Chapter 96: An Unexpected Variable
Within the sealing space.
The Nine-Tails lay sprawled boredly across a soft, expansive emerald meadow. Ever since that brat Naruto had "improved" its living conditions with the Hakke Fūin, its prison had transformed from a cold, damp water dungeon into this vast grassland where it could occasionally feel gentle breezes.
Though it scoffed outwardly, deep down it had to admit that compared to its days under those two violent women Uzumaki Mito and Uzumaki Kushina, life was much more comfortable now.
At least it wasn't constantly being bound up like a dumpling by golden chains. That kid Naruto would come in every night, chattering about meaningless topics. Though the entertainment was limited to reading novels the kid wrote himself...
Compared to its long, hate-filled prisoner existence, current life could simply be described as "pleasant."
Just as it yawned, wondering when Naruto would come chat tonight—
Sudden change!
Whoooosh—!
The originally peaceful meadow space suddenly erupted in violent winds without warning! The false sky abruptly darkened, the emerald grass visibly withering to yellow as the scenery constructed by Naruto's chakra began fluctuating violently.
"Hm?!"
The Nine-Tails leaped to its feet. 'What's happening? What's wrong with this kid?!'
Its gaze shot toward the front of the space—that massive iron gate representing the seal. The gate was now shaking violently, sigils on the door flickering unstably! This level of tremor meant... the jinchūriki outside was experiencing extremely intense mental or physical shock, causing the seal to loosen!
In the past, this would have been the heaven-sent opportunity it dreamed of! It would unhesitatingly let its massive negative emotions and hate-filled chakra seep out like plague, frantically tempting, whispering, luring the jinchūriki to lose reason in pain and despair and personally tear open this damned seal!
But now... worry—a strange, agitated emotion instantly seized this strongest of tailed beasts.
'Naruto... is he in danger?! Who is it?!'
The Nine-Tails immediately extended a thread of its chakra carefully through the shaking seal gate, trying to connect with the outside world and sense Naruto's current condition and surroundings.
The next moment, an extremely cold, dark chakra fluctuation transmitted back clearly through the connection!
'That chakra...?!'
The Nine-Tails' massive form stiffened suddenly, pupils showing extreme disgust, even what could be called... bone-deep hatred!
'This feeling... I definitely won't mistake it! Uchiha! But that's not ordinary Uchiha clan chakra... this feeling is colder, more evil, more... familiar!'
'Damn it!'
The Nine-Tails' fangs scraped air, producing low growls.
'It's similar to that bastard Uchiha Madara... the nauseating aura of Mangekyō Sharingan!'
---
On the surface, Naruto endured intense pain while pressing his hand firmly against the penetrating wound continuously seeping warm liquid. He could feel Uchiha Itachi's gaze still locked on him, making him extremely uneasy.
'This bitch... hasn't she achieved her objective? Satsuki already awakened her eyes and fainted—why isn't she leaving?'
A strong impulse made him want to immediately jump up and slam a Rasenshuriken into that expressionless face.
But reason firmly suppressed this urge. To maintain stability of all Menma shadow clones, he had to allocate massive mental energy and chakra to suppress the violent fluctuations this "body" produced from severe injury.
'Damn... Crazy Diamond's ability can't work on myself. What about Gold Experience? Create something to stop bleeding or...'
Just as he endured the piercing pain while trying to mobilize that life-creating power, an extremely strange yet incredibly warm sensation suddenly surged from deep within without warning!
This feeling wasn't the gentle healing of medical ninjutsu, but more like an intensely scorching torrent carefully restrained by some powerful will, precisely and gently covering his grievous wound.
The next moment, Naruto's eyes widened in shock.
He could clearly feel the burning pain at his wound rapidly receding, replaced by indescribable tingling warmth!
'What is this...?'
Before he could understand this power's source, a low, urgent voice exploded directly in his mind.
"Naruto! Naruto!"
'This voice...!'
Naruto's heart jumped! He was all too familiar with this voice.
'Kurama?! Are you helping me?!'
"Yes, it's me!" The Nine-Tails' voice carried obvious unease and urgency, directly responding to his thoughts. "What exactly is the situation out there? How did you kid end up facing someone with those eyes?!"
Its tone was exceptionally grave as dark memories of being manipulated by Uchiha Madara's Mangekyō Sharingan, reduced to a war weapon, instantly surfaced. It absolutely refused to experience that again!
'Kurama, so you can always sense what's happening outside?'
"At a time like this you're asking such stupid questions?! Never mind that! I can sense that Uchiha brat... her chakra is wrong! She has ill intentions toward you! Very dangerous!"
Through Naruto's senses, the Nine-Tails could clearly detect the cold chakra belonging to Mangekyō Sharingan emanating from Uchiha Itachi, full of dominating intent, vaguely targeting Naruto.
This feeling of being sized up as prey made the Nine-Tails extremely displeased and wary.
"No time to hesitate! I'll lend you some chakra! Right now, quickly recover mobility and get out of here! Stay away from those eyes!"
---
Uchiha Itachi stood motionless, Sharingan reflecting that golden-haired youth collapsed on the ground, painfully covering his wound while gasping. Her heart was far from as calm as her surface, extremely complex emotions churning within.
She'd carefully orchestrated everything—betraying family, betraying blood relatives, even using genjutsu to make Satsuki personally "witness" her parents being cruelly killed... all these extremely cruel acts sufficient to drive anyone mad still couldn't completely breach her sister's inner barriers and awaken those eyes symbolizing power and curse.
Yet...
Merely this youth named Uzumaki Naruto, merely the action of "killing" him, even just creating the pretense he would be killed... had so easily made those crimson eyes suddenly bloom?
Itachi had seen clearly. At the peak of Satsuki's emotional explosion, those newly born three-tomoe Sharingan had fluctuated violently, tomoe spinning frantically, nearly breaking through some boundary to sketch the prototype of a more complex, more powerful pattern—signs of approaching Mangekyō Sharingan!
'Naruto's death... could actually become the key for Satsuki to open Mangekyō Sharingan?'
Unfortunately, at the final moment, Satsuki's still tender body and chakra couldn't bear that suddenly rampaging power. Ultimately failing at the last step, those eyes couldn't complete final metamorphosis, merely stopping at three-tomoe stage.
But... this discovery itself held extremely important significance.
Since this Nine-Tails jinchūriki's influence on Satsuki was so massive, even relating to whether she could open Mangekyō in the future... then to ensure the plan was foolproof, to prevent any uncontrollable variables in the future...
'Perhaps it's necessary to add insurance belonging to me on this crucial "key."'
A cold thought rapidly formed in Itachi's mind.