Naruto squatted next to Sasuke's wooden barrel, zoning out while watching the sun slowly set in the distance. The light had faded, and darkness was beginning to cover the land.
Inside the seal space, Kurama opened his eyes, carefully looking around. Once he confirmed that Killer Bee wasn't there, he sighed with relief and patted his chest: "I actually made it through! I'm really something, huh, Kurama?"
Earlier, he and Killer Bee had made a promise to each other under the sunset, to climb to the peak of the music world together. With Killer Bee's recognition, Kurama no longer felt troubled. Since he had joined him, he could now see things more clearly and didn't mind anymore.
This mindset allowed him to quickly grasp the basics of the tail division technique. In just two hours, he had already... well, he was now a beginner.
After all, this was a powerful technique from the tailed beasts, so it would still take some time to fully master. He planned to stay with Gyuki for about a week, and by then, he would likely have learned it completely.
Just one more week, and I'll be free from these two crazies!
Kurama silently cheered himself on.
Outside, Naruto paused for a moment, instinctively turning to enter the seal space. He saw the huge Kurama sitting behind the prison bars, looking just like he had come from a dangerous place, still patting his chest with a lingering sense of fear.
Naruto tilted his head in confusion: "You're back, Kurama?"
Kurama stared at Naruto, watching him silently, making Naruto feel a little uncomfortable.
Naruto instinctively took a step back, thinking Kurama was about to trick him again: "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Naruto..." Kurama sighed deeply, looking up at the ceiling at a 45-degree angle with a sad expression. "My innocent heart, only a few thousand years old, was struck by shock. Killer Bee's avant-garde music exhausted me. Right now, I realize that you're just so... normal, and so cute."
So, he wasn't trying to trick me.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head, then paused, looking at Kurama with hesitation: "Are you complimenting me?"
Why doesn't it sound right?
"Of course, I'm complimenting you." Kurama replied seriously. "Saying you're normal, saying you're cute—what else could it be but a compliment?"
"Uh…" Naruto thought for a moment and then chuckled. "I guess so. Heh, thanks, Kurama."
"No need to thank me." Kurama nodded contentedly. After all, Naruto's simple-mindedness was much more fun than Killer Bee. Good thing he wasn't Kurama's Jinchuriki.
Gyuki, sorry about that.
But I can't let Naruto know I'm badmouthing him, so Kurama decided to change the topic: "By the way, what are you doing now? Is that barrel outside for a bath? It looks kind of small."
The barrel could fit a person, but if you wanted to use it for a bath, it was a bit too small. You couldn't even stretch your legs out.
Naruto shook his head: "No, it's for Sasuke. Didn't he ask you about Orochimaru and the curse mark before? He thinks the curse mark will help him, so now he's entering the second stage of the curse mark."
"Is that so?" Kurama recalled, remembering how Naruto had suddenly called him back a few days ago, asking a lot of questions, most of them about the cursed seal. However, at the time, Kurama didn't think much of it and assumed Naruto just wanted to help Sasuke understand it better.
Wait, Kurama asked curiously, "Could it be that Sasuke wants the same kind of power-up as mine because you have my help?"
Considering Sasuke's personality, it was possible.
Naruto scratched the back of his head, thinking for a moment. "I'm not sure, but it seemed like Sasuke suddenly wanted the cursed seal after I told him about you."
Kurama nodded. "That could work. The cursed seal is kind of like an incomplete Sage Mode. Using it as a stepping stone could help Sasuke when he learns Sage Mode in the future."
Natural energy is a special power against tailed beasts. After all, the Ten-Tails is itself a gathering of natural energy, so the nine tailed beasts that split from it are naturally suppressed by it. This suppression comes from their rank, not their strength.
It's like Wood Release.
But the cursed seal has a problem, specifically Orochimaru's soul. If Sasuke's body or mind weakens while Orochimaru's main body dies, Orochimaru can take over Sasuke's body through the cursed seal.
In the original story, Sasuke was taken over by Orochimaru during his fight with Itachi, but Itachi sealed Orochimaru's soul with the Totsuka Sword, causing the cursed seal to lose its effect.
Well, it's not a big deal. Sasuke knows the risks of the cursed seal, yet he still chose it, so he must be confident in his decision.
Kurama lay down on the ground. "I'm not going over there today.
Let me rest in the seal space quietly, and don't disturb me. If you do, there will be consequences."
"Oh," Naruto nodded obediently.
He didn't mind, and with Kurama's personality, he'd end up talking eventually. Kurama couldn't go long without speaking—he was the kind of fox who couldn't live without talking. Even if Naruto stayed quiet, Kurama would start the conversation anyway.
Time passed slowly in silence. As the moonlight poured down like an entrance, it cast a cold light on Naruto's figure.
The shadows seemed to be forming something in the darkness, but if you looked closely, it was just pitch black.
Kurama closed his eyes to rest, his ears twitching slightly. The next moment, he opened his eyes and, through Naruto's gaze, looked ahead.
The wooden barrel containing Sasuke shook slightly. A powerful chakra that didn't belong to Sasuke erupted from the barrel, filling the air with intense natural energy. Kurama couldn't feel it directly, but the strange pressure made him uneasy.
This sudden outburst of natural energy had been building up for too long. It didn't mean Sasuke was strong—once this energy subsided, what was left would be Sasuke's true strength.
Naruto also noticed the chakra explosion and immediately stood up, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "Sasuke is coming out!"
As soon as Naruto spoke, the powerful chakra calmed down. In the next moment, the barrel exploded, and Sasuke leaped out from the wreckage, landing on a large rock with wood shards flying around him.
Sasuke looked at his right hand, the Three Tomoe Sharingan glowing on his body. Under the moonlight, his smile looked strangely sinister.
"Sasuke!" Naruto clenched his fist and shouted.
Sasuke turned to Naruto, his smile full of confidence. "Naruto"
"Sasuke!" Naruto took a deep breath, his eyes full of battle intent.
"Naruto!" Sasuke's voice grew louder, and his own battle intent surged.
"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted again.
"Naruto!" Sasuke shouted back.
"Kurama!!!" Kurama shouted... huh?
Naruto and Sasuke froze. The words they were about to say got stuck in their throats. Naruto looked at Kurama with a confused expression.
"Ahem." Kurama cleared his throat and turned away to hide his awkwardness. "Sorry, seeing you two get so excited, I couldn't hold back. You can continue, go on."
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