How Kurama Leads Naruto Astray

Bright red chakra crawled from Naruto's arm onto Kazahana Koyuki's body, transforming into the powerful cloak of the Nine-Tails and wrapping around her completely. 

With a smile, Naruto unleashed a massive Tailed Beast Bomb in his hand. It burst like fireworks, brief yet unforgettable. 

The crimson figure broke through the fiery explosion. The giant airship in the sky shattered into pieces, crashing down into the snowfield below and scattering snowflakes in all directions. 

Naruto descended from the sky, holding Kazahana Koyuki in his arms. The red chakra melted the ice and snow around them. 

He glanced at the wreckage of the airship in the distance, retracting the chakra that enveloped them. 

"I can now use the Two-Tails level of the Nine-Tails cloak without limit. Kurama, aren't I amazing?" 

"Sure, sure." Kurama didn't really care. He was more interested in the destroyed airship, looking satisfied. 

"That felt great." 

"Hehe." Naruto grinned along with him. 

Kazahana Koyuki leaned against Naruto, staring at the boy who was slightly shorter than her. Her gaze was dazed before she turned to the wreckage of the airship, her blank expression replaced with shock. 

"Amazing..." It was the only thing Kazahana Koyuki could manage to say. 

Naruto puffed out his chest proudly. 

"Of course! I'm Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure! Something like this? Easy peasy." 

Kurama snorted in mockery. 

"Easy, my tail. Without my support, you couldn't have taken down that airship. At least be honest with yourself." 

Naruto ignored Kurama's sarcasm. After all, Kazahana Koyuki couldn't hear him. Right now, he was basking in her admiration. 

"Naruto, if it's you... you can definitely defeat Kazahana Doto, right?" Kazahana Koyuki stared at Naruto. The burning airship behind them became a backdrop, and the fiery explosions lit up their figures. 

Naruto didn't notice the subtle emotions in her voice and confidently nodded. 

"If you believe in me, I'll make sure to live up to your trust. Kurama once told me: A promise made is a promise kept. Breaking it means facing the punishment of the flaming sword." 

Although Naruto didn't know what the Fire Sword was, he knew that it must be something serious if it involved burning oneself.

Kazayahana Koyuki tightly gripped the necklace around her neck, staring blankly at Naruto. It wasn't until a moment later that she smiled and leaned into his chest. She took off the hexagonal crystal she had worn since she was a child, extended her hand, and,

 to Naruto's surprise, hung it around his neck.

She looked at him with a smile. 

"It suits you."

"This…" Naruto looked at the hexagonal crystal on his chest and scratched the back of his head. "Isn't this something your father left for you? And it's related to the treasure of the Land of Snow. You're just giving it to me like this?"

"You are my treasure," Kazayahana Koyuki said seriously.

Naruto stood still for a moment, and then it seemed like he understood what she meant. With all seriousness, he looked at her and said, 

"I'll make sure to protect this crystal, and I'll return it to you the day Kazayahana Doto is completely defeated."

Kurama: "…"

Kazayahana Koyuki was a bit stunned, then smiled and shook her head. 

"It doesn't matter if you don't return it, because the treasure of the Land of Snow isn't as important to me as you are."

"You're saying that, but it's the treasure of the Land of Snow," Naruto said, pouting, looking as if he didn't think he could possibly be more important than the treasure.

"Ah~" Kurama sighed and shook his head, lifting his head and starting to sing, 

"Snowflakes~ flutter~ flutter~~ the north wind howls~~ the world~ is vast~ and desolate~~~"

"What are you singing?" Naruto asked, frowning. Though the melody was nice, he felt like the fox wasn't up to anything good.

Kurama glanced at him. 

"Heh, don't worry, it's not for you."

Naruto glanced at Kurama, confirming that the fox really wasn't mocking him. He grumbled and put the hexagonal crystal away. But as he did so, another crystal hanging from his chest slipped out.

It was a six-sided green crystal. Although it wasn't as impressive as the hexagonal one, it had a pleasant, calming appearance.

Kazayahana Koyuki immediately became alert and instinctively reached out to grab the crystal, inspecting it closely. 

"What kind of crystal is this? Who gave it to you? Was it that girl Hinata?"

"Uh…" Naruto felt a bit awkward as he looked at her and softly explained, 

"No, this is a necklace Tsunade-sama gave me. It's an heirloom from the First Hokage. It contains his chakra, and it helps suppress Kurama."

"Hmm?" Kurama's ears perked up.

"…But it doesn't really work for me," Naruto added.

"Hmm~" Kurama nodded, satisfied.

Prideful fox! Naruto couldn't help but mentally complain.

"So Tsunade gave it to you," Kazayahana Koyuki smiled, narrowing her eyes, and placed the necklace back on Naruto's chest, patting it gently. 

"You really need to take good care of it. When I see her again, I'll buy her an even better one."

"To be honest, you can't afford it," Kurama lay inside the seal, acting as the voice of sarcasm.

Just the cost of this necklace would probably be enough to sell the entire Land of Snow, and buying a better one? Not possible. Even if it were possible, Kazayahana Koyuki couldn't afford it. And Tsunade would definitely explode if she heard her call her 'Tsunade-sama.'

It's not that Kurama was purposely targeting Kazayahana Koyuki or anything, but the prideful attitude from the Land of Snow seemed to be inherited, with everyone having at least a little bit of it. This made things awkward for the Konohagakure group more than once.

But this time was different, because Naruto didn't know the value of the necklace, and Tsunade didn't tell him, while Jiraiya wouldn't speak up either.

So, Naruto was more focused on another matter: "Why do you call her grandma too?"

"Your grandma is obviously my grandma too." Kazayahana Koyuki smiled, her eyes squinting, looking completely innocent and harmless.

Naruto shivered slightly, then scratched the back of his head in confusion. "Weird... why do I feel this faint sense of malice? And it feels so strange, like someone's plotting against me?"

Kurama: "..."

Kazayahana Koyuki turned her head, pretending to look around at the scenery.

The strange sense of good and evil usually requires being close enough to sense it, so Naruto was sure that the person trying to plot against him was right next to him.

Thinking this, Naruto narrowed his eyes and cautiously pulled Kazayahana Koyuki behind him. "Kazayahana Doto, you must be pretty strong to survive such an attack."

As Naruto finished speaking, a dark figure suddenly rose in the distance. Giant dragon-like wings flapped behind it, and an overwhelming killing intent radiated from the figure. Yes, this was Kazayahana Doto.

Kazayahana Doto's cloak had disappeared, and his body was now covered in pitch-black armor, with a pale purple crystal in the center of his chest. A strong chakra presence swirled around the crystal.

His eyes were filled with endless rage. "Kid, I admit I underestimated you, but today, you'll definitely die in the Land of Snow!"

Naruto protected Kazayahana Koyuki, red chakra slowly emerging around him, and he sneered coldly. "So it was you plotting against me. I knew it."

Kurama: "..."

Kazayahana Koyuki again pretended to look at the scenery and, in her heart, silently thanked Kazayahana Doto for the first time in ten years.

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