"Shukaku, come out."
The ground split open, sand surging forth as the colossal body of Shukaku re-emerged.
"What'd you call me out for?" Shukaku asked curiously.
"You're free now. Go wherever you want." Mitsuki smiled at the tanuki-like beast.
Truth be told, Mitsuki actually liked this oversized raccoon. It wasn't noisy or troublesome, it fought alongside him, their time together had been pleasant, and it didn't even need feeding.
But as an adult influenced by modern values of equality in his past life, Mitsuki understood how important freedom was to any being with a will of its own.
Yet, to Mitsuki's surprise, Shukaku's eyes widened as it said:
"You're trying to kick me out?"
Mitsuki didn't quite follow the creature's logic. After some thought, he asked,
"What do you mean?"
Plopping down on the ground, Shukaku spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world:
"Of course I'm gonna live with you. Didn't you say we're already partners?"
Scratching his head, Mitsuki replied,
"Uh, what I said was partners in cooperation... but fine."
Though their relationship began as one of convenience, after fighting side by side in battle, calling Shukaku a comrade wasn't far-fetched. Mitsuki nodded in agreement.
"If you want to stay with me, then of course you're welcome."
'Phew, that was close.'
Hearing Mitsuki's confirmation, Shukaku secretly sighed in relief. When it heard Mitsuki say "go wherever you want" it had nearly panicked.
After all, it was counting on Mitsuki to fulfill the Sage of Six Paths' prophecy, to guide it toward understanding the true nature of power. With that answer, it could then proudly flaunt itself before the other Tailed Beasts—
—especially that damn fox.
Ever since following Mitsuki, Shukaku couldn't help but fantasize about the day it would see that fox groveling on the ground, saying:
"Lord Shukaku, please, tell me what true power really is…"
Just imagining it was enough to get Shukaku hyped beyond control.
"Shukaku."
"Shukaku?"
Mitsuki noticed the beast grinning wide, eyes squinted into lines, its tail swaying uncontrollably. Calling to it a few times brought no response, so Mitsuki leapt onto its head and smacked it hard.
"Shukaku! Snap out of it!"
"What the—?!"
The daydreaming tanuki was rebooted by Mitsuki's Iron Fist of Love. Snapping back to reality, it looked at Mitsuki.
"You can stay with me, but your body is too big. My house can't fit you."
Mitsuki remembered that a Tailed Beast's size wasn't fixed. In his past-life memories, the Nine-Tails had shrunk considerably when Minato used the Reaper Death Seal to split its chakra in half.
"Oh, that's simple. I'll just give most of my chakra to you."
Having already decided Mitsuki was the one the Sage of Six Paths foretold, Shukaku was willing to comply with any condition just to follow him.
"How are you going to give it to me?" Mitsuki asked curiously, hopping down from Shukaku's head.
Shukaku didn't answer, only smirked smugly. Forming the Ram seal with its hands, its body began to radiate a brilliant blue glow.
Under the setting sun, a massive torrent of chakra surged skyward—then cascaded down like a reversed Milky Way, pouring into Mitsuki's body.
The sight was breathtaking.
Then, like a buzzkill, black tadpole-like sealing scripts crawled over the torrent, compressing the overflowing chakra.
In the end, a unique sealing pattern formed on Mitsuki's abdomen.
Why unique?
Because unlike the Four Symbols Seal of the Uzumaki Clan, this was Shukaku's very own—Seal of Sand.
Its design and color resembled the purple markings across Shukaku's body, blooming like a violet flower.
…Great. Now Mitsuki couldn't apply for civil service exams anymore.
At that moment, with a poof, Shukaku's massive body shrank drastically within the smoke, becoming no larger than a regular chinchilla.
"Done!"
It shouted triumphantly—but instead of the deep rumble it had before, its new voice was high-pitched, almost duck-like. To Mitsuki's ears, it was ridiculous.
"I gave you ninety percent of my chakra. You can use it however you like"
Shukaku waved generously.
And it really was generous—after all, a Tailed Beast's chakra wasn't infinite. Overusing it would force the beast to slowly refine chakra anew. Still, since few could ever drain a Tailed Beast completely, the world believed their chakra was endless.
Feeling the seal and the chakra inside him, Mitsuki opened his system panel and casually checked in for the day.
...
Host: Shimizu Mitsuki
Skills: ...Wind Realease, Fire Realese, Lightning Release, Earth Release, Magnet Release
Wish Rewards: Six Eyes, Full Counter
Mail: No new messages
...
Unlike a Jinchūriki, though both involved sealing chakra, Shukaku had given his chakra to Mitsuki.That meant Mitsuki's control over this chakra was even higher than Shukaku's own.
However, in exchange, Mitsuki couldn't directly use the Tailed Beast's powers like other Jinchūriki—for instance, the Tailed Beast Ball or a chakra cloak.
The only exception was Magnet Release, an attribute unique to Shukaku's chakra, now available to Mitsuki.
Though not as united in mind and body as other Jinchūriki with their beasts, the benefit was that Mitsuki and Shukaku retained plenty of privacy from each other.And this seal carried no restrictions—it could be undone at any time, with no "if one dies, both die" condition.
"You're amazing, my Shukaku. Where did you learn that sealing technique?"
Mitsuki asked, genuinely curious. He had thought it was Shukaku's natural ability, but clearly, that wasn't the case.
Hearing Mitsuki's praise, Shukaku crossed his little arms smugly.
"Humph! Now you see my greatness, huh? Well, since you're my partner, I suppose I can tell you."
Mitsuki glanced at the sky—it was getting late. He crouched down and extended his right hand to Shukaku.
"Tell me on the way back, Shukaku."
"Of course!"
With its brand-new squeaky duck-like voice, Shukaku scrambled up Mitsuki's arm and perched on his shoulder.
The two—one man and one raccoon-tanuki—walked back toward the camp, their figures trailing in the last rays of sunset.
And in the wind carried Shukaku's excited voice:
"Let me tell you, this was a long, long time ago. Back then…"