, smoke flaring.
"I am the Hokage, Danzo."
Sarutobi's voice carried the full authority of his position. He'd just read the report from the ANBU. How did Danzo already know?
That meant... Root's surveillance extended beyond what was permitted. Again.
Sarutobi's patience thinned.
Danzo blinked, slightly taken aback by the sudden aggression. But he recovered quickly after all, he was the master of Konoha's shadows, a man who never flinched under pressure.
"Hiruzen, this is serious. Someone evaded Root's surveillance. They made direct contact with the Jinchūriki. It's an infiltration and it reeks of genjutsu and high-level sensory manipulation."
Danzo's fury, whether real or feigned, was palpable. He raised his cane and pointed with indignation.
In truth, he was more interested in acquiring Naruto than in any potential threat. The boy represented power unshaped, untamed, and immensely valuable. And in a time where the village lacked a clear successor, the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki had never been more essential.
"Hiruzen, this proves that the Jinchūriki is being targeted. For Konoha's sake, you must place him under Root's care."
Sarutobi took another drag of his pipe, breathing through his frustration. Danzo's reasoning wasn't entirely wrong Naruto did need a mentor. But not Root. Never Root.
And while he doubted anyone in the village had approached Naruto, the recent chakra surge made one possibility likely Naruto had made contact with the Nine-Tails.
As for Danzo's claims of illusions and espionage... there was only one group he could be hinting at.
Sarutobi narrowed his eyes behind the smoke.
He'd visit Naruto himself tomorrow. Perhaps use the pretense of delivering his monthly stipend.
Danzo's voice pierced the air again, loud and insistent.
"Hiruzen, are you even listening? He must come to Root. Only we can mold him into a weapon to protect the village."
"Danzo enough."
Sarutobi's tone darkened, his patience exhausted. It was already late. He'd been at this desk all day. He needed rest.
"You're done?"
Danzo recoiled slightly at the use of his full name. He couldn't see Hiruzen's expression through the curtain of smoke only the old man's eyes, still sharp despite the haze of age.
"I—"
"Enough," Hiruzen cut in, colder now. "There are things I won't speak aloud. But I won't discuss Naruto with you again. If you've said your piece, then leave."
Danzo's stomach turned. Those words... Something about Sarutobi's tone unsettled him. Still, he kept his face neutral, but inside, unease crept in.
"Hiruzen... What are you implying?"
That self-righteous bastard he thought his hands were clean? He dared act like he wasn't complicit in Naruto's isolation?
But Danzo didn't dare push it further. If these old sins ever saw the light of day...
Sarutobi raised a hand and gently waved away the smoke in front of his face. His eyes, though dulled by time, remained steady and commanding.
"Danzo. I am the Hokage."
Kacha.
Danzo's hand tightened around his cane. That phrase again.
It was always that phrase. Every time Sarutobi wanted to shut him down, he'd throw that title around like a shield.
And it worked. Because legally, Root didn't even exist. Danzo only retained power because Hiruzen tolerated it.
The message was clear: this conversation was over.
Grinding his teeth, Danzo spat: "You'll regret this, Hiruzen."
"I am the Hokage, Danzo."
"Bang!"
The cane struck the floor hard as Danzo turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
The conversation ended, bitter and unresolved.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at the door for a moment, then sighed and took a long drag from his pipe.
He knew Danzo too well. A man consumed by the dark could never walk in the light again.
"Even if I die," he muttered to the empty room, "you'll never be Hokage, Danzo."
---