Prologue

The air was thick with tension as the night sky above Konoha was painted red. In the midst of the chaos, a newborn child entered the world. His name was Naruto Uzumaki, but in the eyes of most, he was the embodiment of a curse. He was the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and his beloved wife, Kushina Uzumaki, but that legacy was marred by one cruel fate: he was the container of the Nine-Tails, the Kyubi no Yoko.

Kushina, who had just given birth to him, fell unconscious, her chakra drained by the immense force of the Kyubi's power as it rampaged through Konoha. The village was in ruins, burning from the beast's wrath, its monstrous form wreaking havoc as it fought to escape its prison. Yet, there was no escape for the beast; Minato, in a desperate and self-sacrificial act, sealed the Kyubi inside his newborn son, Naruto.

Minato, knowing the consequences, left the village in the dark about the true nature of Naruto's birth. To them, he was a monster. Only the Hokage and a select few knew the truth: the child was the vessel for the Kyubi. Yet, to the villagers, the boy's presence was an unspoken threat. They could not bear to look at him, let alone treat him with kindness. From that moment, Naruto's life became one of silence, isolation, and pain. The people around him hated him, blamed him, and scorned him for a crime he didn't commit. His very existence was a reminder of the terror they had endured.

As the years passed, Naruto learned to live with the constant cruelty. Every day was a battle to stay alive, to survive the hatred that filled the hearts of those around him. On his fifth birthday, a day that should have been filled with joy, he was beaten again. The villagers, drunk on anger and fear, cornered him, fists raised, yelling obscenities, calling him the demon. They shoved him into the dirt, kicking him mercilessly. But that was not the worst part. The worst part was the constant fear and loneliness that gnawed at his soul. He had no one to turn to, no one to show him love.

That night, after another beating that left his body bruised and broken, Naruto stumbled into the woods, clutching his left eye where a blow had struck him. He felt as though he was about to collapse, his vision blurry, but the familiar, burning pain in his chest urged him to push forward. He wandered through the darkness, until he felt an overwhelming presence—a presence that felt both foreign and familiar at the same time.

There, in the shadows of the forest, Naruto collapsed to his knees. His breath was shallow, and his body was too weak to move. It was then that he heard it. A voice—low, deep, and full of authority—echoed in his mind.

"So, this is how my container lives..."

Naruto's heart raced as he recognized the voice. It was the Kyubi—the beast sealed within him. The very creature that the villagers feared and loathed. The very creature that had destroyed Konoha. But this voice wasn't filled with rage, as he had expected. No, there was something different. It felt... almost like curiosity.

"You are weak."

Naruto's heart sank at the harsh words. He had heard those words many times before, but never from the Kyubi herself. He trembled, unsure of what to say. He wasn't sure if she was taunting him or speaking a simple truth.

"But I can teach you. I can give you the power to never be weak again."

Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief. Power? The Kyubi, the very being that had destroyed everything, wanted to train him? Why?

"You see,"the voice continued,"you and I are not so different. You are my vessel, yes, but we are connected. And I know what it's like to be underestimated, to be hated by all. I have lived for centuries, seen countless worlds fall. I have power beyond your comprehension, and I can give you a fraction of it. You must decide, boy. Will you accept my offer?"

Naruto was still for a moment. His left eye burned from the recent injury, but a spark of hope ignited within him. If he could gain strength, if he could stop the beatings, if he could prove the villagers wrong, he would. He wouldn't be weak anymore. He wouldn't be their punching bag.

"Yes..." he whispered, his voice rough from the pain. "Teach me."

The Kyubi's voice was amused, but there was something in it—something almost like approval."Very well. But know this, boy... The path I will show you will not be easy. You will have to endure. You will have to sacrifice. But in the end, you will have power like no other."

In that moment, Naruto's vision blurred entirely. His left eye, struck by the brutal beating, had finally given way, leaving him blind in that eye. But it didn't matter. He could still hear her. He could still feel her presence.

And from that moment on, Naruto's journey into darkness began. Each night, when the moon was high and the village slept, he would slip into the shadows and train. The Kyubi, who had come to call herself Hitome in his mind, would guide him, teach him the ancient arts of chakra manipulation, taijutsu, and forbidden techniques. She would teach him how to use the power within him, how to control it, and how to make it his own.

As the years passed, Naruto became stronger. His skills grew beyond what any normal child could achieve. His body began to change, becoming more muscular, more resilient. His chakra reserves were immense, and he learned to tap into the full extent of the Kyubi's power.

But despite his growing strength, the hatred from the villagers never ceased. They feared him, resented him. And every time they did, it reminded him of the pain he had endured. It reminded him of the loneliness that still clawed at him.

But Hitome was always there, her voice a constant in his mind. She became more than just a teacher. She became his companion, his only ally in a world that despised him. Over time, their bond deepened, something more than just the typical relationship between a jinchuriki and their beast. Naruto's admiration for her grew, and his feelings for her shifted from pure gratitude to something more.

She, in turn, began to see Naruto not just as a container, but as a person. A boy who had endured unimaginable pain and suffering. A boy who had chosen to fight, even when the world had decided he was worthless. And as his feelings for her grew, so did hers for him, though neither dared speak of it. Their bond was strong, and the emotions between them ran deeper than words.

The day would come when Naruto would rise above the village that rejected him, when he would be the one to protect them all. But for now, his journey had just begun—and with Hitome's guidance, he would make sure that no one would ever look down on him again. He would no longer be the boy they beat; he would become the man who stood tall, with the power of the Nine-Tails at his side.