"Big fox, how long have you been here? It's all water everywhere, aren't you uncomfortable?"
Kurama's ears twitched slightly, and it squinted at him. "Do you think I want to be like this? Don't talk to this old man so casually, kid."
"Seriously..." Naruto protested with a displeased look. "I already told you my name is Uzumaki Naruto, not 'kid'! Since I introduced myself, shouldn't you politely tell me your name too?"
Kurama sneered, "Hmph, a name? Don't you humans all call me 'Nine-Tailed Demon Fox'? I'm tired of that name."
...It seems that if I want to get closer to this big fox now, I'll have to use some unconventional methods.
Naruto rubbed his chin, then looked up, revealing a sly smile. "Hmm... Excuse me, is your name 'Kurama'?"
"What?!"
Kurama, who had been lying on the ground ignoring Naruto, suddenly lifted its head. Its massive body instantly tensed. Its name—in this Ninja World, only the Six Paths Sage and the other Tailed Beasts should know it! How could this kid...?
"Boom—!"
Kurama suddenly stood up, its giant paw slamming hard against the iron bars of the cage, making the entire sealing space tremble slightly. "Kid... Where did you hear that name from?!"
"I saw it in an anime." But this answer wouldn't satisfy Kurama, and in this world, there was no such concept as "anime" at all. If he really answered that way, Kurama would probably think he was teasing it, right?
"Hmm... well," Naruto put on a hesitant expression, "What I'm about to say might be a bit strange."
"Just say it already!" Kurama impatiently slammed its paw on the ground, the splashing water wetting Naruto's pant legs.
"Actually, I'm not even sure if this is true or false. A long time ago, I had a very strange dream."
"A dream?" Kurama showed a mocking expression. "Kid, you're not trying to say you learned this old man's name in a dream, are you?"
"Although it does sound strange," Naruto looked Kurama directly in the eyes, his tone surprisingly serious, "that's how it was. In my dream, an old man in a white robe with a very distinctive appearance told me that a big fox named Kurama lived inside my body. He also told me to be friends with you and said we should understand each other or something..."
Old man...?
This description struck Kurama. Its massive body visibly stiffened for a moment, and even its breathing became rapid. A white robe, a strangely-featured old man, teaching humans and Tailed Beasts to understand each other... These details were too specific to be a coincidence!
"One day, the Tailed Beasts will understand humans and find their true home."
The Six Paths Sage' words echoed thunderously in Kurama's mind. These were secrets only Tailed Beasts who had personally experienced that era would know; there was no way a mere three-year-old human child could fabricate them out of thin air!
Kurama's claws unconsciously tightened. "Kid... what else did that old man say?"
Naruto noticed the subtle change in Kurama's attitude and secretly rejoiced. "Hmm... He also said some strange things, like 'the essence of Chakra is connection,' and 'true strength comes from understanding'..."
With each sentence, Kurama's pupils contracted further. These words, these concepts, were all core ideas of the Six Paths Sage!
Naruto scratched his head. "About that old man, there's one more particularly strange thing."
"What?" Kurama immediately pressed, its voice laced with barely concealed urgency. Its mind was racing, trying to piece together the truth from these fragmented bits of information, while also carefully discerning any potential contradictions in Naruto's words.
"In the dream," Naruto showed a confused expression, "he kept calling me 'Ashura.' Don't you think that's strange? Did he mistake me for someone else?"
"Ashura?!"
This name exploded in Kurama's ears. The Six Paths Sage, its true name, the old man's prophecy, plus this name... Could this kid in front of it be the reincarnation of Ashura?!
Naruto watched Kurama, who had suddenly fallen silent, its orange-red eyes staring intently at him, yet not speaking. It seemed the information was too overwhelming, even for this Tailed Beast that had lived for thousands of years, to know how to react.
"Hmm..." Naruto proactively broke the silence. "Kurama, that's your name, right! My name is Uzumaki Naruto!" He patted his chest. "Since you're inside my body, please take care of me from now on!"
Kurama was silent for a moment, then slowly lay back down, turning its massive head to one side, and said in a deep voice. "...Kurama."
Although it had inwardly believed most of what Naruto said, as a Tailed Beast that had witnessed too much hatred and fear, it wouldn't be so naive as to trust a human based on just one conversation, nor would it foolishly immediately pursue the ideal of "mutual understanding."
Let's observe for a while...
Kurama narrowed its eyes, glancing at the blond kid out of the corner of its eye. To see if he really had any connection to the old man... and... if he truly had the qualifications to be the one in the old man's prophecy.
Kurama noticed Naruto's undisguised fervent gaze, those azure eyes sparkling with an uncomfortable anticipation. It irritably swished its tail.
"So, kid, what exactly do you want?"
Naruto sat cross-legged on the damp ground, his smile bright. "Nothing special, it's just that almost no one ever talks to me. Have you been stuck here all this time too? Does that mean... I was never truly alone?"
"Hmph, I'm not here by choice."
"Hmm... at least our 'not by choice' situations match pretty well? If letting you out would be dangerous... how about we be not-so-quiet neighbors for a while until we find a suitable solution?"
"You're quite the dreamer."
"Don't be so cold~" Naruto drew out his words. "Even though that old man told me to be friends with you, the reason I'm talking to you isn't some grand excuse."
Kurama didn't reply, just watched Naruto silently, waiting for him to continue.
Naruto's expression became a little lonely. "Because... no one ever pays attention to me normally... it's really nice to have someone to talk to."
Naruto's smile became a little bitter. "Of course, if you don't even want to talk to me... I really will only have my shadow left. So... thank you for being willing to listen to me."
"...Hmph, don't compare me to yourself."
Kurama turned its head away, but the several fluffy tails behind it swayed uncontrollably from side to side.
Naruto merely smiled faintly at Kurama's coldness. Naruto knew this big guy was also a tsundere.
"Right now, I don't know how to get out, and I don't know how to help you change the environment here." Naruto looked around.
"Kurama, if you had to choose... would you rather stay here alone, or have me ramble on, tell you stories and things?"
"...Whatever."