---
The battlefield had quieted, but the air still vibrated with residual chakra. The dust of the destroyed earth hung in the air like mist, swirling around the remaining warriors. Emiya Shihara and the Nine-Tails, Kurama, stood facing each other, the tension of centuries past palpable between them.
Despite the ferocity Kurama now displayed, there was a history between them that few could imagine. Once, long ago, in an era far removed from wars and bloodshed, Emiya Shihara and the young Kurama shared moments of genuine companionship.
---
In those ancient times, Emiya Shihara traveled tirelessly across villages, healing the sick, aiding the weak, and rescuing those imperiled by famine or natural disasters. During one such journey, he entered a small, tranquil village and noticed something unusual: a young Kurama, large yet undeniably adorable, peering curiously at humans from a distance.
The young Kurama, though enormous in size even then, had a childlike demeanor. Occasionally, it would throw small tantrums, chasing after birds or attempting to pounce on leaves fluttering in the wind. Yet despite its playful antics, it bore a cautious wariness around humans. The creature's instinctive fear prevented it from approaching directly.
Curious about the revered Emiya Shihara, Kurama began to follow him discreetly, convinced that it could hide its massive form behind rocks and trees. Emiya Shihara noticed but took no offense. He understood the young beast's fear and did not wish to intimidate it. Instead, he spoke gently, sharing tales of his travels, the lives he had touched, and the small joys of helping others.
---
Kurama's attachment to Emiya Shihara grew quickly. In its naivety, it insisted on assisting him, attempting to pull his cart filled with medicine and supplies. Though its strength far exceeded any human, the act was symbolic—it wanted to contribute, to be near, to no longer feel alone. For the first time in its young life, Kurama felt the warmth of companionship.
Together, they journeyed across many villages, witnessing breathtaking landscapes, saving countless lives, and sharing quiet moments under starlit skies. For Kurama, these days were filled with joy, a stark contrast to the isolation it would later endure.
In a playful act of trust and curiosity, Kurama even offered itself to Emiya Shihara as a potential jinchūriki, proposing to seal its chakra within him to strengthen his abilities. Shihara Shihara, however, refused. Despite the creature's innocence and generosity, he could not condone using its power in such a manner.
---
Alas, the fleeting companionship could not last. Emiya Shihara's ambitions became increasingly clear: he intended to challenge the Ninja Clan and confront the Sage of Six Paths. Kurama, though loyal and curious, could not align with such a path. After many attempts by Shihara Shihara to persuade it otherwise, Kurama quietly departed under the cover of night, returning to solitude.
The separation broke its heart, yet the young beast knew it had acted according to its own conscience. Created by the Six Paths Sage, it had been imbued with intelligence and moral discernment beyond most beings. Kurama believed in the promise that one day, it could find companions who would respect its autonomy and form bonds of true friendship.
---
Time passed, and Kurama's innocence faded. The creature witnessed the dark realities of humanity: fear, exploitation, and deceit. Even those who claimed friendship sought only to use its power, or worse, steal its chakra by force. The contrast between humans' kindness and cruelty enraged the Nine-Tails. Its innate intelligence allowed it to discern good from evil, yet the imbalance of human nature left it disillusioned and angry.
Over the centuries, Kurama became a force of reckoning. It struck down those who attempted to manipulate or exploit it, its actions becoming legendary. Tales of a ferocious, merciless beast circulated among humans. Kurama's reputation grew, a creature both feared and revered, its emotions—rage, pain, and hatred—intertwining with its immense chakra.
---
Now, standing before Emiya Shihara centuries later, Kurama's form had transformed. The adorable, playful creature of the past was gone, replaced by a fearsome, intelligent, and proud being. Its eyes glowed with centuries of accumulated experiences, both joyful and tragic.
"Kurama," Emiya Shihara murmured, shaking his head. "You are nothing like the small, playful creature I once knew."
"You!" Kurama snarled, baring its teeth, ready to strike. Despite the years, Emiya Shihara remained its first and, perhaps, only friend. That bond, though strained by time, still held power. The creature's desire for companionship had been the spark that shaped its identity, yet it had also led to consequences it could never fully undo.
---
"You were my friend once," Emiya Shihara continued softly, "but fighting and hatred will only bring more pain. You told me the same thing when you left, didn't you?"
Kurama's anger flared anew. Over a millennium later, it felt the sting of those old words, like a boomerang thrown during its youthful naivety, piercing its pride. "How could I have been so naive?" it growled inwardly.
The Konoha ninjas witnessing the scene exchanged astonished glances. They had seen the Nine-Tails in battle, had heard stories of its fearsome power, yet they could not have imagined that the beast once shared such a genuine friendship with a human. Even now, it seemed capable of understanding and communicating on equal terms with Emiya Shihara.
Hashirama Senju's mind raced. He had always felt familiarity with Shihara Shihara's profile, even as a child, yet he had never understood why. Now it became clear: Shihara Shihara had been someone whose presence and actions left an imprint across time. Memories of peering at a crystal coffin, where the half-deceased Shihara lay, returned to him. The sense of recognition now made perfect sense.
---
Tobirama, ever the pragmatic strategist, remained focused on the larger threat. "Forget the past," he said firmly. "We must focus on Madara. The Nine-Tails' freedom is important, but if Madara seizes control, chaos will engulf the ninja world. We must act quickly to protect Kurama."
Shihara Shihara nodded, understanding the balance required. Though the decision was difficult, he had to allow Kurama agency over its own fate. He turned to the Nine-Tails, speaking with the honesty and care that had always defined him.
"Kurama," he said, "you deserve to find your true companions. Friends who will journey with you willingly, not as pawns of human ambition."
Kurama's eyes softened slightly, a flicker of the childlike spirit of old appearing amidst the fury and wisdom of its years. "I will kill them!" it growled suddenly, referring to Madara and any who would dare enslave its power again. "Next time that bastard Madara summons me, I will destroy him myself!"
Shihara Shihara placed a hand to his forehead in exasperation. "Still bragging, even now… such pride," he murmured. "Very well, then. But we must consider how to protect you from future threats."
Uzumaki Mito stepped forward, her voice gentle but firm. "Konoha originally intended to seal the Nine-Tails within me, making me its Jinchūriki. This was meant as protection, but it is not true freedom."
Kurama snorted, dissatisfied. Its mind flashed back to its own past, the innocence and trust it once held for Emiya Shihara. "The last human who wanted to be my Jinchūriki was you, Shihara Emiya…"
Shihara Shihara chuckled softly, a mixture of nostalgia and regret. "It's a pity. I am dead now. I cannot become your Jinchūriki, nor do I have the desire. But you… you deserve friends who will journey with you freely, without coercion."
Kurama regarded him, the faintest hint of its youthful charm still visible in its enormous, fierce eyes. "I understand," it said simply, yet with weight. Its decision was made. It would continue its path, free from the control of Madara or any other human, yet it would carry the memory of its first friendship—its first bond—forever.
---
Though small and adorable in its infancy, Kurama had been shaped by both joy and tragedy. Its encounters with Emiya Shihara left an indelible mark, and even the Six Paths could not erase the spirit of companionship that had been awakened within it. The Nine-Tails' story, once steeped in innocence, now intertwined with anger, intelligence, and a desire for autonomy.
And so, the most feared tailed beast in history remained free, no longer merely a weapon, but a being capable of choosing its own fate—guided, in part, by the first friend who had ever seen it as more than a force of destruction.
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