Victory!
Sasuke clenched his fist, finally able to relax the heart he had been holding taut all this time.
From the third ninja match onward, the outcome had already been foreshadowed.
Although [Uzumaki Naruto · First Tail] easily defeated Sasuke's second ninja, he inevitably lost a bit of HP in the process.
That small difference in HP caused Naruto to be the first to fall in the final stage of the duel.
Though he won, the atmosphere was still tense.
Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi all looked at Naruto. In their eyes, Naruto's aura seemed... different.
That red chakra of his appeared unstable, like boiling water releasing waves of steam.
Just as Kakashi was about to call out to him, Naruto suddenly returned to normal.
Yes—faster than he'd lost control, he was back to normal again!
"Huh... Why are you all staring at me like that?" Naruto hunched his shoulders a bit, finding their fiery gazes a little overwhelming.
"Naruto, are you okay now? What was that just now? That chakra?" Sakura quickly asked.
"Ah, that." Naruto scratched his head.
In truth, he didn't quite understand it either. He could clearly feel himself controlling the ninja inside the phone game.
But aside from that, there was another kind of power—a force that didn't seize control, but rather assisted him in the background.
That was the Nine-Tails' idea.
"Want to defeat that bastard Uchiha, don't you? He's the one opponent you absolutely refuse to lose to, right? Then come, try my power!"
Naruto repeated Kurama's exact words, and Kakashi's heart trembled.
What? The Nine-Tails actively reached out to Naruto—and even shared its chakra with him? That was absurd!
"Wait! The way it addressed 'Uchiha'... are you sure those were the Nine-Tails' actual words?" Sasuke questioned.
"Damn it, Sasuke! You think I made that up just to insult you?!" Naruto snapped.
Sasuke tugged at the corner of his mouth, speechless.
Forget it. He'd won anyway—and against a Naruto aided by the Nine-Tails, no less.
The victor need not argue with the defeated.
"Sasuke, your eyes?!" Sakura suddenly exclaimed.
At her words, Naruto looked closer—and saw that Sasuke's pupils had turned red, each bearing a single black tomoe.
But the pattern vanished an instant later.
Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan, rubbed his eyes, and muttered that he felt sleepy.
He had actually awakened his Sharingan the night of the clan massacre. But under his mother's guidance—and through today's battle with Naruto—he'd managed to awaken it once again.
"What's so great about that?" Naruto snorted.
"It's proof of the Uchiha clan's strength," Sasuke shot him a sidelong glance. "But you, Naruto... it seems you had some extra help."
That line immediately made Naruto bristle.
"What's that supposed to mean? Huh? You mean it's unfair because I had the Nine-Tails' help? Well, you've got that Sharingan of yours!"
"The Sharingan is the Uchiha clan's bloodline limit. What's wrong with me using it?"
"And the Nine-Tails has lived inside me since the day I was born—what's wrong with that? You weren't born with your Sharingan active either!"
Uh...
Sasuke was momentarily at a loss before realizing Naruto was twisting logic just to argue.
"Naruto, you—"
"Alright, alright!" Kakashi raised both hands and lightly patted their heads, smoothing down their metaphorical hackles.
"It's just an Unlimited Class Tournament match. It doesn't prove anything. The winner this time can't guarantee victory next time, and the loser still has every chance to win in the future, right?"
Sasuke and Naruto both gave cold snorts and said nothing.
"Good. I was going to ask how you felt after the fight, but you can think about that yourselves later."
With that, Kakashi grabbed Naruto by the collar.
"I'll be taking Naruto with me for a bit. Dismissed!"
Poof!
Perhaps Kakashi tossed a smoke bomb on his way out, because in a puff of white smoke, he disappeared with a struggling Naruto in tow.
Sakura looked around. Only she and Sasuke remained. After a moment's hesitation, she asked,
"Sasuke, can you teach me how to fight in Unlimited Class?"
"Unlimited Class rewards overlap with the Orochimaru Trials. Just play around casually." Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets and walked off without looking back.
Sakura stood frozen in place. In just the blink of an eye, Team 7 had gone from four to one.
This wasn't the first time.
Even though Naruto and Sasuke were always bickering, and Kakashi-sensei never acted serious—always sneaking glances at those indecent books...
She truly loved this team.
Sakura lifted her lowered head and looked at the blurry figure in the distance. In her eyes flashed envy, hesitation, and then resolve.
I... can't just keep watching anymore!
...
The foxy vixen who would one day make Naruto suffer endless in-law headaches after marriage... what kind of mischief was he plotting now?
In a dim, enclosed cage, the Nine-Tails lay there, forepaws crossed under its chin.
A closer look revealed a smirk curling at the corner of its mouth.
After this battle, Naruto would surely begin to rely on his power, right? Once someone tasted that feeling, there was no going back.
All he had to do was contact Naruto from time to time, give him a little, tiny bit of chakra...
That kid would never be able to let go of him!
At the thought, Kurama's grin widened, his tails twitching slightly behind him.
As long as Naruto sank completely into dependence, the seal would loosen further and further—until it shattered completely!
But before that day came, he had to endure. He absolutely couldn't rush it. If he lost patience now, everything would be ruined.
Slowly. It had to be done slowly...
Just like today! Did they really think the great Nine-Tails lost to that little Uchiha?
Wrong!
Utterly, completely wrong!
He wanted Naruto to think that small amount of power wasn't enough. That to defeat the Uchiha, he'd need even more strength.
It was all part of his grand scheme!
After all these years, Jinchūriki had come and gone, and Kurama never had the chance—never had hope.
But today, at this very moment, he'd never felt so patient.
Freedom was within reach—almost close enough to touch!
Each time, he would release just a bit more chakra, letting Naruto gradually and naturally adapt to it.
Not only that—Naruto might be too much of an idiot to notice, but other Konoha shinobi might sense something.
So he couldn't rush that either.
But Kurama understood now. Others didn't matter much—the key was Naruto's attitude.
To one day seize control of Naruto's body, he needed to prepare carefully. He'd have to bide his time, even pretend to be cooperative.
Right—he could even play the victim.
Everyone said the Nine-Tails' Rampage was his fault, but who really knew he'd been a victim too?
They were both victims of the Nine-Tails' Rampage!
So you see, Naruto—me, the Nine-Tails—I understand you, and you understand me. Doesn't that sound perfectly reasonable?
Anyway, that fool would never notice. All this patience was just the price of freedom!
Kurama... could already picture the day he broke free, unleashing chaos upon the world—and he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Heh-heh-heh~ AHAHAHAHAHA!!"
Oh, right. Before that, to better carry out his plan, he should probably learn a bit about human games... what was it called again? A cellphone?
Hmm... he'd make Naruto bring one in next time!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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