That fluctuation was gentle, like a spring breeze brushing across the water, but the Nine-Tails' instincts were screaming warnings—
Danger! Danger! Danger!
More dangerous than the first time Killer B had been captured by Madara Uchiha!
In the deepest part of Mirai's soul, an emerald-green sapling slowly emerged.
The sapling was only a little over a meter tall, with just two delicate branches. Two bud-like leaves adorned their tips. It looked so fragile that a gust of wind seemed enough to snap it.
Yet the instant the Nine-Tails saw it, every hair on its body stood on end like quills.
"You—what kind of tree is that—?!"
For the first time, fear entered its voice.
That fear was not reverence for a stronger being, but rather a suppression carved deep into its bloodline—
The natural domination of a creature at the top of the food chain over one below it.
The sapling's two young leaves trembled slightly. An invisible root extended from its base, thinner than a strand of hair, yet it locked onto the Nine-Tails within the cage with perfect precision.
The Nine-Tails felt its entire body freeze.
As the strongest Tailed Beast in the world, a mass of chakra, an immortal being that even Hashirama could only subdue rather than kill, it experienced for the first time what it meant to be "locked onto."
It could not evade!
It could not resist!
And it could not escape!
That suppressive force came from a higher being.
A being above even it.
"Ten-Tails?!" The Nine-Tails' voice trembled violently. "This aura is the Ten-Tails...! Why do you have the Ten-Tails' aura on you?!
Impossible! That old man clearly divided the Ten-Tails' chakra among us nine brothers, and the Ten-Tails' body was sealed inside the moon—"
Its voice grew more frantic, more hysterical.
But the sapling gave it no chance to continue speaking.
That invisible root pierced through the Five Elements Seal's cage and stabbed into the Nine-Tails' chakra body.
Then—
Drain!
"Uwaaah—!!"
The Nine-Tails let out a miserable scream. This was the excruciating agony of chakra being torn directly from its source!
To Tailed Beasts, chakra was their body and their life. As long as their chakra remained, even if they were killed, they could be reborn, essentially living forever in this world!
But having its chakra extracted by Mirai Uzumaki now was like having flesh scraped raw from its bones.
If it were drained dry, it—it would die!
"Stop—!!! Brat, stop—!!"
Mirai watched its suffering without the slightest change in expression.
The information fed back by the sapling was clear—the Nine-Tails possessed an astonishing amount of chakra. Less than one percent had been extracted so far, but it was already no small supplement for the sapling.
"Ahh—" The Nine-Tails' miserable cries continued without pause. Even its smooth crimson fur began to dry out and lose its luster.
After roughly one-tenth had been extracted, Mirai shifted his thoughts. The root stopped draining and slowly withdrew into the sapling.
Inside the cage, the Nine-Tails collapsed to the ground. Its nine tails hung limply, and the crimson fur covering its body had noticeably dimmed.
It panted heavily, terror still lingering in its slit pupils.
"This is a lesson for you." Mirai withdrew his hand, his voice calm. "If you still refuse to behave in the future, then obediently become nourishment for the God Tree!"
A rare trace of fear flashed through the Nine-Tails' eyes. "Damn brat! What exactly are you trying to do?"
"You can try causing trouble again."
The Nine-Tails stared at him with its slit pupils for a long time before finally looking away.
It had not surrendered, but it did not dare curse at him again.
After absorbing that tenth of the Nine-Tails' chakra, the God Tree sapling underwent visible changes.
It shot up from just over a handspan tall to nearly two meters, sprouting more branches and leaves.
The leaves changed from tender buds into mature emerald-green leaves that glimmered faintly, while the trunk thickened by a full circle.
The entire tree now looked brimming with life, utterly different from its previous listless state, as though it would never grow no matter how long it had been planted.
Mirai sensed the sapling's condition and nodded in satisfaction.
A steady trickle—he could drain a little every so often. The Nine-Tails would not die and could slowly recover.
The sapling could grow little by little as well. Once it reached a certain stage and bore a Chakra Fruit, his great work would be complete.
Mirai Uzumaki wiped away nonexistent sweat from his forehead like a diligent tree farmer.
"Alright, that's enough for today. Stay put and don't cause trouble for me." Mirai clapped his hands. "Be good. I'll come see you again in a few days."
The Nine-Tails dared not voice its anger. It merely buried its face between its front paws and let out a low, irritated grumble.
Was he treating it like a pet? What a damned brat!
He was a hundred times worse than Mito Uzumaki!
Mirai withdrew from his deeper consciousness, and his mental world returned to calm.
Konoha Hospital.
The ward was filled with the faint scent of medicine and blankets warmed by sunlight.
Mirai Uzumaki slowly opened his eyes. Before him were a white ceiling and a faintly swaying IV stand.
He blinked, taking about three seconds to readjust to the light and the gravity of reality.
Then he turned his head and saw a small face with messy red hair and bloodshot eyes resting beside his bed.
Kushina Uzumaki had no idea how long she had been keeping watch there. Her eyes were red and swollen, dark circles obvious beneath them. She looked as if she had not slept in days.
She held his hand, her fingers slightly curled, as though even in her sleep she feared he would disappear.
Mirai moved one finger.
Kushina jolted awake, raised her head, and met his gaze.
Then her tears came flooding out all at once.
"Mirai—!!"
She threw herself forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in the hollow of his shoulder. Her shoulders shook as she cried and laughed at once. "You're finally awake... I thought... I thought you too... You scared me to death..."
Kushina's grip made it a little hard for Mirai to breathe, but he still raised a hand and gently patted her back.
"Alright, alright. I'm fine now, Kushina. How long was I asleep?"
"You slept for three whole days! Grandma Mito left, and then you collapsed too. I talked to you every day, but you never answered me—"
The more Kushina spoke, the more aggrieved she became. Her crying grew louder and louder as she clung to him like a startled little animal with its fur standing on end, unwilling to get up.
Listening to her tearful complaint, Mirai's heart softened.
He reached out and rubbed her messy red hair, saying softly, "I'm sorry for making you worry."
Kushina gave a muffled "Mm," then buried her face even deeper.
Sunlight streamed through the window into the ward, blending their shadows together.
Mirai closed his eyes, feeling the warm little body in his arms, still trembling slightly, as well as the heavy seal in his abdomen, slowly breathing.
Grandma Mito, I'll live well.
Before you continue