บท 108: Chapter 108 Kyubi: Is There an Uchiha Outside?

"Hmm?"

"What did you just say?"

"What? You clearly heard it!" Ino turned her face away and muttered, not daring to look Naruto in the eye.

"Can the skirt be shorter?" Naruto asked.

"No way! Absolutely not!" Ino replied indignantly, crossing her arms in front of her chest and making a big X with them.

"How about wearing black stockings?"

"I don't have anything like that!" Ino shook her head vigorously, her face showing a look of disdain, "You really are a complete pervert."

"Thanks."

"That wasn't a compliment, you bastard!"

Ino was almost driven mad by him, feeling like she was on the verge of losing her temper entirely.

"Forget it, maybe another time." Naruto unexpectedly declined.

"Huh?"

Ino was a little confused, but she felt even more uneasy. After all, such a shameless and vulgar person suddenly lost interest in something dirty, so of course it made her feel that something was wrong.

"Aren't you usually always going on about how you want to…" Ino's face flushed, her gaze shifting away, her voice trailing off. "If you're really in a bad mood, I don't really know what to say."

"You don't have to go that far." Naruto chuckled with a hint of helplessness, "I really have something to do. Honestly, I'd still love to see it, but..."

Naruto said, pointing behind Ino, "Auntie seems to be watching us from the shop."

"Ah?!!" Ino's expression changed dramatically, and like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she panicked. She quickly turned around and then jerked her head back, her pupils shaking in shock.

After leaving the Yamanaka Flower Shop, Naruto wanted to go to the Hokage Tower.

But then, considering that it was getting late, he decided this matter wasn't urgent and headed home instead.

He found a place to eat, then returned home to wash up and lie down. As soon as he closed his eyes, his consciousness sank into the seal space. What greeted him was the sight of that massive red-barred cage, and the DVD player was running idle.

Kyubi was drowsy, barely acknowledging Naruto's presence. To be honest, Naruto hoped that Kyubi would become a charming fox spirit.

But unfortunately, Kyubi didn't seem to get it, so Naruto had to let things be for now.

The problem, though, was that there wasn't a suitable vessel for Kyubi to possess. The power of these Biju is too strong, and other than a Jinchuriki, there was no container capable of holding them.

Either release them or keep them sealed.

In fact, Naruto was more inclined to let Kyubi go, although it might cause some harm, but what would the future hold? He wanted to ask Kyubi first and let him choose for himself.

But regardless of the choice, unsealing Kyubi was inevitable.

"Kurama, wake up. I have something to talk to you."

Naruto's voice echoed in the sealed space, prompting Kyubi to reluctantly open his eyes. He seemed to have a bit of a grumpy wake-up attitude, glaring at Naruto with a fierce expression.

"Kid, if you have something to say, say it quickly. Don't disturb me while I'm sleeping."

"The day you get out of here is coming soon, you bastard." Naruto walked up to the red bars and kicked them, then asked in an irritated tone, "I want to know where you want to go."

"Out of here?" Kyuubi suddenly lifted his head, and a glint of light finally appeared in his large eyes.

But soon that light turned into confusion, which then shifted to suspicion, and his attitude quickly became arrogant again.

"Human, do you really think you can fool me with your lies?"

Kyubi banged his paw against the bars, showing a face that said, 'I've already figured out everything.' He bared his sharp teeth, his face almost pressing against the cage.

"I've seen through your tricks! Are you trying to use me as a shield again?"

"There's an Uchiha brat outside, right?"

"No, there are no Uchiha in Konoha anymore." Naruto spread his hands and said in a mocking tone, "No way, could it be that the strongest Biju is afraid of mere Uchiha Shinobi?"

"Shouldn't trash like them be the ones afraid of the great Kurama, the strongest of all Biju?"

"Not like me, living under the shadow of Uchiha Itachi every day, never feeling at ease… it's truly unbearable."

"Uchiha Itachi?" Kyubi seemed to enjoy the compliment and said in a mocking tone, "Are you talking about that little brat who started that fire some time ago?"

"Yeah, he's probably the strongest among the Uchiha, right?" Naruto said, lying through his teeth.

"The strongest Uchiha?" Kyubi gave him a disdainful look.

"Anyway, it's time to make a choice, Kurama." Naruto suddenly became serious, "I'm going to remove the seal and let you out."

"Have you had enough of living?"

"Nope." Naruto shook his head, then looked at the mountain-sized Kyubi and said, "I've found a way to remove the seal without dying. You don't have to worry about that."

"What I want to know is, what do you plan to do once you're out?"

"Destroy Konoha!" Kyubi replied without hesitation.

"Well, it's up to you." Naruto sighed, rubbing his forehead, "But if you do that, you probably won't get far. Do you really want to be captured again?"

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I don't have any good ideas right now. I'm just giving you a heads-up." Naruto looked up at Kyubi, "Destroy the Konoha Village if you want, just don't step on my house."

Naruto pulled his consciousness out of the seal space.

Naruto lay there with his eyes half-closed. The sky outside the window was gloomy and the living room was also dim.

What he said earlier was partly to coax the fox. He wouldn't remove the seal while in Konoha. After all, if Kyubi really did as he said and destroy Konoha after he came out, then Naruto would be the one who suffered.

Biju can't die, so at worst, they can just start over again.

But all the crimes they'd done will be pushed onto the Jinchuriki's head. Naruto will never be so lenient to Kyubi. After all, an obedient fox is a good fox.

The higher-ups have already had the idea of developing a perfect Jinchuriki, even drafting proposals.

Meanwhile, Kyubi's mind is set on destroying Konoha. If such thing really happens, no one would listen to Naruto's explanations. Not only would he have to take the blame, he might even become a Missing-nin.

He had finally earned the right to walk around freely in Konoha, and he was just a step away from dealing with Danzo. At this point, he's told to give up everything and become a Missing-nin?

He couldn't accept that.

He refused to let a mere Biju or Danzo force him into doing something he didn't want to do.

'What does the hatred of the original body and the hatred of Kyubi have to do with me?'

With this thought in mind, Naruto slowly closed his eyes.

But he didn't sleep well that night. He dreamt of Kyubi attacking Konoha, with Ino and Hinata standing on a rooftop in their Chunin uniforms. Their eyes were filled with despair as a Bijudama descended upon them.

Naruto woke up several times, drinking water in the kitchen each time, before finally managing to sleep until dawn.

The next day.

Naruto, who didn't get up until noon, washed up with his eyes closed, ate some bread and milk, and went out.

He still had no clear plan about yesterday's events. He had the Sealing Technique to control Kyubi. And with Tsunade around, Danzo would be kept in check, but these measures were only enough to serve as a guarantee for the Jinchuriki to live a stable life and they wouldn't break the deadlock.

He needed to talk to Tsunade and find out where she stood.