Chapter 306: Fist Bump
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host: Bond with canonical character "Kurama" has reached Level 7 (Maximum)!]
[Points Rewarded: 800!]
The system notification rang in Naruto's mind, but his attention was completely focused on the massive fox before him.
The Nine-Tails still maintained that posture of lowering its head, half-covering its face with its paw, but the system's voice exposed its heart's true thoughts.
"There, now you understand, right?" Naruto's tone was relaxed. "Those things you just mentioned—I forgive you. So stop looking like that."
So then, had Naruto truly, without any grudge, completely forgiven what the Nine-Tails once did?
The answer was affirmative.
In Naruto's values, this was actually a very simple principle. When a murderer kills someone, the one who should be resented and punished is the killer holding the blade, not the blade itself—that weapon without autonomous will used by the killer.
This was how Naruto viewed the Nine-Tails' role back then—it had more been used by Obito as a "weapon" full of destructive power.
For harm caused by being beyond one's control or being maliciously exploited, Naruto was willing to give understanding and forgiveness, just as he did now with Kurama.
Of course, this "forgiveness's" scope also had limits. It didn't include extremely selfish behaviors—like wanting to make all the world's innocent people accompany you in death because someone you liked died, or after faking death for years, upon meeting the teacher who once cared for you, the first thing being to plot the death of that teacher's wife.
Then self-deceivingly telling yourself that everyone you killed could be "resurrected" in an illusory world.
However, that Naruto could so easily and completely forgive the Nine-Tails perhaps also mixed with a bit of selfishness—he truly, from the bottom of his heart, really liked this somewhat tsundere fluffy big fox.
Old man...
Simultaneously, deep within the Nine-Tails' heart, an aged yet benevolent figure surfaced—that was the Sage of Six Paths who'd created them Tailed Beasts.
It recalled the prophecy he'd left before departing, about that person who would eventually appear, capable of mutual understanding with all Tailed Beasts—the "one of destiny"...
At this moment, the Nine-Tails' heart no longer held the slightest hesitation or wavering. It had completely made up its mind!
Naruto was that person!
This belief firmly rooted itself in its consciousness depths. Even if the Sage of Six Paths truly came back to life now, standing before the Nine-Tails, personally telling it that the prophesied person was actually someone else... the Nine-Tails thought almost obsessively in its heart—it would never acknowledge it! It only recognized Naruto! He was the one and only!
The Nine-Tails lowered that massive forepaw that had been covering its face. On that face originally always carrying fierce or tsundere expressions, relief finally surfaced.
In its opened eyes was an inconceivably gentle gaze, quietly gazing at Naruto standing before it—small yet incomparably important.
"Hmph..." The Nine-Tails released a habitual, somewhat stubborn nasal sound. "You kid... I've lived thousands of years, witnessed countless humans skilled at preaching, but compared to you... those guys don't even have qualification for comparison."
"Eh? Really?" Naruto scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly. "What I just said... counts as preaching? I just honestly said what I was thinking."
"...Forget it."
The Nine-Tails turned its head slightly, voice carrying unprecedented honesty. "I just like this about you—straightforward, saying whatever you're thinking. Then, we're even. You forgave my past, and I... forgive your lying to me before."
Having said this, the Nine-Tails seemed to also feel this "mutual forgiveness" scene was a bit too "mushy," unable to help releasing deep, rich laughter from its throat.
Though it had deliberately lowered the volume, that excessively massive body size made this laughter still echo throughout the vast seal space, appearing especially loud.
Relief, ease, comfort after being deeply understood... the hatred that had clung to it like maggots on bones for so long was now completely purified and faded away by warm sunlight, leaving behind pure joy of having lost and regained an important person.
The Nine-Tails felt that even back when it hadn't been sealed yet, possessing absolute freedom, its heart had never been as full and happy as this moment.
Watching the Nine-Tails laugh heartily, Naruto was also completely infected by this emotion, grinning to show a sunshine-filled smile. He'd finally also unloaded that small burden in his heart—that guilt born from initially having no choice but to fabricate the "dream" lie to communicate with the Nine-Tails.
One person and one fox, on this grassland constructed by their joint will, smiled at each other. In this laughter, barriers and testing no longer existed—only sincere gratitude and joy at having such a friend who could completely understand each other and accept the past.
Finally, the laughter gradually subsided, but both their (fox's) faces still retained warm smiles. Naruto, as though remembering something, proactively asked:
"Speaking of which, I really profited this time, Kurama. But aren't you curious? Those things about the Sage of Six Paths, plus Asura and Indra—where exactly did I learn them from?"
"Whether it was a dream or not, for me now, it's merely changing the form of knowing. Essentially no difference." The Nine-Tails swished its massive tail, appearing not particularly concerned.
But it immediately supplemented: "However... I am somewhat curious. The old man departed suddenly. He didn't leave any detailed records or stone tablets documenting these past events. Through what means did you learn of them?"
"Well..." A somewhat troubled bitter smile appeared on Naruto's face. "I'm afraid explaining will be a bit complex, even sound somewhat unbelievable..."
But the next moment, the Nine-Tails made a move that made Naruto's pupils constrict slightly—it slowly raised one massive fist covered in dense orange fur, steadily holding it before Naruto. That fist was so huge it could almost completely envelop Naruto's entire body.
A fist bump? Isn't this... originally supposed to appear during the Fourth Shinobi World War? Now... already...?
This sudden development shocked Naruto's heart, but he didn't hesitate even slightly. He trusted the Nine-Tails, just as the Nine-Tails currently trusted him.
"Then how about this," the Nine-Tails' deep voice carried undeniable trust. "Connect your chakra with mine. Let me see for myself."
Naruto looked at that massive fist before him full of symbolic meaning, took a deep breath, then firmly, unreservedly, raised his own comparatively incomparably small fist.
Thump.
A slight sound echoed in the silent consciousness space.
One large, one small—two completely different fists pressed tightly together in this moment.
The next instant, two tremendous chakras from the same source yet having flowed independently for so long—no longer the previous temporary borrowing or limited cooperation, but beginning a true, unreserved—connection and fusion!