Chapter 24

The minutes slid like grains of sand through an invisible hourglass, each weighing more than the one before in a room now filled with the palpable tension of silence. Kurama remained seated, his relaxed posture beautifully contrasting with the simmering energy he exuded. His gaze fixed on nothingness, he waited, savoring the anticipation of the masked man's return.

Finally, as if answering Kurama's unspoken call, space in front of him began to distort. The vortex reappeared, slowly spinning in reverse, and from the midst of the spiral, the figure of the masked man emerged, his presence as enigmatic as before.

"So?" Kurama's voice cut through the silence, imbued with unwavering confidence.

The masked man, still revealing no sign of his emotions, raised his hand in a silent greeting, acknowledging the end of the given time.

"I have considered your proposal," began the masked one, his voice as cold and controlled as the steel of a blade. "And if you truly wish to form an alliance... then you will follow my conditions."

Kurama raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile appearing on his lips. "Your conditions?" he repeated, his voice tinged with scorn. "You seem to forget who offered the deal in the first place."

"No one is in a position to dictate terms here," continued the masked man, ignoring Kurama's tone. "You want me to release Yagura, then you must agree to assist in the execution of the Tsuki no Me project under my leadership. You will act in accordance with my strategies and, most importantly, will not interfere with my other ventures."

Kurama laughed, a sound that was at once full of contempt and amusement. "You really think that I, the great Kyuubi, would bow before you? You are more foolish than you appear."

The masked remained motionless, a deadly game of chess unfolding between the unspoken words.

"Let me make one thing clear," said Kurama, his voice growing in fury. "I am not your pawn, and I am certainly not here to follow orders. If you want my help, you will have it on my terms."

The masked man took a step forward, his presence as threatening as distant thunder. "Do not underestimate my capabilities, Kyuubi. Should you refuse, I assure you will encounter obstacles... insurmountable."

Kurama tilted his head, the light playing in his red eyes as if reflecting the flames of a deep and unquenchable fire. "You have the audacity to threaten me," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "But tell me, masked one, do you really think you can intimidate me? Do you believe you are Madara Uchiha to wield such power over me?"

The masked man hesitated for a moment, surprised at the mention of Madara. Behind the mask, his eyes narrowed, a crack in the armor of his composure. "The Kyuubi knows the names of the powerful well," he responded, the voice maintaining its cold tone, but with a new note of caution. "But it does not matter who you think I am. What matters are the consequences of your choices."

Kurama let out a scoffing laugh, but his eyes burned with an intensity that could incinerate mountains. "You speak of consequences as if you could control chaos," Kurama mocked. "You are not Madara, though perhaps you aspire to be. You do not possess the power to subjugate me, and certainly do not have the capacity to imprison me again."

Rising from his seated position, Kurama let his aura fill the room, the air vibrating with the raw power he emanated. "Here are the final terms," he said, each word weighing like a divine decree. "I will assist you with your 'Tsuki no Me Project', but not as a subordinate. We shall be partners, or there will be no deal at all. And as for Yagura, he will be freed, not by your hands, but by mine."

The masked man stood motionless, the tension between them so thick it could be cut with a knife. "And if I refuse?" he challenged, his voice a mix of threat and intrigue.

"Then you will lose the only creature in this world that can assure the success of your grandiose plan," Kurama replied confidently. "You have your Sharingan, your jutsus, your cunning... but I... I possess a force that you could never hope to control."

The masked man remained silent for a moment, his stance unshakable before Kurama's dominating presence. The air around him seemed to tremble with the possibility of an impending storm, but his response, when it came, was as controlled as ever.

"A partnership...", he murmured, the word laden with the weight of reluctant acceptance. "Very well, Kyuubi. If it is the balance of power you seek, then so it shall be."

Kurama, whose presence seemed to have threatened to engulf the entire room, smiled with satisfaction. His victory was not just in terms, but also in the confirmation that, even masked, the man before him recognized the vastness of his power.

"As for Yagura," Kurama continued, "he will be free from this night. You will not need to dirty your hands; I will take care of it."

The masked man nodded in an almost imperceptible agreement. He knew that control over Yagura was an important pawn, but the alliance with Kurama could be worth the temporary loss of the manipulated Mizukage.

"One last thing," Kurama cut in, his voice low but clear, "Do not blindly trust all around you."

The masked man felt the weight of the warning, and for a brief moment, his eyes behind the mask shone with a deeper knowledge. The warning was clear, even if the specific words were veiled in shadows. He was being alerted to a betrayal, and the suggestion was that the traitor might be closer than he imagined.

"Are you suggesting that I should mistrust you, Kyuubi?" The masked one threw out the challenge, his voice tinged with irony.

Kurama let out a laugh. "Me? Oh no, you misunderstand. I am an ally... for now. But even allies have their own games and ambitions. Just be aware that loyalty is a currency that fluctuates with the winds of convenience."

"So, I should keep my enemies close and allies like you even closer?" the masked one replied, the insinuation clear as crystal.

"As you wish to interpret it," said Kurama, indifferent. "But remember, while we are in this 'partnership', our fates are intertwined. It would be imprudent of you to ignore the advice of those who see the world from angles that you, perhaps, cannot."

-------------

40 chapters on patreon, whoever can support me I appreciate it. patreon.com/Louisdg