"Naruto, you now hold the key to immense power. Use it wisely," Kaito said, his tone firm. "And remember, true strength comes not just from power, but from the will to protect those you care about."
Naruto, still processing everything, nodded slowly. "I...I understand."
Kaito smiled slightly. "Good. Now, let's get you back on track to becoming the Hokage you aspire to be."
"Why should I become Hokage?" Naruto asked, still trying to process everything.
Kaito replied, "Of course, it's to avenge your parents' murder."
"Parents..." Naruto murmured.
Then, a murderous look instantly appeared in his eyes. "Yes, I want revenge!"
"But, who should I seek revenge on..."
Naruto slowly raised his head, and only then did he realize that he had come to another place!
Then, his pupils shrank suddenly.
"The Nine-Tails?!"
Kaito nodded slightly and said, "This is the sealed space in your body where the Nine-Tails are sealed."
"I just saw that this guy killed my parents!"
Naruto knelt on the ground and roared at the Nine-Tails, "I'm going to kill you!"
Kaito suddenly had a headache when he saw this. With Asura's ideology suppressed Naruto had too much darkness in his heart.
However, Kaito could understand. Without Asura's influence, all of Naruto's suffering and resentment would burst out at once, making him irrational and extreme.
But Kaito wasn't ready to restrain Naruto. It was better for him to break out like this than to keep everything suppressed. Naruto might become an important ally in the future, and Kaito didn't want an irrational beast on his side.
Kaito watched as Naruto got up from the ground and rushed toward the Nine-Tails maniacally. Despite being so young, Naruto quickly passed through the cage and began kicking and punching the Nine-Tails.
Fortunately, the Nine-Tails was controlled by Kaito. Otherwise, even a simple raise of its hand could have easily killed the eight-year-old Naruto.
"He's just a child after all," Kaito shook his head.
Just like that, more than half an hour passed, and Naruto continued his relentless assault on the Nine-Tails.
"Are you done venting?" Kaito beckoned, and Naruto suddenly appeared beside him.
Seeing Kaito, Naruto burst into tears again. "I'm so useless, I can't do anything..."
For some reason, even though they had only met an hour ago, Naruto felt an inexplicable sense of trust and warmth toward Kaito, as if he had found an older brother he never knew he needed.
Seeing this, Kaito squatted down and gently patted Naruto on the shoulder. "It's okay, you're only eight years old now. Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others haven't been wholeheartedly improving your strength to keep you under control, so naturally, you feel powerless."
"But with me here, I'll help you grow stronger and give you the power to take revenge!"
"Really... really?" Naruto asked through his tears, his eyes wide with hope.
"Of course!" Kaito smiled at him. "But you've got the wrong target for your revenge. The Nine-Tails is just a tool being controlled. The real culprit is someone else."
"Who is it?" Naruto asked, a fire igniting in his eyes.
Kaito shook his head. "This person has coveted the position of Hokage for a long time. They conspired with someone who had plans for Konoha and secretly orchestrated the Nine-Tails attack on the village."
"When your mother was giving birth, they released the Nine-Tails to destroy Konoha. Your parents sacrificed themselves to seal the Nine-Tails into your body."
"This person is a high-ranking official in Konoha Village. You are still young and not yet ready to handle this truth. But when you're strong enough, I'll tell you everything."
After Kaito finished speaking, Naruto fell silent. After a long time, he asked quietly, "Who are you? Why are you going so far as to tell me this? What's your purpose?"
Although Naruto could be thick-headed, he wasn't stupid. After venting his frustration on the Nine-Tails, he had regained his composure.
Kaito shrugged, not planning to conceal his identity or purpose. "I'm Uchiha Kaito, and your classmate Uchiha Sasuke belongs to our family."
"Not long ago, out of jealousy and a desire for the Uchiha's power, the high-ranking officials of Konoha conspired with a traitor in my clan, Sasuke's brother Itachi, to wipe out our clan."
"But I stopped them. Now I'm leaving with my clan. Before I go, I want to expose the true faces of the Konoha leadership, like Sarutobi Hiruzen, to those they have wronged. That's why I found you."
"Then... are you also going to use me?" Naruto murmured, his face a mix of sadness and confusion.
Kaito shook his head and said, "I just want to tell you the truth. I've broken with Konoha... No, it should be said that I've broken with Hiruzen Sarutobi. He doesn't represent everyone in Konoha."
"But because he is Hokage, I will leave with my clan. However, with my talent, within a few years, I will return to Konoha to take back what belongs to Uchiha!"
"And you, back then, would only be an eleven- or twelve-year-old kid. You couldn't help me then."
"So, you can also understand that I want your future!"
"Future?" Naruto was puzzled.
"That's right!" Kaito nodded. "I will take back Konoha in the future, so you will naturally become my subordinate then!"
"But given Sarutobi Hiruzen's brainwashing of you... I don't want to kill someone I once admired!"
"Do you understand?"
Naruto shook his head, still confused by what Kaito was saying.
Kaito shrugged. "It's okay if you don't understand right now. You still have time."
"But you need to understand this: from now on, don't trust anyone easily, especially... don't trust Sarutobi Hiruzen!"
"You might think I'm lying to you now, but over time, you'll see the truth. To help you on this path, I'm going to give you a gift!"
"A gift?" Naruto asked, his curiosity piqued.
Kaito smiled, then looked at the Nine-Tails. The Sharingun in his eyes turned again. "It's time for you to wake up too!"
In an instant, the red light in the Nine-Tails' eyes disappeared, and it regained its senses.
Realizing what had happened, the Nine-Tails roared in fury. "Damn, it's you Uchiha again!"
With a powerful swipe, it struck the cage. The massive sound and accompanying air pressure made Naruto stumble back in fear, while Kaito remained unmoved.
"Still so irritable even after all that," Kaito remarked coldly. "Now you're trapped by this seal, and with only half of your power left, even a normal Sharingan can control you easily."
"If you don't want to suffer, you should stay calm and quiet!"
The Nine-Tails roared again, "Damn Uchiha Madara, always causing trouble!"
"Uchiha Madara?" Kaito smirked. "He's not qualified to order me, let alone that imposter!"
"I'm here for Naruto's sake. You're just a gift."
The Nine-Tails growled, "You dare underestimate me?!"
Kaito's expression hardened. "I warn you, if you don't cooperate, I won't hesitate to turn you into a puppet under my control!"
The Nine-Tails, sensing the seriousness in Kaito's eyes and the power of his Sharingun, reluctantly calmed down.
"Boy, what do you want?" the Nine-Tails asked in a low voice.
Seeing the Nine-Tails finally subdued, Kaito nodded in satisfaction. "I want you to help Naruto become stronger. Let him master your chakra quickly."
"What are you joking about?!" the Nine-Tails' eyes flared with anger but quickly dulled in resignation. "No matter how you coerce me, I won't let this kid control my chakra. It's the dignity of a tailed beast!"
"Heh, don't be so quick to decide," Kaito said lightly. "You must know that the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails of the Hidden Cloud Village and the Three-Tails of the Hidden Mist Village have all formed bonds with their hosts and become perfect jinchuriki."
"What?!" The Nine-Tails' pupils shrank in shock. "Those fools have fallen so low as to trust humans!"
Kaito wasn't surprised by the Nine-Tails' reaction. Given its deep understanding of human nature, the Nine-Tails remained disdainful of all humans, even those like Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama who had bested it in battle.
Changing the subject, Kaito asked, "Do you remember the 'Uchiha Madara' who controlled you eight years ago?"
The Nine-Tails nodded. "Though he called himself Madara Uchiha, I realized later that his chakra was different. He was a fake!"
"But he had the summoning contract that Madara forced me to give him!"
"Naturally," Kaito said calmly, "because he was Madara's chosen successor."
"Successor?" The Nine-Tails narrowed its eyes. "It seems Madara Uchiha had some hidden plans."
"That's right!" Kaito nodded and said directly, "Uchiha Madara is planning to resurrect the Ten-Tails!"
"What?!" The Nine-Tails' pupils suddenly shrank, unable to contain his shock.
"How do you know about the Ten-Tails?!"
Kaito responded calmly, "You don't need to worry about how I know. What matters is that you understand the conditions for the Ten-Tails' resurrection."
The Nine-Tails' eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You... You mean he needs all the tailed beasts to resurrect the Ten-Tails."
Kaito nodded. "Exactly. That's why Madara and his successor are targeting you and the other-tailed beasts. If they succeed, it will spell disaster for the entire world."
The Nine-Tails growled lowly, deep in thought. "So, you're saying that helping this kid, Naruto, could prevent that from happening?"
"Precisely," Kaito affirmed. "By helping Naruto become stronger, you not only ensure your own survival but also play a crucial role in stopping the Ten-Tails' resurrection. It's a mutual benefit."
Naruto, listening to the conversation, felt a mix of confusion and determination. "So, what do I need to do?" he asked, his voice steadying.
Kaito placed a reassuring hand on Naruto's shoulder. "You need to train hard and gain control over the Nine-Tails' chakra. Together, you'll become strong enough to protect Konoha and avenge your parents."
Naruto nodded, a newfound resolve shining in his eyes. "I'll do it. I'll become strong enough to protect everyone and stop this threat!"
The Nine-Tails watched the exchange silently, its anger slowly giving way to a reluctant respect. "Fine, kid. I'll help you. But don't think this makes us friends," it growled.