IN NARUTO AS KURAMA

Uchiha Fugaku observed the young girl before him, her newly awakened Sharingan shimmering faintly. Despite her exhaustion, her potential as a budding prodigy was undeniable. A rare smile crossed his otherwise stern face. "Another genius for the Uchiha clan," he thought with pride.

Shiro, standing nearby, waved his hand dismissively. "Don't get too excited over one tomoe. She's got a long way to go before she's anything special."

Fugaku turned, his face hardening. "What do you know about the Sharingan's potential?!"

"Tch. More than you think," Shiro replied nonchalantly, locking eyes with Fugaku. His Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan spun lazily, instantly silencing the Uchiha leader.

Fugaku's breath hitched as he stared at the unique design of Shiro's eyes. "How… how do you possess these eyes?"

Shiro leaned back casually, the pressure of his chakra palpable. "Live through enough battles, and you'll understand," he said cryptically. The overwhelming presence of his Eternal Mangekyō weighed heavily on Fugaku, forcing him to steady himself against the table.

The silence was suffocating until Shiro broke it. "Now, can we talk?"

Fugaku swallowed hard. "Yes."

Shiro's lips curled into a smirk. "Good. Let's get to the point. Your Uchiha clan is walking on thin ice in Konoha. Shimura Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi have tightened their grip, and your clan's reputation in the village is in shambles, thanks to a few arrogant troublemakers. Meanwhile, surveillance of your clan has increased exponentially under the guise of 'protection.'"

Fugaku slammed the table, his voice trembling with fury. "Damn it! Why has no Uchiha ever been Hokage? Why does our clan remain marginalized despite all we've contributed to Konoha?!"

Shiro leaned forward, his voice calm but piercing. "Because the village fears your power. The Sharingan is too much of a threat to their fragile system. If you want change, you must make a hard decision."

"What decision?" Fugaku asked warily, sensing the weight of Shiro's words.

Shiro stood, staring out into the darkened night. "Rid your clan of its dead weight—the arrogant fools who tarnish your name. Only then can the Uchiha rise again. Harsh, but necessary."

The room grew silent. Fugaku's breathing was heavy, his mind racing. The truth in Shiro's words was undeniable, but the implications were terrifying.

After a moment, Shiro turned to leave. "Think about it, Fugaku. When you're ready to make the hard choices, come find me." His figure dissolved into the shadows, leaving Fugaku alone with his thoughts.

As Fugaku exited the secret room, supporting the girl, he nearly bumped into Uchiha Itachi, who was fetching water from the kitchen.

"Father," Itachi greeted. "You're out late."

"I had… business to attend to," Fugaku replied curtly. "Take this girl to a secure room and ensure she's comfortable. I'll need to speak with her tomorrow. And Itachi—tell no one about this."

"Yes, Father," Itachi said obediently, his curious gaze lingering on the girl before leading her away.

Later that night, Fugaku lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. Mikoto, sensing his unease, turned to him. "What's wrong?"

Fugaku hesitated before speaking. "Mikoto, will you support me… even if I make the worst choice?"

Without hesitation, Mikoto replied, "Of course. Always."

Fugaku closed his eyes, her words both comforting and heavy.

---

Back in the sealed space, Shiro watched Naruto struggle with the Rasengan. The swirling ball of chakra in the boy's hands grew unstable, flickering between success and collapse.

"Focus, Naruto. Keep your chakra flow steady and compress it more tightly," Shiro instructed.

Naruto gritted his teeth, pouring all his concentration into the technique. The Rasengan turned a darker shade of blue, its power intensifying.

"Now release it!" Shiro shouted.

Naruto hurled the Rasengan forward, but the chakra spun out of control, detonating with a deafening boom. The shockwave sent Naruto flying, slamming him into the ground. Blood trickled from his mouth as he coughed weakly.

Shiro sighed, his figure flashing to Naruto's side. "You're too reckless," he muttered, summoning a golden chakra hand to absorb the remnants of the explosion. The energy coalesced into a sphere, which Shiro promptly tossed into the waiting mouth of the Nine-Tails construct nearby.

"Don't use this place as your personal testing ground," Shiro scolded. "If I weren't here to clean up your mess, you'd have destroyed yourself."

"Sorry, Master," Naruto mumbled, wincing as Shiro healed him with a gentle pulse of medical chakra.

Shiro softened, ruffling Naruto's hair. "Just learn from it. For now, focus on perfecting your chakra control. You've got a long way to go."

"Yes, Master," Naruto said with a determined nod.

As Naruto's figure faded, returning to the real world, Shiro stretched out on the Nine-Tails construct and yawned. "Finally… some peace."

---

The Next Morning

Naruto walked through the streets of Konoha, his sunny disposition masking the pain of the villagers' glares. Whispers followed him wherever he went.

"Look, it's that demon fox again. Why does the Hokage let him roam free?"

"This is why my day's already ruined."

Naruto clenched his fists but forced a cheerful smile. He approached a vegetable stall and asked brightly, "Auntie, how much for these vegetables?"

The vendor scowled, snatching the produce from his hands and throwing it to the ground. "Get out of here! I can't sell what you've touched!"