Chapter 82: Chapter 82: We are Friends!
Inner World, Underground (like!) Sewer.
As Naruto entered, he was immediately engulfed by a familiar but long-lost sensation: the violent and angry chakra of the Nine-Tails.
It stood behind a red-barred gate, bristling with rage, baring its teeth at the tall, blonde ninja figure standing at the entrance.
That person sensed the presence of the owner of this inner world.
He turned his head, a bright and gentle smile on his face, and greeted, "Naruto."
Naruto sized him up, his gaze moving from bottom to top.
He noticed the red short-sleeved white robe draped over him, with five neatly written characters on the back.
He saw the face that was almost identical to the one on the Hokage Rock.
"Fourth Hokage," Naruto and the Nine-Tails—one light and calm, the other heavy and angry—called out his title together.
The Nine-Tails was filled with resentment.
It couldn't deny that Minato was a decent person, but being resealed and even split in two was also his doing.
"Why are you here?" Naruto asked, forcing himself to stay calm.
Before entering, he had considered many possibilities, but never imagined that this chakra belonged to his own father.
"When I set the seal back then, I left a part of my chakra behind. Once the eighth tail was released, I would appear in your consciousness," Minato Namikaze spoke, his voice as gentle as his appearance and demeanor. "This was originally meant as a safety valve in case you lost control."
"But now it seems..."
"Naruto, you have exceeded my expectations."
"Being able to see you in this situation, it's truly wonderful."
Naruto swallowed hard.
He strode forward.
Minato spread his arms, smiling brightly.
But instead of a hug from his son, he received a punch!
It was a precise punch, honed through countless sparring sessions in "Taijutsu training" and fights with Yoruichi.
It caused the most pain without dispersing the chakra.
Minato's features twisted as he staggered and fell to the ground.
The Nine-Tails chuckled, its resentment slightly eased.
"It really hurts," Minato clutched his stomach, smiling as he reminisced about this familiar feeling, "In this aspect, you're just like your mother."
"Why did you seal the Nine-Tails inside your own son?" Naruto clenched his fists, "Although things are fine now, before..."
"Thanks to you, I've been through a lot!"
Minato turned his head and sighed, "I've only brought sorrowful memories to my son's childhood."
"I'm really not worthy of apologizing to you as a father."
Naruto also turned his head away, looking up high.
"But please listen to my reasoning," Minato continued softly, "The reason I sealed half of the Nine-Tails' chakra in you..."
"On one hand, it was the best I could do at the time."
"On the other hand..."
"On the night of Kushina's delivery, a powerful ninja broke in and released the Nine-Tails."
Naruto interrupted him, "I've already learned about this from the Nine-Tails, and Jiraiya-sensei suspects that person might be Uchiha Madara."
Minato was silent, frowning and shaking his head, "I couldn't determine his exact identity or which Uchiha he was."
"But he was from the 'Akatsuki,' a man wearing a spiral mask."
"He was powerful and harbored deep hatred for Konoha."
"When I fought him, he predicted nearly all of my moves."
"I feared he might strike again in the future, so I left the Nine-Tails inside you."
Naruto softly responded, "Akatsuki, huh?"
The organization he had once fought against—he thought they only craved the Tailed Beasts, not realizing they had such a connection to him.
Minato stood up from the ground.
"I've already left Konoha and am no longer a ninja," Naruto raised his head, locking eyes with his father.
"I've seen it all," Minato smiled slightly, "That was quite a surprise to me."
"But..."
He raised his hand, placing it on Naruto's head, his smile growing even brighter, "No matter what choices you make, you're still my son."
"You didn't fall into hatred."
"You were able to break free from the ninja system."
"That's a very good choice."
"Stay true to your heart, and keep moving forward boldly."
Minato paused, contemplating something before continuing, "My chakra is weakening."
"Naruto, I don't have much time left, so let's get to business."
"Ask Jiraiya-sensei to take out the key."
He glanced back at the Nine-Tails.
"You're truly remarkable—something even your mother, even Kushina, couldn't achieve."
"Getting along so well with the Nine-Tails."
The Nine-Tails bared its teeth, pouting, "This kid is still just a child; I can't bully a child."
Minato smiled at it.
The Nine-Tails turned away, not wanting to look at him.
Naruto left the consciousness world and opened his eyes.
In the real world:
Jiraiya's face grew increasingly serious as he stared at the ribbon on Naruto's red blade. "Has something gone wrong with him being so quiet for so long?"
Although he wasn't given much warning, it wasn't hard to see that the number of ribbons on Naruto's red blade hilt was a sign of the "Tailed Beast transformation."
Starting from the transformation into the six-tailed form, then progressing to the seven-tailed and eight-tailed forms, it all happened in just a moment.
However, the time spent in the "eight-tailed form" now seemed a bit too long.
Nearly ten minutes had passed, and there was still no change.
"Jiraiya-chan, there's no need to worry so much," Fukasaku shook his head, trying to comfort him, though his voice was tense. "Naruto-chan's sealing technique is very advanced. Even if he loses control..."
He didn't finish his sentence.
In the center of the sealing formation, Naruto suddenly opened his eyes.
His gaze swept across the room, and a powerful aura followed.
This time, not only did Gama retreat, but even Fukasaku and Shima instinctively shrank behind Jiraiya's head.
However, seeing the clarity in his eyes, it seemed he hadn't lost control.
"Jiraiya-sensei, the key," Naruto spoke.
Jiraiya responded, "Are you sure?"
He asked, but his hands were already forming seals without hesitation.
Chakra surged.
He opened his mouth wide, and an orange and blue striped toad peeked out from his throat, dragging a long, narrow scroll that quickly unfurled.
"Jiraiya, you called me out," it said somewhat disgruntled, but then abruptly stopped and suddenly turned its head, staring in terror at what was behind it.
A golden, six-armed Naruto came into view.
"What is going on?" it swallowed back what it was about to say and asked instead.
Jiraiya's voice was serious: "The situation is a bit complicated; it's hard to explain it all at once."
"But for now, open the scroll and hand the key to Naruto."
The scroll toad looked Naruto up and down: "So this kid is Naruto?"
"But that's the key to the Nine-Tails' seal."
Jiraiya's tone was firm: "Naruto is ready."
"He's now in the eight-tailed form but hasn't lost his mind."
The scroll toad was even more surprised. It stared at Naruto, muttering, "Since you say so..."
It moved its body and started to wobble forward but wobbled back after a few steps.
"Hey kid! Hold back your power a bit, I can't get through!"
It yelled out, somewhat aggrieved.
The aura around Naruto was so tangible that even the air seemed to congeal, making it harder to move forward. The resistance grew stronger, and the scroll toad's body became more rigid.
It was impossible to get through.
Naruto nodded and restrained his aura, "Go ahead."
This time, the scroll toad made it through smoothly and opened up, revealing densely packed, complex seals and scripts.
"Place your hand here," it extended a hand, pointing to the upper right corner of the scroll, "and you can receive the key."
It was a square-shaped seal.
"But you should think carefully." As Naruto extended his hand, the scroll toad couldn't help but warn, "Unsealing the Four Symbols Seal will fully release the Nine-Tails."
"I'm ready," Naruto's actions didn't pause because of its words.
He raised his right hand, with chakra swirling at the fingertips of all five fingers.
Solemnly, he imprinted it onto the square, leaving a mark.
The ink on the paper twisted, transforming into a surging river that flowed from his fingertips up to his arm.
Naruto closed his eyes.
Once again, he entered his inner world.
"Got the key?" Minato looked up.
During the time Naruto was away, he had been conversing with the Nine-Tails.
The atmosphere between man and fox was relatively harmonious.
But just before Naruto left, the Nine-Tails was still filled with resentment toward Minato. Now that its mood had stabilized, only a few minutes had passed.
Naruto nodded.
"Then let's do it," Minato stood up, stepping aside, "Kushina and I will support your decision."
Naruto raised his right hand.
He pulled down his sleeve, revealing the Four Symbols Seal, with the seal extending to the end of his forearm.
He lifted his foot and stepped into the void, as if climbing long steps.
Behind the red-barred gate, the Nine-Tails sat up straight, its upper body erect, eyes full of anticipation.
Step by step.
He walked up to the towering "seal" talisman paper and reached out to take it down.
Revealing the "lock" on the gate.
It was a spiraled Four Symbols Seal.
Naruto placed his hand on his abdomen and then turned it.
Click, click—
The lock on the gate turned along, from inside to outside, slowly opening like a folding fan, leaving only an empty hole at the end.
The Nine-Tails stood up, placing both hands on the gate, and pushed hard.
Boom!
The gate frame slammed open on both sides.
The Nine-Tails eagerly rushed out, raising its claw and thrusting it towards Naruto.
Minato squinted his eyes, gathering the last bit of chakra strength.
Naruto neither dodged nor resisted.
The Nine-Tails' aim wasn't to attack; its claw landed lightly on his head, giving him a gentle pat, and it grinned: "Kid, you've got guts."
"Aren't you afraid I'm just pretending to gain your trust, waiting for a chance to escape and devour you?"
Naruto beamed, raised his hand, clenched it into a fist, and bumped it against the Nine-Tails' claw: "We're friends, aren't we?"
The Nine-Tails grinned.
Naruto looked down at Minato: "Dad, how did I do?"
"My son, you did great!" Minato gave him a thumbs up, his voice sincere.
However, the next moment, without changing his expression, sensing the condition of his own body, he changed the topic: "While there's still a little time left, let me tell you something."
"Something related to that jutsu of mine."
~~~
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