Sukuna, You're Too Loud

"By the way... can you tell me now, what's going on with your Tailed Beast Transformation?"

Others might not know, but Minato certainly did.

The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was his girlfriend, when had she become his junior disciple?

"I absorbed the Four-Tails' chakra."

"That's possible?"

Minato frowned: "Does that mean you've already seized the Four-Tails?"

"No." Kagami Uchiha shook his head: "Using your own body to imprison a tailed beast is exhausting—you should know that well."

In his view, the proper way to handle tailed beasts was to look to Sasuke Uchiha.

Lock them away, using the Susanoo as a vessel to carry their chakra.

If he learned from Naruto... the whiskers on his daughter's face already spoke for themselves.

Besides, he still had an untamed monster inside him—shoving anything else in there and loosening the seal wouldn't be fun.

Minato sighed, thinking of Kushina trapped in the barrier, and felt a pang of bitterness.

"Kagami... I want to become Hokage. I want Kushina to live a normal life..."

"She's been bearing that pressure all this time... What should I do."

Minato and Kagami had seen the Nine-Tails with their own eyes. A disaster-level monster like that inside Kushina was like a bomb strapped to her, ready to go off at any moment.

Kagami Uchiha was silent for a moment, then asked.

"What do you think about the First Hokage distributing the tailed beasts?"

Minato thought for a long time.

"At the time, it was the right decision."

"Lord First longed for peace, and ninja didn't have the power to rule the world. Using tailed beasts as a deterrent to balance the nations was a reasonable move."

"And it turned out as he hoped—during his lifetime, the ninja world entered its longest period of peace in a thousand years."

Kagami Uchiha chuckled lightly: "He just didn't consider that what really held the world in check was never the tailed beasts, but himself."

"Maybe he did consider it, but people... always die. Tailed beasts don't." Minato sighed, lifting his gaze to meet Kagami's.

"Why bring this up all of a sudden?"

"Minato, if it were you, how would you handle the tailed beasts?"

"Tailed beasts are a necessary strategic deterrent. From the moment they were bound, unless someone like Lord First appears again..."

"Maintaining the status quo is essential. Take the Nine-Tails for example—releasing it would only bring endless disaster to Konoha."

Thinking this, Minato's expression grew wistful.

"War... really can't ever stop..."

"Of course not."

"Land, wealth, power, culture, beliefs... Even a single Konoha village can't stop its internal strife, so how can we hope for a world of eternal peace?"

"Lord First's idea was correct—there truly needs to be enough deterrent force to make the villages cease war."

"But relying on tailed beasts alone is far from enough."

Minato looked at Kagami Uchiha with deep meaning.

He knew that by staying behind, this junior disciple, once distant, had finally opened his heart to him and laid out his ideals.

The deep pupils visible through the bandages fixed on Namikaze Minato.

"An individual's lifespan is limited. The power of tailed beasts is insufficient."

"The clan!"

"Inheritance!"

"No one is more suited to be the world's deterrent than the Uchiha Clan."

"I will become the strongest in the world!"

"The Uchiha Clan will shift from Konoha's Security Force to a clan that patrols and hunts across the ninja world!"

"I know clearly that Uchiha clan members aren't suited for politics—we will only serve as a deterrent to war."

"And the prerequisite for all this is an absolutely powerful Uchiha, continuing without interruption."

As Kagami Uchiha spoke, Namikaze Minato felt his heart clench tightly.

He could barely breathe.

"I will die. Before I die, I will leave the Dojutsu Power I've accumulated over a lifetime to the next successor through the Transcription Seal."

"Only the Uchiha Clan has this ability. Only the Uchiha Clan can bear the world's malice!"

"Kagami... people's thoughts can change."

"Even if you manage to stay out of ruling, your successor... how could they resist the temptation of being the world's king?"

"Besides... bearing the world's malice all alone is too painful..."

Kagami Uchiha let out a soft laugh.

"Minato, your dream is to become Hokage. Have you thought about what you'll do after that dream comes true?"

"Uh... that's something to figure out after the dream becomes reality, right?"

"Exactly that."

Kagami Uchiha shifted his gaze, looking into the distance through the camp tent's window.

"This is my dream. Whether there's a qualified successor is a matter for later."

"Besides... maybe I won't die?"

"Haha, there's no one who doesn't die." Minato chuckled, taking it as a joke from Kagami.

There are, though...

The Otsutsuki are immortal.

Minato stood up: "Thank you for sharing this with me. Get some rest too."

As he reached the entrance, he turned back with a smile.

"I'll support you. I look forward to you cutting through the grudges of this world."

"Brat, that blondie is special to you."

"He's a good man, and very talented."

Kagami Uchiha replied flatly: "There are too few good people in this world. Even villains prefer to be friends with good ones."

"After all, he won't constantly think about killing me like you do."

"That's harsh, brat~"

Sukuna's voice was hoarse and low: "I don't want to kill you."

"I want to eat you!"

"Every drop of blood, every piece of flesh, every bit of marrow!"

"I want to savor it all!"

"You're in pain, aren't you, Sukuna."

Kagami Uchiha's words carried a hint of mockery.

"You, who see humans as ingredients, trapped inside a human body."

"You were once human, yet you chose to become a curse."

"You have no idea what human malice truly is."

Above the Sea of Corpses and Blood, Sukuna suddenly felt a powerful pull.

"You... what are you doing!"

The battles with Roshi and Ōnoki had made Kagami Uchiha familiar with using Tailed Beast Chakra.

And also... gave him experience in stealing power.

Whoosh--

Within the Mental Space, a blade aura blazing with fierce flames appeared.

Sukuna struggled with all his might against the sealing pull, but it was futile. His entire body was dragged to the sealing barrier.

One of his arms was yanked out through the bars.

Realizing what Kagami Uchiha intended to do, Sukuna burst into Frenzied Laughter.

"HAHAHAHA!"

"Can't resist taking my power, can you!"

"Take it! Take it all!"

The more, the better!

Shlash!!

The flame blade aura fell, severing Sukuna's arm. Thick black blood oozed from the wound.

Kagami Uchiha's figure hung before the seal, gazing down at Sukuna with indifference.

The severed arm twitched a few times outside the seal, then shot toward Kagami Uchiha at incredible speed!

Boom!!

A surge of overwhelming Dojutsu Power crushed the arm into submission!

"Patience is my principle. Rest assured, Sukuna, I'll savor you bit by bit."

A faint smile curled at the corner of Kagami Uchiha's lips as a curtain descended over the crimson Gate of Seal.

As the light dimmed before him, Sukuna felt a flicker of panic.

He had been sealed for a thousand years, but that was without consciousness.

Conscious in the darkness, unable to feel the passage of time, seeing nothing...

Cut off from all external information, an ordinary person would suffer immense psychological damage within hours!

What truly terrified Sukuna was that Kagami Uchiha had cut off one of his hands first.

Before this, even if thrown into Solitary Confinement, Kagami Uchiha would draw on his power within a few days at most, allowing him to see the outside world.

"No... don't!"

"With my guidance, you can master this power far better!"

"You're too noisy."

Kagami Uchiha's fingertip fell, sealing the space completely.

Until I've used up this arm, Sukuna, you stay put in your little dark room.

I hope next time we meet, you'll have learned how to speak to your master.

In the dead, silent darkness, only Sukuna's enraged roar echoed.