Chapter 997: Nine-Tails’ Shock & Cooperation
Looking at Kuroto hovering above him while enveloped in the Cyan Chakra along with several Black Orbs floating behind him, Nine-Tails’ eyes widened in shock, “You… are… Yama of the Amatsukami?”
Because there’s a hole in the Fuinjutsu that Yondaime Hokage had used to seal Nine-tails inside Naruto, it can spread Chakra outside the seal to some extent and look at the outside world through Naruto’s eyes, therefore, it is privy to some common knowledge.
For this reason, Nine-tails is no stranger to information about the Akatsuki Organization and the Amatsukami Organization. These two organizations’ have stirred up too much trouble in the Shinobi World, and almost everyone is aware of their name, especially the folks in Konoha… considering that children at the academy often talk about Akatsuki and Amatsukami, so Nine-tails has also heard those details through the mouths of all these people, and recognized Kuroto’s identity based on the characteristic Cyan Chakra and the Black Orbs circling behind him that matches the description of the leader of Amatsukami, Yama!
Besides, Nine-tails still remembers a few details from the time of the Sage of Six Path, although it doesn’t understand the concept of Kekkei Mora, a fusion of seven Chakra Natures, and the Truth-Seeking Orbs, it does understand that those Black Orbs are similar to the black orbs that Old-man Six Path used to have around him, and later his son Asura had those orbs, therefore, it recognizes that the person standing before him is not something it can look down upon.
Playing with one of the Truth-Seeking Orb in his hand, Kuroto asked Nine-tails, “Do you still have the same doubt?”
Nine-tails was vigilant, “Who are you?”
Kuroto shrugged, “Don’t you already know? I am the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure, and I am also the leader of the Amatsukami Organization, of course, I am also Uzumaki Naruto’s Sensei!”
Nine-tails still couldn’t believe, it and asked with an incredulous expression, “But… how is this possible? How can a Hyuga have such strength? Wait, are you really a Hyuga?”
In the millennium years, the nine-tails have spent roaming this world, generally, it has always been the descendants of Asura and Indra who have caused major problems for the world, the others haven’t been as much of a troublemaker as the Uchiha and Senju, for this reason, Nine-tails has never paid much attention to them either.
To begin with, it doesn’t like to interact with humans, and more often than not, the only thing that’s respected in this world is the strength that others did not display to the extent that the Uchiha and the Senju did. The Hyuga did exist and have a lot of momentum, but it never reached the same level as the Uchiha and the Senju, so it was naturally difficult for the Nine-tails to believe that an existence-like person in front of him could appear out of the Hyuga Clan, after all, they are just Hyuga.In response to Nine-tail’s question, Kuroto could only shrug, “Indeed I am a Hyuga, there is no questioning that.” He does recognize the fact that he is an anomaly among the Hyugas, heck he is an anomaly in this shinobi world!
Then once again asked Nine-tails, “Do you still have the same doubt?”
In response to Kuroto’s question, Nine-tails looked down and bowed slightly, it did not have the sama arrogance as earlier.
The likes of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara can already play with him like a pet with their strength, and Nine-tails could feel that the person before him is even stronger than the two of them, what’s more, unlike Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, Uzumaki Mito, and Uzumaki Kushina, Hyuga Kuroto is acting civilized, and talking to him rather than just subduing him with force, so it felt that it should also talk in a civilized manner.
Noting Nine-tails’ action, Kuroto smiled lightly, and spoke, “As I mentioned earlier, since you are sealed inside Naruto, this means your fate is already intertwined with Naruto’s, so helping Naruto also means helping yourself.”
Nine-tails asked with a puzzled expression, “You want me to approve of him so that he can become a perfect Jinchuriki?”
Kuroto nodded, “Indeed, I want you to fully cooperate with him and assist him, it’s good for both of you.”
“It’s good for Naruto, I can understand that… but how is it good for me?” asked Nine-tails doubtfully.
“Isn’t it good enough to stay alive and continue to exist as an independent tailed beast inside Naruto? Or would you rather prefer to be captured by the Akatsuki, extracted from the boy’s body, and then sealed inside the Gedo Statue for the revival of the Ten-tails? Do you have the power to protect yourself? Can you resist the masked man’s Sharingan? Can you resist Nagato’s Wood Style? Can you fight back against Rinnegan’s power?” asked Kuroto.
Hearing Kuroto’s questions, nine-tails fell silent and shook its head, “Can’t resist.” If it could resist such power, why would it be captured and sealed in the first place?
Kuroto continued, “As long as you do what I ask you, the Fuinjutsu that restrains you will be released and you will have enough breathing room, moreover, I can also promise you to find a way to release your Yin-half from the stomach of the Shinigami and fuse it back with you so that you can become complete once again…”
“Really?” Nine-tails’ eyes lit up in excitement.
Kuroto nodded, “As long as you let go of your hatred and make peace with Naruto, I will also fulfill my part of the deal,” he paused for a moment, and added, “I give you my word not only as the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure, but also as the Leader of Amatsukami, Yama, and Naruto’s Sensei!”
If it was someone else who made this promise, Nine-tails would simply scoff at them for it knew well that such a thing wouldn’t be very easy even for a Hokage, after all, that’s the stomach of one of the many Shinigami, not your everyday grocery store, but considering that its Hyuga Kuroto with strength even that of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, it felt that it is indeed possible.
What’s more, it has been so long since someone actually treated it kindly, so Nine-tails had little resistance to Kuroto’s offer, and it nodded, “Then I will also do everything to protect the boy.”
Seeing that Nine-tails agreed Kuroto breathed a sigh of relief, deactivated the Tenseigan Chakra Mode, and descended back to the surface, then he turned around and said, “Let’s do a fist bump to acknowledge the promise.”
Nine-tails behind the cage hesitated slightly, then stretched out its paw and bumped it with Kuroto’s small fist on the other side of the gate.
The disparity in the size was visible when their fists met, Kuroto’s entire body was not as large as Nine-tails’ thumb! But it didn’t matter, the difference in size was irrelevant.
As their fists met, there was a resonance and ripples spread through Naruto’s Place of Consciousness, it meant that their promise was now bound, and both sides must acknowledge their end of the deal.
After the fists bumped, both sides retracted their hands and Kuroto looked around to make sure that everything was normal, once he had confirmed that things were fine, he breathed a sigh of relief, ‘With this the problem of Nine-tails is dealt with…’
In fact, he didn’t have any good method of dealing with the Nine-tails sealed inside Naruto, other than intimidation and reaching cooperation, he didn’t think any other method would work to make sure that Nine-tails fully protected Naruto, for this reason, Kuroto didn’t hesitate and directly activated the Tenseigan Chakra Mode to coerce the Nine-tail with the minimum effort.
Fortunately, his approach worked, and Nine-tails agreed.
With his objective completed, Kuroto glanced around and upon noticing that there was no abnormality in Naruto’s Place of Consciousness, he mumbled to himself, “Looks like they aren’t going to come out to see me…”
Kuroto was thinking of the Yondaime Couple. Before they died, both of them had sealed some of their Chakra inside their baby in order to help him out in the future if required. Kuroto suspected that his uninvited arrival in Naruto’s Plane of Consciousness would alert them, and they might come out, but that didn’t happen. ‘I guess they want to stay dormant for now in order to meet their son.’
Truth be told Kuroto also wanted to meet them, at least, he wanted to meet Namikaze Minato, after all, he really admires the Yondaime Hokage, but he also doesn’t want to take away Naruto’s opportunity to meet his parents, so it can’t be helped.
Regardless it was time for him to leave Naruto’s Place of Consciousness.
As for the worry about his identity being discovered by others because of his interaction with the Nine-tails? Kuroto believed that wouldn’t happen. Nine-tails obviously wouldn’t give out this information, Kuroto can be assured of this after their fist bump, as for the Yondaime couple, he can’t be certain about Uzumaki Kushina, but considering Namikaze Minato’s character, he probably won’t give out this information either and he would probably make sure that his wife doesn’t reveal that information either.
What’s more, their current state is just Chakra, once they meet Naruto, they will be gone, so there’s no concern. Besides, they should also be able to perceive the outside world through Naruto’s senses and must understand that Kuroto has no ill will toward their son, in fact, he has actively made an effort to give Naruto the care and family that he never had and they failed to provide, therefore, they definitely wouldn’t do anything to harm Kuroto, because harming him is equivalent to harming their son, and no caring parent would want to do that.
‘Though I do wonder, what do they truly feel about their son being ostracized and alienated by the entire village throughout his childhood… after all, they sacrificed their lives for the sake of the village, yet the village mistreated their son… If it were me in their place, and my child would have been in Naruto’s situation, I wouldn’t be able to accept such an outcome no matter the situation,’ such a thought flashed in Kuroto’s mind as he said goodbye to the Nine-tails then left Naruto’s Place of Consciousness.