"So this is Ōtsutsuki Urashiki?"
Naruto stood on a rooftop, looking up at the figure in the sky, lips curling in disappointment. "He doesn't look like much."
From Naruto's perception, Urashiki's raw chakra was only a bit stronger than young Sasuke's—around that level at best.
Honestly, it barely interested him.
"Don't underestimate him," young Sasuke warned. "His abilities are strange. He has the Ōtsutsuki bloodline, can travel through space at will, and he's extremely elusive. He also has a Rinnegan related to the Sage of Six Paths. He's a very troublesome opponent."
Boruto nodded vigorously. "Yeah. I teamed up with Shinki against him and got tossed around pretty badly. But we did manage to break one of the horns on his forehead. See? They're supposed to be symmetrical."
There was still a hint of pride in Boruto's voice.
Naruto glanced over. "Who's Shinki?"
"Sunagakure's genin. Kazekage Gaara's adopted son," Boruto answered quickly.
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Wait—two genin teamed up and broke one of his horns?" He turned to Sasuke in disbelief. "And you're telling me you couldn't deal with someone like that?"
Young Sasuke coughed awkwardly, his face reddening.
"It's… complicated. Urashiki has a weird personality. He messes around too much and never goes all out. When he fights genin, he underestimates them and gets hurt. When he fights me, he spams space–time techniques and makes things miserable. It's not that he's weak—he just plays around too much."
Absurd, but true.
At that moment, several figures flashed into the area—Jiraiya, Tsunade, Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Itachi, and others—each staring up at Urashiki with sharp vigilance. They could all feel the pressure radiating from him.
"Where is the fox?" Urashiki demanded impatiently. "Don't any of you know?"
He was starting to feel uneasy.
"Looking for me?" Naruto floated gently into the air, the wind lifting him until he was face-to-face with Urashiki.
"Hokage-sama!"
"It's the Fifth Hokage!"
"Great—now this guy won't get away!"
The surrounding shinobi erupted in cheers, morale soaring.
Urashiki stared at Naruto, his expression dark.
"You're the fox? Impossible. Why can't I sense the Nine-Tails' chakra?"
"Oh, you mean Kurama?" Naruto said, suddenly understanding.
He opened his palm. Crimson chakra poured out and condensed into a tiny Nine-Tails fox sitting neatly in his hand, nine tails swaying gently. It looked… cute.
"I tightened his seal a bit. He kept snooping on my privacy, and it annoyed me. That's why you can't sense him."
"Hahaha! Fresh air at last!" Kurama stretched lazily, laughing. "Finally free from that hellish monster! I, Kurama, am free!"
Despite being no bigger than a kitten, an ominous chakra still leaked from him—though it only filled Naruto's palm.
"…The fox?"
"That's the Nine-Tails?"
"Why is it so small?"
"That's not a demon fox at all—it's adorable!"
Not just Urashiki—even Konoha's shinobi were stunned.
They could feel the Nine-Tails' aura, but it was unbelievably weak—barely stronger than a genin's. This was nothing like the colossal monster of legend.
Kurama finally realized something was wrong.
He froze, slowly looking around.
Above him—giants.
Below him—more giants staring up.
Massive buildings, towering like a city built for titans.
And beneath his feet—a vast "island" of flesh-toned ground, with road-like patterns and towering "pillars."
"Kurama, what are you staring at?" a familiar voice echoed.
Kurama looked up and met Naruto's enormous eyes.
His expression cycled rapidly—fear, panic, bitterness—before settling into the most awkward, flattering smile imaginable.
"S-So it's you, Master! Kurama greets you, Master!"
The voice was stiff at first, then painfully smooth.
Naruto chuckled. "I'll give you freedom. You can go anywhere in the ninja world. Have fun."
Kurama instantly understood his situation.
This was just a chakra avatar—free in name only. If he left Naruto's side, any random ninja could squash him flat.
He wasn't the world-shaking Nine-Tails anymore.
"Impossible!" Kurama declared loudly. "How could I ever leave you, Master? With you, I am truly free! I will never leave!"
The shameless flattery rolled off his tongue effortlessly.
After years sealed inside Naruto—watching him dominate the ninja world—Kurama had long realized the truth:
Naruto was far more terrifying than the Sage of Six Paths ever was.
And just recently, Naruto had completely sealed Kurama off for snooping too much—no sights, no sounds, total darkness.
It had been hell.
Absolute hell.
So now, even this tiny bit of freedom was precious.
The shinobi watching felt their scalps go numb.
The demon fox that once destroyed Konoha… was acting like a pampered pet.
"Kurama," Naruto said lightly, "there's a problem. Someone here wants to take you away."
"What? Who dares?" Kurama snapped, instantly furious. "Who's so stupid they want to separate me from you, Master?!"
His pride as the Nine-Tails flared—until Naruto pointed.
"Over there. Ōtsutsuki Urashiki. From the Ōtsutsuki clan."
"Ōtsutsuki…?" Kurama turned, saw Urashiki—and froze.
Another monster.
Fantastic.
But then Kurama remembered who was holding him.
He straightened up, puffed out his tiny chest, and shouted in his squeaky voice:
"Ha! Just an Ōtsutsuki! Not worth mentioning!"
"Hey you, pale-face! Get lost! If my master makes a move, you won't even know how you died!"
The voice was fierce.
The body was tiny.
Peak fox borrowing tiger's might energy.
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