The Power That Constrains the World

The next morning at the Third Training Ground, Yamanaka Tohru took the initiative to challenge Kushina. After Kushina figured out Tohru's ninjutsu and attack patterns, this time Tohru only lasted one minute.

After the "morning exercise" ended, Kushina and Yamanaka Tohru complained about Namikaze Minato and the Third Hokage.

Under Kushina's Good-Evil Perception, Yamanaka Tohru was filled with goodwill toward her, so Kushina had no guard up against him either.

Most Konoha ninjas regarded Kushina with a mix of awe and fear; the reputation of the Blood Red Pepper left her with few friends to talk to. Yamanaka Tohru's appearance gave Kushina someone to confide in.

Though they had only known each other for a day, Yamanaka Tohru, filled with the same goodwill as Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Mito, easily earned Kushina's trust.

"That old geezer Hokage won't even let me leave the village for missions. So what if I'm a Jinchuriki? I can already use Nine-Tails chakra!"

Kushina accidentally let slip that she was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Though she was carefree and reckless, she knew what to say and what not to say. And Yamanaka Tohru was one of the few people who held goodwill toward her—what if he got scared off by the Nine-Tails?

"Um, Kushina-neechan, isn't the fact that you're the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki supposed to be kept secret?"

Yamanaka Tohru's reaction made Kushina breathe a sigh of relief. Under her Good-Evil Perception, Tohru's heart hadn't changed at all. Kushina immediately relaxed, patted Tohru on the shoulder, and said, "That kind of thing doesn't matter. You're not going to tell anyone anyway."

Hearing Kushina's words, Yamanaka Tohru was covered in black lines. They'd only known each other for a day—where did this trust come from?

"Tohru, aren't you surprised that I'm the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"

"I knew it yesterday when a tail appeared behind you, Kushina-neechan. I saw it in the Konoha Library, records about Jinchuriki. That's a Tailed Beast Cloak, right?"

That book really did exist in the Konoha Library; Yamanaka Tohru had stumbled upon it two years ago while studying Medical Ninjutsu.

"Th-then you're not scared?" Kushina's voice suddenly grew weak. She lowered her head, not daring to look at Tohru.

"Of course I'm not scared! Jinchuriki are still people, and tailed beasts aren't scary either. I heard from Sakumo-san that the new Eight-Tails Jinchuriki from Kumogakure actually became good friends with the Eight-Tails! Kushina-neechan, you can definitely become good friends with the Nine-Tails too!"

Yamanaka Tohru knew the Nine-Tails' true nature. Thinking of the Nine-Tails as nothing more than a tsundere big fox, Tohru really couldn't bring himself to be afraid.

Hearing Yamanaka Tohru's words, Kushina was silent for a long time. She didn't hate the Nine-Tails either and often chatted with it—though it was one-sided.

For Kushina, who had few friends, the Nine-Tails was a rare confidant. Even though the Nine-Tails never responded to her, in her heart it counted as half a friend. She didn't know what the Nine-Tails thought, but whenever she needed chakra, the Nine-Tails never refused.

Yamanaka Tohru's words just now struck a chord with Kushina. Maybe humans and tailed beasts really could coexist peacefully!

"Tohru, do you think there will ever be a day when humans and tailed beasts live in peace?"

"That day will definitely come." Yamanaka Tohru had seen the ending of Naruto—Naruto had achieved peaceful coexistence between humans and tailed beasts.

"Kushina-neechan, how much of the Nine-Tails' power can you use at most?"

"About three tails. At four tails, my consciousness starts getting a little fuzzy."

"Kushina-neechan, I want to see the power of the Nine-Tails at three tails."

"Sure!" As she spoke, Tailed Beast Chakra began seeping from Kushina's body. One tail, two tails, three tails! Wrapped in the Tailed Beast Cloak, three tails danced behind Kushina.

Just the aura of the three-tailed Tailed Beast Cloak made Yamanaka Tohru drenched in sweat. A three-tailed Kushina definitely had Kage-level strength!

In the original story, Naruto with half the Nine-Tails could seriously injure Jiraiya in his four-tailed state. The three-tailed state of a full Nine-Tails shouldn't be much weaker than a four-tailed Naruto.

"Kushina-neechan, run from here to the training ground entrance at top speed."

Kushina nodded. Yamanaka Tohru activated his Sharingan, staring intently at Kushina. Even so, he still couldn't track Kushina's figure.

"And this is only three tails! Terrifying!" In the anime, the Nine-Tails was described as having the power to tip the scales of the world. Yamanaka Tohru hadn't believed it at first, but now seeing with his own eyes that even three tails of Kushina had such power, he fell silent.

In the original story, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha could easily suppress the Nine-Tails. Such a powerful Nine-Tails was like a toy in their hands. Yamanaka Tohru felt immense pressure.

"Tohru, aren't you from the Yamanaka Clan? Why do you have a Sharingan?" Kushina only noticed Tohru's crimson Sharingan after dispelling the Tailed Beast Cloak.

"My father is from the Uchiha Clan. Kushina-neechan, please don't tell anyone about this."

"No wonder your hair is black! So that's it! Don't worry, my lips are sealed!"

"Who was it that just blurted out being the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!" Looking at Kushina's carefree attitude, Yamanaka Tohru felt he had trusted the wrong person.

Over the next few days, Yamanaka Tohru kept sparring with Kushina. The time Tohru could last against Kushina grew longer and longer. Feeling his strength gradually improve, Tohru's earlier unease slowly dissipated.

It was now Year 40 of Konoha. Twenty years until the plot began, twenty-two years until the Fourth Great Ninja War. Twenty-two years was enough time for Yamanaka Tohru to grow strong.

Through these days of sparring, Yamanaka Tohru noticed that Kushina's attack methods were too monotonous. She didn't know many ninjutsu and couldn't use genjutsu. Her fighting style was just taijutsu and Sealing Jutsu. Kushina had an enormous amount of chakra, and Yamanaka Tohru felt it was necessary to help her change her fighting style. Having so much chakra and not using it was a waste.

"Kushina-neechan, do you know the Multiple Shadow Clone technique?"

"Multiple Shadow Clone? Yeah, I do!"

"How many shadow clones can you make?"

"I don't know. Let me try."

Kushina formed hand seals. "Puff puff puff puff puff puff." In seconds, the entire Third Training Ground was densely packed with Kushina's shadow clones.

"What the hell, that many?"

"Too many? I can make more. This is only a thousand!"

A thousand, and she said "only"! The Uzumaki Clan! At that moment, Yamanaka Tohru wished he were from the Uzumaki Clan. With that much chakra, he could create a world of ice. Then no one could touch him—at the very least, no one could catch him.

Yamanaka Tohru stared at Kushina's red hair, drooling. Kushina felt creeped out and smacked him hard on the back of the head.

"Ouch! Kushina-neechan, what was that for?" Tohru's daydreaming was interrupted, and he glared at Kushina in annoyance.

"I should be asking you that! Why did you make me make so many shadow clones?"

"Kushina-neechan, I thought of a technique! One that's perfect for you!" Yamanaka Tohru's sinister smile sent a chill down Kushina's spine.

But when Tohru explained the idea for the technique to Kushina, she smiled too. The same sinister smile. The same bone-chilling effect.

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