Naruto: All depends on the Nine-tails Fox

Shimura Danzo, the advisor to the Hokage of Konohagakure, was the leader of the organization that governed the darkness of the village. He stood in stark contrast to the third Hokage, forming the duality of light and dark within Konoha's upper echelons. Danzo believed his achievements surpassed those of the third Hokage, yet he was strictly prohibited from involving himself in any matters concerning Naruto Uzumaki, the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails.

As Danzo attempted to open his notebook, he found the words, which should have been inscribed with special ink, twisting and morphing into a swirling mass of black flames that incinerated the pages upon opening.

This triggered a memory of the Konoha Chunin who had been standing beside him, mechanically responding in a way that hinted at deeper truths.

"Humph, sealing technique," the third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had warned him, causing Danzo to feel a surge of frustration. But at that moment, under the guise of a ninjutsu instructor and as the strongest Hokage, Danzo couldn't afford to confront him directly. He turned away in resignation, his sleeves flaring as he departed.

Meanwhile, within Naruto's inner spiritual realm...

"All of this..." Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, listened to the unreserved statements of the Nine-Tails. He felt a tumult of emotions, never imagining that the roots of these revelations traced back to the mother of the Sage of Six Paths, the origin of all ninjas.

Kaguya Otsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths, Ashura, Indra...

"What do you plan to do with this knowledge?" The Nine-Tails grinned at Minato's expression. "Are you still going to guard against me?"

"..." Minato fell silent, and the Nine-Tails patiently awaited his response.

"... Your other half was summoned by the Shinigami through the Dead Demon Consuming Seal," Minato finally chose to believe the Nine-Tails. "To reform the complete you, we must first lift the Dead Demon Consuming Seal and allow my soul to bring your other half back to the living realm. However, neither of us can accomplish that at the moment."

"That's fine; just inform me of the method." The Nine-Tails remained noncommittal in response to Minato's answer.

Indeed, it had explained the future circumstances to Minato and emphasized that the other half of its body sealed by him, which was given to the Shinigami, was crucial.

The Nine-Tails understood the characters of Minato and Kushina; if it truly returned to the past, Minato would be one of the few in the world who would unconditionally aid it and Naruto.

The chakra it had reserved within Naruto connected to his soul, serving as a trump card for Naruto. In the past—or rather, the future—Naruto had almost released it under the influence of the Nine-Tails during a rampage, only to be stopped by Minato's contingency plan.

The Fourth Hokage, this man had calculated every step before his death to an unimaginable extent regarding the future.

At this moment, the Nine-Tails was not complete; having lost this portion of its power, even if the seal was broken, with Naruto's current abilities, the number of individuals in the ninja world capable of easily suppressing them was likely to be in the double digits.

In the eyes of others, Naruto was merely a container for this Tailed Beast, a human weapon for Konoha.

Those who coveted its power would pose a danger to Naruto.

Sooner or later, threats like the Otsutsuki, Obito Uchiha, the Akatsuki, Orochimaru, and the other four nations... even Konoha at this moment.

The Nine-Tails was no ignorant beast; having witnessed the numerous dark sides of humanity within its Jinchuriki, it understood that it could not gamble on human goodness when it lacked sufficient strength.

It once cared little, but since forming a bond with Naruto, it had to consider his safety.

"What do you plan to do after lifting the Dead Demon Consuming Seal?" Minato asked. "Will you just leave Naruto's body?"

"Leave?"

"Although it all still feels surreal, Nine-Tails..." Minato gradually absorbed the shocking information. His tone was no longer steady, but he remained calm. "Right now, you don't exude hostility; in fact, I don't see you as dangerous. If you continue like this, I have no reason to keep sealing you. Once you regain your full power, my Eight Trigrams Seal won't be able to contain you. There's nothing in this world that can bind you. Don't you want to be free?"

Freedom?

This familiar term startled the Nine-Tails. It gazed at the blond man before it, momentarily recalling a familiar face, hearing his words: "Kurama, have you ever thought about where you might go? After all, if I turn into an old man like the Third, my life will come to an end sooner or later."

The Nine-Tails continued to listen.

"Hey, I think it's fine for the Jinchuriki to end with our generation; after that, you'll have your freedom." The image of the man clad in the Seventh Hokage's cloak stretching languidly in the office and smiling at the sky surfaced in its memory.

At that moment, Kurama did not respond; it lazily closed its eyes, continuing to rest in its inner world, avoiding the implications hidden in the man's roundabout suggestion.

After a long silence, the Nine-Tails snorted derisively: "Humph, Minato, you're still so boring. I've said I'm not hypocritical like you humans; there's no need for further probing. If I were to leave, wouldn't Naruto die? Don't worry; I'll keep an eye on him and ensure he realizes his dreams and enjoys his old age."

Upon hearing the Nine-Tails' reply, Minato's first genuine smile appeared in the inner world: "Then I can relax."

"You're being too hasty." However, the Nine-Tails had little kindness in its words, leaving Minato feeling awkward. But soon, the Nine-Tails' statement turned his expression serious—

"The Third Hokage has come to see Naruto."

By the stream, a thin layer of snow covered the riverbank, and a thin sheet of ice had formed on the water's surface. Little Naruto, dressed in somewhat inadequate clothing, was carefully observing spots where fish might be hiding.

Instead of heading home to sleep, little Naruto felt a gnawing hunger, and for some reason, he didn't feel cold in the snowy weather, so he decided to venture out at midnight to catch fish.

He knew from a young age that fish tended to be drowsy in the winter, making them easier to catch.

"Hey, Naruto, what are you doing here?"

At that moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen, clad in the cloak of the Third Hokage, cheerfully greeted Naruto from a distance.