Chapter 305: Friend
Deceive?
When? The Nine-Tails' eyes filled with confusion. It rapidly searched through memories of coexisting with Naruto, truly unable to think of where or for what purpose Naruto would deceive it.
Though this kid would sometimes deliberately say witty things to tease it or crack harmless jokes, that absolutely didn't count as deception.
Watching the Nine-Tails' bewildered yet serious contemplative appearance, Naruto continued speaking.
"That was also long ago... our first official meeting..."
"Wait!" The Nine-Tails immediately understood which matter Naruto referred to, interrupting him. "You mean that... the 'dream' about the old man and Asura?"
But it immediately frowned again. "However, if the 'deception' you're talking about means you never actually had that dream... that makes no sense at all."
The Nine-Tails' logic was clear. "You couldn't possibly know from thin air those things about the old man that even I've never mentioned to anyone. After the old man died, he left no explicit records. If you learned all this through other unknown methods, then fabricating that 'dream' explanation—wouldn't that be superfluous?"
The more it spoke, the more something felt off. It even began suspecting—could Naruto actually be lying now? To reduce his own guilt, deliberately fabricating an excuse that he'd also once 'deceived' it, to make himself feel better?
"...That's right," Naruto scratched his head, admitting quickly. "Those matters about the Sage of Six Paths... I indeed learned them elsewhere, through other methods, not truly through dreams."
However, Naruto's frankness interrupted its following train of thought. The Nine-Tails asked a question it currently cared about more: "...Then, Naruto, in those 'things' you saw... did it require that you and I must understand each other?"
"...Eh?" Naruto hadn't anticipated the Nine-Tails would ask this question. He froze momentarily, then honestly answered: "Well... in the 'story' I saw, we indeed became friends and fought side by side."
Hearing this answer, the Nine-Tails' spirit that had just lifted slightly from the deception topic instantly deflated again, its massive head drooping once more.
So in the end... the 'lying' Naruto referred to merely meant the channel for learning those past events wasn't 'in dreams' but 'seen elsewhere'?
This had absolutely nothing to do with itself once trying to kill him—completely different natures... How could this even count as deception...
Watching the Nine-Tails' appearance of having committed an enormous mistake, unable to even raise its head, Naruto felt somewhat helpless inwardly.
Was this fox's moral standards a bit too high? Having lived thousands of years, how could it be like a child who did something wrong and feared being scolded in this regard...
However, since he'd already decided to be completely honest at this time, Naruto still decided to first create an atmosphere where the Nine-Tails could converse with peace of mind. He cleared his throat and spoke.
"Kurama... let's make a hypothesis, okay?" He gazed at those tightly closed giant eyes. "If one day—just hypothetically—if I didn't know you, and you didn't know me. We were just strangers. Then, regarding a massive existence sealed inside my body that could break through the seal anytime and threaten my life... what would I think?"
He guided the words toward another angle. The content in this hypothesis was precisely what the Nine-Tails least wanted to face. What Naruto would do next was completely analyze this possibility clearly.
"That's right," Naruto didn't wait for the Nine-Tails to answer, providing the answer himself. "If we weren't friends, we'd definitely walk a path similar to Mom's back then—mutually wary, mutually hating, consuming each other in endless confrontation. Because at that time, we fundamentally didn't understand each other."
"So strictly speaking, the one who wanted to kill me back then wasn't you—wasn't the Kurama I know wanting to kill me."
"But rather 'us'—all the injustice, imprisonment, and hatred humans have imposed on you over long ages, borrowing your claws to tear apart another human swept into it. You were merely a tool bearing too many negative emotions then."
Seeing the Nine-Tails' ears twitch slightly, he continued analyzing rationally with some self-mockery. "Not to mention, from a realistic angle, if I was still your 'vessel' then, if I'd truly died at that time, perhaps... you'd already have gained freedom now, living carefree."
Hearing this, the Nine-Tails finally couldn't help raising one massive forepaw to cover its face, releasing a suppressed, whimpering low growl from its throat.
Precisely this point—the more Naruto displayed such reasonableness, even trying to analyze from its position, this excessive kindness and understanding instead stabbed its heart like needles, making it feel even more ashamed.
"Originally, by logic, it should at least count as 'attempted murder' or something..." Naruto's tone shifted, becoming lighter. "But think carefully—these years, how many times have you helped me? Plus that one night, you pulled me out from that crazy woman's genjutsu, saving my life!"
Naruto made a "wiping the slate clean" gesture. "Calculating this way, that little old debt between us has long been mutually offset clean, right?"
"Moreover," Naruto's voice lowered again, "after completely understanding that night's full truth, I actually feel... you're quite pitiful."
The paw covering the Nine-Tails' face loosened slightly, seemingly wanting to continue listening.
"Everyone calls that disaster the 'Nine-Tails Calamity,' attributing all blame to your rampage." Naruto's tone carried indignation. "But that night's true culprit for all tragedy was that masked attacker, right? He forcibly extracted you from Mom's body, then used the Sharingan to control you, twisting your will..."
"Being forced to harm others, forced to commit cruel acts contrary to your own will... That night, you, like me and my parents, were equally victims under that conspiracy."
"Yeah... I know... stop talking..."
The Nine-Tails finally responded, but its voice was extremely faint. Being understood then forgiven like this, it felt that if Naruto continued speaking, its emotions might truly lose control—that would be too humiliating for it.
But Naruto didn't stop, continuously washing over the frozen corners in the Nine-Tails' heart.
"We're both victims of that night. I lost my parents, lost a normal childhood. And you... you lost freedom, even more lost dignity as a powerful existence, once again locked in a new cage—inside my body."
He smiled slightly, that smile carrying some bitterness yet full of release. "Think about it—we two victims are now here fearing each other's disappointment... thinking carefully, it's really quite foolish."
Finally, Naruto walked to the iron cage's edge, gently pressing his hand against the cold bars, gaze firmly looking toward the Nine-Tails burying its head even deeper.
"So stop clinging to past shadows, Kurama. The one who wanted to kill me that night was 'the past Nine-Tails blinded by hatred and control,' was 'the malice humans forced upon you.'"
"And standing here now, talking with me, willing to lend me power, fighting alongside me, is Uzumaki Naruto's most important partner—'Kurama'!"
"How could I feel disappointed or resentful about my most important partner's past? I only feel incomparable pride that we could walk to today together."
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