Sitting up from the ground, Kurama stared at the two humans and the cat in front of him.
Most of his attention stayed on Kizaru.
The Nine-Tails' expression was complicated.
Another monster like Senju Hashirama?
The memory of that man casually saying he was "too dangerous," then grabbing him with a Wood Release giant as if he were some troublesome animal, still made Kurama's chest burn with humiliation.
Damn it…
When would he ever be free?
"Kushina," Kizaru said lazily, standing beside her while looking at Kurama. "Have you heard of Tailed Beast Chakra Mode?"
Kushina shook her head.
"No."
"When a Jinchūriki forcibly borrows a tailed beast's chakra, that chakra still carries the tailed beast's will. The more you use it, the more that will interferes with your own mind. If you lose control… well, things get scary."
Kushina nodded seriously.
She had already experienced that herself.
"Tailed Beast Chakra Mode is the complete form of a Jinchūriki. You control the tailed beast's chakra while staying fully conscious. If mastered properly, you can even take on the tailed beast's form and fight using a Tailed Beast Ball."
Kushina's eyes immediately lit up.
"How do I do it?"
"Ooh, impatient, aren't you?" Kizaru raised two fingers. "There are two ways… or rather, two stages of the same path."
Kushina stared at him expectantly.
"The first is simple. You use your own chakra to pull out Kurama's chakra by force."
Kizaru smiled faintly.
"Like tug-of-war. Whoever wins takes the other side's chakra. Whoever loses… loses their chakra."
His tone stayed slow, but his eyes turned slightly serious.
"You understand what happens if a person loses all their chakra, don't you, Kushina?"
Kushina's expression tightened.
"Losing chakra means death."
"Exactly."
Kizaru looked back at Kurama.
"And Kurama's chakra contains a great deal of hatred. Once you try to drag it out, you won't just be facing his chakra. You'll also be facing the darkness mixed into it. If your will breaks, your consciousness will be crushed… and your chakra will be taken instead."
Kushina clenched her fists.
"I—"
"You can't do it yet," Kizaru interrupted calmly.
Kushina immediately looked up at him, unconvinced.
"I can do it!"
"It's still too soon, Kushina."
This time, the voice did not come from Kizaru.
Matatabi, who had been listening quietly, spoke from the side.
"You little brat," Kurama said with a sharp grin, deliberately provoking her. "If you're that confident, why not try it?"
"Stupid fox! Believe it or not, I'll chain you up again!" Kushina shouted, glaring at him.
"Calm down, Kushina."
Matatabi stepped forward with graceful, quiet movements. She raised one paw and held it out in front of Kushina.
"Touch my chakra first. Just for a moment."
Kushina understood what she meant. She swallowed nervously, formed a seal, and slowly released her chakra.
Her chakra reached Matatabi's raised paw.
The instant the two chakras connected—
Kushina's face went pale.
Countless screams.
Hatred.
Pain.
Fear.
Dark emotions pressed against her mind all at once, dragging her consciousness down like she had fallen into a bottomless abyss.
Her eyes widened in fear, and her body began to tremble.
Before she collapsed completely, Matatabi cut off the connection and withdrew her paw.
Kushina staggered back.
Kizaru placed a hand against her back, steadying her before she could fall.
For a long moment, she could only stand there, breathing heavily.
When she finally recovered, she looked at Matatabi with lingering fear.
"Kurama has endured far more hatred than I have," Matatabi said calmly. "The darkness inside his chakra is much heavier."
"Hmph." Kurama raised his head proudly. "Now you understand, brat?"
Kushina did not answer.
She simply looked up at him.
After regaining some strength, she stepped forward and slowly walked toward Kurama.
Kizaru and Matatabi watched her.
Then, as if both understood what the other was thinking, the man and the cat exchanged a glance.
A faint smile appeared on both of their faces.
"Brat," Kurama said, sitting cross-legged with his front paws folded over his chest. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Kushina stopped in front of him and looked up.
Then, in a softer voice, she asked, "It must have been hard, right… Kurama?"
Kurama froze.
For a moment, even his fierce expression faltered.
He had not expected that.
This girl…
She was actually worried about him?
"Hmph." Kurama quickly turned his head away. "Don't compare me to humans. A little hatred like that can't affect me."
Kushina stared at him.
Then the corners of her mouth lifted.
"Haha…"
Her quiet laugh slowly grew louder.
Kurama's brow twitched.
"What's so funny, brat?"
Kushina smiled at him brightly, her usual confidence returning.
"Kizaru was right. You really are cute, Kurama."
"Are you looking for death?!"
Kurama roared, raising one massive paw.
Kushina immediately turned and ran back toward Kizaru with a grin.
Only after she had already escaped did Kurama's paw slam down against the ground.
"Tch. You run fast, damn brat."
Kurama folded his paws again and looked away, pretending not to care.
Matatabi watched them with a gentle look.
"You two may actually get along one day."
"Tch. Only because you're here, Matatabi. I'll let them off this time."
Kizaru lowered his gaze toward Kushina, who had returned to his side.
"Kushina, do you remember the method I mentioned earlier?"
Kushina nodded.
"I remember."
"I wasn't finished." Kizaru smiled lazily. "The second method is for the Jinchūriki and the tailed beast to understand each other. To share the same heart… and become true partners."
"True partners…"
Kushina repeated the words softly, then looked at Kurama again.
Her eyes became firm.
"Kurama! I'll make you acknowledge me one day! And then… I'll become your friend!"
Kurama snorted.
He crossed his paws over his chest, turned his head away, and acted uninterested.
But his eyes still drifted back toward Kushina.
Kizaru placed his hand on Kushina's head and gently ruffled her hair.
"See? Tailed beasts aren't that hard to talk to, are they?"
"Yeah!"
Kushina nodded excitedly.
In the real world, she still had no real friends.
But now, inside her own body, she had found a goal.
She would make Kurama acknowledge her.
She would become his friend.
That thought alone filled her with energy.
Kizaru suddenly glanced toward the distance.
Someone familiar was approaching.
"It's about time we leave."
"Okay!"
Kushina answered, then looked at Kurama again.
"Kurama… sorry."
She clasped her hands together and activated the seal once more.
The sealing stakes slammed back into Kurama's body, pinning him to the mountain again.
Kurama's expression instantly darkened.
Is this how you treat a friend?!
Pinned against the mountain, he watched the two humans and Matatabi disappear from the space.
The faint warmth that had just appeared in his chest vanished immediately.
This damn brat…
When Kizaru's consciousness returned from Kushina's seal space, he opened his eyes to find the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, standing nearby alongside three ANBU shinobi.
"What happened?" Hiruzen asked immediately, unable to hide the concern in his voice.
The moment he woke up, Kizaru heard the question.
But instead of answering right away, he glanced calmly toward the three ANBU members before giving Hiruzen a meaningful look.
Hiruzen immediately understood.
He raised one hand.
"Everyone, withdraw for now."
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
The three ANBU vanished instantly with the Body Flicker Technique.
Only after confirming through Observation Haki that the ANBU had moved far enough away did Kizaru finally speak.
"Matatabi came to the Academy with me every day, y'know~" Kizaru said lazily. "Kurama got jealous."
Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully and glanced at the Two-Tails resting on Kizaru's shoulder.
It made sense.
One tailed beast was sealed inside a Jinchūriki, trapped for life.
The other walked around freely beside Kizaru whenever she pleased.
Anyone would feel resentment.
For a brief moment, Hiruzen was reminded of the relationship between himself and Danzō.
"…I see."
"So?" Hiruzen asked after a pause. "Is everything settled?"
"With my amazing negotiation skills, Kurama calmed down~"
Kizaru answered with his usual carefree smile.
"…Negotiation?"
Hiruzen's lips twitched slightly.
Knowing his disciple's personality, he highly doubted things had been resolved through peaceful discussion alone.
More likely, the Nine-Tails had been beaten into cooperation.
Still…
As long as nothing happened to Kushina or Kurama, that was enough.
The tension in Hiruzen's heart finally eased.
He turned toward Kushina with a gentle smile.
"Kushina," he said warmly, "if anything feels wrong with your body in the future, you must tell me or Kizaru immediately."
"You children are the future of the village. Your safety matters more than anything else."
Whatever flaws Hiruzen had as a politician, one thing was undeniable—
When it came to caring for children and earning their trust, he was genuinely skilled.
Sure enough, Kushina's mood visibly brightened after hearing those words.
"I understand, Jiji!"
Hiruzen chuckled softly at the familiar nickname and reached out to pat her head.
"The lunch break is almost over. You should head back to class."
"Okay!"
Kushina nodded obediently before looking up at Kizaru.
"Go on~" Kizaru said, hands in his pockets.
"Bye!"
Waving energetically, Kushina trotted away.
Hiruzen watched her leave before finally turning back toward Kizaru.
"How is the research on Hashirama's cells progressing?"
"Scary~" Kizaru sighed dramatically. "There's way too much information to sort through."
"If you encounter any problems, come to me anytime."
Hiruzen trusted Kizaru deeply.
Still, as both a teacher and an elder, he could never fully stop himself from wanting to guide him.
"Haaah… what a pain…"
Meanwhile, inside the principal's office, Shikaku Nara stretched tiredly after finishing the final document.
After reading through everything, Shikaku already had a rough understanding of the situation, so organizing the files afterward had gone surprisingly quickly.
By the time Kizaru and Hiruzen entered the office, the paperwork had already been neatly divided into three separate stacks.
Kizaru glanced at the desk and smiled in satisfaction.
"Ooh~ Not bad at all, Shikaku."
"You're way too relaxed about this," Shikaku complained from his chair.
"Hohoho~ That's because I've got you around, Shikaku-kun."
Kizaru casually sat behind the desk while Shikaku began explaining.
"I sorted the clans and shinobi into three levels based on how much support and investment value they have. Left to right — highest to lowest."
Kizaru nodded silently and picked up the first stack.
The top-tier pile was very thin.
Only a few names had made it into that category.
At the very top sat the Sarutobi Clan.
Kizaru immediately understood why.
As expected of Shikaku.
Careful with details.
Just based on the fact that they were Hiruzen-sensei's clan, the Sarutobi family naturally belonged in the highest category.
After setting that file down, Kizaru continued reading.
Next came a name that technically wasn't even a clan anymore.
Tsunade.
The last major surviving member of the Senju bloodline.
Kizaru could understand why she ranked so highly.
After all, the Hashirama cell research itself originated from her grandfather.
Below Tsunade came the Shimura Clan, followed by the Uchiha Clan and the Hyūga Clan.
Those five groups made up Shikaku's first-tier classification.
"Ooh~ Looks solid to me."
Kizaru accepted the arrangement without objection.
Shikaku quietly relaxed inside.
This was the first truly important assignment he had handled personally, and despite his calm face, he genuinely did not want Kizaru questioning his judgment.
Kizaru then picked up the second-tier stack.
Compared to the first pile, this one was much thicker.
These clans represented the true backbone of Konoha.
The Utatane family.
The Mitokado family.
The Ino-Shika-Chō clans.
The Aburame Clan.
The Inuzuka Clan.
And finally—
The Kurama Clan.
"The Kurama Clan…" Kizaru muttered softly while reading.
Seeing Kizaru pause there, Shikaku explained,
"They're famous for genjutsu. Their kekkei genkai is extremely powerful, though very few people awaken it. Right now, only the current clan head is confirmed to possess it."
Kizaru nodded slowly.
He could not help but think about the future.
By Naruto's generation, the Kurama Clan would decline so badly they would barely have any notable shinobi left.
The ninja world truly was cruel.
"No problem putting them in the second tier," Kizaru said casually.
After that, he moved on to the third-tier documents.
Compared to the first two groups, these were less like powerful clans and more like influential individuals and smaller families connected to important shinobi.
Jiraiya.
Sakumo Hatake.
Yūhi clan members.
Dan Katō.
And several others.
Once he finished reading everything, Kizaru reorganized the files before looking back toward Shikaku.
"You did a really good job, Shikaku."
"Heh… it wasn't a big deal."
Even though he tried to sound casual, Shikaku looked visibly more relaxed.
Kizaru leaned back slightly while staring at him with a smile.
At this point, Kizaru was no longer looking at a classmate.
He was looking at an extremely capable future assistant.
"Shikaku~" Kizaru suddenly called out. "Want to train yourself a little more?"
The moment he heard that tone, Shikaku became alert.
This guy was definitely planning something again.
"It's getting late," Shikaku said immediately while glancing toward the office clock. "I should head back to class."
"Ooh~ That's fine. I can approve leave for you."
"…."
Shikaku's eyelid twitched.
"I also need time to practice my clan techniques lately."
"I see~"
Kizaru rubbed his chin dramatically.
"Then I'll solve that tiny little problem too."
This bastard…
Shikaku cursed silently in his heart.
Finally giving up, he sighed deeply.
"…What do you want me to do this time?"
"Until graduation, work part-time as my assistant principal assistant~"
Kizaru grinned brightly.
"I trust you, Shikaku-kun."
"Haaah…"
Shikaku let out a long, exhausted sigh.
"…Got it."
Kizaru's smile widened instantly.
He opened the desk drawer and took out a work badge along with a key before placing both on the table in front of Shikaku.
"This is your work permit… and the key to my office."
Shikaku blinked.
"While you're at the Academy, you'll have permission to move freely around the school."
Ah…
So that was the reward.
The clever Shikaku understood immediately.
Kizaru always gave people benefits after dumping work on them.
"Can I bring other people with me sometimes?" Shikaku asked while thinking about Chōza and Inoichi.
"As long as you have a proper reason and can convince Seiji-sensei~"
Kizaru answered casually.
The smile returned to Shikaku's face immediately.
"I see."
He picked up both the badge and key before standing from his chair.
"If there's nothing else, I'm heading back."
Kizaru leaned lazily against his chair and waved him off.
"See ya~"
--------------------------------------
Support me at patreon.com/Arthorain and read upto 50 Advanced Chapters and R-18 Content!
--------------------------------------
Update schedule: 7 chapters/week
Every 200 power stones = 1 Extra Chapter
By voting with [power stones], you can easily get double the number of chapters.