Thankfully, it wasn't Hashirama Senju resurrected!
The Nine-Tails let out a sigh of relief.
But... this guy carries his scent.
ROAR!
The Nine-Tails couldn't help but roar at Hoshita Hajime, stirring up a wild gale that blew his mask clean off.
At least there wasn't any spit involved.
Hajime glanced at the Nine-Tails, then at the wooden vines restraining it.
He saw that the vines were now sprouting branches and leaves, teetering on the verge of losing control.
"What incredible vitality," Hajime silently praised.
This wasn't him actively absorbing the Nine-Tails' chakra—it was the Nine-Tails' chakra affecting the Wood Release itself.
Clearing his thoughts, Hajime focused with all his might.
The Nine-Tails' chakra surged toward him like a raging tide.
But instead of absorbing it into his body, he directly used it to cast a Wood Release technique.
In an instant, thick wooden pillars burst from the ground around the Nine-Tails.
This was a Wood Release sealing formation meant to suppress it.
However, against the fully-formed Nine-Tails, this clearly wasn't enough.
As even these pillars began sprouting branches and leaves, Hajime lowered his gaze, and then summoned even more—rows upon rows of pillars erupting from the earth, expanding outward.
Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura quickly retreated.
By the time the wood stopped growing, the two saw that the towering pillars had completely encased the Nine-Tails' massive body, leaving only its head exposed.
They both clearly felt the beast's rampaging chakra being suppressed.
However—
At that moment, Hajime—his body lifted by a wooden vine—had beads of sweat pouring down his forehead, enduring overwhelming pressure.
Though he was using force against force, the Nine-Tails' power was simply too vast.
And the strength Hajime could control was limited.
The gap between his own power and the Nine-Tails was enormous; thus, the power he could borrow was also limited.
He panted heavily a few times.
Then, manipulating the vine beneath him, Hajime moved himself directly in front of the Nine-Tails' face.
ROAR!
The Nine-Tails bellowed, "You damned brat!"
Its fur stood on end, skin rippling with fury.
It opened its massive jaws, ready to bite down on Hajime—but golden adamantine chains extended and bound its mouth shut.
Uzumaki Mito was still doing her utmost to restrain the beast.
Down below, the squad leader of the sealing team shouted, "Lady Mito! Are you not going to begin the sealing?!"
Mito was already severely weakened, but still replied, "Wait a little longer."
At that moment, Hajime released both palms, and a glowing kanji—"Sit"(座)—appeared on his right hand.
Then, he pressed his palm to the Nine-Tails' forehead.
Despite the laughable contrast in size, as the vine slowly pulled Hajime backward, a stream of blue chakra was drawn out from the Nine-Tails, linking to Hajime's hand.
This chakra was entirely different from the earlier crimson hue—it bore no malice, pure and clean.
And the blue glow? That came from Hajime's own chakra, which naturally glowed that color.
The Nine-Tails' chakra had seamlessly adapted to him.
As the torrent of chakra poured into him, Hajime felt an intense sense of bliss.
If only he knew how to use something like the Yin Seal, he would've definitely stored this chakra away.
But right now, he had no choice but to use it immediately.
Raising his left hand vertically with a single sign, Hajime activated his technique:
Dreamwalker Technique—Sleep, Little Baby!
A profound drowsiness swept across the area.
The Nine-Tails' eyelids began to droop.
"Damn brat, you dare cast genjutsu on me?!"
The Nine-Tails struggled to keep its eyes open, seething with rage.
Because this reminded it of that man—the one who once controlled it and used it as his personal mount: Uchiha Madara.
Seeing the beast still resisting sleep, Hajime furrowed his brows and began chanting an incantation.
The rhythmic, melodic words echoed around the Nine-Tails' ears.
Finally unable to fight off the sleepiness, its eyes gradually closed.
Hiruzen and Danzo, who had remained on high alert the entire time, silently exhaled in relief upon seeing the Nine-Tails succumb to genjutsu.
However, upon witnessing Hajime exert such control over the Nine-Tails, Danzo's inner resolve grew even stronger.
Moreover, the power of Wood Release stirred his desire as well.
"I must restart the research on Wood Release…"
Danzo made a silent decision.
At the same time—
Uzumaki Mito smiled. This child had truly not disappointed her.
Meanwhile, Uzumaki Kushina, who had been watching everything unfold, widened her eyes in awe.
"Hajime is amazing!"
"It's time to begin the sealing!"
Uzumaki Mito gave the command.
The sealing squad sprang into action.
The sealing symbols on the floor came to life, transforming into chains that bound the Nine-Tails.
In the next moment, the Nine-Tails' massive body shrank, dissolving into pure, surging chakra. With the activation of the sealing technique, that chakra poured into Uzumaki Kushina's abdomen.
"Ahhh…!"
Uzumaki Kushina let out a sharp, agonized scream.
The sheer force of the Nine-Tails' chakra didn't just sear her abdomen—it violently tore through her young body.
At that moment, Kushina felt as though her entire body was being ripped apart.
But soon, the Nine-Tails was completely sealed within her.
The sealing marks rapidly spread across her body, eventually converging at her abdomen to form a sealing formula—then faded away.
Even though it all happened in such a short span of time, Kushina had already reached her limit. She collapsed into unconsciousness.
Hajime leapt down from the tree vines and landed beside Uzumaki Mito, whose life was nearing its end.
Uzumaki Mito looked at him, still wearing a gentle smile.
"Child… I leave Kushina in your care."
Hoshita nodded solemnly.
"Lady Mito, I'll teach Kushina how to overcome the Nine-Tails!"
Uzumaki Mito smiled in relief, then slowly closed her eyes.
The first Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails… has passed.
Hajime remained silent.
Behind him, rows upon rows of towering wooden pillars gradually sank back into the ground. A moment later, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura arrived together.
Seeing that Uzumaki Mito had passed, Hiruzen let out a sigh, then said,
"Hajime, you'll be in charge of taking Kushina home."
"Understood."
Hajime bowed deeply, picked up the unconscious Kushina, and vanished with a leap.
…
Outside the window, under the moonlight—
Hajime put his mask back on, his mind replaying everything that had just happened.
It was his first time truly experiencing the Nine-Tails' power—and it made him realize just how terrifying Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara must have been to suppress and control such a beast.
"If not for Uzumaki Mito restraining it, I wouldn't have been able to subdue or hypnotize the Nine-Tails."
"If I can master Sage Mode and gain control over the Gates of the Great God… then I might be able to suppress the Nine-Tails myself."
"But the most crucial thing is—how do I obtain the power of the Nine-Tails…"
Hajime didn't turn to look at Kushina.
_To carry a mighty weapon is to be tempted to use it.
To harbor greed is to invite disaster._
That alone meant nothing—he didn't yet have the strength or means to take the Nine-Tails.
Even if he did, running around with it solo wouldn't serve much purpose.
What would he do—join the Akatsuki?
Suppressing all such stray thoughts, Hajime began thinking about the Night of the Nine-Tails.
The future was bound to change in many ways—would that night even still happen?
Perhaps it would be different.
But childbirth is the best time to steal a Tailed Beast—would Uchiha Madara really pass on such an opportunity?
If not, then the Night of the Nine-Tails might still be inevitable.
"I need to start preparing in advance… That event is likely the best chance to obtain the Nine-Tails."
Hajime contemplated silently.
As of now, he only knew of two methods to extract a Tailed Beast:
First, the Reaper Death Seal.
Second, the Rinnegan.
The Rinnegan… he eliminated as an option right away.
Maybe Uchiha Madara already had the tubes inserted into his body, but that was a realm Hajime didn't dare touch yet.
One wood clone and White Zetsu as bio-armor?
If Hajime went there now, it'd be like delivering food on a platter.
Which left the Reaper Death Seal as the only option.
But that technique comes at the price of one's own life.
"So I'll need… a proper scapegoat."
Hajime began scheming in silence.
(End of Chapter)