At that moment, Kurama was feeling rather agitated inside the seal space.
Before, Kushina had never voluntarily closed off the seal space except when she was bathing.
Now, under the influence of Nobuhiko's honeyed words, Kushina had actually closed off the seal space of her own accord. This was clearly aimed at him.
Kurama braced himself for a formidable enemy!
"Sister Kushina, it's all right now. Senior Kurama can hear the rest of our conversation."
Nobuhiko wanted to cry but had no tears. He could only quickly adjust his mindset and carry out the next step of his plan.
"All right."
Kushina undid the seal.
"Sister Kushina, I've read quite a lot of material these past few days, and I've come up with a very bold theory."
Nobuhiko began hoodwinking Kushina again with a serious expression.
"What theory, Little Brother Nobuhiko?"
Seeing that he had Kushina fooled, Nobuhiko spelled out his "guess" one word at a time.
"Senior Kurama isn't just the strongest of the tailed beasts. He might even be able to fight the other eight all at once without any trouble."
Kushina was so shocked by Nobuhiko's words that she couldn't speak.
As she understood it, although Kurama was the strongest tailed beast, the others were all walking disasters themselves, hardly weak. How could all eight of them together fail to defeat Kurama?
Inside the seal space, Nobuhiko's theory also sent enormous waves through Kurama's heart.
Aside from himself, only the Sage of Six Paths knew that he could take on the other eight tailed beasts single-handedly.
The other eight tailed beasts didn't even know about this. How did this brat in front of him know?
"Kushina, let me speak with him!"
Still dumbfounded, Kushina wanted a moment to collect herself anyway. Remembering that Kurama hadn't caused any destruction the last time they had exchanged control of her body, she went along with it and handed control over to him.
Nobuhiko had been waiting for Kushina to ask why he thought that, only to suddenly discover that six whisker marks had appeared on her face, and red, slit-pupiled eyes were studying him.
Holy shit!
Before Nobuhiko's brain could react, his body had already dutifully stood at attention and bowed in greeting.
"Hello, Senior Kurama!"
This was a much stronger backer than the Third Hokage. I had to latch on to him!
Only then did Nobuhiko's brain catch up.
"Don't bother with those human formalities of yours. I'm not interested!"
"Understood, Senior Kurama. I'll be sure to keep that in mind next time."
Nobuhiko bowed again in assurance while inwardly grumbling.
With the corners of Kurama's mouth curling up like that, there was no way I could believe that nonsense.
"I came out this time mainly to find out why you think I can fight all eight of them at once."
Although Kurama's tone was calm, he couldn't conceal his smug expression at all.
"Senior Kurama, you've lived in the Shinobi World for so many years. You must know that our Land of Fire possesses the most fertile land in the entire Shinobi World and is its most resource-rich nation, bar none."
"That's right. Your Land of Fire really is uniquely blessed, with fertile soil and abundant resources. The other nations have either deserts and wastelands or rocks and hills."
After a moment's thought, Kurama affirmed Nobuhiko's words.
"But what does that have to do with me being able to fight eight at once?"
"Of course it has something to do with it, Senior Kurama. Do you know about the wars that have taken place in the Shinobi World over the years?"
"I heard about them while I was inside that old woman Mito."
You're so much older than her, yet you call her an old woman? Shameless!
Of course, Nobuhiko only dared to grumble about that inwardly, and without any malice at all.
"Then you should know that our Konoha participated in every one of those conflicts."
"The other nations have coveted our Land of Fire's territory for a long time. Whenever war breaks out, an invasion of the Land of Fire is inevitable."
"Perhaps the Land of Earth invaded last time, and the Land of Wind this time, but no one can say for certain who it'll be next time. It might be one or two nations, or three or four. One day, the entire Shinobi World might even want to carve up the juicy prize that is the Land of Fire."
"I believe the farsighted and deeply thoughtful First and Second Hokage must have considered this possibility."
Seeing Nobuhiko's admiring expression, Kurama scoffed.
Tobirama Senju might have considered it, but that bastard Hashirama Senju, that idiot, definitely wouldn't have thought of that.
"And since both former Hokage considered this, yet still chose to distribute the other eight tailed beasts among the other hidden villages, I can think of only one reason."
"Or rather, there is only one truth!"
"It's that Lord First Hokage, who personally captured all you nine tailed beasts, knew full well that you, Senior Kurama, were strong enough to easily suppress the other eight!"
Listening to Nobuhiko's categorical deduction, Kurama began to doubt himself.
Had that idiot Hashirama Senju discovered the secret that the Sage of Six Paths and I had kept hidden for over a thousand years?
"So is my theory correct, Senior Kurama?"
"You want Kushina to become a perfect jinchuriki, don't you, brat?"
Instead of answering, Kurama asked a question of his own.
*???*
Nobuhiko scratched his head. He hadn't expected the Nine-Tails to go off script.
"Ahem, Senior Kurama, you've been with Sister Kushina longer than I have. You should be able to see that she's actually a gentle, kind, independent, strong, exceptionally talented, lively, and adorable young beauty!"
"If you really do want to find a suitable jinchūriki, Senior Kurama, I don't believe there's anyone in the entire Shinobi World more suitable than Sister Kushina."
"Of course, if you don't want to find one, Sister Kushina and I will always respect your wishes."
"To tell you the truth, what Sister Kushina and I were discussing just now was how to make your life in the seal space more comfortable."
After a stretch of silence, Kurama spoke first.
"Brat, for your sake, I'm willing to give her a chance!"
*???*
Nobuhiko was rather bewildered. Even he didn't know when he had gained that much influence.
"Curious?"
Kurama asked as he looked at Nobuhiko's puzzled expression.
Nobuhiko nodded.
"I don't even know how many years I've lived in the Shinobi World, nor can I remember how many people I've met, but the feeling you give me is the most unusual of all!"
Kurama gave Nobuhiko a meaningful look as he spoke.
"You give me the feeling that you don't belong in this world. That's also why I insisted on coming out to meet you before."
Holy shit!
Nobuhiko was starting to panic. Was my biggest secret about to be exposed?
"Senior Kurama, did you figure anything out, then?"
Kurama shook his head in disappointment.
When Kurama first heard Nobuhiko take the initiative to ask after the tailed beasts, he had suspected that this brat was the person of the future the Sage of Six Paths had spoken of. But then, remembering that this brat had no connection to the tailed beasts, he had stopped considering it.
But now, it seemed that even without a connection to the tailed beasts, having a connection to a jinchūriki might also allow him to be that person of the future the Sage of Six Paths had spoken of!