Random Draw

The moment Uchiha Akira appeared.

He no longer paid any attention to Naruto Uzumaki, but Naruto shuddered at the snarling beast, his azure eyes filled with fear.

"What... what is this?"

"How did I get here?"

He seemed to realize something, and a shadow fell over his azure eyes.

Was this... why he was called a demon fox?

Was he... really a demon fox?

"Hehehe, be afraid, you damned brat! That expression is exactly what I want to see!"

The Nine-Tails bared its fangs, its savage malice and killing intent instantly engulfing Naruto Uzumaki. It felt as though thunder surrounded him, carrying the terror that a single movement could mean death!

"Be afraid! Let me out, and I... will help you kill everyone who looks down on you!"

Naruto Uzumaki trembled and muttered, "Teacher Akira, am I... am I really a demon fox?"

Uchiha Akira gave him an indifferent glance.

How should he put it?

Naruto was the type to pretend to be strong while genuinely being incredibly strong, so he never spoke up when he encountered difficulties. Whenever something went wrong, he only thought it was his own problem. If something was wrong, it was his own fault.

It could never be someone else's problem.

No matter what happened, it was always his own problem. He only ever wronged himself.

Clap.

Uchiha Akira slowly pressed his palms together. Sun-god-like markings appeared across his face as he instantly entered Sage Mode!

"Dammit! Sage Mode! What are you doing?"

The Nine-Tails froze, then let out a terrified scream. Memories buried in its soul made every hair on its body stand on end, like a hedgehog!

It seemed to see a man who had long since died.

That man had used True Several Thousand Hands, pressing it, clad in Armored Susanoo, into the ground with one hand. While saying it was too dangerous, he had sealed it away.

Under its horrified gaze.

Akira showed no mercy as he coldly declared, word by word, "Sage Art: Gate of the Great God!"

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Five enormous crimson torii descended from the sky and crashed down with perfect accuracy, pinning the Nine-Tails' limbs and neck. It did not even have a chance to rise and could only lie sprawled on the ground like a dead dog.

Everything in its sight was humiliation!

"Again!"

"Again!"

The Nine-Tails' beastly eyes nearly split apart as it stared at Uchiha Akira with deep wariness and fear. "How could anyone still know Wood Release after that man?"

"You... aren't you an evil Uchiha?"

This world had gone mad.

It had actually seen a member of the Uchiha Clan use Wood Release.

"Nine-Tails, since you don't want to keep your dignity, I'll help you keep it."

Uchiha Akira walked closer step by step until he stood before the Nine-Tails, gazing directly into its pupils.

"Roar—!"

The Nine-Tails roared and suddenly went berserk. Opening its enormous mouth like an abyss that could devour everything, it viciously bit toward Uchiha Akira, a trace of delight appearing in its beastly eyes.

It believed.

As long as it swallowed him, even that man would not escape death!

But in the next instant.

A sharp pain shot through its neck!

The torii had violently pressed down in an instant while absorbing the Chakra within its body, leaving it like a starving dog that had been collared and imprisoned for days.

"Nine-Tails, this is the first time. If there is a next time, you know the consequences."

Uchiha Akira's scarlet shuriken Mangekyo appeared, and the corners of his lips rose. "Unless you want to experience again the sense of order that comes from being controlled and unable to struggle at all."

Demon!

The Nine-Tails' pupils contracted, and a trace of fear finally rose in its heart.

Whether it had been Uchiha Madara or Hashirama Senju before, both had only one way to bully it. But the boy before it had two, and he used them in different ways to humiliate it. That was simply too terrifying!

It lay on the ground, knowing that a wise man submitted to circumstances.

It was not as if it had only lost face once or twice before. One more time made no difference.

"Good. You're obedient."

Then Uchiha Akira praised it before turning his gaze to Naruto Uzumaki and changing the subject.

"Those are Tailed Beasts, not demon foxes. More precisely, they were originally born to befriend humanity and promote peace."

He paused.

Naruto Uzumaki was such a compassionate child that his watery azure eyes immediately filled with sympathy. "Then why did they become like this? They look so pitiful."

Tsk.

Uchiha Akira also felt pity, but his pity was directed at Naruto.

Poor kid. Anyone else would have gone dark who knew how many times by now, yet he still had time to pity others. He glanced again at the Nine-Tails, whose ears twitched. It looked as though it had turned its head away, but its fox ears were standing tall.

"Human desires are simply impossible to satisfy."

Uchiha Akira's eyes became distant.

"Compared to living peacefully with the Tailed Beasts, humans wanted to control their power more. Thus, the Tailed Beasts and humanity completely broke apart, eventually becoming mutually hateful as they are now. Just like now, the Nine-Tails was sealed inside you in the hope that you would reform it."

If it had been before.

He definitely would have let Naruto ask on his own.

But this time, he did not. Instead, he continued.

"The person who did all this was your father, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."

"Before he died, he hoped you would become an outstanding ninja."

"So you are not a demon fox. And the Nine-Tails is a gift your parents left for you."

Akira had always believed that only by knowing the truth could someone forge ahead based on that truth. Especially someone like Naruto, who had so much damn empathy that he could pull himself back even if he went dark.

What he needed was not deception, but trust and encouragement.

Different people needed different approaches. That was all.

"What?"

Naruto Uzumaki opened his mouth, his pupils slowly widening. In an instant, tears streamed down his face as he stammered,

"I... I was never a demon fox. I wasn't an orphan. My father... was the Fourth Hokage, and the Tailed Beast inside me is a gift they left for me?"

Years of insults, grievances, sadness, and pain.

At that moment, they vanished without a trace like rain mist beneath the sun, leaving behind only brilliance and sunlight.

"That's right. The Tailed Beast is a gift they left for me."

He repeated it. "And I will become an outstanding ninja!"

Then Naruto looked at Uchiha Akira, his eyes brimming with sincere gratitude and admiration. "Teacher Akira, thank you for telling me this. I'll definitely work hard and become stronger!"

His azure eyes shone.

If not for Teacher Akira, he would never have known who his parents were.

He probably would have remained insecure and miserable forever. But now, he feared nothing. He had Teacher Akira by his side, as well as the gift his parents had left him.

[Ding! Mission: Help Naruto establish proper values. Mission complete!]

[Mission reward: One Random draw! (Can draw any ability from the Naruto world.)]

[Would you like to draw?]

Uchiha Akira smiled. Draw, draw, draw!

Draw immediately!

He wanted to see what he could get!

Light blossomed before his eyes, and a massive seven-colored roulette wheel appeared, engraved with countless rewards.

[Otsutsuki Bloodline]

[Rinnegan]

[Tenseigan]

[Shikotsumyaku]

[Ice Release]

The pointer spun rapidly before slowly coming to a stop.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have received the draw reward: Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song Technique!]

Akira: "..."

What a scam.

System, you're fucking rigged!