Jiraiya, of course, hoped to accompany Naruto.
But he was decisively refused.
With Karin by his side, that was enough.
He returned to the inn.
The sky was just beginning to lighten, and the red-haired girl was still sound asleep in bed.
Naruto dispelled his shadow clone.
He sat on the windowsill, watching the rising sun in the distance.
What he had learned from Jiraiya could be considered good news on some level.
His feelings toward the Nine-Tails had always been complicated.
Aside from its bad temper and harsh words, the fox wasn't so bad. Honestly, he kind of liked it.
But on the other hand, up until today…
In his understanding, the Nine-Tails was the culprit that killed his parents.
But after today...
He had learned a truth — the one who forced the Nine-Tails into that situation wasn't the fox itself, but someone else.
A man with the Sharingan, suspected to be "Uchiha Madara."
"Nine-Tails," Naruto softly called its name.
In his inner world, the fox grunted dully, "What is it, brat?"
"When I find my parents, I'll ask them how they felt about you," Naruto said slowly.
The Nine-Tails was stunned.
Naruto leaned against the window, "The true culprit was that Uchiha."
"But you still played a part."
"I don't have the right to speak on behalf of my parents, and I don't want to."
"If they're willing to forgive you..."
"Then I'll try to find a way to safely release you from my body."
"If they're not…"
"Then I'll release you before I die, to give you your freedom."
To a Tailed Beast, a Jinchuriki is a prison.
But the Tailed Beast, to the Jinchuriki, is also a kind of imprisonment. When a Tailed Beast is completely removed from the host's body, breaking the symbiotic relationship, the Jinchuriki will die as a result.
The Nine-Tails bared its teeth in surprise: "When you die?"
"Naruto! Who knows how many more years you'll live? Isn't that Yamamoto Genryūsai guy rumored to be over two thousand years old?"
"You're also of the Uzumaki clan..."
It was certain: unless there were unexpected events, this brat Naruto's lifespan would be counted in the thousands of years — probably even longer than that old man Yamamoto.
"That's the punishment if my parents don't forgive you." Naruto chuckled.
The Nine-Tails let out a disgruntled snort.
"Let's make another promise." Naruto tilted his head, voice gentle, "I know you hate being forced into anything."
The Nine-Tails bared its teeth again.
It couldn't help but recall the unpleasant days under the "Adamantine Sealing Chains."
"It's just that before, I thought you were the one who killed my parents," Naruto continued. "So I didn't care how you felt."
"But now it's different."
"Let me apologize for my past stubbornness."
"From now on, I won't use the Adamantine Sealing Chains or any other sealing techniques on you."
"But when I need to borrow your power, could you not be so resistant?"
Faced with Naruto's direct attitude...
The Nine-Tails was caught off guard.
It could feel that Naruto's emotions were sincere — straightforward and genuine, not laced with deceit.
But this straightforwardness left it at a loss.
"Let me think about it," it said softly after a while, swishing its tail.
"So that's a yes?" Naruto smiled.
"Shut up, Naruto!" the Nine-Tails shouted, flustered.
"I said I'd think about it."
"Then tell me your name," Naruto continued.
"Stop talking nonsense," the Nine-Tails raised its voice. "I said I'd think about it."
Its eyes shimmered with an odd light.
A long, long time ago, when it had just been born...
The one who created them — the Tailed Beasts...
That man called "Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo," known to the world as the "Sage of Six Paths,"
Had once told them to value their "bonds with humans."
But...
Humans had been a great disappointment.
Especially those with red eyes.
The red-haired ones weren't any better.
Would Naruto be the exception?
The Nine-Tails fell silent.
There was still a long time ahead. Naruto had a lifespan of over a thousand years, and as a Tailed Beast, it was eternal. There was plenty of time to slowly see what kind of person this brat would become.
Besides, no more of those cursed golden chains...
That was really good news.
As sunlight fully streamed into the room—
Karin woke up.
"Naruto," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "I just dreamed that you suddenly disappeared."
Not a dream at all!
Naruto smiled, "I went back to save someone."
"And I had a chat with Jiraiya-sensei."
Karin paused in her movements: "So that wasn't a dream."
"Did you sleep well?" Naruto jumped down from the windowsill.
Karin nodded.
She tilted her head and looked Naruto up and down.
She had only taken a nap, but... Naruto seemed somehow different.
He felt more dependable.
"Then let's go buy some things together," Naruto waved his hand. "Is there anything you want?"
Karin's eyes sparkled, and she nodded quickly.
When she lived in the Grass Ninja Village, she didn't have this kind of freedom.
She had long wanted to try living a normal girl's life.
This town's economy was decent — lots of shops, wide variety.
Naruto ordered two new outfits for himself: a Shinigami uniform and a captain's cloak. He had worn this style for over ten years, and was very used to it.
Karin looked at her own drab gray coat, with the standard ninja fishnet shirt underneath...
It was a bit hard to look at. She suddenly doubted her own style.
Wait a second...
Is Naruto actually better at fashion than me?
She tried on a few outfits.
Maybe it was her aesthetic being repressed by years in the Grass Village, but everything she picked looked weird.
Either it didn't look good,
Or it looked okay on its own, but clashed terribly with her red hair.
In the end, Naruto stepped in.
He picked out a navy-blue fitted shirt for her, paired with khaki cropped pants and low-top sneakers.
Looking at herself in the mirror—
"Not bad, Naruto, you've got a good eye," Karin twirled left and right, eyes glued to the reflection.
The girl in the mirror looked great.
Her red hair was already a vibrant color, and now, with this calm yet not gloomy color contrast, she looked cheerful and bright.
Except—
She barely looked like a ninja anymore.
Naruto smiled.
After picking out a few more pieces for her, they left the town and continued toward the Land of Whirlpools.
Meanwhile, in Konoha—
Two men in red cloud–patterned black cloaks walked through the village.
Kisame whispered, "Just walking in like this… isn't that a bit reckless?"
"At the very least, shouldn't we have some kind of disguise?"
"Even if the Third Hokage is dead, this is still Konoha."
Uchiha Itachi's voice remained unchanged: "If you think there's a problem, then find the boy quickly."
"There's no point in saying all that."
As he spoke, his steps suddenly halted.
Two Konoha ninjas blocked their path.
One had a square jaw and a full beard — the son of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Asuma.
The other had black hair and red eyes — Jōnin Yūhi Kurenai.
"You two… are not from Konoha, are you?" Asuma spoke softly, his tone cautious. "What brings you to the village?"
These two had powerful auras — clearly strong opponents.
And their sudden appearance at a time like this…
Set off alarm bells in his mind.
(End of Chapter)