Published at 18th of September 2024 12:45 pm

Chapter 135 Kurama’s Misadventures, Fox in a Ninja’s Body: 8 Close Calls and Quick Lies

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Kurama could barely sleep that night. His nerves were frayed after the day's close call with Sasuke, and every time he closed his eyes, he could feel the weight of suspicion bearing down on him. Pretending to be Naruto was proving to be far more difficult than he’d anticipated, and he was running out of excuses.

When morning came, Kurama dragged himself out of the tent to find Kakashi and Sasuke already awake, preparing for the final leg of their mission. Sakura was tending to their supplies, humming quietly as she worked. Sasuke didn’t say anything, but Kurama could feel his eyes on him, constantly analyzing, scrutinizing every move.

I need to get through this mission without messing up again, Kurama thought. Otherwise, Sasuke’s going to blow my cover.

The mission was nearly complete—they just needed to deliver a package to a nearby village and return to Konoha. It should have been simple, but Kurama had learned by now that “simple” didn’t exist in the world of ninjas.

As they set off down the road, Kurama kept his distance from Sasuke, doing his best to avoid eye contact. But just as they were getting closer to the village, something unexpected happened.

“Stop,” Kakashi said, holding up his hand. His voice was calm, but there was a tension in the air.

Kurama tensed, looking around. He didn’t see anything unusual, but Kakashi had a knack for sensing danger long before anyone else.

“There’s something wrong,” Kakashi murmured. He turned to Kurama—Naruto, in his eyes. “Naruto, can you sense anything?”

Kurama blinked, feeling a rush of panic. Sense something? What am I supposed to sense?! Naruto had a connection with natural energy and could often detect threats, but Kurama had no idea how to do that. He was just a giant fox stuck in a ninja’s body!

He tried to play it cool, squinting his eyes as if he were concentrating. “Uh... yeah. I feel... something. Definitely something.”

Sasuke shot him a skeptical glance, but before he could say anything, the ground suddenly shook, and a group of masked enemies emerged from the trees.

“It’s an ambush!” Kakashi yelled, immediately taking a defensive stance.

Kurama’s heart raced as the enemies rushed toward them. Of course it’s an ambush. Why can’t anything be easy?

Sasuke and Kakashi sprang into action, engaging the attackers with precision and skill. Kurama, meanwhile, tried to keep his distance, throwing a few kunai and using Shadow Clones to make it look like he was contributing.

But then, one of the enemies came charging straight for him. Kurama’s instinct as the Nine-Tails took over, and he dodged the attack with lightning-fast reflexes, grabbing the enemy and tossing him aside with far more strength than Naruto should have had.

Sasuke’s eyes widened. “Naruto... since when do you move like that?”

Kurama cursed inwardly. Crap! I overdid it again!

He quickly tried to recover, forcing a nervous laugh. “Uh... just been working on my reflexes, you know? Gotta keep up with you guys!”

Sasuke didn’t respond, but the look on his face made it clear that he wasn’t buying the excuse.

Kakashi, still locked in battle with the remaining enemies, didn’t seem to notice Kurama’s slip-up. But Sasuke was watching him like a hawk, and Kurama knew it was only a matter of time before the truth came out.

With the enemies finally defeated, the team regrouped, and Kakashi looked around at the fallen ambushers. “Strange. They didn’t seem to be after the package. This might have been a setup.”

Kurama stayed quiet, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. A setup? Who cares? I just want to get back to Konoha without blowing my cover!

But of course, things weren’t going to be that easy.

_______________________________________________________________

Later that day, as they approached the village to make their delivery, Sasuke pulled Kurama aside, away from the rest of the group. His face was serious, his Sharingan deactivated but still sharp.

“What’s going on with you, Naruto?” Sasuke asked bluntly. “You’ve been off for weeks, and now you’re fighting like a completely different person.”

Kurama’s heart pounded in his chest. I knew this was coming...

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kurama replied, trying to sound casual. “Maybe you’re just imagining things.”

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t lie to me. I’ve seen the way you’ve been acting. You’re not the same Naruto.”

Kurama gritted his teeth. Sasuke was too perceptive for his own good. He had to come up with something—anything—that would get Sasuke off his back.

“Look, I’ve just been... going through some stuff, alright?” Kurama said, trying to sound vulnerable. “Maybe I’m not myself because I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

Sasuke didn’t seem convinced. “What kind of stuff?”

Kurama cursed inwardly. Why is this guy so relentless?!

“Just... personal stuff,” Kurama muttered, looking away. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Sasuke’s gaze softened slightly, but he was still suspicious. “Fine. But if you keep acting this strange, I’m not going to ignore it. Something’s going on with you, and I’ll figure it out.”

Kurama let out a shaky breath as Sasuke walked away. That was too close.

_______________________________________________________________

By the time they made it back to Konoha, Kurama was mentally and physically exhausted. Pretending to be Naruto was proving to be far more stressful than he’d imagined, and Sasuke’s relentless suspicions were only making things worse.

As soon as they entered the village gates, Kurama tried to slip away from the group, hoping to avoid any more awkward encounters.

But just as he thought he was in the clear, he heard a familiar voice.

“Naruto!”

Kurama turned to see Ino running toward him, waving energetically. She had a wide grin on her face, clearly excited about something.

Kurama groaned internally. Oh great, what now?

Ino stopped in front of him, hands on her hips. “I’ve been looking for you all day! You owe me lunch, remember?”

Kurama blinked. “I do?”

Ino nodded, still smiling. “Yep! You promised last week after I helped you with that mission.”

Kurama’s mind raced. He had no idea what she was talking about. But he couldn’t afford to look suspicious, especially with Sasuke lurking around.

“Uh, right. Totally. Lunch. Let’s do that... tomorrow!” Kurama said, trying to sound enthusiastic.

Ino frowned slightly. “Tomorrow? But I thought—”

“Yeah, tomorrow,” Kurama interrupted, giving her a thumbs-up. “I’m super busy right now, but I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

Ino sighed but smiled again. “Alright, fine. But you better not forget!”

Kurama nodded eagerly, relieved that he’d managed to dodge another bullet. “Don’t worry, I won’t.”

As Ino walked away, Kurama let out a long breath. This is getting ridiculous. How much longer can I keep pretending to be Naruto before someone figures it out?

_______________________________________________________________

***

Kurama narrowly avoids exposing his secret once again, but Sasuke’s suspicions are growing stronger with every strange encounter. With each passing day, Kurama finds it harder to maintain the facade, and the constant pressure is beginning to wear him down. Can he keep up the act, or will Sasuke finally uncover the truth?

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