"Hey, hey… why do I have to help you sort out your work?"
Inside the principal's office of the Ninja Academy, third-year student Nara Shikaku sat beside Kizaru's desk, his face filled with impatience.
"Because you were sleeping in class," Kizaru replied with a lazy smile, legs crossed as he calmly trimmed his nails with a nail clipper.
You bastard were sleeping too!
"Tch."
Shikaku clicked his tongue, feeling deeply betrayed by their so-called revolutionary friendship. Still, he lowered his head and looked at the scattered documents across the table.
The moment he saw the contents, his expression slowly turned serious.
He reached out and picked up one of the files.
Inside were detailed records about the industries controlled by the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, along with the positions their members held within Konoha's official departments.
Although Shikaku was only ten years old, his maturity and sharp mind were far beyond most children his age. In some ways, he was even more perceptive than many adults.
"…You're really letting me organize this kind of information?" Shikaku asked, his tone no longer casual.
He had already guessed why Kizaru was gathering these documents.
After finishing his nails and putting away the clipper, Kizaru finally lifted his head and looked at him.
"I trust you quite a lot, Shikaku."
"…What a pain."
Shikaku complained under his breath, but his shoulders relaxed slightly.
Despite what he said, his hands had already started moving.
As the young heir of the Nara Clan, Shikaku naturally knew about the recent talks spreading among Konoha's higher-ups and the major clans.
The village was preparing to invest in research related to Hashirama's cells.
Kizaru had gathered these clan documents to better understand each clan's influence and strength, so the investment could be divided appropriately.
"How many levels do you want me to divide them into?" Shikaku asked.
"Decide that yourself."
Shikaku paused.
"…Me?"
Kizaru smiled, resting his chin on one hand.
"Shikaku, you're the right-hand man I picked. My future Hokage advisor. I believe in your ability."
Right-hand man?
As the heir of the Nara Clan, Shikaku understood the meaning behind those words better than most.
That was not something someone said lightly.
Does this guy really trust me that much?
Looking at Kizaru's relaxed smile, Shikaku fell silent for a moment before nodding seriously.
"Fine. I'll organize it for you."
"Thank you, Shikaku. You're really reliable."
After saying that, Kizaru leaned back leisurely and stretched his arms.
The Nara Clan really is useful…
With a quiet sigh of admiration in his heart, Kizaru reached for the teacup on his desk.
He gently blew on the steaming tea, took a sip, then turned his gaze toward the office door.
There was no knock.
The door opened directly.
Matatabi entered first.
Behind her, Kushina cautiously poked her head into the office.
When Kushina saw both Kizaru and Shikaku inside, hesitation immediately appeared on her face.
"Kizaru," Matatabi said directly before Kushina could speak, "Kushina has something she needs your help with."
"Principal Kizaru…" Kushina said awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable with the title. "I want to explain it to you alone."
Kizaru glanced at Matatabi, then at Kushina's uneasy expression.
He seemed to understand.
Looks like the Nine-Tails is causing trouble. Is it jealous after seeing Matatabi?
With a rough guess in mind, Kizaru stood up from his chair.
"Shikaku, I'll leave this to you."
"Yeah, yeah. I got it."
Shikaku did not even raise his head, already focused on flipping through the files.
Kizaru smiled faintly, walked to the office door, and stopped in front of Kushina.
"Come with me."
After Matatabi walked out as well, Kizaru closed the office door behind them.
With a small signal, Matatabi jumped onto his shoulder.
Under Kushina's gaze, Kizaru led them out of the teaching building and toward the playground.
It was lunch break.
Several children were playing around the training equipment, their voices carrying through the open space.
For safety, Kizaru brought Kushina to a quiet corner on the far side of the playground, where no one else was around.
"So," Kizaru said, hands in his pockets as he looked down at her with a lazy smile. "What's troubling you?"
Kushina bit her lip.
After hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke under Matatabi's encouraging gaze.
"Kizaru… I've always had another identity."
Her fingers clenched slightly.
"I'm the village's Nine-Tails Jinchūriki."
After saying that, Kushina looked at him nervously.
She was afraid.
Afraid that he would suddenly distance himself from her.
Afraid that the look in his eyes would change.
But Kizaru only touched his chin and smiled.
"The Nine-Tails, huh… it must be pretty cute."
Kushina froze.
Her nervous expression turned completely blank.
Cute?
That terrifying monster?
Could something like the Nine-Tails even be described that way?
Inside Kushina's body, the Nine-Tails had been watching everything outside.
The moment it heard Kizaru's words, its eyes widened with rage.
"Bastard! I'll tear you apart!"
"Kizaru," Kushina said quickly, "the Nine-Tails is a terrifying monster."
Kizaru raised his right hand and gently tapped her forehead with two fingers, stopping her from continuing.
Kushina looked up at him in confusion.
Then she noticed Matatabi sitting on his shoulder.
"Tailed beasts aren't monsters, Kushina."
Kizaru's voice remained lazy, but his words were calm.
"They're living beings, just like humans. They can think. They can speak. And if you try, you can communicate with them."
He raised a hand and lightly touched Matatabi's fur.
"Isn't that right?"
Matatabi gave him a look.
You call beating me into submission "communication"?
Remembering their first meeting, Matatabi suddenly felt an old ache in her body.
"Communicate?" Kushina muttered.
She remembered the time she had seen the Nine-Tails within her seal.
That hatred.
That malice.
That pressure that made her feel like she would be swallowed whole.
She shook her head.
"The Nine-Tails is different from Matatabi. We can't communicate at all."
"Of course I'm different from that stinking cat!"
Inside the seal, the Nine-Tails snorted with disdain.
"Tailed beasts have been used and hurt by humans too many times," Kizaru said. "It's not strange that they don't trust people."
His smile widened slightly.
"So before talking to them properly, you first have to make them calm down."
Matatabi's eyes narrowed.
By "calm down," you mean beat them until they stop moving, don't you?
"This is impossible," Kushina said firmly. "I've tried before."
"Didn't Matatabi and I become good friends?"
Kizaru turned his head and looked at Matatabi on his shoulder.
Matatabi stared at him for a moment.
Then, after a brief silence, she replied, "…Yes."
Kushina looked between them uncertainly.
"Can we really become friends?"
"Of course."
Kizaru extended his right hand toward her.
"Give me your hand."
Kushina did not know what he intended to do.
But out of trust, she slowly raised her right hand and placed it on his palm.
The moment their hands touched, Kizaru sent his chakra through the connection.
In the next instant—
His consciousness slipped into Kushina's inner world.
"This place…"
With Kizaru's help, Kushina's consciousness also entered the sealed space inside her body.
"You've been here before, right, Kushina?"
Kizaru's voice came from behind her.
Kushina turned around in surprise.
"How did you come in?"
"I'm here to help you persuade the Nine-Tails."
Kizaru walked to her side and casually placed a hand on her shoulder.
In front of them, beyond the massive seal, the Nine-Tails stared down at them.
Its enormous body was restrained, nailed in place by the seal, while its crimson eyes burned with hatred.
Then it laughed.
"Hahaha! Just you?"
The Nine-Tails looked at the two humans and one cat that had entered its space, its voice filled with mockery.
"As expected of the Nine-Tails," Kizaru said, rubbing his chin as he looked up. "How scary…"
Matatabi, already familiar with Kizaru's tone, smacked the side of his neck with her tail in dissatisfaction before jumping down from his shoulder.
Under Kizaru and Kushina's gaze, she took a few steps forward.
Then her body expanded.
In the blink of an eye, Matatabi returned to her true form.
Blue flames rose from her body as she faced the Nine-Tails.
"Kyuubi," Matatabi said in a low voice, "let go of your hatred for a moment. Try speaking with this child."
The Nine-Tails bared its fangs in a mocking grin.
"Fine. Tell her to release the seal. I'll speak with her properly."
Kushina's face tightened.
Kizaru looked at the towering Nine-Tails in front of him, then asked, "Kushina, can you release the seal temporarily?"
Kushina turned to him in shock.
"I can, but—"
"Then release it. I'll help you persuade him."
Kizaru adjusted his sunglasses with a smile.
That smile somehow looked even more suspicious than usual.
"This is too dangerous!" Kushina warned.
"Oooh… so scary."
Kizaru laughed softly and took a step forward.
"But the Nine-Tails is pretty cute, isn't he?"
"What does cuteness have to do with this?!"
Kushina hurried after him, pointing at the Nine-Tails in disbelief.
"Release the seal," Kizaru said again, his tone still calm.
"It's too dangerous!" Kushina shouted.
"Kushina," Matatabi said, looking back at her, "believe in him."
Kushina clenched her teeth.
For a moment, hesitation flickered in her eyes.
Then she nodded.
"…Fine."
She brought her hands together.
One by one, the sealing stakes pinning the Nine-Tails' body began to pull away.
The golden chains binding its massive form gradually loosened.
"Only five minutes!" Kushina shouted, controlling the seal with all her focus.
Kizaru raised one hand and made an "OK" sign.
The next moment, he kicked off the ground and appeared before the Nine-Tails.
"Hahaha! You actually released the seal!"
The Nine-Tails laughed wildly, glaring down at Kushina with cruel amusement.
"What a foolish human!"
Its chakra surged.
Hatred flooded the sealed space like a storm.
"Hoo… how terrifying."
Kizaru landed in front of the Nine-Tails and looked up at its enormous body.
"It's too late to regret it now!" the Nine-Tails roared. "I'll kill all of you! I'll destroy everything!"
With that declaration of hatred, it raised one massive claw and swung down toward Kizaru.
Kizaru's hand flicked.
A golden blade of light formed in his grip.
Ame no Murakumo.
Holding the light sword in one hand, he blocked the Nine-Tails' claw head-on.
The collision shook the sealed space.
Kushina's eyes widened.
Even the Nine-Tails froze for a fraction of a second.
"What strength…" Kizaru said lazily, still holding the claw back with one hand. "As expected of a monster."
Then his arm moved.
With a single upward swing, he forced the Nine-Tails' claw away.
The Nine-Tails' eyes sharpened.
This man was only here through chakra.
Yet he could still block its power?
"I'll kill you, bastard!"
With a furious roar, the Nine-Tails opened its jaws.
Dense chakra began to gather before its mouth, dark and heavy, condensing into a deadly sphere.
"Kizaru!" Matatabi shouted from behind. "That's a Tailed Beast Bomb! Stop it!"
Tch.
Human lackey.
The Nine-Tails glanced at Matatabi with obvious disgust while continuing to gather chakra.
Kizaru looked up at the forming Tailed Beast Bomb.
Then he smiled.
"Oooh… that looks dangerous."
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