Kurama sighed, then suddenly reacted:
"But if it takes you decades to change this world, am I supposed to stay locked up for decades too?"
Setsuna reassured him:
"Don't worry. As long as you're willing to become a true partner with Kushina-nee, she can let you out regularly to stretch your legs."
Kushina's eyes lit up instantly. She clasped her hands and leaned close to the iron bars:
"I can even bring you Ichiraku Ramen! The special double-chashu kind!"
"Hmph, I don't care about ramen-" Kurama muttered, but the fluffy tip of his tail unconsciously swayed gently.
"And you can also study gambling techniques with Kushina-nee inside the seal space." Setsuna pointed to the poker cards on the floor. "The other Tailed Beasts must really hate that you suppress them with sheer Chakra quantity, right? Once you train your card skills to perfection in here, you can challenge them again… and beat them in a fair match."
Kurama's ears immediately perked up, and flames of fighting spirit burned in his eyes:
"You're right. That filthy tanuki actually had the nerve to mock my intelligence. I simply refused to learn those low-level Ninjutsu. Does it really think it's smarter than me?"
Then Kurama narrowed his eyes warily:
"Wait. You didn't teach this card game to that filthy tanuki too, did you?"
"Of course not." Setsuna raised his hand solemnly.
"This is a special curriculum prepared just for you."
"That's more like it." Kurama shook his tails with satisfaction and said excitedly, "Come on, let's try it right now."
Two hours later.
"Straight." Kushina slapped down eight cards with excitement, her red hair dancing cheerfully behind her.
"I fold." Setsuna shrugged and looked toward Kurama, who was as tense as facing a life-or-death battle.
"Teammate, it's all on you."
"Who needs you?" Kurama stared at his hand with full concentration and carefully pushed out four cards.
"Four Kings."
"Eh… I fold." Kushina sighed regretfully.
"Hahaha! Without the Jokers, I win!" Kurama threw down his straight and burst into wild laughter like a rabid dog.
Setsuna couldn't help but laugh. Kushina really was lucky, but Kurama's luck was truly terrible… he had taken two whole hours just to win his first round.
"Don't worry about getting bored." Setsuna produced more cards like a magician.
"There are hundreds of ways to play poker… Landlord, Golden Flower, Texas Hold'em-"
"And if that's not enough, there's Aeroplane Chess, Go, Army Chess, Mahjong-"
The more Setsuna listed, the more Kurama's eyes widened.
He suddenly realized he wasn't in such a hurry to escape anymore.
"This joy here…" Kurama muttered unconsciously.
"Hm?" Kushina didn't catch it.
"Nothing." Kurama jerked his head away, but his tail wagged furiously behind him.
"Next time… bring more ramen."
Kushina blinked and rubbed her chin thoughtfully:
'So this is the tsundere thing Setsuna mentioned?'
Setsuna cut in at the right moment:
"Kurama, we're friends now, right?"
"Hmph. Barely." Kurama nodded with exaggerated reluctance.
"In that case-" Setsuna suddenly changed the subject,
"If I ask you about your 'Baryon Mode', you won't refuse, will you?"
"How do you even know about that!?" Kurama's fur stood on end. That move was his last-resort secret technique… unknown even to the other Tailed Beasts.
Setsuna lied flawlessly:
"Oh, you muttered it in your sleep when you fainted."
"Ah, I see." Kurama accepted the explanation quickly… after all, only he knew that technique.
But he soon became wary again:
"That move is too dangerous. Using it means certain death. With your power, there's no one in the Ninja World who could force you to use it."
Setsuna spoke solemnly:
"I hope I never have to. But we must prepare for everything. There may be others like Don Slime out there in the universe… not every outsider can be persuaded."
"Aliens, huh…" Kurama remembered something, as Hagoromo once mentioned aliens.
"Fine. Since you insist-" Kurama finally relented and began explaining in detail.
As the explanation deepened, even Don Slime, who normally listened lazily, became serious.
Even from his perspective, it was an extremely powerful life-burning technique.
Aside from costing one's life, it had almost no weakness.
Setsuna nodded repeatedly, amazed inside:
Who said Kurama was dumb? This fox developed nuclear-fusion technology.
Half a day later, Setsuna and Minato appeared at Konoha's main camp in the Land of Grass.
Minato patted Setsuna's shoulder, eyes filled with gratitude:
"This time we truly owe you. I still can't believe the Nine-Tails' problem was resolved like this."
"Beating it into submission is just the first step. The rest depends on how Kushina-nee gets along with it." Setsuna smiled.
"But at least for now, it won't cause trouble again."
Rasa had not left yet, as he was eager for improvement and remained stationed at the command tent to receive Setsuna's orders at any time.
Hearing their conversation, Rasa was shaken.
'The Nine-Tails incident… was actually resolved.'
'And judging by their tone, the Nine-Tails was convinced.'
'If even the Nine-Tails joins the war, I struggle to imagine what chance the alliance of Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure would have." Rasa thought to himself when Setsuna turned to ask:
"Rasa-san, how's Onoki's side? Has Kitsuchi written a surrender letter yet?"
Rasa quickly replied:
"No messages from the prisoner camp yet… so most likely no."
"So stubborn." Setsuna shook his head.
"Let's go see him."
The three arrived at the temporary Iwagakure prisoner camp and found Kitsuchi held separately.
His hands were bound by Sealing Techniques. His wounds had been treated simply, but his eyes remained defiant.
He looked up coldly at Setsuna:
"What? Finally can't resist killing me?"
Setsuna wasn't angry… instead he smiled:
"Honestly, I'm not interested in killing prisoners."
He crouched to look directly into Kitsuchi's eyes:
"I've already treated nearly a thousand wounded Iwagakure's soldiers, including your men. Many of them wouldn't have survived… but now they can at least return home to their families."
"Do you think a war like this still needs to continue?"
Kitsuchi's fists tightened slightly, a trace of wavering appearing in his eyes.
He did not doubt Setsuna… after all, right next to his cell were the other Iwagakure's prisoner camps.
But he also knew his father would never surrender. At most, he might accept peace negotiations… but that was something Konoha would never accept.
"Your surrender would be good for everyone." Setsuna's voice remained calm.
"Iwagakure has already suffered enough. Continuing will only take more innocent lives."
After a long silence, Kitsuchi finally spoke softly:
"I need time to think."
Setsuna nodded and stood to leave.
He never expected Kitsuchi's surrender to directly sway Onoki… but it was still something.