Nine-Tails

"Demon fox, stop spouting nonsense!"

"Shut up! A demon fox like you wants to become Hokage? Why don't you piss and take a look at yourself first!"

Naruto's ill-timed remark was quickly heard by several people standing nearby, drawing a wave of laughter and condemnation.

The boy with six whisker-like marks on his face had long grown accustomed to such abuse, so he paid it no mind. Instead, he stared straight at Tobirama Senju on the high platform.

"Naruto Uzumaki..."

Tobirama Senju had already taken in the commotion below and glanced at this child of destiny.

He had a head of golden blond hair, three fox-like whiskers on each cheek, a forehead protector, an orange training outfit, and several loops of bandages wrapped around his body.

Inside Naruto Uzumaki below, the Nine-Tails, lying within its cage, seemed to sense Tobirama Senju's scrutiny and abruptly rose to its feet.

The Nine-Tails' eyes seemed to pierce through Naruto Uzumaki's inner world and see Tobirama Senju outside.

"That damned bastard's little brother! He actually has the same aura as him!"

Roar!

The Nine-Tails' body trembled violently.

Tobirama Senju raised a brow, as if sensing something, and looked toward Naruto Uzumaki's stomach.

As though their gazes had collided, Tobirama Senju opened his mouth in a smile.

Seeing the Hokage smile, the people around him cheered even louder.

What the hell are you laughing at? Your dead brother is already gone, so how the hell did you crawl out too? the Nine-Tails roared inwardly.

Earlier, in the forest outside Konoha, it had sensed a familiar aura while Naruto Uzumaki fought One-Tail Shukaku.

Even then, it had found that aura terribly familiar.

When Tobirama Senju had still been alive, he had frequently visited Mito Uzumaki's home to study it. As that man's younger brother, he ranked third on its list of most hated people.

First was Madara Uchiha, and second was Hashirama Senju.

In its memories, that white-haired freak would obtain its chakra through Mito Uzumaki every few days and drain it nearly dry each time. The Uzumaki Clan's seal on it had also been improved by that bastard, making even turning over in its cage extremely difficult. He was truly detestable.

Just as Tobirama Senju met the Nine-Tails' gaze in the mental world, the system's cold electronic voice rang through his mind again.

Mission: Gather all Tailed Beasts

Reward: Complete resurrection, Sage Body

"Oh? Not bad." Tobirama Senju smiled. He had only just encountered the Nine-Tails, yet it had triggered a long-term mission for him.

As for the mission rewards, they made him narrow his eyes.

There was no need to say much about complete resurrection. It was an excellent reward.

As for this Sage Body...

An example of the Sage Body was probably something similar to his elder brother Hashirama Senju's.

But the system's prompt filled him with surprise.

The system's explanation of the Sage Body was—the body of the Sage of Six Paths. It could grant the physical body limitless potential for growth, chakra comparable to that of a Tailed Beast, powerful recovery abilities, and strengthen all ninjutsu.

More importantly, it could accommodate the Six Paths Eye!

What did that mean?

In other words, as a member of the Senju Clan, he might be able to install a Rinnegan in his eye!

Ōtsutsuki Tobirama...

Tobirama Senju was ultimately going to return to his ancestral roots.

Putting aside his wild fantasies, Tobirama Senju looked at the Nine-Tails in its cage and waved.

"Long time no see, fox."

"Damn white-haired bastard! What the hell did you just say?" The Nine-Tails was far from friendly. "You worthless trash who got killed by two people just because they ate a little of my flesh and blood."

"Hm?" Tobirama Senju frowned slightly. This fox really knew how to bring up the one thing he did not want mentioned.

"From now on, stop interfering with Naruto Uzumaki's chakra, Nine-Tails."

"Why should I listen to you?"

"I can let you out in the future."

"You're lying! Nothing you've ever said has been true!"

"I can guarantee it."

"I won't believe your bullshit!" The Nine-Tails roared, refusing to believe Tobirama Senju's promise.

After saying that, the Nine-Tails let out a mighty roar. Tobirama Senju's expression changed as the mental world became hazy.

In the outside world, Naruto Uzumaki's vision went black.

Tobirama Senju was immediately forced out by the Nine-Tails.

His first conversation with the Nine-Tails had not been very friendly.

That fox has truly awful manners. I'll have to beat it up someday, Tobirama Senju thought silently.

Naruto Uzumaki was summoned into his inner world by the Nine-Tails. After speaking with it for a while, his expression became quite colorful.

The fox must have been badmouthing him to Naruto.

Jumping down from the high platform, Tobirama Senju walked over to Naruto Uzumaki.

The onlookers did not know what the Hokage intended and assumed he was about to eliminate the troublemaking demon fox.

Several of Naruto Uzumaki's classmates watched with worry in their eyes.

Tobirama Senju said nothing. He merely patted Naruto Uzumaki on the head before turning and leaving.

Tobirama Senju sympathized with this protagonist who had been treated with cold stares. However, seeing Naruto remain so optimistic after being treated this way by people from his own village for more than a decade, Tobirama Senju even suspected that he had been affected by Kotoamatsukami.

He had just checked whether Naruto was under a genjutsu, but he had not sensed anything unusual.

It was probably the influence of Asura's chakra.

Tobirama Senju thought silently.

"Forget it. I should go see how Sasuke is doing." After Tobirama Senju patted his head, Naruto Uzumaki ran off at a trot.

At that moment,

just after Tobirama Senju had finished his Hokage inauguration speech,

an ANBU ninja wearing a fox mask appeared before him.

"Lord Hokage, the two elders of the council wish to see you!"