The Truth Hidden by Konoha

"I have absolutely no interest in your power." Naruto's gentle smile faded, replaced by a look of disdain.

"No interest? Do you even know what you're saying?" Hearing Naruto's reply, the Nine-Tails' eyes first showed disbelief, then rage as he gripped the iron gate and roared. "I am the Nine-Tails Fox Demon, capable of overturning the entire shinobi world! Even if all your Konoha elites came at once, they couldn't gain a single advantage against me. I could level Konoha to the ground with ease; Shadow-level fighters are nothing before me! I am the power every ninja village craves—and the power every ninja village fears! You think Konoha is so peaceful for no reason? It's because of me that the other villages have no choice but to hold back!"

"And now you tell me you're not interested in my power?"

As he spoke, a single finger and a nightmare-like phrase suddenly surfaced in the Nine-Tails' mind: "Nine-Tails, you are too strong. That is why you must be sealed." The Nine-Tails instinctively shrank back, his tone weakening. "Ahem, of course, there are some freaks in the ninja world who are still strong, but they're all dead now."

"Just a beast after all." Naruto sneered dismissively. "To be honest, a frail infant became the vessel to seal your power. Your words hardly convince me to believe in your strength. Maybe you really are strong enough to make the Konoha villagers fear you and the Konoha higher-ups crave control, but in Konoha's eyes, you're nothing but a weapon. They sealed you once, and they can seal you again. As far as they're concerned, you can't stir up any more waves. Even if I accepted your power and went on a killing spree in Konoha, what would it accomplish? At best, I'd satisfy some deep-seated rage and desire, only to end up suppressed again. As the vessel, I'd be seen by Konoha as one who cannot inherit the Will of Fire. My fate would be obvious—death. And you? You'd be sealed in a new vessel, day after day of taming stripping away your wildness, until you become Konoha's lapdog."

With that, Naruto laughed mockingly: "And you still try to trick me into causing chaos in Konoha? Anyone who says that is either stupid or malicious."

In that brief exchange, Naruto understood clearly. Most of what the Nine-Tails said was likely true. He was Konoha's watched Nine-Tails vessel, a weapon of war. That also explained why the Third wanted to brainwash him and instill the Will of Fire. Neither the Nine-Tails nor Konoha could be trusted. The only one he could believe in was himself.

After Naruto finished speaking, the entire Sealing Space fell into a long silence. Only the faint sound of the Nine-Tails' breathing quietly echoed. At first, his heart burned with rage, but soon he sank into deep thought. Everything Naruto said was true. He had indeed harbored ill intentions, though he hadn't really expected Naruto to destroy Konoha. His power was great, but in the end, he was just an individual. Konoha's hidden measures were indeed numerous. Though most of their top combat strength had withered away, it still wasn't something he could contend with.

Unbelievable. A five-year-old Naruto was this mature, his thinking terrifyingly clear. They say the player is lost in the game, while the onlooker sees clearly. But the Nine-Tails felt that Naruto was the 'onlooker' who saw through both Konoha's and his own schemes. And he was only five years old! Combined with the mysterious Kekkei Genkai he had displayed earlier that even the Nine-Tails had to be wary of, the Nine-Tails couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath. Konoha, what kind of terrifying existence have you forced into being! Fourth, you never imagined your own son would be this frightening, did you!

"Hahahahahaha!" The Nine-Tails suddenly threw his head back and laughed wildly. It was the most unrestrained laugh he'd had in years, laughing until tears nearly spilled. "Interesting, interesting! Good, very good! Konoha definitely hasn't realized just how terrifying you little brat really are. I see it now, I understand!"

So Naruto's feelings toward Konoha were negative. His gentle, refined demeanor had always been a disguise! The Nine-Tails decided to change his strategy. He put away his smile. "Little brat, you're really interesting. But have you considered this? Since Konoha wants so badly to control my power, that means my power is indeed formidable. If you want to walk your own path in the future, relying on your Kekkei Genkai alone definitely won't be enough."

"What are you trying to say?" Naruto tilted his head.

"You've been learning ninjutsu lately, right? What you've been using is just the chakra I've lent you—not even a drop in the ocean compared to my true chakra. I can lend you my power to use, even help you grow stronger. We're in the same boat, after all." The Nine-Tails bared his teeth in what he thought was a gentle smile, but it was actually quite ugly. He was confident Naruto couldn't refuse such a tempting offer.

No, no one could refuse that.

After all, he was the Nine-Tails, the foremost of the tailed beasts, possessing the power to overturn an entire ninja village.

"Sorry, not interested." Yet Naruto shook his head decisively.

"You're nothing but a prisoner in the end. The weak don't even have the right to gaze at the sky. I'm destined to reach the top—your power isn't qualified to be my aid."

"And I have even less interest in cooperating with a failure."

"It's been fun talking with you, but goodbye." Naruto turned without hesitation, ignoring the Nine-Tails' raging fury, and walked gracefully back the way he came.

No matter how silver-tongued the Nine-Tails was, no matter how sweet his words, Naruto wouldn't believe him completely.

After this temptation from the Nine-Tails' Chakra, he was certain.

The failure of all his jutsu today had to have been pushed by the Nine-Tails behind the scenes.

That fiery red, violent chakra felt familiar.

Naruto remembered sensing similar chakra when he tried his jutsu today.

This chakra wasn't just hard to control—it even interfered with his own chakra, causing his jutsu to fail.

That meant his talent for jutsu wasn't actually bad—it was just being disrupted by the Nine-Tails.

This Nine-Tails was very wicked.

So his words and promises couldn't be fully trusted.

Besides.

In such a short time, this Nine-Tails had already revealed too much information, and his temper was that explosive.

Enough to show he was a violent beast with a poor brain.

Cooperating with someone like that—wasn't that just digging a hole for himself?

So Naruto flatly refused the Nine-Tails' proposal and chose to leave.

He walked away from the iron gate, focused his mind on leaving the space.

The next moment, Naruto's consciousness fell unconscious again, returning to reality and sinking into deep sleep.

The Nine-Tails roared in fury within the Sealing Space, having been scorned.

Helplessly raging behind the iron gate.

"Naruto Uzumaki! You'll regret this! You will absolutely regret this!"

Naruto had ripped off the outer coat he'd wrapped himself in, exposing the raw truth.

He, the Nine-Tails, was nothing but a prisoner.