The blazing midsummer sun sank below the horizon, but its last rays slipped past the trees and still proudly scorched the earth.
Uzumaki Kaimi excitedly controlled the Chakra Chains extending from her back. The chains crisscrossed in the air, playing a melody unique to the Uzumaki Clan as she and her clansmen tightly bound the sleeping Nine-Tails. It looked just like the boar tied up beside the young shinobi behind her.
They were being far too cautious.
Anyone could see that the Nine-Tails had been drained of its chakra by Lord Hokage's Wood Golem and had fallen asleep. Yet the Uzumaki Clan still spent chakra freely, using Adamantine Sealing to bind the Nine-Tails every which way and lash it firmly to the ground.
The chains fell silent, and Rikusei stopped working on the boar in his hands. He looked toward the Nine-Tails, only to see a golden dumpling wrapped from head to toe in chains. It was probably filled with Nine-Tails fox meat. He wondered whether eating it would grant him some strange ability.
Uzumaki Ashina calmly surveyed their handiwork. He saw nothing wrong with it and was quite pleased, standing with his hands on his hips. There was no such thing as being too careful with the Nine-Tails.
Throughout his long life, he had often helped other ninja clans seal all sorts of monsters with strange abilities. Most of those capable of communicating through speech eventually became Summoning Beasts with the Uzumaki Clan's help. Of course, the clan charged a fee for the service.
He couldn't help wanting to ask the two people atop the Wood Golem whether they had any such plans. But he quickly dismissed the thought. With their strength, they probably had no need for one.
After all, he had witnessed them beating the Nine-Tails senseless with his own eyes.
At the very beginning of the mission, Hashirama had told him about his idea to sell the sealed Tailed Beasts to other Hidden Villages. Their power would maintain a balance of strength in the Shinobi World and keep the great nations from starting wars on a whim.
Uzumaki Ashina, nearing the end of his long life, had seen far too much. At first, he had thought the idea naive. Human greed couldn't be restrained. Many of the monsters they were hired to seal had been summoned by ninja clans who couldn't control them after trying to claim their power.
But when peace finally arrived, he, who had lived through countless wars, treasured it more than anyone. He admired every attempt to preserve the peace. If he were younger, he would gladly help Hashirama maintain this hard-won peace.
After all, this was Hashirama's own reflection on peace, an idea for preserving it drawn from his experience.
Now he was wondering whether he should use the commission money Konoha had given them to buy some Tailed Beast chakra. He didn't need a lot, as long as it was usable.
Given Uzushio Village's location, they needed to stay wary of the newly established Kirigakure across the sea. He had heard that many Kekkei Genkai clans had joined it. Konoha was right behind them, but they still needed to strengthen their own forces.
The wind-blown strands of his snowy white hair kept getting in his eyes, bringing his thoughts back to the present. Fortunately, his foolish son wasn't truly stupid; he understood a few things.
Like sticking close to Konoha.
"Father, what should we do next?"
The energetic voice reached his ears. Beneath his graying hair, Ashina's aged face broke into a smile. He sighed that people became prone to overthinking as they got older, then put on a stern expression and said, "You should call me clan leader!"
"Sure, Father. What should we do next?" Kaimi came running over, dragging the long chains behind her, and eagerly asked again.
Ashina, feeling conflicted, steadied his slightly heaving chest and silently repeated to himself, He's my own son. After saying it three times like a mantra, he calmed down and directed the Uzumaki ninja to gather and release their chakra.
Their chakra converged into a giant blue hand that grabbed the Nine-Tails and abruptly pulled its distinctive red chakra out of its body. The Nine-Tails visibly shriveled, while the chains coiled around its thin body like golden pythons, binding it tightly.
A long stream of red and blue chakra stretched through the air. The sleeping Nine-Tails suddenly opened its eyes, rage blazing in its red fox pupils. In an instant, it understood what was happening.
Red hair and golden chains no beast could escape. As its groggy mind gradually cleared, it realized that these were the Uzumaki Clan, experts in sealing.
Those despicable humans had defeated it and still weren't satisfied. Now they wanted to seal it away completely. Unable to move, the Nine-Tails could only open its enormous, fang-filled maw and roar, venting its boundless fury.
Its roar shook heaven and earth, full of despair and anger. The sound waves formed visible ripples in the air and spread in every direction.
The Yin-Yang Hot Pot bubbling atop the Wood Golem trembled uncontrollably, as if resonating with the roar. Uchiha Madara hurried to steady the pot before all the food sloshed out.
"That's right. The Nine-Tails really is strong." Feeling his scalded fingers return to normal, Madara solemnly agreed with Hashirama's earlier assessment. He rose to his feet without hesitation and activated his Sharingan.
"Wait, Madara." After reinforcing the hot pot with Wood Release, Hashirama hurriedly wiped the reddish oil from his mouth and stopped him. "The Uzumaki Clan's chakra is linked to the Nine-Tails. The effect of your ocular jutsu will be greatly weakened. Let me use Wood Release once more."
The Nine-Tails, utterly despairing, stared blankly at the approaching Wood Golem. The familiar sensation of being stroked atop the head returned. Its dull, vertical pupils slowly closed, and the weariness deep in its soul pulled it back into sleep.
The uproar stirred by its roar faded into silence as the Nine-Tails fell asleep again. Rikusei tossed all the Kunai on his person to the ground and watched the bustling sealing operation. His eyes shifted as he wondered, Is this some kind of painless sealing surgery?
"Do you have any ninja tools that aren't made of special metal?" Tobirama beamed at the mountain of Shuriken and Kunai, continuing to coax the children. "It's a trade-in. Once we're back in the village, Teacher will give everyone extra compensation. Nao, have you written down the quantities?"
"I have, Teacher."
The little girl with the blond ponytail nodded. This kind of mental arithmetic was easy for her.
"Good." Tobirama nodded, signaling for them to move away. He channeled his chakra and began a dazzling display of craftsmanship. After using Shadow Clone, five Tobiramas performed hand seals together and used five different chakra natures to forge the largest pot in the Shinobi World.
The great pot rested quietly on the ground, its entire surface glowing with a cold black sheen after being tempered with Lightning Style.
Rikusei discreetly glanced at the excited Danzo and wondered whether anyone would want to test their strength by trying to carry the pot on their back.
Baru dashed over to the pot first, rubbing it with great amazement and declaring that he wanted to test his strength to see if he could lift it.
Sure enough, Baru started a trend of carrying the pot. Danzo, his excitement plain to see, eagerly joined in.
The blade swept effortlessly through the target they had picked out long ago. The severed pieces were immediately loaded into the waiting containers, gathered up, and put where they belonged.
The boar's enormous body held all kinds of wonders. The deeper they cut, the more it made them marvel at the greatness of life.
Two groups, each with their own tools, sliced up the boar at the same time and packed the Nine-Tails into balls.
Rikusei and Kaimi raised their knives in unison. Their blades, each with its own distinctive features, caught the last rays of the setting sun and gleamed as they exclaimed, "What a fine knife."
Sorry for the trouble, and thank you to "Jinshengjinyou" for the generous tip. Thank you, too, for all the recommendation and monthly votes you've sent in.
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