"... Partner?"
Kushina repeated the word blankly, her tone full of questions. Who? The Nine-Tailed? And what was Kurama?
From Naruto's words, it sounded as if he had become friends with the Nine-Tailed Fox, who hated all humans.
But how was that possible? The Nine-Tailed had been sealed inside her for over ten years, and though they had been "living together" for a long time, their relationship was extremely hostile.
Every time they met in the Sealing Space, the Nine-Tailed would try every means to tempt her with malicious whispers, attempting to find a weakness to seize her mind and gain freedom. Kushina's response had always been simple and brutal: she would bind it tightly with Adamantine Sealing Chains and then forcibly extract its Chakra for her own use.
Friends with the Nine-Tailed? This child's ideas were too... Seeing his mother's incomprehensible expression, as if she had heard an Arabian Nights tale, Naruto felt it was understandable. He decided to explain in the most direct way.
"Just like this," he said easily, standing up, "we're partners, two in one."
As his will shifted slightly, a warm and brilliant golden Chakra instantly surged from his body, forming the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, which was as dazzling as the sun and emitted powerful yet peaceful fluctuations.
"!!!"
However, the moment she felt this Chakra fluctuation, which was completely different in color but incredibly familiar in essence, Kushina sprang up from her chair! Her face was filled with terror, and almost instinctively, she was about to activate her Chakra and summon the Adamantine Sealing Chains!
"Wait! Don't be rash!" Seeing his mother's reaction, Naruto quickly fumbled to lift his shirt before the shimmering golden chain phantoms appeared, revealing the perfectly intact Eight Trigrams Sealing Style on his abdomen.
"The Nine-Tailed isn't rampaging! The seal hasn't broken!" he explained rapidly, showing no signs of being controlled. "This is power Kurama willingly lent me! It's the result of our cooperation!"
The expected hateful roar and violent Chakra Impact from the Nine-Tailed did not appear. Kushina forcibly suppressed the urge to activate her Sealing Jutsu.
However, at Naruto's current speed, if he wished, Kushina wouldn't be able to catch him, but even the aftershock of the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode would probably require this small apartment to be instantly redecorated.
Kushina reached out with a look of doubt and touched the seal on Naruto's abdomen. The first thing she felt was the gentle yet immense Nine-Tailed Chakra.
In the past, whenever she forcibly borrowed the Nine-Tailed Chakra, it was like trying to control a raging magma. The violent will contained within would constantly erode her spirit and drain her life force. Moreover, merely touching the Tailed Beast's cloak would instantly burn or even carbonize an ordinary Ninja's hand.
However, the golden Chakra cloak on Naruto's body was completely different. Although she could clearly sense that it was the immense energy from the Nine-Tailed, there were no negative emotions of violence or hatred within it; it was as docile as a hot spring, full of vitality and vigor.
Indeed, the seal was perfectly intact, and even... had been optimized multiple times? As a Sealing Jutsu master, Kushina noticed the changes in the sealing formula. Did Naruto modify it himself?
She looked up at her son, who was enveloped in a warm golden light like a Little Sun. Minato's hope... could it really have been realized in Naruto?
Although this idea sounded impossible, the reality was vividly before her eyes. That's right, Naruto saved Konoha using this power, and even... successfully sealed her when she was being controlled.
As the initial shock and wariness gradually faded and she relaxed, Kushina's heart was filled with immense relief and pride, but a deeper sense of guilt also entwined around her.
Her child... when he was little... how lonely must he have been...? To have to... only associate and communicate with that fox filled with hatred?
Besides this heartbreaking thought of guilt, a question also surfaced: could the Nine-Tailed... that Tailed Beast that had resented humans for over a hundred years, really listen to Naruto?
According to her understanding of the Nine-Tailed, at that time, it should have been solely focused on how to manipulate the Jinchuriki and find an opportunity to seize its freedom.
------
"Ninja Academy teacher? Took good care of Naruto?"
"Yep!" Naruto nodded vigorously. "Iruka Sensei is really amazing! At school, whenever someone mocked me or spoke ill of me, he would immediately stand up and chew those guys out, believe it!"
"Then we really must thank him properly." Kushina breathed a sigh of relief, "Sure enough, I knew that even in this Village, there would definitely be people who could see Naruto's good qualities and be friendly towards him. After all, our Naruto is so lovable."
"That's a bit embarrassing to say..."
"Is it? I don't think so at all!" Kushina immediately retorted, "Little Satsuki, what do you think?"
Following that was Satsuki's unhesitating, frantic nodding.
"Haha, right!" Kushina laughed triumphantly, then looked at Naruto with a hint of apology, "However, even though your personality is more like Minato's, you inherited my somewhat strange verbal tic. I'm sorry about that."
"There's absolutely no need to apologize for that! I think it's great! And, the fact that I grew up this way, this face, is also thanks to you two."
"Yes," Kushina's gaze softly traced Naruto's outline, "it's a good thing your hair is inherited from your dad."
"Huh?" Naruto was a bit puzzled. "But I think Mom's red hair is also very beautiful."
"Mom doesn't hate her hair," Kushina explained, "it's just that if Naruto also had red hair, it might attract more unnecessary, strange looks in this Village. And... Naruto is the second man to tell me my red hair is beautiful."
"Then the first one..."
"That's right, it was your dad. That was a very, very long time ago..."
------
"Naruto's cooking looks really impressive, preparing so much. But tomorrow, let Mom prepare lunch for you! Little Satsuki will have some too! After all, that's a mother's duty."
As she spoke, bitterness welled up in her heart, wondering when the Jutsu would be dispelled. Before then, she really wanted to do more for this child.
"...Mom, are you still feeling guilty about what happened before?"
"...Uh," Kushina froze for a moment, then looked away somewhat awkwardly, "Is it that obvious?"
"Yes." Naruto nodded affirmatively.
"...Sorry, whenever I think about... the things Satsuki told me you went through when you were little, Mom's feelings just completely... can't calm down, you know..."
"Honestly, there's really no need to feel so guilty! Even though I'm a Jinchuriki, my past life was quite happy because I met many good people! Of course... now that Mom can be here, by my side, it's even better."
Naruto spoke softly, and Kushina listened quietly, her gaze involuntarily falling on Satsuki again, her eyes growing more loving and full of gratitude. "Hmm... I really must thank her properly..." she murmured softly, "Oh, and you too, Kogane, thank you very much... for always staying by Naruto's side."
Then, Kushina bent down and stroked Kogane's fluffy little head, who was quietly lying beside her. Naruto also tacitly didn't mention that this little fellow had only just hatched today.
Zacian? What a nice name. Kushina thought to herself, secretly relieved.
She had originally been a little worried that Naruto would give a pet some strange name like "Super Spiral Blue-Haired Dog Zero Type"... Thankfully, when it came to naming taste, Naruto completely failed to inherit his dad's tasteless naming talent... She looked up at the night outside the window, "It's getting very late... Naruto, Mom still has so many things to tell you... Shall we continue talking when we go to bed later? Is that okay? I'm sorry... such a simple thing as Mom sleeping beside you, I can only do it now... and this body is still cold..."
"..." Naruto fell silent, seeming both eager and a little embarrassed by the suggestion.
Meanwhile, Satsuki's eyes showed undisguised envy.
Kushina took in both their reactions. Although she confirmed that Little Satsuki had feelings of affection for Naruto... was this child's dependence on Naruto a bit... too strong?
A thought flashed through her mind, and she smiled at Satsuki, suggesting in a seemingly casual tone, "Oh, Little Satsuki, why don't you stay tonight too? I see Naruto's bed is quite big. Besides, I also have a lot of things about Naruto's childhood that I want to ask Little Satsuki."
Normally, a teenage girl hearing such a suggestion would blush and stammer out excuses to refuse.
However, Satsuki's reaction was this—
Her eyes instantly lit up, and she responded almost immediately, her tone devoid of any shyness, only full of eagerness and impatience.
"Really? Is that allowed?"
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