"What is this…? The Rinnegan?! And it's still golden… how is that even possible?!"
The Nine-Tails' massive eyes widened in disbelief, and even its enormous body began to tense.
It could feel the pressure pouring from those eyes.
And that pressure… was even greater than the one it had once felt from the Sage of Six Paths himself.
Having existed since that distant era, Kurama knew better than anyone what those eyes meant.
Madara Uchiha's Sharingan alone had been enough to completely suppress it.
So if this brat possessed eyes that surpassed even that…
"Brat… who exactly are you?"
Inside the cage, every hair on the Nine-Tails' body stood on end.
The boy in front of it was dangerous.
No... calling him just dangerous was an understatement.
And that wasn't all. Kurama could even sense traces of the other tailed beasts' chakra lingering around him.
Kushina stared at the Nine-Tails in shock.
For the first time, the giant fox that always acted so arrogant actually looked wary.
A grin spread across her face.
"So there really is someone who can put you in your place, you big fox. Just like I thought—my clansman is amazing!"
Kurama ignored her and kept its eyes fixed on Namikaze Kirito.
In response to its question, Kirito said nothing about himself. His expression remained calm as he spoke in an even tone.
"Nine-Tails, if you want to keep living peacefully, then stay quiet."
His golden Rinnegan remained locked on Kurama.
"And from now on, you will fully cooperate with your jinchūriki. If you don't…"
At those words, Kurama's pride instantly flared.
It bared its fangs and thrust one massive claw forward, the sharp tip stopping just short of Kirito.
"Or else what, brat?!"
Kirito's eyes turned cold.
"A beast should know its place. I don't like this kind of behavior."
The instant those words fell, a crushing pressure descended on Kurama like the heavens themselves had collapsed onto its back.
"Guh…!"
Its bones groaned.
Its muscles screamed.
Even its flesh felt as though it were being torn apart by an invisible force.
The Nine-Tails crashed down onto the floor of the cage, its limbs trembling violently as it glared up at Kirito with bloodshot eyes.
Hatred burned in that gaze.
If looks could kill, Kirito would already be dead a thousand times over.
Then Kirito spoke again, this time in a voice only Kurama could hear.
"Tailed beasts are not truly immortal. If you want to keep existing, then obey me."
His tone remained calm, but every word carried absolute certainty.
"Otherwise… I don't mind turning the Nine-Tails into the Eight-Tails."
Kurama's pupils shrank.
It could feel it.
Its body was changing.
And instinct—older than reason itself—was screaming that the human before it was telling the truth.
The reason the tailed beasts had never truly feared humans, no matter how powerful they were, was simple.
They could not be permanently killed.
Even if their bodies were destroyed, they would eventually reform.
That was the confidence of the tailed beasts.
The nine of them together formed the Ten-Tails, a being tied to the very order of the world itself. Humans could seal them, use them, even suppress them—
—but not erase them.
That was supposed to be absolute.
And yet, standing before this boy, Kurama felt that certainty crack for the first time.
Slowly, the Nine-Tails withdrew its turbulent chakra.
Its raised claw lowered.
Then, for the first time in a very, very long while, Kurama bowed its head.
Seeing that, Kushina blinked—then immediately broke into a bright smile as she walked over.
Without the slightest fear, she slipped her hand through the bars of the cage and gently rubbed the Nine-Tails on the nose.
"Hah! Looking at you like this… you're actually kind of cute."
Kurama's eyelid twitched.
Cute?
If this had happened before, it would have roared in rage and blasted her away with chakra on the spot.
But Kirito was standing right there.
Forget showing her "a fierce look"—if it so much as twitched the wrong way, it had a feeling it really would vanish on the spot.
So instead, Kurama simply shut its eyes.
Out of sight, out of mind.
That silent surrender made Kushina burst out laughing.
Seeing his mother so happy, Kirito's expression softened slightly as well.
"Kushina-san… don't worry. From now on, this big fox will listen to you."
"Really? Kirito-kun, you're amazing!"
Kushina's eyes lit up with excitement.
Most of the time, when she carried out missions, she had to rely on her sealing techniques along with her ninjutsu—but the Nine-Tails had always caused trouble at the worst possible moments.
And more often than not, Minato had to help clean up the mess afterward.
But now…
If Kurama truly cooperated with her, then things would be completely different.
Kushina clenched her fists, already imagining how much more useful she could be in battle.
While she was still caught up in her excitement, Kirito quietly disappeared from the sealed space.
Back in reality, Minato watched Kushina's peaceful expression and finally let out the breath he had been holding.
Thank goodness…
Kushina slowly opened her eyes.
At the table nearby, Kirito was still calmly eating as though nothing had happened, the corners of his mouth faintly curved in a relaxed smile.
"Kushina! That's great—you're okay!"
Minato immediately moved closer, worry written all over his face.
Kushina reached up and gently touched his cheek.
"Don't worry, Minato. I'm fine."
Then she sat up and turned toward Kirito, her expression bright.
"Kirito, thank you. The Nine-Tails is being really obedient now."
The moment those words left her mouth, everyone in the room froze.
"…What did you just say, Kushina?"
Minato looked completely baffled.
Kirito had been sitting there eating the entire time.
How did he have anything to do with subduing the Nine-Tails?
Kirito dabbed the corner of his mouth with a napkin and smiled lightly.
"It's nothing. The Nine-Tails will cooperate with you from now on. Use its chakra however you need."
The atmosphere in the room changed instantly.
Unlike Minato and Kushina, who were still trying to process what had happened, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face had already gone cold.
"A kid who can deal with the Nine-Tails right under my nose without anyone noticing…"
His eyes narrowed sharply.
"Who are you?"
Kirito looked at him, amused, but did not answer.
In the next instant—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several figures appeared around the room.
ANBU and Root shinobi filled the space in an instant, their presence sharp and tense.
Kirito let out a small sigh and set down his chopsticks.
"Seriously… can't a person eat in peace?"
He lifted his gaze and looked at Hiruzen with a teasing smile.
"I didn't expect the people of this world to react this quickly."
"Hey, old man, what exactly do you think you're doing?!"
Kushina's expression changed immediately.
Kirito had just helped her.
Not only that, he was a fellow Uzumaki.
There was no way she would just sit there while a whole squad surrounded him.
"You threaten my clansman, then bring in this many shinobi? What kind of joke is this?!"
Minato looked troubled as he turned toward Jiraiya.
"Sensei… Third Hokage-sama, he—"
He stopped halfway, clearly caught between duty and emotion.
Jiraiya understood what his student was trying to say.
With a helpless sigh, he looked toward Hiruzen.
"Old man, tell them to stand down first."
But Hiruzen did not budge.
"Jiraiya, tensions between the villages are already at the breaking point. War could break out at any moment."
His voice was firm, carrying the weight of the Hokage.
"As Hokage, I have to guarantee the village's safety. Don't ask me to ignore something like this."
Then he turned toward Minato and Kushina.
"I only intend to confirm his identity. Unless it becomes absolutely necessary, I have no intention of harming him."
He paused, then added more softly,
"So don't worry."
The moment those words fell, a low chuckle echoed through the room.
Orochimaru.
Jiraiya frowned immediately.
For some reason, the laugh of the middle-aged man standing there made him instinctively uncomfortable.
"What's so funny?"
Orochimaru ignored him completely.
His golden eyes remained fixed on Hiruzen as the smile on his face widened.
"As expected of the Third Hokage… always speaking of righteousness."
His voice was smooth, but laced with mockery.
"But tell me something…"
His eyes sharpened.
"Do you really believe you can lay a hand on my leader?"
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