"Ah, I wouldn't be able to enter here without it."
Kakashi casually placed his hands in his pockets, his demeanor relaxed.
Despite the Nine-Tails' terrifying nature, it was completely bound by the seal.
The Eight Trigrams Seal set by Minato-sensei was exceptionally strong.
Still, Kakashi had always been puzzled by Minato's decision to use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to seal the Nine-Tails. By all rights, the Eight Trigrams Seal alone was sufficient to contain the beast.
So why did Minato use such a final, irreversible sealing technique?
Kakashi had pondered this for years. In the end, he could only attribute it to the depth of Minato's love for Kushina. Perhaps he simply couldn't bear to let her pass on alone.
Otherwise, with Minato's skill, he could have sealed the Nine-Tails into Naruto using just the Eight Trigrams Seal—enough on its own to contain even a Tailed Beast.
Konoha's Fourth Hokage was a master of sealing. And Naruto—being an Uzumaki—would undoubtedly master the art of Tailed Beast sealing someday.
When Uzumaki Mito and Kushina had become jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, they had used this same Eight Trigrams Seal.
From Kakashi's understanding of the Four Symbols Seal, which layered upon the Eight Trigrams technique, he could tell just how refined Minato's seal work was. The technique was certainly strong enough to hold the Nine-Tails.
All Kakashi could do now was mourn Minato-sensei's sacrifice—and do his best to take care of Naruto in his place.
As these thoughts passed through his mind, Kakashi looked up at the colossal beast before him.
Its presence was overwhelming.
There was a reason the Nine-Tails was considered the strongest of the Tailed Beasts.
"No... Those eyes aren't yours. You're not an Uchiha."
"Oh? You noticed that quickly."
"More than that... I've seen that Mangekyō pattern before."
The Nine-Tails narrowed his eyes in deep thought, recalling something from the past.
Kakashi quickly realized what the Nine-Tails was remembering.
That night—the disaster that struck Konoha. It was caused by that same Mangekyō Sharingan.
Obito...
He'd used that very eye to confront Minato and Kushina.
"Three years ago... Yes. That same eye. But it was in the right socket. Human, tell me—where did you get that Sharingan?!"
The Nine-Tails roared, fury blazing in its massive form.
Three years ago, that same kaleidoscope pattern had dominated his mind, forcing him to relive the same horror he'd experienced decades ago.
The shame of being controlled—Kurama would never forget.
"Ah, that's not important. It was a gift from someone long gone. Even if I told you, what would you do with that knowledge? I'm only here to talk."
"Talk? About the boy?"
Kurama's tone calmed, his voice low but sharp. He knew there was no resisting a Mangekyō Sharingan—not again. The shame of being manipulated like a puppet was far worse than even the suppression of Hashirama's Wood Release.
"Yes. Naruto is your jinchūriki. Maybe it's time you tried getting along with him."
"Hah! Don't be absurd. You humans sealed me away like a beast, and now you want me to 'get along' with your container? What am I, a pet?!"
"I won't deny our faults. But Kurama—some things still require your power. For now, you can't be freed. But in no more than fourteen years, you'll have your freedom."
"What... did you say?"
The Nine-Tails wasn't distracted by the idea of freedom—but something else in Kakashi's words had caught his attention.
"I can't tell you everything yet. Only this—when that time comes, you'll meet someone you've always wanted to see."
"Someone I've wanted to see?" Kurama's voice wavered, eyes narrowing.
"You mean...?"
"Yes. The one you're thinking of."
"You know where he is? He's not dead?!"
Kurama's voice rose with excitement, a rare vulnerability in his tone.
"Ah... you could say he's not completely gone."
"Who are you? Why do you know these things?"
Kurama's eyes locked onto Kakashi, trying to peer through to the truth.
"I'm just me. A former student of Minato-sensei."
Kakashi met Kurama's gaze without fear, even as the beast's killing intent bore down on him.
"You... You were Minato's student? Wait, I remember now. Kushina used to speak fondly of you."
Memories flickered—back when Kurama was sealed in Kushina, he had seen the silver-haired boy. At the time, he'd paid no attention. He never expected that same boy would one day awaken the Mangekyō.
Someone outside the Uchiha clan awakening those eyes... it was rare, even among Uchiha themselves.
"You've taken the Sharingan that far... impressive," Kurama said, his lips curling into a mocking grin.
Kakashi ignored the jab. He wasn't here to argue.
"So... will you consider my suggestion?"
"Even if what you say is true—why should I cooperate with that brat?"
Kakashi sighed. The Nine-Tails was as stubborn as ever.
He couldn't rely on the Mangekyō to control Kurama indefinitely. It was too taxing. And once Naruto and Kurama were meant to cooperate, lingering hatred would only get in the way.
He needed another way—understanding.
"Maybe if you knew who your jinchūriki is, you'd think differently."
"Who?"
"You don't find Naruto's chakra... oddly familiar?"
Kakashi asked, an enigmatic tone in his voice.
"Chakra?"
Kurama paused, puzzled.
This brat's chakra did seem vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place why.
"You know the Sage of Six Paths had two sons..."
Kurama's eyes widened in realization. The silver-haired human really knew far too much.
"What are you implying?"
"Just focus. Try feeling Naruto's chakra more closely. Time's almost up—I need to go."
With those final words, Kakashi's body vanished from the seal space.
"Hey! You bastard! Finish what you started!"
Kurama roared, but Kakashi was already gone.
The Sharingan had consumed too much chakra. Staying longer would've harmed him.
Now alone in the silence, Kurama's rage simmered.
"Damn it... talking in riddles."
He closed his eyes, focusing on the residual chakra Naruto had left behind.
"This sensation... I have felt this before. Long ago... when was it?"
Then, like a flash of lightning, his eyes snapped open.
"It's him! Asura!"
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