The moment Naruto saw the massive fox, its nine tails thrashing behind it, he suddenly understood.
Why people called him the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.
Why they said he was the reason the Fourth Hokage died.
Why they hated a child who had done absolutely nothing wrong.
"…How disgusting."
A trace of scorn appeared on Naruto's small face.
"Looks like you've figured something out," the Nine-Tails said, lowering its head to peer through the iron bars at the boy. Its expression, once twisted and menacing, now carried a hint of amusement.
"Yeah," Naruto nodded. He looked up, locking eyes with the giant fox without a shred of fear. His voice was calm as he asked, "Are you the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox? Did you kill the Fourth Hokage?"
Without hesitation, the Nine-Tails admitted it, his tone laced with mockery: "I am the Nine-Tails. The Fourth Hokage did die because of me. Before he died, he sealed me inside you. That's why the villagers hate you."
"Do you hate him? The Hokage who sealed me in you?"
"Do you hate them? The ones who took their anger out on you?"
"Come—accept my power. You didn't do anything wrong. They did. Use the strength I give you and wipe them all out. Drown your hatred in their blood."
The Nine-Tails grinned wider, clearly entertained.
It could feel the darkness inside this little brat growing stronger—his bloodlust swelling.
In response, its chakra seeped even further through the seal and into Naruto's body.
This time, it wasn't just a trickle. It was dozens of times more powerful than before.
The outcome was obvious—soon, Naruto's reason would break under the weight of that hatred. The desire to destroy would take over completely.
Naruto felt like he was back on that day again.
The first time he was allowed to go outside… He'd run out, excited to find friends, only to be met with whispers of "demon fox" and "man-eater." They blamed him for the Fourth Hokage's death.
He tried so hard to explain himself, but was ignored again and again.
They even tried to kill him.
He hadn't done anything wrong.
It was the adults who were wrong.
What gave them the right to make him their scapegoat?!
"Kill them all. Cleanse your soul of hatred."
The Nine-Tails' voice echoed around him like a devil's whisper, luring him into embracing his rage and destroying everything that caused him pain.
"No… I can't let Grandpa Third down. He's been good to me. He protects this village with everything he has. I can't condemn the whole world because of a few people."
Just like the first time he felt the Nine-Tails' negative chakra, Naruto used this thought to steady himself.
But this time… it didn't work.
His body began to glow with a deep, blood-red light—chakra. The Nine-Tails' chakra.
It wrapped around him, feeding his rage, swelling it to the point of no return.
"Come on, take more of my power. Destroy everything."
The Nine-Tails' toothy grin stretched even wider as it poured more chakra into him.
"Ji Wenzi thinks three times before acting."
When Confucius heard this, he said: "Twice is enough."
Just as Naruto was about to snap—when his reason was stretched to the breaking point—a line from the Analects he'd recently read surfaced in his mind.
Think before you act. Plan before you move. That's how you win.
And in that moment… Naruto thought a lot.
Slowly, his emotions began to calm.
The bloodlust faded. The crimson chakra began to dim.
The Nine-Tails stared at him, stunned.
It couldn't believe what it was seeing. How had this brat—who was clearly about to lose control—suddenly pulled himself back?
Even worse, the darkness in Naruto's aura seemed to vanish. No matter how much chakra it pumped out now, it couldn't sway him.
"Impossible! How are you resisting me?!"
The mountain-sized beast actually took a step back, glaring at the small figure at the gate with something it hadn't felt before—unease.
It knew its own chakra better than anyone. It was corrupting, overwhelming—powerful enough that even a Hokage would have to be careful.
And yet this kid—this four-year-old who had just started refining chakra—was unaffected.
At that moment, the beast found itself remembering something.
Its own youth.
The old man who gave it life.
The one who always talked about love.
Could it be… that what saved this brat was love?
Naruto, drenched in sweat and panting heavily as if he'd just been pulled from a river, stood tall. Despite his size, he now radiated a pressure that matched the monster towering before him.
He smirked. "Confused, are you?"
The Nine-Tails didn't answer, but Naruto didn't wait.
"Your offer was tempting. Slaughtering those nasty people… wiping out the hate in one big blaze… yeah, it sounds satisfying."
"But… have you thought about what comes after?"
"You're locked in here, sealed inside me. That alone proves your power isn't invincible. Even if there's no one strong enough to match you, the village must have some way to contain you."
"So what if I accept your power? What could I really do?"
"Go on a rampage? Maybe not even get that far? Smash a few buildings before they shut me down? You're a beast—they can't kill you, you're still useful. But me?"
"I'm your cage. If that cage is damaged—or if it becomes too dangerous—the safest thing for them to do is replace it. And what happens to me then? At best, I get locked away for good. At worst… I get executed."
"I'm not taking that gamble."
"I want freedom. I want to be a ninja. A strong ninja who can do whatever he wants—not some lunatic who drags himself down just to get revenge for a bunch of assholes."
"Those people suck. No question. But they're the ones who are wrong. If I let their hatred destroy me, if I let it drive me to ruin, then I'm no better than them. I'd just be punishing myself for their mistakes."
"That'd be the dumbest thing I could ever do. Just… pathetic."
"One day, I will make them understand what they did to me. I'll make them regret it."
"But that day isn't today. And it won't come by using your so-called power—which isn't even unbeatable."