nma carried a greater sense of urgency than Sasuke.
For Sasuke, revenge against his elder brother was the driving force of his existence. Though Itachi would never truly kill him, Sasuke himself didn't know that—his heart was consud with vengeance.
But nma's situation was different.
The Nine-Tails sealed inside him was a far greater problem.
Whether it was Konoha's leadership or the Akatsuki lurking in the shadows, there was no question—they would all keep their eyes fixed on him.
He had to gain the power to protect himself as quickly as possible. He needed a clear plan, clear goals, and the strength to back them up.
Over the years, nma had gradually clarified his path. He understood the next steps.
Remaining a good student at the Academy wouldn't be enough. Training alone wouldn't allow him to experience explosive growth. Even if he excelled far beyond his classmates, what did it an to be the "king among children"?
His enemies weren't Academy students. His enemies stood at the very peak of the shinobi world.
That included figures like Uchiha Madara, lurking beyond death in the Pure Land.
Black Zetsu and Obito, manipulating the world from the shadows.
And even Kaguya Ōtsutsuki—the progenitor of chakra, sealed away but waiting across a thousand years.
Each one more terrifying than the last.
How could he afford to relax?
Unlike his classmates, nma didn't dream of graduation just to receive a headband and call himself a shinobi. His desire to graduate early stemd from sothing far greater.
Conversation with Kurama
Kurama, nma called inwardly as he walked ho with an expressionless face. Within his inner world, his spiritual form appeared before the massive fox, lazily sprawled behind the bars of the seal. With my current physical strength, how many tails' worth of chakra can I withstand?
The Nine-Tails cracked open an eye, his massive pupil glinting.
"Hmph. Right now? At most, three tails," Kurama scoffed, his deep voice rumbling with disdain.
nma's brow furrowed.
Since their first confrontation in Konoha's fifty-fifth year, nearly six years had passed. nma had often entered his inner world, speaking with the Nine-Tails. Over ti, their exchanges had grown longer, their mutual understanding deeper.
Of course, for Kurama, those talks had also brought confusion.
This child wasn't normal.
nma knew his true na—Kurama. He also knew the nas of the other eight tailed beasts. He spoke of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara as if he had seen them himself. At tis, his words even hinted at knowledge of things that had happened a thousand years ago.
How could a human child know such things?
Kurama found himself unsettled.
nma, of course, never revealed everything. He didn't expose his "true identity." But by sprinkling these hints, he forced Kurama to acknowledge him as sothing different—soone special enough that even a tailed beast had to take him seriously.
This was nma's strategy: a calculated way to win Kurama's acknowledgnt and grudging trust.
And it worked.
Did Kurama truly accept him? Of course not. But nma had penetrated the fox's walls, forcing him to regard nma not as a re vessel, but as a dangerous unknown.
And coupled with the tempting deals nma had previously offered, their relationship beca sothing unique—ford much earlier than in the original tiline.
By now, nma could borrow Kurama's power. Yet he had never done so, not even once.
The reason was simple: surveillance.
Even if Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't watching him twenty-four hours a day, there were still Anbu on constant guard. If he revealed the ability to wield the Nine-Tails' chakra prematurely, everything would change.
nma knew from the original course of events that this surveillance ended after his graduation. Once Kakashi beca his team leader, the mission to monitor him had been canceled. If Kakashi himself couldn't handle a situation, no number of Anbu would make a difference—and Hiruzen had recognized that.
If things unfolded the sa way in this life, nma would be "free" only after graduating next year.
So for now, he endured.
Power Calculations
But the question remained—how much of Kurama's chakra could he actually handle?
Kurama had said three tails.
nma frowned. Three tails… not enough.
Three tails' worth of chakra might be enough to crush an ordinary jōnin. But against a true Kage-level opponent? Insufficient.
His bottom line was clear: by the ti of the Chūnin Exams, he needed to withstand four—no, even five tails' worth of chakra. Only then could he say he had the power to truly defend himself.
"Hmph. And don't get cocky, brat," Kurama rumbled, lifting his head. "Even saying 'three tails' was optimistic. You've never drawn on my chakra once. No one knows how well you'll endure it. If my malice corrodes your mind, you'll be swallowed whole. Even I won't be able to save you."
nma paused, then nodded slowly.
That was true.
Even without Kurama's conscious will behind it, the fox's chakra was corrosive—physically destructive, but more dangerously, ntally overwhelming. Without control, it could devour his will and leave him nothing but a beast.
"I understand, Kurama," nma answered seriously. "I'll be cautious. But soon… I need to test your power."
"Hmph. Do whatever you want," Kurama said, turning away with theatrical disinterest. "I'll hold up my end of our agreent. The rest isn't my concern."
Despite his tone, nma could see through him.
He smiled faintly but said nothing. Their relationship was fragile, but for now, it was enough.
The Road Ahead
Stepping back into reality, nma's eyes drifted toward the Hokage Tower rising in the distance.
Soon… the official stage begins.
His gaze sharpened, a dangerous light flickering in his pupils.
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