A tattoo of the imposing Eight-Tails, roughly the size of a tin can, had been inked onto the lower left side of Xuanhui's back.
"Wait, aren't I still growing?"
That remark made Orochimaru turn his head.
He stared into Xuanhui's eyes for quite a while.
"It's fine. The design probably won't change."
"You should've made sure before doing it!"
"Never mind that. Try activating it first."
Xuanhui tried stimulating the tattoo with chakra and discovered that a special kind of chakra really did begin gathering, a little faster than his normal chakra recovery!
"I estimate that once we collect blood from all nine tailed beasts, your chakra recovery will reach three to four times its original speed!"
"What if I learn Sage Mode?"
"Hmm..."
Orochimaru genuinely had to think about that. Ryūchi Cave hadn't taught him senjutsu, so he really wasn't sure.
"Hard to say. Try it when you have time."
"Cheers!" ×6
Six people sat around the table, each holding a glass.
Apart from Orochimaru's apple juice and Xuanhui's orange juice, everyone's glass was filled with alcohol.
"Glug, glug~~"
"Ahh~~"
Tsunade drank the most enthusiastically of them all, downing one bottle after another.
Dan Katō tried to stop her, only to be dragged into drinking two bottles himself, leaving his face beet red.
"Look at Dan! What a lightweight!"
Xuanhui took a sip of orange juice without so much as blushing or missing a beat, teasing Dan Katō mercilessly.
Everyone burst out laughing.
After a while, the group quieted down a little.
Looking for something to talk about, Hiruzen Sarutobi asked Xuanhui a question.
"Xuanhui, do you want to become Hokage someday?"
"No."
Xuanhui answered so readily that it sounded rehearsed.
"Being Hokage is too much trouble. If I could, I'd settle for being a hospital director or