The Kurama of the past saw himself as a tailed beast, superior to humans, despising them and even killing many.
Now, Kurama saw himself as more than a tailed beast. He still didn't like humans, but he was willing to interact with some of them to ensure his own survival.
Once, Kurama viewed tailed beasts and humans as two different entities—tailed beasts as natural disasters and humans as mere ants.
Now, Kurama saw tailed beasts and humans as similar beings, each with thoughts, brains, and souls. Humans also possessed the strength, pride, and the darkness that tailed beasts lacked.
Humans were far more complex than tailed beasts, yet they also had an immense capacity for growth. They embraced new knowledge, transforming themselves to become stronger, like Orochimaru.
They kept pushing the limits of chakra, matching the gods with human bodies, like Kakashi and Sakura.
Humans had long outgrown the simple, easily deceived beings they were thousands of years ago. The old ways vanished the moment the Third Hokage died.
Today's humans were already walking a new path.
Kurama had his own pride. He still hated Uchiha Madara and wanted to kill him, but he also understood he couldn't beat him. If he wanted to grow stronger, he would have to change. That was the biggest lesson Kurama had gained from his memories of Earth.
If you can't win, it's not always because the opponent is too strong—sometimes, it's just because you're too weak.
Weak, unwilling to change, stuck in your little corner of the world, thinking you're at the top just because of the ground beneath your feet. But really, you're just a frog staring up from the bottom of a well, with others barely caring enough to even look down at you.
The sky is vast, but the well is tiny. If you never jump out, all you'll see in your life is that small view.
Gyuki, it's not me who's an embarrassment—it's you!
Kurama opened his eyes, an icy killing intent and wild chakra radiating from his body. Standing across from him, A raised his right hand, his eyes wide as he stared at Kurama.
If the Kurama from a moment ago gave Raikage the sense of Killer Bee's carefree attitude, now Kurama was a true Tailed Beast. The sheer pressure made it hard to breathe, just the chakra itself causing a suffocating feeling.
It wasn't about power, or rank. It was more like… someone standing high in the heavens, looking down on an ant—even if that ant were poisonous enough to kill.
This was pride.
"The so-called 'Tailed Beast' title that the Eight-Tails clings to—it's outdated nonsense. But I'm not like him. My Kurama is the real deal." Kurama looked coldly at Raikage.
The Eight-Tails' idea of 'Tailed Beast' was stuck in the past, while Kurama's 'Tailed Beast' was truly his own.
The light from Raikage's Lightning Release armor flared as he readied every bit of strength to face Kurama. That kind of aura, that pressure—he'd only felt it from one other person in his life, and that was the strongest Raikage, the Third Raikage.
That confidence, that overwhelming strength—it was enough to make anyone feel small just by looking at it.
Was all that shamelessness just a trick to throw me off? Even Tailed Beasts have learned to use human tactics… this guy… he's dangerous.
Kurama glanced at Raikage, who was now fully powered up. "Enough, come on. I've told you everything I know. You still wanna fight me? Have some pride, would you?"
Raikage's breath hitched.
What…? Why did that heavy pressure suddenly disappear?
Looking at Kurama, who was now back to his shameless self, even Raikage, no matter how thickheaded, could tell something was off. This was definitely the real Nine-Tails, and that pressure he'd felt was real—but… how could he switch like that so easily?
Raikage withdrew his Lightning Release armor, frowning. "What did you mean by what you just said?"
"Huh?" Kurama looked confused.
Raikage's forehead vein bulged. "You just said, 'The Eight-Tails' Tailed Beast title is outdated, but I'm the real Tailed Beast.' What does that mean?"
"Is it that hard to get?" Kurama scratched his ear with his pinky, thinking that these longer nails were pretty nice for ear scratching. Shame his real Tailed Beast body didn't have earwax, or it would've been satisfying.
Blowing on his pinky, Kurama replied, "The Eight-Tails clings to his Tailed Beast pride, thinking he's unbeatable just because he's a Tailed Beast. But I'm different. I know I'm a Tailed Beast, and I also know there are plenty out there who can beat me. So I'm aiming to keep getting stronger, to remind everyone what the words 'Tailed Beast' really mean."
A force of nature, power, disaster—not some cute little plaything like what they became in the later years. Those who hold onto the Tailed Beast name for what it truly stands for are real Tailed Beasts, while the ones who cling to it without change are just living in the past.
The One-Tail through the Eight-Tails may have given up, but not Kurama.
Raikage fell silent, then suddenly lifted his head, giving Kurama a dangerous look.
"You're too much of a threat, Nine-Tails. I won't let you leave here alive."
"Is that so?" Kurama smirked. "Perfect. My chakra's just about fully charged, and I appreciate you giving me this much time."
The moment he finished speaking, Kurama's crimson tails flared up behind him. His body was engulfed in deep red chakra, forming an armor-like shell of white bone over him, leaving only his facial features visible.
This was the Demon Fox Cloak, Five-Tails Mode!
"Ninja Art: Sandstorm Burial!"
Kurama clapped his hands together and slammed them onto the ground. The earth trembled as countless rocks were crushed into sand by his chakra, transforming into a sea of sand that rushed out in all directions.
A, who was about to charge forward, froze, his face darkening.
"This…this is the One-Tail's technique!"
This large-scale attack that kept surging was one he couldn't counter easily. If Gaara or Rasa were the ones using it, he could handle it, but the Nine-Tails was on another level. Its chakra seemed endless, covering the whole area in sand.
If he tried to resist directly, he'd survive the first wave, but the sand would eventually overwhelm him, restricting his speed and strength.
"Damn it, a Tailed Beast!" Raikage was burning with frustration, yet he had no choice but to dodge.
If any human had used this move, he'd have broken through with one piercing strike. But Kurama was playing by brute force alone, using chakra to keep stacking damage.
"Tailed Beast Bomb!"
As Raikage dodged, the vast sea of sand suddenly split open, and a human-sized Tailed Beast Bomb flew out directly toward him.
"Oh no, you think you can look down on me?" Raikage, furious, gritted his teeth.
"Lightning Release: Hell Stab - Three-Finger Thrust!"
Lightning descended from the sky, forming a blade in Raikage's hand. He sliced through the Tailed Beast Bomb with incredible force, splitting it in two as chakra fragments shot into the distance, crashing into the ocean.
The sea roared from the impact, with waves towering and winds howling as the ground trembled and sand scattered everywhere.
A turned to look forward, lowering one finger from his right hand.
"Lightning Release: Hell Stab - Two-Finger Thrust!"
From a distance, Kurama watched as his crimson chakra swirled and condensed again, forming a sixth tail that swayed behind him. In the shadowed distance, the fox flashed a menacing grin.
"Magnet Release: Tailed Beast Bomb!"
Raikage figure cloaked in blue lightning, clutching a blade, met Kurama's burning red figure head-on, each moving without hesitation, every strike their full strength.
Raikage's eyes were filled with killing intent, his mind abandoning thoughts of his escaping brother. Time seemed to slow as his power gathered at his fingertips. Lowering his final finger, he locked his gaze on Kurama with just his forefinger extended.
"You're too dangerous, Nine-Tails! I'll make sure you don't leave here alive this time!"
"Lightning Release: Hell Stab – One-Fingered Assault!"
Kurama: "..."
Are you Senju Hashirama or something?
No, wait…hold on! Isn't it supposed to be the Two-Fingered Assault? This is just a shadow clone! I can't block a One-Fingered Assault!!!
Boom—
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