"The truth is exactly as the Boss said."
"I came to Konoha voluntarily."
Matatabi very sensibly stepped forward to rescue Uchiha Ren.
It had spent many years in the human world, so naturally, it understood human social etiquette.
In the eyes of the world, tailed beasts represented disaster. People believed tailed beasts did not understand human feelings, much less human reasoning.
The prejudice of the world was like a mountain, with rumors spreading from one mouth to another.
In the end, the reason was simple.
Most human tailed beasts usually encountered were weak.
Who would talk about feelings and reason with ants?
But now, the ninja world has changed.
One generation after another of shinobi who could treat tailed beasts like pets kept appearing.
The last two black-haired shinobi Matatabi encountered, Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama, had captured it without saying a word.
It hadn't even had the chance to speak.
Now, it has finally encountered Uchiha Ren, someone willing to talk.
Matatabi felt she had to seize this opportunity and build a good relationship with Uchiha Ren as much as possible.
Besides, it would be living on Uchiha Ren's territory from now on.
If it didn't give Uchiha Ren face, then Uchiha Ren definitely wouldn't let the Two-Tails cat have a good time.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
The Nine-Tails immediately roared in denial.
Uchiha Ren, that black-hearted bastard, was even worse than Uchiha Madara!
Back then, when Uchiha Madara rode it as a mount, at least it still looked majestic and awe-inspiring.
Now, it has fallen into becoming a giant chakra battery.
Every one or two months, it had to be squeezed for chakra.
After every extraction, it would be weak for an entire week.
And that smelly old woman Uzumaki Mito even used chains to whip it, forcing it to recover chakra faster.
There wasn't even a trace of tailed beast dignity left!
"What's impossible about it?"
"I've always treated tailed beasts as friends."
A smile appeared on Uchiha Ren's face.
He was very satisfied with Matatabi's words.
Meanwhile, the Nine-Tails kept nagging beside him, every word filled with doubt.
Uchiha Ren immediately refuted it.
He truly treated tailed beasts as friends.
They just had to pay friendship fees on time every month.
"You naturally evil Uchiha brat!"
"Two-Tails, Uchiha Ren is not a good person. He definitely has bad intentions. Don't be deceived by him."
The Nine-Tails was too lazy to bother with Uchiha Ren and tried its best to persuade Matatabi to stay away from him.
It wanted the Two-Tails to escape this demonic den called Konoha as soon as possible.
"Nine-Tails, have you forgotten the teachings of the Sage of Six Paths?"
"Tailed beasts should live peacefully with humans."
"Right now, there are bad people in the ninja world watching us tailed beasts greedily."
"They covet our power and want to seal us inside humans to create jinchūriki."
"Boss is willing to protect me."
"And the conditions he offered are very good."
"He prepared a large forest for me in Konoha's back mountain, filled with catnip."
"I can live there freely."
"And…"
Matatabi's tone carried a trace of pride.
First, it brought up that biased Sage of Six Paths.
Then it listed the conditions Uchiha Ren had offered.
"There must be a price!"
"Uchiha Ren would never do business at a loss."
The Nine-Tails refused to believe Uchiha Ren was that kind-hearted.
It did not even wait for Matatabi to finish before impatiently interrupting.
"The price is naturally chakra, Kurama."
"Rent and protection fees."
"Aren't you paying them every month too?"
Uchiha Ren smiled as he stated the price.
The Nine-Tails froze.
Then, somewhat unwillingly, it asked, "That's it?"
"That's it."
"Ahhhhh!!!"
"This isn't fair!!!"
"Why doesn't the Two-Tails need to be locked up?!"
The Nine-Tails' mentality instantly exploded.
It had thought Matatabi would live the same bitter life as itself.
A new roommate had arrived in prison.
Two tailed beasts suffering together would be better than one tailed beast suffering alone!
They paid the same price—
No.
Even the price was different.
The Two-Tails didn't even have half as much chakra as it did!
So why was the Two-Tails' treatment so much better?
The Nine-Tails had already forgotten what it felt like to run freely across grass.
"That is naturally because the Two-Tails is my cat."
"My companion."
Uchiha Ren answered the Nine-Tails while looking it up and down.
Seeing Kurama's current vigorous and energetic state, it should be able to squeeze out another round of chakra.
Perfect.
The Two-Tails cat had never been squeezed for chakra before.
He could squeeze it once later.
But since the Two-Tails cat had only just arrived, it would be better to let the Nine-Tails demonstrate first.
"Black-hearted bastard!"
"I helped you become Konoha's Third Hokage back then!"
"Over the past few years, you've squeezed my chakra every one or two months."
"I have both merit and hardship, yet my living conditions are still this terrible!"
"The Two-Tails just arrived. Why does it get such good treatment?"
"I refuse to accept this!"
The Nine-Tails fired off a long string of complaints, its tone filled with dissatisfaction toward the current situation.
This world was unfair!
Old man Sage of Six Paths, open your eyes and look at me!
"Don't be discouraged, Kurama."
"I'll enjoy all the blessings you never had for you."
"When the time comes, I can even tell you in detail how it feels."
Matatabi chose the perfect moment to stab the Nine-Tails again.
After so many years, this was the first time it had raised its head so proudly in front of the Nine-Tails.
"Two-Tails, you're kicking me while I'm down!"
"I'm just telling the truth."
The Nine-Tails' fox pupils stared fiercely at Matatabi, extremely dissatisfied with Matatabi showing off in front of it.
"You're even more annoying than the One-Tail now!"
"Nine-Tails, you've always been annoying!"
"You're only lucky the old Sage gave you a little more chakra. What are you so proud of?"
"You walk around all day like you're the boss of the tailed beasts."
"The One-Tail wasn't wrong about you at all!"
Matatabi vented the dissatisfaction it had suppressed toward the Nine-Tails for many years.
"Was I not telling the truth?"
"Even if you and the One-Tail add your tails together, you still don't have as many as me."
"The two of you are simply inferior!"
"Even together, you're no match for me, the Nine-Tails!"
Facing Matatabi's provocation, the Nine-Tails immediately counterattacked without losing momentum.
It used the advantage of tail count to madly diss Matatabi.
"So what?"
"What's so great about having more tails?"
"You're so strong, yet you still got sealed up."
"You're trapped in this lightless cage and can't even bask in the sun."
"I just enjoyed a sunbath earlier!"
"A sunbath, hahaha!"
"Last night, I even ate a whole box of catnip."
"Do you still have a chance to experience that feeling?"
"You can only watch me enjoy it."
"This is called strength!"
"Understand?"
"Got it?"
When Matatabi saw the Nine-Tails bragging about its tail count again, it immediately retorted.
More tails?
Stronger power?
Then how did your life become like this?
Tailed beasts understood the suffering of tailed beasts best.
This lightless, sealed, imprisoned life—
Matatabi had experienced it too.
That was exactly why it knew how difficult such days were.
Otherwise, it would not have abandoned the pride of a tailed beast so quickly and knelt smoothly before Uchiha Ren.
Matatabi only wanted freedom.
To bask in the sun in the morning.
To eat catnip in the afternoon until it fainted from pleasure.
What wrong did it have?
It had lived through bitter days for so long.
Couldn't it enjoy life now?
As for tailed beast help tailed beast?
The Nine-Tails was so powerful.
Would it even need help from a tailed beast with only two tails?
"Ahhhhh!!!"
"Two-Tails, you bastard!"
"Let me out! I'm going to fight the Two-Tails one-on-one!"
The Nine-Tails struggled wildly, trying to break free from the chains on its body.
But Uzumaki Mito immediately sensed the Nine-Tails' abnormal movement and strengthened the seal at once.
"Come on, then. Let's see if you can get out!"
"Hmph, smelly fox!"
Matatabi was still provoking it, fur bristling across its body.
The Two-Tails cat's attack power was as strong as ever.
The Nine-Tails struggled harder and harder, making Uzumaki Mito feel somewhat surprised.
What exactly had Uchiha Ren said to the Nine-Tails with the Two-Tails to make it so emotional?
But when Uzumaki Mito thought of Uchiha Ren's terrible personality, she instantly stopped finding it strange.
While continuing to sunbathe, she strengthened the seal again.
Uchiha Ren watched from the side, dumbfounded.
Wasn't today's atmosphere supposed to be peaceful and harmonious?
A friendly meeting between fellow tailed beasts?
How had it evolved into a situation where they wanted to kill each other?
This…
This was too interesting!
Uchiha Ren stood still and watched the "friendly interaction" between the Two-Tails cat and the Nine-Tails fox.
Especially Matatabi's bristling fur.
It reminded Uchiha Ren of Manji at home.
Back when Manji had not yet fallen into corruption and decadence, its bristling-fur appearance was exactly the same as Matatabi's.
Now, Manji was truly too fat—
Cough, cough.
Too round.
"Back then, you secretly ate the Sage of Six Paths' dinner and framed the One-Tail."
"Shameless! You didn't even want the dignity of a tailed beast anymore!"
"Nonsense!"
"That was the One-Tail who ate it!"
"Bah! I saw it with my own eyes that day. The Six-Tails saw it too!"
"Later, we joined forces with the other tailed beasts to expose you!"
"So the Sage of Six Paths found out too!"
"You're lying!"
"After that, the Sage of Six Paths took us eight tailed beasts out for a feast."
"He didn't take you!"
"Also, the One-Tail's unique sealing technique was the Sage of Six Paths' compensation."
"Did you think everyone was blind?"
"And that other time, you…"
The quarrel between the Two-Tails and the Nine-Tails gradually evolved into exposing each other's embarrassing pasts.
But Matatabi had far fewer scandals than Kurama.
The Nine-Tails mentioned a few harmless matters, then ran out of ammunition.
By contrast, Matatabi spoke endlessly, detonating many of the Nine-Tails' unknown dark histories.
Uchiha Ren listened with great interest.
This trip today truly hadn't been wasted!
In the future, he could use these things to mock the Nine-Tails.
"Enough!!!"
The Nine-Tails couldn't take it anymore.
Matatabi really didn't avoid outsiders at all.
That bastard Uchiha Ren was still standing here listening.
Its image had been completely destroyed by the Two-Tails.
"What's wrong, smelly fox?"
"There are still things I haven't said yet."
"Uchiha Ren, have you squeezed the Two-Tails' chakra yet?"
The Nine-Tails did not respond to Matatabi.
Instead, it turned to Uchiha Ren and asked about the "rent."
"No. We only returned to Konoha yesterday."
"I haven't had time to make the Two-Tails cat pay rent yet."
"Then there's no better day than today."
"Extracting chakra one day earlier means the Two-Tails can recover one day earlier!"
The Nine-Tails decided to drag Matatabi down with it.
If it proposed taking the Two-Tails to have chakra extracted, Uchiha Ren definitely would not spare it either.
He would squeeze it along the way.
There were still several days left before its own scheduled extraction.
Being squeezed for chakra felt terrible.
Tailed beasts were lifeforms made of condensed chakra.
Chakra was both their health bar and their energy bar.
Although it could recover naturally, every time its chakra was extracted, the Nine-Tails felt like it was about to die.
On the day of extraction, its whole body would go weak.
Once, Uzumaki Mito used a little too much force and extracted "just a little" extra.
The Nine-Tails had nearly fainted.
After surviving the first day, it would remain weak for nearly a week.
"Extract chakra?"
Matatabi instinctively felt something was wrong.
Uchiha Ren had always emphasized that it needed to submit chakra on schedule as rent.
But Matatabi had never taken it seriously.
Wasn't it just chakra?
If Uchiha Ren wanted chakra, it could give him some.
How much could he use?
It was a tailed beast.
It had plenty of chakra.
Although it didn't have as much as the Nine-Tails, to humans, it was still as vast as an abyss and sea.
The kind that could never be used up.
"Boss, I just came to Konoha."
"I haven't even lived in that big forest yet."
"I remember when humans eat at restaurants, they eat first and pay afterward."
"Of course, what I mean is…"
"I will definitely pay chakra on time."
"Can we just delay it a little first?"
Matatabi decided to drag things out as long as possible.
The Nine-Tails, that smelly fox, definitely had bad intentions.
"Cough, cough. Cat, what you're talking about is eating."
"What I'm dealing with here is rent."
"Human rent requires paying one month's deposit and three months upfront."
"That means paying three months of rent at once, plus one month as a deposit."
Although Uchiha Ren liked cats, he refused to compromise on matters of principle.
If he weren't worried about causing problems for the Two-Tails cat, he would definitely extract three months of chakra.
Not one day less.
"Good!"
"Uchiha Ren, you're absolutely right!"
"I support you!"
The Nine-Tails nodded repeatedly from the side.
As expected, it hadn't misjudged this black-hearted bastard Uchiha Ren.
He would never let go of a fat piece of meat like the Two-Tails.
"Uchiha Ren, if you're going to extract chakra, then since we're both tailed beasts, we must be treated equally."
"Whatever amount you extract from me, you must extract from the Two-Tails too."
"Contributing to Konoha is the responsibility of tailed beasts."
The Nine-Tails spoke against its conscience.
This time, it was determined to make the Two-Tails bleed heavily—
Cough, cough.
No.
Lose chakra.
Having more chakra meant one could do whatever one wanted.
"Kurama, I truly didn't misjudge you!"
"You really want to make progress!"
"But isn't this a little inappropriate?"
"The Two-Tails cat doesn't have as much chakra as you."
"What if…"
"What's inappropriate about it?"
"The Two-Tails is a tailed beast, and I'm also a tailed beast."
"If I can do it, why can't it?"
"Or are you also saying the Two-Tails is inferior? That it's trash with only two tails?"
"But thinking about it, that makes sense."
"The number of tails determines a tailed beast's strength."
"The Two-Tails will never have any standing before me!"
The Nine-Tails spoke in a strange, mocking tone from the side.
Its words left even Uchiha Ren unable to respond.
⚡ Support the Story & Unlock More Chapters!
◇ 60+ Advance Chapters Available Now
◇ Read Ahead on Patreon: patreon.com/MythArcStudio