This was Naruto's first time entering his inner world. In essence, dreaming also takes us into our inner world, but most dreams are beyond our conscious control, and we can neither dictate our actions nor recall everything we see upon waking.
With Sasuke's assistance through genjutsu, Naruto had reached the depths of his inner world for the first time.
As he entered, he realized he had been here before. In countless nightmares, he often found himself in this place. However, the memories of those dreams were always hazy and fragmented, vanishing upon waking.
This time, everything was vivid.
A massive iron cage loomed before him, and within it lay a mountainous figure, sleeping soundly.
"Is that the Nine-Tails?" Naruto whispered.
Sasuke stood beside him, and despite his young age, he had never seen the Nine-Tails in person either.
Now, confronted with its colossal form, his voice trembled slightly.
More than its size, it was the sheer intensity of the chakra emanating from it. In this mental realm, the two could directly feel its terrifying power.
"How on earth was something like this sealed inside your body?" Sasuke muttered.
"I don't know either," Naruto replied. "But Sensei Aoba told me the Nine-Tails can be reasoned with. How do I talk to it?"
"Maybe… wake it up?"
In truth, the Nine-Tails had already awakened the moment the two boys entered its domain. Despite being sealed, it maintained some control over this mental space.
With its chakra leaking through the cage, the Nine-Tails could sense Naruto and Sasuke's presence with ease.
Its eyes cracked open slightly, scanning the two boys lazily.
One was its vessel, a naive fool, and the other was an Uchiha, a clan it detested. Neither was particularly appealing to the Nine-Tails, so it chose to ignore them.
Naruto noticed the slight movement and nervously stepped forward, raising his voice.
"Hey, Nine-Tails! Can we talk?"
"..." The Nine-Tails opened its eyes a little wider but didn't respond, coldly staring at Naruto. The weight of its gaze made Naruto feel immense pressure, but as the ultimate protagonist, he had an unyielding spirit.
Even under such overwhelming pressure, he took another step closer, standing directly before the iron bars.
"I was told you can be reasoned with, so how about we try? I'm your jinchūriki, which means we're one. I think we should be friends."
"...Friends? Do you humans always like making friends with caged monsters?"
"...I'm sorry. I know you didn't hurt the Leaf Village on purpose. Please trust me—give me some time, and I'll find a way to set you free."
This time, the Nine-Tails was genuinely stunned. Whether by Naruto's sincerity or sheer stupidity, it couldn't tell.
"Set me free? You just said we're one. Do you understand what happens if you let me out?"
"I do. If a jinchūriki loses their tailed beast, they die." Aoba had already taught Naruto these basics, so he had come prepared for this negotiation.
"But don't worry. We can take it step by step. I can allow you to extend some of your chakra beyond the cage. That way, you can truly feel the outside world.
Sensei told me that if we achieve complete harmony, a jinchūriki and their tailed beast become a unique kind of symbiotic entity. We'd share each other's experiences, and the concept of you being confined would no longer exist."
The Nine-Tails listened silently, its massive eyes narrowing slightly as it considered Naruto's words. It wasn't sure whether to dismiss him as a fool or admire his audacity.
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Currently on Chapter 206 - The Gears of the World Continue to Move