Naruto Uzumaki didn't give a damn about treasure. The only thing he cared about was his own story—why the hell everyone in the village hated his guts. That was the one answer he was desperate to find.
And of course, Mizuki was more than happy to indulge the kid's curiosity. It was all part of the plan.
Late that night, they arrived at the Uzumaki Clan's Mask Storage Temple on the outskirts of Konoha. The place was a wreck. Since Naruto was the clan's last remaining orphan in the village, nobody ever bothered to clean it. The gloomy, dust-choked air was creepy as hell.
Even though Naruto had just graduated from the academy, he was still just a kid. A place like this would normally scare the shit out of him, but his desperation for answers pushed him forward. When they finally reached the temple, Mizuki decided it was time to drop the bomb.
"Twelve years ago," he began, "the Nine-Tails went on a rampage through the village."
"A nine-tailed demon fox killed a lot of people. So many lost family that night. Everyone hates that fox, and they're terrified it'll happen again."
"I know, I know," Naruto cut in impatiently. Even a kid as dense as him knew about the tragedy. The memory was still fresh for so many people. It was a bloody, horrifying story...
But what did it have to do with him?
"Haven't you ever wondered..." Mizuki could barely hold back a smirk, eager to see the look on Naruto's face. "...that maybe you're the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox everyone hates?"
Naruto froze.
The world seemed to tilt on its axis. His mind went blank, the only thing echoing in his ears was Mizuki's cruel question.
"I..." His body went stiff as a board.
"That's why they all hate you," Mizuki continued, twisting the knife.
A sick smile played on his lips. "Most of the people in this village wish you were dead."
"Just like your teacher, Iruka Umino."
"His parents died that night, too," Mizuki snarled, enjoying every second of Naruto's torment. "He acts all nice, like he accepts you, but deep down, he can't wait for a student like you to just die already!"
"No..." Naruto whispered, stumbling back against a tree, his face a mask of panic. "That's not true..."
He pictured the angry glares from the villagers, and then he thought of Iruka. His teacher had always been so kind to him. The thought was a punch to the gut.
Could Iruka really hate him?
He was the first person who ever showed him a shred of kindness—even before Shikamaru and Choji, before Jiraiya, before Emiya Shirou. Iruka had always looked out for him.
Sure, he wasn't as strong or amazing as Jiraiya or Emiya, but in Naruto's heart, Iruka held a special place. He was the only one Naruto could rely on for so long.
Had it all been a lie?
"Don't be scared," Mizuki said, squatting down in front of the terrified boy. He smiled at Naruto's tear-streaked face. "Look, it's not really your fault. You were just born that night."
"The Nine-Tailed Fox... it wasn't you, not at first."
"Someone just sealed it inside your body."
"Is... is that true?"
A sliver of hope cut through Naruto's despair. He wiped his tears and clenched his fists.
Yes! It wasn't my fault! Being the Nine-Tails... it wasn't my choice!
I was just a baby!
Someone did this to me, forced this thing into my body without a single thought about what my life would become!
It wasn't his fault. It was that person's fault.
"Who?" Naruto demanded, his voice shaking with anger. "Who did it!"
"Your father."
Mizuki's words hit him like a physical blow. Naruto's face went pale, his expression frozen. The life-saving straw he'd just grabbed turned out to be a goddamn death warrant.
How could a father seal the Nine-Tails inside his own son?
Fathers were supposed to be great, weren't they?
Naruto had seen his classmates' dads. Some were kind, some were strict, but all of them loved their kids.
How could his father do something so monstrous? How could he turn his own son into the Nine-Tails?
"You actually have a great father, Naruto," Mizuki said, his grin widening as if he didn't notice the storm brewing in the kid's eyes. He even had the gall to praise him. "His name was Minato Namikaze. He was the village's Fourth Hokage."
BAM.
It was like being struck by lightning. An identity he could never have imagined.
"No way..." Naruto's eyes were wide with disbelief. He, the son of the Fourth Hokage? The Fourth was a hero. His father was a hero.
How could a hero do that to his own son? How could a hero turn him into a monster?
"The Fourth Hokage is the village's hero," Mizuki said, spreading his hands. "He sealed the rampaging Nine-Tails inside his newborn son to stop it from destroying the village."
Naruto's fingernails dug into his palms, drawing blood.
That was the last straw. Just as Mizuki opened his mouth to say more, a terrifying chakra exploded from Naruto's small body. He threw his head back and screamed, a raw, inhuman sound tearing through the night.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't bear the truth.
For twelve years, he'd been hated, cursed, and beaten. Everywhere he went, he was met with disgust. Everyone wanted him dead. He had slowly, painfully gotten used to it.
He was even trying to change it. But now, someone was telling him that the hero he looked up to—his own father—was the one responsible for his miserable life.
"Whoa, whoa!" Mizuki stumbled back, pure panic on his face. He glanced around frantically. "Naruto, calm down! Calm down!"
Shit, shit, shit!
This wasn't supposed to happen!
What was even worse was the chakra erupting from the boy. A scarlet cloak of energy was forming around him, and tails were sprouting from his back. He couldn't handle this power. Hell, the entire village might not be able to handle it.
Mizuki watched in horror as more and more red chakra poured out of Naruto. The Nine-Tails' chakra was leaking.
Was this another Nine-Tails Rampage?
Inside his mind, Naruto found himself in a flooded sewer. He staggered through the murky water, step by step, until he reached a massive, barred gate. He looked up and saw a colossal demon fox with a terrifying figure staring back at him.
So, this is the Nine-Tails.
The monster that had ruined his life. The monster his hero-father had locked inside him.
"Nine-Tails... huh?" Naruto whispered, looking up into its blazing scarlet eyes.
This was their first real contact. The fox had been watching Naruto's life for twelve years, but this was the first time it had seen the kid in here.
And the timing was perfect.
The fox's lips peeled back in a wicked grin. The kid was broken, lost, and hopeless. Ripe for the taking. This was his chance to get control.
There was just one tiny problem: that prick Emiya Shirou was still in Konoha. He'd definitely interfere.
Emiya had been hanging around, watching Naruto grow up, specifically to keep the fox calm and prevent this exact situation.
But... an opportunity this good was too rare to pass up.
And anyway, if something went wrong, it wasn't the fox's fault. He'd been wronged for years by these Konoha assholes. They were the ones at fault, not him.
That Emiya guy was a sucker for a sob story. He could probably talk his way out of it.
The Nine-Tails' grin widened. It slowly extended a massive claw through the bars.
"Hey, kid..." a guttural voice rumbled, full of dark promises. "You want to burn this world to the ground?"
Naruto's reply was a hollow whisper. He didn't know what else to do with his life. Destroy the world? Maybe he could do that.
"Can I?"
"Of course," the fox growled, its voice seeping into Naruto's mind like poison. A tide of its chakra surged outward. "Just give me your body, and we can destroy everything."
"How...?" Naruto asked, his mind foggy.
"Simple," the Nine-Tails said, its eyes narrowing to slits. It glanced at a paper talisman stuck to the gate. "It would be even better if you could just... rip this seal off for me."
-----
Back at the temple, Mizuki was shaking, retreating step by step. The chunin teacher had already pissed his pants.
Four tails were now thrashing behind Naruto, and it was clear the kid wasn't in his right mind anymore.
What do I do? The plan's gone off the rails!
I haven't even gotten the treasure yet!
Ahhh, where the hell is he?
Mizuki stared in terror at Naruto, who was now looking right at him. He didn't dare move.
Am I going to die here?
Meanwhile, in the woods nearby, Kabuto Yakushi casually tossed a mask in his hand. He'd already gotten what he came for at the very beginning of the plan—the Reaper Death Seal mask. Mizuki had only ever been a tool, a disposable firestarter to light the fuse on the Nine-Tails.
"About time," Kabuto murmured, glancing over at Iruka Umino.
Just then, Iruka stirred, slowly regaining consciousness. His eyes shot open, locking onto Kabuto's back and then to the direction he was looking.
In the distance, a terrifying pillar of red chakra was tearing a hole in the night sky.
"Is that... the Nine-Tails?" Iruka panicked, the old fear of the rampage flooding back. He stared at the mysterious man before him. "What are you trying to do!"
"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Kabuto said coolly. "We got what we came for. Think of this little disaster as a... return gift from Lord Orochimaru to his dear hometown."
He admired the mask in his hand.
"A simple Nine-Tails rampage is just an appetizer. I'm sure Konoha can handle it."
Kabuto looked up, a pleasant smile on his face. "Next time we visit, Lord Orochimaru won't be so modest."