The Nine-Tails Descends, He Is the Demon Fox

Golden tail flames swayed over the ruins. Two fox tails swept lightly, shattering the lingering shockwaves of Sand Shot.

The entire arena fell silent for three seconds.

Then, like cold water splashed into boiling oil, it exploded into uproar.

"A Tailed Beast! He's a Jinchuriki too!"

"My god... two Tailed Beasts are fighting during the Chunin Ninja Exams?"

Kakashi's entire body went rigid, even his Sharingan trembling slightly. Only one thought flashed madly through his mind: Nine-Tails versus One-Tail... Hidden Sand has gone insane, Konoha has gone insane too. Is this really the Chunin Ninja Exams? Or a rehearsal for the Third Shinobi World War?!

A mere Chunin Ninja Exam had brought out the nuclear weapons of two great nations to bombard each other. Just the thought of it!

Might Guy's fist froze in midair, the fervor on his face instantly fading, leaving only solemn gravity.

As for the ordinary spectators and Konoha Chunin, the shock on their faces quickly turned into bone-deep fear and resentment.

"I knew there was something wrong with him! He's so damn sinister!"

"No wonder he's so bloodthirsty! He really is the Demon Fox!"

"The Fourth Hokage never should have let him live! He should've sealed him to death alongside the Nine-Tails!"

A man wearing a Chunin vest leaped onto the railing and pointed at Naruto, cursing furiously, spittle flying everywhere. "Demon Fox! You disaster-bringing freak! You and that Hidden Sand monster should both die! You should both be burned to death!"

The piercing curses cut through the clamor and drilled straight into Naruto's ears.

The sinister grin on Naruto's face gradually faded.

The last trace of warmth vanished completely from his eyes.

Only a coldness capable of freezing a thousand miles remained.

He had known all along. He had always known what these people thought in their hearts.

No matter what he did, in their eyes, he would always be the Demon Fox who brought disaster.

If that was the case.

Then he would grant their wish.

"Since you're all so afraid of the Demon Fox."

Naruto spoke softly. His voice was not loud, yet it strangely drowned out every other sound.

Golden Nine-Tails Chakra and cyan Wind Release Chakra instantly merged along the Nine-Life Demon Tail Blade. The black blade became wrapped in gold and cyan as it gave off a humming tremor.

"Then I'll show you one."

Before his words had even faded.

The blade had already left his hand.

A streak of gold and cyan light tore through the sky.

The Chunin who had still been shouting abuse had not even had time to wipe the angry expression from his face.

Pshk!

The long blade pierced through his chest. Carried by tremendous momentum, it nailed his entire body to the stone pillar behind him.

Blood trickled down the pillar, blooming into a glaring red plum blossom on the ground.

His eyes widened. Hoarse sounds escaped his throat as his body twitched twice, then he stopped breathing completely.

The entire arena.

In an instant.

Fell utterly silent.

Every curse, every shout, every shred of resentment came to an abrupt halt at that moment.

Everyone froze where they stood, their faces filled with nothing but absolute terror.

They stared at the youth standing amidst golden Chakra, at those utterly emotionless eyes, and a chill shot from the soles of their feet to the crowns of their heads.

"How dare he? This is a public place! He killed someone right in front of the Third Hokage!"

He truly dared to kill.

In Konoha's stadium, before the Third Hokage and every high-ranking official, he killed someone without a second thought. Even Shukaku, towering thirty meters high, was stunned.

Its mouth hung open, every curse it had prepared stuck in its throat.

It had lived for thousands of years. It had seen ruthless people, but never anyone this ruthless.

It was a Tailed Beast. Killing without blinking was nothing to it.

Yet this human brat killed his own people even more decisively than it did!

[Ding! The host has slain a Konoha Chunin in public, meeting the requirements for Darkness!]

[Reward: Darkness Value +1000!]

[Current accumulated Darkness Value: 14515 points!]

The icy system notifications rang in his mind.

Naruto did not even raise an eyelid.

He slowly turned around, his gaze passing over the crowd and landing directly on the viewing platform.

On the Third Hokage, on Danzo, on every face among Konoha's upper ranks.

His voice was icy enough to pierce bone, carrying an unquestionable menace.

"You clean up this mess."

"From now on, if I hear even one more word spoken against me."

"Kill."

One word.

A light, casual word.

Yet it crashed down upon everyone's hearts like a boulder weighing a thousand pounds.

Those who had been whispering moments earlier instantly clamped their mouths shut, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Throughout the entire stadium, only the wind blowing across the yellow sand could be heard.

No one doubted his words.

No one dared to doubt them.

In the shadows, uncertainty flashed through Danzo's single eye.

He had not expected Naruto to be so bold.

Much less that Naruto would be so ruthless.

This was completely different from what he had anticipated.

Naruto turned back and looked at the still-dazed Shukaku.

He rolled his wrist and curled his lips into a cold arc.

"I'm in a very bad mood right now."

"I'll temporarily hand my body over to Kurama."

"Let's call it me voluntarily losing control."

As his words fell.

That warm, dazzling golden Chakra receded like the tide.

Replacing it.

Was surging crimson Chakra, violent and brimming with the aura of destruction.

Boom!!!

Crimson Chakra surged into the heavens like a bloody volcanic eruption, dyeing the entire sky dark red.

The air instantly became scorching and viscous, carrying a pungent scent of sulfur.

A fluffy crimson tail extended from behind Naruto.

Then came the second.

The third.

The fourth.

With each additional tail, the ground shook more violently.

With each additional tail, that terrifying pressure surged higher.

The fifth.

The sixth.

The seventh.

The eighth.

The spectators in the stands had already begun fleeing backward in a frenzy. The concrete seating throughout the stadium began cracking across wide areas, rubble falling like rain.

Kakashi and Might Guy used all their strength to raise Chakra barriers, protecting those around them as their faces turned pale as paper.

"Eight... eight tails..."

Even Might Guy's voice was trembling.

Temari and Kankuro had long since collapsed onto the ground, unable to move at all.

The yellow sand covering Shukaku's body trembled uncontrollably. It retreated step by step, its bell-sized eyes filled with utter terror.

It knew what was about to happen.

It could never forget that day.

It could never forget that afternoon when the Nine-Tails had pinned it to the ground and ground it into the dirt.

Just then.

The ninth tail.

Slowly emerged.

Boom—!!!

A world-destroying pressure instantly swept across the entire village of Konoha.

Crimson Chakra condensed into the phantom of an enormous fox, shrouding the entire stadium.

The phantom possessed nine massive tails and a pair of crimson vertical pupils, looking down coldly upon all things in the world.

Naruto closed his eyes.

When he opened them again.

Those blue eyes had already become crimson vertical pupils identical to those of the Nine-Tails.

A low, hoarse voice filled with endless age and disdain emerged from his throat.

Like thunder from hell.

"Long time no see."

"Little tanuki."