Kushina had no idea about the conversation between Uchiha Mirai and the Nine-Tails. Confused, she asked, "What do you mean?"
Mirai summoned a miniature version of the Three-Tails and explained, "I've reached an agreement with the Nine-Tails. As long as you're willing to let it manifest in this form whenever it wants, it won't cause you any trouble anymore."
Both Kushina and Minato were left stunned, their jaws practically hitting the floor.
"What?!"
The Nine-Tails—a creature of pure malice—was capable of negotiation?
"Don't give me that shocked look," Mirai said with a chuckle. "The Nine-Tails is just a bit of a tsundere. Honestly, it's not much different from a cat that likes to act spoiled."
His words left the two speechless. A spoiled cat? Was the Nine-Tails Mirai described even the same beast they knew?
"But… if we let the Nine-Tails roam freely, it might terrify the villagers," Minato said hesitantly. "And if anyone tries to exploit its power, that could spell trouble."
Mirai shook his head. "After what happened with the Three-Tails, Kurama isn't going to act recklessly within the village."
Seeing their puzzled expressions, he added, "Kurama—that's the Nine-Tails' name."
At that moment, the smell of something burning wafted from the kitchen.
Minato's face changed. "Oh no! I forgot I left the stove on!"
He rushed into the kitchen, leaving Mirai alone with Kushina. Turning to her, Mirai asked softly,
"Kushina, are you alright?"
She shook her head, a bit embarrassed. "I lost my composure earlier, Mirai. I'm sorry."
Mirai waved it off casually. "Don't worry about it. Anyway, from now on, there won't be any ANBU or Root ninjas monitoring you."
"Kushina, you're free now."
The words struck her like a thunderbolt, leaving her momentarily dazed. Under Hiruzen's rule, she'd never even dreamed of such a possibility.
She'd resigned herself to a lifetime of constant surveillance, yet here she was, hearing those words.
"Thank you, Mirai," Kushina said earnestly.
She knew that aside from Mirai, no other leader in Konoha would have had the courage to make such a promise. Being friends with him was undoubtedly the luckiest thing to have happened to her.
Mirai shrugged. "It's no big deal. To me, this was just a minor effort."
He shifted the topic seamlessly. "You should visit Mikoto sometime. She's always nagging me, and my ears are about to fall off."
Kushina blinked, suddenly reminded of something. This little brat had somehow won over her best friend.
She sighed and muttered, "I never thought Mikoto would end up with you. Life really is unpredictable."
Mirai smirked inwardly. Unpredictable?
Wait until I win over Tsunade. Kushina's reaction will be priceless.
The mere thought of Tsunade's fiery personality and stunning figure sent his thoughts wandering. Once the situation with Hiruzen and the others was settled, he'd have to find a way to connect with her. Leaving such a remarkable woman alone for too long felt like a crime.
"Hey, are you scheming something indecent?" Kushina asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
Mirai coughed, changing the subject. "Focus on releasing the Nine-Tails. Try loosening the seal a bit."
Kushina's expression grew serious. With Mirai's encouraging gaze, she pressed her hand to her stomach and began to relax the seal.
The Nine-Tails' chakra slowly seeped out, but unlike before, it didn't rage wildly or overflow uncontrollably. Kushina allowed herself a small sigh of relief.
Before long, a miniature version of Kurama appeared before her.
Kushina's eyes lit up. Gone was the ferocious beast she remembered. The tiny Nine-Tails was surprisingly… cute.
"Kawaii!" she exclaimed, unable to hold back her admiration.
Kurama bristled, ready to retort, but stopped when it met Mirai's calm yet firm gaze. With a huff, it turned its head away.
"I want to go sunbathe," it muttered.
Before Mirai could respond, Kushina scooped Kurama into her arms.
"I'll take you outside!" she declared, rushing to the door. "Mirai, let Minato know I'm off to see Mikoto!"
With a loud slam, the door shut behind her.
Mirai chuckled, understanding her excitement.
For Kushina, this was the start of a new chapter. No more worrying about a rampaging tailed beast. No more living under constant surveillance. No more restrictions on her life.
"Hey, the chicken soup's ready!" Minato called, carrying a steaming pot into the room. Noticing Kushina's absence, he asked, "Where's Kushina?"
"She went out. Looks like it's just the two of us for lunch," Mirai replied.
Minato sighed, shaking his head with a fond smile.
"She's about to become a mom, and she's still so carefree."
He clapped his hands. "Alright, Mirai, let's eat!"
As they sat down to eat, Minato glanced at Mirai thoughtfully.
"Mirai, I really appreciate what you've done for Kushina, but are you sure letting her roam freely with the Nine-Tails won't cause any issues?"
Mirai waved his concern away. "Relax. With me around, nothing will happen."
His thoughts turned inward. Uchiha Obito hadn't returned to the village yet, meaning he had likely followed the original timeline and succumbed to darkness. That being the case, there was no reason to hold back.
Obito needed to be drawn out—and Mirai had his sights set on claiming the Mangekyo Sharingan ability Kamui. Kushina was the perfect bait.
If Obito dared to make a move, it would play right into Mirai's hands.
Taking a sip of chicken soup, Mirai's lips curled into a faint smile.
Kamui, his favorite Mangekyo Sharingan ability in his past life, would soon be his. Obito had better show up at Naruto's birth with a bang—just like in the original timeline. Otherwise, finding him in the vast world of shinobi would be no small task.
For now, though, all he had to do was wait.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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