I Became Naruto And My Girlfriend Became The Nine-Tails

The years passed, and Naruto's life continued on its quiet, uneventful course. The days at the orphanage were brief, as he was taken from there on his third birthday, his innocence forever intertwined with the loss of a real family. As soon as he turned three, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, ordered that Naruto leave the orphanage, and so, the boy found himself on the streets of Konoha, alone. 

The Hokage had given him a small apartment, a meager place in a rundown building on the outskirts of the village. The apartment wasn't much—a bare room with peeling paint, a cheap bed, and little else.

 The Hokage had also given him a small sum of money, just enough to scrape by, though it hardly reflected the wealth and legacy Naruto should have inherited from his parents. The thought of his parents, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, was often on his mind, especially as he sat alone in his apartment, staring out the window.

 The villagers didn't know who his parents were. To them, Naruto was nothing more than the boy with the demon inside him. 

As he lay on the cheap bed, the silence of the room pressing in on him, his mind wandered. There was no warmth, no love to be found in this empty place, but that's the way it had always been. Despite the coldness of his reality, Naruto had long ago learned to embrace his loneliness. After all, he had always been alone in this world 'physically'. But there was one constant. 

"Naruto." 

The voice was soft, but it was a voice he knew better than his own. A voice that had been there for him even before his birth—before he had ever been reborn into this world.

Kurumi. 

Naruto's eyes fluttered, and suddenly, he was no longer in his tiny apartment. He was back inside his mind-space, standing before the massive cage that held the powerful presence of Kurumi, the Nine-Tails, now with a new form, a form she had chosen for herself. Her nine tails swayed lazily behind her as she looked down at Naruto with an amused smile, her red eyes glinting in the darkness. 

"We need to talk," Kurumi said, her voice soft yet firm. 

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Talk about what?" 

Kurumi's expression turned serious, her tail flicking in thought. "Training. You need to get stronger, and you need to start now. You've been wasting time, hiding, pretending to be weak. But that's not going to help you in the long run." 

Naruto frowned, folding his arms over his chest. "I've been trying to stay under the radar. I can't afford to stand out, Kurumi." 

"I know," she said, her tone understanding but firm. "But you're not going to survive like this forever. The villagers are already suspicious, and sooner or later, someone's going to start noticing your true potential. We need to get you stronger before that happens." 

Naruto sighed, rubbing his head. "I guess you're right, but I'm still just a kid. I can't start doing all that crazy physical training stuff yet. I'm too young for that." Kurumi's tail swished through the air. "Exactly. That's why you need to focus on chakra control. It's the foundation of everything you'll need as a shinobi. And you can start now. Your chakra control is already better than most, but we need to refine it. The better you control your chakra, the better your jutsu will be in the future. And that means more power for you when the time comes." 

Naruto tilted his head, curious. "How do you know all this? I mean, how do you know so much about chakra control?" 

Kurumi gave a small, knowing smile. "Remember, I wasn't just any nine-tailed fox. I've absorbed all of Kurama's memories. I know everything he knew—about chakra control, techniques, and secrets that even your parents knew." 

Naruto's eyes widened. "Kurama? Wait, you mean the original Nine-Tails? But how do you—" 

Kurumi nodded. "Kurama was inside your mother, Kushina Uzumaki. He knew everything about the techniques your mother and her predesessor Mito Uzumaki used. When I absorbed his memories, I inherited all of that knowledge. That includes everything I need to teach you to become stronger."

Naruto stared at her for a moment, his mind whirling with the new information. His mother, Kushina and the First Hokage's wife, Mito Uzumaki had methods and techniques that even the villagers didn't know. Kurumi had all of that knowledge now, and she was going to teach him. 

After a moment, Naruto smirked. "So... does that mean you're like a thousand years old now? Since you've got all of Kurama's memories?" 

Kurumi's eyes narrowed. "What did you just say?" 

Naruto laughed, clearly amused by his teasing. "Well, if you've got all of his memories, then you've got a whole lifetime of experiences. You must be like some old grandma now, huh?" 

Kurumi's expression darkened, and before Naruto could react, she swung one of her powerful tails at him, aiming for a playful slap. But Naruto's body was no match for Kurumi's strength. With a single strike, he was sent flying backward, crashing into the gates of her cage with a loud thud. 

The sound echoed in the empty space, and for a moment, there was only silence. Kurumi's eyes widened, and she rushed to his side, her tails swirling anxiously. "Naruto! Are you okay? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hit you that hard!" 

Naruto slowly sat up, rubbing his head with a grin. "You know, that kind of hurt, Kurumi. I'm still just a kid, and you hit me like that? You really should be more careful, you know." 

Kurumi sighed in relief but couldn't help but chuckle at his words. "You little brat... You always make me worry, don't you?" 

Naruto laughed, still sitting against the cage. "Nah, it didn't hurt that much. Besides, I'm not even really here. My body's still lying on that crappy bed in my apartment." 

Kurumi blinked, realizing that it was all just a projection inside their mind-space. She rolled her eyes playfully. "You brat. Don't make me punch you again, or I'll really show you what it feels like to be hurt!" 

Naruto smirked. "It's alright, I can take it. But hey, even though that didn't really hurt my body, it still kind of hurt my feelings, you know?" 

Kurumi laughed. "Oh, stop it. You're such a drama queen, Naruto. You're lucky I'm not in the mood to actually hurt you." 

Naruto chuckled, wiping away the fake tears in his eyes. "Alright, alright. I guess we can call it even for now. But still... you're one strong grandma." 

Kurumi narrowed her eyes at him again, but her expression softened as she let out a sigh. "I'll let that one slide. But if you ever call me a grandma again, I'll make sure you regret it." 

Naruto grinned widely. "Deal. But, seriously, Kurumi, I've got a lot to learn, don't I? I mean, if I'm going to be strong enough to survive in this world, then I need to start training now, right?" 

Kurumi's gaze softened, and she nodded. "Exactly. You've got a long road ahead of you, Naruto. But I'll be right here with you every step of the way. And I'll make sure you're ready for whatever comes your way." 

Naruto nodded, determination in his eyes. "Thanks, Kurumi. I'm ready. Let's start training."