Yo, Nine-Tails, long time no see

Little Naruto struggled to prepare a bowl of instant noodles by himself. After taking a bite, he thought it tasted strange, not as good as the food he used to have at the orphanage.

"I'm still so hungry."

His stomach kept growling, reminding its owner, I'm not full yet.

So, after thinking for two and a half seconds, little Naruto took out another packet of instant noodles and kept eating.

After finishing, he drank a glass of milk. All told, he was only half full.

He washed his face as usual, then Naruto lay down on his new bed.

It felt unfamiliar.

Children always had countless thoughts running through their heads, and the enormous change that had happened today kept surfacing in Naruto's mind.

"It's okay. Grandpa Director will come see me tomorrow."

"I'm going to become a fresh leaf and protect Grandpa Director."

Wiping away the tears that slipped from the corners of his eyes, little Naruto drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, inside the Sealing Space, the Nine-Tails watched the images in Naruto's mind and sneered disdainfully.

Over a thousand years, the Nine-Tails had seen plenty of human scheming. If that born-evil Madara Uchiha hadn't forcibly controlled him decades ago and made him fight his inseparable buddy Hashirama Senju, he would still have been roaming freely in the wilderness.

The more the Nine-Tails thought about it, the angrier he became. What do you mean, I'm too strong, so Hashirama Senju just clapped his hands and sealed me away?

Just you wait. I'll destroy the village you built!

Keh heh heh, keh heh heh heh!

"Now then, where am I?"

A voice rang out in the Sealing Space, instantly making the Nine-Tails stiffen.

"Oh, isn't this the Nine-Tails? Do you know where we are?"

Dark red armor, long black hair. That's right, it was him, our plant man-Hashirama Senju!

"Hashirama Senju!"

"How are you here?"

"Weren't you dead already?"

The Nine-Tails stiffly turned his gaze toward that man. His lower back had already begun to ache faintly.

"Oh, hold on a moment. What's this?"

Hashirama didn't answer the Nine-Tails' questions, loud as his voice was.

That was because a blue screen had appeared before his eyes.

Mission: Help the Child of Prophecy, Naruto Uzumaki, grow.

Rewards: Peace in the Shinobi World / Your resurrection.

Restriction: You must not take the initiative to reveal your existence to outsiders.

Note: Little Naruto is very pitiful. As the First Hokage and one of Naruto's elders, we hope you can help him grow up well.

"Hmm, what is this?"

Hashirama stroked his chin and examined the blue screen closely.

"Hey, keep it down."

The Nine-Tails beside him was being a little loud, so Hashirama called out, and the Nine-Tails quieted down.

Damn it, my throat won't obey me. It just doesn't want to speak!

The Nine-Tails lay down, bereft of hope, watching Hashirama Senju wave his hands and feet at thin air.

Has he lost his mind?

An idea suddenly popped into the Nine-Tails' head, but since Hashirama was outside the seal, he couldn't test him directly.

"So that's how it is. I'm inside the body of a Jinchūriki named Naruto Uzumaki."

Hashirama chopped one hand into the other palm, startling the Nine-Tails beside him, who had something to hide.

After all, the Nine-Tails was genuinely afraid that Hashirama would have a sudden whim and drop a few Gates of the Great God on his lower back again.

"Uzumaki... a descendant from Mito's side?"

"Peace in the Shinobi World? Did war break out again after I died?"

Hashirama looked dejected, saddened that the peace he had left behind hadn't been preserved.

"All right! Then I'll stay here and see just what kind of person this so-called Child of Prophecy becomes."

Hashirama cheerfully made his decision, then turned his gaze toward the Nine-Tails, who lay beside him, not daring to move.

"Hey, Nine-Tails, why are you lying down?"

"Are you too tired?"

Those caring words became knives, stabbing into the Nine-Tails' nonexistent heart.

Heh, whose fault is it that I'm like this?

You tell me!

Was it that born-evil Madara Uchiha, or you, Hashirama Senju, who said I was too strong and then pinned me down so I couldn't move?

"...No. How exactly did you come back?"

After imagining the consequences of cursing Hashirama out, the Nine-Tails fell silent for a moment, then changed the subject.

"Ahahaha... about that, I came with a mission. Someone said this Naruto Uzumaki is the Child of Prophecy and told me to help him grow."

Hashirama thought it over. The Nine-Tails wasn't a person, so telling him was fine.

Yes, I'm really clever, nothing like what Tobirama says.

The Child of Prophecy?

That sounds a little familiar... wait, I think the Sage of Six Paths mentioned that.

The Nine-Tails fell silent, but soon asked another question.

"Who gave you the mission?"

The Nine-Tails hoped the answer would be that old man, because he was the only one capable of sending Hashirama back.

"I'm sorry, I don't know."

Hashirama shook his head and spoke regretfully.

"He only sent me a mission. He didn't identify himself, and he told me not to reveal my existence to outsiders."

"Hey, tell me about little Naruto. Has he started at the Ninja Academy yet? What year is he in?"

As far as Hashirama knew, a child had to be at least six years old to become a Jinchūriki.

"Heh, I certainly won't tell you that the child is only three."

???

Hashirama fell silent. A three-year-old Jinchūriki-what had the village become to do something like that?

Was I really wrong?

"Hey, Hashirama, why don't you come in? I can use chakra to show you what happened."

The Nine-Tails tried to tempt Hashirama into entering the Sealing Space.

"Hey, Nine-Tails, aren't you underestimating me? Wouldn't I have to break the Sealing Technique to get in?"

A hint of menace entered Hashirama's gaze as he looked at the Nine-Tails.

He clapped his hands, and a Wood Human taller than the Nine-Tails rose from the ground, a Wood Dragon coiled around its waist. Its golden eyes shone especially brightly in the pitch-black Sealing Space.

"I'm warning you. Don't even think about doing anything to little Naruto."

If the seal broke, Hashirama could easily kill the Nine-Tails, but little Naruto's body might not withstand the corrosive effects of the Nine-Tails Chakra.

The Nine-Tails froze. Having just stood up, he lay back down.

"All right, all right. I still have a little chakra outside. Just use that."

Left with no choice, the Nine-Tails could only use the chakra that had seeped out over time to pass information to Hashirama.

Damn it!

But if it really is the old man...

The Nine-Tails shook his head. How could mere humans possibly live peacefully with Tailed Beasts?

Watching the Nine-Tails work himself into a frenzy all on his own, Hashirama shrugged helplessly, then began receiving the information the Nine-Tails sent him.

Before long, however, Hashirama's expression began to darken.