The Story of Kurama and Shirou Emiya

Shirou Emiya had not spent much time with the Nine-Tails.

Back in the Ancient Era, when Shirou Emiya stopped in a small village during his travels to treat illnesses and save lives, he "happened" to spot the juvenile Nine-Tails, who was quite curious about humans but did not dare approach them.

At that time...

The juvenile Nine-Tails was exceedingly adorable.

Though the juvenile Nine-Tails was already enormous, he looked somewhat dopey and cute, occasionally throwing little tantrums like a child.

The juvenile Nine-Tails was very curious about the respected Shirou Emiya. He liked secretly following Shirou Emiya, foolishly believing he could hide his massive body.

Shirou Emiya had no intention of doing anything to the juvenile Nine-Tails. He merely felt like chatting with Kurama, telling him about his journey of treating illnesses and saving people.

As a result...

The juvenile Nine-Tails wanted to follow him.

He even insisted on pulling Shirou Emiya's cart for him like a little fool.

At that time...

The juvenile Nine-Tails was very happy.

Because he knew he would no longer feel lonely.

The juvenile Nine-Tails greatly enjoyed traveling with Shirou Emiya and Slug as well. They passed through many villages together and saw countless sights.

They saved many patients along the way.

Even as a juvenile, the Nine-Tails was enormous. Since many humans feared him, Kurama had once wanted Shirou Emiya to become his Jinchuriki. He was willing to let himself be sealed inside Shirou Emiya's body, which would also strengthen Shirou Emiya's Chakra.

However...

Shirou Emiya chose to refuse.

It was truly regrettable.

This brief friendship soon came to an end.

Shirou Emiya did not hide his desire to destroy the Ninja Sect and oppose the Sage of Six Paths. In the end, after seriously agonizing over it for some time and failing to persuade Shirou Emiya to give up, Kurama chose to secretly leave him one late night.

After all...

He had been created by the Sage of Six Paths.

He had chosen to follow Shirou Emiya because he believed what the Sage of Six Paths had once said: that they Tailed Beasts would one day encounter companions with whom they could form bonds.

Although the juvenile Nine-Tails had loved traveling with Shirou Emiya, he still did not want Shirou Emiya to use him against the Sage of Six Paths.

Back then...

Kurama had been deeply saddened when he left.

Later...

Kurama overheard of the conflict between Shirou Emiya and the Ninja Sect. He also learned that Shirou Emiya had died after failing in his assault on the Ninja Sect, and his heart ached for a long time.

Later still...

Kurama believed that since he had become friends with Shirou Emiya, he could become friends with other humans too. Only then did he discover that humans were not as wonderful as he had imagined.

Kurama's abilities were highly unusual.

As the strongest of the nine Tailed Beasts in the Shinobi World, he was also exceptionally intelligent and possessed the ability to sense the good and evil in most humans.

Unfortunately...

The differences between people were simply too great.

Humans feared his existence on one hand, yet coveted the use of his power on the other. They even tried to deceive him or obtain his Chakra through force!

These humans...

They wanted his Chakra too?

Even Shirou Emiya, his only friend, had never received it!

These experiences left Kurama, who could sense good and evil, particularly enraged. He effortlessly killed those humans who sought to use his power to establish their rule.

Kurama slowly grew up.

He killed more and more people.

He even grew increasingly hostile toward humanity.

Never again did he encounter a single friend in this world.

In the end...

Through human word of mouth...

The most ferocious Tailed Beast in the world was born.

"Kurama."

Shirou Emiya looked at the grown Nine-Tails before him, now appearing especially vicious, and shook his head regretfully. "You're not cute at all anymore compared to when you were little..."

"You!"

The Nine-Tails bared its fangs in fury, trying to bite him!

This was the first friend it had ever had.

Perhaps this friend would also be its only one.

It was precisely because Shirou Emiya had appeared in its life that it began to want to live alongside humans and make friends. Yet that very desire had brought about such a painful result.

When the Nine-Tails truly began clashing with humans, when it slaughtered them without restraint, its Chakra was inevitably affected by its emotions, gradually giving rise to negative Chakra filled with anger, pain, and hatred.

"Forget it!"

"Shirou Emiya, let me go first!"

The Nine-Tails glanced at the married couple, Hashirama Senju and his wife, standing behind Shirou Emiya, then turned back to look at him!

"I'm going to kill them!"

"Kurama."

"Conflict only brings pain and hatred."

Shirou Emiya repeated the words the Nine-Tails had once said to him, then reminded it, "This is what you told me before you left me back then..."

"You!"

The Nine-Tails nearly choked on its rage!

No matter what, the Nine-Tails had never expected that more than a thousand years later, it would be struck by a boomerang thrown by its own young and ignorant self!

Back then...

How had it been so naive!

"..."

The Konoha Ninja watched the scene in astonishment, faint surprise appearing in their eyes. They had never imagined that the Nine-Tails, a ferocious beast, could get along with a human so amicably.

At the very least...

The Nine-Tails was truly much gentler than before.

It could even converse with Shirou Emiya as an equal.

Compared to the Nine-Tails' gentleness...

What shocked them most was Shirou Emiya's identity.

"Shirou Emiya...

"I... didn't hear that wrong just now, did I?"

Hashirama Senju recalled the ninja he had admired most as a child and realized why Shirou Emiya's profile had always seemed familiar to him.

Because...

When he was little, he had always liked sneaking off to look at the half-corpse inside the Crystal Coffin.

That was also why he found the full face somewhat familiar, yet found the profile exceptionally familiar—so familiar that he had even thought the two of them had met before.

"Is that really Lord Shirou?"

Hashirama Senju realized what the problem was and suddenly recalled a technique his younger brother had once mentioned, one that he had long ago ordered sealed away. "Wait, Tobirama, I remember ordering you to seal away the Impure World Reincarnation!"

This younger brother of his...

Ignoring his orders was one thing!

He must have also damaged the Crystal Coffin, the sacred relic passed down through generations of the Senju Clan, disturbed the peace of Shirou Emiya, one of the dead, and sacrificed a living person's life!

"Brother."

"This was the only option."

Tobirama Senju folded his arms. He knew his older brother would certainly oppose him, but he also had a way of dealing with his brother. "What you should be concerned about right now isn't Lord Shirou. What we should be concerned about is Madara..."

"Lord Shirou."

Tobirama Senju was a smart man. He could see the friendly relationship Shirou Emiya and the Nine-Tails had once shared, so he proactively suggested, "Leave what comes next to us. Konoha will find a way to protect the Nine-Tails and prevent Madara from using the Sharingan to control it again..."

"This is a practical problem."

Tobirama Senju's reasoning was sound. "If the Nine-Tails wishes to avoid being controlled by Madara again, we may have to use some troublesome measures that restrict its freedom..."

"Madara has already escaped."

"It will take Brother quite some time to track Madara down..."

"We have all seen it. Madara has signed a Summoning Contract with the Nine-Tails, meaning he can find it at any time. His Sharingan can also control the Nine-Tails at any time and cause chaos throughout the Shinobi World..."

"We must make a decision as soon as possible."

In truth, Tobirama Senju did not care in the slightest about Shirou Emiya's opinion. He could have firmly declared that Konoha would decide the Nine-Tails' fate, but because he needed Shirou Emiya to treat his older brother, he was willing to phrase it more tactfully.

This was an impossible choice.

Would Shirou Emiya choose to have the Nine-Tails "protected" by Konoha, or would he choose to let the Nine-Tails continue being controlled by Madara Uchiha in the future?

When those words were spoken...

Even Shirou Emiya couldn't find any fault with them.

"..."

Shirou Emiya looked back at the Nine-Tails, letting it decide its own fate. "What do you think, Kurama?"

"I want to kill them!"

The Nine-Tails forced out a hint of killing intent through clenched teeth. "If that bastard Madara dares summon me again, I'll kill that bastard Madara with my own hands!"

"..."

Shirou Emiya rubbed his forehead.

No...

Why were you bragging now?

How could you even have the nerve after being controlled at a glance?

"How do you intend to 'protect' the Nine-Tails?"

Shirou Emiya looked at Tobirama Senju beside him.

"Lord Shirou."

Mito Uzumaki stepped forward of her own accord. Her arm lifted slightly as she quietly spoke the truth. "Konoha originally planned to seal the Nine-Tails inside me and make me the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Strictly speaking, this isn't protection—it was merely to prevent..."

"Hmph!"

The Nine-Tails snorted in displeasure, somewhat dissatisfied with Mito Uzumaki. It recalled one of its old thoughts. "The last person who wanted to become a Jinchuriki was this Shirou Emiya fellow..."

"Alright, alright..."

"I was the one who wanted to become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."

Shirou Emiya kneaded his brow, feeling that something was wrong with the fox's memories. He said regretfully, "Unfortunately, I'm already dead. I can't become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and I no longer have that intention—or that ability..."

"Kurama."

Shirou Emiya raised his head to look at the Nine-Tails, his attitude more sincere than ever. "You should seek out your true companions—friends who can truly walk beside you."