The feeling of shame was fleeting, and Tsunade quickly stopped caring about it.
She had never been touched by him before, but after repeatedly experiencing the overwhelming force of his chakra, she had grown used to it. Now, rather than discomfort, it was his touch that made her feel satisfied—at peace.
Calming her restless mind, Tsunade focused on the changes in her body. She widened her eyes in shock and let out an excited gasp.
"Unbelievable! I've entered Sage Mode, and my chakra feels limitless! As for my perception... I can see you, Shin!"
Despite not being a sensory-type ninja, she could now pinpoint Uchiha Shin's exact location with ease. The realization hit her all at once.
"Wait a minute... this is—" She barely had time to voice her thoughts before her body vanished in an instant.
A split second later, she reappeared beside Shin, utterly stunned.
"Flying Thunder God!?"
Tsunade had never learned the technique, yet she had just used it instinctively. The only explanation was the power Shin had granted her. A wide grin spread across her face as the realization sank in.
"Hahaha! I can use Flying Thunder God!" she laughed gleefully, reveling in the newfound ability. Who wouldn't envy the power to teleport freely?
Shin clicked his tongue in mild annoyance. "Tch. You can even use my Flying Thunder God? I guess I do have permissions set up..."
With a thought, he severed her access. "Try it now."
Tsunade attempted to teleport again—but nothing happened. Her grin fell, replaced by sheer disbelief.
"I... I can't use it anymore?!" she muttered, her brain struggling to process what had just happened.
Watching her frustrated expression, Shin smirked, finally understanding the mechanics at play.
If he was the main system, then the Sage Seal he had placed on her was a subsystem. By fusing his chakra with the Nine-Tails', he had gained the ability to activate or deactivate these subsystems at will, allowing Tsunade and the others to temporarily borrow his power—but only on his terms.
Since this "borrowing" consumed his own energy, he had absolute control over how much they could use.
"Alright, I'm done with the experiment. Tsunade, you can go back now."
With a flick of his fingers, she vanished, reappearing near Mikoto and the others. The golden chakra coating her body was immediately withdrawn, leaving her feeling empty.
Tsunade let out a disappointed groan. "Damn it! That was amazing! Let me use it a little longer!"
The drastic drop in power left her feeling as though she had crashed from a euphoric high. That kind of gap would be unbearable for most shinobi.
"Take your time to feel it out," Shin said lazily. "Mikoto, the rest of you too—I haven't revoked your access yet."
As they processed his words, Tsunade and the others quieted down, focusing on the power lingering within them.
Meanwhile, Shin had drained the Nine-Tails dry.
The once-mighty beast lay sprawled in the crater, its massive form reduced to an emaciated husk. Its once-bright fur was dull, and its enormous eyes held only despair. It looked like a creature that had lost all will to live.
Who would understand its suffering?
It had barely tasted freedom before being slammed into submission by a fully formed Susanoo. Then, before it could even struggle, it had been shackled and drained of its chakra, leaving it hollow and weak.
"What now? Are you gonna kill me?" the fox rasped, its voice hoarse. "Then get it over with already."
Shin crouched down, a smirk playing on his lips. "Now, now. No need to be so dramatic. I'm very gentle."
The Nine-Tails flinched. Whenever a human said that, it usually meant the opposite.
Shin chuckled. "You're quite the treasure, you know? Your chakra quality is incredible. It would be a waste not to use you. No wonder Madara kept you around as his pet."
The fox growled weakly but lacked the strength to argue. It could only glare as Shin raised a hand, pressing his palm against its stomach.
The beast shuddered as an unfamiliar energy invaded its body, forming a three-tomoe pattern on its belly.
"What the hell are you doing now?!" the fox snarled, suddenly on edge.
"Relax," Shin said, withdrawing his hand. "I just gave you my Sage Seal."
He stood up, brushing off his robes. "Nine-Tails, whether you like it or not, you belong to me now."
The fox stiffened, its ears twitching at the declaration.
"I have no intention of sealing you away like Hashirama did. As the Emperor of Fire, I grant you the freedom to roam the Land of Fire—on one condition. You will not destroy its cities or harm its people. Everything else? I don't really care. Do whatever you want."
The fox blinked in shock. That was... not what it had expected.
"That's it?" it asked suspiciously. "You're just letting me go?"
Shin shrugged. "Why not? You've got the seal. If you step out of line, I'll handle it."
Without waiting for a response, he dismissed Susanoo and turned toward Konoha. There was still much to do. Uzumaki Mito's funeral needed to be dealt with, and he had other matters to attend to.
He sighed. "So much work... I need to unwind with Masako later. Should I invite Sasha to the funeral? It might be a good chance for her to meet Tsunade and the others..."
Muttering to himself, Shin disappeared into the distance, leaving the Nine-Tails behind.
For a long time, the fox just lay there, trying to process what had just happened.
"He just left? Just like that?"
It glanced down at the seal on its stomach, realizing that Shin had complete confidence in his control over it.
The breeze carried the scent of the forest, the warmth of the afternoon sun bathing the land in golden hues. The fox closed its eyes, inhaling deeply.
For the first time in centuries, it was outside a cage, unchained. It could feel the earth beneath its paws, taste the crisp air, and—
"Wait a damn second... If I'm free, why the hell am I still lying here? I should be leaving!"
The fox's eyes snapped open, its mind sharpening with new determination.
It would recover its chakra, then escape. Shin hadn't forced a summoning contract—only a verbal claim. That meant it wasn't bound to him in any real way.
A slow, wicked grin crept across its muzzle. "Hah... What an idiot."
It chuckled to itself, already plotting its grand getaway.
But back in Konoha, Shin smirked to himself.
"You really think you're getting away, huh?"
His fingers twitched, and at that moment, the Nine-Tails felt a sudden, sharp pulse from the seal on its stomach.
Its laughter died instantly.
"...Oh shit."
Shin chuckled darkly. "Surprise, surprise."
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