"You're stuck in the middle of a war, and from my experience, kids like you won't survive," Kurama snorted, conjuring a blizzard that nearly knocked down the person keeping him captive. "Forget about Konoha. You're in an unfamiliar world now, a place entrenched in a 100-year war as that old man, who saved your skin, mentioned. I've lived for centuries, watching humans tear each other apart. You find yourself in the thick of this conflict, just like countless others. Cities razed, reduced to ashes, and corpses scattered everywhere like a gruesome sea..." Lowering its gaze, the fox locked eyes with the uncertain shinobi, who for the first time felt lost.

"What can I do?" Setting his pride aside, Naruto sought guidance from the fox who had witnessed wars for centuries. Even if it meant swallowing his pride, he needed all the help he could get.

"Well, you could always become the sidekick of that crazy lady who throws lightning," Kurama said with a teasing tone, which made Naruto annoyed and cross his arms.

"fuck you"

"Ufff How weak," the nine-tailed fox snorted before plopping into the water of its prison. It was just a waiting game now. The fox anticipated that the boy would likely meet his end outside, after which Kurama could regenerate somewhere in this world over the years. It might take a while, but the fox was determined to have a life away from troublesome humans.

As Kurama pondered its plan, Naruto kept his gaze downcast, disappointed that Kurama wasn't willing to help him. Clenching his fists in frustration, he finally looked up. "You know what, you darn fox! I don't need your help! I'll figure out a way to get back home on my own. Nothing will stop me, no matter what! I won't give up until I find my friends! Remember that Uzumaki Naruto never gives up!" With unwavering determination in his eyes, he turned and darted into the darkness, disappearing from sight.

Opening one eye slightly, the tailed beast smirked mockingly. The boy had guts, but courage wouldn't do him much good in this place. In war, the bravest often fell first on the battlefield. It was a pattern Kurama had witnessed countless times. With a yawn, the fox closed its eyes, ready to rest and let events unfold as they would.

….

"Hey…"

Kurama opened his eyes again and found Naruto standing in front of the cage. The boy scratched the back of his neck with a sheepish grin and looked around, then asked, "Now what?" The fox lazily responded with its characteristic deep voice, glancing at its jailer, who squirmed uncomfortably.

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"I don't know how to get out of here…"

With a blank stare, Kurama used its tails to create a barrier, avoiding eye contact with the boy who sat on the ground, seemingly waiting for something. "Idiot," Kurama muttered before closing its eyes to sleep, dismissing the shinobi.

For what felt like hours to Naruto, he waited to wake up from his unconsciousness. As he began to come to, he heard footsteps. Slowly opening his eyes, he realized he was still in the cave. As he became more aware, he noticed something missing. "Oh no…" Touching his neck, he realized that the necklace Grandma Tsunade had given him was gone.

Getting up, he rushed out of the cave to find the sun rising on the horizon. How could someone have stolen from him while he was unconscious? It was a huge oversight on his part. Now, how could he track down the person responsible? Letting out a sigh, he sat at the cave's entrance, feeling somewhat defeated.

"Remember, if you need to find someone, everyone leaves a trail. You just have to find it."

Oddly, a phrase from Kiba, back when they were kids, came to mind. Kiba had bragged about his mom teaching him how to follow tracks, just to show off. Remembering this, Naruto looked down at the ground. He frowned and saw the rocky cave floor didn't show footprints. Going further away, he found a patch of dirt on the ground.

"Found it!"

A grin spread across his face as he spotted small footprints leading into the forest. They were child-sized prints. With newfound determination, he started running, following the trail. After a few minutes, he arrived at a sizable town in the Earth Kingdom. Unfortunately, the only entrance was guarded by two earthbender-looking guards. But dealing with them was nothing Naruto couldn't handle.

"And have you seen the general's sister?" one guard asked his partner, who just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, he said she's a 7," the partner replied, his grin taking on a more inappropriate tone. Before they could continue their talk about the general's sister, they heard footsteps approaching. It was a boy with long, golden hair, only wearing pants. What caught their attention the most was the cloth covering his eyes and the long stick he used to guide himself.

The pre-teen walked up to the guards and suddenly struck one of them in the leg with his cane. "Hey kid, be careful!" snapped the earthbender, only to get hit on the head by the staff this time.

"Chill, dude. He's a blind boy," one of the guards scolded his companion. Taking the boy by the arm, he guided him out of the entrance. "Just keep going straight and then turn left. You'll find a restaurant and a grocery store. Maybe they can help you with some clothes," the earthbender said with a touch of sadness as he led the blond into the city.

"Thank you, good man," the 'blind' boy said with a grateful smile, as he strolled through the streets, distancing himself from the guard. The guards returned to their posts, though one of them wore a skeptical expression, unsure about what had just transpired.

"Hey, did you take my wallet?" one of the earthbenders asked, patting his pockets. The other guard checked his own pockets. After a moment, both guards realized that they had been tricked and robbed by a seemingly blind kid. It wasn't a story they were excited to share with their general.

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