Chapter 10: Menma: It Doesn't Matter, I'm Strong
"You plan to just keep being his nanny like this?"
Hearing the Nine-Tails' doubt, Uzumaki Menma smiled and asked back: "Why not? Isn't this kind of life quite good?"
It is quite good, but... This kind of life clearly doesn't suit a guy like Menma.
The Nine-Tails curled its lip, grumbling: "I've never seen anyone as strange as you. You clearly have such a powerful soul body, and that incredibly strong ninjutsu I've never seen before, yet you insist on staying inside this brat's body."
"Don't you hate Konoha? Why not just destroy it?"
Menma raised an eyebrow at this, retorting: "I warn you not to slander me. It's not Konoha I hate."
Heh, he didn't deny the second half though, the Nine-Tails criticized inwardly.
Then it heard Menma chuckle, eyes narrowed: "Besides, if I were to crudely destroy everything myself, wouldn't that be far too boring?"
"Then what do you want to do?"
"To let the lamb, originally trapped in hardship, see the cage binding it, and then have it break the cage with its own hands, liberating itself and its kin – isn't that much more interesting?" Menma stated matter-of-factly.
The Nine-Tails paused, remembering Menma's words from a month ago:
"I open the lambs' cage, but they just stand there, their eyes full of confusion."
It suddenly recalled something Menma had inexplicably said some time ago, when Naruto first started reading *The Analects* in the seal space.
"When the lambs fall silent, do you hear the cries and whispers from the darkest corners of the heart?"
Does he see the ignorant people of the world as lost lambs?
Then what does he see himself as?
Looking at the unchanging smile on Menma's face, the Nine-Tails' massive body couldn't help but shudder.
"You... you are truly too arrogant."
Regarding the bristling big fox's somewhat offensive words, Menma just smiled, unbothered.
"But I have the capital for arrogance, don't I?"
The Nine-Tails turned its head away without answering.
But this reaction was tantamount to tacit agreement with Menma's words.
Although this guy had black hair, since he could use the Adamantine Sealing Chains and Kagura Shingan, it meant he possessed Uzumaki clan blood.
In the Nine-Tails' impression, the Uzumaki clan were mostly brainless brutes.
But this fellow before it, full of schemes and with a nasty personality, despite always staying inside the brat's body, seemed to have everything planned out meticulously and confidently.
He saw through the actions of the Konoha villagers, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and Uzumaki Naruto, playing with them like marionettes in the palm of his hand.
"Fortunately, this terrifying guy doesn't seem to bear me any ill will."
A sense of relief suddenly washed over the Nine-Tails.
It was just a simple big fox that had lived for a thousand years; if it really went up against Menma, it would probably be manipulated until its death without ever understanding how it died.
Evidently, this less-cultured fox didn't understand concepts like "being sold and still helping the seller count the money," let alone "sustainable development."
"Kurama."
Menma suddenly spoke, interrupting the Nine-Tails' thoughts.
He looked down at his right arm, an unreadable glint flashing in his eyes.
"In a little while, I need to go out for some air. Can I borrow a bit of chakra?"
The Nine-Tails paused upon hearing this, then snorted coldly: "If I didn't give it, you'd just take it yourself, wouldn't you?"
For a guy like Menma to go out personally, it must be something important.
It can't beat him anyway, what right does it have to refuse?
"How could I? You are my friend, Kurama."
Menma smiled gently, reaching out to stroke the Nine-Tails' large, fluffy tail.
"I'd believe a ghost before I believe you! You're a bad one! If you need it, just take it. It's not like I can resist your Adamantine Sealing Chains anyway."
The Nine-Tails flicked its tail irritably and turned its head aside, but the corner of its mouth curled into a slight arc.
Although this guy was full of schemes, in the three years they had spent together so far, it hadn't seen him tell a single lie.
At most, he would amplify one aspect and hide another part.
So, the Nine-Tails could now discern some of the true meaning behind his words.
"Even if not quite friends, at least not just a beast, right?"
This guy was more terrifying than Uchiha Madara.
...
December 20th. Today was the third birthday of the Hyūga main family's eldest daughter, Hyūga Hinata.
On this day, the branch family children would be branded on their foreheads with the [Caged Bird] Cursed Seal by the main family. For the rest of their lives, the 'Caged Bird' would restrict their freedom and individuality, turning them into tools for the main family to maintain their ruling status and protect their own safety.
It was also the day the Cloud Village delegation arrived in Konoha to conclude a peace treaty, personally received by the Third Hokage. The entire village of Konoha was surging with undercurrents.
And also on this day...
Little Naruto sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes tightly closed. Beside him lay a copy of *Detailed Explanation of Chakra Refining*, densely filled with notes.
Suddenly, Naruto's eyes snapped open, a look of pleasant surprise on his face, and an invisible ripple appeared around him.
Simultaneously, he exclaimed in his mind: "Menma-nii! I refined chakra!!"
"Very good, Naruto."
Menma's voice came, tinged with gratification: "Since you can already refine chakra, today I will teach you your first ninjutsu."
"Ninjutsu?"
Naruto's eyes instantly lit up: "Is it the kind that lets you spit out giant fireballs?!"
He had once seen a big brother use ninjutsu by the stream, spitting out a huge fireball out of thin air that almost evaporated the stream!
It was just too cool!!
"This ninjutsu can't spit out giant fireballs, but..."
"Huh?"
Before Menma could finish, little Naruto immediately deflated, saying disappointedly: "It can't spit out giant fireballs."
"Don't underestimate this jutsu," Menma said exasperatedly. "The [Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique] you mentioned is just a C-rank jutsu. What I'm about to teach you is the B-rank jutsu developed by the Second Hokage, the [Shadow Clone Technique]. If you master it, it will greatly benefit your future ninjutsu training."
[Shadow Clone Technique] was originally a jutsu used by the Second Hokage Tobirama for espionage. It's a ninjutsu that uses chakra to create tangible clones that can act and fight just like the user, possessing consciousness independent of the original caster and a certain degree of durability. Upon dispelling, the clone's memories and experiences return to the original body.
Hearing "B-rank jutsu," Naruto's eyes lit up again, his motivation reignited.
He now had some basic understanding of ninjutsu ranks and naturally understood the value of a B-rank jutsu.
C-rank jutsu were Chūnin level; B-rank were Jōnin level!
Moreover, it was a jutsu developed by the Second Hokage – it must be very strong!!
"The hand seal sequence for [Shadow Clone Technique] is Ox → Dog → Dragon → Rat → Dog → Boar → Serpent → Tiger. Use the seals to mobilize the chakra in your body and complete the eight seals within four seconds, otherwise it will fail."
While little Naruto was struggling to practice the 'eight seals in four seconds' in the seal space, Menma and the Nine-Tails watched quietly from a distance.
"Are you planning to interfere in the matter between the Hyūga main and branch families?"
Through the [Shadow Clone Technique] and today's date, the Nine-Tails had already figured out Menma's intention.
It frowned and said: "It might be meddling, but I still have to remind you, the rigid main family isn't as simple as it appears on the surface."
The Hyūga clan wasn't just one of the founding families that joined Konoha during the early days of the Land of Fire; they are also the direct descendants of the Old Man of Six Paths' younger brother (Hamura), the only clan inheriting the Kekkei Genkai [Byakugan]. They have history inherited from the early Warring States period up to the present day, possessing several hundred years of history, formidable strength, and deep foundations.
Even it wasn't sure if those old antiques still held some unknown, powerful trump cards.
"It doesn't matter."
Menma just shook his head upon hearing this, his expression completely unfazed.
"I'm very strong~"