I Covet Your Body

I know you crave my body, and I crave yours too, but I won't say it.

The Uchiha clansmen within the compound did not recognize Uzumaki Kushina, but that did not stop them from sizing her up with benevolent gazes, scanning from the top of her head down to her toes.

Hmm, a girl who looks like she can bear healthy children.

For some, their Sharingan confirmed even more clearly that she was a good girl.

These direct, unblinking stares made Uzumaki Kushina feel even more self-conscious, and she followed closely behind Uchiha Yuji; the distance between them could hardly be described as "clinging," but it was certainly a vivid image.

Her small gesture made those watching her feel a bit less brazen.

This also allowed Uzumaki Kushina to carefully observe the Uchiha compound, a place many referred to as a forbidden zone.

The environment was slightly dilapidated, but the gazes of the Uchiha clansmen were quite friendly, nothing like what was rumored in the village, and their respect for Yuji was clearly more than just superficial.

Due to the Nine-Tails' unique abilities, Uzumaki Kushina was quite sensitive to malice.

"We're here, this is my home."

The two slowly came to a halt, and Uzumaki Kushina's eyes brightened as she turned her head to look ahead.

It was an unremarkable house, almost identical to the surrounding buildings; if not for the attitude of the Uchiha clansmen earlier, she would have suspected that the Uchiha clan had sidelined Uchiha Yuji.

Meeting Uzumaki Kushina's puzzled gaze, he explained softly, "A home is a home, and a house is a house; one is a sanctuary for the soul, while the other is merely a place for the body to reside."

"Are your uncle and aunt still at home?"

Uzumaki Kushina's fingers twined around her blood-red hair, her fair index finger twisting back and forth with unease, mirroring the flustered state of the young girl's heart.

"In this ninja world, war always arrives before happiness."

Uchiha Yuji sighed softly; his biological parents died early, and as an infant, he had grown up entirely on the help and subsidies provided by the Uchiha clan.

Although the Uchiha had all sorts of bad habits when dealing with outsiders, they were truly exceptionally tolerant toward their own, providing subsidies as if there were no limit.

They could be arrogant in their speech and tsundere in their tone at times, but that was just how the Uchiha were; he had beaten them up a few times himself, and that was the end of it.

Everything is afraid of comparison; compared to other ninja clans, the Uchiha could even be considered a relatively harmonious one.

In this world where tragedy is the main theme, the sorrow caused by war is not just the situation of a single family, but the state of the entire ninja world.

Uzumaki Kushina felt the same, and the smile on her face faded significantly.

Uchiha Yuji patted her on the back, comforting her, "Sorry, I said something inappropriate and brought up bad memories."

Uzumaki Kushina shook her red hair rapidly, the scattered locks slightly revealing the temperament of the "Red Hot Habanero."

"I should be the one saying sorry; I was the one who asked first."

"You didn't know, so it's normal to ask." Uchiha Yuji scratched his head. "Let's go inside and sit; I don't think we'll have to wait long for dinner."

As the patriarch of the Uchiha clan, he didn't even have to cook for himself within the compound—this was the true benefit.

Perhaps because the clan had witnessed Uzumaki Kushina's arrival, the evening meal was exceptionally luxurious, so much so that Uchiha Yuji wondered if this was a time of peace rather than a wartime period of scarce resources.

Uzumaki Kushina didn't have so many worries, happily eating the most expensive food the Uchiha household had to offer.

And as she chatted idly with Uchiha Yuji, Uzumaki Kushina had no idea what was happening with the Nine-Tails inside her.

Having witnessed a thousand years of war, hatred, and betrayal, the Nine-Tails' chakra—which originally had no special attributes—was inevitably stained with unique colors; the once-cute little fox now wore heavy black eyeshadow, becoming a manifestation of hatred.

If an ordinary person were eroded by this hatred, they would either die or go insane.

But for Hyper Zetton, the Nine-Tails was like an endless supply of king crab; the large chunks of crab meat shifting between its teeth, the smooth texture, and the fresh, delicious taste made Hyper Zetton unable to stop.

The overly delicious [crab meat] made Hyper Zetton devour it in large gulps, even being drawn closer and closer to the Nine-Tails.

The aura of devouring everything made the Nine-Tails shrink its neck. "Hey, hey, hey! Kushina! Hurry up and take this thing away! Don't come over! Don't you come over!"

Kushina couldn't hear it.

Hyper Zetton didn't understand it.

"Damn it! If it weren't for this seal! I would definitely kill you! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Pinned to the ground by countless chains, the Nine-Tails nearly let out a mournful howl.

"I think your power alone is not enough to deal with my Zetton." A voice suddenly appeared in this empty, silent cell.

The voice appeared very abruptly, but the Nine-Tails' reaction was not sluggish.

In an instant, its frantic movements ceased, its defeated expression turned incredibly ferocious, and its fierce eyes stared fixedly in the direction from which the voice came.

A streamlined, lean body, the red and white fan crest, and that pair of bloodline limits that truly represented the clan—the magnificent, blood-colored Mangekyo.

Eyes of this form! This cold, chilling chakra!

"Uchiha! Damn Uchiha! It's the damn Uchiha again!"

The Nine-Tails was so angry its fur stood on end, its blood-red maw wide open as it let out a loud roar; the shockwave blew Uchiha Yuji's cloak until it was parallel to the ground, though that was the only attack the Nine-Tails could manage.

"A person is an individual, not a collective; don't lump us all together. Just like the Tailed Beasts, you can't say Shukaku is exactly the same as you."

Uchiha Yuji felt heartbroken that the Nine-Tails would condemn all Uchiha with one stroke.

"Hmph, mere Shukaku. Uchiha, what exactly is your intention! And what is this thing?" The Nine-Tails quickly steered the conversation back to the main point.

Listening to the Nine-Tails' question, Uchiha Yuji revealed a brilliant smile.

"Intention? What bad intentions could I have toward you? Can't you feel it?"

The Nine-Tails furrowed its brows; within the fox's perception, it truly could not sense any malice emanating from the Uchiha before it, yet it felt very strange, unable to pinpoint exactly what was amiss.

In short, it was just very strange!

Uchiha Yuji walked slowly to the side of the Zetton Egg, his right hand affectionately stroking its surface.

"As for this one, its name is Zetton, and it is my best partner."

"By the way, its ability is to absorb both negative and positive emotions; I believe you have already experienced it yourself."

The Nine-Tails widened its eyes, for it finally knew what was wrong!

"Kurama! I require your assistance in my cultivation!"