Chapter Text
"Wind Blade!"
Invisible wind formed in his hand, and the next second, it turned into a sharp blade that struck the little youkai in front of him. The youkai didn't even have time to let out a cry before its body was pierced by a sword and disappeared with a puff of smoke.
"Damn it!" The child stomped his foot, the fox ears on his head twitching with the movement. Karasu Tengu sheathed his long sword and provocatively raised his chin, meeting the child's angry glare. "A mere Youko thinks he can compare with the Tengu clan? Know your place and go home."
The child noticed the Tengu hidden around, guessing that the Karasu Tengu was likely sent by them to tease him. But why should he endure such treatment? With a sneer, he threw several wind blades in succession, forcing the Karasu Tengu to retreat step by step, shedding several black feathers in the process. "You!? How dare you! Be careful, or I'll report you to the clan leader..."
"Be careful, or I'll tell your 'leader' Karasu Tengu forgot his mask!" The child mimicked the Karasu Tengu's tone mockingly. Karasu Tengu was shocked to find his mask gone. The red mask spun around the child's fingers before being gripped tightly in his hand. "I..." Karasu Tengu was at a loss, looking back for help, but the other Tengu had already left.
"They left because they couldn't successfully tease you and didn't want to be embarrassed. Next time, be smarter and don't mess with Uzumaki." Naruto threw the mask back at Karasu Tengu, who hurriedly put it on and muttered empty threats as he fled.
With a sigh, Naruto jumped back into the tree and lay down, his large, fluffy tail hanging from the branch, swaying unconsciously. Since arriving in this forest, he had been harassed by the nearby Tengu countless times. If it weren't for the fact that there were no other youkai around, making it a peaceful place to sleep, he wouldn't stay here (although the Tengu's frequent disturbances were starting to affect his sleep quality, perhaps it was time to find a new place to rest).
"If you want to stay hidden, you should first tuck away your tail." A calm voice from behind interrupted Naruto's thoughts. He jumped up and turned to face the speaker, taking a defensive stance. Though this Tengu also wore a red mask, it was clear he was of a different level than the one before—not only was he much taller, but the aura he emitted made every cell in Naruto's body want to flee. This must be the Ootengu (and by the way, his mask was even uglier than the Karasu Tengu's; who would wear a mask with such a long nose? Naruto couldn't understand those Tengu's aesthetics). Suppressing his instinct to run, Naruto bared his teeth at him. the Kami remained unfazed, even moving closer, his large black wings flapping leisurely.
Knowing he couldn't win against the Kami, Naruto quickly scanned the surroundings for possible escape routes. He cautiously took a step back, and Ootengu didn't react. As expected, these Tengu were all arrogant bastards. Naruto threw a few wind blades at him and then bolted in the opposite direction, tail tucked. "Ha, let's see you not take me seriously now, by the time you react, I'll be far gone..."
"How far?" The familiar voice came from right beside him. Naruto swung a wind blade but hit nothing; the Kami who had been by his ear was now floating a few steps away, annoyingly elegant. Naruto, already on edge, pointed at the Kami and shouted, "What's wrong with you Tengu? You keep disturbing my sleep, is this place marked as yours or something? Are only you allowed to stay here?"
The Long Nose (a nickname Naruto just came up with) seemed to pause before slowly speaking. "Didn't you encounter a barrier on your way here?"
"What barrier? I only ran into you Tengu! One after another, just telling others to scram. I think you long noses are... mmph!" Naruto's rant was cut off; he couldn't speak or move. Glaring at Ootengu, he was sure this was his doing. Ootengu approached him step by step, hands clasped behind his back.
Closing his eyes, Naruto sighed internally. It seemed his legendary life would end at the hands of this guy. He hadn't even had a chance to return for another bowl of Ichiraku ramen; he should have eaten more last time...
A cold touch jolted Naruto awake. Opening his eyes, he saw Ootengu's mask up close. Ootengu had lifted Naruto's shirt, his fingers tracing the spiral pattern on his stomach. Oh heavens, what bad luck to end up like this. He hadn't even met a pretty fox he liked and now was being groped by the Ootengu. Naruto shed a tear of sorrow.
The Ootengu ignored Naruto's internal drama, his gaze fixed on the spiral pattern. He vaguely recalled seeing it somewhere, possibly a powerful seal. He might find something about it in the ancient texts at home. He could feel the immense youki hidden within this fox even through the seal. The earlier skirmish between Naruto and the Karasu Tengu had also been observed; typically, a Youko of this age wouldn't possess such strength and speed, but it made sense if this fox was sealed. This seal seemed to block most of the power, a puzzling self-destructive move. Better to ask directly. He quickly made a hand seal and released Naruto's silence.
"What's wrong with you Tengu? You keep disturbing my sleep; is this place marked as yours or something?" Naruto's words poured out like beans. The Ootengu sighed and silenced him again. "I'll ask you a few questions. Nod for yes, shake for no. Understand?" Naruto glared, clearly furious, and turned his head away in refusal.
Ignoring Naruto's defiance, the Ootengu continued. "In case you didn't know, this is Tengu's territory." Naruto turned back, surprised. "There's a barrier, which is why other youkai won't come near. But you didn't sense it and came in. I guess you don't know why." Naruto nodded.
"Do you know what the pattern on your stomach is?" Shake.
"Which family are you from? Where are your parents?" Shake.
Ootengu shook his head and released Naruto. "So, you really are just an ignorant Youko." With that, he flicked his sleeve, preparing to leave.
"Wait!" Seeing the Kami about to leave, Naruto jumped and grabbed his sleeve. Ootengu slowly raised his hand, and Naruto met a pair of pitch-black eyes, feeling his fur stand on end. "Do you recognize this pattern?"
The Tengu raised an eyebrow; this fox's fur was bristling, yet he still forced himself to speak. "It's a seal."
Naruto waited patiently, but the Tengu seemed disinclined to continue. A flick of his sleeve stirred a gust of wind, almost knocking Naruto off. Knowing he wanted to drive him away, Naruto transformed into his original form and clambered onto the Tengu's shoulder, clutching tightly. "Can you break it?"
"Why should I help you?"
"I..." The little fox pouted, trying to think of something to offer in exchange. "I can work for you?"
"No need."
"Anything!" Seeing the Tengu about to leave, Naruto panicked and blurted out. "Don't make promises lightly, Youko." The Tengu's tone suddenly became severe, and the atmosphere changed. The chirping birds fell silent. Naruto instinctively shrank back but still shouted, "I keep my promises! I'll do it!"
No response. After a while, Naruto craned his neck to check on him, but suddenly found himself lifted off the ground. "What are you doing, Long Nose!"
Ootengu paused at the nickname, his voice tinged with anger. "Uchiha Sasuke." His black wings flapped, and he took off with Naruto.
Naruto paused, realizing this was the Ootengu's name. "Uchiha Sasuke—" He repeated, imitating Sasuke's tone, then had his tail pulled. "Ow! Don't touch my tail!" Naruto swiped at Sasuke's face but missed as Sasuke changed direction. Naruto had to hold on tightly to avoid falling.
Realizing the gap in their strength, Naruto silently took note. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the future greatest Youko!" He waved his fox paw, tail brushing Sasuke's face with his words. Sasuke glanced at the fox, who seemed unaware of the annoyance his tail caused, eyes wide with curiosity as if flying for the first time.
"Never say those words again."
Naruto looked at Sasuke, blinking slowly, then realized he meant the promise. Sasuke's face was hard to read, but Naruto felt he seemed unhappy and nuzzled his neck to placate him. Sasuke finally grunted in response, so Naruto asked, "Does this mean you'll break the seal?"
Sasuke didn't respond. Frustrated, Naruto scrambled onto Sasuke's head, messing up his hair. Sasuke remained unmoved, not even altering his flight path. Naruto sighed dramatically, knowing this guy wouldn't answer. But at least he was being taken along; that should count as a yes, right?
Not really. Sasuke smirked, but at least he could trick this fox into coming home first.
——
"Uchiha-sama."
Naruto found Sasuke at the entrance of a large mansion. The Tengu on the road bowed in greeting when they saw them. Curious glances were cast at Naruto, and whispers began, only to be quickly silenced by the older Tengu. Sasuke moved with a speed comparable to flying, ignoring everyone as he walked straight ahead.
Inside the mansion, it was much quieter, with mostly servant-like figures present. They would pause to lightly bow when they saw Sasuke, as if not even noticing the fox on his shoulder, before immediately returning to their tasks without uttering a word. Naruto tilted his head, scrutinizing the spacious, cold, and quiet mansion that lacked any lively atmosphere.
"They don't talk to you," Naruto said, perched on Sasuke's shoulder, gesturing toward the passing servants, then looked up at Sasuke.
"I don't like listening to useless chatter, so I dismissed the need for verbal greetings," Sasuke replied, stopping in front of a door. A servant waiting nearby bowed and opened the door for him.
"Sasuke."
Naruto turned his head and saw a traditional room behind the door, where a Kami who looked remarkably similar to Sasuke was sitting. Could this be another Ōtengu? The mask hanging at his waist resembled the one Sasuke wore. Although his demonic aura wasn't as overwhelmingly oppressive as Sasuke's, Naruto instinctively knew this Kami was even more formidable. As they entered, Sasuke removed his mask, causing Naruto's eyes to widen, glancing back and forth between the two.
"Big Sasuke!"
Two sets of eyes focused on him, and Naruto realized he had spoken his thoughts aloud. He quickly covered his mouth and curled up under Sasuke's collar. Who could blame him? These two Tengu looked so alike!
Naruto's bright orange-red fur stood in stark contrast to Sasuke's plain attire. Observing the fox scarf on Sasuke's shoulder, the elder Tengu chuckled softly. "So this is the Youko? It seems you two get along quite well."
"Itachi," Sasuke responded plainly, his expression unchanged, neither confirming nor denying Itachi's statement. Naruto, however, leapt from Sasuke's shoulder and made a face at him, "I do not get along with him!" Sasuke frowned and glared at him, and Naruto glared back.
Watching their childish behavior, Itachi shook his head and motioned for Sasuke to sit beside him. As Sasuke sat down, Naruto jumped between them, looking left and right. Despite their similar features, there were subtle differences—at least Itachi's hair was much longer and seemed smoother than Sasuke's.
"So, why are you here?" Itachi asked, seemingly unfazed by Naruto's rude behavior, as he leisurely sipped his tea, allowing Naruto to observe.
"Because other youkai don't dare to come near here, I can sleep peacefully! For the record, I didn't know this was your territory. Sasuke said there was a barrier, but I didn't sense it at all! Blame your weak barrier, not me." As Itachi spoke, Naruto darted behind the small table, adopting a defensive posture, ready to flee at any moment. Noticing Naruto's wariness, Itachi was surprised and exchanged a glance with Sasuke, who raised an eyebrow.
This situation was unusual; typically, other youkai couldn't sense Itachi's demonic aura and would relax and converse with him. This fox hid behind the tea table, poised to block an attack and escape—a clever move, likely why he caught Sasuke's interest. Moreover, Tengu's territory barrier couldn't be weak; Naruto passing through unnoticed hinted he wasn't just an ordinary fox. Itachi's eyes glinted red briefly, but his tone softened, "No need to be so tense. Since Sasuke brought you here, you're our guest."
Naruto cautiously peeked out, half of his body still hidden behind the table. "I just want to know if you can lift my seal! Then he brought me back." He waved his paw in the air, then withdrew it under Sasuke's gaze.
"A seal?" Itachi's eyes turned crimson as he examined the little fox. To his surprise, Naruto quickly avoided his gaze and ran. Before he reached the door, Sasuke stood in front of him, lifting him with one hand.
"Let me go!" Naruto struggled fiercely, biting Sasuke hard. Sasuke frowned but didn't release his grip, puzzled by Naruto's sudden emotional outburst. With no means of escape, Naruto curled up, back to Itachi.
"Itachi just wants to see your seal," Sasuke said gently, his voice still calm, seemingly fearing further frightening Naruto. "We need to know what type of seal it is to lift it."
Hearing this, Naruto peeked out and saw Itachi's eyes had returned to black, finally relaxing a bit. He jumped back to Sasuke's shoulder. "But I don't like that feeling..."
"At least let him see the seal first." Watching Naruto's reaction, Sasuke slowly returned to Itachi's side. Though the little fox didn't flee, his tight grip on Sasuke's clothes showed how tense he was near Itachi. Sasuke chuckled; if Naruto knew he had similar eyes, he'd probably vanish.
Seeing no other choice, Naruto pouted and reluctantly transformed back to human form, moving closer to Itachi. "But don't look at me with those eyes."
Nodding, Itachi touched Naruto briefly, making no other moves. Naruto flinched, looking as if he were facing execution, his face scrunched up. Amused, Itachi lifted his shirt. He had caught a glimpse of the seal on his abdomen earlier but hadn't seen it in detail.
Naruto intently watched Itachi's expression, which remained unperturbed. No wonder he didn't wear a mask; it made no difference. After examining the seal, Itachi glanced at Sasuke, who shook his head. Unsure what message they silently exchanged, Naruto impatiently asked, "So, after all that, can you lift the seal or not?"
Returning his gaze to Naruto, Itachi smiled. "To be honest, Sasuke and I aren't familiar with this type of seal." Seeing Naruto's disappointment, Sasuke continued, "But we can inquire with other great youkai." Itachi glanced at Sasuke, and Naruto's eyes lit up again. Clearing his throat, Sasuke added, "But there's a condition."
"As long as you can lift the seal, I'll do anything..." Naruto started, but Sasuke's cold gaze made him fall silent. Oops, he forgot again.
"You must stay here."
"Huh?"
——
"You're keeping him here on purpose."
Once the servant escorted Naruto out of the room, Itachi spoke up. Sasuke took a sip of his now lukewarm tea but did not respond.
"Why? He's not an ordinary Youko." Itachi frowned at Sasuke, recalling the spiral-shaped seal he had seen earlier. "I've only seen that kind of seal in one place, and I believe you remember it too."
"Kyuubi," Sasuke answered softly. He had already figured it out when Itachi was examining the seal.
Nodding, Itachi continued, "Ever since the last Kyuubi died, the fox clan has been in turmoil over the leadership. Other youkai clans' interference has complicated their internal strife, and the reappearance of a Kyuubi could either be a blessing or a curse. We haven't intervened in this matter before, so are you planning to use the Kyuubi as leverage to meddle in their internal conflict now?"
"This is not just any leverage, Itachi. If Naruto's identity as the Kyuubi becomes known, most of the Youko will support him as their leader." Sasuke lifted his head, his eyes now the same blood-red as Itachi's earlier. "If we help Naruto break the seal, the fox clan will inevitably align with the Tengu."
"Sasuke, this plan carries enormous risks." Itachi shook his head, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "Even if Naruto could successfully become the leader, his aversion to the Sharingan makes it difficult for him to live with us."
"I'll find a way." Sasuke quickly replied, staring intently into Itachi's eyes. "Or are you unwilling to let him stay here?"
"Sasuke..." Itachi called softly but was interrupted sharply by Sasuke's stern voice. "Letting him wander outside, only to fall into the hands of other youkai clans, would be dangerous for both him and us. I won't let him go." Sasuke glanced in the direction Naruto had left, his gaze softening. "He seems to have been wandering for a long time and needs a home. Making him feel a sense of belonging here will bind his heart to the Tengu clan."
Knowing his brother's stubborn nature, Itachi realized it was difficult to change Sasuke's mind once he had made a decision. He wondered what had moved Sasuke about the little fox. Sighing, Itachi relented but set a condition. "At least until Naruto's seal is broken, his identity must remain hidden." Itachi pondered for a moment, "Even though we don't know who placed the seal on him, it has indeed protected him. So, until his powers grow, this seal must stay intact, and his identity must remain secret; otherwise, it will bring us significant trouble."
"I'm fully aware of that." Sasuke glanced at the piles of documents on Itachi's desk. "There are many issues within the clan. You don't need to worry about Naruto; I have my own plans. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
"Otouto." Looking deeply at his younger brother, Itachi sighed. "Since you've made your decision, I won't say more. But be careful with matters of the heart." Walking to the door with Sasuke, Itachi continued as the servant opened the door for them. "The Uchiha clan is a clan of love. We are strong because of love, but it is also our weakness."
"Do you think I've developed feelings for him?" Sasuke stopped, frowning. "We've only just met."
Shaking his head, Itachi gave a somewhat sorrowful smile. "Sometimes, love and hate can happen in an instant." He patted Sasuke's shoulder. "You'll understand in time."
The servant closed the door. Sasuke stood there for a long while until the servant finally asked, "Lord Uchiha, do you need to discuss further matters with the clan leader or return to your room to rest?"
"No need." Sasuke came back to his senses and smoothed the creases on his clothes. "Take me to where Naruto is."