In early December of Year 46, the loss of control by the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki sparked considerable controversy among the village leadership, and the Hardline Faction rose again.
Though Anbu had sealed off the news immediately, with Danzo's "help," "rumors" still spread through the Jonin Division.
Perhaps they yearned for war; perhaps they believed Jinchuriki had no "human rights." Under the banner of "security," the Hardline Faction once again proposed turning her into a "tool."
As usual, the village's major clans stayed silent. In the end, Jiraiya and Tsunade put a stop to the controversy.
Two of the Sannin supported their teacher, Kushina's supervision was tightened once again, and developing a technique better than the Four-Symbols Seal became the village's top priority!
That morning, at Konoha Hospital, Kushina visited Minato Namikaze under the supervision of an Anbu squad. As usual, the girl rushed into her sweetheart's arms first thing.
"That hurts a little, Kushina!"
Minato Namikaze propped himself up on the hospital bed and looked at the girl in his arms, complaining somewhat sheepishly.
"Where does it hurt? Lady Tsunade told me you'd be discharged the day after tomorrow..."
Kushina let out a soft cry, then began feeling him all over. By the end, both of them had blushed, and the room was suddenly filled with a "pink" atmosphere.
"Looks like I really picked the wrong time to come. Wait, I've suddenly got some inspiration!"
"I could try writing a tragic love story based on the two of you..."
Jiraiya appeared in the doorway. As he spoke, he stroked his chin, growing more and more excited as he imagined some rather outrageous scenes. His smile gradually turned lecherous.
"Jiraiya! Don't stand there blocking my way!"
Tsunade complained as she shoved Jiraiya aside and entered the room. She sighed, looked at Minato, and said quietly:
"That was dangerous! If not for your Four-Symbols Seal, your loss of control could have caused a major disaster."
"But it's not necessarily a bad thing. Teacher Sarutobi hopes you can improve the Sealing Jutsu and not let everyone down."
"As for your supervision, I'll have to trouble you, Minato. Kushina needs to go out less, and you can visit her more often. I don't need to explain what to do, do I?"
Knowing that Kushina had tied up the Anbu to sneak out earlier, Minato had been worried. He wasn't oblivious, after all, and understood that his sweetheart had gotten herself into serious trouble.
Tsunade announced the leadership's decision, delighting Minato. He instinctively clasped Kushina's soft hand and replied with a bright smile:
"I'll do my best!"
"Lady Tsunade, Teacher Jiraiya, thank you for taking care of Kushina."
Seeing his student's smile, Jiraiya couldn't help thinking of the Great Toad Sage's prophecy. He felt that Minato, like Nagato, might be a Child of Prophecy who would guide the world.
"Speaking of which, you still have to thank Shu for the surgery that treated your injuries."
"He's amazing! His chakra control may already surpass Tsunade's, and he has unique insights into activating the body, too."
"There isn't even a scar on your lower abdomen. Take off your shirt, and you're still the same handsome man as before!"
Jiraiya's exaggerated winking made Minato smile awkwardly. People had called him girlish back in school; being a handsome man was hardly his goal.
"I knew Shu was amazing. At his age, I couldn't compare to him at all."
"I really owe him for taking care of me."
Kushina blinked in her sweetheart's arms as she recalled the scene that day. Shu Furukawa really had led most of the surgery. Hearing Minato's modest response, she immediately leaned close to his ear and encouraged him:
"You were amazing when you were little, too!"
"How should we repay him?"
The couple's affectionate display served the "old folks" a mouthful of "dog food." Tsunade pursed her lips and waved as she left. Jiraiya, not wanting to be a third wheel, followed after her, still muttering:
"Tsunade, it's been ages since we had a drink together. Tonight..."
"I have a lot of work to do!"
Tsunade ignored Jiraiya behind her. Shu Furukawa had recently gone to Shikkotsu Forest to train in Senjutsu, and Katsuyu's condition worried her. She couldn't shake the feeling that the sage was being a little too enthusiastic.
In the massive cavern formed by a great fissure in Shikkotsu Forest, beneath the pale roots of the God Tree, Katsuyu—hundreds of meters across—swayed her feelers. After splitting off a person-sized clone, she asked curiously:
"Does Master Shu intend to absorb this energy?"
"Activating the God Tree isn't difficult for me, but after being assimilated over such a long time, these roots are no longer part of the original God Tree."
"This is my first time converting Tailed Beast Chakra. Fortunately, there isn't much energy. If anything goes wrong, I can help."
A white branch gradually emerged from Katsuyu's body. Unlike the seemingly lifeless roots above, the activated branch continued to grow slowly.
After Shu Furukawa took the branch, Katsuyu split off another clone, small enough to fit in his palm. It crawled onto his shoulder and continued in her soft voice:
"Master Shu's hypothesis should be right. The complete God Tree can convert any kind of energy, and even its fragments retain that basic function."
"However, the energy it converts isn't the 'original chakra' I mentioned."
"That's all right. This has already confirmed our earlier hypothesis well enough. The Tailed Beasts really are strange chakra-based life forms."
Shu Furukawa smiled as he replied and activated his [Collection] ability. Just as he'd expected, a small mass of red-glowing energy soon appeared in his hand.
From Katsuyu's perspective and perception, the branch had lost its vitality, and the small amount of converted Nine-Tails Chakra had vanished completely.
"Master Shu really is like me..."
Ignoring Katsuyu wriggling happily on his shoulder, Shu Furukawa guided the energy in his hand into his body, then closed his eyes and carefully examined it.
"Interesting. Yin Release, which represents spiritual power, creates form unseen, while Yang Release, which represents physical power, infuses that form with Life Energy."
"Yin-Yang Release really is remarkable. The Tailed Beasts can actually use this power."
The mass of energy obtained through [Collection] contained very little information and had no special effect. It only let Shu Furukawa use his mental energy more effectively.
"Yin-Yang Release? It seems to be a technique developed by Hagoromo Otsutsuki. Only he knows exactly how he created the Tailed Beasts. No one else can do it."
"Even Gamakichi, who has deep control over Natural Energy, can't use a technique to create life."
Shu Furukawa nodded, then formed the Hand Seals for the Spirit Transformation Technique. In an instant, his mental energy became a spirit form and appeared inside the Strength of a Hundred Seal, which had not yet formed on his forehead.
In his mental world, the accumulated Senjutsu Chakra appeared as a mist, drawn together and sealed in one place by the technique.
Previously, while training, he hadn't been able to see the technique's exact form. Now, in his spirit form, Shu Furukawa could sense the Sealing Jutsu linking to the cells through the meridian system.
Unlike the direction Tsunade had developed it in, Shu Furukawa's body was absorbing Senjutsu Chakra in reverse.
"The Strength of a Hundred Seal is more like an evolution of Sealing Jutsu. It exists independently of the body's meridian system and isn't limited by the Eight Gates' chakra points."
At that moment, Shu Furukawa fully understood how the technique had been formed. But as he stepped forward and touched the mist of Senjutsu Chakra, he suddenly felt that a small part of his spirit form had disappeared.
"Interesting. Can Senjutsu Chakra carry a spirit form or soul? Orochimaru really is developing Living Corpse Reincarnation."
After dispelling the technique, Shu Furukawa opened his eyes. Katsuyu, perched on his shoulder, asked curiously:
"Master Shu, did you learn anything?"
"I've gained an initial grasp of the Spirit Transformation Technique, but I still can't separate my spirit form from my body. Katsuyu, try resonating with me."
As soon as Shu Furukawa finished speaking, he quickly formed Hand Seals. When his spirit form returned to the place where the Strength of a Hundred Seal was taking shape, a violent disturbance immediately arose.
"Y-you... how did you turn into that?"
Completely unlike her usual appearance, Katsuyu, resonating with him, had taken Tsunade as her model and transformed into a blonde, buxom young woman.
"Does Master Shu dislike it? Surely humans all like this kind of female!"
"..."