"Oi, isn't this body a little too small?"
The Nine-Tails shifted about restlessly, clearly dissatisfied.
All that chakra crammed into such a tiny wooden effigy…
Sure, the thing was special and could contain it, but where was the grandeur of the Nine-Tails? Anyone looking at it might think it was some household pet.
Kyoichi ignored its grumbling, glancing sidelong at it with a calm, unreadable expression.
But—
The Nine-Tails shuddered inside.
Good grief!
If it dared complain any louder, would Kanda Kyoichi just stuff it back inside?
"Wh–What is it?"
"You planning to stay in there or not?"
"Yes!"
The Nine-Tails answered without a shred of hesitation. Small or not, at least this body could move freely, without being restricted by a jinchūriki. And besides…
Size aside, the body really was sturdy. It could feel the wood itself was unusual, infused with a powerful chakra that even its own tailed beast chakra couldn't easily corrode.
Which only meant one thing:
This guy had planned it all out, just waiting for it to step inside.
"…This…"
Kushina lowered her gaze at the fox, now about the size of a ninken, and nearly burst out laughing. Yet at the same time, it all felt absurd.
Even with only a fifth of its power…
It was still the Nine-Tails.
A tailed beast roaming about—would Tsunade-hime really agree to this?
She looked up at Kyoichi.
No way had Kyoichi asked Tsunade first. Splitting off a piece of the Nine-Tails like this? He'd clearly made the call on his own. She'd probably be the one catching Tsunade's fist later.
As Kushina mulled it over—
"Nine-Tails, change into something less flashy. You're way too conspicuous like this. What if Madara comes looking to snatch you?"
"You think I'd be afraid of him?"
The Nine-Tails scoffed with a look of utter defiance. Yet its actions betrayed it: in the blink of an eye, it shifted into the form of a more ordinary-looking fox.
The truth was, thanks to Kyoichi's modifications, the wooden body wasn't just resilient—it could also suppress chakra signatures and fluctuations. Unless someone had special perception abilities like the Byakugan, it was nearly impossible to tell what it really was.
Kushina's lips twitched.
This thing… was it really the Nine-Tails?
Where was the menace? The authority? It was acting more like a pet.
Just then, the Nine-Tails considered whether following Kushina might be better. It turned to speak—only to find itself lifted clean into the air.
"Enough. This one's staying with me. I'll explain it to the Hokage tonight."
"Fine by me."
Kushina hid a smile.
She hadn't been entirely comfortable keeping it in her home anyway. For all her strength, she still lacked ways to reliably sense something like this. With Kyoichi taking it, that was definitely safer.
At least she wouldn't have to worry about it.
"No, I'm staying here! I want to—"
"Or do you want to go back?"
Kyoichi's sidelong glance said it all: he already knew exactly what the Nine-Tails was plotting.
For a beast locked away for so long, the first taste of freedom meant one thing—running wild, venting centuries of pent-up frustration.
But with Kyoichi?
Forget it.
There'd be rules, restrictions, no reckless freedom. Yet… when it thought of Uchiha Madara, the Nine-Tails' frustration crumbled into resignation. With a sulk, it followed Kyoichi obediently.
Kushina let out a quiet sigh.
At least this way, she'd only have one problem on her hands instead of two. If she had to wrangle a tailed beast day in and day out, her temper might not last.
On the road, the Nine-Tails tried to console itself.
This was still far better than being locked down as a jinchūriki. At least with Kanda Kyoichi, it could stretch its legs—and maybe, just maybe, get a shot at Madara one day.
That had been part of the calculation when it split off in the first place.
The process might not have gone exactly as it expected, but the result was the same.
Soon enough, Kyoichi brought it home.
The Nine-Tails had thought it might sneak around a bit once inside. But the moment it crossed the threshold, its ears flattened.
What the hell was this place?!
——Ba-dum——
Why were there two Uzumaki auras here?!
And one of them… strange, carrying traces of something else.
As it fretted, a girl came out of the house, bowed politely, and then eyed it curiously.
That aura—no mistake. She was one of them.
But did she have the Adamantine Sealing Chains?
If so, its life was about to get very troublesome.
"Has Tsunade come back yet?"
"She has. She's eating. Said not to wait for you."
"Ahem, then let's eat. What are you standing around for? Come on."
Kyoichi carried the Nine-Tails straight inside.
Come to think of it, he hadn't exactly given Tsunade a heads-up…
Eh. Should be fine, right?
The Nine-Tails sniffed about curiously as it entered, soon spotting a red-haired boy quietly eating.
The hair covered part of his face, but those eyes—
The Rinnegan!
Holy—
What was this family?!
Had it just been demoted to the lowest rung in the house?
The Nine-Tails' anxiety spiked as it looked around. Luckily, one of the women there didn't carry any Uzumaki blood. Small mercies.
It was still processing this when—
"Hm? What the hell is that? Don't tell me you actually brought out the Nine-Tails?"
Tsunade's brow shot up. The sake on her tongue instantly lost its warmth.
That chakra.
There was no mistaking it.
The Nine-Tails.
Everyone else turned their attention too. Some with curiosity—like Nagato, who was seeing Konoha's tailed beast for the first time.
…So this was the Nine-Tails?
It looked like a miniature version. Probably just a fragment.
But for Tsunade, whether small or not, it was still the Nine-Tails—a monstrous beast.
And Kyoichi had just brought it along like a pet, without a single seal or restraint.
This was outrageous.
"Ahem. Some things happened. But I've reached an understanding with the Nine-Tails. It's agreed to cooperate and help us deal with Uchiha Madara."
Kyoichi's explanation was brief.
Tsunade's lips twitched.
She was furious—this was far too reckless. And she hadn't been told a thing.
But then again…
That was Kyoichi. Always daring, always decisive. It was part of why she respected him.
Fine. Nothing more to say.
Still—
"This is a tailed beast we're talking about. At least file a report later. Not that the council's opinion matters much. So, how much power are we looking at?"
She leaned on the table, gaze sharp.
The Nine-Tails had wanted to roar proudly, to reassert its presence. But under Tsunade's eyes, with Kyoichi looming behind her, it caved.
"I—I only have one-fifth of my chakra. I won't be any real threat!"