Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its character belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 176: Kurama
Seeing how freely Kurama in this world could move, materializing at will, expressing himself without restriction, and acting as an equal partner rather than a prisoner. The Kurama within Naruto began to feel tempted, a small part of him also longed for that same kind of freedom. He had been trapped behind bars for so long that the idea of moving freely, without the weight of chains or a sealing formula keeping him subdued, felt like a forgotten dream.
However, as a tailed beast, Kurama possessed a strong sense of pride and ego. A creature who had existed for over a thousand years would not so easily acknowledge a human host, especially not one he viewed as weak. While he debated internally whether to recognize Naruto or to continue pretending he did not care, Naruto caught onto something from the conversation between Setsuna and nine tails.
He had heard Kurama real name.
"So your name is Kurama?" asked Naruto with a grin across his face.
Kurama's eyes narrowed, his fur bristling in irritation. "Hey brat, my name isn't something that a weakling like you has the right to say."
Naruto just laughed. "Hahaha. Kurama, let's be friends."
As Naruto invite him to be friend, he held out his fist toward Kurama. It was a simple gesture, but one that carried a deeper meaning to the tailed beast. In the shinobi world, holding out a hand often meant peace or negotiation, but the fist held toward a tailed beast was something deeper. It was not about control or sealing. It was about trust — a silent, unspoken message that said, I see you not as a monster, but as a partner.
The fact that Naruto did this without anyone instructing him or even explained the gesture made Kurama pause. It reminded him of the time when his father Hagoromo Otsutsuki are still alive.
"You… You want to become my friend?" Kurama asked, genuinely surprised by the Naruto sincerity.
"Yeah. I want to be your friend," Naruto replied, his grin showing his white teeth.
Kurama narrowed his eyes and looked at him more closely. "Do you know about your father?" he asked. As an ancient beast, Kurama had witnessed centuries of human behavior. He believed that if Naruto learned the truth, that it was he himself the mighty Kurama who killed both his parents, the boy emotions would turn dark and filled with hatred.
Naruto blinked in confusion. "I don't really know them. Do you?"
Kurama smirked and responded bluntly. "Oh, I know them well. In fact, I was the one who killed both of them."
Naruto froze. He hadn't expected that. The very beast he was trying to befriend was the same one responsible for the death of the parents he never knew.
"You're lying," he muttered, trying to suppress the storm rising inside him. He might lose control and do something he would regret forever.
"No, I'm not lying," Kurama said. "Your father was Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage. Your mother was Uzumaki Kushina. That old monkey, Hiruzen Sarutobi, chose to hide your identity and gave you your mother's last name so they could manipulate you."
Naruto's heart raced. He stared at Kurama, speechless. He could hardly believe it. The Fourth Hokage… was his father?
Before Naruto could say anything, Setsuna stepped in, cutting into their conversation.
"Naruto, I believe Kurama did kill your parents," Setsuna said gently, "but I also think he had a reason."
Naruto turned to Setsuna, his eyes filled with confusion and a desperate need for the answer.
"Do you know why he would do something like that? Why would he kill them?" asked Naruto.
Setsuna turned to his own Kurama and asked calmly, "If someone tried to imprison you, what would you do to that person?"
Without hesitation, Kurama replied, "I would kill them."
Setsuna nodded. "Exactly. I think your Kurama was being trapped. And it was your father, the Fourth Hokage, who tried to seal him. He likely didn't have a choice. Now look at that prison." Setsuna pointed toward the cage that held Naruto's Kurama. "Just look how small and dark it is."
Naruto gaze shifted to the sealed cage. For the first time, he truly understood what his parents had done to Kurama. The cage stood as undeniable proof that this place was a prison, and Kurama had always been its prisoner.
"I believe Kurama killed your parents because your father tried to trap him in that cage," Setsuna continued. "Your mother would probably have died either way. If not at Kurama's hand, then from the sealing process itself."
Naruto's eyes widened. "Why would my mother die from that?"
Setsuna paused, then pointed at the whisker-like marks on Naruto's face. "Those markings prove that someone in your family was a Jinchuuriki. And I doubt it was your father. He was still strong enough to perform the Eight Trigrams Seal. That means your mother, Uzumaki Kushina, was the previous Jinchuuriki."
Naruto's breath caught in his throat. His mind struggled to piece everything together. The tragedy of his birth, the pain Kurama must have endured, and the burden his parents had carried… all of it felt so heavy.
Then, after a long pause, Naruto looked back at Kurama.
"Hey… Let's be friends," he said with a calm voice. "I forgive you. You tried to kill my parents, but they were the ones who imprisoned you first so i will forgive you."
Kurama stared at him, shocked into silence. Even Setsuna's Kurama was taken aback.
For the first time in over a thousand years, Kurama felt something unfamiliar rise within him — hope. Yes hope to become free and walk everywhere and do what he wanted.
Setsuna's Kurama turned to Naruto's Kurama and said, "Just accept him. Even though you were the one who took his parents' lives, he still chose to forgive you and become your friend. That kind of trust is rare, even among humans. Don't waste the chance he's offering you."
"The chance? In fact, he's the one asking for a chance from me," Kurama rebuked sharply. "By agreeing to form a pact with him, I'll be the one giving him power. This boy will grow much stronger because of me, not the other way around. He should be grateful."
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