The Nine-Tails Submits

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Kurama could feel the overwhelming pressure radiating from Uchiha Kitaro. This wasn't just any threat—this was lethal. It made the fear Kurama once felt facing Uchiha Madara seem like child's play. How was this even possible?

The Nine-Tails had lived for over a thousand years, encountering countless warriors, and until now, Madara had been the strongest he'd ever seen—near the Sage of Six Paths level.

But this kid, Kitaro? He felt stronger. Not just stronger—more dangerous. Like the kind of person who could rewrite the history of the world if he felt like it.

Kurama's thoughts raced. What had happened while he was sealed away? When did monsters like this start walking the earth?

Nearby, Minato, Orochimaru, Kakashi, and Guy stood frozen, their eyes glued to Kitaro. The kid was now decked out in full Susanoo armor, radiating a godlike presence.

"This… This is the true power of the Mangekyō Sharingan?" Orochimaru muttered, his snake-like eyes sparkling with a mix of awe and creepy excitement. For all his experiments and knowledge, even he wasn't ready for this level of power.

Kakashi blinked. "I… I don't think this is in the textbooks."

Minato could barely find his voice. "Kitaro… how have you reached such heights of power?" The Fourth Hokage wasn't easily shaken, but watching Kitaro casually obliterate the landscape was… unsettling.

Meanwhile, Kurama replayed the last few minutes in his mind—the canyon Kitaro had carved out of the earth like it was butter, the mountain sliced clean in half as if it were paper.

If any of that had been directed at him, Kurama was sure even his enormous body wouldn't have survived intact. Sure, he could regenerate—but did he want to find out how it felt to die? Absolutely not.

"Your strength…" Kurama growled, though his voice wavered. "How can you be this powerful?"

Kitaro shrugged, as if this was the most casual conversation in the world. "Maybe it's because I work hard."

"…"

Dead silence. Kakashi's eye twitched.

Orochimaru paused mid-snake-thought.

Even Kurama froze, his massive jaw slightly open in disbelief.

Everyone was used to Kitaro's absurd comments, but this one? This one took the cake.

"Work hard?!" Kurama roared. "You think hard work did this? If hard work alone made people strong, we'd all be Hokage by now!"

Kitaro just smiled that smug Uchiha smile of his, and Kurama finally felt his pride crack. The mighty Nine-Tails had always prided himself on never submitting to anyone, but the sheer hopelessness brought by Kitaro's strength left him no choice.

"I submit," Kurama muttered, lowering his head at last.

For a moment, there was only silence. Kurama wasn't used to bowing to anyone, and frankly, it felt strange. But Kitaro had earned it. He didn't use tricks, illusions, or seals. He fought fairly, head-on, and somehow still managed to humble the strongest of the Tailed Beasts. That was something Kurama could respect.

Hearing those words, Kitaro's face lit up like a kid on his birthday. "Not bad! From now on, you'll be the sacred guardian beast of the Uchiha clan!" he declared.

Kurama blinked. "Sacred guardian beast?" That was… new.

"You'll be respected by every member of the clan," Kitaro continued. "No one will mistreat you or disrespect you, and I won't let anyone use Genjutsu on you—not even me."

Kurama stared at him, stunned. Respect? Dignity? Freedom? These were things no human had ever offered him. For centuries, he'd been seen as nothing more than a weapon—a monster to be sealed away and exploited. Even Madara had treated him like a mindless tool.

But here was Kitaro, an Uchiha no less, offering him the one thing he'd always wanted: a chance to live with honor.

"I never thought… someone from the Uchiha clan would treat me like this," Kurama said quietly, his voice laced with emotion.

For the first time in centuries, Kurama felt something he hadn't experienced in a long, long time: hope.

Kitaro grinned and dismissed his Susanoo, returning to his normal form. The others—Minato, Orochimaru, Kakashi, Guy, Shisui, and Itachi—gathered around him, still trying to process what they'd just witnessed.

"Kitaro… you actually tamed the Nine-Tails?" Minato said, his voice full of disbelief. He'd fought Kurama before—he knew how terrifying the fox's power was. Even with only half of his chakra, Kurama was a force of nature.

Kurama growled suddenly, cutting through the moment. "Fourth Hokage! Where's the other half of my chakra? I can feel it's out there. Master, if we find it, my power will double. Let's go get it!"

Minato stiffened, his face darkening. He knew exactly where the other half was—sealed inside his son, Naruto. Releasing it would almost certainly kill him.

Kitaro, however, remained calm. "I know where it is," he said. "But now's not the time. Don't worry, Minato-sensei. I have a way to extract the Nine-Tails without harming Naruto. I'll make sure he's even stronger afterward."

Minato's shoulders relaxed slightly. If anyone could pull off something like that, it was Kitaro.

"I regret everything," Minato admitted, his voice heavy. "I wanted to leave the village with a source of strength, but instead, I condemned Naruto to a life of suffering."

"The villagers ostracized him, called him a monster… It's my fault. I failed as a father. Kitaro, please, free Naruto from this burden. The era of jinchūriki needs to end."

Kitaro nodded confidently. "Don't worry, Minato-sensei. When the time comes, I'll have Orochimaru revive you and Kushina so you can see Naruto safe and sound."

Minato's eyes widened. "You'd do that…? Thank you, Kitaro. Truly, thank you."

With Kurama's submission and their mission complete, Kitaro prepared to return home.

"Time to return."

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