"Hmm... Regardless, the Three-Tails has been successfully recovered, and the three of you—especially Naruto—have eliminated another member of the Akatsuki. You've rendered an extraordinary service."
"The Hidden Mist Village will always be grateful to you."
Naruto scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly.
"Haha... It wasn't anything special. I was protecting my own life from the very beginning."
Mei Terumī looked at him curiously.
"Your own life?"
Naruto smiled and waved his hand.
"That's a personal matter. It doesn't have anything to do with the Hidden Mist Village."
Seeing that he didn't want to elaborate, Mei Terumī didn't press further.
Yamato stepped forward.
"Mizukage-sama, now that the Three-Tails has safely returned to the Hidden Mist Village, our mission is complete. From here on, it's your responsibility to strengthen the village's defenses and ensure the Three-Tails is properly protected."
"It's time for us to return to Konoha and report to the Hokage."
Mei Terumī stood and bowed slightly.
"Thank you all for your help."
"Whether it was Konoha or Kumogakure, you fought alongside us as allies of the Dawn Alliance. The Hidden Mist Village is deeply grateful."
"Now that we've foiled the Akatsuki's plans once again, the next step should be a full-scale counteroffensive."
"The moment we discover the Akatsuki's hideout, the Five Great Nations will unite once more and destroy them completely."
Darui lazily nodded.
"Of course."
"Kumogakure still has a debt to settle for Yugito and Brother Bee."
Mei Terumī escorted everyone to the harbor and watched as the Konoha and Kumogakure teams boarded their ships.
She smiled and waved.
"Naruto-kun, the next time we meet, we'll be fighting side by side against the Akatsuki."
Naruto waved enthusiastically.
"Definitely!"
"That day isn't far away."
"Goodbye, Mizukage-sama!"
Mei Terumī remained at the harbor until the ships disappeared beyond the horizon before returning to the Hidden Mist Village.
Ao walked beside her.
"Mizukage-sama, although we've successfully recovered the Three-Tails, the Akatsuki won't give up so easily."
"What should we do next?"
Mei Terumī answered after a moment of thought.
"I want to have a proper conversation with the Three-Tails."
"First, I'd like to learn more about the masked man."
"Second, I want to hear its own wishes."
"If it wants freedom, then it can remain free while fighting alongside the Hidden Mist Village."
"But if it's willing to be sealed again..."
"We'll need to find a new Jinchūriki."
Ao sighed.
"I doubt it'll willingly become sealed again."
Mei Terumī nodded.
"That's perfectly understandable."
"No one wants to be treated as a weapon."
"Still, under the current circumstances, becoming a Jinchūriki is actually the safer option."
"A wild Tailed Beast would be much easier for the Akatsuki to locate."
"And without a host, it can't fully utilize its power."
"In the end, the decision belongs to the Three-Tails."
Ao nodded in agreement.
"Understood."
---
On the Return Voyage to Konoha
Although Sasuke's injuries had been treated in time by Hinata, his body was still somewhat weak.
Even so, he ignored his condition and immediately resumed training.
Hinata smiled gently.
"Naruto-kun, you successfully rescued the Three-Tails and fulfilled your promise to Kurama."
"Now the two of you should be able to get along better, right?"
Naruto smiled happily.
"We'll talk about that after we return to Konoha."
"It would be better to discuss everything in front of Chōmei, the Seven-Tails."
"Kurama isn't exactly the easiest person to deal with."
"If I speak to him alone, who knows whether he'll change his mind?"
---
Inside Naruto's Mind
Kurama snorted.
"You annoying brat."
"Do you think Tailed Beasts are like humans?"
"We don't break our promises so casually."
Naruto immediately appeared before the great fox inside the sealed space.
"So you're admitting defeat, Kurama?"
Kurama flicked his ears.
"Hmph."
"I always keep my word."
"I have no intention of going back on my promise."
"Naruto..."
"You succeeded in rescuing the Three-Tails."
"And you've proven that what the Seven-Tails said was true."
"Perhaps..."
"You really are different from other humans."
"Besides, with the Akatsuki threatening us all, the Tailed Beasts have little choice but to stand alongside humanity."
"So..."
"For both personal and practical reasons..."
"I'll temporarily cooperate with you."
Naruto's face lit up.
"That's great!"
"As long as you don't cause trouble anymore, I can continue training without worrying."
"As for borrowing your power..."
"That's not something I urgently need."
Kurama exploded in anger.
"When have I caused you trouble recently?"
"Even if I did before, that was years ago!"
"And what do you mean my power isn't urgently needed?"
"Are you looking down on me?"
Naruto quickly waved his hands.
"No, no, that's not what I meant."
"Kurama, everyone says you're the strongest of all the Tailed Beasts."
"They even call you a natural disaster."
"So of course you're incredibly powerful."
"It's just..."
"I'm already pretty strong."
"So your power would simply make me even stronger."
Kurama's eyes widened.
"'Simply make you stronger?'"
"You really have no idea what you're talking about!"
"Just because you've seen the One-Tail, Three-Tails, and Seven-Tails doesn't mean we're all equal."
"Listen carefully."
"Even if all eight of the other Tailed Beasts attacked me together..."
"I wouldn't fear them."
Naruto blinked in disbelief.
"Seriously?"
"You're not exaggerating?"
Kurama roared proudly.
"If you don't believe me, gather all the Tailed Beasts and let them try!"
Naruto sighed.
"Where am I supposed to find them now?"
"The Akatsuki has already captured the Two-Tails, Four-Tails, Five-Tails, Six-Tails, and Eight-Tails."
"Even if they wanted to fight you..."
"They can't."
Kurama fell silent for a moment.
"Hmph."
"Then ask the One-Tail, Three-Tails, or Seven-Tails."
"They all know exactly how powerful I am."
Naruto became curious.
"Kurama..."
"You used to refuse to help me."
"You even caused me trouble whenever you could."
"Now that it's obvious I don't intend to rely on your power..."
"Why are you trying so hard to convince me to use it?"
Kurama looked offended.
"What do you mean I'm forcing you?"
"I'm only angry because you're underestimating me!"
Naruto chuckled.
"Alright, alright."
"I get it."
"When the day comes that I truly need your strength, I'll borrow it."
"I just hope you won't go back on your word."
Kurama snorted.
"I won't."
Naruto smiled.
"What I'm looking forward to now is the Perverted Sage's ultimate trump card."
"I wonder what kind of powerful ninjutsu he's going to teach me."
Kurama was even more irritated.
"Hmph."
"What technique could possibly compare to my power?"
"You foolish brat..."
"You're throwing away a watermelon to pick up sesame seeds."
In truth, Kurama wasn't entirely wrong.
Judging by the events of the original story, even Sage Mode couldn't rival Kurama Mode in terms of sheer destructive power.
However, Sage Mode possessed unique advantages of its own.
Besides dramatically improving ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu resistance, speed, strength, perception, offense, and defense...
It also had one crucial advantage that Tailed Beast Mode lacked.
It allowed Naruto to truly threaten opponents at the Six Paths level.
Of course...
Those were matters for the future.
---
After several days of travel, everyone finally returned to Konoha.
The moment he arrived, Naruto excitedly rushed toward the Hokage's Office in search of the Perverted Sage.
Instead...
He found only Tsunade.
Yamato had already submitted a full report of the mission.
Seeing Naruto, Tsunade smiled warmly.
"Naruto."
"You completed the Three-Tails mission brilliantly."
"You not only disrupted the Akatsuki's plans but also earned another favor from the Hidden Mist Village."
"I even received a personal letter of thanks from the Mizukage."
Naruto scratched his head.
"We can talk about that later."
"Where's the Perverted Sage?"
"I already fulfilled my promise to Kurama."
"He said that once I settled things with Kurama, he'd teach me his greatest trump card."
"So..."
"Where is he?"
Tsunade shook her head.
"You mean Jiraiya?"
"He's not in the village."
"You didn't know?"
"He's carrying out a top-secret mission with Kakashi."
"They're investigating the Akatsuki's hideout."
Naruto knew about the mission, but he had spent more than a month in the Hidden Mist Village.
He had expected Jiraiya to be back by now.
"They still haven't returned?"
Shizune smiled.
"The Akatsuki's hideout isn't something that can be found overnight."
"If anyone can locate it..."
"It's Jiraiya."
Naruto sighed in disappointment.
"Hmph..."
"I thought I'd finally get to learn a new ultimate technique as soon as I came back."
"That old Perverted Sage really knows how to disappoint people..."
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