A voice dripping with disdain, arrogance, and impatience echoed across the back mountain in the darkness.
Orange chakra swirled and condensed, forming the massive shape of the Nine-Tails. The great fox's narrow eyes looked down at Naruto with open contempt. Nine tails waved languidly in the moonlight, each one thick as an ancient tree.
Naruto gazed up at the enormous beast. Compared to the Nine-Tails' mountainous form, he looked like a kitten facing an elephant.
The size difference didn't surprise him. What struck him was how genuinely unpleasant this Nine-Tails' temperament was. That tone of voice, that attitude—it grated on his nerves like nails on a chalkboard.
This Nine-Tails needs to be properly educated.
After this comparison, Naruto felt profoundly grateful for his own Kurama. His Nine-Tails could warm beds, cook meals, and do laundry. A model of domestic excellence.
This Nine-Tails, on the other hand, wore arrogance like armor. Completely unapproachable and thoroughly unpleasant.
Even if this world's Nine-Tails had merged with Yin chakra and portions of the other eight tailed beasts' power, making him objectively stronger...
That terrible attitude was simply unbearable.
My Nine-Tails is definitely better, Naruto thought with satisfaction.
"Human, why aren't you talking? Are you mute?" Nine-Tails' emotionless voice cut through Naruto's thoughts.
The great fox knew who Naruto was, of course. Being sealed inside the Seventh Hokage created a synaesthetic connection. Kurama had sensed everything when his container got beaten unconscious by this other-world version. He'd even entered the fusion mode, fighting alongside his Naruto with full power.
But because he was a tailed beast—proud, ancient, and mighty—the Nine-Tails naturally showed disdain and arrogance toward this stranger. Such things were beneath his notice.
"Oh no." The Seventh Hokage covered his face with both hands, already knowing how this would end.
He knew Naruto's temperament well by now. Despite being gentle with Himawari and even somewhat patient with Boruto, Naruto was absolutely not a gentle person by nature. The evidence? He'd beaten his older self unconscious twice in as many days.
Nine-Tails was strong, certainly. But Naruto was stronger.
When the Seventh Hokage and Kurama entered their fusion mode together, they still couldn't beat this twelve-year-old from another world. A standalone Nine-Tails would definitely get crushed with one hand.
The beating that was about to happen would be catastrophic.
The Seventh Hokage couldn't bear to watch. Despite everything, Kurama had been his partner for many years. He quietly backed away, distancing himself from the impending violence.
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto began calmly, "but I'm not the Uzumaki Naruto from this world. I come from another—"
"You don't need to introduce yourself. I already know all that." Nine-Tails cut him off with a dismissive flick of one massive tail. "Hurry up and say what you want. I need to get back to resting. I don't have time for pointless small talk."
Naruto ignored the interruption and continued speaking. "I'm also Konoha's Jinchūriki, so naturally I have a Nine-Tails sealed inside me. But my Nine-Tails is easy to talk to. He can warm beds, wash clothes, and cook excellent meals."
"Hmph." Nine-Tails' lip curled in disgust. "What a disgrace to all tailed beasts."
"You think he's a disgrace?" Naruto's voice remained calm, but something sharp entered his tone. "Don't you find your own attitude shameful? This disdain, this arrogance—isn't that just the typical behavior of a beast? Do you think you're powerful? Is that why you're so proud?"
Naruto took a single step forward, his presence somehow growing despite his small size.
"If you're so strong, then why did Hashirama Senju beat you down with one hand? Why have you spent decades sealed inside human bodies, powerless to break free?"
The mention of being defeated by Hashirama Senju—the shame of being treated like a misbehaving pet by that man—had always been the Nine-Tails' deepest humiliation. At Naruto's words, rage exploded through Kurama's entire being.
A Tailed Beast Ball began condensing in the great fox's mouth, violent chakra swirling into a sphere of concentrated destruction.
Naruto didn't flinch at angering the beast. He simply raised his right hand and extended a single finger toward the Nine-Tails.
"Today, I'll use one finger to shatter your tailed beast arrogance."
"(〃＞皿＜)" The Tailed Beast Ball in Kurama's mouth prevented speech, but his entire face contorted with fury.
This human is insane! He said he'd beat me with ONE FINGER?!
"PTUI!"
Without hesitation, Nine-Tails spat the Tailed Beast Ball directly at Naruto. The terrifying sphere of condensed chakra shot forward like a cannonball, its destructive power enough to level the entire mountain.
"I said one finger, so it'll be one finger." Naruto raised his hand casually, his index finger extended. "Beg for mercy, Nine-Tails."
"Beg for mercy?" Nine-Tails' laugh was full of scorn. "Dream on, human! I am a tailed beast! I will never beg mercy from a human!"
Naruto didn't care about the sneering response. In his own world, the Nine-Tails had looked down on him at first too. Eventually, that same proud fox had become completely obedient.
Don't forget—Naruto was naturally domineering. It was simply his nature.
Just look at Sasuke for proof.
The Tailed Beast Ball arrived, radiating power that made the very air tremble. If it struck the mountain, the entire landscape would be flattened instantly.
But in Naruto's eyes, it was barely worth noticing.
He raised his finger as if preparing to pop a balloon, then gently poked the surface of the Tailed Beast Ball.
The massive sphere of destructive chakra deflated like a punctured balloon, dissipating from the outside in until nothing remained but fading particles of light.
In the same motion, Naruto stepped forward and appeared on top of Nine-Tails' head. His finger descended toward the great fox's forehead.
Invincible!
I'll die!
Locked onto by that single finger, Nine-Tails suddenly felt a terror unlike anything he'd experienced before. A primal fear of death itself, despite knowing that as a tailed beast, he couldn't truly die.
Even if this finger killed him now, he would eventually reform somewhere else in the ninja world, his chakra reconstituting over time.
But being so casually dismissed, so completely underestimated...
Nine-Tails absolutely could not tolerate it.
"BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!"
Rapid-fire Tailed Beast Balls! The Nine-Tails' mouth became a machine gun of destruction, condensing and firing ball after ball of concentrated chakra at the tiny human standing on his head.
But the attacks were utterly ineffective. Each Tailed Beast Ball burst the moment it came close to Naruto's finger, as if hitting an invisible wall of absolute force.
Naruto's finger finally touched Nine-Tails' forehead.
At that single point of contact, Kurama felt the weight of a mountain pressing down. His four legs gave out instantly, folding beneath him. His massive body crashed to the ground with a tremendous "WHAM," unable to move a single muscle.
"Do you beg for mercy?" Naruto's voice was calm, almost gentle.
"Hmph. I won't."
Back then, the Seventh Hokage had earned Kurama's cooperation through mutual respect, shared battles, and genuine friendship. That influence had made the Nine-Tails willing to assist his container.
But this Naruto from another world thought he could conquer by pure force? Absolutely not.
"Won't beg for mercy?" Naruto's finger pressed down a few more centimeters.
Nine-Tails' face was driven into the dirt, his muzzle buried in the ground.
"Hmph..." Kurama snorted defiantly.
"BANG! BANG! BANG!"
The sound of fists striking flesh echoed across the mountain.
"Human!" Nine-Tails' outraged voice emerged despite his face being planted in the dirt. "Didn't you agree to beat me with one finger?! Why are you using your fist?!"
"BANG! BANG! BANG!"
Naruto didn't stop the beating. His voice remained perfectly reasonable as he explained, "I already defeated you with one finger. Now I'm beating you. Using fists for that is perfectly normal!"
"Human! You don't keep your word!"
"BANG! BANG! BANG!"
The beating continued, each impact precise and educational.
From a safe distance, the Seventh Hokage watched his partner get thoroughly demolished and couldn't help but feel a strange sense of déjà vu.
At least I'm not the only one getting the "friendship" treatment, he thought with dark satisfaction.
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