At half past nine in the morning, Kizaru, who had just gotten up and finished washing up, walked out of his courtyard with a breakfast box prepared by his sister Yuki in hand, swaying lazily.
"Ah-choo!" Lazily sneezing, Kizaru adjusted his sunglasses and looked towards the old man standing not far ahead.
"What's up? Uncle, I'm going to be late." With his left hand in his pocket and his right hand holding the lunch box, Kizaru walked and talked.
"The working hours for the ninja academy start at eight in the morning." Looking at Kizaru, who was already over an hour late, Danzo reminded him with a cold face.
"Oh well!" Laughing, Kizaru replied, "I've changed the principal's working hours to be from ten in the morning to three in the afternoon."
From ten in the morning to three in the afternoon, minus the one-hour lunch break, his nephew's work hours were only four hours a day?
Thinking about how he was staying at the Root base from early morning to late night every day, Danzo was a bit frustrated!
"Did Hiruzen agree?" Frowning, Danzo asked displeasedly.
"Do I need to apply? What a hassle!" Stopping in front of Danzo, Kizaru complained.
"Hmph!" Snorting, Danzo didn't bother to argue about this small matter.
"The Third Elder, did he come to you yesterday?"
This question was the reason why Danzo blocked Kizaru early in the morning.
Nodding, Kizaru smiled and said, "Oh, Grandpa Third! He wants the Shimura clan to contribute more to the village."
Due to the initiation of the Pillar Cell Transplantation Technology research project, coupled with Hiruzen's plans for his disciples, there was a subtle hint in the high-level meetings.
Everyone understood the potential commercial value behind this research and the village elders and clan heads, all of whom were aware of the newly established Konoha Research Institute, were interested.
Although these high-ranking officials and clan heads dared not touch the research data and information, they were more than willing to invest and share the profits.
If this research were to succeed, the subsequent returns could be tens or even hundreds of times the investment amount!
Moreover, it would be a continuous source of income, ensuring long-term industrial inheritance.
With money and connections involved, clan heads who usually had to take care of a large family couldn't resist.
Coupled with the endorsement of the Third Hokage Hiruzen in the high-level meeting, after being fully responsible for the project by its initiator Kizaru, Kizaru had become extremely popular during this period.
In the past week, Kizaru had hardly eaten at home, and every evening after work, he would always encounter many "acquaintances."
If outsiders were so enthusiastic, not to mention the members of his own clan.
After receiving the news, Third Elder, who was responsible for the logistics and industrial management of the Shimura clan, endured for two or three days before finally couldn't help but find Kizaru.
Third Elder accompanied Kizaru for an afternoon of tea, and the meaning conveyed both explicitly and implicitly was that the clan would strongly support Kizaru's work and was willing to contribute to the village's research.
"Regarding this matter, Kizaru, is a test for you. Don't let money blind your eyes. Compared to the position of Hokage, everything else is just small gains."
Worried that Kizaru would be influenced by his clan members and show favoritism in dividing interests, Danzo specifically blocked Kizaru this morning to remind him.
"What a heartbreaker, uncle!" Smiling at Danzo, Kizaru replied from the side.
"As long as you understand!" Having been with Kizaru for so many years, Danzo naturally understood the meaning behind his words.
"If you have any questions, come find me at any time." Watching Kizaru leave, Danzo reminded him.
"Don't worry, uncle!"
Waving his hand, Kizaru gradually disappeared from Danzo's sight.
In the third-year classroom of the ninja academy, Kushina, with a pair of faint dark circles under her eyes, lay tiredly on the desk.
For some reason recently, the Nine-Tails inside her body was very restless, causing trouble with its frequent rampages.
Although she relied on her special constitution inherited from the Uzumaki clan, the innate Eight TrigramsSeal, to suppress the Nine-Tails very well, the frequent rampages of the Nine-Tails still affected Kushina's daily rest.
To maintain secrecy, only the Third Hokage and a few elders knew about Kushina's status as a Jinchuriki.
Even her housemates, Tsunade and Nawaki, who lived in the same house as Kushina, were unaware
of Kushina's status as the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails. (As stated in the anime, the Legendary Sannin are also unaware.)
Because of the confidentiality, Kushina couldn't tell her few close acquaintances about the abnormalities in her body, so she had to endure it alone.
Plus, the only classmate she got along with, Minato, had already graduated early and left the village to train under Jiraiya-senpai, so there was no one in the class who cared about Kushina's condition.
Determined that if the Nine-Tails were to rampage again in the next two days, she would report it to the old Hokage, Kushina sighed wearily and prepared to catch up on her sleep during the lunch break.
Just as she closed her eyes, sitting near the aisle, Kushina heard a noise from the window beside her.
Blue flame-shaped cat paws rested on the window seam, gently pushing the window open, and the Two-Tails again stood on the window sill.
Hearing the noise, Kushina half-raised her head and looked towards the window.
It's Kizaru's summoning beast again! Because of confidentiality and the identity of the Two-Tails, the village's high-level officials issued a confidentiality order. Except for a few informed individuals, everyone else only knew that this blue flame cat was Kizaru's summoning beast.
"Here we go again."
Since Kizaru became the headmaster of the ninja academy, this blue cat often ran to the side of Kushina, not speaking, just looking at her.
Kushina, from the initial novelty to the current adaptation, had learned to ignore the cat.
At this time, Kushina was unaware that the rampage of the Nine-Tails inside her was mostly caused by Two-Tails's presence.
"Two-Tails, what are you doing again?" The Nine-Tails, originally with closed eyes inside Kushina, sensed Two-Tails's presence.
"You're still so irritable, Nine-Tails!" Using chakra, Two-Tails entered the sealed space inside Kushina's body and appeared in front of the Nine-Tails once again.
"Tch!" Irritably and arrogantly, the Nine-Tails turned its head away, displeased. "You're even more annoying than that stinky cat now!"
"Hehehe!" Gracefully laughing, Two-Tails looked directly at the bound and sealed Nine-Tails. "Are you jealous, Nine-Tails?"
"Jealous of you? Ridiculous! I'm different from you, who willingly became a human spiritual beast for freedom! I will never submit to humans!" Hearing Two-Tails's words, the Nine-Tails became excited.
"Kizaru and I are good friends!" Two-Tails emphasized, displeased with how the Nine-Tails described their relationship.
"Friends? Hmph! That's just self-consolation!" Bearing the hatred of humans since the days of Uchiha Madara, the Nine-Tails, imprisoned and controlled by ninjas for decades, never believed that humans could be friends with Tailed Beasts.
"Don't torture this child anymore, she's innocent!" Noticing Kushina's dark circles and fatigue, Two-Tails spoke up.
"Hahaha! You're pleading with me, Two-Tails!" Hearing Two-Tails's plea, the Nine-Tails became even more arrogant.
"If you continue like this, I'll have to tell Kizaru about the situation, Nine-Tails!" Knowing that its own pursuit of freedom had triggered the Nine-Tails' agitation and excitement, Two-Tails was ready to take responsibility.
"Tch! Just a mere human, why would I fear him? How laughable!" Through Kushina's perspective, the Nine-Tails roughly understood Kizaru's situation and didn't believe it couldn't handle that human.
"Kizaru defeated Uchiha Madara!" Knowing that the Nine-Tails had once been controlled by Uchiha Madara, Two-Tails reminded it.
"Uchiha Madara!" Gnashing its teeth, the Nine-Tails became angry. "That bastard only managed to ambush me with genjutsu. In a direct fight, he's not my match!"
"Perhaps! Nine-Tails!" Knowing the Nine-Tails was boasting, Two-Tails spared its pride and didn't directly refute.
"Perhaps? Are you underestimating me, Two-Tails?" Unhappy with Two-Tails's response, the Nine-Tails angrily questioned.
"I think Kizaru will become the person mentioned by the old man." Having a pleasant time with Kizaru, Two-Tails mentioned the prophecy left by the Sage of Six Paths.
"That guy isn't blue-eyed though." The Nine-Tails retorted.
"Prophecies always have room for error!" Having formed a bond with Kizaru, Two-Tails had more faith in his human friend.
"Tch!" Disdainfully snorting, the Nine-Tails turned its head away and closed its eyes, indicating it didn't want to continue the conversation.
"Don't torment this child anymore, Nine-Tails! Otherwise, I'll tell Kizaru."
Seeing the Nine-Tails resist, Two-Tails emphasized once more.
With its eyes tightly shut, the Nine-Tails remained silent.
Seeing the Nine-Tails like this, Two-Tails could only withdraw from the sealed space inside Kushina's body.
After Two-Tails left, the Nine-Tails, still with its eyes closed, reopened them.
"The old man's prophecy won't have errors!"
Two-Tails, who had already left consciousness, didn't hear the Nine-Tails' words. It looked at Kushina, who was lying on the table, and for the first time, spoke to her face to face.
"If you're uncomfortable, you can tell Kizaru!"
Kushina, lying on the table again, heard the mature woman's voice from the window beside her and raised her head abruptly.
Apart from this cat, there were no adults around. Kushina's gaze fell on Two-Tails.
As a student of the ninja academy, Kushina naturally knew that some spiritual beasts could speak.
"Are you the one speaking?" Looking at Two-Tails, Kushina asked curiously.
Two-Tails nodded slightly and continued, "You can tell Kizaru about your condition. Isn't he your headmaster?"
Pouting, fully understanding that she couldn't reveal her identity, Kushina sighed and said, "It's not necessary."
"Kizaru can handle it." Remembering the scenes of fighting alongside Kizaru and their daily interactions, Two-Tails said confidently.
Shaking her head, Kushina refused again. "No, I..."
"That stinky fox causes trouble every day, it's also troublesome!" Understanding Kushina's thoughts, Two-Tails directly named the issue.
Eyes widened, showing a dumbfounded expression, Kushina pointed a finger at Two-Tails in surprise.
"How... how do you know?" Looking at Two-Tails, Kushina asked vigilantly and puzzled.
"Because I'm just like that stinky fox." Gracefully smiling, Two-Tails raised its head slightly.
Kizaru's spiritual beast turned out to be a Tailed Beast?
Kushina was completely shocked and speechless.