Kushina Uzumaki was unlike most ninja—inside her resided a massive fox with nine tails.
Few in Konoha knew this secret. It was something only the highest authorities were aware of.
The Nine-Tails had no home of its own. Instead, it preferred to dwell within others. Once, it had lived inside Grandma Mito. But as Mito's life neared its end, the fox had cried and demanded a new vessel—Kushina. That was how Grandma Mito explained it to her.
Being kind-hearted, Kushina had reluctantly accepted the burden of housing the lonely, unwanted fox. Yet after the transfer, she didn't feel any different.
Did the big fox… die during the process?
She had no idea. Either way, she wasn't fond of the creature to begin with.
The Hokage had instructed her to stay inside a small courtyard for a week before returning to the Academy. It was supposed to give her time to rest and adjust.
That night, as Kushina drifted into sleep, she began to hear a faint whisper echoing in her mind.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself standing in complete darkness.
"Who's there?" Kushina called out, her voice trembling slightly.
No answer—only a cold, eerie wind brushed against her skin.
"Come closer," a voice finally murmured. "This way."
Guided by that strange sound, Kushina walked through the void until the darkness suddenly burst into light.
Before her stood a colossal iron gate inscribed with a single character: "Seal."
Cherry blossoms filled the air around her, drifting silently to the ground like snow. The scent was soft and bittersweet, carpeting the floor in delicate petals.
Behind the bars lay a gigantic fox, its nine tails coiled lazily, its crimson eyes glowing in the dim light.
"Oi, brat," it growled, lifting its head.
Kushina froze. It was the same big fox Grandma Mito had told her about—the Nine-Tails.
The creature's deep voice slithered into her mind. "Do you want power? If you desire it, I'll grant you all of mine. Tear off that seal, and this world will belong to you!"
Kushina blinked at it blankly. "Grandma said I can't let you out."
The fox's massive claws slammed against the bars. "Tch, don't mention that woman in front of me!" It shook the gate, but the seal held firm. Its monstrous eyes burned with fury as it snarled, "Undo the seal, or I'll crush you where you stand!"
Kushina's body trembled, but instead of backing away, she stared up at the beast with watery eyes.
The Nine-Tails glared down at her, then sighed heavily and rested its head on its paws. It couldn't break the seal, and this strange red-haired child clearly wasn't going to either. Bored, it closed its eyes.
Kushina wiped her tears and took a deep breath. Grandma's last words echoed in her mind: "The fox's temper is terrible, but only through kindness and love can a Jinchuriki truly coexist with it."
Kushina considered herself gentle and kind—though her temper sometimes said otherwise. Many in the village had called her "Red-Hot Habanero." Those who did quickly learned never to say it twice.
Determined to follow her grandmother's advice, she decided to use love to change the big fox.
After a moment of deep thought, she puffed her cheeks, gathered her courage… and spat at it.
The Nine-Tails froze.
A silence heavier than stone filled the space.
Its crimson eyes widened in disbelief. Did this brat just—
"YOU DARE?!" its roar shook the entire cage. The ground trembled beneath Kushina's feet. "You filthy little human! Even Mito wouldn't dare insult me like this!"
Kushina flinched. "B-but Sister Tsunade said that to show love, you're supposed to kiss someone! And kissing is… spitting into another person's mouth."
The beast stared. Then it sighed. An idiot.
Too tired to bother, the Nine-Tails lowered its head again. "You're not worth killing," it muttered.
Kushina approached the cage timidly. "What is this place, Big Fox?"
"This is your mindscape," the beast replied lazily. "Though I'll admit—it's far better than that forest Mito kept. I hated all those trees… reminded me of that damned Hashirama."
"Oh… I see. Well, I'm glad you like it."
"I don't!" the fox snapped. "I'd rather live in a sewer than this petal-covered prison!"
Kushina blinked. "..."
Despite its grumbling, she visited the fox every day that week.
At first, it ignored her completely—until her persistence began to wear it down. Slowly, the Nine-Tails started talking. Sometimes it tried to tempt her into breaking the seal. Other times, it simply bragged about its past.
It boasted about defeating a creature named Shukaku. Then about fighting the First Hokage, only losing because Mito Uzumaki had sealed it away.
The more she listened, the more Kushina learned—and the more she realized how lonely the fox truly was beneath all that rage.
By the end of the week, her confinement ended. Kushina could finally return to the Ninja Academy.
But deep inside her, the mighty Nine-Tails stirred, already plotting its next words for the strange, stubborn girl who dared to talk back to a monster.
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