The One Who Came First

[The system had underestimated just how perverse Naruto Uzumaki could be, but unfortunately, the Nine-Tails could not become a mother!]

Why not?!

According to the setting, the Nine-Tails was merely a mass of conscious chakra. It had no gender, so why couldn't it be a mother?

In Naruto's mind, the Nine-Tails was so powerful and so special. If it could become his mother, its rank should be incredibly high, and he could fleece it to his heart's content!

But now he had already called it Mom, yet he could not acknowledge it as such.

Wouldn't that mean he had called it for nothing?

[Although the Nine-Tails has no gender, it identifies itself as male!]

[It often refers to itself as "this old man," and its voice is also clearly masculine.]

"..."

What the hell.

Naruto Uzumaki was instantly crushed with disappointment. When he looked at the Nine-Tails again, his eyes held a trace of disdain.

Girls, I've run into a total turnoff fox. It actually dared not turn into a beast-eared girl.

It was clearly just a mass of chakra, yet it insisted on identifying as male.

Didn't it know that feminism was the correct path nowadays? This stinking fox was obviously insulting women!

I'm exposing you on Xiaohongshu!

Naruto Uzumaki's gaze made the already-stunned Nine-Tails freeze once more.

Over the millennia, it had encountered countless people. Some disgusted it, while others filled it with hatred.

But someone who left it utterly baffled? This was the first.

What was with that disgusted look?

The Nine-Tails possessed extremely keen senses, and it had encountered quite a few people throughout its life.

Most people looked at it with nothing but pure malice and greed.

Never had anyone first looked delighted upon seeing it, only to swiftly turn disgusted.

Both emotions were unfamiliar to the Nine-Tails.

And even stranger, why did this brat call it Mom?

"Brat, your mother isn't here."

"Really not?" Naruto's gaze swept across the entire space. He could faintly sense two chakra signatures besides the Nine-Tails.

He did not know whether this counted as good news. Naruto remembered that Kushina had appeared in the original story, but she had not shown herself now.

Perhaps Kushina would only emerge to help when he fought the Nine-Tails.

If that was the case, then he would leave it for now. Raising his head to look at the Nine-Tails, which was still emanating endless malice, Naruto felt that even one of its lifted claws could pierce straight through him.

Looking at the calm Naruto before it, the Nine-Tails felt ignored and roared, "Brat, come here and let me kill you!"

"Your breath reeks, you big fox!"

Seeing the Nine-Tails looking furious, Naruto Uzumaki asked, "You really want to get out, don't you? You keep telling me to come closer. What you really want is for me to open the door for you, right?"

As soon as he said that, the Nine-Tails slowly calmed down, no longer as agitated as before.

After all, who would not go mad after being imprisoned for so long?

But being calm did not mean it lacked malice. If this brat came over and opened the seal, the Nine-Tails would still choose to kill him immediately.

A Jinchūriki who sealed it away was guilty by nature!

"Heh heh, brat, you're smart. Since that's the case, let's make a deal. I can tell that you've suffered greatly these past few years. Open the gate for me, and I'll give you power—power to kill every last person who bullied you!"

"Forget power. I don't need it." Naruto grinned. "How about this? I'll make a deal with you too. As long as you agree, I'll let you out."

Huh?

He did not need power?

And he was willing to let me out?

The Nine-Tails was confused. Having lived so long, it had never encountered anything like this.

"What deal?"

"As long as you call me Dad once, I'll agree."

Naruto Uzumaki.

Was a petty little brat.

He refused to take even the slightest loss. He had called it Mom just now, and now he wanted it to call him Dad in return.

"..."

The entire world fell silent for a moment, followed by an enraged roar as overwhelming as a mountain collapse and tsunami.

"Get lost!"

Naruto was driven out of the sealing space by the Nine-Tails' fury. When his eyes opened again, there was no Nine-Tails in sight—only Mikoto Uchiha's fragrant, soft, snowy-white embrace.

That damned Nine-Tails had made me lose several more minutes of enjoying Mikoto Mom's embrace.

Though he was grumbling, Naruto actually felt that this trip had not been fruitless. The moment he entered the sealing space, he could feel that the overwhelming malice was actually the Nine-Tails' chakra.

As long as he drew close to the Nine-Tails, he could more or less tap into some of that power. For Naruto, it was an incredibly potent boost.

He simply did not know exactly how much he could use, or how much he could endure while staying fully conscious and avoiding being controlled.

He had never tried it.

And he did not dare to.

He was afraid of triggering the old Third Hokage's stress response.

"System, show me my personal panel!"

[Name: Naruto Uzumaki.]

[Gender: Male.]

[Mothers: Hinata Hyuga (A), Uzuki Yugao (B), Mikoto Uchiha (A), Lino Yamanaka (A), Ino Yamanaka (A).]

[Mother's Protection: 9 layers.]

[Mom Coins: 8.]

[Skills: Chakra Refinement and Usage Techniques, Konoha E-Rank Ninjutsu Compendium, Leaf Strong Whirlwind, Shadow Clone Jutsu, Leaf Hurricane, Leaf Great Whirlwind, Leaf Gale, Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu, Lightning Release: Earth Walk, Lightning Release: Lightning Ball.]

Having mastered so many skills, and with some Nine-Tails chakra added in, Naruto Uzumaki had the feeling that he might not be weaker than some formidable Chunin now.

Of course, merely being comparable to Chunin was nothing to be proud of.

The proper path was still to work hard, find more mothers, save up more Mom Coins, and increase his strength.

Thinking that, Naruto wriggled farther forward and continued sleeping.

Only after getting enough sleep would he have the energy to uncover new mothers.

The next day.

With the bonus of Mikoto Uchiha's embrace, Naruto Uzumaki unusually did not want to get out of bed, lingering there for quite a while.

Only after Uzuki Yugao finished making breakfast and knocked on the door, and Mikoto Uchiha carried Naruto out of the room, was he forced to get up.

"Naruto, open your mouth. Mom will brush your teeth!"

To be fair, Mikoto Uchiha spoiled children far too much. She even personally helped him with something as simple as brushing his teeth.

As he enjoyed her warm service, Naruto praised her again. "I'm really jealous of Sasuke. He got to be cared for so wonderfully by Mikoto Mom all this time."

"Heh heh!"

Mikoto Uchiha rubbed Naruto's head. "Now there's only Naruto-kun. Ever since Sasuke lost me, I haven't helped him wash up in a long time."

Even a loving mother had a temper when it came to being lost to someone else.

Naruto immediately said, "Don't worry, Mikoto Mom. I'll never lose you to anyone in this life."

Hearing the boy's promise, Mikoto Uchiha covered her mouth and smiled. "All right. Then I'll live with Naruto-kun for the rest of my life. When the time comes, Naruto-kun, don't find me bothersome!"

Uzuki Yugao, sitting in the living room and watching their interaction, felt a faint sourness in her heart.

I was the one who came first...

It was nine in the morning. Class at the Ninja Academy was about to begin, and Naruto's once-a-day Mom Coins had successfully arrived.

[Ding!]

[Mom Coins +9!]

[Current Mom Coin balance: 17.]

Although he already had enough Mom Coins for a draw, Naruto was not in a hurry this time, because he had something more important to muddle through first.

That was the fuming Ino Yamanaka, who had once again blocked his path.

She still seemed to be angry about yesterday.

"Naruto, you bastard, what exactly do you mean? You have to give me an explanation today."

PS: Dear handsome, dashing, and suave readers, this little author is begging on his knees for votes~!

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