"Ugh…"
Kushina let out a pained groan.
As the orange-red chakra covered her body, three whisker-like markings appeared on her cheeks. Her once light blue eyes turned blood-red, and vertical pupils emerged... At the same time.
Inside the Nine-Tails' sealing space.
The Nine-Tails was tightly bound by chains. Stake-like restraints pierced into its chest, connected to the sealing chains, which now showed signs of loosening...
Staring at Kushina with scarlet eyes, the Nine-Tails grinned maliciously, its seductive voice echoing throughout the space:
"Hehehe, see it now? That sealing technique... That brat is a descendant of the Uzumaki clan. Another Uzumaki, just like you."
"They're using your clan's power again."
"You'll never escape this fate. That brat you treat like a brother? He'll become the next you."
"This is the destiny of your clan. Only I can free you... free all of you from this cycle, and grant true liberation."
"Come on. Undo the seal completely. Once I'm free, all of you will be released from this suffering..."
The Nine-Tails was attempting to seduce and provoke Kushina, trying to make her lose control so it could seize a chance to break free entirely.
If it weren't for that brat's accidental sealing technique that caused a flaw in its restraints, it wouldn't have been able to leak its chakra and affect Kushina... But what was with that kid?
To control sealing techniques so precisely at such a young age... This Uzumaki was even more terrifying than Kushina.
He would undoubtedly be chosen as the next jinchūriki.
If that brat became its next host, things would become dangerous. Not even Uzumaki Mito possessed such overwhelming talent...
In that child, the Nine-Tails saw the shadows of two people who had once brought it to its knees—Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.
Listening to the Nine-Tails' temptation, Kushina barely managed to resist the chakra that was eroding her will. Gritting her teeth, she shouted:
"Shut up! I'm happy right now! I won't let Seiryū become the next me! I'll suppress you completely!"
"Destiny, my ass! Our power can bring peace. As long as I'm here, Seiryū won't have to carry this burden. As his older sister, I'll bear it for him!"
"Even I can defy this fate!"
"You're not leaving my body! I am your host!!"
With a firm will, Kushina summoned her Adamantine Sealing Chains. Golden chains burst from her body, clanking as they lashed out and bound the Nine-Tails' massive form.
"You brat sure know how to talk tough!"
Though its chakra was momentarily suppressed, the Nine-Tails let out a furious roar, violently thrashing its nine tails and shattering several of the chains binding it.
"You're not that woman!" its voice roared, cold and mocking. "You can't fully suppress my power!"
"Haa... haa..." Kushina panted under the immense pressure, barely holding onto her consciousness. But even so, she didn't falter.
Facing the Nine-Tails, she laughed lightly. "I can't suppress you alone... but Minato is here! He'll protect me. He's my future husband!"
The Nine-Tails' eyes narrowed viciously. "I'll kill him. Him and that brat too! It's thanks to that brat that the seal cracked. You were too careless. You never noticed…"
Buzz, buzz, buzz...
Inside the sealing space, the Nine-Tails' chakra became even more violent, further eroding Kushina's control from within...
Outside.
Barely two seconds had passed.
"ROAR!"
A low, suppressed roar erupted from Kushina's mouth. Her teeth were bared, fangs prominent. In this moment, she looked less like a person and more like a feral beast.
Boom!
In the blink of an eye, the Bakudō #30: Shitotsu Sansen that bound her was obliterated by the surge of chakra, vanishing into glimmering fragments of light.
Swish, swish... boom!
Behind Kushina, orange-red chakra coalesced into a tail that lashed out violently. With a thunderous crash, it slammed the ground, carving out a deep crater, sending chunks of rock and dust flying.
In mere seconds, the orange-red chakra on her body deepened into dark red. Four tails flared out behind her, dancing wildly, stirring fierce winds.
This was Tailed Beast Transformation. Half-Tailed Beast Transformation!
"Tailed Beast Transformation?"
Minato's expression grew heavy. Being closest to Kushina, he naturally understood the monster residing within her.
The Nine-Tails... had gone berserk.
His eyes turned sharp, his gaze serious.
"Tailed Beast Cloak..."
Seiryū had already retreated to a safe distance, his eyes fixed on Kushina with a grave expression. "Why now...?"
He could tell clearly.
Kushina had entered a berserk state—triggered by the Nine-Tails.
But why now?
"Could it be..."
Seiryū quickly formed a hypothesis. Could the sealing technique he just used have disrupted the seal containing the Nine-Tails?
The seal on Kushina wasn't stable. That's why she normally had to remain within a barrier for extended periods.
Could his Bakudō #30: Shitotsu Sansen have weakened that unstable seal further, creating an opening the Nine-Tails exploited?
Was it really just a coincidence?
Suddenly—
[Ding! Encountered an Ordinary Bestial Hollow!]
[As the future Soul King who governs the Three Realms, it is your duty to maintain the balance of the realms. Hollows are corrupted, evil souls and the root cause of imbalance. Please purify the Ordinary Bestial Hollow before you and strive to preserve the stability of the Three Realms.]
[Mission issued: Purify the Ordinary Bestial Hollow!]
[Mission Reward: Low-Tier Bakudō Compendium!]
Hearing the system's notification, Seiryū's mouth twitched as he cursed internally, I just said you were reliable, System, and now you pull this crap? Purify an Ordinary Bestial Hollow? Purify your #¥+...
The Nine-Tails is an Ordinary Bestial Hollow?
Are you kidding me?
Hollows have ranks—Ordinary Hollow, Menos Grande.
Even among the Menos Grande, there are further classes: Gillian, Adjuchas, Vasto Lorde!
A single Gillian is formed by one powerful Hollow devouring hundreds of ordinary ones.
Ordinary Hollows are the lowest class, the weakest.
And you're saying the Nine-Tails... is just an ordinary Hollow?
The Nine-Tails is the strongest of the Tailed Beasts.
Even in the original story, when Naruto lost control and entered the Four-Tails state, he was strong enough to fight Orochimaru.
And this Nine-Tails wasn't even split yet.
You want a brat who's barely at Chunin level to purify it?
Forget whether he can purify it or not...
How does a Shinigami purify a Hollow?
Fight.
You want me to fight the Nine-Tails now? What, you afraid I'm not dying fast enough?
Seiryū pushed the thoughts out of his mind. Now wasn't the time.
He quickly appeared beside Minato.
With a serious expression, he said, "Senpai, it's very likely my sealing technique gave the Nine-Tails an opening. Now that the technique's been destroyed, if we reinforce Kushina-nee's seal, we might be able to suppress it again!"
"I know." Minato had already deduced as much. He nodded. "Fall back further. In this state, Kushina's destructive power is extremely high. She's lost her mind. It's too dangerous for you to stay here."
"Understood." Seiryū didn't argue.
He wasn't reckless.
Half-Tailed Beast Transformation Kushina was absolutely not something he could handle at his current level.
Self-preservation came first.
Of course... he was still waiting for an opportunity to act.
(To be continued.)