Naruto uzumaki : The Will To Rise

Naruto casually found a spot outside the cage to sit and looked at the massive fox before him. After teasing the Kyuubi with a few remarks, the once-majestic Nine-Tails turned away, visibly displeased. It was a reaction that didn't match Naruto's impression of the fox, but it still brought a smile to his face.

The negative emotions that Kyuubi had stirred up earlier seemed to have subsided. Humans, after all, are social creatures. Even malice can feel more bearable than loneliness.

As Naruto admired Kyuubi's beautiful, flowing tails, he wondered how to leave the sealed space. At the same time, he rifled through his memories, trying to recall everything he knew about the Nine-Tails.

The Kyuubi wasn't just any tailed beast. It was the most powerful, with the largest chakra reserves among the nine. It could sense malice and had abilities akin to a favorability system. In its wild state, the Nine-Tails was already as strong as a Kage. When bonded with a jinchūriki, it could unlock the Nine-Tails mode, making the host stronger than even the Five Kage.

By the time of Boruto, the Kyuubi could even burn its own chakra to give its jinchūriki power on par with an Ōtsutsuki. Without this "plug-in," Naruto in the original story might have been strong, but he wouldn't have reached the same heights.

If Naruto wanted to live freely in the ninja world, he'd have to find a way to work with the Nine-Tails.

As he pondered this, Naruto suddenly felt a pull. His body tensed, and before he knew it, he was ejected from the sealed space. He realized that entering the space required mental energy, and he couldn't stay there indefinitely.

Back inside the cage, the Kyuubi turned to the now-empty space where Naruto had been. The fox's expression was thoughtful. This new jinchūriki was just a kid, different from Mito and Kushina. Unlike them, Naruto didn't harbor deep malice toward the Kyuubi.

The fox snorted softly and rested its eyes. Maybe this brat would turn out to be more interesting than it had expected.

---

A Month Later

In the real world, Naruto stretched and began tidying his room. Reflecting on his first meeting with Kyuubi, he couldn't help but smile. Talking to the fox had given him a new way to pass the time.

For the next month, Naruto made a habit of visiting the sealed space whenever he recharged enough energy. At first, Kyuubi was cold and silent, but eventually, it grew impatient.

"Stupid kid," the fox growled. "Don't you have anything better to do? Why do you come here every day?"

Naruto shrugged nonchalantly. "Isn't it my job as the jailer to make sure the prisoner doesn't escape? I have to keep an eye on you."

Kyuubi rubbed its paw against the ground. "Didn't you call me a tenant before? What happened to that?"

"Well," Naruto replied, "I thought about it, and you can't even pay rent. So, now it's just a jailer-and-prisoner thing. Besides, I don't have anything else to do."

Realizing he had said too much, Naruto quickly covered his mouth.

The Nine-Tails rolled its eyes and muttered, "You've been stuck in this house for a month. The villagers outside locked you up. For a container like you, this is your destiny."

Naruto smirked. "At least I have more freedom than you. I've got books from the old man, the Third Hokage."

Kyuubi raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" It shot Naruto a suspicious look.

Before Naruto could retort, a knock at the door interrupted their conversation. He quickly got up to answer it.

---

A Visit from the Hokage

Opening the door, Naruto was greeted by the familiar sight of the Third Hokage. This time, the old man wasn't wearing his ceremonial robes but simple home clothes, which made him look more approachable.

"Little Naruto, how are you doing?" the Hokage asked with a warm smile.

Naruto grinned. "Grandpa Third, I'm doing fine. I've got food, clothes, and books. No one's calling me a monster since I'm staying indoors. It's a pretty good life."

The Hokage's smile faltered slightly. While Naruto's words sounded innocent, this wasn't the answer he wanted. Jinchūriki needed to experience the world to grow strong—not hide away.

After a moment of thought, the Third Hokage said gently, "Naruto, staying inside is nice, but you should go out and explore the world sometimes."

Naruto frowned. "If I go out, people will just call me a monster again. I'm not afraid of them, but I don't want to cause trouble for you, Grandpa."

The Hokage sighed. "I've ordered the villagers not to spread rumors about you. No one will call you that."

Naruto hesitated but eventually said, "Fine, I'll go outside. But if anyone says something to my face, I'm not letting it slide."

The Hokage chuckled, leaving Naruto some money for living expenses before departing.

---

Back to the Sealed Space

As soon as the Hokage left, Naruto tucked the money into his pocket. Kyuubi's voice echoed in his mind.

"Why are you so sweet to that old man?" the fox teased, mimicking Naruto's tone. "Grandpa this, Grandpa that…"

Naruto's face darkened. "Unlike you, I know when to be polite. Maybe if you'd learned some manners, you wouldn't be sealed in here."

The fox fell silent, retreating to a corner of its cage. It couldn't physically retaliate, and its attempts to stir up negative emotions failed. Worse, Naruto always seemed to know exactly where to hit it where it hurt.

Seeing Kyuubi sulk, Naruto laughed. For the first time, he felt a glimmer of hope for the future.