"I have absolutely no interest in your power." Naruto's gentle smile vanished, replaced by a look of disdain.
"No interest? Do you even know what you're saying?" Hearing Naruto's response, the Nine-Tails' eyes first filled with disbelief, then it furiously gripped the iron bars, roaring, "I am the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, capable of overthrowing the entire ninja world! Even if all of Konoha's strongest experts came at me, they wouldn't gain any advantage! I can raze Konoha to the ground with ease! Kage-level powerhouses are nothing before me! I am the power every ninja village craves! And the power every ninja village fears! Why do you think Konoha is so peaceful? It's precisely because I am here that the other villages can only hold back!"
"And now you tell me you're not interested in my power?"
As it spoke, an image suddenly flashed in the Nine-Tails' mind: a single finger and the nightmarish words, "Nine-Tails, you are too strong, so you must be sealed." The Nine-Tails subconsciously flinched, its tone weakening considerably. "Ahem, of course, there were indeed some freaks in the ninja world who were very strong, but they're all dead now."
"Just a beast, after all," Naruto scoffed. "Honestly, the fact that a frail infant could become the container to seal your power makes your words hardly convincing enough for me to believe in your strength."
"Perhaps you truly are strong, making the villagers of Konoha fear you and Konoha's higher-ups eager to control you. But in Konoha's eyes, you are ultimately just a weapon."
"They could seal you once; they can seal you a second time. To them, you can no longer make any waves."
"Even if I accepted your power and went on a killing spree in Konoha, so what? It would do nothing more than satisfy the anger and desires deep within my heart. The inevitable outcome would be suppression once again. And as the container, Konoha would deem me incapable of inheriting the Will of Fire. My fate is obvious: death."
"And you," Naruto continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "would be sealed into a new container, your wild nature completely tamed through day after day of subjugation, becoming Konoha's lapdog."
He paused, then sneered, "Still trying to delude me into wreaking havoc in Konoha? Anyone who says such things is either a fool or malicious."
Through this simple exchange, Naruto understood clearly. Most of what the Nine-Tails had said was likely true. He was Konoha's focal point as the Nine-Tails' container, a weapon of war. This also explained why the Third Hokage wanted to brainwash him, to instill the Will of Fire. Neither the Nine-Tails nor Konoha could be trusted. He could only trust himself.
After Naruto finished speaking, the entire sealed space fell into a long silence, only the faint sound of the Nine-Tails' breathing echoing quietly. Internally, it was first enraged, but soon fell into deep thought.
Everything Naruto said was true. It indeed harbored ill intentions, though it hadn't truly expected Naruto to destroy Konoha. Its power, while immense, was ultimately that of an individual. Konoha certainly had many hidden measures. Although most of its top-tier fighting power had withered, it wasn't something the Nine-Tails alone could contend with.
It was hard to imagine. Naruto, at only five years old, was so mature, his thought process terrifyingly clear. It was often said that those involved were blind, while onlookers saw clearly. Yet, the Nine-Tails felt that Naruto was the 'onlooker' who saw through both Konoha's and its own schemes with perfect clarity. And he was only five!
Combined with the mysterious Kekkei Genkai he had previously displayed, which even it had to be wary of, the Nine-Tails couldn't help but draw a sharp, cold breath. Konoha, Konoha, what kind of terrifying existence have you forced into being! Fourth Hokage, you surely never imagined your son would be this terrifying!
"Hahahahahaha!" The Nine-Tails suddenly threw its head back and laughed with wild abandon. This was the most unrestrained laughter it had enjoyed in years, laughing so hard that tears almost streamed from its eyes. "Interesting, interesting! Very good! Konoha definitely hasn't realized just how terrifying you little brat are! I see now, I understand!"
So, Naruto's feelings towards Konoha were negative. His refined, gentle demeanor had always been a disguise!
The Nine-Tails decided to change its strategy. It suppressed its laughter. "Little brat, you truly are interesting. But have you ever thought, since Konoha is so eager to control my power, it proves that my power is indeed formidable? If you want to walk your own path in the future, your Kekkei Genkai alone certainly won't be enough."
"What are you trying to say?" Naruto tilted his head.
"Haven't you been learning ninjutsu recently? All the chakra you're using is just a sliver I've apportioned to you. Compared to my main body's chakra, it's not even a drop in the ocean."
"I can lend you my power to use, even help you become stronger. We're in the same boat, after all." The Nine-Tails bared its teeth, attempting what it thought was a gentle smile, but which was, in reality, quite hideous. It was confident Naruto couldn't refuse such a tempting offer. No, no one could refuse. After all, it was the Nine-Tails, chief among the Tailed Beasts, possessing the power to overthrow an entire ninja village.
"Sorry, not interested." Naruto, however, shook his head decisively. "You are, in the end, just a prisoner. The weak don't even have the qualification to glimpse the heavens. I am destined to reach the very top. Your power is not worthy of being my aid."
"And I have no interest in cooperating with a failure."
"It was pleasant talking with you, but… goodbye." Naruto turned decisively and, ignoring the Nine-Tails' subsequent roars of fury, elegantly walked back the way he had come.
No matter how glibly the Nine-Tails spoke, Naruto wouldn't fully believe it. After this instance of being tempted by the Nine-Tails' chakra, he was certain. The Nine-Tails was definitely behind his failures with various ninjutsu today. That fiery red, violence-infused chakra felt familiar. Naruto remembered sensing similar chakra when he was attempting ninjutsu earlier. This type of chakra was not only difficult to control but would even interfere with his own chakra, leading to the failure of his jutsu. This meant his actual ninjutsu aptitude wasn't poor; he had merely been hindered by the Nine-Tails.
This Nine-Tails was a nasty piece of work. Therefore, its words and promises couldn't be trusted. Besides, this Nine-Tails had revealed too much information in such a short time, and its temper was so volatile. It was clearly an impetuous beast, not particularly intelligent. Cooperating with such a creature would be like digging his own grave.
So, Naruto decisively rejected the Nine-Tails' proposal and chose to leave. Moving away from the iron gate, he focused his mind on exiting the space.
The next moment, Naruto's consciousness blurred again, and he returned to reality, falling into a deep sleep.
Within the sealed space, the Nine-Tails let out a roar of pure, scorned fury, raging impotently behind the iron bars.
"Uzumaki Naruto! You will regret this! You absolutely will regret this!"
Naruto had ruthlessly torn away its carefully constructed facade, exposing its true nature: he, the Nine-Tails, was merely a prisoner.