Author's notes:
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Time seemed to drag on endlessly, accompanied only by the pervasive cold and overwhelming silence. Until now. "Brat, it's time to get out of this place," the low, vibrating voice of Kyūbi echoed in his mind.
The brutal awakening had become the norm for Naruto ever since the fox began speaking in his mind a month ago. The boy scrambled from his makeshift bed, his heart pounding like a drum. He glanced nervously around the darkness, attempting to calm his frayed nerves. Seeing only the familiar contours of the cave, he took a deep breath.
He then decided to visit the demon within his mindscape. Once he successfully entered this realm, he immediately made his way toward the only creature that had accompanied him for the past few weeks.
Inside, however, conflicting emotions raged within him. "One would think that spending a month with someone would open one's heart to that person," he muttered under his breath as he approached the gate that imprisoned Kyūbi behind bars. "But they would be mistaken."
A sinister grin spread across the fox's muzzle as he listened to the boy's words. "Stop rambling like a madman and pull yourself together, for time is of the essence," Kyūbi growled, his voice resonating deep within Naruto's bones. "Perhaps this little human isn't quite ready for the world of Shinobi just yet," the beast mused. In the next moment, Naruto felt himself being violently ejected from his own mind. The boy flinched, his eyes snapping open. It was never a pleasant experience.
"Could you please stop doing that?" he asked uncertainly, directing his thoughts toward Kyūbi. A hint of pleading laced his voice, but the beast ignored his request. The only response was a deafening roar that caused a sharp pain in Naruto's ears.
"Are you deaf or something?!" Kyūbi roared, his voice echoing in every corner of Naruto's mind. The demon impatiently observed as the boy began to gather his belongings. "But under my watchful eye, he's grown stronger this past month than he ever did in that pathetic hole they call Konoha," Kyūbi mused, a sinister glint flickering in his eyes.
"So, it's time then," Naruto thought, unease settling in his heart. A month had passed since he escaped Konoha—a month of relative peace and freedom. He knew, however, that it wouldn't last. The ANBU hounds would soon pick up his trail, reminding him that, as a Jinchūriki, the host of the Nine-Tailed Fox, he would always remain the village's property.
"Yes, time to cover our tracks from those wretches again," Kyūbi snarled in his mind. Naruto furrowed his brow.
"Wretches? Do you despise them that much?" he inquired, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
The only response he received was a deafening roar that felt as though it were splitting his skull from the inside. The pain was so intense that he fell to his knees, clutching his ears.
"I told you, brat, why!" Kyūbi roared, his voice resonating through Naruto's bones. "Stop asking foolish questions!"
The boy struggled to catch his breath, attempting to suppress the ringing in his ears. He understood that Kurama had his reasons for despising Konoha, but he never wished to share that anger. Naruto only longed for acceptance and freedom—the ability to determine his own fate without the constant fear of judgment.
After the ringing in his ears finally subsided, Naruto struggled to rise from the ground. His legs felt like jelly, and his head throbbed with a dull ache. With a sigh, he completed packing his meager belongings, attempting to ignore Kurama's intense chakra surging within him.
"I'm sorry," he whispered to himself, regretting his mention of Konoha. He understood how profoundly the village had hurt the fox, imprisoning him in a cage and treating him as a mere weapon.
Kyūbi snorted dismissively. "Hmpf."
Naruto stood silently for a moment, gazing at the dim cave walls. "Where to now?" he finally asked, uncertain of what the future held.
"To reach the destination I want to take you to, we'll need supplies," the fox replied, a hint of mystery in his voice. "That will be your objective."
Naruto emerged from the cave, a smile spreading across his face. In front of him stretched the endless blue ocean, its waves gently rolling beneath the warm breeze. Without hesitation, he ran forward, straight onto the water. However, his feet did not sink into the sea. Instead, he ran on the surface as if walking on an invisible path woven from chakra.
"It's amazing to run on the ocean," he mused, feeling a thrill from this newfound ability. However, the joy quickly transformed into melancholy as his thoughts wandered back to the old days at the academy. "Hmm... I wonder how many dangerous missions it would take to persuade Hatake to agree to teach us this?"
Hearing these words, Kyūbi smiled to himself. He wisely chose to remain silent about the boy's bitter musings, sensing that the boy would arrive at a conclusion that would ultimately benefit the demon.
Naruto sprinted across the ocean, his thoughts still focused on his former comrades. "Hmpf... surely his loyal lapdog, Uchiha, would need extra training in this area. After all, he is an Uchiha, isn't he? They always need extra attention. Pfft..."
"Haruno, what a useless fangirl of Uchiha she was," Naruto muttered under his breath, bitterness swelling in his heart. "I know that whole thing was just a facade, but how could I have been so foolish?"
Kyūbi smirked at the boy's naivety. "This month is gradually revealing more truths about himself and his existence to the brat," he thought with satisfaction.
However, Naruto did not share in the joy. His thoughts drifted to the person who had hurt him the most—the Hokage. "Hokage..." he whispered, pain lacing his voice. No one else had caused him as much anguish as the old man he had trusted implicitly. The one who had betrayed him countless times, condemning him to a life filled with loneliness, deception, and fear.
Suddenly, Kyūbi's sharp voice pierced through his thoughts, pulling him from his dark memories. "Brat, head north!" the fox bellowed, gesturing toward the nearest village. "Remember your task. We need supplies if you want to reach the location I mentioned."
Naruto nodded, pushing aside the painful thoughts. He concentrated on the goal that Kyūbi had set for him, attempting to ignore the searing sorrow in his heart. He understood that he couldn't change the past, but the future remained open to him.
When Naruto finally reached the shore of another island, his turbulent emotions began to subside. A sense of calm returned to his face as his red, fox-like eyes gazed at the path leading inland. He stood there for a long moment, enveloped in silence.
"How long are you going to stand there staring at a dirt path, brat?" Kyūbi growled, clearly impatient. Noticing that Naruto was unresponsive, he added with increasing irritation, "Have you already forgotten that time is of the essence? The Konoha dogs won't wait forever."
These words jolted Naruto out of his reverie. He sprinted down the worn path, venturing deeper into the dense forest. His eyes, enhanced by the fox's power, captured every detail in the darkness of the night.
"Fox eyes do have their advantages, don't they?" he thought with satisfaction.
"Of course they do, brat," Kyūbi replied, proud of his supernatural abilities.
By the time Naruto arrived at the small village, the sun was just beginning to rise, painting the sky in shades of orange and red. Although the village was not large, it was adequate for finding supplies for some time.
"Get a move on, and stop fixating on every detail of that pathetic village I could obliterate with a single flick of my tail," the demon grumbled, urging him to finish the task.
"Alright, alright," Naruto muttered to himself, attempting to soothe the restless demon.
He entered the village, making his way toward the center, where he anticipated finding a marketplace. He was not mistaken. In the very heart of the village, life thrived among the wooden stalls.
Looking at the inhabitants of the Land of Water, Naruto noticed little difference between them and the people of the Land of Fire. They appeared similar, yet their demeanor was entirely different. Here, no one ignored him; no one regarded him with disdain or fear. He felt... normal. This simple kindness made him instantly appreciate this place.
"Grrr..." he heard Kyūbi growl in his mind.
"I know, I know," Naruto sighed, fully aware of the fox's displeasure.
Naruto approached one of the stalls, where an elderly man was selling dried meat and fish. "Hello," he said shyly. "Could I please have enough food to last me for the next two weeks?"
The seller looked at him with a questioning expression. "Hello. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but how do you plan to transport that much food?" he asked, noticing that Naruto had no bags or backpacks with him.
"Don't worry!" Naruto replied with a smile, displaying his forehead protector on his right arm. It was evident that he was on the run, as the Konoha insignia had been crossed out. "I'm a shinobi. I can easily pack everything into a scroll."
"It's fortunate that I kept a few from the Land of Waves mission," he thought, recalling the stash of scrolls tucked away in his pocket.
The vendor flinched upon noticing the crossed-out Konoha symbol. Rogue shinobi were not always inclined to pay for their goods. Worse still, they sometimes resorted to theft or even violence to obtain what they desired. Fear flickered in the man's eyes, and his hands began to tremble.
Naruto immediately noticed the change in the vendor's demeanor. He realized that he was instilling fear, and a wave of sadness washed over him. He quickly extended his hands in a calming gesture. "Please don't be afraid," he said softly. "I'm just here to buy some food."
His words and calm tone appeared to reassure the vendor. The man let out a sigh of relief and turned to prepare the order, skillfully measuring out dried meat and fish while occasionally glancing nervously over his shoulder. Although the fear had not completely subsided, he chose to trust the young shinobi's words.
After completing the order, the vendor carefully turned back and placed the dried meat and fish on the counter. "That will be all," he said, hesitantly extending his hand toward Naruto.
The boy quickly calculated the cost in his mind as he glanced at the price list and then at the pile of provisions. He pulled out his frog wallet and carefully counted out the exact amount of coins before placing them in the man's hand.
The vendor hesitantly accepted the money, glancing nervously at Naruto. He carefully counted the coins, and when he was certain the amount was correct, a tentative smile appeared on his face. "Thank you," he murmured, giving a slight nod.
After storing the provisions in the scroll he had previously unfurled on the counter, Naruto turned and headed for the village exit.
"Where to now?" Naruto asked Kyūbi, his spirit momentarily at peace.
"Somewhere no one will find us," the demon replied, a hint of mystery in his voice that fueled the boy's curiosity.
Naruto headed toward the gate, prepared to leave the village and follow the fox's guidance. However, from the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of someone he recognized at one of the stalls. With long, black-blue hair, a delicate frame, and a warm smile, she stood out to him. Although he knew the likelihood of meeting her again was practically zero, his heart raced with excitement.
He hesitated for a moment, but curiosity and a longing for familiarity took over. He changed direction and walked toward the stall where the girl stood. With each step, a whirlwind of thoughts churned in his mind—the joy of reunion mingled with uncertainty. After all, he had revealed his greatest secret to her: that he was the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails. However, he recalled the warmth in her smile when she confessed that she too had faced rejection because of her abilities. They both carried scars from their pasts—not from personal transgressions, but from the prejudices of the society in which they were raised.
As Naruto took a step closer to the girl, she turned sharply, prepared to defend herself with a Senbon needle in her hand. However, upon recognizing the boy standing before her, her eyes widened in astonishment. The needle slipped from her grasp, and her lips involuntarily formed a soft "O."
"Haku!" Naruto exclaimed joyfully, unable to conceal his happiness. He couldn't believe he had met someone once again who recognized his true nature and still treated him with such kindness.
"Na..." Haku began, attempting to say the boy's name, but shock rendered her speechless. It was only after a moment, upon seeing Naruto's joyful smile, that she managed to regain her composure. "Naruto..." she whispered, a flicker of fear appearing in her eyes, which did not go unnoticed by the boy.
"Is something wrong?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
"Brat, that girl, Haku, is the one you fought on the bridge! The one who supposedly killed that Uchiha trash!" Kyūbi snarled in Naruto's mind, violently shattering his carefree joy.
"Wait, what?!" Naruto exclaimed, stunned by this revelation. He couldn't believe that Haku was the same person with whom he had fought such a fierce battle. "But..."
"No, it's nothing," Haku replied, gathering her thoughts. However, noticing Naruto's silence, she stepped closer. The boy involuntarily took a step back.
"So..." Haku began, her voice tinged with uncertainty. She suspected that Naruto had discovered the truth about her past—about who she was and what she had done.
"Grrr..." Kyūbi growled, growing increasingly impatient. "This meeting wasn't supposed to happen! We're wasting time!"
"Wake up, you idiot!" Naruto retorted, finding the fox's demeanor irritating. "This girl saw the demon with her own eyes and overcame her fear to approach you, yet you're pushing her away for no reason?"
"Grrr, you're a fool! You're wasting time!" Kyūbi snarled, dismissing the boy's arguments.