The Nine-Tails injected its crimson Tailed Beast chakra into Naruto's body.
Soon, a Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak formed around him. Not only that, the Naruto outside also became enveloped in the same cloak of chakra.
Seeing this, Tsunade immediately issued orders.
"It's starting. All units, pay attention.
Yamato, be ready to suppress the Nine-Tails at any moment.
ANBU, prepare to engage with me if necessary.
Shizune, Shizuka—you two prepare for evacuation and be ready to help evacuate the civilians."
"Yes!" ×N
Naruto first entered Version 1 of the Tailed Beast State. At this point, he had already begun to sense the malice contained within the Nine-Tails' chakra.
Then the Nine-Tails continued pouring chakra into him.
Naruto quickly advanced to the Three-Tails State.
At this moment, Naruto turned and smiled at Kushina and the others, signaling that he was still fine.
Seeing this, the Nine-Tails increased the chakra output again.
"Ugh… Kurama, don't launch surprise attacks like that!"
Naruto complained.
"Hmph. You're the one who wasn't concentrating. Besides, the malice coming next isn't comparable to before."
Kurama increased the chakra flow again.
The chakra cloak around Naruto gradually turned dark crimson, until his figure became almost impossible to see.
This was Tailed Beast State – Version 2.
In the Four-Tails State, Naruto was clearly beginning to struggle, though he still managed to remain conscious.
Then came the fifth tail.
Naruto could clearly feel that it wasn't just the burden of chakra anymore—the malice accompanying it was constantly eroding his consciousness.
Seeing this, Kurama smirked proudly.
He knew very well that Naruto already started losing clarity of mind in the Five-Tails State. Once he reached the Six-Tails State, his consciousness would likely be consumed very quickly.
Kurama increased the chakra output again.
A sixth tail appeared behind Naruto, and a skeletal structure of chakra began forming around his body.
Voices suddenly echoed within Naruto's mind.
"Kill them!"
"Kill them!"
"You're the son of a hero, yet look how they treated you during your childhood."
"Exactly. Even if they know your identity now, so what? How many people actually apologized? Most of them just ignored you with cold indifference."
"Kill them! Kill them!"
Naruto's consciousness began to be gradually corroded by this malice.
At that moment—
"Hang in there, Naruto! You absolutely can't lose!"
Naruto was startled.
"Who…?"
When he looked to the side and saw that bright red figure cheering him on, his fading consciousness suddenly snapped back.
"That's right… that's my mom. My mom is cheering for me."
"Yes! Mom is rooting for me. There's no way I'm going to lose!!!"
"AAAAHHH!!!"
Naruto roared and forcefully drove the malice away.
Seeing this, Kushina shouted happily:
"That's my boy, Naruto! Just as expected of my son!"
Kushina's praise became Naruto's greatest source of motivation.
"Bring it on!"
"...Tch."
Kurama clicked his tongue.
Then he drastically increased the chakra output, forcing Naruto to endure even more chakra.
Naruto felt immense pressure, but in front of his mother, he refused to show even the slightest cowardice.
"Come on!!!"
Naruto's body gradually expanded, his form becoming muscular and monstrous. Aside from the blood-red tails, the rest of his body looked like exposed sinewy muscle.
"AAAAHHH!!!"
Naruto's consciousness continued battling against the Nine-Tails.
For a moment, the situation seemed to be improving.
But just as Naruto began to feel hopeful, several voices suddenly appeared again.
"Kill them!"
"Who?!"
"Of course—Nagi's girlfriends."
"Nani?! Impossible!"
"Hahaha. Why are you pretending? I know very well that when you saw Nagi with a girlfriend in Sunagakure, the first thing you felt was jealousy."
"You—!"
"Hahaha. No matter how good your relationship with Nagi is, you'll never beat them.
They can grow closer to him… while you can't.
All you can do is watch as the distance between them gets smaller and smaller. Eventually, there might not even be a place for you in Nagi's heart."
"You're lying! Nagi isn't that kind of person!"
"Hahaha. Lying? Didn't you notice your voice trembling just now?
I understand you better than anyone. You can't deceive me."
At that moment—
A Naruto with black eyes and crimson pupils appeared before him.
"You are…?!"
The dark Naruto smiled coldly.
"Hehehe… I am you.
And you are me.
I am the darkest part of your heart."
Commentary (Inside the Chat)
Tsunade:
"Interesting. I didn't expect the final trial of the Nine-Tails' malice to be him. Hahaha, this is getting entertaining."
Jiraiya:
"Sigh… So Naruto's inner demon is actually jealousy over Nagi's girlfriends. Seems being too close can also cause trouble."
Kakashi Hatake:
"Naruto… looks like I need to give you another lecture on life. Your thinking is getting a little dangerous."
Sasuke Uchiha:
"Idiot Naruto. That's disgusting."
Naruto Uzumaki:
"Slander! Pure slander! Nagi and I have a completely pure friendship!"
Hinata Hyuga:
"N-Naruto-kun… I… I'll do my best!"
Hinata looked at Naruto with teary eyes.
After learning that her love rival might actually be a man, she nearly fainted again.
Kushina Uzumaki:
"Go for it, Hinata! And Naruto—you'd better not have any strange ideas about my future son-in-law!"
Naruto Uzumaki:
"Uh… Mom, your future son-in-law is…?"
Kushina Uzumaki:
"Of course Naruko and Nagi! If you dare have any improper thoughts, I'll break your legs!"
Naruto:
"..."
I'm your child in this world!
The Screen Continues…
Naruto directly rejected the malicious voice.
But Dark Naruto then brought up Sasuke, deliberately provoking him.
As expected, Naruto fell for it.
Soon the two clashed in an intense battle. Their strengths were evenly matched, and neither could gain the upper hand.
However, when they suddenly heard Kushina cheering, Dark Naruto froze.
An overwhelming sense of grievance welled up in his heart, and tears streamed down his face.
Naruto immediately stopped fighting.
"H-Hey… why are you crying? Even if you can't win, you shouldn't cry like that…"
Dark Naruto shook his head.
"I can't attack you anymore."
"Eh?"
Naruto was stunned. Just moments ago this guy had been aggressively attacking him with words—why did he suddenly stop?
Dark Naruto spoke quietly.
"If I keep attacking you and you collapse… the woman outside will be heartbroken."
"Eh? You mean…"
Naruto suddenly understood.
"Naruto… please cherish this hard-earned time."
Dark Naruto's body began to emit light, flickering in and out.
Naruto panicked.
"Hey! Wait—!"
"Naruto, if I continue to exist, it will only hurt that woman. Maybe my existence itself was a mistake."
Dark Naruto's form began to gradually dissipate.
Naruto rushed forward.
"Are you okay?! You—"
But Dark Naruto looked at him seriously.
"Naruto… for these three days, spend time with Mom and Dad.
That is my final test for you."
At that moment—
In Naruto's Eight-Tails State, a shadowy figure with black eyes and crimson pupils emerged from his body.
He looked longingly at Kushina and Minato, then turned his gaze toward Nagi.
"Nagi… just as expected of you.
You summoned them here… which means I can't harm Naruto anymore."
"…But thank you.
Thank you for letting me see my parents too."
With that—
Naruto's malicious self finally disappeared.
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