The Cloud Ninja were all lying flat on the ground, their forms pressed into the dirt.
Bones creaked and cracked audibly.
"What's going on?" the welcoming ninja asked with difficulty. Under the crushing pressure, he couldn't even lift his head.
"This is Lord Uzumaki's technique," Mabui replied, her voice stalling. After just a few words, she had to pause for breath before continuing. "But why was it suddenly activated?"
The welcoming ninja seemed to realize something: "He must be meeting his inner self."
"He's fighting."
Mabui shot a side glance at him.
She only knew he would face his "true inner self," but had no idea about the "fighting" part.
Would've been nice to know earlier.
Had she known, she would've stayed far away.
At that moment, the pressure suddenly intensified.
They were forced even deeper into the ground.
And it wasn't just Naruto — even from the two Nine-Tails, an intense and overwhelming aura surged forth.
Inside the Nine-Tails' inner world.
Facing the two tailed beasts was a single figure.
Another Nine-Tails — cloaked in black mist, whole and unscathed.
"Living with humans for so many years has made you soft?" the black Nine-Tails sneered, sarcastic and mocking. "Or is it that being split in two has dulled your minds?"
"Still don't get it?"
"That brat only wants to use your power."
The two Nine-Tails ignored it and lunged forward.
The black Nine-Tails, however, was strong enough to handle them both at once without faltering.
"So eager to attack me?"
"Is it because you can't stand hearing the truth from deep within and are lashing out in shame?"
"Think back…"
"To Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama, and those two former jinchūriki."
"All ninja are the same."
The battle raged on.
But the black Nine-Tails' words inevitably seeped into their minds, drawing up memories from the past.
One by one, faces emerged in their recollection:
Uchiha Madara, arrogant: "The unstable power you possess can only be guided by the Uchiha. You tailed beasts are nothing more than slaves to our eyes."
Senju Hashirama, regretful: "Your power is too great, Nine-Tails. I'm sorry, but you still need to be sealed."
First jinchūriki Uzumaki Mito, firm: "Using your power will only bring hatred. You're better off staying sealed within me."
Second jinchūriki Uzumaki Kushina: "You and I, we've both been unlucky… But while I'm your burden, you are the world's burden."
Despite their different words, the underlying message was no different from what Madara originally said.
But then—
Just as the two were about to accept what the black Nine-Tails said as truth…
The yang Nine-Tails suddenly remembered: when the first layer of the Four Symbols Seal was lifted…
Naruto had looked up with a bright, sincere smile, bumping his fist against the Nine-Tails' claw.
And now, that same warmth seemed to return, traveling up through its claws.
"We're friends, aren't we?" That voice echoed again in its ears.
The yang Nine-Tails bared its teeth and roared angrily: "Yeah! I still hate ninjas!"
"That bastard Madara…"
"If I ever meet him again, I'll eat him!"
"But I'm nothing like you — hideous and disgusting."
"I'm powerful and elegant!"
The yin Nine-Tails also spoke: "We're not beings that exist in eternal hatred."
It remembered someone too — not Naruto, but Minato Namikaze.
And just as they spoke, a voice faintly echoed in their ears:
"Call…"
"Call my name…"
They perked their ears, trying to hear clearly.
But each time they got close to hearing the name, the black Nine-Tails would pounce in, disturbing their focus and causing the name to slip away again.
The two tailed beasts grew increasingly agitated.
In the real world…
The Cloud Ninjas and Karin endured what felt like the longest ten minutes of their lives.
Naruto stood up slowly, his expression heavy.
The two Nine-Tails also opened their eyes, fur bristled.
The oppressive aura faded.
The ninjas could finally raise their heads and stretch their stiffened bodies.
"Naruto!" Karin looked over, relieved to see his calm aura and uninjured body. Her tone softened. "How'd it go?"
Naruto glanced at the Cloud Ninja. "I'll explain later."
There was only one building on the island.
Its exterior was shaped like the open mouth of the Eight-Tails.
Seeing it swept away the Nine-Tails' frustration, and it immediately started mocking the design mercilessly.
If Killer Bee were here, it'd have more insults to throw.
Inside the building—
"What happened just now?" Karin shut the door and formed hand signs. A sealing technique activated, casting a modest but sound-proof barrier over the room.
"In my inner world, I met the embodiment of my negative emotions," Naruto said softly. "And fought him."
"He had the same abilities, the same combat experience — even used the Nine-Tails' power like I can."
"In the end, it was a draw. Neither of us won."
"Nine-Tails, you had the same experience?"
The two tailed beasts gritted their teeth.
The yin Nine-Tails swatted a pillow. "We faced just one opponent — a being that possessed the complete essence of our origin."
"That guy's got some skills."
"He managed to hold his ground against both of us."
Karin grinned. "So basically, you lost."
"He didn't win either!" the yang Nine-Tails snapped, repeating it three times for emphasis. "It was just unresolved!"
"We could've won."
"But while fighting him, there was this annoying voice whispering in our ears the whole time…"
"It kept saying, 'My name is…' 'My name is…'"
"Why not just say the name already?!" the yin Nine-Tails growled, shredding the pillow. "It kept distracting me!"
Naruto froze. "You heard a voice that kept trying to tell you a name?"
He knew that situation all too well.
Before "Asura" had awakened, he had experienced exactly that.
The two Nine-Tails nodded.
"A shikai?" Naruto looked at them. "That sounds a lot like a shikai."
The yang Nine-Tails blinked, turning its head toward its counterpart, circling around and inspecting it. "Zanpakutō?"
"Naruto, are you sure?"
Naruto nodded. "Before Asura was released, I constantly heard a voice like that in my inner world."
"If it's in your inner world…"
"Then yeah, it's definitely your Zanpakutō whispering to you."
The yang Nine-Tails stepped on the yin's tail. "But don't I already have a sword?"
"The one named after me."
Naruto set the sword "Nine-Tails" down on the bed.
Three Nine-Tails lined up neatly.
"We always have strange things happening to us," Naruto murmured, pulling out another blade. "Like this one — Asura. I can use its power now."
"But 'Asura' isn't its true name. My real power is still a seed, waiting."
"And this sword named 'Nine-Tails' — it might look like your Zanpakutō."
"But really, it's a symbol of me borrowing your power."
"You can't actually release it, can you?"
The yang Nine-Tails nodded. "I even tried chanting that weird stuff like you do, during the fight with Gyūki."
"But it didn't work!" It bared its teeth. "If I hadn't slapped Gyūki, he might've laughed at me!"
Naruto tugged its ear. "Then the voice you heard must've been your own Zanpakutō calling to you."
"You're an individual. Of course you'd have your own blade — that's normal."
The two Nine-Tails had gleams of excitement in their eyes.
Zanpakutō?
They could have their own?
"So if we beat that guy, we'll hear the name?" the yin Nine-Tails grinned. "That's interesting."
"I can be a Soul Reaper too?" the yang Nine-Tails said, hopping on the bed with some anticipation.
Naruto, however, was still puzzled.
"'Nine-Tails' is a proper Zanpakutō."
So its power comes from the Nine-Tails — likely something akin to a Zanpakutō spirit.
But…
Can a Zanpakutō spirit have its own Zanpakutō?
The power of Soul Reapers was strange when you thought about it.
If Zanpakutō are manifestations of inner spirit…
Then why can Naruto create one from the Nine-Tails' power?
Why can Mayuri Kurotsuchi alter his Zanpakutō through experimentation?
Normally, shouldn't you have to go through spiritual training to change its nature?
Naruto mulled it over.
But this was the ninja world. For now, he shelved his doubts. He'd ask Mayuri about this later, subtly.
Karin eyed the Nine-Tails and clicked her tongue.
She reached out and grabbed the other ear of the yang Nine-Tails.
While she was still struggling with mastering "spiritual power," this fox was already about to get its own Zanpakutō.
How was she falling behind a fox?
The Nine-Tails bared its fangs and batted her hand away.
Naruto sat at the table, took out a scroll, and began analyzing a portion of the Eight-Tails' body.
Karin stopped fooling around and began tidying up.
She understood.
Until the Nine-Tails mastered its Zanpakutō, and Naruto resolved the conflict with his negative self…
They probably wouldn't be leaving this island anytime soon.
This would be their home for the foreseeable future.
(End of Chapter)