Chapter 31:Let's Duel!

Yuto and Naruko sat under the massive tree, its colossal trunk stretching far beyond the clouds, its bark ancient and rough, filled with the energy of nature itself. The leaves rustled softly as the wind passed through them, creating a soothing ambiance. Despite the grandeur of their surroundings, both sat leaning against the tree, boredom evident on their faces.

The leader of the Griffins had declared that Hitomi would have to climb the tree if she wished to form a contract. Yuto and Naruko were strictly forbidden from interfering or even seeing her during the trial. They both knew why—the trial was meant to test Hitomi's own resolve and strength, not theirs.

Yuto exhaled slowly, tilting his head back against the bark. 'This is going to take a while,' he mused. His mind wandered, and soon, he recalled something from the Naruto anime—the Fourth Great Ninja War. Specifically, the scene where Naruto and Kurama had finally become partners, standing side by side in battle.

A smirk formed on his lips. If Naruto could do it, why not Naruko?

He turned his head towards her, eyes glinting with mischief.

"Since we're stuck waiting, why don't we do something productive?" Yuto suggested.

Naruko blinked, tilting her head. "Huh? Like what?"

Yuto's smirk deepened. Without another word, his crimson Kamigan flared to life, its glow reflecting in Naruko's eyes. Before she could react, the world around them shifted.

Inside the Seal

Naruko gasped as she looked around. They were no longer under the tree. The air was thick with energy, the surroundings dimly lit by eerie lanterns embedded in rocky walls. Unlike the sewer-like location Yuto remembered from the anime, Naruko's seal resembled an ancient cave, the glow from the lanterns casting long, twisting shadows.

"W-Where are we?!" Naruko shouted, eyes darting around in confusion.

Yuto crossed his arms, looking calm despite their surroundings. "This is your seal—where the Nine-Tails is sealed."

Naruko turned to him in shock. "This is my seal!?"

Yuto nodded, his eyes scanning the area. The eerie silence was soon broken by a low, ominous growl. A sinister red glow emerged from deep within the cave, bathing the rocky walls in its light. Yuto and Naruko exchanged glances before stepping forward.

The growl grew louder, the temperature in the air seeming to rise. As they approached the massive iron bars embedded into the cavern walls, a shadow moved within. Then, two enormous red eyes with slit pupils snapped open, glaring at them with unfiltered malice.

A giant form emerged from the darkness, its presence alone sending a wave of pressure crashing down on them. The sheer size of the beast dwarfed anything Naruko had ever seen. Its fur was a deep, malevolent orange, and its nine tails swayed dangerously behind it, their movements shaking the cavern.

The Kyubi chuckled, its voice dripping with sinister amusement. "Well, well… my foolish little jailer finally decides to visit me. How generous of you."

Naruko tensed, taking an unconscious step back. This was her first time truly seeing the Kyubi, and the sheer pressure of its presence made her heart pound.

However, before she could speak, the beast's blood-red gaze shifted toward Yuto. Its amusement vanished, replaced by pure, burning anger.

"And she even brought her little friend along," the Kyubi sneered, its voice deepening with venom. "Tell me, girl—did you bring this human here to show off? To let him gawk at me like some spectacle? Do you think this is a zoo!?"

Its voice boomed, shaking the cavern. The sheer malice in its words sent shivers down Naruko's spine.

"I DIDN'T BRING YUTO HERE!" Naruko suddenly shouted, her voice echoing against the cavern walls. "HE BROUGHT ME!"

The Kyubi's eyes narrowed as it shifted its gaze back to Yuto, scrutinizing him.

Yuto, for his part, remained calm despite the overwhelming pressure. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"Tell me, Naruko," he said suddenly, ignoring the Kyubi's glare. "How old do you think the Kyubi is?"

Naruko blinked. "Huh?"

Even the Kyubi's gaze twitched in confusion.

Yuto sighed. "Come on, think about it. How many years do you think it's been since the ninja world started?"

Naruko frowned, her mind trying to process his sudden question. "Uh… I dunno? Maybe a thousand years or so?"

The Kyubi twitched. "What does my age have to do with any of this, you brat?!"

Yuto clicked his fingers, acting as if he had just reached an important conclusion. "Alright, let's just assume you're a thousand years old, give or take."

Naruko groaned. "Ugh, why are we even talking about this!?"

Yuto ignored her. Instead, his Kamigan glowed briefly as he activated his Crafting Eye ability. A shimmering interface appeared in front of him, and within moments, a large object materialized in his hand.

With a satisfied smirk, he pulled out a gigantic pack of playing cards, sized perfectly for the Kyubi's massive paws.

"Since you've been stuck in here for so long, you've got to be bored, right?" Yuto said, grinning as he held up the giant cards deck. "How about we play a game? Naruko and I are bored too, so this should kill some time."

Both Naruko and the Kyubi stared at him, dumbfounded.

Naruko sputtered. "W-Why the hell should we play cards with this fox!?"

The Kyubi snarled. "And why in the world should I play with you pathetic humans?!"

Yuto scratched his ear casually. "What's the harm? You've been locked in this cage for centuries just because humans feared you. And let's be real—you've been inside other jinchuriki before Naruko, haven't you? The First Hokage sealed you, which means you were passed down. So why not try something different for once?"

The Kyubi went silent, its gaze locked onto Yuto, processing his words.

Yuto smirked. "Or maybe you're just scared? Afraid that your thousand years of experience won't be enough to win a simple card game?"

The Kyubi's eye twitched.

"You… are asking for death, brat."

15 Minutes Later

The once-threatening atmosphere had changed drastically.

The Kyubi sat in its cage, its face covered in black ink lines, the result of multiple lost rounds.

Naruko sat beside Yuto, pouting as she had three ink marks of her own. Meanwhile, Yuto grinned, having five marks but looking like he was having the time of his life.

"Dammit!" The Kyubi snarled, throwing down its cards. "HOW AM I LOSING TO CHILDREN!?"

Yuto smirked. "Guess a thousand years of knowledge isn't as useful as you thought."

Naruko groaned. "Ugh, I hate this game."

Despite its protests, the Kyubi found itself enjoying the challenge. For the first time in centuries, it wasn't just raging in isolation—it was playing.

Meanwhile, Outside the Seal

The Griffin leader, Kaya, caught Hitomi on her back just as she was about to plummet to her death.

Hitomi gasped for air, her body drenched in sweat, her chakra completely drained. She had only climbed a quarter of the tree, yet it felt like she had gone through a war.

"I… I failed," she whispered, panting heavily.

Kaya looked at her with a small smirk. "No. You passed."

Hitomi's eyes widened. "But… I didn't make it to the top."

Kaya chuckled. "The test wasn't about reaching the top. It was about climbing, no matter how hard it got. You didn't give up—even when your chakra ran dry, you kept going with your bare hands."

Hitomi's tired eyes widened before filling with joy.

But when she returned to her teammates, her happiness was immediately replaced with a dark expression.

There, under the tree, Yuto was sleeping—and Naruko was curled up on his chest.

A vein popped on Hitomi's forehead. 'That ramen-addicted blonde bitch…'