The damp, cold seal space echoed with silence as one human and one fox faced each other across the towering red bars of the cage.
Drip. Drip. Drip.Drops of water fell from the unseen ceiling above, amplifying the oppressive quiet of the prison.
"You… how do you know my name, human?"Unable to endure the silence any longer, the Nine-Tails finally broke the stillness, its eyes locked on Naruto.
Hands stuffed in his pockets, draped in a loose black robe, Naruto stared back with his usual dead-fish eyes and an indifferent look."I heard it from someone else," he replied casually.
"You lie!" the Nine-Tails roared, baring its fangs. "Despicable human, you would dare deceive me again?"
"Human? Are you calling me that?" Naruto tilted his head, feigning curiosity.
"Despicable human! When I get out, I'll tear you to shreds!"
Naruto smirked faintly, lifting his chin. "Looks like you still don't understand the situation, Kurama."He suddenly raised his hand and pointed toward the fox.
"What are you doing?"
"Hah, just kidding. Look at your face—you're terrified."Naruto grinned.
"You dare mock me?!" The Nine-Tails was seething, its chakra surging in violent waves again.
But this time, Naruto's smile vanished. His expression hardened as he extended a hand, pointing sharply at the beast."Bind it."
The instant the words fell, the crimson bars of the cage shrank inward with shocking speed, compressing the Nine-Tails' space.
"ROAR!!!""Damn you! What did you do to me?!" The beast's thunderous roar shook the seal, its massive claws slamming against the barrier.
[Four Symbols Seal — Max Level.]
Naruto stood calmly, unmoving, waiting until the fox's fury finally subsided and silence reclaimed the prison.
"Human…" the Nine-Tails growled low.
"I'll be back, Kurama. Next time, I hope we can have a pleasant conversation."With that, Naruto's consciousness flickered, leaving the seal.
When his eyes opened, he was back in the dim hallway. Outside, the heavy storm had nearly passed. He dug into his pocket, searching for his apartment key.
Just as he pulled the key out, footsteps echoed from the far end of the stairwell—more than one person.
Naruto tensed, brow furrowed, gaze locked on the approaching figures.
"Naruto!"
The bright, cheerful voice of a girl rang out, cutting through the lingering shadows of death and blood. Her pale, slender neck swayed with the motion of long, pink hair glistening under the post-rain sunlight.
It was Sakura, smiling and waving at him, golden rays spilling across every strand of her hair.
Behind her followed two more figures: the lazy Kakashi, and the cold, expressionless Sasuke.
"Yo, Naruto." Kakashi greeted casually. Though he'd been to Naruto's home before, this was the first time he'd actually used the front door.
No wonder ANBU like rooftops and windows, Naruto mused dryly. They act just like the animal masks they wear.
Sasuke, without even glancing to the side, fixed his eyes on Naruto's uncovered forehead—no headband, only bare skin. His gaze was sharp, laced with disdain and faint regret.
"Tch."
"Sakura? Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked, his hand hidden behind his back, fingers ready to trigger the Four Symbols Seal if necessary.
"The Chūnin Exams…" Sakura's voice rang out with determination. "We all want to enter them with you!"
"Eh?" Naruto tilted his head, slowly lowering the hand behind his back.
Root Organization — Underground Office
"Lord Danzō, the mission failed. The subject… he's dead."
A Root operative in a blue-patterned mask knelt low before Danzō, who sat grimly behind his desk, his right eye wrapped in bandages.
"Dead?" Danzō's tone was cold. "And the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki?"
"He…"
"Speak!" Danzō snapped, his lone eye glaring.
Cold sweat ran down the kneeling shinobi's back as he answered stiffly."The Nine-Tails' jinchūriki devoured the subject."
"Devoured?"
"It was a sealing technique," the operative explained quickly. "The Four Symbols Seal of the Uzumaki clan. The subject was absorbed into the seal."
Thump. Thump. Thump.Danzō tapped his desk, face like stone."Inform the Third Hokage. The jinchūriki qualification test has failed. The target exceeds Root's containment value."
"Temporarily classify as Violation Level: 7."
In Root, Danzō's word was absolute. The operative acknowledged with a sharp "Yes," and vanished.
At the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat smoking his pipe, brow furrowed as he examined two reports.
One was Root's failure report.The other—a formal petition from Team 7 to reinstate Naruto's qualification for the Chūnin Exams. Signed not only by Sakura and Sasuke, but with Kakashi's own admission of responsibility, complete with seals and signatures.
"Hokage-sama, this…" Homura Mitokado, standing beside him, looked equally grim. "The jinchūriki's power has already surpassed the village's control."
"Not yet," Hiruzen replied, exhaling a thin plume of smoke. Though his face was as withered as bark, his eyes were sharp as a hawk's.
"Kakashi's Wave Mission report mentioned Naruto using a jutsu—scorching magma. That is the Lava Release of the Four-Tails' jinchūriki in the Land of Earth, combining earth and fire release."
"A tailed beast… jinchūriki?" Homura was stunned. "How could Naruto use the techniques of another nation's jinchūriki?"
"I don't know," Hiruzen admitted gravely. "At first, we only wanted to test whether Naruto had been replaced during the Wave mission—perhaps by the one calling himself the God of Shinobi."
"His recent behavior has been strange: sudden wealth, mysterious power… But only the descendants of the Uzumaki can wield the Four Symbols Seal, and only Naruto can contain the Nine-Tails."
Hiruzen sighed deeply, closing his eyes."Order ANBU to withdraw surveillance on the jinchūriki."
"But Hokage-sama, without oversight, won't that be too dangerous?"
"After all…" Homura's eyes dropped to the Root report, where a single line stood stark and clear:
[Violation Level: 7]
"Hokage-sama, aren't there only ten violation levels in total? But even the Nine-Tails itself is only classified as Level 6…"
"The Four Symbols Seal is a dangerous technique," Hiruzen explained solemnly. "It can seal not just the Nine-Tails, but virtually anything."
"Root always exaggerates. They see only weapons, ignoring the humanity within. But humans have emotions. Even weapons can be guided."
"Sunlight, flowers, bonds of friendship, budding love, the recognition of the village—these are the true keys to tempering a weapon."