The shadow clone—no, it should be called a chakra clone now.
It looked smugly at its own glowing body and even manifested a long cape behind it.
"Well? Am I cool or what?"
"Cool is one thing, but you're also way too conspicuous."
Kaito carefully sensed the energy. The core of the golden light was somewhat similar to the Nine-Tails' chakra, only it was stripped of the malevolent aura and infused with a touch of righteous energy.
Most people wouldn't connect this golden light to the Nine-Tails.
Still, who in their right mind would walk around like this?
Kaito shook his head. "Can you turn off the special effects?"
"Oh, right. I'm the assassin type. Gotta be low-key."
The chakra clone closed its eyes and concentrated for a moment. The golden light on its body slowly receded, and it returned to its normal appearance.
"Alright, effects are off."
"How's your strength? Think you can take me?" Kaito asked. "Since I've separated the chakra plate, I can't use ninjutsu anymore."
"Hey, if you can't use ninjutsu, how am I still here?"
"It must be the energy provided by the chakra plate."
"Hmm, that makes sense." The chakra clone spread its hands. "I'm not too sure about my own strength either. How about a little sparring match?"
"Works for me."
The two then proceeded to brawl in the cramped bedroom, nearly tearing the place apart.
After the spar, Kaito stroked his chin. "Under normal circumstances, without using ninjutsu, you're no match for me. But in your Nine-Tails mode, your taijutsu is actually a bit stronger than mine. Add ninjutsu to the mix, and you should be stronger than I was when I fought Hanzo."
"Also, after that test, I can now confirm that you are a solid clone. Ordinary attacks won't make you disappear, and you can even regenerate severed limbs with chakra. In that sense, you're less like a clone and more like a humanoid Tailed Beast—a sentient chakra construct with an independent mind."
"A humanoid Tailed Beast?" The chakra clone's expression was strange. "Tailed Beasts seem to be able to refine their own chakra after they run out, but I don't think I can. I'm even less of a living creature than they are. They were at least created by the Sage of Six Paths using Yang Release chakra."
"Doesn't that mean I'll just kick the bucket once I use up all the energy in the chakra plate? It contains less than half of the Nine-Tails' chakra. That's not a small amount, but it's not a lot either. I'll run out eventually."
"Heh, have you forgotten what the chakra plate could do before?"
"You mean?"
"I suspect you have the ability of the Preta Path—you can absorb chakra and ninjutsu."
"Heh, no wonder I felt something was off during our fight just now. I almost forgot you're a guy who exists outside the ninjutsu system."
The chakra clone chuckled, then formed hand seals without waiting for Kaito to speak.
Just as it was about to spew a ball of fire, it thrust its palm in front of its mouth.
As they expected, the moment the flames touched its palm, they were completely absorbed.
"Holy crap, I'm gonna be invincible! With this standard-issue ability for the god-tier characters of the ninja world, I'm easily Kage-level," the chakra clone laughed arrogantly, getting a little full of itself.
"In that case, I have a bold idea."
"And in response to your bold idea, I have a little suggestion—shouldn't you confirm whether you actually have control over me? I really don't want to have to fight myself in the future. That would be just too stupid!"
"Relax. The ownership of the chakra plate has always been with me."
Kaito beckoned with his finger, and the chakra plate immediately detached from the clone and returned to his main body.
After dispelling the clone, Kaito sifted through the memories it had sent back, deepening his understanding of the chakra clone.
"It seems my plan really does need to be a bit bolder. Hmm, let's set a small goal. First, let's give Konoha's current F4 a real taste of pain."
The next few days were calm.
Under Kaito's guidance, Nawaki periodically entered his inner world to communicate with Kurama, and Kurama's attitude had softened considerably.
"Don't you ever sleep, you brat? Why do you have to keep coming in here to bother me?!" Kurama glared with its bloodshot eyes, thoroughly irritated.
"Are you worried about me?"
Nawaki said happily, "Don't worry, I already got some sleep. Teacher Kaito says humans only need two hours of deep sleep a day. So, let's keep talking."
"Where were we? Oh, I remember, it was about when I was nine years old. The me back then was completely different from the me at eight..."
Kurama tried its best to block its ears, but Nawaki's clear voice was like the incessant buzzing of a fly, drilling into its head.
When Nawaki started talking about what happened when he was ten, it finally couldn't take it anymore and swatted him out with its tail.
But what followed was a figure it feared even more.
"Kurama, your patience is terrible."
Kaito said with a smile, "To help you understand him better, Nawaki plans to tell you about the people he knows after he's finished recounting his own decade of life. That'll probably take ten days to half a month, at least."
"Damn you!" Kurama said angrily. "Haven't you already absorbed enough of my chakra? The me on your side should be enough to help you, right? Why do you still have that kid bother me?"
"Not enough. Of course, it's not enough."
Kaito wagged his finger. "How could I let you stay here and suffer? If I did, Gyuki and Shukaku would be heartbroken."
"You even know their names?" Kurama said, shocked.
"Mmm, and Chomei, Saiken, Kokuo... it seems the more of your chakra I absorb, the more memories pop into my head."
'This guy... could he really be the reincarnation of the old Sage of Six Paths?'
Kurama pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Fine, I accept your offer. I would be more than happy to get out of this blasted place!"
"...Then why were you so difficult for the past few days?" Kaito said, narrowing his eyes.
"Shut up! It's none of your business!"
Truly a suspicious and tsundere fox.
Kaito returned to his senses and saw Nawaki looking at him with hopeful eyes. He patted the boy's head and said, "Alright, it's your turn now. Make sure the Nine-Tails feels our sincerity."
"Yeah!"
"Good luck. I'm going to the bathhouse for a soak."
Kaito had been going out to the bathhouse frequently these past few days, so Nawaki didn't think much of it. He acknowledged with a nod and went back to have a heart-to-heart with the Nine-Tails.
A smile touched Kaito's lips. Humming a little tune, he swaggered out the door.
A short while later, night fell, and Konoha gradually settled into tranquility.
A figure in a long black robe stood on a telephone pole, looking down at the quiet residential area below.
He wore a hood, and his face was covered by a pure white mask, leaving only two empty eyeholes that revealed a chillingly indifferent gaze.
"Tonight, Otsutsuki Zeroshiki joins the hunt!"