Kurama knew tailed beasts were chakra, not creatures. They were energy. His revival was no surprise. To fight Isshiki Otsutsuki, Kurama's Baryon Mode burned his chakra like fuel. It changed, like water to steam. His fox body broke apart.
His chakra would gather and reform. Kurama expected to return. But seeing tiny Naruto, this was wrong. Time went backward, not forward.
"Where is this?" Kurama growled.
"Hey, you're locked in! That door's big. Talk!" Naruto said.
Silence.
"What monster are you? Why're you here? I'll leave!" Naruto shouted.
Kurama's paws scratched the floor. The heavy air annoyed him. "Enough, Naruto!" he snapped.
Naruto jumped. "Yes!" he squeaked.
"Tear off that seal," Kurama said, tapping a railing. A paper with odd lines stuck to it. "It traps me."
"How do you know my name?" Naruto asked. He saw the seal. Its marks scared him. He froze.
"Tear it off!" Kurama barked. "Scared I'll hurt you?"
"Tearing it frees you?" Naruto blinked. "Why not do it?"
"I can't touch it. The Bagua seal stops me unless you doubt. Do it." Kurama sagged. He missed the older Naruto, not this kid.
Naruto stared at the seal, then Kurama. He touched the railing, slid his hand in, and pulled back, thinking hard.
Kurama watched. Was Naruto scared of him, so young? His hard life was Kurama's fault, the fox inside him. Guilt hit. Kurama's tail twitched.
Half an hour passed. "If you won't—" Kurama started.
"Yoshi! Got it!" Naruto grinned, hitting his fist to his palm. He marched forward.
"What are you doing?" Kurama asked.
"I'll climb and rip it off!" Naruto tied his scarf and jacket together, knotting one end at his waist. He tossed the other to Kurama. "Pull me up. I can't reach."
Kurama froze. "Hurry, it's cold," Naruto said.
"You'll help me? You were scared," Kurama said.
"You're big! I was scared. Not now." Naruto smiled, giving a thumbs-up. "You're friendly. You don't hate me like others. I'll help!"
Kurama grinned. His unease faded. This was Naruto. He lifted Naruto with the cloth. Naruto swayed but reached the seal.
Naruto stretched for the paper. One pull would free Kurama.
An arm grabbed Naruto's wrist. "No, Naruto," a voice said.
"Eh?" Naruto turned. The world spun. He fainted.
Kurama saw Naruto vanish. He looked at the blond man by the seal.
"My chakra was weak," the man said. "The seal failed too soon. You reached Naruto fast, Nine Tails. You're strong."
"Minato Namikaze, Fourth Hokage," Kurama grinned. "Here to fix my seal?"
Minato, Konoha's Yellow Flash, looked grim. Why did his plan fail so fast? Kurama cut Naruto's link instantly. A sealed Kurama shouldn't control this world. And this Kurama was incomplete.
"The tailed beast is tough," Minato sighed. His chakra was low. He needed to fix the seal.
Kurama spoke. "Come here. I'll share chakra to keep you here." He flicked his tail, voice light.