Violation Level: 7 (Let me show you something precious)

In the damp, cold sealing space, a person and a fox faced each other across the red bars of a gate, one high and one low, quietly gazing.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Water droplets fell from above the lightless prison, making the sealing space eerily silent.

"Human, h-how did you know my name?"

The Nine-Tails couldn't hold back, breaking the silence first, staring intently at Naruto and asking.

Naruto shoved his hands into his pockets, a large black robe draped over him. He wore a nonchalant expression, his dead fish eyes answering.

"Heard it from someone."

"You're lying!" The Nine-Tails reacted violently, baring its fangs and roaring, "Vile human, are you trying to deceive me again?"

"Human? Are you talking to me?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Vile human, when I get out, I'll tear you to shreds!"

"Looks like you still haven't figured out your situation, Kurama." Naruto tilted his head back, smiling, and suddenly pointed at the Nine-Tails.

"What do you want?"

"Haha, just scaring you. Look how scared you were," Naruto grinned.

"Damn it! Are you toying with me?"

The Nine-Tails was enraged, seemingly wanting to unleash the red chakra wave again.

But this time, Naruto's expression changed instantly. The smile vanished, replaced by seriousness. He pointed at the Nine-Tails from a distance and said, "Bind it."

As the words fell, the red bars of the gate rapidly retracted inward, compressing the Nine-Tails' space.

"Roar!!!"

"Damn it! What did you do! Ah!!!"

The Nine-Tails' roar echoed, its furious pounding against the red bars making them clang.

[Four Symbols Seal, max level.]

Naruto stood calmly, patiently waiting for the Nine-Tails' rage to subside until the sealing space fell silent once more.

"Human..."

"I'll be back, Kurama. I hope we can have a pleasant conversation next time," Naruto said, his consciousness flickering as he left the sealing space.

His vision blurred, and Naruto found himself in a hallway. The heavy rain outside had almost stopped. He fumbled in his pocket, searching for his apartment keys.

Just as he pulled out the keys with a rustle, he heard footsteps coming up the stairs from the end of the hallway, more than one person.

After what just happened, Naruto's brow furrowed, his gaze fixed on the hallway entrance.

"Naruto!"

A girl's voice, bright and pleasant, a stark contrast to death and blood. Her neck, like jade, swayed with her sakura-pink hair, her skin pale and alluring.

Sakura walked out of the hallway with a smile, waving at Naruto from afar. The golden sunlight after the rain streamed through every strand of her hair.

Two figures followed behind: the languid Kakashi and the icy-faced Sasuke.

"Yo, Naruto." Kakashi had been to Naruto's place before, but this was his first time using the door, and he seemed a bit clumsy.

He didn't know why, but Anbu members always liked appearing on rooftops and windowsills, places animals frequented. No wonder they wore animal masks.

Sasuke looked straight ahead, gazing at the blonde about to open the door. His eyes fixed on Naruto's smooth forehead, where his Ninja Headband should have been. He let out a sound, a mix of disdain and pity.

"Tch."

"Sakura? Teacher Kakashi, Sasuke? What are you guys doing here?" Naruto's hands were behind his back, ready to activate the Four Symbols Seal at any moment.

"That Chunin Exams..." Sakura said bravely, her voice loud. "We all want to participate with Naruto!"

"Eh?"

Naruto tilted his head, the hand behind his back slowly unclenching.

Root Organization's underground office.

"Lord Danzō, the mission failed. I-I-I died."

A Root Ninja wearing a blue-patterned mask knelt on the ground. Danzō, his right eye bandaged, sat sternly before his desk, saying nothing.

"Died?" Danzō asked, his face grim. "What about the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"

"He..."

"Speak!" Danzō glared at the ninja, displeased.

The kneeling ninja broke out in a cold sweat and replied mechanically.

"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki swallowed I-I-I."

"He swallowed it?"

"It's a Sealing Jutsu!" a Root ninja responded truthfully. "It should be the Uzumaki Clan's Four Symbols Seal; the target was absorbed into the seal."

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Danzō tapped on the table, his face grim as he spoke.

"Go tell the Third Hokage that the Jinchuriki qualification test experiment has failed and the target exceeds Root's containment value."

"Tentative Violation Level: 7."

Within Root, Danzō's orders were absolute; there was no room for questioning. The Root ninja acknowledged with a "yes" and vanished.

Meanwhile, the Third Hokage, having received the news, was smoking his pipe and looking at two reports on his desk, his expression serious and his brow furrowed.

One report was the mission failure test results from Root, and the other was a request submitted collectively by Team Seven to reinstate Naruto's Chunin Exams qualification.

It contained not only Sakura's and Sasuke's pleas but also Kakashi's unexpected offer to take responsibility, complete with hand seals and signatures.

"Hokage-sama, this..." Hokage Guard Midashi Raido stood by, his expression equally grim. "The Jinchuriki's power has surpassed the village's control."

"Not yet," the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, exhaled a plume of white smoke. His face was as withered as tree bark, but his eyes were sharp like a hawk's.

"In Kakashi's mission report from the Land of Waves, he mentioned Naruto's Ninjutsu – scorching lava. That's the jutsu of the Four-Tails Jinchuriki from the Land of Earth, combining Earth Release and Fire Style into Lava Style."

"A Tailed Beast... Jinchuriki?" Midashi Raido was taken aback. "How could Naruto know the jutsu of the Land of Earth's Tailed Beast Jinchuriki?"

"I'm not sure," the Third Hokage said gravely. "Originally, I just wanted to test if Naruto had been swapped out in the Land of Waves. It's very possible it was the person who recently appeared, claiming to be the God of Shinobi."

"Naruto's recent behavior is very strange – inexplicable wealth and power... But only a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan can use the Four Symbols Seal, and only Naruto can contain the Nine-Tails..."

With that, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed helplessly, closed his eyes, and gave his order.

"Order the Anbu to cancel their surveillance of the Jinchuriki."

"But... Hokage-sama, if the Jinchuriki isn't monitored like this, won't it be too dangerous?"

"After all," Midashi Raido's gaze fell on the report from Root, which clearly stated:

[Violation Level: 7]

"Hokage-sama, isn't the total Violation Level only 10?" Midashi Raido swallowed. "But the Nine-Tails' danger level is only 6."

"The Four Symbols Seal is a very dangerous Ninjutsu; it can seal the Nine-Tails, or even anything," the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, explained in a deep voice.

"Root members always like to exaggerate, always ignoring the individual. But humans have emotions, and weapons can be controlled."

"Sunshine, flowers, the bonds of friendship, the buds of love, the village's acceptance – these are the best ways to store weapons."

I got called out with a blank account, ahhh! Please support me with a follow-up read, I want to check out the new book rankings.

A big shot tipped me, Big Jackie (Take off!).