Boom—!!!
Centered on Naruto, an indescribable, destructive torrent of dark red Chakra erupted like an apocalyptic storm.
Towering ancient trees were uprooted and torn to shreds like fragile straw!
The earth was violently overturned and collapsed as if by an invisible giant plow.
The violent shockwave spread in a ring, instantly leveling the forest within several kilometers!
Dust mixed with violent Chakra shot straight into the sky, even dyeing the high-hanging full moon a layer of eerie blood-red!
When the dust settled slightly, a peerless fierce beast, colossal as a mountain, covered in burning orange-red fur, and possessing nine tails as vast as mountain ranges, stood proudly atop the ruined scorched earth.
Every strand of its fur flowed with substantial dark red Chakra, exuding a terrifying pressure that made souls tremble!
It was none other than the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, Kurama!
"Roar—!!!"
A roar that shook heaven and earth, filled with boundless ecstasy, liberation, and an intense longing for freedom, burst from Kurama's mouth, echoing in the night sky above the forest's depths!
"I'm out! I'm truly free!!
He raised his massive head and let out another long, joyful roar at the Chakra-dyed full moon, as if expelling all the humiliation and suppression he had endured!
"Roar—!!!
The sound waves rolled, spreading across the land!
The surviving birds and beasts in the forest had long since fled without a trace; the entire world seemed to be left with only this ancient fierce beast, freshly escaped from its cage!
Naruto, sitting cross-legged in the clearing, couldn't help but shake his head.
"Good thing I had the foresight to stay far from Konoha Village, otherwise it would have been quite a commotion."
Releasing the Nine-Tailed, putting everything else aside, would have caused an uproar throughout Konoha Village.
However, Naruto is now the uncrowned king of Konoha Village, and does not need the approval of any Hokage or Advisor.
Kurama slowly lowered his head, his enormous, crimson beast-eyes, like molten lakes, fixed intently on the tiny, yet calm and composed, blonde teenager at the center of the ruins, with an extremely complex emotion.
Free… truly… free?
Not a trap? Not a scheme?
This human brat actually kept his promise?
An extremely unfamiliar feeling surged in Kurama's heart, which had been cold for decades.
Was it ecstasy?
Was it disbelief?
Or a hint of—trust—for this human brat, which even he hadn't anticipated?
In his enormous beast-eyes, the overwhelming ferocity seemed to diminish slightly, replaced by a deep scrutiny and—
A softness that even he didn't notice.
"Hmph—"
Kurama's voice rumbled like thunder, shaking the ground, but his tone was no longer purely hateful.
"Brat—you—are indeed different from those hypocritical humans."
"I underestimated you."
He acknowledged the weight of the promise.
But then, in Kurama's enormous beast-eyes, the arrogance and battle-lust of a top predator reignited!
He looked down at Naruto, his voice filled with an eager and excited desire to test him:
"But let me see just how much this human, whom I willingly acknowledge, is truly worth!"
"What gives you the confidence to undo my seal?! Don't disappoint me, Uzumaki Naruto!!"
It could be said that Kurama watched Naruto grow up.
Although his perception was often blocked by the ring equipment created by the witch, Kurama witnessed, and even participated in, many major battles.
For example, the Dragon Island battle in the Goblin Slayer World!
Before his words finished, Kurama's giant front paw, like a pillar of heaven, descended with a terrifying wind pressure that could tear space and power enough to shatter mountains, striking fiercely at Naruto in the center of the ruins like a falling meteor!
This strike held no killing intent, only pure, wild power meant to test the opponent's limits!
Facing this world-shattering claw, Naruto showed no fear on his face; instead, he revealed a smile full of fighting spirit!
He knew Kurama couldn't be his opponent, even if he was the strongest Tailed Beast apart from the Ten-Tails.
But Naruto had never fought Kurama, and was still curious about his true strength.
This would also allow him to somewhat deduce the strength of Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama.
It could be said that in the eyes of the Ninja World's nations, Kurama was a nuclear weapon, but in Naruto's eyes, he was merely a unit of combat measurement.
"Whoosh—"
Naruto's golden Chakra cloak instantly boiled!
markings activated!
"Couldn't ask for more! Kurama! Let me show you—my current power!"
"Boom—!!!"
The giant claw, imbued with Kurama's monstrous strength, collided fiercely with Naruto's fist, burning with golden flames!
A shockwave even more terrifying than when the seal was broken erupted again—
An indescribably terrifying roar exploded at the point of claw-fist impact, like two colossal metal mountains colliding at supersonic speed, and a visible, distorted annular shockwave instantly spread.
The already scorched forest ruins were once again violently plowed over, and dust mixed with violent Chakra shot straight into the sky!
And in the center of this violent collision, Naruto's tiny figure, like a stabilizing divine needle, firmly withstood this mountain-shattering blow!
Golden Chakra and dark red demon fox power fiercely collided and annihilated, emitting a piercing hiss.
In Kurama's enormous beast-eyes, a truly genuine expression, named "shock," appeared for the first time.
He could clearly feel that the power coming from his claw was—not simple resistance, but—suppression!?
How could this be? How could the tiny power of a human suppress a Tailed Beast?
"Brat, the battle has just begun!"
"You're right, Kurama, that was just a warm-up—" From the center of the deep pit came Naruto's voice, tinged with excited panting.
"Now, it's my turn!"
Before his words finished, Naruto's right fist, pressing against the giant claw, suddenly erupted with even more dazzling golden light.
An irresistible, terrifying force, like a volcanic eruption, transmitted from his arm to Kurama's giant claw!
"Boom!!!"
Kurama felt an irresistible immense force coming from his claw; his mountain-like colossal body was actually forced to take a step back and kneel by this power!
His heavy footsteps stomped the ground, causing another round of earth-shaking tremors!
"Roar—!!!"
"Interesting! You, a human, actually possess such power, truly interesting! Watch me!!"
Kurama let out a roar mixed with shock, anger, and excitement!
His enormous beast-eyes were thoroughly ignited with battle spirit.
Being forced back in pure strength by a human—this was a humiliation and thrill he had never experienced in his long life!
"Arrogant brat! Taste this!"
Kurama suddenly opened his gaping maw.
A dark purple, destructive energy ball rapidly condensed in his mouth; the surrounding air seemed to be violently sucked in, light distorted, and space itself seemed to collapse towards that energy ball!