Chapter 23: Kurama?
Sakumo had already woken up by now. He was looking for me while Kakashi stayed back in case I came back. "Where were you? We were looking for you everywhere."
"You mean father was looking for me while you used this to stay at home."
"I- that's not the point."
"Relax Kakashi, I just woke up early and went to do some early training. I knew that you guys were awake, but before I could get back, I got attacked. Unfortunately for my enemy, he chose the wrong person to attack." This shocked Kakashi.
"Wait a minute, somebody attacked you?"
"Yeah, but I put them in one of my new genjutsu attacks once I sensed them, but the strange thing is, I have a feeling it wasn't enough." Kakashi's eyes widened.
"Ryuu, what do you mean? It wasn't enough?"
I looked at Kakashi and said."My genjutsu has improved a lot since I learned it, but it's not made to perfection, what I mean is, although I could put him in a genjutsu, from the sensory abilities I could tell that the level of his chakra was near KAGE level and you can't have that much chakra unless you're powerful enough to use it.
There was also this feeling that he was holding back his power.
He didn't even attack me at first; he was just watching me for an hour like a predator stalking its prey, honestly; it sent shivers down my spine. I know my technique isn't that powerful so he probably let me win." Ryuu said with a serious tone.
"But I don't think that's the worst of it, the worst thing is, I don't know why he would let me win or why he was just watching me for that long, or why he even knew my parents, and I hate it when I don't know things." Ryuu gritted his teeth and curled up his fist.
"Well, at least we know who he was," Kakashi said, but he looked at Ryuu and he had a disappointed face.
"The person who attacked me is… Krueger-sensei."
Kakashi's eyes widened, and he was shocked.
"He used a transformation Jutsu to disguise himself as a leaf shinobi and used a chakra suppressing technique but fortunately my sensory ability is powerful enough to see through his lies, however, this doesn't change the fact that there probably was a Krueger Nakamura somewhere but now he's probably dead and forgotten."
Thinking about this made both Ryuu and Kakashi frown.
"Kakashi, I have to get stronger to prevent this from happening ever again."
"No, we have to, not just you." Ryuu nodded.
"We start today. Oh, I've already eaten. Should I wait for you so that we can go?" I nodded and went to eat my food.
I ate as fast as possible because I didn't want to make Kakashi late…
After eating, I wrote a note saying where we were going and we took off.
On the way there, Ryuu felt a massive amount of dark and evil chakra in the direction of the training grounds. There's no doubt about it, they're back.
"Kakashi Big sis Kushina and the others are back. Let's visit them." Kakashi looked back at Ryuu and said,
"We don't have time, any stops, and we're going to be late." Ryuu thought he would say that and came up with a plan already.
"Just send a shadow clone to school. It's a great idea because that way we can learn to hone our skills even further by training with them and at the same time you can learn through the academy." He thought about it and said,
"Fine, let's go to the training grounds, plus this way we get to spend time with each other." He said as he smiled.
"Shadow clone Jutsu!" The clone took off to school, and they went in the other direction.
This chakra can only mean that the 9 tails are here. I've only ever heard stories about him. And those stories were good enough to convince me that this chakra couldn't be anything else and I already knew about Kushina and the 9 tailed beast.
They reached faster than Ryuu expected because he was stuck in his thoughts about the tailed beast, but he was also thunderstruck and scared by the fox's massive chakra.
When they reached they found that Minato and Jiraiya were in the middle of training.
"Looks like they're in the middle of training, we should probably leave right Ryuu?" Kakashi asked
"Oh come on Kakashi, you're not getting nervous, are you?"
He shook his head and said.
"No chance in hell Ryuu. If this is the way to get stronger, then count me in, plus it's too late to back down now, so why not just go through with it."
"That's the spirit, anyway let's head over to kushina while they finish up." The two went to Kushina, who was standing aside so that she wouldn't cause a distraction.
"Big sis Kushina!." Ryuu waved at Kushina.
She was so excited that she nearly jumped up; she ran towards Ryuu to hug him, Ryuu was worried but not for him but for Kakashi, he couldn't withstand one of the bear hugs from kushina Ryuu's lucky he has a healing factor from his Uzumaki heritage but Kakashi isn't as fortunate as him.
She hugged me as tight as possible.
Then she went to Kakashi, I looked away, I couldn't watch this.
After the massacre of Kakashi, she finally settled down.
"Where have you guys been? We haven't seen each other in so long, you know, you've grown up so much now.
I scratched the back of my head and said, "we've just been training and attending the academy, oh which reminds me I have great news for you guys. I'll tell you when big bro and Jiraiya are done." She nodded excitedly.
"But anyway, I wanted to ask you something more like a favor."
"Don't worry, no matter what it is, I'll help you."
"Great, this might sound crazy, but I want to meet the nine-tail fox." Both Kakashi and Kushina looked at Ryuu like he was insane or just stupid. But I had expected this reaction.
"Ryuu, are you insane!! The nine tails is a monster that cannot be trusted. The dumb fox will probably eat you alive. No way would I let that happen." I frowned when I heard him being insulted. I don't know why I did. It's not like I knew him, is it?
"I have to meet him, Big sis, please, I never ask you for anything, just this one time, help me out." I pleaded, but she ignored all my words. "Kakashi, help me out here."
"You must be insane to want to meet that fox, but I guess I have no option. If there's anything worse than a nine-tailed fox, it's you in a bad mood." Ryuu smiled a bit after hearing him say that.
He went to kushina and said, "Big sis you have to allow Ryuu to meet the nine tails, please, if not for him do it for me, I hope you haven't forgotten that he lives with me and it'll be torture having to deal with him in a mood just imagine going to the academy hearing the cries of Ryuu every morning, That would just ruin my education, do you really want to ruin my bright future?" Huh!
This is him helping? Ryuu slapped his forehead. I better stop him before he says anything more.
"But the other reason is that I trust Ryuu. If he actually wants to meet such a dangerous creature, it must mean that he knows what he's doing. He wouldn't do something so reckless without having a plan or something."
She might have not heard the first reason, but she heard the second part.
"Fine, I'll let you see it, but the only condition is the moment you're in trouble. Let me know, and I'll be listening, so don't be an idiot." I nodded excitedly and went to hug Kakashi.
"Thanks, Kakashi, I owe you." He looked like he was in pain from Kushina's hugs, so I immediately stopped. "Jeez, can you guys give me a break? How am I supposed to become stronger with you guys breaking my bones every second?"
I scratched my head and lightly chuckled.
"Anyway, be safe Ryuu, don't be an idiot. I wouldn't want your death to be in my hands."
Ryuu suddenly became serious and said,
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." He nodded.
"Ryuu, are you ready?" Kushina asked, and I nodded.
She instructed me on how to enter her mind, then I finally entered.
Drip. I could hear drops of water in here. It's a sewer, the floor is wet. I slowly walked forward. The atmosphere here is so intense, that chakra, it's too much.
While Ryuu started talking to himself, he started to have second thoughts, but they were quickly dismissed.
WHOOSH he felt a thick breath blow past his face.
"It's him, he's trying to intimidate me." It startled him, the size of the sleeping Kurama. He slept in his arms behind a tall cage with a seal in the middle of it. Finally, Ryuu could find the courage to speak to the fox.
"You don't have to pretend you're sleeping with me. I already know much about you, much more than they do. I know how you can even sense the negative emotion from someone, so tell me, do I have any?"
He didn't respond, neither did he move from the spot. Sigh.
"I know how much you hate us humans and, honestly, I can't blame you for how you feel. You've been treated like a weapon for a long time, and some have even seen you as a burden."
After a few moments of silence, He finally opened his eye and glared at Ryuu.
"How interesting, a human brat walking into a demon foxes den seeking what friendship? Hmph, the only thing you could possibly get from me is your death."
His voice echoed through this whole place, and I could see his 9 tails wagging in the back.
"You're right about me risking my life by entering here, but unfortunately for you, I won't let that happen.
Because I won't die until the day I get to see my ideal world, where humanity sees the tailed beasts as they actually are and we live together in harmony and peace cause to me you're not the demon fox or the 9 tailed beast anymore you're Kurama a friend and an ally, at least, that's how I see it."
"Kurama?"
Kurama's face had changed instantly into shock and frustration. He quickly cut the mental link between him and Kushina so she won't hear anything.
"YOU BRAT! Who are you? And how do you know my name?"
Kurama frustratedly asked as his chakra began bubbling around.
"My name is Ryuu, Ryuu Uzumaki but I can't explain how I knew that, I just know things since I was born, you know.
Anyway, like I said earlier, I know more about you than you think.
Right now when I said your name, I did not know of it before I met you, I just sorta remembered it, or something..."
Kurama was perplexed by what Ryuu said and remained silent for a while.
"Come closer. I want to see something." He said, but this time in a less hostile tone.
Ryuu walked closer to him.
"Your hair it's a dark red color, much darker than any Uzumaki I've seen. It must be genetic.
You asked me if I could sense any negative emotion from you,
My answer is no, but I sensed great and powerful chakra from you and something else. You're hiding from me."
'Hmph, sly fox.'
"You're right, but given your history with my father's clan, can you blame me?" I opened my Sharingan.
Kurama's eyes widened, and he lashed out, sending one of his claws to my chest. I chose not to react.
His claw stopped right before he hit me. He looked confused, then a slight smile appeared on his face.
"Hmph, you didn't even flinch, one-half Uzumaki the other half Uchiha. You're even more of a mystery than a tailed beast."
He took back his claw and made a fist.
Ryuu couldn't believe it.
"Kurama."
I smiled back and gave him a fist bump.
"Ryuu huh?
This doesn't mean I will believe in this world you have planned.
To me you still sound like an annoying naive brat, but I'll tolerate you."
I nodded and said,
"Alright, now that we've settled that, here comes the hard part, I'm going to try convince Kushina to release this seal." Kurama nodded and opened the mental link. Kushina rushed towards Ryuu.
"Ryuu, are you ok? The fox cut the mental link between us and I couldn't tell if you were fine or not. Did it hurt you?"
'She sounded so concerned about my safety. Did she not trust me?'
"Calm down, I'm perfectly fine. Kurama is my friend." She looked confused.
"Ku- Kurama?" I nodded.
"Yes, that's the name of the nine-tailed beast."
'To her, she didn't even know he had a name. She barely interacted with him. I bet she didn't even know they could've been friends, I'm sure she would've tried, even a little.'
"Big sis, I wanted to ask a favour from you."
Kushina nodded.
Ryuu whispered what he needed from her.
Boom! Kushina pounded Ryuu's head.
"Ouch!"
"Stupid Ryuu, have you lost your mind?!"
her hair began floating and red aura surrounded her.
"Wait! just trust me on this one.
At least hear what I have to say, you know."
"Hmph!" Kushina exhaled and folded her hands.
"2 minutes is all you get."
"Kurama won't hurt anyone, I promise, I know it's an insane idea and I know what he's capable of but I also know that the more we treat him like a monster and a weapon, the more he'll turn into one, you don't have to befriend him or anything but at least loosen the seal a bit."
Kushina trusted Ryuu, but she didn't trust the fox.
Kurama understood that releasing him into the world would just be risking his life carelessly, that's why he didn't protest to Ryuu about being fully released.
"Fine, I will stay being her jinchuriki but not for her or this weak village, but for you, if your plan fails I'll unleash my wrath upon the village."
Ryuu's head dropped depressingly.
"No pressure, huh?" He muttered.
"At least we can agree on something, if Ryuu fails, we all die," Kushina said.
"Wait!"
"Eight trigrams seal release!"
She released the seal and the cage that Kurama lived In was lifted, the boulder he was tied upon released all his tails.
Now they're partners and she has access to all his chakra.
"Kurama, for years you've been a slave and weapon to humanity, but not anymore, I won't let you get captured like that ever again! I promise!"
"Well said Ryuu," Kushina added and Kurama just smiled and nodded.
"There's something different about you, brat. Somehow, I know that your ideal world will come true." Kurama stated.
They finally went back into the real world and exited Kushina's mindscape.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
The_Hollow
The_Hollow Thanks for reading my fan fic! I appreciate all of you :) don't forget to leave a comment, it really helps when I know what my readers like and dislike
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