IN NARUTO AS KURAMA

Five years later.

In a small, rundown wooden house on the outskirts of Konoha, a blond boy stared at the last carton of milk in his refrigerator, its expiration date long past. He sighed.

"Expired again..." he murmured. "When's Grandpa Third coming by? He said he'd check on me today."

This boy was Uzumaki Naruto, the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, though the village called him something far less kind—the demon fox.

Naruto carefully placed the sour-smelling milk back in the fridge and flopped onto his worn-out bed. His bright blue eyes dulled with sadness as he murmured, "Mom, Dad... where are you? Did you abandon me too? Why does the whole village hate me?"

A single tear traced down his cheek before he drifted into sleep.

---

In the sealed space, the great iron gates of the Nine-Tails' prison loomed large. Beyond the bars sat Shiro, a man with an unearthly charm and aura. His fox-like features and crimson eyes betrayed his true nature as the spirit now fused with Kurama's chakra. Nearby, Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage and Naruto's father, paced back and forth, his fists trembling.

Shiro handed Minato a tissue, smirking. "Old man, what did I tell you? That senile Third Hokage barely lifts a finger for Naruto. Sure, he calls it 'protection,' but he can't even keep fresh milk in the fridge for your kid."

Minato clenched his fists tighter, the sound of cracking knuckles echoing through the chamber. His blue eyes burned with fury. "Five years, Shiro... Five years of watching Naruto suffer like this. I trusted the Third to protect him, but instead, my son grows up hated and neglected by the very people I gave my life for!"

Minato's voice cracked as he muttered, "The Will of Fire I once believed in… it's nothing but an empty promise."

Shiro leaned back lazily, crossing his arms. "Took you long enough to figure that out. The people of Konoha? Selfish. They'll never forgive what they don't understand." He tilted his head, his crimson eyes glinting. "But, lucky for you, today's a special day. Want to see your son?"

Minato froze, his anger momentarily replaced by hope. "Can I?"

Shiro grinned, snapping his fingers. "Of course."

In an instant, Naruto's small figure appeared in the sealed space, rubbing his eyes groggily. "Where... am I?"

Minato vanished into the shadows, overcome by emotion.

Naruto squinted at Shiro, taking in the handsome figure lounging casually in the middle of the eerie space. "Who are you? Where is this place?"

Shiro smiled gently, his tone unusually soft. "This is a place where no one can hurt you, Naruto. It's just you and me here."

Naruto frowned, his young face twisting in worry. "But I need to leave! I have to find my parents! And I need to train to become Hokage!"

Shiro's smile faded. His crimson eyes bore into Naruto's, his voice dropping to a serious tone. "Naruto, let me ask you something. Are you truly happy?"

The question hit Naruto like a thunderclap. His restless movements stilled, and his small shoulders sagged.

"Happy? I... I think so, but..." His voice wavered. "Why does everyone in the village call me a monster? Why don't I have parents like everyone else?"

From the shadows, Minato could take no more. He rushed forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Naruto. His voice broke as he whispered, "Naruto... my son... I'm so sorry. I've failed you."

Naruto stiffened, then looked up at the unfamiliar man holding him. "Who... are you?"

Tears streaming down his face, Minato smiled through the pain. "I'm your father."

Naruto's wide blue eyes darted toward Shiro, searching for confirmation. Shiro simply nodded with a small smile.

Without warning, Naruto's tiny fist flew into Minato's stomach, though it lacked any real strength. "Why didn't you come for me sooner?!" he shouted, his voice cracking.

The next moment, Naruto buried his face in Minato's chest, his small body trembling as he sobbed. "Dad... I missed you so much!"

Shiro stepped back, giving the two a moment of peace. After a long silence, he finally spoke. "Alright, that's enough tear-jerking for one day."

Minato gently pulled away from Naruto and turned to Shiro. "Thank you, Shiro. I owe you more than I can ever repay."

Shiro smirked and waved off the gratitude. "Don't get all sentimental on me, Fourth Hokage. By the way…" He knelt down to Naruto's level, his expression turning serious. "Kid, want to become my disciple?"

Naruto blinked, caught off guard. "Me? Really?"

"Of course. Who else? No one's going to look out for you like I will."

Naruto dropped to his knees, bowing low. "I'll do it! Big brother, please teach me! You're the only one who's ever been kind to me!"

Shiro ruffled Naruto's messy blond hair and smirked. "Alright, then. As my disciple, you'll call me Shiro-sensei. I'll start by teaching you chakra control. It'll help you get stronger—and, trust me, you'll need it."

He tapped Naruto's forehead, sending a rush of knowledge directly into the boy's mind. "And one more thing. Don't trust the higher-ups in Konoha. Keep this place—and your father—a secret. Understand?"

Naruto nodded solemnly, his young face filled with determination. "I understand, Shiro-sensei."

Shiro smiled. "Good. Now, back you go. If you're late, the ANBU outside your house will start sniffing around."

Naruto's form began to fade. "Goodbye, Sensei! Goodbye, Dad!"

As Naruto disappeared, Minato turned to Shiro, his expression troubled. "Are you sure about this? Is it really okay to involve Naruto in your plans?"

Shiro's face hardened. "Konoha's already abandoned him. It's time for Naruto to find his own path. I'm just giving him the tools to survive."

Minato hesitated but said nothing, vanishing into the sealed space's shadows once more.

---

Back in the real world, Naruto woke with a start. For the first time in years, there was fire in his eyes—a quiet determination.

"Just wait," he muttered. "I'll show this village who I really am."

Outside, the ANBU raced to his door, leading Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Hokage-sama, Naruto hasn't moved for hours. Something must've happened."

But the boy inside the house was no longer the same. Naruto Uzumaki was ready to rise.