Chapter 270: Nine-Tails: In Danger
Chakra was truly a wondrous thing. Ever since it fused with the living beings of the ninja world, it represented life while one was alive and soul after death. It could transmit abilities, and it could also transmit emotions.
The Nine-Tails sealed within Naruto was exactly like that.
At the very beginning, the Nine-Tails had simply been a spectator. It watched Naruto grow up from childhood, watched him being bullied by Konoha's inherently malicious villagers, and witnessed him endure an entire lonely childhood.
At the same time, the Nine-Tails had also seen Ōtsutsuki Isshiki and Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki, who came from the future.
Compared to Naruto, who was thick-skinned and slow to grasp the implications, the Nine-Tails clearly understood what those two beings represented.
Just because one Uchiha Madara had died did not mean it was safe, nor that no one could control it anymore.
Mouths could lie, but chakra could not.
As the tsundere Nine-Tails gradually opened a crack in its heart, its perception began to overlap more and more with that of its jinchūriki, Naruto.
Because the seal still existed, this overlap had turned into something like a "locked passive skill." The Nine-Tails was now constantly and involuntarily experiencing all of Naruto's sensations.
Normally, this was not a big problem.
Even when Naruto got injured during training, it was merely pain. With a tailed beast's endurance, such discomfort was nothing.
Only certain other sensations became excessive when synchronized.
For example, just now, being swallowed and kicked by a toad, then having worms stuffed into his mouth. It was so disgusting that even the Nine-Tails could not bear it.
"I didn't sense it wrong earlier. My other half's seal has been undone. It was nearby… What exactly happened?"
Inside the sealing space, after retching for a while, the Nine-Tails recalled what had just occurred.
It had sensed the chakra of the other half of the Nine-Tails, which should have been sealed away with the Fourth Hokage by the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
But since the two halves had not made contact, not even through their jinchūriki, the Nine-Tails had no idea what had happened to its other half.
This split state was similar to a shadow clone.
Even shadow clones could only synchronize memories once they were dispelled.
While the Nine-Tails was thinking, the two elder toads, Fukasaku and Shima, dragged Naruto, who had been fed the detoxifying worms, into the great hall to meet the Great Toad Sage.
"The Great Toad Sage once gave Jiraiya boy a prophecy, saying that his disciple would change the ninja world. This child is also his disciple. Great Toad Sage, please take a look. Is this child the Child of Prophecy?"
Sage Shima gazed expectantly at the enormous stone seat, where the Great Toad Sage sat drowsily.
"Mm, I just had a dream…"
The Great Toad Sage spoke slowly.
"That's wonderful! What did you dream about?"
Sage Shima's eyes widened. She held her breath, afraid of missing a single word.
When the Great Toad Sage dreamed, it was essentially a prophecy.
"This child will resolve his misunderstanding with the Nine-Tails and come to accept each other…"
The Great Toad Sage continued, pausing several times within a single sentence.
"Heh."
Inside the sealing space, the Nine-Tails snorted disdainfully upon hearing this.
But then it reconsidered. Back then, even the Sage of Six Paths had believed this toad's prophecies…
Was it really destined to reconcile and cooperate with this blond brat?
Forget it.
The Nine-Tails decided not to dwell on it.
Since it was here, it would adapt.
Even if it truly reconciled with Naruto in the future, that would be for its future self to deal with. It would not change its attitude now just because of a single prophecy.
With that thought, the Nine-Tails gave a cold snort, lay down, and prepared to sleep.
"That's wonderful. To actually reconcile with the Nine-Tails. This child truly seems to be the Child of Prophecy!"
"Yes. Jiraiya searched for so long, and now the Child of Prophecy has finally appeared. It seems the ninja world is about to welcome a great transformation."
Shima and Fukasaku exchanged glances, overjoyed.
"Great Toad Sage, and then? Is there more prophecy to come?"
Sage Shima looked at the Great Toad Sage expectantly.
Unmoved, the Great Toad Sage maintained his slow, measured pace of speech. "Then, this child and the Nine-Tails will become husband and wife."
"That's wonderful. Naruto will even become husband and wife with the Nine-Tails… What?!!"
The smile on Sage Shima's face vanished instantly, replaced by shock, horror, and confusion.
"Nani?!"
Inside the sealing space, the Nine-Tails was jolted awake.
Become what?
Leaving aside the fact that one was a human and the other a tailed beast, even if they were both human, they were both male. How could they possibly become husband and wife?!
"Great Toad Sage, you're not truly suffering from senile dementia, are you?"
Sage Fukasaku asked cautiously.
This was exactly what the Nine-Tails inside the sealing space wanted to say as well.
"This was merely a dream I had… Zzz."
After saying that, the Great Toad Sage fell asleep again.
In truth, it really had just been a dream. It had accidentally connected to a previous Limited Tsukuyomi scenario.
But to the toads of Mount Myoboku, the Great Toad Sage's dreams were prophecies.
At least until it could be proven that he was senile, that was beyond question.
"So between that kid and the Nine-Tails, which one is the husband and which one is the wife?"
As Sage Shima dragged Naruto out of the hall, she asked her partner.
"How should I know? Probably Naruto."
Sage Fukasaku was still somewhat dazed from the shocking revelation and answered casually.
"Why?"
"The Nine-Tails doesn't even have that."
"That's true."
Their conversation was heard clearly by the Nine-Tails within the sealing space.
Inside, the Nine-Tails raged in helpless fury.
Soon after came a deep sense of unease and fear.
It was the ferocious Nine-Tails, not some seductive fox spirit. How could it possibly become husband and wife with Uzumaki Naruto, that little brat?
How would it ever stand tall before the other tailed beasts again?
Why?
Why would that toad make such an outrageous prophecy?
After a thousand years in the ninja world, the Nine-Tails understood one thing very well. The more outrageous something sounded, the more likely it was to be true.
Because when fabricating lies, one must adhere to logic. Reality, however, had no need for logic.
Very quickly, the Nine-Tails thought of a possibility.
Within the sealing space, it had always watched Naruto and knew that the person Naruto cared about most was Uchiha Sasuke.
If Naruto truly had a bond partner, it would definitely be Sasuke.
Even his first kiss had been with Sasuke.
So why did the prophecy replace Sasuke with it?
It must be because Naruto lacked strength and failed to protect Sasuke. Sasuke must have died, and only then did Naruto extend his sinful hands toward it, an innocent tailed beast.
"No. I must help this brat protect Uchiha Sasuke and ensure their relationship remains intact. Only then can this prophecy be avoided."
As expected of the intellectual representative among the tailed beasts, the Nine-Tails quickly identified both the cause and the solution.
That night, Naruto regained consciousness. Amid the noisy commotion, he learned from Sage Fukasaku where he was.
Shima and Fukasaku also learned from Naruto that Jiraiya had been abducted by Orochimaru.
"Naruto boy, in order to rescue Jiraiya boy, we've decided to begin teaching you Sage Mode training starting tomorrow."
Sage Shima placed a bowl of worm soup onto the table.
(End of this chapter)