The Uchiha training grounds, usually a place of solitary focus for Sasuke, now echoed with the rhythmic thud of sparring. Two figures moved with practiced precision, their movements a blur against the backdrop of the ancient training posts. Naruto, his chakra flaring with an untamed energy, lunged with a flurry of taijutsu strikes, each blow met and deflected by Sasuke's calculated counters.
Two days had passed since their return from the Land of Tea, and the familiar routine of training had resumed. Physical conditioning, a brutal regimen designed to push their bodies beyond their limits, followed by a brief respite, a moment of fragile tranquility before the next onslaught.
Sasuke, his breath coming in measured breaths, parried a wild kick from Naruto, sending him stumbling back. He allowed his gaze to drift towards the setting sun, a crimson stain against the twilight sky. 'The timeline is shifting,' he thought, his mind dissecting the subtle changes in the world around him. 'The Akatsuki… they might move sooner, I wish I am wrong about it though.'
The specter of the looming threat hung heavy in the air, a silent promise of impending chaos. He glanced at Naruto, his brow furrowed. 'He needs to understand… he needs to befriend with Kurama, I can't be sure that everything will going as I knows.'
"Naruto," Sasuke began, his voice cutting through the silence, "What do you truly think of the fox inside you?"
Naruto, his face flushed from exertion, paused, his expression hardening. "That… that demon? It attacked the village, killed countless people. It's the reason everyone hates me." The familiar bitterness laced his words, a raw echo of past pain.
Sasuke sighed, a weariness settling in his eyes. "You should try to understand it, Naruto. Try to see why it harbors such hatred."
"Understand it?" Naruto scoffed, his voice rising in indignation. "It's evil, Sasuke! It's nothing but a monster. It helped me once, but that doesn't change anything."
'His attitude needed to be changed,' Sasuke thought, his mind racing. 'I should let him know the truth, the context.'
"Naruto," he said, his voice low and steady, "The Kyuubi… it wasn't always a rampaging demon. It was controlled, manipulated."
Naruto's eyes widened, a flicker of disbelief crossing his features. "Controlled? By who?"
"Madara Uchiha," Sasuke revealed, his voice laced with a cold precision. "My ancestor. He used his Mangekyo Sharingan to control the Kyuubi, to wage war against Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage."
Naruto's jaw dropped, his gaze fixed on Sasuke. "That's… that's impossible."
"It's the truth," Sasuke continued, his voice unwavering. "After the battle, Hashirama captured the nine tailed beasts, recognizing their immense power. He saw them as… potential threats. The Ichibi, the one you fought during the Chunin Exams, is the weakest of them. They are siblings. To maintain peace, Hashirama distributed them to the other nations, like… gifts."
He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle. "And since then, these beasts have been sealed within humans, called Jinchuriki. You are one of them, Naruto."
"Hashirama's intentions were noble," Sasuke said, his voice resonating with a grim understanding. "But his methods… they created a legacy of resentment. That's why the Kyuubi hates humanity."
Naruto stared at him, and his expression a mixture of shock and disbelief. "Is… is that really true?" he whispered, his gaze flickering towards the empty space within him.
Inside Naruto, Kurama's eyes narrowed, his massive form shifting restlessly. 'That damn Uchiha… how does he know so much?' he thought, a low growl rumbling in his throat.