Garen Acquires Whisper

"Freedom?" The Nine-Tails snorted white vapor from his nostrils and mocked, "Compared to me, you've already enjoyed more than enough freedom. How would you like being locked in this pitch-black cage?"

"Kurama, don't you understand yet?"

Naruto stretched out a hand, and several red wooden tentacles surged up from the ground, intertwining to form a flat platform. As the tentacles slowly rose, Naruto met the Nine-Tails' gaze at eye level in midair.

"I'm going to set you free, on the condition that I don't die."

"You're going to set me free?" A flicker of shock appeared in the Nine-Tails' eyes as he stared at Naruto in disbelief. "Human, wh... why?"

"I know your power is immense, Kurama," Naruto said calmly. "The village needs your power, but I don't care about any of that. I want freedom. I want to live the life I want."

"The moment I became a Jinchuriki, it wasn't just you who was imprisoned. So was I."

"I don't want to give my life to this rotten village and become its slave."

"Then why not just destroy this village?" The Nine-Tails bared his fangs viciously. "Damn Konoha Village! They've imprisoned me for over a hundred years!"

"Human, why don't we join forces and wipe this village out completely?"

"No." Naruto refused outright.

"Why?" The Nine-Tails did not understand. "Don't you hate that village?"

"I don't." Naruto shook his head.

Of course he did not hate it. He had only transmigrated here a few days ago. At most, he was dissatisfied with the village; it was nowhere near enough to call it hatred. As for Minato Namikaze and Kushina's affairs, what did they have to do with him? He had already figured it out: as long as he remained a Jinchuriki, he could never be free.

The village was still the same village. As long as he was no longer the Jinchuriki, whoever wanted the job could have it. He did not care.

"I already said it. I want freedom, but I don't want to become a slave to freedom," Naruto said, shaking his head. "In the end, people become slaves to something because of the obsessions in their hearts."

"But I'm already this rich, and I'm not weak either. I'd rather drown myself in beautiful women and fine wine and live my life however I pleased than become some kind of savior."

The Nine-Tails froze. Looking at Naruto in confusion, he asked, "Human, don't you crave power?"

"Kurama, your power is far too weak," Naruto said bluntly.

"What did you say?"

"I don't care for it."

"Do you even hear yourself?" The Nine-Tails was clearly starting to lose confidence. "Brat, all the tailed beasts in this ninja world combined wouldn't be enough for me alone. You're calling me weak?"

"Don't waste time on such unimportant matters." Naruto sounded somewhat impatient. "Kurama, let me ask you: do you want to get out?"

"Of course I do."

"Good. When the time comes, I'll come find you again."

Naruto snapped his fingers, and the prison returned to its original spacious appearance.

"What do you mean, when the time comes?"

However, Naruto did not answer. His consciousness turned into a phantom and left directly.

The next day.

The alarm clock rang. Naruto sat up in bed with bleary eyes, dragging his half-awake body through washing up. He wiped the mist from the mirror and forced a smile.

Just as he stepped out of the alley, a Mist Ninja wearing a conical hat suddenly appeared out of nowhere and shouted without warning.

"Brat! Die!"

With that shout, the man lunged at Naruto.

"Wait!" Naruto stopped him immediately.

"What?"

The man actually stopped and forced out a laugh.

"What? Brat, begging for mercy won't do you any good!"

Naruto yawned and said indifferently, "Mister, I was the top rookie graduate of the Ninja Academy this year. Isn't your lousy Transformation Jutsu a little too obvious?"

"What nonsense are you talking about, brat?" Cold sweat seeped down the Mist Ninja's forehead.

"As far as I know, even Chunin don't earn much unless they take dangerous missions, right? To be honest, I've killed Mist Jonin before. Their blood splashed all over my face. If I hurt you, you'll have to miss work too. It's really not worth it."

Naruto waved a hand and walked toward the disguised Mist Ninja without the slightest concern, speaking as he went.

"Mister, how much do you make a month? Why risk your life?"

"Ah, I'm running out of time. I'll be going now."

Naruto brushed past the Mist Ninja. The Mist Ninja did not move, merely sweating as he watched Naruto leave.

Only after the sound of footsteps had faded did the Mist Ninja dispel his Transformation Jutsu with a bang. He was clearly dressed as a Konoha Chunin. Still shaken, he turned to look back and muttered, "What kind of monsters are Genin these days?"

At the Ninja Academy, after many days apart, Team Seven had finally gathered again.

Sasuke and Sakura looked much the same. Sakura smiled and waved at Naruto.

"Over here, Naruto."

"Sakura, I'm not late, am I?" Naruto said with a smile.

Sakura shook her head.

"I just got here too. Something came up on the way."

"Don't tell me it was Mist Ninja?"

"Huh? Naruto, you ran into them too?" Sakura's eyes widened as she cried out in surprise.

She then looked at Sasuke beside her. Sasuke glanced at Sakura and Naruto, said nothing, and merely nodded to indicate that he had encountered them as well.

"It was probably another one of the village's weird tests. Boring as hell," Naruto complained as he stood there.

"You two weren't hurt, were you?" Sakura asked worriedly.

"No," Sasuke answered curtly.

"We didn't fight," Naruto said.

"How could that be?" Sakura looked somewhat surprised. "There wasn't a fight? The Mist Ninja didn't attack you, Naruto?"

At that, Sasuke turned to look at Naruto as well.

"No. I asked him how much he made in a month, and he stopped talking."

Sakura: "."

Sasuke: "."

Garen with Whisper—silence and armor break. That was truly killing someone and twisting the knife besides!

After a while, the other classes gradually arrived at the Ninja Academy.

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio looked rather listless. Naruto happened to glance at Hinata, who lowered her head with a red face. Ino looked at Naruto, and their eyes happened to meet. So Naruto simply went over to talk to the three of them.

Sakura took all of this in, unable to help feeling a little puzzled.

"When did Naruto get so close to Ino? I haven't seen him in a while."

Sasuke had no interest in worrying about such boring matters. Since it was not yet time to submit their Chunin Exams entry permits, he simply stood where he was and closed his eyes to rest.

"Say, Naruto, you were dragged in at the last minute to take the Chunin Exams, right?" Shikamaru asked lazily. "Didn't I hear before that Lord Hokage wouldn't let you participate? What was that about?"

"That happened?" Choji asked, constantly munching on chips as he looked at Naruto in surprise.

"It was nothing." Naruto waved a hand. "Anyway, I'm just here to make up the numbers. I never planned to actually become a Chunin."