After a great deal of effort, Kushina finally climbed up to Rei Ao's side, panting.
She steadied herself carefully.
Beneath her feet was red chakra flowing like lava. Around her were howling winds and the Nine-Tails' presence—so terrifying it made her soul tremble.
When she looked down, the entire forest seemed tiny beneath the Nine-Tails' feet.
A feeling she'd never experienced before—fear mixed with a strange, dizzy excitement—hit her all at once.
"T-this… what is going on?"
Kushina's voice shook.
"The Nine-Tails… why is it here? Isn't it supposed to be sealed?"
And she herself was the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
"Do you remember? One of our trade conditions was 'the Nine-Tails,'" Rei Ao said casually, looking down at the scenery below.
"But this one has nothing to do with the one Konoha sealed away."
He patted the Nine-Tails' head beneath his feet.
The enormous demon fox let out a low rumble, then gently rubbed its massive head against his hand.
"To me, it's just a somewhat special, obedient pet."
Pet…
Kushina stared at the "pet" that could cause an earthquake just by stomping, and the corner of her mouth twitched.
Was something wrong with this guy's common sense—or rather, his understanding of power?!
But just as her emotions were surging, something sudden happened!
Maybe it was the intense stimulation from this "same kind" of chakra outside.
Or maybe the seal itself developed a crack due to the violent emotional fluctuations of a jinchūriki candidate—
A blood-red chakra suddenly burst out from Kushina's abdomen!
"Ah!"
Kushina cried out, feeling a scorching, searing pain in her lower belly!
The red chakra, like living tentacles, drilled out from beneath her skin uncontrollably, crawling and winding across the surface of her body, giving off the same violent aura—only even more chaotic and unrestrained!
The sealing formula planted in her in advance—meant for the future sealing of the Nine-Tails—had been triggered early!
"T-this… is this…"
Kushina stared at the red chakra threads coiling around her hands, terrified and stunned.
She could feel something inside her stirring, roaring, trying to break free!
"Pretty strong reaction," Rei Ao remarked, glancing at the red chakra spilling from her as if he weren't surprised at all.
"Looks like the Nine-Tails inside you sensed my Nine-Tails' chakra and started fluctuating."
He looked at Kushina's pale face as she struggled to control it—completely in vain.
"Want to control it?"
Rei Ao asked, his tone as casual as if he were asking, "Want a snack?"
"Control it? The Nine-Tails' power?"
Kushina jerked her head up. Moonlight and the Nine-Tails' glow reflected in her red eyes.
"I… I can do that?"
Grandma Mito had mentioned it vaguely before.
A truly powerful jinchūriki didn't merely seal a tailed beast—they could harness its power, coexist with it, even turn it into their own strength.
But for her, someone who had only just become a jinchūriki, that sounded like pure fantasy.
"In theory, with your Uzumaki constitution, plus the right help, achieving initial control isn't impossible," Rei Ao replied decisively.
"At the very least, making it so you can freely draw on a portion of its power—so you don't get backlash like this—would be easy."
Really… she could?
Kushina's heart pounded.
If—if she could truly control the Nine-Tails' power, even just a little…
Wouldn't that mean she could become strong? Strong enough to make the people who mocked her shut up? Strong enough to protect the people who mattered? Strong enough to be truly accepted and acknowledged by Konoha?
Once the thought took root, it spread through her like wildfire.
She didn't want to be called "Tomato" anymore.
She didn't want to be pushed aside because of her red hair and where she came from.
And she never wanted to face danger again with nothing but helpless running and begging for help!
She wanted power—
Power she could use to seize control of her own fate!
Suddenly, she remembered the chat group, and the trade from before.
The man in front of her possessed unbelievable power—he could even "own" a Nine-Tails like a pet.
If he said it was doable, then it probably really was.
And a trade was the only path she could think of right now to obtain that kind of "help."
Even though the previous trade conditions made her cheeks burn just thinking about them, still…
Kushina pressed her lips together. Her small hands clenched the hem of her clothes so tightly her nails almost dug into the fabric.
She looked up, her red eyes flickering with nervousness, determination, and a sliver of go-for-broke courage.
She closed her eyes, focused, and once again called that strange interface in her mind.
Then, toward the name that represented "Rei Ao," she sent her intent.
Kushina: "I… I want to ask you to help me control the Nine-Tails' power inside me! Is that okay?"
Almost at the same time—
[Ding! Transaction intent detected!]
[User 'Kushina' has initiated a trade request with you!]
[Trade content: Help her achieve initial control of the latent Nine-Tails chakra within her, avoid backlash, and allow limited use.]
[Ding! Please set the trade conditions.]
Rei Ao raised an eyebrow slightly.
He had indeed planned to casually help this little girl straighten out the rampaging chakra inside her.
He hadn't expected her to be this quick on the uptake, initiating a new trade on her own.
That saved him the trouble of bringing it up himself.
It also avoided the potential issue of "free help affecting the traded item's (Kushina's) mindset."
An equal exchange—nice.
Since she'd delivered herself right to his door, there was no reason to refuse.
With a slight shift of intent, he set the conditions.
[Trade conditions set:]
[Condition: Unlimited body-use rights.]
[Ding! Trade request with attached conditions has been sent to user 'Kushina'!]
[Awaiting user confirmation…]
[User has confirmed!]
[Ding! Trade established!]
[Trade target: Uzumaki Kushina]
[Trade content: Help her achieve initial control of the Nine-Tails chakra within her.]
[Trade condition: "Unlimited body-use rights"]
The detailed trade information appeared just as clearly in Kushina's awareness.
When she saw the words "Unlimited body-use rights," her face flushed bright red in an instant, like a fully ripened apple.
She lowered her head shyly, fingers unconsciously twisting the edge of her clothes, and spoke in a voice as small as a mosquito's buzz.
"S-so… can we… start now?"