Naruto stayed in a dazed state, the prospect of so many people being proud or even loving him never crossed his mind. Maybe being tolerated was his initial mindset, yeah it had to be but no. His senseis said they were proud, his other comrades enjoyed his company even if he was a tad loud and someone loved him more then a family like love, Naruto may not understand fully because he never got to meet his parents, but Hinatas confession felt so genuine. He could literally feel the affection from konoha to him.
He was so oblivious, he possibly lost the chance to befriend her, and even grow more in their relationship. "UGH CURSE MY STUPID BRAIN, MY DAD WAS ONE OF THE MOST SKILLED, INTELLIGENT SHINOBI AND HERE IS HIS SON WITH NOTHING MORE THEN A FEW JUTSUS AND PEA SIZED BRAIN." He screams his frustrations to the sky and lays back down, forgetting to even make his ramen, his eyes finally shut.
The fatigue and stress finally getting to him, he only wishes for a peaceful sleep. Unfortunately for him, he's not gonna get that luxury. Naruto finds himself walking along what he can only describe as a sewage system, darkness fills the damp, depressing tunnels, along the walls are huge pipes. Rusted, creaky, he notices the pipes lead into a vast area, covered by the dirty, murky water.
He argues with himself for a few minutes but hesitantly takes a few steps into the disgusting water, only to find his legs aren't submerging but on the contrary, he is standing on it as if it was a regular floor, Naruto isn't channeling chakra to his feet. Confused and even a little currious, the blonde knucklehead walks following the large pipes leading to a massive red cage, the bars surrounding it can be described as big as mountains.
Where am I tebayo...why is there a giant cage in this place? He ponders only to be stopped by a powerful, malicious force, he falls back trying to deduce the origin of the suffocating feeling he is having. Naruto tries to keep himself calm, and finds himself drawn to a noise no one wants to hear in dark, disgusting sewage system. A low growl fills the area, the water around Naruto ripples as whatever is in the cage is now approaching Naruto. He pulls out a Kunai and stands in a fighting stance as a monotone, gravely voice fills the empty area "So my jailer has finally decided to award me with his presence." The voice says in a mocking tone.
Naruto being done with all this crap, finally yells "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU, AND WHERE IN THE HELL AM I?" The large figure stops, puzzled by his jailers reaction. After a few minutes of awkward silence and Narutos glare the large being, steps into the light revealing a giant, fox with burnt red, orange fur, large dog like ears, human like arms, fingers and paws with razor like claws attached to them. Two blood red slit eyes, stare down at the blonde shinobi.
"You aren't cowering in fear of me?" The giant fox says amused and slightly impressed. Naruto scrunches his nose and looks at the fox with confusion, and then says "why should I be afraid, all you are is just a big fox with multiple tails." Naruto questions the reason why he should be afraid. It's just a damn fox after all, what is there for me to fear...I'm a shinobi after all. The blonde muses.
The fox is taken back from the blondes thoughts, a little respect is shown in the fox's eyes, but now he must tell the boy who he is. Let's see if you are still this tough after I tell you who I really am brat...the fox chuckles to himself, only to be brought back by a shrill childish voice saying "HEY WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING, ANSWER MY QUESTIONS TEBAYO!!" The fox having enough yells "SILENCE BRAT, WHY MUST ALL YOU UZUMAKIS BE SO LOUD?! TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I am the kyubi no kitsune, the almighty nine tailed fox." The Kyubi says, knowing soon the boy would now be in total fear, he waited but no change. The fear he wanted was now replaced with the brat sweat dropping.
Naruto then looks at the kyubi with annoyance in his eyes, and yells "I don't give a damn, that you are the nine tailed fox. Now listen to me, I don't like you and you don't like me, but if we are to survive then we need to work together, you existing has made my life hell. I won't fight you but I need to make these things clear. You are my prisoner and I'm the one who decides if you need to be kept on a leash or not. So do not ask me to free you, you and I will be partners, I hope we also one day we can be friends. But untill then I am your guard, and I will take that job seriously dattebayo." The blonde states In a cold tone done with everything that has happened.
(remember he can hear everything Naruto thinks, but Naruto himself doesn't realise he is in his mind)
The fox in this situation can only do one thing in this situation, he gapes at the blonde then says "I never had anyone stand up to me like that...maybe there is potential in you, young Uzumaki. I agree with your terms..Kyubi flattens down his ears in defeat, yes I could easily kill this brat...but as long as the seal is untouched, I can't do anything...sighs guess I'll follow the brat, he seems like a strong host..he even said he hopes to be friends as well. Not even one of the hosts I was sealed in said anything of the sort...hm you truly are interesting Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto smiles and says "well kyubi, it's nice- "Call me Kurama, I may hate you but I think I could grow fond of you." Naruto then releases his foxy grin then says, "Well Kurama I deduced that I'm in my mindscape, dreary place..I'll fix it later, now what do we do...we are on the run now with no where to go?" Kurama smiles, a similar grin of Naruto's and then says "I have a idea that may work." Kurama says telling Naruto of a place, Naruto nods and tells Kurama, he will visit more often which sent a smile to the fox's face.
Naruto then packs up and continues his journey with a new ally, the nine tailed fox Kurama chuckles again in Naruto's mind "I think I could really grow fond of this kid."
(next chapter is the last one before the time skips sorry for making everything so long just so much plot ya know)
[BTW the reason Naruto is starting to sound unusually intelligent, is because now that he is out of the village his mind can recover from his stunned growth, the more he travels outside the village the smarter he will Be. He's minatos son for Pete sakes and a Uzumaki and with kurama, he will become who he was supposed to be.]