Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, setting, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. All other concepts and ideas from other books or stories belong to their respective authors. No copyright infringement is intended.

Kyoto, Japan (thirteen years before DxD canon)

The Kinkaku-ji Temple was one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Kyoto. History states that it had originally been built by a powerful statesman named Saionji Kintsune before being bought by a Shogun whose son later transformed it into a Zen temple.

The temple had a long history and many people visited it whether they be tourists or residents of the city. The temple never lacked for visitors of various types who gossiped about the temple's long history and many people who considered themselves "experts" on the temple's history often gave tours of the place.

If only those supposed "experts" knew how little they actually knew of the place and its true history.

Currently, the temple was empty due to the late hour and the setting sun illuminated the ancient place that still held various secrets hidden within. The sun reflected off the temple, given it an ethereal glow that made it look almost magical, a place that reminded those who visited of times when they believed that supernatural creatures walked among them and the temple was a center of great many secrets.

One of those secrets was shown when a small portal opened up near the gates of the temple, invisible to any and all non-youkai thanks to the various illusions and spells built and maintained by the temple guards.

Out of said portal came a running red-orange furred fox-like creature with eight tails before the portal closed behind him. The creature was a marvelous specimen, being larger than the largest dog with fur so red it was almost crimson. It's eight tails were long and thin instead of being short and fluffy like most fox tails, seeming almost like tentacles than tails. This was because it wasn't a normal fox but rather a kitsune, a species of youkai whose power is denoted by its number of tails with nine being the highest, strongest and, according to legend anyway, wisest of all.

Normally, the sight of such an obviously supernatural creature would have caused any humans to panic but luckily, the late hour meant there was no one near the temple. Yet even if any mortal had been around at the time, they would not have given the obvious youkai a second glance. This was thanks to the various illusions placed on both around the temple and the ones the kitsune himself placed on him, weak and basic though the latter were.

Despite being a kitsune, none as master illusionists, illusions had never been this particular kitsune's forte. However, he knew enough to hide his presence from human sight like all youkai were required to in this day and age.

However, even if he hadn't placed illusions hiding his presence, the humans would have only seen him for barely a second before he disappeared from sight. The kitsune moved so fast that anyone who saw it would believe it had been nothing more than a mirage or a trick of the light from the setting sun. The kitsune wasted no time in leaving the temple grounds, running out toward the wider Kyoto city.

Soon after the kitsune disappeared from the temple grounds, the portal he exited from opened once more. Unlike before, the portal did not close behind the person after they stepped through as they seemed to look around as if searching for something or someone.

This second being had the form of a beautiful voluptuous woman with long blonde hair and matching golden eyes. She was wearing a red and white shrine maiden outfit that somehow seemed both majestic and regal despite its simplicity while highlighting her magnificent curves. The woman in question was so beautiful that anyone who beheld her would agree that she could pose as a model and become very successful doing so if it wasn't for the fact that she gave off an air closer to royalty that denied her ever participating in such an act.

Yet while she seemed very different from the previous person to walk through the portal, she had one thing in common. That was the fact that she had multiple fox tails coming from her back, just above her butt. The differences was that instead of having eight red-orange tails, she had nine golden furred tails that matched her hair and eyes.

This was none other than Yasaka, leader and Kyuubi Empress of the Japanese Youkai Faction.

Behind her, another youkai stepped out of the portal, this one looking like a bird-man of some kind which any Japanese-raised person could identify as a tengu, though this one seemed much older than his Empress.

The tengu walked forward till he stood beside his Empress. "Has he run away again, Lady Yasaka?"

Yasaka huffed in frustration. "Yes. Every time we argue, it's always about the same thing. The devils or rather his refusal to make peace with them." The frustrated look on her face became a sad and dejected one. "What does he have against them? I understand not trusting them especially with their hand in my father's corruption but things have changed. I don't understand why he's so stubborn and violent about not making peace with them at all." Her soft golden eyes turned slightly teary in her frustration and sadness. "Why won't he talk to me? Doesn't he see I'm trying to create a better world for our children?"

The Elder tengu hummed in thought. He thinks there was something more to why Kurama was so hostile toward devils but kept his thoughts to himself. If he hadn't told Lady Yasaka the true reason he joined the Revolution all those years ago then it wasn't his place to do so. "Well, regardless, Lord Kurama will be back soon enough. He's never gone for longer than a week at most. For now, we should return to the capital. That argument must have tired you out, especially in your condition."

At his words, Yasaka's hands went to her stomach, specifically her womb, where she had just found out three days ago that a life was growing. She had yet to tell her mate and husband about the pregnancy. She had hinted at having children beforehand and Kurama had never seemed very receptive to the idea. In fact, he had seemed almost terrified at the idea of becoming a father. She knew that Kurama never had a good relationship with his own father but she never knew the specifics. The circumstances revolving Kurama's father's death were shrouded in mystery and she believed that whatever happened was at the core of Kurama's fear.

However, any attempt to talk about it ended in failure. He seemed determined to not bring up the past in any way and any attempt to do so caused him to react violently so she had learned to simply not bring it up to keep the peace.

Due to this, she was extremely reluctant to tell him about her pregnancy, afraid of how he would react. Not to mention that she knew that as the pregnancy developed, she would grow weaker and weaker to nourish the life growing in her wound. Eventually she would need to pass the managing of the leylines to Kurama or risk losing her growing child. She could do both but that would keep her almost completely bedridden during her entire pregnancy, something she was not willing to risk with the current government being so new and unstable.

This meant she would have to tell Kurama so he could take over ruling during her pregnancy. Though she was afraid of what he would do with that power at his disposal. His hatred towards devils and his desire to cut any and all contact with them left her disinclined to passing on rulership to him, even if it was temporarily. He would undo all the work she'd done over the past year to heal the rift between youkai and devils caused by the revolution and their hand in it.

"I guess you're right," said Yasaka reluctantly. With one last look toward where she felt her husband was heading, the Empress followed her advisor back through the portal where it closed behind them.

Back with the first kitsune, now known as Kurama, the male kitsune easily ran through the human alleys, so similar to the ones he lived in during his later teenage years. During that time, he had had nothing but his sister, his wits and his own strength keeping him alive and many times, it had almost not been enough.

For his sister, it hadn't been.

Yet he had survived and not only that but thrived, becoming one of the most powerful youkai in Inner Kyoto. The fact that he was a hybrid only further magnified his success, rubbing his nose at all those purists who believed that only those of pure blood could achieve such power.

Yet despite his great strength, even he was weaker than his wife due to her mastery of channeling the power of the leylines, something that galled him deeply. Kurama was someone who believed that one's strength was defined by one's strength of will to overcome adversity and obstacles and the fact that his wife was stronger than him despite having never earned it or suffered a single day in her life frustrated him deeply. The fact that he had yet to achieve his own ninth tail while his wife had achieved her years ago only made it worse.

The eight-tailed kitsune eventually entered a small clearing that had a small pond in the middle. The place was special to Kurama, being a place with one of his few happy memories. He remembered playing in this very clearing with the only one of his family members who had loved him unconditionally during his childhood, even after his hybrid status was revealed. For that reason, it was sacred in his eyes and he always made sure that it was left pristine and untouched.

For this reason, the clearing had a permanent illusion over it placed there by Kurama himself and no one but him could find it much less enter it. He visited the place when he wanted to be alone and had spent much time making sure that no one but him could find it. His wife may mean well but the idea of her finding this place and no doubt dragging him back "for his own good" was almost enough to send him into a fit of rage at the thought. The thought of anyone, even her, coming here and defiling this place with their presence was enough to make him go on a murderous rampage.

The kitsune eventually slowed down once he entered the clearing, coming to a complete stop near the pond. With a flash of light, the multi-tailed fox disappeared and a man, albeit one with eight fox tails, took his place.

The man was fairly handsome with short red-orange hair that was similar to his fur in texture and look. He was muscular, not like a bodybuilder but closer to a swimmer's physique that emphasized speed over strength. He was wearing what seemed to be a black muscle shirt and blue GI pants that clung tightly to his muscled frame.

This was Kurama, husband of Empress Yasaka and former leader of the Revolutionary Army during the Youkai Civil War.

The male kitsune scowled as he looked down at his reflection in the pond. He knew he shouldn't have run but he knew that if he stayed his wife would try to force him to talk to her, thinking it would help him. She knew that if he left, he would brood and come back in a worse mood than before.

Whether it was true or not, he despised being told what to do, least of all by his wife regardless of her status as the Empress. The one thing he had always treasured was his independence and his wife thinking she could tell him what to do angered him to no end.

The fact that she was stronger than him and could force him to obey only deepened his anger at the situation. It reminded him too much of his childhood, too weak to please his father or defend himself from his "punishments". For that reason, he left whenever he lost his constant challenges for the throne or any of their arguments, needing sometime alone lest he lash out and say something that he couldn't take back.

He scowled as he thought about his peace-loving wife desire to open peace talks with the devils. The very idea of making peace with those monsters filled him with a black rage that threatened to spill out of him every time he thought of those fucking devils. He scoffed at the very idea of them wanting "peace" and "moving on" from the past.

In the back of his mind, he could still hear his sister's screams and her tormentor's laughter.

No. He would never forgive those devils. No matter what they said, they were no different that they're ancestors. The fact they had the audacity to now forcibly turn others into their kind just made it worse.

Oh sure, they may say that it was to save the species but to Kurama that was bullshit. It was about power and nothing else. If they truly wanted to reclaim their lost numbers, they could have simply have made a deal with one of the many fertility goddesses to increase their fertility and therefore, their chances of getting pregnant. But no. Kami forbid they abandon their pride to ask others for help. Better to steal what isn't theirs than to give up their pride.

He scoffed. And they wondered why everyone hated them. Given a choice between doing what's right and what's easy, they always choose the latter. Like he said before, a devil was a devil no matter what they said and they would never change. Fucking abominations that should have never have existed and if he had the chance he'd exterminate them all; man, woman and child.

"Argh!" yelled Kurama in a rage. "Fucking bitch! Why can't she just listen to me for once instead of those idiot councillors!? Stupid stubborn bitch!"

He knew he was being hypocritical. He never told her the reason behind his hatred for devils despite having asked him many times. However, he just couldn't tell her. It would mean revisiting a painful memory he had buried deep beneath his hatred of devils and those in power.

The source of his greatest pain and greatest shame.

Since then, he had become desperate for power so something like that would never happen again. In this world, power decided everything and if you didn't have power you couldn't protect anything, least of all yourself.

He had a total of eight tails and was still waiting to acquire the last one to become a true Kyuubi. His mixed blood meant that unlike his mate, he needed to work twice as hard to gain his tails. It was something that bothered him greatly but at least it meant he'd earned his strength. This contrasted greatly with his pureblood wife who gained hers simply because of her blood and not because she'd worked for them. His mate's power currently exceeded his own, and he didn't like that one bit especially since it smacked in the face of Kurama's own beliefs and pride.

He had worked hard for his power and fought and scrapped for every skill and ability. The fact that she had gained hers simply for being lucky enough to be born in the right family grated him deeply and every defeat at her hands every time he challenged her for the throne only hurt him more.

While he truly cared for and loved his wife, their marriage had originally come from needing a political symbol to demonstrate the end of the Kyoto Civil War three years ago. As the leader and symbol of the rebellion, he married his childhood friend and the heir to the Kyoto throne, Yasaka, to symbolize the union of the past (tradition) with the promise of the future (equal rights). It not only ended the Kyoto Civil War but was a sign that things were supposed to get better for the lower-classes.

And overall it had. The nobility still existed but had been stripped of any political power and heavily fined for their part in supporting Yasaka's father's madness and their own part in countless atrocities. The current council was divided into two parts: the Advisory Council which was made up the elected leader of each youkai species and the Representative Council which was made up of representatives of each youkai. The difference between them was that the Representative Council had more representatives depending on the population of the species. For example, the kitsune (the most populous species) had five representatives compared to the two for the nekomata.

Of course, all power still rested in the Empress' hands but the Councils were meant to symbolize the needs of the people both in terms of species and overall population. Due to this and Yasaka's own kindness, things for the lower-classes had improved tremendously compared to before the Civil War and both Kurama and Yasaka had become the most celebrated leaders of the youkai race in centuries.

Of course, things weren't perfect. Due to him only being an eight tails, the managing of the leylines wasn't shared between them like it had been in previous Emperors and their consorts. This was because they thought he would eventually be overwhelmed by the power like previous non-kyuubi kitsune had been in the past. Due to this, it was decided that Yasaka would have sole control of the leylines until he gained his ninth tail.

Of course, Kurama did not like this at all since he believed it was simply racism due to his hybrid status. Deep down, he knew that wasn't it but the fact that he was so close to the power he so desperately wanted yet was denied it after everything simply due to his blood angered him to no end. For this reason, he constantly challenged Yasaka for the throne in order to prove he could handle the power of the leylines.

Unfortunately, his wife not only had the large power from being a nine tails to draw on but also tap into the magical ley lines of Kyoto which held near limitless power. While all former Kyuubi leaders could tap into the ley lines' power, none before Yasaka could channel such a large amount at once or use it in combat with such proficiency. It was a source of pride for many youkai and a sign for the blood purists of the superiority of pure blood over mixed blood.

While Kurama was very proud of his wife for this accomplishment, it was also a source of endless frustration for the proud kitsune. Ever since he was young, he hated to be weak. After everything he endured and lost in his life due to his weakness, he sought strength above all. To be so thoroughly outclassed angered him beyond words, something shown in the fights between his wife and him. Each time he had been beaten with any injuries on Yasaka being minor and healing quickly due to the healing properties of the ley lines' power.

Kurama's tails moved around in agitation, kicking up dirt and breaking things as they lashed out physically, demonstrating their owner's anger.

The entire situation made him want to just abandon the city and leave, travel as he had in his teens or even go find Kinana and take her up on her offer of living with the nekomata. Maybe he should take her up on her offer to learn senjutsu under her. While he didn't want to abandon Yasaka, the current situation was intolerable to him. They weren't so much equals as he was a prisoner with her being the warden, forced to go along with everything she wanted without any say in the matter. But maybe if he mastered senjutsu, he would finally have the power to force her to his way of thinking. He hadn't used it since that day but if it was what would close the gap between them, then he would anything to get the power needed.

Anything.

"Just you wait," growled Kurama lowly. "I'll get my ninth tail and master senjutsu and then we'll see who's beaten into the ground and forced to concede!"

"Then why don't you?" A voice asked from the side.

Startled, his slit eyes snapped towards the voice, only to pause in slight shock at the sight.

The person he saw standing behind him was a tall and pale-skinned elderly man with deep wrinkles to show his age. The elderly man had spiky, shoulder-length, pale-red hair, with a chin-length braid hanging in front of his left ear as well as sporting a goatee which tapered down to his waist. Horn-like protrusions adorned his forehead while ringed patterns replaced his pupils in his eyes. He wore a white, full-length kimono with a pattern of six black magatama around a high collar along with a necklace which was also made up of six black magatama. A strange black staff was secured to his back, and he was sitting on a bench with two hands pressed against his knee as if they were to hold his weary body up.

The demonic fox was sure he was completely alone seconds ago. His senses were sharper than normal kitsune and he had been alert in case he was followed. So how did this man sneak up on him?

Kurama tensed up and prepared for a probably losing fight. Very few could avoid his senses and those that could were not to be underestimated. So for this man to so easily do this spoke volumes about his strength.

The being (because he couldn't be human with those horns) looked very tired, as if he had been carrying a great weight for a very long time. Despite that, he gave off an aura of strength that bluntly told Kurama that if he fought him, he would be swept aside like a bug. This only made Kurama all the warier and he tensed up in case he had to defend himself or, as much as it irked him to admit it, run.

"Who are you?" Kurama asked warily, taking in the man's appearance. He'd never seen such being before, but there was a first time for everything. Could it be a devil? They did tend to have numerous abilities and appearances but something told him that this wasn't the case. He could also be some kind of half-breed youkai. The horns were similar to an Oni's yet he had two instead of the usual one. A mutation perhaps?

"Shouldn't you introduce yourself first before asking another person's name?" The elderly man replied with a small smile.

A tick mark appeared on Kurama's forehead at being taught manners by someone who sneaked up on him but he relented. "I am Kurama, the great Kyuubi, so tell me who you are!" Kurama demanded in his usual arrogant manner. It was mostly bluster since he was getting unnerved with the fact that despite being right in front of the man, he still couldn't sense his power. Was it nonexistent and that was why Kurama didn't sense it? Or was he that good at hiding it?

"Kyuubi? Ah yes… but you're still missing one more tail to make it nine," the man said as he analyzed the creature before nodding approvingly. It was as if he had found what he was seeking for. "I am known as Hagoromo Otsutsuki, Sage of Six Paths."

The reminder of his missing his ninth tail annoyed Kurama since it seemed as if the being was pointing out his hybrid status as the reason he lacked it despite being full grown. "I will get my ninth tail! It's only a matter of time! In a few decades, nobody will challenge my powers, and I'll use it to show those asshole devils who use those Evil Pieces of theirs as a reason to subjugate others their place! Bwahahahaha!" Kurama retorted before laughing hysterically, imagining the destruction he would wreck upon those that challenged him.

Hagoromo stroke his beard a little with a free hand. He was deep in thought, allowing the young man to continue in his delusional fantasy. Hagoromo wondered if he should point out the hypocrisy of Kurama using force to subjugate them for the crime of subjugating others but decided against it. That was a lesson that needed to be learned, not taught.

After Kurama stopped being an idiot, Hagoromo finally spoke up. "I am looking for a vessel. If you could help me in that regard, I'm sure I can shorten the time you needed to get your final tail. I will also give you something more as a bonus, Kurama," Hagoromo offered as said person narrowed his menacing eyes at the man.

Kurama was suspicious, but his desire for power and being denied it for so long had made him so desperate that it overcame his own vigilance. "You can? Show me!" Kurama demanded angrily.

Hagoromo nodded. He took the strange staff from his back and tapped it against the air to his side. The air distorted around the impact point, and black lines appeared before spiraling like a whirlpool into some kind of dark portal.

Kurama stepped back a little after sensing the rift in space. He had seen many strange things in his life, but never something like this. The portal pulsed with strange and unknown energy that seemed to fill the air with malicious intentions.

"If you accept then follow me as you will be the last of the nine. I can say that you will be the strongest and greatest of them. However, you will disappear from here for a little while, and one day you will meet a child of prophecy. You will help him accomplish his goal and you will be given a chance to return here again," Hagoromo hinted as Kurama's eyes narrowed even further at his words.

Kurama was about to accept but suddenly hesitated. If he did this, he would effectively be abandoning his wife for an undetermined length of time. She had been one of his closest friends his entire life and his first love. She had married him despite his infamous reputation and hybrid status and while they had their differences, they had a mostly happy marriage. He truly did love her despite everything but if what the man said was true...

"What are the Nine?" asked Kurama to buy time to think.

The old man seemed to know the reason behind his hesitance but answered. "The Nine will be known as the Bijuu. Each will have the ability to remodel a country and landscape with just a flick of their tail. I need them to contain a certain being's energy. They are: Shukaku the Ichibi, Matatabi the Nibi, Isobu the Sanbi, Son Goku the Yonbi, Kokuo the Gobi, Saiken the Rokubi, Chomei the Nanabi, Gyuuki the Hachibi, and finally you, if you choose to accept, will be Kurama the Kyuubi," Hagoromo answered truthfully.

"I will have nine tails? The strongest?" Kurama asked excitedly, visions of the power he will gain, strong enough to apparently remodel countries with ease, filling his mind and destroying any sense of caution he would usually have. Even if it was an exaggeration, it would be more than enough power to do what he wanted.

Hagoromo nodded to confirm his words. "However, I will need to seal your memory of this place along with your body until such time as a certain event will come to pass," he added after some thought, seeing how Kurama was quite arrogant, and that might be a bad thing if he allowed him to roam freely with that kind of behavior and the power he'll have at his fingertips.

"Let's do it then!" Kurama howled decidedly.

The sage stroked his beard and entered the portal first to show that it was safe. It was soon followed by the demon fox without any hesitation. The portal closed behind them, leaving no trace of what transpired behind them.

As the Sage had promised, all nine creatures he had collected from different worlds were given a piece of Juubi's, the ten-tails', powers, with Kurama gaining over half. Their memories were sealed along with their original body, and their souls were placed in a new immature one, one made completely out of pure Chakra. All of the Bijuu would need to grow into it, and after the task was done, Hagoromo's body failed him and he passed away. However, before his death he told his creations that they would all be together again even if they went their separate ways. It was as if he knew what was to come far into the future.

Afterwards, the Nine showed themselves from time to time, allowing the humans of the world to witness their might and powers. Eventually, they came to be called the Biju just as the Sage was predicted, considered more akin to natural disasters and demons than living creatures. At first, they were together, having a close relationship with one another. However, time passed and fragmented pieces of their former personality eventually resurfaced, causing them to slowly drift apart after a heated philosophical disagreement.

Paranoia and fear of being alone, which he hid behind arrogance and an obsession with being the strongest, filled Kurama and pushed him away from his siblings and into becoming a recluse. He only ever appeared whenever he sensed arrogance and hatred fester somewhere, something within him drawing him to punish those who used their power to subjugate others. He knew the hypocrisy of his actions, causing him to hate himself which only further fueled his hatred, creating a vicious cycle he could not escape from.

Over the centuries, countless inhabitants of the Elemental Nations failed to regard the tailed beasts as sapient individuals, treating them with great disdain and fear due to their actions, especially Kurama's. Because of the immense power each of creatures wielded, the Shinobi sought out the tailed beasts as tools and weapons to be controlled. It was a sentiment they as a whole detested, but could do nothing to change it. The more they lashed out in defense of themselves, the more they were hated and treated as uncaring monsters.

Despite being the most powerful, Kurama was the first to be sealed away inside a human sacrifice known as the Jinchuuriki. It was angry and filled with malice, both at being imprisoned and at being treated as nothing more than a wild animal incapable of rational thought. Though to be fair, his constant threats and attempts to kill his jailer probably didn't help his case. The entire situation felt both very familiar and different to Kurama, with a jailer that forced him to obey their will and considered him as an animal which only furthered his rage.

Mito Uzumaki was the first of its jailers followed by that bitch Kushina Uzumaki after the first reached the end of her unnaturally long lifespan. Its third and latest jailer was one called Naruto Uzumaki. The first time Kurama saw him, he wondered why the blond boy looked so familiar with his shaggy hair and three whisker marks. However, the color of his hair and eyes seemed out of place in its opinion, but it didn't know exactly why. No one truly knew, not even the great Sage, that a Jinchuuriki, who was giving birth, would give her child some of the Bijuu's original traits.

Thus, Naruto looked like a blond-haired blue-eyed incarnation of Kurama's original form. Was that a coincidence or fate?

Watching the orphaned boy being shunned by the entire village since his birth, Kurama decided to try and use Naruto's dependence on its power to gain control over him and break free from its cage at long last. However, through the blond's seemingly endless struggle, Kurama's attitude toward the blond soon began to change just prior to the Fourth Shinobi World War. Rather than treat him as some animal or power source, the blond treated him like an equal and even potential friend despite him being the reason behind all his suffering. It struck a cord in Kurama and as Naruto proved to be different from all the others, Kurama decided that maybe it was time he gave a leap of faith of his own and trusted the blond in turn, giving the boy his power freely.

Just like Hagoromo had stated those centuries before, the Nine were united once more in a single body to defeat powerful enemies that sought to erase everyone from existence, and they finally brought forth the much desired peace.

After a great and costly battle, Naruto Uzumaki emerged victorious. It was against all odds, but with the help of the Nine, he did the impossible, and Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki appeared before them once more.

"Thank you… this is how it should be. I'm glad you all have completed the task I foresaw those centuries ago. I saw the end if you were not here to prevent it. As such, you have my deepest gratitude. I will return you all back to your homes, the place where you belonged originally, like I've promised all those years ago," Hagoromo said and explained that he took them from their home even though they did not remember. He was desperately searching for a way to change the dark future in his vision at the time and so had gone to their worlds in hopes of finding it.

"But hasn't thousands of years had already passed?" asked Shukaku curiously.

"Time is relative and flows differently, Shukaku," explained Hagoromo patiently. "You might have experienced thousands of years here, but I will send you back to the same time you left, maybe a year or two later. You will regain your original form along with the newfound ability as promised. I can also erase your memory of the Elemental Nations if you so desire."

After some debate, the first eight tailed beasts accepted the offer and wanted to return to the life they would know again. Some of them chose to remove the memory of the Elemental Nations along with all the pain they suffered during their unjust imprisonment, not wanting it to cloud their future actions in the new home.

However, Kurama was hesitant to leave the blond as he was now part of his life and it felt wrong to abandon him now after all they've been through.

"Hey Kurama, we made a great team didn't we?" asked Naruto with a bright smile.

Kurama smiled in return and nodded in agreement. Naruto was living proof that true power came from strength of character and the will to make the impossible possible. Throughout their struggles together, it had its moments of doubt, but Naruto had showed none of that. The boy, who was shunned most of his life, would climb over all the challenges and proved to those that did not believe that he would not back down from his belief no matter what the challenge. It had inspired everyone around him and united a once war-torn world together.

The Juubi was powerful, exceeding its own power, but still lost to their teamwork in the end. Madara and Kaguya, a God and Goddess possibly, were no different. They were all defeated, one after another, as Hagoromo had foreseen all those millennia ago.

"Child of prophecy," Kurama muttered as Naruto grinned proudly.

'Ah, so that's how it is,' thought Hagoromo, looking at Naruto. The boy's appearance was like the humanoid Kurama, and he knew then that the Kyuubi would have a hand in bringing forth the boy's existence and thus saving the future. Hagoromo simply smiled and returned the rest of the eight beasts back to their own world, allowing Naruto and Kurama some time to discuss where they would go from here onward. The Sage felt completely drained afterwards, but kept his composure. He wasn't sure if there was enough powers in him to send the last one back.

"I think I will stay here for a while," Kurama finally requested after some thought.

The Sage nodded, understanding the Kyuubi's reason. Naruto couldn't be happier that it chose to stay behind with him. Kurama was then resealed back into Naruto as it felt much more comfortable in there once it had been combined with his Yin half. Furthermore, as the Sage had also hinted, Kurama still needed to help the blond with the corruptive nature of all the tail-beasts' chakra that were now coursing through his inner pathways. As the two once-separated halves reunited, that would change but for now, Naruto still needed him. This time, however, Kurama wasn't being tied down or locked in a cage.

"Very well, come back here when you are ready to return," said Hagoromo. He drew up the seal before continuing to speak. "This seal will activate upon your blood, Naruto. It will open a portal, but only once. You or your children will be the one to send Kurama back to his home one day. It will also return your original memory and body as well, Kurama."

"Is that another thing you foresaw?" Naruto asked curiously, but Hagoromo shook his head. He felt that he was fading away as he channeled the last of his energy into the time-space seal. It should be good for one being to pass through, and hopefully that was enough.

"I can see nothing now, so I cannot say what is to come in the future, but make it a good one, Naruto and Kurama... my son," Hagoromo said with a wide smile before fading away, at peace at last.

"Are you crying?" asked Naruto amusedly, hearing the whimpering noise in his mindscape.

"SHUT UP, BRAT! I'M NOT CRYING! Just something in my eyes, damn dusts," Kurama growled in denial as Naruto rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Right, let's return home and start rebuilding!" Naruto roared happily, jogging back to the devastated Leaf Village and meeting up with the rest of the allies' forces along the way. The costly war was over and the future would be something they would make for themselves.

Near the Mountains' Graveyard, Elemental Nations (146 years later)

A much older and weathered Naruto stood before the seal placed by the Sage of Six Paths almost a century and a half ago. His once blonde hair had turned white with age and the once proudly standing shinobi was now slightly hunched over from age. Even with the Uzumaki vitality, he was reaching the end of his lifetime which was the reason he was standing here today.

Naruto reached towards the seal on his stomach and twisted it slightly. In a flash of light, Kurama, the last Biju, appeared beside him in all his glory, looking sadly down at his oldest friend. "Are you sure about this, kit?" asked Kurama quietly... well, quietly for him. For any normal person, he was shouting. "I can always just go hide somewhere remote where they can't find me. That way I can come help keep the peace if it's necessary."

Naruto smiled sadly and shook his head. "I'm sure, Kurama. We can't risk them finding you and sealing you away like they're planning to my soon-to-born great-great-grandchild. They might say it's to 'ensure the peace' but we both know the truth. They're just power-hungry and I won't have my oldest friend used as a weapon again. And we both know that's what you'll eventually be turned into if you're sealed again."

Kurama huffed but conceded the point.

His partner had done much in his long life. His greatest accomplishment was, of course, bringing peace to the Elemental Nations which continued to this day. His reign had been the longest and most celebrated in history, lasting over sixty years before he retired the hat to Satsuki, Sasuke's granddaughter. While not of his blood, she had inherited the Will of Fire even more than Naruto's son, Boruto, had. Satsuki accomplished her mother, Sarada's, dream and became the first Uchiha Hokage. She continued many of the laws and beliefs he had founded during his reign and ensured the peace continued. Even Kurama had to admit that for an Uchiha, she was alright.

Unfortunately, her successor and Naruto's great-grandson, Minato, named after his great-great-grandfather, was of a much different mindset. While he wanted to keep the peace, he believed in taking a much more proactive approach to it, stamping out possible threats to the peace before they could form. He reminded Kurama of what he had heard that old geezer Danzo had been like when he was young and not in a good way.

While he understood reacting quickly to threats, his way would make more enemies than he would destroy due to his methods. If he saw something that could someday be a threat, he didn't try and settle it peacefully but viciously stamped it out by any means necessary. It had made many of the other Kage uncomfortable already and things were becoming tense. The peace that had lasted for over a century looked to be reaching its end.

The brat had become this way due to his father's death at the hands of a successor group of Akatsuki when he was young. The group had been talked about in whispers before but mostly ignored due to their small size and the fact that they had done nothing to warrant hostility. The fact that there was no way they could be anywhere near the threat the original Akatsuki had been, only having at most A-rank shinobi in their ranks, meant even Kurama dismissed them as unimportant.

However, his friend's grandson and Boruto's son, Menma, had thought otherwise and became suspicious of what their goals were. He eventually investigated their activities and found that they had been trying to create their own Biju using traces of Kurama and his siblings' chakra still left at the Mountains' Graveyard. They had also managed to turn themselves into pseudo-jinchuriki using the traces of Biju chakra left much like the Gold and Silver Brothers had been, making them much more dangerous than their perceived rankings said they were.

Menma had died trying to stop them but failed. Luckily, he had managed to send a message back to inform the villages of their plan before he died. The villages had quickly banded together and had managed to stop the group soon afterwards, even destroying all trace of their research personally (much to the chagrin of the people more in-line with Minato current way of thinking) but the damage had been done. Naruto had lost a son and Minato, a father. Boruto had died soon afterwards as well, the loss of his son sapping most of his will to live meaning Minato lost his grandfather soon after as well.

It had been that event that caused his friend to retire from being Hokage, believing he had lost his edge in his old age despite Kurama's protests to the contrary. The fact that his friends were all getting old and dying had only helped with the decision since he wanted to spend the last few years of his friends' and wife's life with them rather than behind a desk.

The following years had been mostly good if a bit boring. Satsuki had been a great Hokage and Naruto got to spend much time with his family and friends. Kurama still smiled at how happy his friend had been helping to raise his grandchildren and later great-grandchildren. Kurama himself had become slightly attached to them and would often leave the seal to play with them.

It was hard to think of him as a force of destruction when he had children using him as an improvised jungle gym as he pretended to sleep.

However, others hadn't forgotten his power and seeing him free had made whispers of what to do with him once Naruto died to start. It had deeply angered Kurama to hear once again them treat him as a weapon rather than as a sentient being and he had become grumpy in the past few years as the talks increased. It had warmed Kurama's heart to see Naruto fight so fiercely to protect his freedom even if both knew it was a losing battle.

As Naruto grew older and approached the end of his life, his word started to have considerably less sway. The fact that he was the last of his generation alive meant that he was mostly considered an old relic to the current generation, most considering his feats as nothing more than hyperbole at most. They only had to wait till Naruto was close to death and too weak to stop them in order to what they wanted and the fact that they were headed by his own great-grandson broke Naruto's heart.

Knowing that soon they would force the issue, Naruto had come to this place to turn the decision moot. He would activate the seal the Sage had created all those years ago, opening the portal and return Kurama to his true home. That way Kurama would be completely out of their reach and to ensure it, Naruto would destroy the seal after Kurama went through. That way, there would be no way for anyone to follow.

Kurama grumbled. "If I go... you won't last much longer, Naruto. My chakra has been what's been keeping you alive all these years. Without me, you'll have maybe a month or two at most."

Naruto just smiled serenely, no fear of his upcoming death on his face. "Good. That means I'll live long enough to see the birth of my great-great-grandchild at least. Plus, I think I've kept Hinata, Boruto and Himawari waiting long enough. They've been waiting for me for years. I think it's time to see them again, don't you think?"

Kurama looked down at his oldest friend as he finally spoke the real reason he was so hesitant to leave. "I don't want to leave you, Naruto. I'll... miss you."

There. The real reason why he was so reluctant to leave spilling from his mouth before he could stop it. He had grown attached to the boy. Seeing all his struggles and successes resonated within Kurama, as if he recognized something within Naruto. Kurama could honestly say that Naruto was his best and closest friend and the idea of leaving him, of not being there when he died at least, hurt Kurama deeply.

Naruto smiled widely at his old friend, tears in his eyes to show how much having to do this hurt him as well. "I know Kurama. I'll miss you too. But it would hurt even more to know you'll be caged once again after I'm gone. At least this way, we can both part ways happily. And who knows," Naruto shrugged with a smile on his face. "Maybe you have a family of your own waiting for you on the other side."

That brought Kurama up short. He had never really thought about what could be waiting for him on the other side. The idea that he might have a family, a real family, waiting for him actually made him want to see if it's true.

On the other hand, the opposite could be true and he could be completely alone on the other side. Worse, he could be a completely different person more similar to who he had been before he made became friends with Naruto. That was what scared him the most. The idea that he would be a different person that would shame his closest friend's memory.

Naruto seemed to know what he was thinking as he laid a hand on his left front paw and patted him slightly. "I'm sure that whoever you were before won't change who you are now, Kurama. I believe in you."

Kurama met his old friend's eyes and sighed in resignation. "Over a hundred years old and still more stubborn than an ox." Kurama nodded to show his acceptance.

Naruto smiled and pricked his finger lightly, letting a few drops of blood to land on the seal. Instantly, the seal began to glow brightly showing it was activating. Naruto took a few steps back and watched as a line of black seals appeared in mid-air before opening a giant hole just big enough for Kurama to fit into what seemed like nothingness.

Both friends looked at each other, realizing this was it. The two shared one final fist-bump, manfully ignoring the tears going down both their cheeks.

"Well... I guess I'll see you around, kit." said Kurama, using all his strength not to fall down bawling. "Try not to get into too much trouble after I'm gone. I won't be there to bail you out."

Naruto just gave a soft smile, also using all his determination (read stubbornness) not to fall into tears at saying goodbye to his oldest friend. It was as hard as the day Hinata died. At least then he knew he would see her in the Pure World someday. Now, he didn't even have that comfort. "Goodbye, Kurama. I'm sure we'll see each other again someday."

Kurama smiled at the hopeful optimism in his friend's voice. "Goodbye... my friend." And with that, Kurama stepped through the portal, leaving the Elemental Nations behind.

After the portal closed, Naruto stood there for a moment before standing over to where the seal once was and scuffing the used seal so it couldn't be studied. He didn't have to do anything more.

His tears would wash away the rest.

Kyoto, Japan

Deep inside the residential district of Kyoto, there was a small clearing with a pond in the middle. No one, not even youkai could see the clearing which meant it was safe from the residential expansions of the last two decades.

However, because of that, the clearing showed signs of neglect, with grass being overgrown and the pond water being slightly wild and murkier than it used to be. It all showed that no one had been there in a very long time.

Suddenly, the seemingly peaceful silence was broken when a dark portal opened near the water. The portal stood there for moment before a figure fell out of it and it closed, no sign of it ever having been there. The figure groaned slightly and it stood, showing Kurama in his new/old form except now with nine tails swaying behind him.

Kurama rubbed his head as the memories settled into his mind. Luckily, having lived for over three millennia, the extra memories of about 30+ years were just a drop in the bucket in comparison so the headache passed quickly.

He stepped toward the small lake and while it was slightly dirtier than he remembered, he could still see his reflection. The first thing he noticed was how similar he looked to Naruto, which was both a comfort and a dagger in the heart since it meant he would never forget his friend. The second thing he noticed was the chakra pathways in his body. It seemed the seal compensated for the presence of chakra and gave him similar pathways to shinobi so he could use both chakra and youki. It meant he was much stronger than he ever was and Kurama grinned at the thought of all the power now at his fingertips.

Speaking of power...

Kurama remembered his recent (technically speaking) humiliation at the hands of his wife and smiled toothily before starting to cackle.

"Oh yeah! Payback time!"

With another dark cackle, Kurama pushed off toward the direction of his home, intent on giving his new abilities a good workout.

AN: And there's the prologue!

It's shorter than my last version but that's mostly I cut out the Kakashi's son scene. I think this is more streamlined and easier to write than the last one without the whole split personalities thing. I also cut out Naruto as the middleman. The entire reason I even had Naruto was because I wanted to use Naruto's abilities (senjutsu, rasengan, etc). Then I realized that due to all that time sealed inside humans, plus all the millennia watching them develop said jutsu, Kurama probably knows hundreds of jutsu and just can't do them due to not having a chakra system (he's basically just solidified chakra). But with one, he could probably recreate most, making Naruto unnecessary. He will still be mostly a blunt instrument blowing things up with Bijudama and his power but he'll slowly learn subtlety as the story goes.

Anyway, this story won't be abandoned like the original because I actually have a plot in mind with an enemy and everything. Also, I had to drop the original since it became painfully obvious I'd basically ruined Yasaka's character in my desire to paint Kurama in a good light. This story will have her being more balanced and relatable with neither of them being wrong but also neither of them being completely right either. Kurama in this story will be a much more torn character than the original.

There will be no set schedule for updates. Schedules only make me anxious which ruins my desire to write. For now, don't expect the next chapter until after Father's Day since I'm working all day every day till then so I won't have any free time till after. I'll keep the original version up until I publish chapter 5 at which point I'll delete the original.

Also can anyone give me the japanese way of writing "Sage's Son"? Kage no Kitsune means Fox's Shadow and I want the title to mean "Sage's Son, Fox's Shadow" but don't know the right way to translate "Sage's Son". Any help on that front would be appreciated.

Anyway, Read and Review!