Returning to Konoha, the sky had already turned dark.
Rinjin carried the scroll on his back, his face stiff as he stepped into his home.
The house was immaculately clean.
Looking at the spotless interior, Rinjin's gloomy mood improved slightly. He wandered leisurely into the backyard.
In the backyard, Yaeko and the others were finishing up the last bits of cleaning.
Rii, with a disgruntled expression, was holding a broom, poking aimlessly here and there. Meanwhile, her dozen or so shadow clones had gathered in a corner, their heads huddled together, seemingly discussing something in secret.
"What's wrong? Who upset my dear Rii?" Rinjin walked over to her, curiosity evident on his face.
Hearing Rinjin's voice, Rii immediately turned her head, pouting, her eyes brimming with tears.
"What happened?" Rinjin asked again.
At his question, Rii suddenly lunged at him, crying loudly, "Big brother! Your shadow clones hit me! And they said I have to finish an entire set of Olympic math textbooks!"
Hearing this, Rinjin was left speechless.
He knew his clones all too well—they were practically carbon copies of himself.
For them to stop working and gang up on Rii, there was no doubt that she must have done something mischievous!
Time passed, and soon, it was the next morning.
Rinjin woke up early and bought some beautifully packaged tea leaves as a gift from a shop on Meicha Street.
He then returned home, picked up the still-sleeping Rii, and set off for the Senju Residence.
Before long, under the guidance of a servant, Rinjin and Rii found themselves in the tea room, face-to-face with Mito Uzumaki.
Four years had passed in the blink of an eye, and Mito Uzumaki had visibly aged. Wrinkles had started to form at the corners of her eyes, and her once-vivid red hair had dulled.
Looking at the now even more gentle and kind Mito, Rinjin politely placed the gift to the side and expressed his gratitude for her care of Rii over the past four years.
Rii also bowed obediently, her usual mischievousness completely subdued.
Mito smiled warmly and nodded, graciously accepting Rinjin's thanks, though a trace of reluctance flickered in her eyes as she looked at Rii.
This girl, despite being petty, sly, overly fond of acting cute, vengeful, and obsessed with gathering underlings, had one undeniable quality—she was adorable!
Mito firmly believed in the power of good looks. She silently hoped that the newborn Nawaki would grow up to be just as charming.
As the three of them chatted, the Nine-Tails, sealed within Mito, suddenly opened its eyes. Its slit-like pupils dilated slightly.
"Hey, little Uzumaki girl," the Nine-Tails said, its voice echoing in her mind. "That guy sitting across from you—he's just like you. He's also a jinchūriki now!"
Mito froze for a moment before asking internally, "Which Tailed Beast?"
"The Two-Tails, Matatabi—that pesky little fire cat. I'm certain. The heat radiating from him is unmistakable!" The Nine-Tails, lounging lazily behind its cage, spoke with absolute confidence.
Hearing this, Mito's gaze shifted to Rinjin, a mix of surprise and concern in her expression.
Having been the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails for most of her life, Mito deeply understood the hardships of such a role. Constantly suppressing the Tailed Beast's chakra, enduring its ceaseless roars in her mind, and never daring to sleep too deeply at night.
Of course, if the seal was strong enough, those issues became trivial.
With that thought, Mito couldn't help but ask, "Rinjin-kun, are you the jinchūriki of the Two-Tails?"
Hearing her question, Rinjin smiled faintly and nodded. There was no need to hide such a thing from Mito.
Seeing his response, Mito let out a soft sigh and gently asked, "May I take a look at your seal? You should know that the Uzumaki clan is quite skilled in sealing techniques."
Humble words, indeed!
Without hesitation, Rinjin lifted his black short-sleeve shirt, revealing a well-toned abdomen with eight-pack abs.
At a glance, Mito's pupils contracted sharply. She exclaimed in disbelief, "The Five Elements Seal?! How is this possible?"
"Yes," Rinjin replied matter-of-factly. "Lady Mito, is there something wrong with it?"
At his question, Mito fell silent, her expression complex.
After a long pause, she finally spoke, her tone measured, "The Five Elements Seal is not an ideal choice for sealing a Tailed Beast.
First, this seal relies on the perpetual cycle of the five elements. While it consumes very little chakra from the jinchūriki, its sealing strength is inferior to that of the Four Symbols Seal.
Second, this technique is particularly weak when faced with a Tailed Beast's rampage.
The Four Symbols Seal, on the other hand, starts with a much higher sealing strength, which then gradually diminishes over time. However, as long as the jinchūriki has sufficient chakra, the strength of the Four Symbols Seal can become incredibly formidable."
As she spoke, Mito gracefully picked up her teacup and took a sip.
After hearing her explanation, Rinjin suddenly had a question. Without hesitation, he asked, "Lady Mito, my predecessor as the jinchūriki also used the Five Elements Seal. Why didn't they have any issues?"
Mito pondered for a moment before replying calmly, "Either they had additional seals layered on top of it, or the seal was applied for a very short period, during which the Tailed Beast was significantly weakened, making the Five Elements Seal temporarily effective."
As she spoke, Mito glanced at Rinjin, her gaze enigmatic.
"Rinjin-kun, how did you manage to seal the Two-Tails with just the Five Elements Seal?"
Rinjin scratched his head awkwardly, chuckling, "Well, the cat wasn't very happy in the Land of Lightning. The Raikage would beat her up for no reason. I felt sorry for her, so I brought her along to live with me."
In his mind, Matatabi let out a disgruntled meow, muttering, "You're the one who clung to me shamelessly!"
"She?"
"Live with you?"
Suddenly, Mito understood why the simple Five Elements Seal was enough to contain the Two-Tails.
The reason was none other than the boy standing before her.
This child likely never saw the Two-Tails as a fearsome and malevolent Tailed Beast, but rather as family—a friend.
No wonder.
A perfect jinchūriki!
Just as Mito Uzumaki was deep in thought, the mocking voice of the Nine-Tails echoed in her mind.
"Heh~ That gullible cat!
Little Uzumaki girl, you'd better add a few more layers of seals on that boy.
After all, that cat is infamous for being moody. Even if he's a perfect jinchūriki, you can't be too careful!"
The Nine-Tails wasn't wrong.
What it didn't know, however, was that Rinjin hadn't exactly "coaxed" Matatabi into submission with kindness. Instead, he had left her with a head full of lumps after a thorough beating.
Whether Matatabi wanted to run or not didn't even matter—she wouldn't have been able to escape anyway. Most likely, she would have been beaten up again and stuffed back into her seal.
But, of course, the Nine-Tails was unaware of all this.
Hearing the Nine-Tails' warning, Mito furrowed her brows but remained silent.
After a moment of contemplation, she suddenly raised her hand and looked at Rinjin. Her voice was gentle but firm.
"Rinjin-kun, forgive me for being presumptuous, but... may I see the Two-Tails?"
Rinjin froze for a moment, feeling that Mito was acting quite unusual today.
First, she wanted to examine his seal. Now, she wanted to see the Two-Tails. How exactly was he supposed to show her? Should he just unseal Matatabi and let her have a chat with Mito?
Seeing the confusion on Rinjin's face, Mito smiled and explained, "In your mental world, of course."
Hearing this, Rinjin's brows furrowed deeply.
He wasn't worried about Matatabi; he was worried about that other presence lurking in his mental world.
Rinjin was well aware of what resided there. If Mito encountered it, things might get... complicated.
If it came to that, Rinjin could probably suppress it himself. But in doing so, he wouldn't have anyone left to help him question the Nine-Tails.
As he hesitated, Matatabi's haughty voice suddenly rang out in his mind.
"Fine, seeing how troubled you are, I'll do it! Honestly, must you rely on me for everything?"
Hearing this, Rinjin's heart lit up with joy.
"Matatabi, you're truly the most adorable, invincible, beautiful, generous, sexy, and kind being in the world. I love you!"
The reserved Matatabi had never heard such shameless flattery before. Her furry face turned bright red, and her body temperature spiked.
"You... you... you... pervert!
Even if... even if you're just speaking the truth... I... I... I won't be happy about it!
Hmph~"
"Uh..." Rinjin was left speechless.
Regaining his composure, Rinjin looked at Mito and nodded quietly. "Alright, Lady Mito, I'll leave it to you."
Seeing his agreement, Mito extended her aged but steady hand and gently grasped Rinjin's.
In the next instant, the world spun.
In Rinjin's mental world, a figure wrapped in black mist stood with its back to him. The figure looked exactly like Rinjin, down to the last detail.
Suddenly, the figure's neck twisted 180 degrees, revealing empty, blood-dripping eye sockets.
Rinjin sighed, completely unfazed. He picked his nose casually and walked over to grab the figure by the collar.
"Cut it out! What's with the theatrics? Are you trying to scare me or something?"
Elsewhere in the mental world, a miniaturized, chibi version of Matatabi was gleefully darting around.
Following her instincts, she soon found herself standing before a giant cage, where Mito Uzumaki was waiting.
Matatabi paused, her small body trembling slightly as she sensed the terrifying chakra emanating from this youthful and radiant version of Mito.
Timidly, she lowered her head and greeted politely, "Hello, Lady Mito!"
Mito's gaze shifted to the adorable little cat, who was roaming freely without any restraints. Her eyelid twitched slightly.
So... Rinjin just lets the Two-Tails wander around like this?
Behind her, the Nine-Tails let out a long sigh and rolled its eyes in exasperation.
The disparity in treatment was glaringly obvious.
Seeing the Nine-Tails' frustrated expression, Matatabi's furry face lit up with a mischievous grin.
She tiptoed over to the cage, mimicking the Nine-Tails' defeated posture. Flattening her ears and drooping her whiskers, she lay down and filled her big, round eyes with fake tears.
"Oh, woe is me~ I've been locked up for so many years. Poor me, the great fox, enduring such humiliation~" she mocked in a singsong tone.
The Nine-Tails' fur bristled with rage. Steam practically shot out of its ears as it leapt to its feet, baring its fangs and growling at Matatabi.
Feigning fear, Matatabi yelped and leapt behind Mito for protection.
"Lady Mito, the big fox is being mean! Punish him!"
Both Mito and the Nine-Tails were left utterly speechless.
This... this is the Two-Tails I know? What happened to her dignity as a Tailed Beast?!
Matatabi, however, was unbothered. She thought to herself, Whenever bad guys show up, I just run home for help. Simple as that!
Seeing the Nine-Tails slump back into its cage in defeat, Matatabi grew bolder. She approached the cage again and began teasing.
"Big fox..."
Before she could finish, the Nine-Tails cut her off.
It raised its head, glaring at her with disdain.
"What's with you? You used to be so reserved and temperamental. Why are you so noisy now?"
Matatabi chuckled and leaned closer, whispering, "It's called work-life balance. Ever heard of it?"
"What?"
"I work five days and take two days off!"
"Hah! Pathetic. I don't work a single day—no, not even a single minute!" the Nine-Tails scoffed.
Matatabi shot him a disdainful look and muttered, "When I say 'time off,' I mean going out into the real world."
Hearing this, the Nine-Tails bolted upright, its slit pupils widening in shock.
"Immortal..."
The word was spoken so loudly that Mito, who had been observing them, frowned deeply.
She hadn't caught their earlier whispers, but the word "immortal" rang clear as day.
Immortal? What does that mean? How is it possible?
A flood of questions swirled in Mito's mind.
Meanwhile, the Nine-Tails' expression betrayed a rare hint of envy.
Matatabi, it seemed, had truly lucked out.
At that moment, Matatabi leaned closer to the cage and whispered again.
"Big fox, besides planting yourself in the ground, do you know anything else?"
The Nine-Tails sighed and shook its massive head.
Matatabi squinted at him suspiciously and muttered, "Tailed Beasts don't lie to each other, right?"
The Nine-Tails' fur bristled once more.
"Screw you, stupid cat! I was born alongside you—I don't know any more than you do!"
Matatabi smirked and muttered under her breath, "Who knows? That Hagoromo guy always played favorites..."
The Nine-Tails let out a long, exasperated sigh, covering its face with a paw.
It was done. Completely, utterly done.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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