What is in a Fox?
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The two great men sat across from each other in the guest room, each seated on the short sides of the table. Tea was placed in front of them, and though hot, had not been touched. Neither man had moved or said anything for an uncomfortable amount of time. Eyes locked on the other unflinchingly.
"Is this how you plan on explaining yourself? Silence?" Oda asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Honestly? I'm not even sure how much I should tell you or where to begin. This is a very closely guarded village secret that typically isn't revealed to outsiders." Kakashi admitted reluctantly.
"So, we have something sealed inside Naruto that could be the death of us all in the blink of an eye, and that's the best you can offer me?" Oda asked, annoyed.
"Well, when you put it like that, it almost sounds like I was just making excuses. I'm not. This is a very delicate matter that has to be handled with care." The cycloptic jōnin replied back.
"That I can understand, but you have told me nothing. I can't work with nothing. We are about to enter into a very important phase of an anti-dynasty operation, and we can't have a loose detail like this that all parties are unaware of." Oda said sternly.
Kakashi sighed, seeing that he had no choice. "How much have you heard about the creatures known as the Tailed Beasts since you and your people have… woken up?" He asked, wondering how much he'd have to tell.
"Never heard of them. You can start by explaining what they are." Oda answered.
"The Tailed Beasts are a group of nine beast-like creatures made out of the energy we in these lands call 'Chakra'. They're identified by their number of tails, numbering from one to nine, and each one has nearly godlike power in their own right along with their own unique abilities. Even one of the Tailed Beasts is capable of such destructive power that they can basically be called walking natural disasters." The one-eyed Leaf ninja explained.
"... And which one are we working with here?" Oda asked, his eyebrow raised and concern in his voice.
"... The Nine Tails. While it lacks the more visually impressive abilities of its kin, it makes up for it with sheer raw power. It has more raw power than the other eight combined and is said to possess a near limitless amount of chakra." Kakashi admitted with a sigh.
"Tell me. What kind of beast does this Nine Tails take the form of my friend." Oda asked, his concern growing ever more in his voice.
"... A demon fox." Kakashi admitted reluctantly.
At that moment, Oda went silent. Though he was trying to keep a calm expression, Kakashi could sense the distress leaking off of the great man. With a withered, gasping breath Oda took, he finally spoke after an uncomfortable amount of time even for Kakashi.
"Can I ask you a question?" Oda asked, his voice hitching a bit.
"... Go ahead." Kakashi replied in concern.
"Whose idea was it to seal a minor deity inside of a child, and plan on using it as a weapon of war? And where can I find them to explain to them in between beating them to death why they are a complete moron?" Oda asked, a mix of fear and venom leaking from the king's voice.
"My sensei was NOT a moron, and he didn't seal the Nine Tails inside of Naruto to make him a weapon of war! He sealed it inside Naruto to save the village from it destroying us all, entrusting Naruto with keeping us all safe from its wrath!" Kakashi replied with surprising levels of anger before taking a deep breath to compose himself.
"Oh? And why was this great fox attacking your village? Where was it previously?" Oda asked, surprised at that, but staying firm for the sake of answers.
"I'm not sure I should be telling you this… but it was sealed inside of another jinchūriki for safekeeping. Someone at around the village's founding took control of the Nine Tails and used it to attack us and would have used it against the other villages. To keep it from being used as a weapon against us all again, the First Hokage pacified it, and his wife sealed it away inside someone. When that jinchūriki eventually died of old age, the Nine Tails was passed into another jinchūriki to keep the world safe from its wrath. The seal on that jinchūriki came undone for some reason the night Naruto was born, so Minato sensei had no choice but to seal it away inside Naruto." Kakashi reluctantly told the king.
"I can understand the creatures' anger. Kitsune are not to my knowledge wrathful creatures. Mischievous tricksters? Yes. It takes a truly heinous act to get a child of Inari angry, especially long term…" Oda said before being cut off.
"Like mind controlling it to attack a village against its will?" Kakashi asked.
"That would most certainly do it. However, sealing it inside someone out of fear has only made it worse. You're repeating a cycle of wrath and fear that will only end in further tragedy." Oda explained.
"Well, we can't just let it roam free. Even before it was set on our village for the first time so long ago, the Nine Tails attacked any human that got close to it. Not to mention that, if it ever got out and was mind controlled again, the entire world would be in danger. Having the Nine Tails inside of a host, where it can't hurt anyone and can hopefully learn to get along and cooperate with them, is the safest place for it and the world." Kakashi explained.
"How did you expect anything different from continually disrespecting a god in such a blatant fashion?" Oda asked, giving Kakashi a look of genuine confusion.
"Is there any particular reason why you're calling it a god?" Kakashi asked curiously.
"If the creature is a nine tailed fox, then it by definition is. A Kitsune who has been able to cultivate through any means nine tails rises to become a minor god in their own right. To become paragons of Inari's vision, beliefs, and dreams for this world." Oda explained.
"To be fair… it's not an actual Kitsune. It's a massive mass of densely thick chakra that only looks like one." Kakashi explained.
"If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, odds are it is a duck. It doesn't matter what that creature is technically. By the laws of our universe, convention, and likely in the eyes of Inari, it is a god. Describing it as a walking natural disaster certainly makes it fit the bill." Oda said, crossing his arms.
"Fair point, though one thing has always bothered me about the night it got free." Kakashi admitted.
"And that is?" Oda asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Why didn't the seal hold? Minato sensei was a master of Sealing Jutsu in his own right and was there with the previous jinchūriki the night of Naruto's birth to make sure the seal held. So why did the seal break that night and how did the Nine Tails appear in the middle of the village out of nowhere?" Kakashi asked, visibly troubled.
"There are multiple ways a seal can break. No seal is invincible, after all. Bare minimum they degrade over time. Acute breaks however typically can be caused by the being violently breaking it, another force on the outside breaking the seal, if the person happens to be female, pregnancy and childbirth cause great stresses on the seal…" Oda said, listing these things off with shocking ease, indicating to Kakashi a frightening amount of knowledge from the man.
"Well… the previous jinchūriki was a woman about to give birth, which was why sensei was there to help reinforce the seal and keep the Nine Tails locked away. Not to mention that the previous jinchūriki had a truly special type of chakra that allowed her to suppress a Tailed Beast's chakra. So, the only explanation is…" Kakashi began, his face taking on a look of visible horror at the implications of his train of thought.
"Minato was drawn away from the scene, and someone broke the seal to release the Nine Tailed Fox. Someone likely with an ax to grind against your homeland, Kakashi." Oda finished the shinobi's sentence.
"The only question is who? Very few have knowledge of the weaknesses of a Tailed Beast's seal during a female host's childbirth. And even fewer amongst those are alive that would make such a move while still being able to control the Nine Tails. Not to mention that it wouldn't have been able to make it into the village undetected, so someone would have had to have summoned it." Kakashi explained.
"The profile of your suspect to me is simple. Someone with a bare minimum of a moderate level of seal knowledge would be required. You require a lot less skill in the craft to break a seal than to make one. What you're more looking for is who is capable of controlling it long enough to summon it into the village. To even for a short time bend the will of a divine creature of that magnitude would take a great deal of ability." Oda explained.
But one of the only ones in recorded shinobi history capable of committing such a feat like that is the man who attacked the village and the First Hokage so long ago. Madara Uchiha…" Kakashi said before quickly hushing up, realizing what he'd just said.
"Sounds like you got your man then." Oda said simply, keeping his eyes firmly locked on Kakashi.
"But that's impossible. Madara would've been a hundred years old by that point and he wouldn't have had the means to live as long as you and still be in his prime." Kakashi pointed out.
"There are many ways of preserving, and indeed even enhancing one's life, Kakashi. Provided you lack scruples or morality to go through with the heinous acts to do so." Oda said simply, still keeping his eyes on the man across from him.
"I suppose it makes sense. Only someone of Madara's level would still be capable of facing sensei at such an advanced age and still be able to accomplish a feat like this on the night of Naruto's birth all those years ag-" Kakashi said before cutting himself off, realizing what he just said.
"You mean to tell me Naruto's father, on the night of his birth, sealed a wrath filled and vengeful god into him? After it was ripped out of his mother, obviously resulting in her death, and you haven't told him!?" Oda yelled, before his mouth got covered by Kakashi before he could yell more.
"Sh-sh-sh-shhh! Naruto isn't ready to know about that part yet!" Kakashi whispered frantically before uncovering Oda's mouth.
"And when is he? More than likely, he's gonna find it out himself. Kid is quite the smart cookie when he puts his mind to something." Oda said.
"When he's strong enough to deal with any of his parents' enemies should they try to attack him." Kakashi insisted.
"You could always put him under protection." Oda suggested.
"He was under Anbu watch in secret until he could take care of himself while growing up. If anyone so much as farted in his direction with ill intent, the Hokage would've known immediately. In fact, part of the reason I was made his sensei was to protect him on missions and train him until he's capable of taking care of any of his parent's enemies on his own." Kakashi explained.
"In my opinion, providing the boy this knowledge in the long run will be significantly better than lying to him. Youngsters eager to prove themselves don't do well with the rug pulled out from under them. Besides, you seem to know a decent amount about these creatures, and likely know people with more knowledge…" Oda said, before noticing a change in Kakashi's face.
Kakashi looked oddly uncomfortable with the idea of telling Naruto the truth. Even worried and concerned for him. As though he didn't know how the truth would affect his student and was afraid to find out.
"I do understand your concern, Kakashi. Really I do. But keeping secrets like this from Naruto is only going to do more harm to him than good." Oda said with concern.
"... I can't. Not yet. Naruto is the last thing I have left of my sensei and his wife. I see so much of them both in him and I just… I can't afford to lose that. I just can't…" Kakashi admitted, trying to control his emotions.
Oda gently gripped Kakashi's hands before continuing. "You act as if the truth is some great evil, something to be locked away. The truth, no matter how damning, is the most potent force for good in this world Kakashi. Naruto is a blunt kid. No matter how hard you try, that kid isn't going to fit any mold you try to put him in. He marches to the beat of his own drum. He's the kind of person that can handle the truth, if given to him openly and honestly. Regardless of its vice or virtue." Oda explained calmly to Kakashi, not breaking eye contact with him.
Kakashi took a deep breath before letting it out in a shuddering sigh. "... Okay. I'll talk to the Hokage about telling Naruto the truth about his parentage. As soon as we get home from this mission." He relented.
"The truth is the hardest thing to ever say to someone. But the right thing to do is never easy. Besides, think of it like this Kakashi-san. Once this air has been cleared by the tempest of truth, you can bond closer with him. Tell him about his parents and give him the answers he so clearly needs in his life. I gave you those answers, Kakashi. It's only right to pay them forward to the boy." Oda explained.
Kakashi managed a small smile under his mask. "Thank you, Oda-sama. I have been waiting for these answers desperately for the last twelve years. You have no idea how much it means to me to finally have them after holding this in for that long…" He admitted.
"You're welcome, Kakashi-san. I'm always there to help those in need. In any way I can." Oda answered with a big, warm, and comforting smile.
"Well, one thing is for certain. I will be upping my team's training after this mission regardless of whether or not the Hokage lets me tell Naruto the truth." Kakashi admitted.
"I'd trust no greater man to do so." Oda said to him.
"Now that you know what we're dealing with, I hope we can count on your help to aid in keeping the Nine Tails pacified until this mission is over." Kakashi said hopefully.
"On the condition you're more open and honest with me on things going forwards. As both your friend and ally." Oda counter offered.
"As long as it doesn't involve giving away any more village secrets? I'd be more than happy to." The scarecrow replied with a smile under his mask.
"Then you have a deal. To be honest with you, I didn't plan or wish to get such secrets out of you Kakashi. All I wanted was you to start being a bit more forthcoming with me. I could never in my life have expected you to be forthcoming about this. I'm glad you did tonight, but I will not pry into your village's secrets any further, intentional, or otherwise." Oda explained a hint sheepishly.
"You have my thanks, Oda-sama." Kakashi responded, nodding in acknowledgement.
"Now then, I think we should get some sleep. It is late, and we have a long day of planning tomorrow ahead of us." Oda said, slowly rising.
With that, the two men cleaned up the tea set before them before leaving. The two parted ways, heading to their own separate quarters. Both now with a new understanding of each other, questions answered, and a new path forward. Both of them also knew that this new path was going to be harder than the one they were just on.
It amazes me how many chapters we go into to write, that the end product is vastly different. However, every time it comes out better than I planned it. Weird how that happens. Now a word from my partner in crime.
Uzumaki Ricky- Hoo boy! Now this was one hell of an emotional roller coaster of a chapter to write! I honestly didn't think we were gonna have Kakashi open up like that, but it felt completely natural when you consider the circumstances. I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter as much as we enjoyed writing it.
Sorry for this one kind of taking a while to get to. We had a lot of shit get in the way. I'm just glad we finally got to it and got this done. Hope you all had fun!
Well said my friend, well said. Next time, a bit of an unorthodox chapter, but one I hope will be insightful. For we dive into the mind the enigmatic king Oda Shang himself in next chapter, "Letter to Home."