Konoha: Naruto's abnormal life choices

[Sealed Space]

The dim firelight flickered over the surface of the tide, casting a faint glow in the dark, sealed space.

As always, the air was saturated with the scent of tailed beast chakra—but this time, it wasn't coming from the Nine-Tails.

Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, lay quietly inside the iron cage, appearing docile despite its immense size. There was no aggression in its posture, no snarling rage. It simply watched.

The disturbing chakra filling the air came instead from a small Shukaku, standing silently outside the cage like a lifeless puppet.

Naruto hadn't entered this space in a long time. The changes here surprised him—particularly the look of unease in Kurama's eyes as it stared at him.

That… was interesting.

I haven't done anything to you lately, Naruto thought. So why are you so scared? What have you gone through?

Even as his physical body fought outside, Naruto's consciousness drifted here, focusing on Kurama.

"Kurama, you said you'd help me. So what's your plan? How exactly do you intend to help?" Naruto asked coldly. "And don't tell me you're thinking about manipulating my consciousness like before."

The Nine-Tails shivered. If Kurama had once harbored such thoughts, they had long since vanished.

Now, half its power was already under Naruto's control, and Shukaku stood beside him like a silent, dead puppet. All of this filled Kurama with fear—true, paralyzing fear.

It didn't dare to rebel anymore. It had begun to believe that if it defied Naruto again… it might really die.

Not metaphorical death—true, permanent death.

So it seized the moment and volunteered to help when Naruto struggled to suppress the perfected Two-Tails.

"Master Naruto, surely you jest. I revere you as my master—how could I possibly betray you?"

The Nine-Tails bowed its head low, voice trembling. "I want to assist you wholeheartedly. Please, believe me. I am the strongest of all the tailed beasts."

"Even though I'm not at full power, I can still suppress the Two-Tails. Just break the seal, and I'll transfer my chakra to you."

Naruto's eyes swept across the sealed space, pausing at the large seal in the center of the cage.

The seal looked like something out of a myth—reminiscent of the one Tathagata Buddha used to imprison Sun Wukong. It was the chain that bound Kurama.

Kurama pointed at it. "This is it. Tear it off, and all of my chakra will be yours."

Naruto didn't move right away.

He stared at the seal for a long while.

He knew that removing it would bring him more power… but he also feared something else.

The Fourth Hokage and Kushina.

Their chakra remnants might reappear once the seal broke. After all, Naruto thought grimly, I'm just a stranger occupying their son's body. I always feel… guilty.

"What's wrong, Lord Naruto?" Kurama asked again, tentatively.

"Shut up."

Kurama instantly fell silent, terrified that its flattery had gone too far.

Only when Naruto took a step forward did the fox finally relax.

In that moment, Naruto reached a conclusion.

I'm not some kind-hearted person. I took this body, so what's there to feel guilty about?

If the Fourth Hokage and Kushina show up… I'll just erase them.

With that resolve, he stepped up to the cage. The water below rippled and lifted him until he stood before the seal.

He reached out—and with a single pull, the seal came loose.

The cage creaked open.

No resistance.

So smooth, it felt surreal.

"...?" Naruto muttered. "Where are they?"

Why hadn't they appeared?

Kurama had already begun transferring chakra obediently, but there was no trace of Minato Namikaze or Kushina.

Naruto paused, and then a memory resurfaced.

When I first arrived in this world, didn't I get a reward… something like "clear all negative effects"?

That reward had completely locked Kurama down.

Could it have also… expelled the Fourth Hokage's chakra?

It was the only explanation that made sense.

Did the Asura chakra get purged too?

He didn't know. He didn't fully understand Asura's chakra. That would have to be investigated later.

Right now, his focus was on defeating Yugito and the Two-Tails.

With all of Kurama's power now within him, Naruto returned to his physical body, feeling the massive surge of chakra.

His ninth tail fully emerged. His body shimmered with translucent golden light, the only interruption being the markings of Shukaku's curse seal across his frame.

At this point, Naruto had mastered the full power of half the Nine-Tails.

Years ahead of schedule.

"Kurama, can you control the precision of a Tailed Beast Ball?" Naruto asked. "I want to take out the Two-Tails—but keep the Jinchūriki alive. Can you manage that?"

Kurama immediately answered, "Yes."

Naruto nodded in satisfaction. "Yugito Nii… you're finished."

He surrendered control of his body to Kurama, watching as the beast began forming a new Tailed Beast Ball.

I don't know the precise output I need—so Kurama better handle this one directly.

This time, the ball was infused with 50% of Kurama's chakra and 10% of Shukaku's. It would be impossible for the Two-Tails to withstand it.

Meanwhile, within the Two-Tails, chaos erupted.

"Yugito, run! We can't win this fight! Don't try to face him!" Matatabi screamed, struggling for control.

Panic consumed her.

Yugito herself was stunned by Naruto's sudden strength. He had grown too powerful, too fast.

That hesitation proved fatal.

The Tailed Beast Ball launched, transforming into a beam of violent energy that split the night sky apart.

"BOOM!!!"

It hit the Two-Tails directly, obliterating everything around it.

The energy was cataclysmic.

Naruto frowned. "Kurama, you didn't kill her, did you?"

"No," Kurama assured him. "Tailed beast bodies are extremely durable. That's why they've only ever been sealed—not killed."

As the light faded, the Two-Tails' body stood intact.

Its gaze, however, was blank.

With a final cry, the beast's form dissipated. Matatabi's chakra separated from Yugito's body and vanished into the sky.

Naruto extended a golden tail, catching the unconscious Jinchūriki as she fell from the sky.

"You're my prisoner now."

He raised a hand and placed her into his storage space.

This was the same pocket dimension where he had once spent a year with Temari.

In there, Naruto ruled everything—and this time, he would settle unfinished business.

"Shame it can't store conscious beings," he muttered. "If it could, it'd practically be a divine technique."