"I have seen it," Minato admitted, then added with a hint of regret, "but I promised Uchiha Yoruki that I would not disclose the tablet's contents to anyone else."
A flicker of guilt crossed his features as he looked at Kushina. According to what he had learned, the stone tablet revealed different levels of information depending on the power of the eyes used to read it—the more advanced the dōjutsu, the more comprehensive the revelation.
It had been Uchiha Yoruki, commander of Minato's ANBU forces, who had first informed him about the stone tablet's existence. What made this particularly significant was that Yoruki had shared this closely guarded Uchiha secret without the permission of Fugaku Uchiha, the clan's current head.
For the Uchiha clan, the contents of the stone tablet were considered sacred knowledge, not to be shared with outsiders under any circumstances. Yoruki had taken an enormous risk in breaching this taboo, even for the Hokage.
"It doesn't matter if you can't tell me the specifics," Kushina assured him with an understanding smile. She trusted Minato implicitly and respected the importance of keeping one's word, even when doing so meant withholding information from her.
Her mind quickly pivoted to the broader implications. "So you believe Madara's actions—and by extension, those of the masked man—are somehow connected to whatever is inscribed on that tablet?"
"It seems plausible," Minato responded, though his tone conveyed a degree of uncertainty. "But I can't be entirely certain."
Even with his access to the Mangekyō Sharingan through Yoruki's assistance, Minato had only been able to decipher a fraction of the tablet's message. One significant revelation had been the confirmation that the Mangekyō Sharingan possessed the ability to control tailed beasts—a power Madara had clearly exploited.
But the sections that followed—potentially containing the most crucial information—remained indecipherable without a more evolved form of the Sharingan. Throughout Uchiha history, only Madara Uchiha had achieved such an advanced dōjutsu: the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
This evolution couldn't be achieved through training or personal growth alone. It required specific conditions that were both rare and morally problematic. Only by understanding what Madara had seen in those deeper layers of the tablet could they truly comprehend the ultimate objectives driving both him and the masked man who had adopted his identity.
Uchiha Yoruki had once proposed a plan to Minato that might have allowed them to access this knowledge, but Minato had rejected it without hesitation. The conditions for implementing such a strategy weren't yet mature, and more importantly, the ethical costs were simply too steep to justify.
This left them at something of an impasse. Their only recourse seemed to be waiting for the masked man to reveal more of his hand through his actions, essentially forcing them into a reactive rather than proactive stance—a position Minato found deeply unsatisfying as Hokage.
Deciding to shift focus to more immediate concerns, Minato's expression became more pragmatic. "Are you able to effectively control the Nine-Tails' chakra now?" he asked, studying Kushina carefully.
"Yes," she confirmed with a nod, her focus turning inward as she connected with the power now accessible to her.
Without further prompting, brilliant golden chakra erupted from her body, enveloping her form in a radiant aura. The intensity of this energy caused her crimson hair to float upward as if suspended in water, creating an otherworldly effect around her. The chakra pulsed with tangible power, sending ripples through the air of their living room.
Even Minato, accustomed to extraordinary displays of chakra, found himself momentarily taken aback by the sheer potency of the transformation.
"Is this level of manifestation typical when a jinchūriki masters their tailed beast's chakra?" he wondered aloud.
Throughout his career, Minato had faced both the Eight-Tails jinchūriki from Kumogakure and the Four-Tails jinchūriki from Iwagakure. When those shinobi had channeled their tailed beasts' power, it had typically manifested as a bubbling chakra shroud covering their bodies—what was commonly referred to as a "cloak" form.
Kushina's manifestation appeared fundamentally different—more refined and internally integrated. After a moment's reflection, Minato speculated that this distinction might be attributable to the Nine-Tails' divided state. Since he had split the bijuu's chakra in two during that fateful night, perhaps the power couldn't manifest in its traditional form.
"Your combat effectiveness must be substantially enhanced in this state," he observed analytically. Tailed beast chakra naturally exceeded human chakra in both density and potency. When Killer B and Rōshi had utilized their tailed beast cloaks, their speed, strength, and reaction times had increased dramatically.
Though Kushina currently housed only half of the Nine-Tails, even this portion represented greater raw power than the Four-Tails or Eight-Tails could provide at full capacity. In this transformed state, her capabilities should theoretically surpass those of either jinchūriki Minato had previously encountered.
"Yes!" Kushina responded enthusiastically, undisguised joy lighting her features.
Minato understood the deeper significance of this moment for her. Throughout their marriage, Kushina had often been positioned as someone needing protection—partly due to her status as the village's jinchūriki and partly because Minato's natural instinct was to shield those he loved from harm. As a woman who had always possessed tremendous strength and a warrior's spirit, this enforced passivity had sometimes chafed against her independent nature.
Now, even if she couldn't achieve perfect harmony with the Nine-Tails as Killer B had with the Eight-Tails, she had definitively transcended the need for protection. She had become a formidable power in her own right once more.
Minato recognized the thoughts behind her expression. While he had always acknowledged Kushina's considerable abilities, his desire to keep her from experiencing the dangers of combat had sometimes overshadowed his respect for her capabilities as a kunoichi. Yet the threats they would face in the coming days might eclipse any previous challenge. If circumstances arose where he couldn't be present to protect her, this newfound mastery would ensure Kushina could defend herself effectively.
Still, caution remained an essential component of his approach to any new technique or power. "Are you certain this power comes without risks?" he inquired, seeking confirmation of his intuition.
Sudden access to overwhelming power invariably carried potential dangers, particularly when that power originated from a being as complex and potentially adversarial as the Nine-Tails.
"Hmm?" Kushina tilted her head, momentarily puzzled by the question. From both her perception and Minato's observations, the chakra seemed remarkably stable, exhibiting none of the volatile characteristics that had made the Nine-Tails' power so dangerous in the past.
Nevertheless, taking his concern seriously, she conducted a more thorough internal assessment, extending her awareness throughout her chakra network to detect any anomalies.
"Hmph! Do you truly believe you can manipulate my power so carelessly without consequence?"
The Nine-Tails' cold, contemptuous voice suddenly resonated within her mindscape, causing Kushina to flinch slightly in surprise.
In that moment of connection, she became aware of something she had previously overlooked—a subtle current flowing in reverse through the seal. While she was drawing upon the Nine-Tails' chakra, the bijuu was simultaneously extracting a small but steady stream of her own energy.
"I've noticed something," she said, her eyes lifting to meet Minato's concerned gaze. "When I access the Nine-Tails' chakra, it can simultaneously draw upon my own chakra through the seal."
"I see..." Minato's expression darkened as he processed this information.
The principle of a perfect jinchūriki lay in achieving complete synchronization between the host's chakra and the tailed beast's power, creating a harmonious blend that exceeded the sum of its parts. But this symbiosis inherently required a two-way connection—a bridge between energies that allowed movement in both directions.
When Kushina channeled the Nine-Tails' chakra, she established precisely such a connection. And just as she could manipulate the bijuu's power, the Nine-Tails could, in turn, access her chakra reserves.
This represented a significant risk. If Kushina came to rely too heavily on this transformation, the Nine-Tails could potentially drain her life force to a critical level. In the most extreme scenario, complete chakra depletion would result in death.
"Let's deactivate it for now," Minato suggested with measured urgency.
Kushina nodded in agreement, allowing the golden aura to recede back within her body. As the transformation dissipated, her appearance returned to normal, the ambient energy in the room settling back to its usual state.
"Nine-Tails..." she murmured softly, a small, surprising smile forming at the corners of her mouth.
"What are you smirking about, human?" the bijuu growled from within her consciousness, its deep voice resonating with suspicion.
"If you hadn't deliberately alerted me just now, I might not have noticed the chakra drain until it was too late," Kushina replied, the smile remaining on her lips. "After everything Minato and I have done to you, the fact that you warned me suggests that despite all your hatred, your true nature isn't truly evil."
"Humph," the Nine-Tails snarled back. "I was merely warning you that my power isn't to be wielded carelessly."
"I understand," Kushina responded, her smile softening. "Thank you nonetheless."
Turning back to Minato, she observed, "With what we've learned today, helping Naruto achieve similar control in the future should be considerably more straightforward."
"True," Minato agreed thoughtfully. "Though it would be prudent to discourage him from accessing this power until he's addressed the Nine-Tails' hatred. The risks would be significantly greater otherwise."
"Yes, that boy does have a tendency to rush headlong into things," Kushina nodded with maternal exasperation tinged with fondness.
Minato's expression grew contemplative, his gaze turning toward the window where the afternoon light painted the village in warm hues. "It seems that before we can guide Naruto in controlling the Nine-Tails' power, we must first teach him something equally important—maintaining clear judgment even in the heat of battle."
The implications stretched far beyond simple combat techniques. Their son would eventually face challenges that transcended ordinary shinobi conflicts, perhaps even confronting the masked man who had twice threatened their family's existence. If the prophecy was to be fulfilled, Naruto would need not just power, but wisdom.
As Minato and Kushina shared this moment of mutual understanding, both felt a renewed sense of purpose. The path ahead remained fraught with unknown dangers, from the mysterious masked man to the ancient secrets inscribed on the Uchiha stone tablet. But they had taken a significant step forward today—not just in Kushina's mastery of the Nine-Tails' power, but in their comprehension of the challenges that awaited their family and their world.
Whatever trials the future might hold, they would face them together, guided by the unwavering belief in their son's potential to transform not just the relationship between humans and tailed beasts, but perhaps the very foundation of the shinobi world itself.