Chapter 95: Deal with the Nine Tails
"You want the Nine Tails' flesh and blood?"
Mito looked at Kei, her brow furrowing slightly in confusion.
"Yes."
Kei nodded and selectively explained the experimental results he had obtained so far.
"I see. To think Hashirama's cells could do something like what the Kinkaku Brothers did, actually contain a tailed beast's chakra…"
Mito murmured, then narrowed her eyes in thought.
"Or is this also one of Wood Release's abilities?"
Although she did not know about the chakra of the Divine Tree, she immediately connected it to Wood Release's suppressive power over tailed beasts.
For a tailed beast, Wood Release was almost like a natural predator. That absolute suppression was overwhelming, even more oppressive than the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan.
With Wood Release as precedent, it no longer sounded so strange that Hashirama's cells could contain tailed beast chakra.
"I'm afraid I can't help you with that."
Mito shook her head, her tone helpless.
"Even though the Nine Tails is sealed inside me, it is not something that can be controlled so easily."
"Obtaining that beast's flesh and blood is not that simple."
Although she was the Nine Tails jinchūriki and possessed strength great enough to suppress the Nine Tails, she still could not extract its flesh and blood under these circumstances.
The Nine Tails was sealed within her. To take anything from it, the seal would have to be damaged.
And once a jinchūriki broke the seal and released a tailed beast, death was the only outcome.
"I understand."
Kei nodded slightly.
"That is why I want to meet it."
"You intend to persuade it yourself?"
Mito understood at once.
"That will not be easy."
Even though she was not optimistic, she did not refuse.
After a brief pause, she nodded and agreed.
She had Kei place a hand on her shoulder, then performed a technique.
In the next moment, guided by chakra, Kei's consciousness was pulled forward and arrived before a dark cage.
A violent, terrifying chakra filled the space, pressing down like a storm that never ended.
Kei lifted his gaze.
A cage formed from sealing techniques stood before him, and inside it, a tailed beast massive enough to feel like a natural disaster lay imprisoned.
"So this is the Nine Tails…"
Kei looked up, a trace of surprise flashing across his face.
For him, this was the first time he had ever seen a tailed beast in person.
And the Nine Tails before him was far more imposing than he had imagined.
Its body was enormous. Even lying still, it resembled a small mountain, radiating a frightening sense of pressure.
Behind it, nine tails spread out quietly, stirring an indescribable dread.
"An unfamiliar presence…"
Inside the cage, sensing Kei's arrival, the Nine Tails slowly opened its eyes.
"Another one coveting this old man's power…"
Its gaze swept over him, then paused.
"It seems… you're just a brat."
"My name is Minamikawa Yuu."
Kei stood firm beneath that gaze and spoke evenly.
"Of course, you can also call me by my other name."
"Uchiha Kei."
"Uchiha Kei?"
The Nine Tails' eyes froze for a moment.
It studied Kei's face carefully, as if confirming something.
"An Uchiha…"
After a pause, it continued, voice lower, more suspicious.
"Yet you seem different from the usual Uchiha."
It looked Kei over again, uncertainty in its tone.
As a tailed beast that had existed for countless years, it had encountered many Uchiha and was very familiar with their nature.
There was indeed the aura of the Sharingan on Kei.
Yet it could not sense that cold, ominous chakra signature typical of the Uchiha Clan, that demonic edge that always clung to them.
Kei's presence was calm and warm instead, peaceful in a way that felt almost out of place.
If Kei had not introduced himself and revealed his identity, it might have mistaken him for someone from the Senju.
"The Uchiha are a broad clan. All kinds of people exist within it."
Kei answered softly.
"It's not strange for a few different ones to appear."
He did not waste time.
"Nine Tails, let's make a deal."
"I want a piece of your pure flesh and blood."
"You want my flesh and blood?"
The Nine Tails laughed coldly.
"On what grounds?"
"You people have trapped me here. I haven't even settled that score, and now you want something from me?"
It sneered.
"If you're willing to undo the seal and let me out, then maybe I'll consider it."
"Undoing the seal is impossible."
Kei's expression did not change.
"But if it's only about letting you out, that can be arranged."
"What?"
The Nine Tails' eyes widened slightly.
Without breaking the seal, how could it be released?
"A method similar to a shadow clone."
Kei spoke plainly.
"I can use your flesh and blood as a sample to create a new body for you, a flesh-and-blood clone."
"After that, you can project your consciousness into it."
"You would be able to leave the seal and appear in the outside world."
"This is a compromise."
"I wonder if you can accept it."
"A flesh-and-blood clone…"
The Nine Tails sounded doubtful.
"Such a thing exists?"
"Call it a new technique."
Kei's tone remained calm.
"As long as you agree, you can leave this cage."
"After that, as long as you remain within my sight, you can do whatever you want."
"Is that so…"
The Nine Tails fell silent.
For a long moment, it considered the offer, and the temptation in its eyes grew.
To be honest, being locked inside a cage was not a pleasant experience.
Losing freedom was one thing.
But the worst part was the emptiness. There was nothing here.
Even if it wanted to pass time in some way, it could do nothing.
A tailed beast was still a sentient being with awareness and the ability to feel boredom.
If it could leave this cage, even under someone's watch, that was still far better than being imprisoned forever.
"Fine."
After thinking for a while, it finally nodded.
With that agreement, a piece of flesh and blood separated and flew out, landing directly in Kei's hand.
"Thank you."
Kei was slightly surprised by how straightforward it had been.
He had expected far more trouble to achieve his goal.
But regardless, finishing things cleanly was a good outcome.
He gave his thanks, then turned to leave.
After Kei's consciousness withdrew, only the Nine Tails remained in the dark cage.
"That boy has a familiar aura…"
It stared in the direction Kei had vanished, doubt slowly rising in its heart.
"That presence feels… similar to the Old Man Six Paths…"
.....
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