Little Nine's "Tragic" Beast Life

Amidst the ruins of Konoha, Taiichi's cry of "Little Nine!" caused Nine-Tails to freeze in place.

It turned its head with extreme reluctance, meeting Taiyi 'Taiichi turned, calm and unwavering gaze. There was no threat in that gaze, only absolute indifference.

"This is all your fault." Taiichi's voice echoed directly in Nine-Tails's mind, calm as if stating a simple fact, "You should also make some amends."

These words were like a bucket of ice water, precisely extinguishing the Nine-Tailed Nine-Tails's rising anger and extinguishing its last bit of confidence in trying to resist.

That night, it tore through the seal, went berserk, and the scene of it wreaking havoc in Konoha flashed uncontrollably through its consciousness.

Although it wasn't its intention, and it was also a victim, it had done it, and it, the Nine-Tails Fox, wasn't some beast that would do something and then deny it.

Only----

"What Little Nine? You're the Little Nine, your whole family are Little Nine, don't call me Little Nine."

A series of complaints also rang in Taiichi's mind, the voice returning to its original deep and resonant tone. However, Taiichi couldn't help but purse his lips. This Nine-Tails could only show off at times like this.

But Taiichi didn't tolerate it at all and directly severed the temporary connection constructed by his mental power.

In reality, the gurgling sound in the Nine-Tails Fox's throat disappeared, and its bristling fur gradually calmed down, making it look as if it had been scolded by Taiichi.

In that moment of distraction, several warm little hands finally managed to touch its proud orange-red fur.

"Wow! So soft and warm!" the little girl exclaimed in surprise, gently stroking the thickest fur on its back.

"Like a furnace!" The little boy boldly hugged its fluffy tail, burying his face contentedly in it.

Nine-Tails' body tensed instantly, like a stiff stone.

Humiliation! This is an unprecedented humiliation! It, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, a being that strikes fear into the hearts of the entire Ninja World, is now being treated like a docile pet and caressed at will by a group of human cubs!

It wanted to roar, to hurl those little devils and the ruins together!

However, the Chakra of the terrifying human beside him always enveloped the area, like an invisible headband, tightly restraining his impulses.

It could only stand stiffly, letting those little hands rub and knead its precious fur, its eyes tightly closed, as if that would shut it out of this terrible reality.

Life is precious, love is even more so, but for freedom, both can be given up.

Although the Nine-Tails had never heard this before, it understood the underlying principle.

Considering that it's all for freedom now, the loss of this small amount of dignity is insignificant.

Not to mention----

Gradually, a strange feeling began to spread.

Although those little hands moved clumsily, they carried a warmth and kindness unique to children, pure and unadulterated.

The gentle stroking, following the direction of hair growth, brought an indescribable sense of comfort—a comfort it had almost never experienced in its long life.

The tense muscles relaxed without the animal even realizing it, and a lazy feeling crept up its spine. It couldn't even control itself, letting out a very soft, almost pleasurable purr from deep in its throat, a sound it wasn't even aware of.

What made it even more ashamed was that when a little girl gently scratched its chin with her small hand, a strong...

The pleasurable sensation, stemming from its biological instincts, instantly overwhelmed all its psychological defenses.

Almost instinctively, it slightly raised its chin, allowing its little hand to scratch in a more comfortable position. Its tightly closed vertical pupils also narrowed uncontrollably under the impact of this ultimate comfort.

He looked nothing like Tailed Beast; he was just like a domesticated fox, basking in blissful contentment and dozing off.

This incredibly impactful scene was witnessed by Hiruzen Sarutobi and Mitokado Homura, who rushed over at the last minute.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Kazekage, an old man who had weathered many storms and remained unmoved even in the face of a collapsing mountain, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

His gaze was fixed on the "little fox" in the child's arms, its eyes half-closed, letting itself be stroked, and even swaying its large tail comfortably. Then, he incredulously swept his eyes over the children with innocent smiles on their faces.

This... this is really the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox from last night, who roared and tore the sky apart, dragging Konoha into hell?

He felt that the worldview he had held onto for decades was now groaning under the weight of his burden.

Standing shoulder to shoulder beside him, Mitokado Homura reacted even more directly. He subconsciously adjusted his slipped glasses, his eyes behind the lenses widening, his mouth slightly agape, as if struck by a silent thunderbolt.

He looked at the seemingly harmless, adorable creature, then at Hiruzen Sarutobi's equally stiff face. A strong sense of absurdity and the harshness of reality clashed violently in his mind, leaving him momentarily speechless.

The two stood frozen in place, like two stone statues under a spell, their lips twitching uncontrollably, unable to speak for a long time.

In the end, Hiruzen Sarutobi a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his turbulent thoughts, and turned to Taiichi, who had just finished treating a wounded soldier.

His voice was hoarse from suppressed emotion: "Taiichi— " He paused, seemingly searching for the right words, his gaze sweeping back at the glaring orange-red mass, "This—is this what you call 'absolutely controllable'?"

Taiichi met the scrutinizing gaze of the Third Kazekage, his face devoid of any superfluous expression, only a calm and composed demeanor.

He nodded, his voice clear and steady. "Yes, Third Kazekage Hokage. Its current form and power are both within absolute control. And with our promise—"

Taiichi didn't finish his sentence, but Hiruzen Sarutobi already understood.

He and Mitokado Homura's self-illumination involuntarily drifted towards Minato Namikaze.

The young Fourth Hokage, with a wry smile on his face, met the gazes of the two Advisor and nodded slightly, which was tantamount to endorsing Taiichi's actions.

Hiruzen Sarutobi silent. His wrinkled hands gripped his pipe tightly, his knuckles turning white.

His gaze lingered between Taiichi's calm face, Minato's helpless wry smile, and the "little fox" whose eyes were half-closed and almost asleep as the child stroked it.

The Nine-Tails has already been sealed inside Minato's body; that's a fait accompli. If the agreement is torn up now and someone tries to renege, then this seemingly docile little thing will instantly revert to its original form and rebel wildly inside Minato's body.

That would be tantamount to personally pushing Minato and the future of Konoha into an abyss of no return.

Konoha holds the Nine-Tails' freedom card, and the Nine-Tails — Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze once again falls on those innocent children, on those squinting, seemingly harmless, adorable creatures—this Nine-Tails seems to have subtly "grasped" Konoha's weakness?

An absurd yet incredibly realistic tacit balance was achieved silently and eerily.

Hiruzen Sarutobi finally let out a long sigh, a sigh so heavy it seemed to crush his spine.

He stopped looking at the gruesome scene, turned and walked towards another rescue area that needed his command, his shadow stretching long in the setting sun.

Mitokado Homura pushed up his glasses and finally followed without a word, though his steps were slightly unsteady.

This is a silent compromise.

As the last dangerous ruins were reinforced by Orochimaru's Earth Style, the last group of seriously wounded were rescued in Taiichi's green light, and the location of the last missing person was confirmed (regardless of whether they were alive or dead), the setting sun sank once again into the distant mountains.

Taiichi finally slowly released the Chakra that had been continuously outputting from his palm. The long-term, high-intensity Medical Ninjutsu had taken its toll, and even he felt a deep sense of fatigue wash over him.

He rubbed his slightly swollen temples and looked at Minato, who also looked tired but still stood Minato straight.

"Let's go, Minato." Taiichi's voice was slightly hoarse. "Let's go see Kushina."

A glimmer of light instantly appeared in Minato's weary eyes—the concern of a husband and the expectation of a father.

He nodded without saying anything more. The two walked side by side, stepping over the rubble and the lingering dust, toward home.

The orange-red "little fox," which had been forced to work all day, now lay listlessly on Taiichi's shoulder, too lazy to even flick its tail.

Even if you feel very comfortable, by the end of the day, you feel completely drained, leaving only a sense of utter despair after being excessively "ravaged."

Pushing open that familiar door, the scene inside made both Minato and Taiichi pause slightly in surprise.

Kushina was standing in the center of the Reception Hall, holding a water glass in her hand.

She was no longer the pale, dying woman from last night. Her vibrant red hair had regained its vitality, and her pale cheeks now had a healthy blush. Although a trace of weakness from recovering from a serious illness still lingered between her brows, her overall spirit and energy were completely different.

"Kushina!" Minato appeared beside his wife in a flash, carefully supporting her arm, his voice filled with surprise and lingering fear, "How did you get out of bed? How are you feeling?"

"It's alright, Minato!" Kushina flashed a bright smile, patted her husband's hand, and said in a clear voice, "I was so stiff from lying down! I feel much better!"

Her gaze then passed over the Minato and landed on Taiichi standing at the door, her smile filled with gratitude, "Thanks to Taiichi!"

Your Sealing Jutsu is truly amazing!

Taiichi simply glanced at her twice, his powerful senses instantly sweeping over Kushina's body.

"Hmm," Taiichi nodded, a gentle smile appearing on his face, "The life force is stable, and the seal is perfectly integrated."

Congratulations, Kushina- neechan, the most dangerous phase is completely over.

He turned to Minato, his tone resolute, "Don't worry, Minato, she's perfectly fine. The Uzumaki Clan's vitality is indeed powerful; her life force is no longer being lost, and she's recovering incredibly quickly."

Minato let out a long sigh of relief, his tense nerves finally Matsushita completely, and his eyes were filled with heartfelt gratitude as he looked at Taiichi.

However, Kushina's bright blue eyes suddenly froze when they swept over Taiichi's shoulder.

That wilted, orange-red, fuzzy ball of fur—a feeling both incredibly familiar and utterly strange—instantly seized her.

As a former Jinchuriki, and someone who spent over a decade living and fighting against the Nine-Tails Chakra, she has an unforgettable connection to that power and that aura.

But its shape? Its size? This—this state of being completely at someone's mercy (at least it looks like it)? The stark contrast caused her mind to go blank for a moment.

"This—this is?" Kushina looked at Minato, then at Taiichi, her eyes filled with extreme confusion and disbelief. Her finger unconsciously pointed to the orange-red mark on Taiichi's shoulder. "Minato? Taiichi? It—"

Taiichi didn't keep her in suspense. Meeting Kushina's probing gaze, he calmly nodded and directly revealed the answer, "You're right, this is the Nine-Tails."

The anticipated fear, anger, and hatred did not materialize.

The confusion and shock on Kushina's face vanished as quickly as a thin mist in the sunlight the moment the confirmation was received.

Instead, it's replaced by a kind of adoration that young girls feel when they see cute, furry creatures!

"Nine-Tails!"

Kushina's voice suddenly rose, filled with surprise, and her eyes instantly curved into crescents, sparkling with excitement, "Is it really you?"

She completely ignored her husband Minato's concerned outstretched hand and Taiichi's calm gaze; all her attention was completely captured by the wan orange-red mass on Taiichi's shoulder.

The next second, this female ninja, who had just struggled back from the brink of death, displayed speed no less than that of Elite Jonin.

She let out a scream and, like a burning red flame, charged forward with boundless enthusiasm, her goal clear: to hug that furry creature tightly!

"You wretched woman! Stay away from me!"

Nine-Tails Fox instantly bristled, leaping awkwardly off Taiichi's shoulder, its fluffy tail standing upright like a startled feather duster.

Its golden, vertical pupils were wide open, filled with terror (what it perceived as majesty) and resistance.

It tried to escape, but its shrunken body and similarly compressed strength greatly reduced its agility.

"Let me hug you!" Kushina's blue eyes shone brightly, her face showing undisguised affection and an excited smile that said, "I've finally caught you."

She moved with lightning speed, blocking the Nine-Tails' path as it tried to jump onto the cabinet with a sidestep, and pounced on it again with her arms wrapped around it. "You've lived in my belly for so many years! Consider it rent!"

"Rent? Bullshit!" Nine-Tails- Tailed Fox was so angry that her fur was trembling. She jumped up and down among the limited furniture in the Reception Hall to avoid those "claws" while roaring madly in her childish voice.

"It was you bastards who locked me up inside your belly for so many years! I'll bite you to death!" It bared its teeth fiercely, revealing its tiny teeth, trying to intimidate.

"Oh dear, you stingy little thing!" Kushina wasn't buying into the threat at all; instead, she was amused even more by its "fierce yet adorable" appearance.

She seized an opening when the Nine-Tails fox landed, lunged forward, and caught the tip of one of its large, swaying tails with precise movements.

"Awooo!" The Nine-Tails let out a short, sharp cry, its entire body being pulled to the side.

"Let go! You crazy woman!" It twisted its body, trying to scratch Kushina's hand with its claws, but its tail was too long and it couldn't reach it, so it could only kick its hind legs in vain.

"I won't let go! I haven't collected enough rent yet!" Kushina smugly, taking the opportunity to reach out her other hand, aiming straight for Nine-Tails's furry belly, which looked absolutely wonderful to touch.

"Don't even think about it! I'll fight you to the death!" The Nine-Tails- Tailed Fox struggled and rolled with all its might, its small body bursting with amazing twisting power. It finally broke free from the grip of its tail and scrambled to hide behind the sofa, refusing to come out again.

Minato Namikaze and Taiichi stood a little distance away, quietly watching this chaotic and lively scene.

He watched his wife, full of energy and vitality, chasing after the "little fox," as if the tragedy and despair of the previous night were just a distant nightmare.

Seeing Kushina so lively and boisterous again was the greatest comfort to him.

A faint smile played at the corners of Taiichi's lips. This absurd yet heartwarming scene before him was precisely the balance he had hoped to see.

Confining destructive power within a harmless shell, allowing hatred to dissipate through peculiar coexistence and everyday playfulness.

In the Reception Hall, Kushina's energetic shouts and Nine-Tails's furious roars continued.

Minato then took Taiichi to the small hut next door to see his newborn child.