In the Senju clan territory, Uzumaki Mito opened her eyes. The elderly woman squinted as she rose, draping an outer garment over her shoulders.
Just as she stepped out of her room—tap, tap, tap!
Familiar, lively footsteps came rushing toward her.
"Lady Mito, I'm here!"
Kushina Uzumaki burst in with an excited expression, practically skipping into the room.
Mito squinted and smiled at her: "Little Kushina, so early?"
Kushina eagerly pushed forward the small creature she'd been hiding in her arms, nearly jumping with excitement:
"Lady Mito, I've hatched my own Ninja Beast!!"
Mito paused for a moment, then looked down to finally see the fluffy, snow-white little fox nestled in Kushina's arms.
An Ice Vulpix with six crystal-like tails gently swaying.
It looked up at Uzumaki Mito with a gaze that showed no fear, only curiosity.
Mito's expression immediately softened:
"My... how beautiful."
The Vulpix seemed to understand, letting out a soft "whimper~" as ice-blue light dots shimmered at the tips of its tails, as if politely greeting her.
Kushina was bursting with pride: "Its name is Vulpix! It's so adorable!"
However, just as Mito reached out to pet it, a massive Chakra within her suddenly stirred.
The Nine Tails.
That blazing, unrestrained, fiercely oppressive Chakra suddenly surged forward like a giant awakened beast,
extending tendril-like Chakra feelers, attempting to approach the Ice Vulpix.
Kushina jumped in surprise: "Lady Mito!?"
But the next moment, something even more unexpected happened—the Ice Vulpix's fur instantly bristled.
It was the instinctive alertness of a small animal facing a threat.
Without waiting for the Nine Tails' Chakra to get closer,
it opened its tiny mouth and released a wisp of extremely cold air.
The chill descended silently like Icy Snow, yet precisely covered the Chakra tendrils extended by the Nine Tails.
Crackle.
The Nine Tails' blazing Chakra instantly froze solid in mid-air.
Kushina's eyes widened: "Vulpix!? You... what are you doing!?"
But Mito remained stunned for a few seconds, then slowly curved the corners of her mouth upward.
"...This child... actually dares to treat the Nine Tails like this?"
The next moment, she could clearly feel: the Nine Tails within her... its attitude wasn't anger, nor was it rampage,
but simply abandoning the idea of further contact.
There even came a strange emotion:
Not resentment, not anger, not killing intent.
Could it actually be...To please?
This situation is quite interesting.
She slowly looked up, gazing deeply at the little creature in Kushina's arms:
"Kushina..."
Kushina: "Ancest—Lady Mito?"Mito chuckled softly, her eyes holding a complex sense of relief she hadn't felt in years: "Truly an excellent Ninja Beast." Next, you can learn the Uzumaki clan's new Secret Technique to better coordinate with Vulpix in battle."
Vulpix seemed to understand, its tails becoming fluffier as it extended its little tongue to gently lick Kushina's fingertips.
After Kushina left,
the Senju clan territory returned to quiet once more.
Uzumaki Mito gazed into the distance and sighed softly: "...Nine Tails, your reaction today was truly strange."
The next moment, her consciousness sank into the seal space within her body.
In the familiar space where darkness intertwined with fiery red Chakra, the giant Nine Tails lay crouched behind iron bars.
Its golden beast-like eyes should have been proud, fierce, and cold.
But at this moment, it turned its head away, its tail giving a light flick, much like a sulking child.
Mito spoke with a mix of helplessness and amusement:
"I saw it clearly. You just now... that reaction seemed like you were trying to please that little one."
Nine Tails' ears immediately twitched, and it let out a low, reluctant growl from its throat: "Hmph!!"
It still kept its head turned, looking exactly like that.
Like a child caught red-handed with its thoughts, stubbornly clinging to its last shred of dignity.
Mito continued gently:
"You... this is the first time you've shown that kind of attitude toward another living being."
Nine Tails refused to turn back no matter what.
But its tone was firm: "How many years have you even lived? How would you know I've never acted this way toward anything else? Foolish."
Yet, the massive tail behind it betrayed it with a slight, involuntary tremble.
Mito keenly caught this reaction.
"Nine Tails, are you... sensing something familiar in it?"
At this question, Nine Tails' previously steady composure clearly faltered.
It abruptly opened its mouth, baring its fangs.
"You... stop talking nonsense!! It's just that little fox has a bit of... hmm... a strange Chakra scent, that's all."
Mito raised an eyebrow: "Strange?"
Nine Tails fell silent for a moment. In truth, the moment it first saw Vulpix,
it couldn't help but feel as if this little one might be a new life consciousness born from Chakra it had split off in the past.
It felt like seeing its own child.
Like...
family, same origin, same roots...
A kind of kinship resonance.
The next second, Nine Tails fiercely denied it.
"Cough! Anyway, it's not!"
After roaring with a growl, Nine Tails was clearly covering up.
It simply turned its back to Mito, curling its tail forward as if trying to hide its face.
Mito chuckled softly.
"You... can't even lie properly."Nine Tails bristled: 'This master would never be interested in a little runt, a little ice cube!'"!"
However, its voice grew progressively quieter.
Even carrying a faint hint of guilt, as if it didn't dare to roar anymore.
Mito gazed gently at Nine Tails' back.
"No matter how you try to argue, I'm still happy. This is the first time... you've wanted to actively approach another living being."
Nine Tails closed its eyes, refusing to communicate further.
By the lakeside, the water was as calm as a mirror.
Marshtomp maintained its usual vacant expression, lying flat on the shore,
its two large eyes fixed intently on the sky reflected in the lake.
It had held this position for a long time.
So long that even Jiraiya couldn't stand it.
Jiraiya crossed his arms, leaning in from behind with a mischievous grin, "Are you still thinking about that cute little fox?"
Marshtomp's body visibly shuddered.
Its round eyes slowly shifted toward Jiraiya,
Silence... silence... more silence.
Jiraiya covered his mouth, snickering: "I hit the mark, didn't I? That little fox really is quite adorable, but you've been spacing out..."
Marshtoop remained silent for another three seconds.
Then,
very, very slowly,
it nodded.
Not out of shyness or fear, but a rare admission, its eyes no longer clear and foolishly innocent.
Jiraiya froze for a moment, then burst into laughter:
"Hahahaha! You... really... this is the first time I've seen you care so much about anyone!"
Marshtomp continued staring at the lake surface, as if reminiscing about the silver snowflakes that appeared when Ice Vulpix emerged.
The silly gleam in its eyes actually carried a hint of warmth.
Suddenly, Marshtomp's dull eyes lit up brightly, as if recalling some crucial image.
It too must master the power of ice!
Its originally goofy figure abruptly tensed, fist raised high.
The air condensed into thick frost around its fist, blue-white cold air visibly bursting forth.
With one punch, the frigid wave exploded outward, as if the very air had frozen solid.
Ice Punch!
Watching the half-frozen lake surface, [the observer] twitched their mouth.
"...You're not practicing this move just to show off when you see that little fox again, are you?"
Marshtomp turned its head and nodded with full confidence.
But it had to be said, through this method, Marshtomp had directly mastered the Ice Punch skill.
And judging purely from explosive power, Marshtomp's Ice Punch seemed quite formidable indeed.
An ice-type physical technique?
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