HINATA IS BROKEN

The massive Nine-Tails twitched her enormous ears, her amber eyes narrowing in confusion. Was something wrong with her hearing? What had Uzumaki Naruto just said? Did this tiny, impudent human call her stupid? Worse still, he had the audacity to call her a big fool?

The sheer nerve.

With a thunderous boom, her colossal paw slammed against the sealed gate that kept her imprisoned. Her voice, dripping with rage, echoed through the confined space, "Damn brat! Who do you think you are, mocking me like that?"

But Naruto didn't flinch. His eyes remained fixed on the sturdy prison gate, seemingly lost in thought. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. His test was successful.

Everyone watching this bizarre scene from afar would've been left speechless.

What kind of madman deliberately provokes the Nine-Tails to test the strength of its prison? What if the seal had cracked? What if the monstrous fox had burst out? Yet, as outrageous as it seemed, Naruto's actions carried a strange logic. If the Nine-Tails had been capable of breaking through its prison, wouldn't it have done so long ago?

With this reassurance, Naruto finally allowed himself a breath of relief.

"Phew," he muttered, running a hand through his messy blond hair. "That settles it. No matter how angry you get, you can't lay a finger on me from behind that gate."

The Nine-Tails stared, bewildered. Was this kid... mocking her again?

"Hey, big guy," Naruto said casually, crossing his arms. "Since we're here, let's chat for a bit. I've got a question."

The Nine-Tails growled, her crimson eyes narrowing to slits. "A question? You dare interrogate me?"

But Naruto pressed on undeterred, his expression shifting to one of genuine curiosity. "Yeah, I've been wondering about this for a while. Are you... my real body or something?"

The fox froze, momentarily stunned into silence. Then, as the absurdity of the question sank in, her booming laughter filled the space. "Real body? You, a mere brat, dare compare yourself to me? Hahaha! That's the funniest thing I've ever heard! A human as puny as you could never be my equal!"

Naruto raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "So you're saying you're not me."

"Of course not!" the fox snapped.

"Then why do the villagers call me a demon fox?" Naruto asked, his voice tinged with frustration. "They've hated me for as long as I can remember, calling me a monster. But now that I've met you, I know there's a real demon fox. So... what gives?"

For a moment, the Nine-Tails simply stared at him. This kid's brain worked in the strangest ways.

Naruto, however, was relentless. "So? Can you clear this up for me?"

The fox's initial fury softened into a sly grin. She'd been planning to manipulate this naïve brat into using her power. Perhaps answering his questions would be the perfect opening.

"Well," the Nine-Tails began, her tone turning almost conversational, "I am the Nine-Tails, the strongest being in the world. My chakra is unmatched!"

Naruto glanced at the seal on the gate, unimpressed. "Strongest being? Then why are you stuck in there?"

The fox bristled, her fur standing on end. "You insolent—!"

Naruto cut her off, waving a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. Big talk from someone trapped in a cage."

The Nine-Tails seethed, her massive claws scraping against the ground. "You're lucky that gate's there, brat, or I'd—"

"Enough," Naruto interrupted. "Answer the question. Why do the villagers hate me? What's your connection to me?"

The fox hesitated, her fiery eyes narrowing as she studied the boy. Finally, with a sneer, she said, "You want answers, kid? Fine. Here's the truth: I'm sealed inside your body."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Sealed... inside me?"

"Yes," the Nine-Tails said, relishing his shock. "Your body is my prison, thanks to the damned Fourth Hokage—your father. He's the one who sealed me here."

Naruto staggered back, his heart racing. "My... my father?"

"That's right," the fox continued, her tone dripping with venom. "The Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself to protect Konoha, and in doing so, he condemned his own son to a life of misery. How poetic, don't you think? The very people he died to protect have spent years hating and ostracizing you. It's his fault you've suffered."

Naruto clenched his fists, his mind spinning. Could this be true? Was his father really the one who had condemned him to this life of loneliness?

But as the fox's words sank in, another thought emerged. His father's actions weren't just about protecting the village. Perhaps the Fourth Hokage had sealed the Nine-Tails inside him not as a punishment, but as a gift. A source of strength.

Naruto's gaze hardened.

"You're wrong," he said quietly.

The fox blinked. "What?"

"My dad didn't seal you inside me to punish me," Naruto said, his voice steady. "He did it to protect the village. And maybe... just maybe... he believed I'd be strong enough to handle it."

The Nine-Tails snorted, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes.

Naruto took a step closer to the gate, his blue eyes blazing with determination. "You're right about one thing, though. People are selfish. But that doesn't mean I have to be like them. I'll prove to everyone that I'm more than just the demon fox's host. I'll use your power to protect the people I care about."

The fox growled, her pride stung. "Don't get cocky, brat. My power isn't something you can just take and use."

Naruto smirked. "We'll see about that."

As their conversation continued, the tension between them began to shift. What had started as a battle of wits became something more complex—a tentative understanding between the boy and the beast.

For the first time, the Nine-Tails found herself intrigued by this strange, stubborn human. And for the first time, Naruto felt a spark of hope.

He might not have all the answers yet, but one thing was clear: he wasn't alone anymore.

And with the Nine-Tails' power at his side, he was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

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