Chapter 5 Cool Red Pepper

Naruto couldn't help but laugh out loud.

The room was pitch black, with only his laughter echoing in the silent night for a long time.

Ever since the Nine-Tails injected chakra into his body, his night vision has become extremely sharp and darkness is no longer an obstacle for him.

Not only that, his other senses were also greatly enhanced. He could feel everything around him, colors, sounds, smells, and even the slightest vibrations in the air.

He could feel the wooden planks beneath his feet, smell the fragrance of the trees outside the window, and even hear the chirping of insects in the distance. He could feel the Nine-Tailed Fox's presence, not just its power, but also its breath, heartbeat, and even its emotions.

Although this feeling has gradually weakened, it has never completely disappeared.

His senses became extremely sharp, as if he had been reborn.

He can easily see through the darkness, smell odors that ordinary people cannot detect, and even predict future weather changes.

He didn't know if these changes would help him as a ninja, but he was looking forward to it.

"If the Whirlpool Kingdom was destroyed so easily, then they must be very weak, right?" he asked somewhat disappointedly.

He had imagined himself to be from a powerful ninja family, but now it seemed that this dream was about to be shattered.

Kyuubi suddenly burst into laughter, as if he had heard some huge joke.

"Are you kidding me, kid?!"

Naruto was startled by its sudden laughter, and the last glimmer of hope in his heart was shattered, but he did not give up, but asked:

"Is not it?"

"The Whirlpool Country is indeed a small country, and their village is not big either, but their strength should not be underestimated." Kyuubi's tone was filled with admiration, "In the past few ninja wars, the ninjas of the Whirlpool Country were the ones that the enemies were terrified of. They were known for their powerful chakra and exquisite sealing techniques. Even when facing a strong enemy, they dared to fight to the death until the last moment."

Naruto looked up in surprise. He had never thought that the country that seemed so weak in his eyes actually possessed such a powerful force.

"really?"

"Would I lie to you?" Kyuubi said unhappily, "Although I hate those guys, I have to admit that their talent in fighting is unmatched by any other country. This is one of the reasons why I can tolerate your existence."

"Are they really that strong?" Naruto still found it a little unbelievable.

"Boy, I'm not kidding you." Kyuubi's tone suddenly became serious, "On the battlefield, as long as you see the ninjas from the Whirlpool Country, it means you should find a place to hide. Each of them is a strong man who can fight against a hundred people alone. Their strength can even rival those Kages."

"Really?!" Naruto widened his eyes in surprise. He seemed to see those ninjas from the Whirlpool Country wearing battle robes and holding sharp blades, fighting bravely on the battlefield. Their figures were so tall and their wills were so firm.

"Of course it's true." Kyuubi said proudly, "Don't forget, your mother, Uzumaki Kushina, is also a powerful ninja from the Whirlpool Country."

"My mother?"

"Yes, she has the ability to control the diamond chains, a power that even I am afraid of. With my help, she can even raze the entire battlefield to the ground in an instant."

"Wow?! Really?!" Naruto shouted excitedly. He seemed to see his mother's heroic figure, invincible on the battlefield.

"Of course, your mother is an amazing ninja." Kyuubi said with a smile.

"What about my father? Who is he? Which family does he come from?" Naruto suddenly asked. He wanted to know if his father was as powerful as his mother.

Kyuubi shook his head.

"He has no family. He's a civilian ninja."

"Civilian ninja?"

"That's right. He has no family inheritance and no bloodline limit, but he relied on his own efforts to become the Hokage of Konoha Village." Kyuubi explained, "This situation is very rare, but it is not without precedent. Some ninjas are born with powerful chakras. Even without family inheritance, they can become top powerhouses."

"Like the Hyuga and Uchiha clans?"

"Not exactly." Kyuubi shook his head, "They are more like Shikamaru and Kiba's family, relying on blood inheritance to gain power."

"What about the Uzumaki clan? Do they rely on blood inheritance, or do they gain strength through acquired efforts like my father?" Naruto asked curiously.

Kyuubi thought for a moment, then said:

"It's a bit of both. The Uzumaki clan was originally a powerful ninja family with a unique sealing technique. Later, they married the Senju clan and merged their bloodlines together to form an even more powerful force."

"What about my father? Is he also strong?"

Kyuubi thought for a moment, then said:

"Well... what impressed me most about him was that he loved your mother very much, to an outrageous degree."

"So is he strong or not?"

"He is a genius in sealing techniques just like your mother. Moreover, he seems to be proficient in a very rare space-time ninjutsu, but I can't remember clearly. It seems that there are other ninjas who also know this ninjutsu."

"What about my mother? Is she popular in the village?"

Kyuubi shook his head, a hint of pity in his tone.

"She has been bullied since she was a child, especially when she first came to the village."

Naruto wrinkled his nose in confusion. He couldn't imagine that the powerful and scary female ninja was once a bullied and neglected child.

"I don't understand...why would someone bully her?"

Kyuubi snorted, his tone bitter.

"For the stupidest reason. Kushina was bullied because of her hair color."

"Her hair color?" Naruto repeated, still in disbelief.

"Kushina's hair is redder than the sunset in the Land of Fire," Kyuubi explained, "It's very beautiful, but it's the symbol of the Uzumaki clan, their emblem. No one except the people of the Land of Whirlpools and the Land of Lightning has red hair like that. So, the other kids bully her simply because she's different."

The Nine-Tailed Fox growled, as if cursing something.

Naruto never thought that the Kyuubi would defend his mother.

"Do you like my mother, Kyuubi?"

"No," the fox answered bluntly, "but of all the people I know, I think I hate her the most."

This was perhaps the highest compliment Kyuubi could give.

Naruto's mother is not only powerful, she is also outstanding.

"I wish I had met her," Naruto said without hesitation.