The New Nine Tails

End of the Preliminaries

After hearing that deep voice, Hiroto suddenly found himself falling through a deep black void before landing in the water.

Hiroto looked to see he was in a sort of large sewer as he sat up and stood, looking down to see he was standing on the top of the water. Looking around, Hiroto saw that the only pathway was before him.

Walking for a while down that one pathway, Hiroto came to a large chamber three times the size of the Hokage Mansion, and on the other end were giant red wooden bars like a jail. Hiroto tried to look past the bars, but all he could see was black nothingness as he walked closer to them, stopping a distance from it.

"So we finally meet," the deep voice from earlier said from the other side of the bars as a pair of red eyes could be seen in the darkness high above Hiroto, who had to look up at them. 

"Jailer to prisoner," it said as Hiroto's once shocked look faded to seriousness.

"So it's you? The Nine-Tailed Fox," he said as the darkness seemed to wash away and reveal the fox with dark red fur and nine tails swaying behind him as the fox seemed to smirk at him.

"Hiroto Uzumaki. I've been watching you for a long time," it said as Hiroto glared at it.

"Is that so? Then why now? Why reach out to me?" Hiroto questioned.

"Because I think it's time we work together," it answered as Hiroto's eyes widened in shock.

"What are you talking about?" he asked before narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the fox.

"You've been watching my life from inside me, right?!" Hiroto shouted angrily as the fox's smirk vanished. "You know what's happened to me! So why would I ever work with you?! You're the reason the village hates me! The reason they beat and tortured me! YOU'RE THE REASON THEY CALLED ME A MONSTER!!!" Hiroto shouted angrily as the fox seemed regretful, which somewhat surprised Hiroto.

"I know of your pain, Hiroto. I know what the villagers have done to you in my place, and for that, I am sorry," it said as Hiroto was shocked, his eyes widening as the fox bowed its head to him. Hitoto searched the fox's eyes for any hint of deception. He desperately searched.

But he found none—only genuine regret and sorrow.

"Why?" Hiroto asked shakily as he teared up. "Why are you here? What do you want from me!" he shouted with tears prickling the corners of his eyes.

"To help you," the fox answered calmly despite Hiroto's anger.

"But why?" Hiroto stressed, stepping forward with his arms held out. "We were taught that the Nine-Tailed Fox was a monster. A being of pure hatred. Why would you want to help me? The one you're sealed inside of?!" Hiroto shouted desperately as the fox sighed sadly.

"Because in a few years, Hiroto. I will cease, and you... will become the new Nine-Tailed Fox," the fox revealed as Hiroto was shocked to his core. His eyes widened in shock as he went limp and fell to his knees before falling forward on his hands and knees as tears fell from his eyes, hitting the water and creating ripples.

"Why?" Hiroto asked in barely a whisper as tears dripped down his face. "Why?" he asked again, looking up at the fox.

"When your Fourth Hokage split my chakra into Yin and Yang and sealed me inside you and your brother, he made a mistake. He was tired and struggled to pull my chakra into two halves. He successfully sealed my Yang half into Naruto, but he was fading and rushed the sealing of my Yin half into you. In his rush, he not only sealed my chakra but my spirit as well, and he tied it with your own," the fox revealed as Hiroto's eyes widened in shock.