Kurama's memories naturally included his sight, hearing, and thoughts.
As Kushina Uzumaki sensed those memories, it was as if she had become the Nine-Tails, the demon fox that had once shared a body with her.
In her field of vision was a human standing high above, looking down from above.
Through the Nine-Tails' consciousness, Kushina clearly knew who that human was.
An Uchiha…
Madara Uchiha?!
"Nine-Tails."
"Your current form is only temporary. You are merely one part of a scattered power, an unstable force lacking wisdom."
Those crimson eyes, just like the Tailed Beasts and Jinchūriki, were feared by both Konoha and the Ninja World.
Like a double-edged sword, they symbolized both the power to protect and an ominous force of destruction.
["Shut up."]
The Nine-Tails!
That was the Nine-Tails' voice!
"The only ones who can guide you are the Uchiha. All of you Tailed Beasts are servants of Dōjutsu users."
["Shut up!!"]
"Obey me."
["Shut up!!"]
[I am a mighty Tailed Beast, yet I was controlled by a human… Damn it.]
[I hate them so much.]
[When will the person the old man of the Six Paths told us to wait for finally appear?]
[No. Maybe that person doesn't exist at all.]
"!!!"
Kushina Uzumaki was startled.
It was not only the Nine-Tails' memories. His inner thoughts and his hatred toward humans were also contained in this chakra and passed to her along with them.
The Nine-Tails attacking Konoha, and Jinchūriki being hated because of the Nine-Tails. The reason behind it all was actually that Madara Uchiha.
But what did the Nine-Tails mean afterward?
The person the old man of the Six Paths told them to wait for?
Six Paths…
Rikudō Sennin?!!
Before she could think any further, the memory had already shifted to the face of the First Hokage of Konoha, Hashirama Senju.
"Nine-Tails."
"Your power is too great."
"I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you to roam free."
In her field of vision, a giant wooden hand descended from above and pressed down on "her" head.
[That bastard! Deciding everything on his own!!]
[I hate.]
[I hate humans.]
[They refuse to acknowledge our existence.]
[Among humans… it's impossible for another person like the old man of the Six Paths to be born again… right…?]
Amid the Nine-Tails' hatred, Kushina Uzumaki actually sensed a trace of sorrow.
He seemed to be waiting for someone.
Or rather, all the Tailed Beasts were waiting for someone.
That was something Kushina Uzumaki had never known before.
["Nine-Tails."]
It was Mito-sama!
Not long ago, she had seen Mito-sama as a child in the Warring States Period, but this was Kushina's first time seeing Mito-sama as a woman and as the wife of the First Hokage. Young, beautiful, powerful, and carrying a cold, proud presence. She truly was worthy of being the princess of the Uzumaki Clan.
"Using your power will only invite hatred."
["Shut up…"]
"Stay quietly inside me. Seal."
["Damn it…"]
"Nine-Tails, you and I are both unfortunate."
This time, Kushina Uzumaki saw herself.
"You can suppress this world, and I can suppress you, so we can only live bound together."
["So annoying… Shut up…"]
In less than a minute, Kushina Uzumaki had finished watching all of those memories.
She had seen through the Nine-Tails' eyes and sensed his heart.
Then came the day she gave birth, when the Nine-Tails tried to take the chance to escape.
"Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, step away from the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. Otherwise, your son will only exist in this world for a few minutes."
The Masked Man! It was Obito Uchiha!!
Kushina clenched her fists hard, wanting to punch Obito's dog head apart all over again.
At the same time, however, this memory clashed violently against her original memories.
That night, Rin had been responsible for delivering the baby. Obito and Kakashi had treated it like facing a mortal enemy. One hurriedly called in the entire Uchiha Police Force to help, while the other mobilized all of the Hokage's ANBU.
With the two of them together, their dual Kamui space-time Dōjutsu, and the Fūinjutsu she had set up in advance, let alone an enemy, not even a fly or mosquito could get in.
Under the stare of Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan, even the Nine-Tails could only curse and grumble before going back to sleep.
Aside from the pain, the delivery went perfectly.
Because she was from the Uzumaki Clan, she recovered within a few days of giving birth and was soon full of energy again.
Rin, Obito, and Kakashi, who had all wanted to see "Naruto" again as soon as possible, did not even go on missions. Early in the morning, they rushed to Konoha Hospital and waited there.
Since Rin was a Medical-nin in training for Konoha, she had connections that allowed her to bring Obito and Kakashi in early.
She still remembered that silly boy Obito lying beside Naruto's nursery crib and sighing, "It kind of feels like I have a little brother now. I finally understand why Itachi shows off his little brother in a hundred different ways every day."
Rin said, "He's so cute!!! His eyes are blue, just like Minato-sensei's!"
"Golden hair…" Kakashi said. "I guess he didn't inherit Kushina-nee's Kekkei Genkai?"
"I don't really want Naruto to inherit my bloodline. I just hope he grows up safe, happy, full of dreams, and full of life."
"I've decided!!"
"What have you decided this time, idiot?"
"Besides my dream of becoming Hokage, I'm also going to become an outstanding Jōnin! I'm going to be Naruto-chan and Sasuke-chan's Jōnin teacher!!"
"Huh?! Really, Obito? Then from today on, we're rivals!"
"Huh?!! No way! Rin!!"
"Oh? That sounds interesting. Count me in too."
"What, even idiot Kakashi is joining in?!!! I object!! I protest!!"
"Keep your voice down, idiot. You'll wake Naruto up."
"Oh, oh, oh."
Obito Uchiha made a motion of zipping his mouth shut and only dared to whisper quietly.
Kushina Uzumaki remembered every detail of that warm scene with perfect clarity.
And yet…
Contrary to her memories, what happened was this.
"I won't agree to this! He was just born! Why seal the Nine-Tails inside him?! Why must he be forced to live as a Jinchūriki?!!"
"Our whole family are ninjas. And… I believe Naruto can do it."
["You actually want to seal me inside the body of a brat like this?! Don't look down on me, you bastard!!!"]
The Nine-Tails' claws struck toward the infant who had already been placed on the altar.
The husband and wife both shielded their child at the same time, letting the Nine-Tails' claw pierce straight through them, finally stopping its nail right before the infant.
"Lastly, is there anything you want to say to Naruto?"
"Naruto… from now on, even when you're alone, make sure you eat enough and dress warmly. Don't be picky with your food…"
"Remember to bathe often… respect your teachers and seniors, and listen to them… keep your mission money safe, hold on to your dreams, and keep moving forward… Even if your grades aren't good, that's okay. Everyone has things they're good at and things they aren't…"
"Make friends. You don't need a lot. Just a few who truly care about each other is enough…"
"The Three Prohibitions of a Ninja. Don't get involved in gambling, and make sure you stay far away from Jiraiya-sensei. When you grow up, find a good woman like your mom…"
"Naruto… there's still so, so much I want to tell you… I want to live with you… I want to watch you grow up, attend your Ninja Academy entrance ceremony, celebrate your graduation, cook good food for you, and tell you welcome home every day…"
"I want so much… so much to always be by your side."
"I want so much to tell you…"
"We love you."
"Sorry. I used up all the time."
"It's all right."
"Naruto, what Dad wants to tell you…"
"Is the same as your nagging mom at home."
"Eight Trigrams Seal."
It was enough to make her sob uncontrollably.
In her memories, the delivery had ended smoothly.
With her and Minato by his side, Naruto had grown up bright and full of energy.
He was not good at studying, and he had decided on his own that Sasuke Uchiha was his goal. He was always pestering him for a showdown, clumsily trying to get the other boy's attention.
She and Minato had never missed his Ninja Academy entrance ceremony or his graduation ceremony.
He loved the ramen at Ramen Ichiraku and was often scolded by her for skipping proper meals.
He respected his teachers, but he always drove Obito so mad that Obito had to use Kamui to search all over the village for him, Sasuke, and Sakura.
He had even secretly asked the young lady of the main family of the Byakugan clan to cover for them, and asked Shikamaru Nara to help come up with plans.
Her memories were filled with happiness.
Or rather, aside from happiness, she could not think of anything else.
But in the Nine-Tails' memories…
"Naruto, he…"
"I understand. Don't worry."
The Third Hokage took the swaddled infant from Kushina Uzumaki's arms.
After that…
The Nine-Tails Incident became an indelible blow to Konoha.
They had lost the Yellow Flash who had deterred other nations during the Third Shinobi World War. Konoha had also lost the Fourth Hokage, and even the mature Nine-Tails Jinchūriki had become a newborn infant who had only just left his mother's body.
Konoha's situation became more passive than ever.
Outside, enemies surrounded it on all sides.
Inside, its own people fought among themselves.
Naruto's daily life was handled by ANBU, and at the same time, he was watched by ANBU.
Since Minato had killed countless enemies during the Third Shinobi World War, Kushina could understand temporarily hiding the fact that Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage before he had the ability to protect himself.
But…
Naruto's identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki was exposed.
The Third Hokage issued an S-rank mission forbidding the whole village from mentioning it again, trying to fix the problem after the damage was already done.
As the Nine-Tails, he had always watched how Naruto Uzumaki was treated in the village.
"Get out! I don't have anything to sell you!"
"I just wanted to look at that mask! Why are you treating me like this?!"
"Here, take it! What bad luck! Hurry up and get lost!"
"I'm not a germ! And I'm not a monster!!!"
"Tch, damn brat. Sprinkle salt! Hurry and sprinkle salt! We're closing for the day! How unlucky!"
"Look, it's 'that.' He's already taken the exam several times and still hasn't passed the graduation exam."
"Of course. Letting 'that' become a ninja was ridiculous from the start! I really don't know what The Third Hokage was thinking."
"After all, he's that…"
"Shh. Don't say anything more."
"Oh! Let's go, let's go. Bad luck."
Those agonizing memories nearly made Kushina Uzumaki unable to breathe. It was hard for her to imagine that this was the everyday life Naruto had survived.
And the real blow came when Naruto watched other children being pampered by their parents and welcomed home, then copied them in a young, childish voice and called out to an empty, pitch-black house, "I'm home."
He asked the empty house who his father and mother were, and what kind of people they had been.
On his birthday, he stood at the entrance of a cake shop, wanting to use the money he had saved to buy himself a cake and celebrate, only to be told that today was the memorial day of the great hero, the Fourth Hokage, so they were not open.
"No one looked forward to your birth."
"No one acknowledges your existence."
"You monster!"
Kurama would definitely do this, giving his own memories to Kushina.
It was the kind of cruelty that stabbed straight into the heart.