"A fox? You mean the Tailed Beast inside Naruto?" Gaara murmured, his gaze flickering with curiosity.
"Could it be… that brat has already made contact with the damn fox?" Shukaku's voice rumbled inside Gaara's mind, his tone sharp with suspicion.
Shukaku knew the Nine-Tails' seal had been reinforced, making it far more difficult for the fox to influence its Jinchūriki. Of course, Gaara's own seal had been strengthened as well, but only to suppress Shukaku's more chaotic tendencies. Over time, however, the two had come to an understanding, and now, rather than fighting for control, they had learned to coexist. They even studied together.
A slow, sinister grin spread across Shukaku's face. "That damn fox is taking the exam, too? Tch… Gaara, we can't let that smug bastard win. We're getting first place!"
Gaara's lips curled into a faint smile. "Of course. First place belongs to us."
"Good, that's the spirit. Now, focus. We need to approach this problem logically, " Shukaku, now sounding like a seasoned professor, began explaining with unexpected enthusiasm.
"First, we define A as the unknown variable x and B as y. Then, we establish the equation based on the given conditions." His voice held a smug edge as he watched Gaara's hand move across the paper. "Hah. You've already solved it? Honestly, Gaara, even without me, you'd probably take first place on your own."
Gaara smirked, his pencil tapping lightly against the desk. "We studied together, but I didn't think you'd pick things up this fast, Shukaku."
"Tch. I just spent your sleeping hours reading instead," Shukaku scoffed. "Now, quit talking, next question."
And so, one Jinchūriki relied on his Tailed Beast to cheat. The other worked through problems like study partners. Each was determined to claim the top spot.
Even the Tailed Beasts, who had no reason to care about this exam… were now fully invested.
Time ticked by, and the tension in the exam room grew heavier.
…
For the Nine-Tails, who had never attended school, hours of cramming had taken a visible toll. Its already crimson eyes burned even redder, and its once-powerful chakra dimmed. The great beast looked utterly drained. "Damn it! I've lived for centuries, and never, never, have I seen a ninja study such ridiculous nonsense. What is this garbage? Has Konoha really fallen this low?"
Then, as if realizing something, the fox narrowed its eyes. "Wait, what do you mean this isn't Konoha? This is the Grass Village?" Nine-Tails scoffed. "Hah! When I last saw Konoha, it was perfectly fine. So tell me, brat, how the hell did you end up in the Grass Village?"
Without waiting for an answer, Nine-Tails continued rambling, "Is Kushina still alive? Huh? How do I know your mother? Don't make me laugh, your mother was subdued by me with just one hand!"
Naruto frowned, tapping his pencil impatiently. "Oi, quit slacking! Did you find the answer yet?"
But Nine-Tails wasn't listening anymore. Instead, it smirked, stretching out lazily. "Actually… losing to Shukaku wouldn't be that bad. Even if I fail this dumb test, I can still crush that mangy raccoon with one paw. Let's talk about something else, I'm more interested in your mother and that Grass ninja."
Naruto nearly dropped his pencil. "Hah?! Why are you bringing up my mom and Uncle Akihiko now?"
The fox's ears twitched at the name, but Naruto, too flustered to notice, blurted out, "Uncle Akihiko and my mom are really close. They're practically gonna have a kid soon!"
Nine-Tails froze. A strange, unreadable expression flickered across its face. Meanwhile, Naruto, completely oblivious to the fox's reaction, waved his test paper in frustration. "Come on! Hurry up and find the answer already. I, Naruto Uzumaki, refuse to lose to that smug bastard Sasuke again!"
"Hehehe~" The Nine-Tails chuckled darkly. "So, they're getting along well, huh? Even having a kid?"
Without missing a beat, the Nine-Tails casually laid back down, as if the entire conversation had been forgotten. "I've got a habit of napping. It's my break time now, little brat. You're on your own for this exam."
Naruto froze for a moment, the words sinking in. His frustration bubbled up. "Nine-Tails, you don't want to lose to Shukaku, do you?"
"Whatever," Nine-Tails muttered, unfazed. "Come to think of it… It's fine if I lose. I don't think that idiot is any smarter than me." The fox lazily stretched, a yawn escaping as he fluffed his now-dull chakra fur. His eyes held a flicker of melancholy, the weight of the situation evident. "Stop bothering me, brat."
Naruto scowled, clenching his fists. "You're really done with this, huh, you lazy fox? Don't think I won't punch you later!"
"Hah! Like I'd ever back down from a challenge. That oversized raccoon thinks he can show me up? Not a chance!" The instant the Nine-Tails spoke, his entire presence shifted. His once-dim chakra roared back to life, flooding the space with an overwhelming intensity.
He shot Naruto a sharp look, his expression deadly serious. "Listen up, brat. Stay sharp."
"From here on out… I'll show you what real power looks like!" Before Naruto could even process his words, the Nine-Tails' nine tails stretched out, transforming into massive, clawed hands. Each one snatched up a book and began flipping through the pages at lightning speed.
Naruto stood there, dumbfounded. This… this was the Nine-Tails' real power? No wonder he was called the strongest Tailed Beast. But hold on, if he could do this all along, why hadn't he done it sooner?
Shaking off his shock, Naruto's grin returned. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his knuckles. "Tch, you think I'm just gonna sit back and watch? No way, I'm all in!"
Meanwhile, Gaara, who had been steadily writing, suddenly paused. His pen hovered over the paper as he frowned slightly. "Something wrong?"
Shukaku grumbled, his voice laced with irritation. "Tch. It's nothing. Just wanted to check in on that damn fox." He furrowed his brow, a hint of confusion creeping into his tone. "But for some reason… its chakra just spiked like crazy. It's all over the place, like it got hit with a surge of adrenaline."
Gaara raised an eyebrow. "In the middle of a written exam?"
"Exactly! What the hell could that dumb fox be doing?" Shukaku muttered, frustrated. But after a moment, he exhaled sharply and shook his head. "Ugh, whatever. Not like I care. The fact that I haven't busted out of here just to smack him around is already proof of my incredible patience."
Gaara chuckled, a rare teasing smile playing on his lips. "Understood, Shukaku-sensei."
Shukaku clicked his tongue. "Brat."
…
Before long, a sharp ding! echoed through the room, signaling the end of the exam.
"Pens down! Everyone, stop writing!" The proctor's voice rang out, clear and firm. "Sit quietly and wait for your papers to be collected."
At the sound of the command, all the students obeyed, putting their pens down. Naruto, too, set his pen aside and glanced at his answer sheet. It was densely filled with his responses, and he couldn't help but grin, a surge of confidence swelling inside him.
This time… he was sure he'd done well. "Nine-Tails, thanks for the, "
He reached out mentally, intending to connect with his subconscious space, but before he could finish, his words died in his throat.
His eyes widened in shock as he turned to the Nine-Tails. "Nine-Tails! What happened to you?! Why do you look so... skinny?!"
The once-vibrant Nine-Tails now appeared dim, its chakra flickering weakly, almost lifeless. Worse still, the fox itself seemed to have shrunk, its massive form reduced to something far less imposing.
"Don't bother me right now. I need to rest," Nine-Tails muttered weakly before flopping back down, his gaze distant as he stared through the iron bars of his cage.
The exam had been more exhausting than the time he fought the God of Shinobi for three days straight. "From now on, don't ever drag me into something like this again. Got it?"
With a frustrated sigh, he kicked Naruto out of the mind space. Then, using the last of his energy, Nine-Tails reinforced the seal with a fiery barrier to prevent Naruto from entering again. Being a Tailed Beast... It was downright draining.