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"I'm is still here, are you surprised, nine-tailed kitty!?" Kushina threateningly raised her hand, her pupils filled with menace.
"No, no, absolutely not!" The Nine-Tails immediately reacted. Good grief, let alone its current state with little power recovered, even at its peak, it didn't want to experience Kushina's 'Fist of Love'. That thing was practically Armament Haki. But why was Kushina here? With this thought, the Nine-Tails' first reaction was to look towards Shinji.
At this moment, Shinji's hand was placed on the huge seal in the center of the cage, and a corner of the seal had already been torn open by Shinji. Shinji could feel two types of chakra contained within the seal; one belonged to Minato Namikaze, and the other was Kushina's chakra. Without hesitation, Shinji had just released a bit of Kushina's chakra. And now, the moment Kushina's chakra was released, Kushina appeared in Naruto's spiritual world, this very consciousness space sealing the Nine-Tails.
However... Shinji looked somewhat amusedly at the person and beast. So the Nine-Tails was called 'nine-tailed kitty' by Kushina? This really fit Kushina's behavior. And that punch actually managed to hurt the Nine-Tails; this genuinely interested Shinji somewhat. Truly worthy of being the number one red chili pepper in the ninja world?
"You're... the person who helped us that night, right?" After dealing with the Nine-Tails, Kushina clapped her hands, walked out of the cage, and came before Shinji to ask.
"Yes, it was me," Shinji stated calmly.
"Your power seems much weaker?" Kushina curiously sensed the aura on Shinji. This aura was significantly less than when she encountered Shinji that night.
"Indeed. My power hasn't returned to its peak yet, only a small part has recovered, but it's enough," Shinji looked at his own hands. Indeed, his current recovered power was only about one-tenth.
"That night, thank you so much. If it weren't for you..." Kushina said somewhat sadly. That night was the day Naruto was just born. But it was also the day she and Minato died.
"Just lending a hand," Shinji stated calmly. That day was also the first day Shinji arrived in the Naruto world.
"How much time has passed outside? How is Naruto doing now?" Kushina asked sadly. During the days she was sealed, she didn't know how much time had passed outside.
"Naruto? He's right here," Shinji stepped aside to let Kushina see Naruto's location. At this moment, although Naruto's eyes were closed, his eyeballs were clearly trembling. Seemingly sensing Kushina's approach, his hands were waving.
"Naruto!" Kushina rushed to Naruto's side. Looking at Naruto's still very small body, Kushina's eyes immediately filled with glistening tears. Carefully, Kushina held the young Naruto in her arms. Feeling the warmth in her embrace, even Kushina's eyes showed a flush.
Seemingly feeling his mother's embrace, Naruto slowly opened his eyes, curiously looking at Kushina holding him. Although Naruto was currently less than half a year old, he could still sense the goodwill or malice from people around him. So, very easily, Naruto could feel the goodwill emanating from Kushina. And... this was the goodwill of maternal love. Seemingly sensing this, a tear also appeared in the corner of Naruto's eye. Then, the privilege of a child appeared. That was, holding onto Kushina's body, he began to wail loudly. The choked sobs even made Shinji feel the meaning within them.
"Naruto... My Naruto..." Kushina held Naruto's body, unable to stop the tears from flowing. Meanwhile, Naruto had stopped crying and instead reached out, wanting to touch Kushina's cheek.
At this moment, Shinji just watched the scene of mother and son reunion, a trace of warmth flashing in his eyes. This scene. Was truly moving.
"Kushina, how did you appear here?" The Nine-Tails still didn't quite understand. Actually, it didn't know that Kushina's and Minato Namikaze's chakra were sealed here along with the Eight Trigrams Seal.
"It's not just Kushina. A portion of Minato Namikaze's chakra was also left in this place. How about it, want to meet?" Shinji looked smilingly at the Nine-Tails.
"No. I have no interest in him... them," the Nine-Tails turned its face away.
"What? Nine-tailed kitty, you're not interested in seeing me either? To think I gave you so many delicious signature dishes to eat before!" Kushina turned her head, her blood-red hair seeming about to float up again. But thinking of Naruto currently in her arms, Kushina forcefully suppressed her darkening mood. However, the Nine-Tails still sensed Kushina's anger just now and couldn't help shrinking its neck inward. But soon, as if remembering something, it suddenly raised its head very stubbornly to confront Kushina.
"What delicious signature dishes! Clearly, those were all failed dishes you messed up!!!" the Nine-Tails roared furiously. How many nights, when Kushina was preparing dinner, did she serve various failed dishes to the Nine-Tails to eat, and didn't even allow the Nine-Tails to show a disgusted expression. Just like that, the Nine-Tails, instead of gaining weight in Kushina's body, actually lost several pounds due to food poisoning incidents... This made the Nine-Tails feel a mix of grief and indignation. If it weren't for its relatively good relationship with Kushina... uh... if it weren't for being beaten up by Kushina too many times, the Nine-Tails really planned to just quit!
"Don't say that, nine-tailed kitty. Just tell me, haven't I always been good to you? I even found some female foxes for you," Kushina grinned.
"Nonsense! Those were all wild foxes you caught from who knows where, saying you wanted to scare someone!!! Then afterwards, you stuffed everything into my place!" The Nine-Tails said, somewhat exasperated. Kushina's dark history was simply one thing after another.
"Then what about that time I deliberately loosened the seal a bit to let you possess me so you could see the outside world?"
"That was just because you got lost and wanted others to find you using my aura."
"Emm... I don't care! Just tell me, are we friends or not!" Kushina, having her old secrets exposed by the Nine-Tails one after another, felt somewhat embarrassed and could only start acting shamelessly.
"Hmph! Friends..." The Nine-Tails suddenly lay down, seemingly not wanting to deal with Kushina.
"But nine-tailed kitty, why is your body so small now?" Kushina seemed to suddenly notice. Holding Naruto, she directly squeezed through the gaps in the cage bars. Coming beside the Nine-Tails, Kushina even directly placed Naruto on the Nine-Tails' head.
"Hey! Take this little brat away! Otherwise, I'll eat him directly!" When had the Nine-Tails ever let an infant sit on its head? It immediately wanted to angrily shake him off.
"Nine-tailed kitty! This is my son! Hmm?" Kushina threateningly raised her hand, looking at Kurama. Sensing the aura from Kushina, the Nine-Tails could only helplessly lie down again, letting Naruto stay on its head. Naruto, sitting on the Nine-Tails' head for the first time, seemed very happy, even reaching out to pull the fur on the Nine-Tails' head. Never having had toys before, he seemed to have gotten a big toy for the first time and started playing with it. Giggles continuously came from Naruto's mouth. Watching this scene, a smile also appeared at the corner of Kushina's eyes.
"How is Naruto's life outside?" Shinji casually waved his hand, creating a chair made of Geo element. Kushina sat down on it with a plop.
"Naruto? Let's just say, it's quite bad," Shinji put away his smile. Indeed, Naruto's current life couldn't be considered good, one could even say it was very bad. If it weren't for Jiraiya raising hell earlier which improved things somewhat, it was still only a slight improvement.
"What?! That old geezer Hiruzen Sarutobi actually dared to treat mine and Minato's child like this!!!" After Shinji's explanation, Kushina's blood-red hair floated up again. Never afraid of anything, the thought of Hiruzen Sarutobi daring to treat her child like this made her unable to resist wanting to go out and beat Hiruzen Sarutobi up!
"This isn't just Hiruzen Sarutobi's doing. Danzō definitely pushed things along in the middle," Shinji stated directly. This matter solely relying on Hiruzen Sarutobi was clearly unrealistic. It could only be said that this matter was basically carried out by both Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō.
"Clearly Naruto is the son of a hero, yet he's ended up like this?" Kushina forcefully suppressed her anger. Because Naruto beside her seemed to have sensed Kushina's anger, his hand movements stopped immediately. Seeing Naruto's 'sensible' action, a trace of heartache flashed through Kushina's heart inexplicably. How old was Naruto? At this age, he could already sense the emotional changes of those around him and react accordingly? This behavior precisely showed. Naruto's life... was definitely not that good.
"Shinji... Boss," After the conversation just now, Kushina already knew Shinji's name and about the All-Purpose Shop. So, she now wanted to ask, or rather, entrust Shinji with something.
"What is it, Kushina," Shinji looked at Naruto, who seemed fine now and had started playing on the Nine-Tails' head again.
"I know about the contract between you and Minato before, and now I also know Naruto's living situation. So I want... to ask you to take care of Naruto. Is that possible?" Kushina looked expectantly at Shinji, hope in her eyes.
"Kushina, you know, Naruto is currently under the surveillance of Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō. Honestly, starting to contact Naruto now isn't a good thing for Naruto either," Shinji stated calmly. He could secretly protect Naruto, but starting to take care of him now was clearly illogical.
"Is it really like that?" Kushina lowered her head somewhat disheartened. Actually, Shinji had said this that day too. Kushina and Minato Namikaze understood, but after seeing Naruto's current life, Kushina conceived this idea again.
"But I will still observe Naruto secretly and won't let him get hurt," Shinji stated calmly.
"Then thank you, Boss Shinji."
"You're welcome. There is a contract between us."
"Since it's a contract, there will be mutual payment. Although Boss Shinji said you would get it later, I still feel... I still need to give you the payment," Kushina stood up and said solemnly. Before, it was actually because she and Minato Namikaze were both on the verge of death and couldn't produce anything reliable.
"Payment..."
"Yes. Minato and I cannot break the rules. Boss Shinji, is there anything you need?" Kushina asked very seriously.
"If needed, Kushina, I have a little girl from the Uzumaki clan here, named Karin Uzumaki," Shinji said meaningfully.
"From our Uzumaki clan? Then... please wait a moment. Please help me pass this to her, consider it the payment for the contract between Minato and me... Uh... excuse me, do you have paper and pen?" After speaking, Kushina stood up. She originally wanted to write something down, but looking around, she didn't find paper and pen.
"Here," Shinji took out paper and pen from the system space and handed them to Kushina. Soon, following Kushina's writing, sheets of paper appeared on the desktop.
"Boss Shinji, I don't have anything valuable on me. These are the sealing techniques of our Uzumaki clan. Consider them your payment," Kushina handed the papers filled with writing to Shinji. Recorded on them were the secret techniques of the Uzumaki clan. Adamantine Sealing Chains, Four Symbols Seal, Dead Demon Consuming Seal, Contract Seal, Eight Trigrams Sealing Style... One profound sealing technique after another entered Shinji's eyes. These were the final legacies of the already extinct Uzumaki clan.
"I understand. But Kushina, the chakra you released, I only controlled half the amount. It's estimated to last about 10 more minutes. Due to the different flow of time between the spiritual world and the outside world, so..." Shinji had actually been calculating the time in his heart. This place was still some distance from the center of Konoha, about half an hour's journey. Calculating now, the advance troops should be arriving soon.
"I understand. Better save some chakra. Later..." Kushina looked reluctantly at Naruto on the Nine-Tails' head. She had only been out for about 20 minutes; she was still very reluctant now.
"Nine-tailed kitty, I'll leave my son to you from now on. Remember..." Kushina looked pleadingly at the Nine-Tails. As a former Jinchūriki, she knew all too well about the cooperation between a Tailed Beast and its host. Especially if she could gain the Nine-Tails' support, it would be a great help for Naruto's future path.
"Kushina..." The Nine-Tails looked complexly at Kushina. Having been inside Kushina's body for so many years, it actually had deep feelings for Kushina. Both person and Tailed Beast were actually very lonely existences from the beginning. Only when two lonely individuals coexisted in one body did the Nine-Tails feel the kindness emanating from Kushina.
Although Kushina often teased the Nine-Tails, in reality, these seemingly nonsensical actions opened up the Nine-Tails' closed heart somewhat. Gradually, gradually, the person and Tailed Beast had accepted each other and developed significant communication.
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