As soon as the voice said those words, Naruto froze.
He didn't know what to think.
The Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze—was his dad?
What kind of sick joke was that?
He stared into the air, confused and overwhelmed.
"…What? Are you serious?" he finally whispered.
"You don't believe me?" the voice asked, calm but persistent.
Naruto wanted to argue—wanted to say it was impossible. But deep down, something in the voice made him hesitate. He didn't speak. He just waited, eyes wide, heart racing, hoping the voice would say more.
"Alright," the voice said. "Then just relax your mind. Don't fight it. I'm going to show you something."
Suddenly, everything around Naruto changed.
He found himself standing in a dark, eerie space. The ground was covered in cold, black water, reaching just above his knees. It felt still. Heavy. Silent.
Naruto looked around, confused and a little scared.
"Where… where is this? Why did you bring me here?" he asked.
The voice echoed back calmly. "Aren't you curious why everyone calls you the Demon? And why I told you the Fourth Hokage is your father?"
"Then walk forward. Keep moving forward, and you'll get your answers."
It felt like something out of a dream, but Naruto could feel the water, the chill—it was real. He was really here, wherever "here" was. And even though this place scared him, he trusted the voice. It had always been there with him.
So, Naruto clenched his fists and started walking.
Step by step, the sound of water echoed around him. Each footstep sent ripples out into the blackness. He walked slowly, unsure of what he was heading toward. After what felt like forever, he saw something ahead—a faint glow in the distance.
His eyes lit up, and he picked up speed.
Water splashed around him as he ran. He tripped a few times, soaked himself completely, but didn't stop. He didn't even care. All he could think about was finding the truth.
Why did everyone hate him?
Why was he always alone?
Was the Fourth Hokage really… his father?
As he got closer, he slowed down—not because he was tired, but because he could finally make out what the light was showing.
A massive iron gate.
Behind it… something huge.
Naruto crept forward cautiously.
Then he stopped. His eyes went wide. He couldn't move.
It was a monster
Inside the cage was a giant, terrifying creature—its body barely visible through the darkness, but its power impossible to ignore.
Naruto stumbled backward and fell into the cold water.
He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"What's wrong?" the voice said again.
"Didn't you want to know why people call you a Demon?"
"It's because you are the Demon Fox. That thing in the cage—is sealed inside you."
Naruto stared, trembling. His heart pounded. His face had gone pale.
It was true.
Everything everyone had said… was true.
He wasn't just hated. He wasn't just bullied. He was a monster. A living prison for a beast that destroyed the village years ago.
If that was true… how could anyone ever accept him?
All his hope for making friends, for being part of the village—gone in an instant.
He wasn't even thinking about the Hokage anymore. Right now, all that mattered was that he finally understood why everyone avoided him.
Still, the voice didn't stop.
"Keep moving forward," it said. "You're not done yet. The full truth is just ahead."
Naruto hesitated, then slowly got back on his feet.
He moved forward cautiously, the ripples in the water giving away his every step.
Suddenly, the beast inside the cage opened its eyes.
They glowed.
Naruto flinched—but the beast didn't roar or attack.
Instead… it looked almost excited.
Its deep, growling voice echoed through the space: "Hey, kid. How'd you get in here?"
Naruto stammered. "I… I don't know… I just… ended up here…"
Then, just like the voice had told him, he started repeating the words it had taught him.
The Nine-Tails watched carefully.
Then, in a low, rumbling voice, it said, "Kid, you want friends, right? Come closer. Help me out here. Tear off this seal on the cage. If you do, I can be your friend."
Naruto blinked, stunned.
He turned inward, speaking to the voice again.
"Should I do it? I mean… isn't he the Demon Fox everyone's afraid of? If I let him out… will he hurt people? I don't want to hurt anyone…"
The voice replied gently, "It's okay. Trust me. He won't be able to hurt anyone."
Naruto paused for a long time, thinking.
Then finally… he took a deep breath and stepped forward.
The Nine-Tails could barely contain its excitement.
The energy in the space grew tense. Its eyes glowed even brighter. But it stayed still, doing it's best not to scare the kid so he can tear the seal.
Naruto approached the iron bars.
He looked up.
The seal—some kind of tag or paper talisman—was stuck high above the gate. It was nearly twice his height.
He swallowed hard.
The beast was enormous—towering like a mountain behind those bars—but Naruto forced himself to move.
He grabbed the bars.
He climbed.
Gripping with his hands, locking with his knees, he slowly made his way upward…