Chapter 15

Kokuo, through Han's voice, finally spoke, his voice resonating with the force of his presence. "If you try to extract Son Goku from his host, you will kill him. That will cause a war, and you will be hunted down by the Stone Village."

Kurama, whose eyes burned with the flame of understanding and experience, replied with a tone of disdain. "Am I not already being hunted? What's the difference?"

Kokuo, with steam still hissing around him, insisted, "If you kill the Jinchuriki, the hunt will be more intense."

"Are you serious?" Kurama scoffed, his voice laden with sarcasm. "Your village sent two of their 'weapons', and you're telling me I'll be more hunted? You two are proof that it's already happening."

Kurama then softened his stance, a more reflective tone taking over his voice. "Don't get me wrong, I may not like what the humans have done, and maybe it could have been done differently, but I understand, more or less, their reasons."

Kokuo reprimanded, "We are already treated as monsters. If you act like one, we will be seen even worse."

Kurama, now with a distant look, as if seeing beyond the horizon, stated with conviction, "That's why we have to show that we are like them. I have a plan in mind, but if they want war, they will have it!"

Kurama stared at Kokuo, his eyes reflecting an intensity that burned with the wisdom and burden of centuries. "And what about our brothers, Kokuo?" Kurama challenged with a defiant tone. "The ones who are still prisoners without choice, tied to their Jinchuriki without any agreement or mutual understanding? Do you think they enjoy any freedom, or are they just slaves to their human captors?"

The pause that followed was heavy, the steam around Kokuo seemed to reflect his hesitation. "I... It's not that simple, Kurama."

"They are nothing more than tools of war in the eyes of their villages, used and abused at their pleasure. Tell me, Kokuo," Kurama pressed, "don't you feel anything about that? No desire to change such a fate?"

Kokuo, with the steam hissing more softly now, seemed to dodge in his words, searching for an answer that could calm the growing tension. "Of course it's not ideal, and of course... I feel something about it. But I believe that over time, things can change. History has shown us that..."

Kurama interrupted, "Time, Kokuo? How much more time? How many generations must suffer before this 'time' comes?"

Kokuo, now visibly uneasy, continued: "I... I believe that hearts can be changed, Kurama. We cannot give up hope. And our father, Hagoromo, he... he would not like to see us in conflict. He always believed in the ability of humans and bijus to coexist in peace."

"Peaceful coexistence?" Kurama murmured, almost to himself. "Hagoromo had a vision, that's true. But did he foresee the slavery and suffering that would come? Did he imagine that his own children would be used as weapons against one another?"

It was a painful reminder for both. Hagoromo, known as the Sage of the Six Paths, had the dream of a world where humans and bijus could understand each other and live together in harmony. Yet, reality had strayed so far from that vision that it now seemed like a distant fable.

Kokuo, struggling to maintain a balance between his convictions and the harsh reality presented by Kurama, finally said: "I know the path is arduous, and that the pain is real. But we have to believe that things can be better. We... We must try, at least."

With a bitter smile dancing on his features, Kurama mocked the idea of peaceful coexistence. "Coexist in peace, eh? How interesting coming from you, Kokuo. While we speak of peace, our brothers are hunted, captured, and controlled. I don't see much 'peace' in this hunting each other down, do you?"

Kokuo remained silent, the truth in Kurama's words was undeniable and painful. The silence that followed was a testament to the complexity of the internal conflict that each Tailed Beast faced, balancing the innate desire for freedom with the possibility of harmonious coexistence with humans.

Kurama, despite his earlier sarcasm, revealed a glimpse of vulnerability. "Don't get me wrong, Kokuo. I'm not angry... On the contrary, I'm happy, after such a long time, to see my brothers again, even under such circumstances."

The steam around Kokuo seemed to lose heat, the tension slightly dissipating as he absorbed Kurama's words. After a while, his voice resonated with a softness that was rarely heard, "I... am also happy, Kurama. Despite everything, it's comforting to see that we are still together, even if we are on opposite sides of a conflict we never asked to be part of."

Kurama looked at Kokuo with a mischievous glint in his eyes and an ironic smile curving his lips. "You're getting soft, Kokuo. I never thought I'd see the day when a Tailed Beast would talk about hope and patience. It seems that chains bind not just bodies, but also minds."

Kokuo closed his eyes but remained silent, recognizing his brother's provocation.

"But you know," Kurama continued, "today I feel like talking. Discussing our fates, revisiting old wounds. But in the end, there's no way around it, right? We are destined to fight, to struggle for our freedom, or at least for the illusion of it."

Kokuo remained attentive, the tension between them was palpable, but Kurama's words carried a weight that not even brute force could match.

"But don't worry," Kurama said in a more serious tone, "I won't kill your Jinchuriki for your sake. After all, despite everything, we have a mutual respect, right? A kind of code among monsters, as some would like to call us."

Kokuo, driven by a mix of gratitude and frustration, lunged towards Kurama, his head aimed like a projectile. He moved swiftly, the steam forming a trail behind him, intending to use his strength to end the conflict.

Kurama, prepared, received the attack, using his own paws to deflect the impact of Kokuo's head. With a swift movement, he bit Kokuo's neck, not to fatally wound, but to immobilize him and show his strength.

In response, Kokuo released a burst of steam from his body, trying to push Kurama away with the heat and pressure. The fight between the two was fierce,but there was an unspoken understanding that neither wanted to take the battle to a tragic end.

Using the strength that only a Tailed Beast possesses, Kurama flung Kokuo away from himself. He then prepared and launched several Tailed Beast Bombs, concentrated chakra spheres, in quick succession.

Kokuo, recovering in the air and using his tails with skill, altered the trajectory of the Tailed Beast Bombs, deflecting them away from himself and his Jinchuriki.

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