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"I was always worried that you wouldn't be able to step out from the shadow of your father, Sakumo. It seems I was remiss as a teacher. Kazuki has done remarkably well in successfully pulling you out of it. Although I'm not particularly fond of his domineering nature, he has done an excellent job and made the right choices – both for you and for the village. In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures are required. Only someone with his domineering character could step forward, stabilize the village's situation, and lead it toward a better future. I... I was never a truly qualified Hokage. Fortunately, the village is thriving now. That is what I had hoped to see."
"Teacher, I..."
"Say no more." Minato smiled, his tone firming. "During my single year as Hokage, my failure to see through the machinations of the Third Hokage and his faction, my inability to cleanse these festering stains from the village – that in itself was a manifestation of my own incompetence. After all, I was the Fourth Hokage of the village, even if my tenure wasn't long." A self-deprecating smile crossed Minato's face.
"Had I been able to properly handle these matters back then, the village wouldn't have been left with so many problems. Fortunately, Lady Tsunade possesses sufficient boldness – bold enough to support someone like Kazuki, and bold enough to truly utilize him. Had it been me, I would never have dared to do such a thing." What use was capability without support? Without backing, one's talents could never be brought to bear and would simply be stifled.
"Please tell Naruto that I'm sorry. His irresponsible father must now depart for the Pure Land to find his mother." A white light had already begun to emanate from Minato's body. He understood perfectly – the time allotted for the Impure World Reincarnation had expired. To be precise, it was the time Orochimaru had granted. Kazuki allowing them, master and student, this moment to reminisce was already a considerable gesture of face. Orochimaru had even extended the time slightly, but unfortunately, he hadn't gotten to witness the grand spectacle he'd been hoping for. Minato had utterly failed to satisfy his curiosity.
"Farewell. I hope we won't have the chance to meet again anytime soon." Unless it was through Impure World Reincarnation, their next meeting could only occur in the Pure Land itself. And that would mean Kakashi had already died. This was not something Minato wished to see. Kakashi still had a long life ahead of him.
Kakashi, incapable of uttering anything overly sentimental, could only stand with red-rimmed eyes, watching as his teacher dissolved into a cascade of paper-like fragments before his eyes and vanished without a trace. A faint, satisfied smile played at the corner of Orochimaru's lips, and he decisively took his leave. He needed to wash up first, then go find Kazuki. Regarding Kazuki's outrageous operation of targeting the Yin Nine-Tails and even sealing it within his own body, Orochimaru harbored immense curiosity.
A Jinchuriki and a Tailed Beast were fundamentally one entity. If the Jinchuriki perished, the Tailed Beast would die as well. Although a Tailed Beast wouldn't truly cease to exist and would eventually revive, the process of resurrection took an exceedingly long time. And given the choice to remain alive, no Tailed Beast would willingly choose death. The taste of death was not something anyone could face with complete equanimity.
This held true for humans, and it was no different for Tailed Beasts. After all, Tailed Beasts also had things they feared; otherwise, the Yin Nine-Tails wouldn't have been tormented by Kazuki into a state more obedient than a dog. By the same token, if something went wrong with the Tailed Beast, the Jinchuriki would also die. Orochimaru refused to believe that Kazuki, fully aware of the Akatsuki's plans, would eagerly turn himself into a Jinchuriki. Even if he were to do so, he should at least obtain a complete Nine-Tails. What was the point of sealing only half?
Kazuki departed with his entourage, and the Anbu operatives withdrew as well. With Orochimaru's departure, only Kakashi remained at the scene, lost in his own reminiscence. Upon returning to the Hokage building, Kazuki did not rest. Instead, he bathed, changed into fresh clothes, and sat waiting within the Hokage's office. He hadn't dismissed his three bodyguards either, allowing them to remain in the office.
Like Orochimaru, Shisui, Itachi, and Kisame were all intensely curious as to why Kazuki would choose to seal the Yin Nine-Tails within his own body. The Nine-Tails was powerful, yes – even just half of it was enough to give the Five Great Shinobi Villages a monumental headache. But Kazuki was the exception. One look at the groveling, sycophantic state of the Yin Nine-Tails was enough to understand the horrific torment it had endured. There was absolutely no necessity for Kazuki to turn himself into a Jinchuriki. It seemed almost like a loss outweighing the gain. But none of them – not Shisui, nor the others – could step forward and openly question Kazuki's actions. Everyone could only bury their doubts deep within their hearts.
Soon, Orochimaru arrived.
"Your reward. I'll reiterate: do not conduct your experiments within the village, nor within the borders of the Land of Fire. Beyond that, I don't care. If trouble arises, do not involve the village. I will not help you. I hope you will exercise discretion." True to his word, Kazuki was not a petty man. He had promised Orochimaru a reward and would deliver it directly, without the slightest withholding. Orochimaru caught the scroll Kazuki tossed to him, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. It was a pity, however, that few dared to meet that smile, and even fewer could stomach it.
"In that case, might I be so bold as to ask out of curiosity – why has the Advisor chosen to seal the Nine-Tails and become the second Nine-Tails Jinchuriki? Even if a sealing were to be performed, shouldn't it be the complete beast? Given your strength, the power of the Nine-Tails should be unnecessary." Being able to effortlessly manhandle the Nine-Tails rendered its power redundant – at most, it was merely the icing on the cake.
Kazuki leaned back in his chair, propping both feet up onto the desk. He regarded Orochimaru's unfamiliar face with a teasing glint. "Orochimaru, I must confess, I much preferred you when you were proud and untamed. You've suddenly become so excessively polite – I'm finding it rather difficult to adjust."
That single sentence from Kazuki rendered Orochimaru completely speechless.
Kazuki chuckled and continued, "How should I put this? It's true that I don't particularly need the power of the Nine-Tails, especially when it's only half. The Nine-Tails was split into two. The Yang-attributed chakra half is sealed within Naruto, while the half I've taken is the Yin-attributed half." Within the Hokage's office, Orochimaru eagerly awaited Kazuki's answer, while Shisui, Kisame, and Itachi all pricked up their ears.
"To obtain the complete Nine-Tails, I would have to target Naruto. That is clearly impossible. Without the Nine-Tails, the Jinchuriki would die. Even though Naruto possesses the Uzumaki Clan's bloodline and a formidable life force, he still wouldn't escape death. Most importantly, half of the Nine-Tails is already more than sufficient for my purposes. As for why I sealed the Nine-Tails within my body... that topic is somewhat more complex. To put it simply: I am not a Jinchuriki. I merely sealed the Nine-Tails within a rather unique space. I can forcibly utilize the Nine-Tails' power, but if the Nine-Tails were to die, I would be unharmed. However, should I die, the Nine-Tails will most assuredly accompany me to the grave."
Such a thing was even possible?! Upon hearing this, the eyes of all four individuals in the Hokage's office bulged wide with shock. Even Itachi was stunned. How difficult was it to become a perfect Jinchuriki? Across the Five Great Shinobi Villages, Jinchuriki had been replaced numerous times, yet to date, only two perfect Jinchuriki had ever emerged: the Three-Tails Jinchuriki, Yagura, and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer Bee. Even the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, Yugito, was still struggling along that arduous path. Yet Kazuki, after merely subduing the Nine-Tails and sealing it, had reached this level. To be precise, his achievement was even more exaggerated than that of a perfect Jinchuriki.