"A fox?" Naruto asked with wonder.
I nodded. "He was a powerful creature made entirely out of chakra. Chakra is the energy that allows shinobi to do all that cool stuff you see, from walking up walls to performing amazing jutsu."
Naruto's eyes widened. "It must be really powerful."
"It is," I replied. "It can destroy mountains with one attack, or shred huge parts of a forest in a single second."
Naruto recoiled slightly. "Such a thing exists?" Fear was obvious in his tone.
"Yes," I answered gently. "And almost six years ago, that fox spirit was unleashed onto Konoha. It destroyed large parts of the village and killed many civilians and shinobi alike. I was actually found in a place that was ruined by the fox."
A sad look appeared on Naruto's face. "Is that why there are a lot of new buildings near old ones?"
I nodded. "Yes. That attack left almost every family in Konoha with someone to mourn for. It brought a lot of devastation and sadness to the village, all because that spirit was controlled and made angry by a powerful enemy."
"Noa..." Naruto spoke, his voice faint. "Do you remember your family?"
I smiled softly at him and shook my head. "No." We shared a quiet look, a sad but mutual understanding passing between us. I took a breath and continued. "During that time, the fox used a massive attack that surely would have wiped out the village. However, the Fourth Hokage appeared just in time to save everyone."
Naruto's eyes began shining, easily distracted as expected of a kid mesmerized by shinobi tales. "Wow, he must have been really powerful!"
I grinned. "He really was."
I continued the story. "The bad guy tried to use the Nine-Tails to attack the Fourth Hokage directly. However, the Fourth whooped the enemy shinobi's ass." Naruto laughed out loud at my sudden shift to a deeper, more playful tone. "And then, the Hokage released the Nine-Tails from its control using his amazing knowledge of seals."
Naruto shouted, "Just like you, Noa!"
I tried to sound modest but failed miserably. "Yeah, almost. I am getting there."
I coughed into my hand to clear my throat, letting the playful energy settle. I watched Naruto closely, making sure he was paying full attention as my expression turned completely serious.
"Unfortunately, even though the enemy was beaten and the control was taken from him, the fox was still enraged and rampaging. The Fourth Hokage was backed into a corner trying to protect the innocent people of the village, leaving him with no other options." I paused, making sure my next words would sink in. "He then sacrificed his own life to seal the Nine-Tails away. He did it to stop the destruction and save as many lives as he could. And to do so... he sealed it into you."
Naruto's body froze. He stared at me with shaking pupils. Then, slowly, he looked down at his own stomach, his young mind struggling to comprehend what he had just heard. I stayed silent, observing him closely as we sat together on the grass. A light breeze moved past us, but Naruto remained perfectly still, until a slight tremble started to shake his shoulders.
I felt a very familiar wave of fear, anger, and helplessness leaking from him. It was a feeling I knew all too well. I reached out and put my hand firmly on his shoulder, trying my best to ground him.
After a very long time, he finally spoke. His voice was fragile. "Why me?"
What I had told Naruto so far could already get me in a ton of trouble. However, revealing that he was the Fourth Hokage's son would likely get me thrown into a dark cell I would never leave for knowing such classified information. I had to keep that secret.
So, I just said, "He did not have many options at the time. The Uzumaki clan is known to be very powerful. They are considered perfect hosts for tailed beasts because their bodies are strong, and their chakra is so abundant that they can handle it without any complications."
Naruto looked down at his small hands. "So... what is inside me killed so many people. Those who shout at me..." He stopped talking, falling into a heavy silence.
Eventually, I spoke up. "They do not really mean you, Naruto. They hate what is sealed inside you. But with time, the difference stopped mattering to them. They started to see you as the fox."
Naruto's eyes welled up. Tears finally spilled over, dropping onto the green grass as I gently squeezed his small shoulder.
"But... I... did nothing to them..." he sobbed, his voice breaking. "I am a person... not a monster. I... am Naruto."
"I am sorry, Naruto," I said softly. "But very few people know the truth about what happened that night. They are acting out of ignorance. They do not know that the Fourth Hokage, and by extension you, saved the village from being wiped from the world. They do not have the full picture."
I let him process the words for a second before continuing. "It is easier to blame you than a fox spirit made of chakra. They can shout at you and vent their anger, but they can never do that to the Nine-Tails. It is their way of dealing with their terrible loss. It doesn't make it right, but that is the truth you needed to know."
Naruto continued to cry, his small frame shaking. I shifted closer to him.
"But the others here in the Senju compound and I know it is not your fault. You are not the fox. Remember that. You are you. And you are at home among family." I tapped his chest lightly, right over his heart, with a warm smile on my face.
He looked at me for a long moment, his tear-streaked face searching mine. Then, he shot forward, wrapping his arms around me in a desperate, tight hug. I chuckled softly, returning the embrace, and sat there on the grass, giving him all the time he needed to cry and settle.
I kept quiet until he eventually steadied himself. He then moved away slowly, wiping his eyes and nose. He still shivered slightly from time to time, and a few tears escaped his eyes, but I could feel that he was handling it better than I expected. I remembered him as an optimistic and resilient boy who faced the worst the world could throw at him with a challenge and a smile, and he did not disappoint.
"The Nine-Tails attacking and destroying the village and its people, the fact that he was sealed inside you, and the hateful words and looks those people throw at you... all of that is not your fault," I said firmly. "It never was, and it never will be, no matter what they say."
I grabbed both of his shoulders and turned him toward me. His red, teary, puffy eyes looked up at me, but I made sure to hold his gaze. "Do you understand?"
Naruto nodded weakly. I let go of his shivering shoulders as he finally started to calm down.
"It is the fox's mistake then," Naruto mumbled.
I rolled my eyes and lightly knuckled him on the top of the head. He yelped in pain as if I had used my full force, which made me laugh. This kid was incredibly tough. The fact that he was already turning back to his mischievous self could mean he was trying to escape his heavy feelings, or maybe he was just starting to deal with them in his own way.
"Did you not hear me explain that the fox was controlled to attack the village?" I asked. "He was forced to do it against his will, so you cannot blame him. In fact, if you want to be a better shinobi, and eventually one of the most powerful shinobi ever, you have to make him your friend."
Naruto shot back, "What? He must be scary! Why would I befriend him?"
I shook my head. "Remember what I said at the beginning?"
Naruto scratched his head for a concerningly long time before realization dawned on him. "Shinobi use chakra to do the cool stuff, and the fox is made of chakra!"
I grinned widely. "An almost unending supply of it. Imagine what you can do with that."
Naruto's eyes widened with excitement as I continued. "The issue is that the fox will make it hard for you to train as a shinobi right now."
Naruto jumped to his feet and looked down at his own stomach, shouting loudly, "Evil fox, give me all the chakra!"
I laughed and lay back down into the soft grass. "Well, like I said, in order for you to grow into the strongest and earn the title of Hokage with the respect and recognition that follows, you will need something that makes it easier for you to train with chakra."
Naruto asked, anticipation clear on his young face, "Noa, how can I do that?"
I smiled proudly and said, "I can use my knowledge of seals to improve your seal. That way, you can train in the shinobi arts properly. But I will only do it under two conditions."
Naruto nodded, his blue eyes turning completely serious.
"The first condition is that you never tell anyone what I just told you. This has to be a secret between you and me. Not even Genta or Takemura-ojisan can know. Second, once you are finally able to speak with the fox inside you, I want you to actually listen to him and try your best to understand him. Do you promise to do that?"
I extended my pinky finger, offering him a challenging smile. Naruto reached out and hooked his pinky tightly around mine. A bright, genuine smile broke through his red eyes and the dried tear trails covering his face. It lit up his expression just as the sun finally escaped the heavy clouds above, casting its warm, golden rays perfectly over our locked fingers.
He looked right at me and replied with total conviction.
"I promise."