"If I die, you're coming with me. So maybe don't get any bright ideas."
Naruto's voice echoed through the chamber, calm but edged with exhaustion. His eyes didn't leave the towering form of the Nine Tails. The beast's killing intent rolled through the air, thick enough to crush a lesser will.
But Naruto didn't flinch. He'd already seen too much to be scared of something like that.
He wasn't ready to die. Not yet.He still had promises to keep—battles to win.He still wanted to stand at the top, to protect the people who believed in him.To protect Hinata.
The Nine Tails' eyes flashed blood-red, its voice cracking through the air like thunder."You dare threaten me, brat? Me?"
The sound wasn't just loud—it carried that strange distortion that made the heart quiver. For centuries, humans had trembled before this monster.And now, a six-year-old kid had the gall to talk back.
It was almost funny.Almost.
But the beast didn't move further. Not because it respected him, but because it couldn't.
The seal bound them both. If Naruto died, so did the Nine Tails. The realization gnawed at the fox's pride, but the fear of death was stronger. Even monsters feared oblivion when they'd lived too long.
Naruto exhaled, lips curving faintly. "Relax. I'm not trying to boss you around. Just making sure you don't destroy us both out of boredom."
The fox growled, a sound halfway between a roar and a sigh.
He knew—this kid wasn't lying.
"Host, did you just threaten an ancient chakra beast with mutual destruction? How… diplomatic of you."
The voice of Rikudō Shingon rippled through his mind, serene yet mocking.Its tone shimmered like silver bells echoing in a shrine.
Naruto ignored it. He'd gotten used to being mocked by his so-called divine system.
The Nine Tails' tail twitched, its crimson eyes dimming back to amber. "Tch… meddlesome brat."
But it didn't strike. It just… flopped back down. Massive claws folded beneath its chest as it lowered its head and closed its eyes.
The tension drained from the air.
Naruto blinked. "Wait—you're just gonna… sleep?"
The beast's chest rumbled. "What else? You bore me."
"Man, you have zero consistency," Naruto muttered, sweat beading on his forehead.
Still, he couldn't help but smirk. The sheer absurdity of it all was… kind of funny.
His body finally gave in. The two divine techniques—Ten'gan and Ten'on—had drained him completely. His mind throbbed with fatigue. The golden glow in his eyes faded.
He yawned, dragging his tired legs closer to the massive furred belly in front of him. The fur was warm. Softer than it looked.
Before he could think twice, he lay down.
"Little brat…" the Nine Tails rumbled. "Aren't you afraid I'll squash you flat?"
Naruto rolled onto his side, his tone lazy. "You've been living inside my stomach all this time. I think we're even."
For a second, silence. Then a faint, incredulous snort.
"…You've got nerve. No one's ever dared to rest beneath me. Not even Uchiha Madara… or that wood freak, Hashirama."
Naruto cracked one eye open. "Guess I'm special then. The first person to nap under the strongest tailed beast's belly. Should I feel honored?"
The fox's growl vibrated through the floor. "If not for this cursed seal, you'd already be paste."
"Yeah, yeah," Naruto mumbled, voice slurring as his exhaustion pulled him under. "Thanks for the hospitality, fuzzball…"
"Host, cuddling your demon now? Should I prepare a lullaby?"
The Rikudō Shingon's divine tone rippled again, teasingly soft.
Naruto didn't reply. His breathing slowed. Sleep took him.
The Nine Tails glanced down, golden hair half-buried in red fur. A strange stillness lingered in the air.
"Tch… ridiculous human," the fox muttered. But it didn't move him away.
For a moment—just a moment—the monster's eyes softened.
Then it closed them again, and the endless dark of the seal world fell silent.