Hearing the Nine-Tails' words, Kushina didn't get angry at all.
For some reason, she felt a strange sense of familiarity toward it—perhaps because the Nine-Tails had been sealed inside Mito for decades.
As a result, she felt no fear whatsoever. In fact, she could vaguely tell that the Nine-Tails seemed to be the uncomfortable one, as if interacting with a human made it uneasy.
That realization only made Kushina more curious about it.
Arata, who understood the Nine-Tails far better than most, knew exactly what this attitude meant.
When the Nine-Tails spoke like that, it usually meant it had already acknowledged someone more than halfway.
It seemed Kushina and the Nine-Tails had gotten off to a surprisingly good start. In the future, even becoming a perfect jinchūriki might not take as much time as expected.
With that in mind, Arata walked over to Kushina and said,
"That old fox is just a massive tsundere. You'll get used to it.
We should head back now—get ready over the next few days, and we'll seal the Nine-Tails inside you."
When Arata called the Nine-Tails "tsundere," Kushina couldn't help but take another careful look.
Sure enough, although the Nine-Tails had turned its head away, its long ears were still perked up, clearly listening to every word.
It obviously wasn't indifferent at all—it was paying close attention.
Realizing this, Kushina burst into giggles.
"Then see you next time, little tsundere fox~"
The Nine-Tails' expression instantly changed.
"Get lost! Don't disturb this great one's sleep!"
Its usually cold, aloof persona completely collapsed at that moment.
But Kushina wasn't scared in the slightest—because she noticed something important. This time, despite how loud the Nine-Tails shouted, there was no violent wind at all.
Earlier, a casual roar had blown her straight off her feet.
Now, even though the shout was louder, it amounted to nothing more than empty noise.
Clearly, despite its bluster, the Nine-Tails had no intention of hurting her.
If Kushina could notice that, Arata certainly could as well. With his perception, it was obvious—the Nine-Tails didn't like the nickname, but it had undeniably grown closer to Kushina.
Arata decided not to let them interact any longer for now.
The Nine-Tails had just gained a future host—better to give the old fox some time to process that.
Besides, Arata himself had been running around nonstop since returning. By now, it was already nightfall—and he hadn't eaten a single bite.
Ever since training in Garp's brutal physical regimen, his appetite had become downright terrifying.
Going a full day without food had left his stomach growling nonstop.
Sure enough, the moment he brought Kushina out of the Kamui space, his stomach betrayed him with an unmistakable rumble.
And as if hunger were contagious, another series of growls followed immediately after.
Arata turned his head—and sure enough, Kushina's face had gone bright red as she lowered her head.
After everything she'd been through that day, it made sense. She hadn't eaten much at all, and she was still growing. She must have been starving already.
Now that Arata's stomach had started protesting, hers followed suit.
Sensing the situation inside the house, Arata quickly realized that although Shizune had already gone to the kitchen, she hadn't started eating. Instead, she was staring blankly at the ceiling light while several attendants tried—and failed—to persuade her to eat first.
Arata knew exactly why.
The little girl was waiting for him.
They rarely had time together. Outside of training, the moments they spent together were few, and mealtimes were one of the rare occasions they truly shared.
With Arata's absurd appetite, every meal took a long time—and the way he devoured food with reckless abandon was oddly hilarious, often making Shizune laugh until she couldn't stop.
Dinner had become the happiest time they shared.
Thinking back to their last visit to Ichiraku Ramen, Arata couldn't help but smile wryly.
That time, he'd nearly wiped out the shop's entire stock. The owner had been forced to knead noodles on the spot, working frantically just to keep up with Arata's appetite.
He'd almost banned Arata from ever coming back.
Honestly, if it weren't for Arata's reputation, overwhelming strength, and surprisingly easygoing nature, the ramen owner probably would have snapped long ago. After all, even in the original stories, that man had quite the temper—he once chased a powerful ninja like Naruto around the shop in a rage.
Lost in thought, Arata smiled to himself.
Kushina, standing beside him, misunderstood the smile. Thinking he was laughing at her embarrassment, she lowered her head even further.
Arata quickly patted her head.
"Come on. Shizune's waiting for us to eat."
Only then did Kushina realize that Shizune hadn't eaten yet. Feeling a pang of guilt for the sweet little girl she'd grown so fond of, she instantly forgot her embarrassment.
If she was going to live here from now on, this really would be her family.
She smiled again.
At least here, she didn't have to pretend to be a proper, refined lady.
Arata was just like her—when hungry, his stomach growled loudly without the slightest hint of shame. The honest, unfiltered atmosphere of this home made her feel incredibly comfortable.
She just didn't realize what kind of scene awaited her next.
The moment they entered the kitchen, Shizune spotted them and immediately called out for Arata to come eat.
What followed instantly made Kushina forget all about her growling stomach.
Because the sight of Arata eating was nothing short of shocking.
The table was piled with food—easily enough for ten people—but in Arata's hands, it vanished at an absurd speed. One plate per bite, as effortlessly as drinking soup.
Shizune, on the other hand, seemed completely used to it. Smiling cheerfully, she ate slowly and neatly. Despite her pace, the amount she consumed was nearly the same as five-year-old Kushina's.
In no time at all, the entire table was wiped clean.
Arata patted his stomach, still unsatisfied.
"Why did you prepare so little today? I'm not even half full."
The complaint was directed at the nearby attendants.
At this point, Arata's household already had over a dozen attendants, but even then, the kitchen was always overwhelmed. Three chefs working together could guarantee good flavor—but they couldn't keep up with Arata's eating speed.
Ever since his appetite skyrocketed, the chefs had tried preparing extra food every time. Still, it was never enough.
This time was unprecedented—food prepared for eleven people.
And even that wasn't enough.