Kurama's Friend

Part 1: The Unlikely Bond

Naruto staggered through the village streets, doing his best to ignore the looks and whispers around him. Life in Konoha wasn't easy for an orphan, and it was even harder for Naruto, with villagers seemingly determined to make him feel every ounce of their disdain. But today, the hostility escalated into violence. A group of villagers had gathered, hurling insults that quickly turned into thrown fists, and Naruto found himself helpless against their barrage.

As he took blow after blow, his vision began to blur, his body shutting down. Darkness crept in, but in that darkness, something else emerged. His consciousness slipped away from reality and into an unknown realm.

When he opened his eyes again, Naruto found himself somewhere... else. Before him stood a massive cage, with bars sealed by an intricate paper tag bearing strange symbols he couldn't decipher. Behind those bars, a pair of gleaming red eyes stared down at him. Naruto's heart raced as he took in the creature's towering form—a giant fox with an aura of overwhelming power.

Naruto didn't react with fear or anger. Instead, he looked up at the creature with a mix of awe and curiosity. "Who... who are you?" he asked, eyes wide.

The fox's eyes narrowed, surprised. This small child, who had endured so much hostility, didn't look at him with fear or malice. Kurama expected disgust, contempt, even hunger for power, but instead, Naruto's gaze was filled with innocence. It was something Kurama hadn't encountered in a long time.

"Human," Kurama growled. "Are you not afraid of me?"

Naruto shook his head, unphased. "Why would I be? You're... kinda cool, honestly," he said with a nervous smile. "Besides, I don't really have any friends. You... wanna be friends?"

The fox blinked, stunned by the boy's boldness. This kid didn't want his power; he just wanted companionship. Although wary, Kurama felt a strange softness toward the young boy. Still, Kurama wouldn't immediately trust him. Humanity had wronged him too many times.

But as days passed, Naruto often visited his mindscape, returning whenever he had a hard day or when he felt lonely. Over time, he learned how to enter this mental realm on his own. And as months and years went by, Naruto and Kurama's bond strengthened, transforming their early encounters into something that resembled friendship.

When Naruto was around ten years old, Kurama finally felt a change in his heart, a softening he hadn't known was possible. He cared for this boy who stubbornly refused to give up on him. And so, in a gesture of trust, Kurama decided to teach Naruto to tap into his power, sharing with him how to unlock a weaker form of the powerful chakra cloak that he held within.

In the original world, Naruto would need the key to unlock this power, but here, things were different. Naruto discovered a form of the Kyubi Chakra Mode, though limited to a fraction of Kurama's full strength. This transformation, though just a portion of Kurama's immense energy, gave Naruto an unbelievable edge, fueling his abilities with the power of around three or four tails' worth of chakra. For Naruto, it was like nothing he'd ever experienced.

As Naruto grew, this bond with Kurama affected everything—from his performance at the Academy to his personality. Kurama pushed him to take training seriously, warning him about the risks of misusing the cloak's incredible power. Naruto still retained his mischievous spirit but held back from pranking and focused on his ninja training. The sense of friendship and guidance Kurama provided was unlike anything he'd ever known, and it filled a void that had once been empty.

By the time he was in the Academy, Naruto's performance drastically improved. With the Eight Trigrams Seal no longer disrupting his chakra flow and Kurama's encouragement driving him, Naruto could harness the full scope of his vast chakra reserves. As he progressed through his studies, his reputation grew. Though he still wasn't as popular as Sasuke, people noticed his newfound strength and discipline. Even Sasuke, who would later bear the weight of the Uchiha Massacre, befriended him, though their rivalry simmered beneath the surface.

As time went on, Naruto reached graduation. With Kurama's assistance, he mastered essential jutsu far more effectively than he would have on his own. Kurama taught him various techniques, including Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, Wind Release techniques, and even some wind-based projectiles, which were at a chunin level. By the time Team 7 was formed, Naruto was a far cry from the class clown. He had strength, skill, and a dangerous hidden power that few could match.

On their first day as a team, Kakashi tested their abilities with the infamous bell test. With Kurama's guidance, Naruto didn't rush in recklessly as he might have before. Instead, he stayed hidden, allowing Sasuke and Sakura to make their moves first. When it was his turn, he faced Kakashi with caution, yet determination, but quickly realized he was outmatched. After Kakashi's humiliating "Thousand Years of Death" trick, Naruto decided to ask Kurama if he could unleash a bit of his chakra cloak.

The moment Kurama agreed, Naruto felt the familiar warmth of the Kyubi's chakra envelop him, turning his body into a golden blur. His teammates and even Kakashi were taken aback by the power emanating from the young boy. Kakashi, recognizing the threat, raised his headband, revealing his Sharingan to even the odds. But despite his Sharingan, Naruto's four-tailed state gave him enough speed and strength to snatch the bells from Kakashi's distracted grasp, securing a victory.

After the test, word of Naruto's power spread quietly through the village's upper echelons. The Third Hokage and even Danzo heard of the young jinchuriki's feat, though they kept his abilities a secret to avoid attracting attention from rival villages. Hiruzen, the Hokage, stressed that Naruto should only use this power sparingly, for it could attract dangerous interest and upset the delicate balance of power among the Five Great Nations. Naruto promised he would be careful, saying simply, "Kurama already told me that."

Kakashi was taken aback by Naruto's casual mention of Kurama's name. Naruto explained that "Kurama" was what he called the Nine-Tails, and that Kurama had named him a "perfect jinchuriki." The shock was evident on Kakashi's face, though he managed to keep it mostly hidden.

As their team's missions progressed, Naruto and Sasuke both craved greater challenges, and eventually, the Hokage assigned them a C-rank mission to escort the bridge builder Tazuna to the Land of Waves. During their journey, Kurama's heightened senses alerted Naruto to the presence of an enemy, and Naruto warned his team. Together, Naruto and Sasuke neutralized the threat of the Demon Brothers, surprising Tazuna with their skill. Naruto's power continued to prove vital, as they encountered Zabuza Momochi, a rogue ninja from Kirigakure.

When Kakashi fell into Zabuza's Water Prison Jutsu, Naruto and Sasuke devised a plan to free him. With Kurama's chakra at his side, Naruto moved with lightning speed, catching Zabuza off guard and securing Kakashi's release. Naruto's prowess allowed him to fight alongside his sensei against the swordsman, whose strength paled before Naruto's powerful chakra aura.

Even when Haku, Zabuza's companion, intervened, Naruto's ability to sense malicious intent alerted Kakashi that their foe wasn't who he claimed to be. Naruto's extraordinary power left a lasting impression, especially on Sasuke, who began to feel a growing sense of inferiority beside his teammate. The mission came to a close with Naruto's victory, and in its wake, the villagers honored him by naming the bridge after him—The Great Naruto Bridge.

As they returned to the Leaf Village, Sasuke's envy only deepened. Watching Naruto grow stronger, Sasuke couldn't ignore his own desire for power. Yet, Naruto, with Kurama's guidance and friendship, had only just begun his journey.