Uncle's Love for His Nephew, Planning for the Long Term

"Kurama, you can sense good and evil. You should be able to tell that I mean you no harm," Uchiha Yan said to the Nine-Tails.

"That's right, I truly don't sense any malice from you," the Nine-Tails said. "But that doesn't prove you're telling the truth. You say you're Kaguya's third son, yet you are now an Uchiha."

"It's complicated. After the original me split into two, Black Zetsu became an aggregate consciousness made of pure chakra and an obsession with reviving Mother Kaguya, due to his excessive fixation on saving her. As for me, like my other two nephews, Indra and Ashura, I kept reincarnating in the form of chakra. I only awakened in this life."

"Even if what you say is true, the fact remains that you imprisoned us here," Shukaku shouted.

"Foolish!" Uchiha Yan said in heartfelt anguish.

Black Zetsu was devious and would stop at nothing to revive his mother. His abilities were also extraordinary. Not only could his body merge with the earth, plants, and other things, but he could also transform at will and pass through objects. He was simply impossible to kill.

You Tailed Beasts might possess tremendous offensive power and be nearly impossible to kill with conventional attacks, but Black Zetsu excelled at manipulating people's hearts. He had no interest in you right now because he was searching for a suitable vessel to revive his mother. Once he found one, he would capture the Tailed Beasts and resurrect the Ten-Tails. When that happened, you would have nowhere left to stand in the shinobi world."

"You didn't come here today just to tell us this, did you?" Though the Nine-Tails sensed no ill intent from Uchiha Yan, something still felt off.

"Kurama, you're right. I came here today because of you."

"Because of me?"

"That's right, Little Nine. I need your strength to stop Black Zetsu. As Hagoromo's elder brother's child and the strongest Tailed Beast, Little Nine, you should take responsibility for looking after your brothers. Inherit Brother Hagoromo's will—you must carry on your father's legacy."

"Damn it! Who says that stinking fox is the strongest Tailed Beast? I'm the strongest Tailed Beast!" Shukaku cried indignantly.

"Little Nine, your uncle needs you. Look at your brothers. Little Shukaku is immature and spends all day playing with sand. Your other brothers aren't strong enough either. Only you can help your uncle."

"Damn it! Don't call me Little Nine! Even if what you say is true, you still have to call me Kurama!" Kurama roared. "This Uchiha Yan keeps taking advantage of me every time he opens his mouth!"

"Fine, I'll call you Kurama. Kurama, for Brother Hagoromo's sake, help your uncle out."

The other Tailed Beasts chattered among themselves. They had never expected the Sage of Six Paths to have brothers—more than one, at that.

"Kurama, think it over carefully. Black Zetsu will eventually feed you to the Ten-Tails to revive his mother. We share a common enemy. Your uncle will come see you again in a few days."

After leaving Tailed Beast Paradise, Uchiha Yan returned to his residence. He had not expected Kurama to be so hard to fool, but he was not worried that Kurama would refuse to take the bait. After all, he truly bore Kurama no ill will.

The Tailed Beasts in the original story were pitiable too. Ever since Hashirama sold them off, they had become jinchuriki, locked inside other people's bodies all day as if in prison. Then they would be dragged out to wreak havoc and fight whenever something happened. Forget the Tailed Beasts—he would have gone mad too.

Unfortunately, Kotoamatsukami had already been used. Otherwise, Uchiha Yan would not have minded giving Kurama a shot of Kotoamatsukami and saving himself all this talking.

"That old bastard Tobirama—did I hit him too hard? Has he completely given up on himself? He's actually stopped doing human experiments."

For several days in a row, Uchiha Yan, this bargain-bin uncle, visited Tailed Beast Paradise every day.

"Kurama! Your uncle's here to see you again!" Shukaku, ever sharp-tongued, mocked Kurama.

"Little Shukaku, no wonder Brother Hagoromo gave you the least chakra when he created you and only gave you one tail. You're unfilial. Aren't you Brother Hagoromo's child too? If Kurama's uncle is your uncle too, then why are you acting like this?"

"Bastard, who are you talking about?!"

"I'm talking about you. Little Shukaku, as the weakest Tailed Beast, can't you reflect on yourself?"

"Fuck off!" Shukaku was nearly driven mad. It usually hated it when Kurama used the number of tails to determine strength—though it was true, did the truth have to be said? The truth hurt people too much.

Who would have thought that this so-called bargain-bin uncle would use that against it too?

"Matatabi, Isobu, Son Goku, King Mu, Rhinoceros Dog—you lot can't just stand there watching! Talk some sense into Kurama!" Uchiha Yan called to the remaining Tailed Beasts. "And Chomei, Ox Demon, you two and Kurama have the most tails. You're upper-tier Tailed Beasts. Help your uncle persuade Kurama."

"Shut up!" The Nine-Tails finally could not bear it any longer and opened its eyes. "How did that old Sage of Six Paths end up with such a chatterbox for a brother?!"

After spending the past few days together, all the Tailed Beasts had come to believe that Uchiha Yan was telling the truth. Though the Sage of Six Paths had not told them much, they knew at least a little about his sons. If Uchiha Yan had not been from that era, he could not possibly have made up such accurate details.

More importantly, Uchiha Yan had called them the Sage of Six Paths' children. That identity gave them a sense of belonging they had never even dared dream of. Before this, people had always called them monsters.

"It's not impossible for us to help you." Kurama finally relented. "But we have three conditions."

Kurama had discussed this with the other Tailed Beasts over the past few days. Since they all needed to stop Black Zetsu anyway, they would have to join forces sooner or later.

"Go ahead. As long as it doesn't violate my principles, anything is possible."

"First, we are equals. I am not your tool."

"Agreed. Once you become my jinchuriki, we'll be tied to the same fate. If I lose you, I'll die too. Your uncle has no desire to reincarnate so soon."

"Second, after becoming a jinchuriki, Tailed Beast Paradise must be expanded, and the seal must be altered. This seal wears away at our chakra day and night. It's extremely uncomfortable."

"Agreed, but you are not allowed to run around or destroy things as you please."

"Don't worry."

"Third, don't call me Little Nine. And don't put on airs as my uncle in front of me."

Uchiha Yan thought for a moment. "Fine. I agree to all of it."

"Then it's a deal."

Uchiha Yan extended his hand and bumped fists with Kurama. Kurama's chakra slowly surged out from where their fists met. The vast chakra climbed up Uchiha Yan's arm and poured into his body. Kurama possessed far too much chakra, and it formed a Tailed Beast cloak around Uchiha Yan.

The other eight Tailed Beasts in Tailed Beast Paradise all fell silent, watching the scene quietly.

Shukaku called out arrogantly, "Stinking fox, don't disgrace us Tailed Beasts."