After Charles teased Sakura Haruno, his gaze shifted to Sasuke Uchiha lying in bed.
"Sasuke, have you found the answer in your heart?"
Hearing Charles's question, Sasuke looked at him with resolute eyes and firmly replied, "I have, Lord Charles."
Charles nodded approvingly before asking, "What are your plans once you recover?"
"To bring you more of the items you need and to restore the Uchiha Clan," Sasuke replied confidently.
Hearing Sasuke's response, Charles nodded with satisfaction. He understood Sasuke's determination to revive the Uchiha Clan by working to bring more of its members into this world.
After all, reviving the clan couldn't rely solely on its current four members.
Still, Charles felt a sense of helplessness. Without the integration of cards, it might be possible to see more Uchiha individuals, but their individual strength would be insufficient.
However, with card integration, the number of Uchiha would likely max out at five or six: Sasuke, Obito, Itachi, Shisui, Madara, and possibly Sarada.
These were the individuals Charles was confident about since their ninja cards existed before his dimensional crossing.
There was always a possibility for others, such as Fugaku, Mikoto, Izumi, or even Izuna, to appear in the future. If Charles could one day enter the ninja world, there was a real chance to bring the entire Uchiha Clan over.
Of course, achieving that would require him to reach the power level of a multiverse-tier entity.
Charles nodded and said, "Rest well. I'll count on you once you've recovered."
He then turned to Kakashi and added, "The same goes for you. Take this time to rest and heal."
"Yes, Lord Charles," Kakashi replied.
With a satisfied nod, Charles left the medical room. Just as he stepped out, he saw Obito Uchiha and Shisui Uchiha rushing toward the room, having heard about the situation.
…
Elsewhere-
Natasha Romanoff, after briefing Nick Fury, received the director's approval to accept the Mist Village's terms.
Returning to the meeting room, Natasha addressed Mei Terumi, "Lady Mei, S.H.I.E.L.D. has agreed to your terms. Ao's instructor contract will be extended to an annual agreement, renewed yearly."
"As for the compensation, we will arrange for it to be delivered shortly."
Hearing that S.H.I.E.L.D. had agreed, Mei Terumi's lips curved into a smile. Gaining resources without additional effort was a deal she couldn't be happier with.
Once everything was finalized, Mei produced a mission agreement for Natasha to sign. Afterward, she began explaining the information S.H.I.E.L.D. sought.
Picking up the tablet, Mei paused the video of Naruto in his Four-Tails form, enlarging the image of his transformed state. She then said:
"Such individuals are known as Jinchūriki in the ninja world."
"A Jinchūriki is a person into whom a tailed beast has been sealed."
"Jinchūriki face the danger of losing control. When their emotions run high or their chakra is depleted, the seal weakens, causing them to enter a state of berserk transformation into their tailed beast form, potentially unleashing a powerful attack known as a Tailed Beast Bomb."
"A Jinchūriki cannot survive separation from their tailed beast. Once it's extracted, the Jinchūriki dies instantly, regardless of their vitality."
Natasha frowned and asked, "What are these tailed beasts?"
Mei, without hesitation, replied:
"In the ninja world, there are nine tailed beasts, each possessing immense vitality and an immortal body."
"They are extraordinarily powerful entities, feared and regarded as harbingers of calamity. They are named based on the number of tails they have, ranging from One-Tail to Nine-Tails."
"Their power is so overwhelming that people have long viewed them as disasters waiting to happen."
"To harness the power of the tailed beasts, humans seal their energy into people, attempting to control this immense power. These hosts of tailed beasts, treated like living sacrifices, are called Jinchūriki," Mei Terumi explained.
"A Jinchūriki who can fully control their tailed beast gains immense chakra power. However, if the tailed beast gains control, the Jinchūriki risks losing control entirely, becoming highly dangerous."
"When accessing the tailed beast's chakra, the Jinchūriki can enter a state known as Tailed Beast Transformation. Both the tailed beast and the Jinchūriki in this state can release devastating attacks called Tailed Beast Bombs."
"And Naruto Uzumaki is Konoha's Jinchūriki," she concluded.
Hearing this, Natasha Romanoff began to grasp the concept of these nine fearsome creatures within the ninja world.
"You mentioned that these tailed beasts are immortal? Do you mean they can't be killed at all?" Natasha asked.
Mei shook her head. "Tailed beasts can be killed, but even if they die, they will eventually reappear elsewhere in the ninja world, effectively resurrecting."
Natasha quickly realized that this meant there must be individuals in the ninja world capable of killing these beasts; otherwise, their ability to reappear wouldn't have been observed.
She also understood the terrifying nature of these creatures: colossal beings with nuclear-level destructive power, fast and nearly unstoppable, and capable of returning after being killed.
Still, the concept of sealing such a massive entity into a person baffled her. Even the Hulk, for example, was a mutation within Bruce Banner rather than something implanted in him.
"So, is Naruto Uzumaki the Jinchūriki of the Four-Tails?" Natasha inquired.
Mei smiled slightly before responding, "No, he is the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails."
Natasha was momentarily stunned, then asked in astonishment, "Does that mean he can transform into a beast with nine tails?"
Mei nodded, "Yes. When Naruto fully transforms into the Nine-Tails, that's when his true power is revealed."
"The four-tailed transformation you've seen doesn't even display half of his full strength," Mei remarked, fully aware that the Nine-Tails in its peak state could easily overpower multiple Jinchūriki.
The Nine-Tails was unparalleled in power within the ninja world.
"Can Jinchūriki lose control?" Natasha asked.
Mei nodded again, "The fragile human body containing such immense power naturally comes with risks. However, from the video, it seems that this Konoha ninja can maintain his sanity even in the four-tailed state."
Natasha nodded thoughtfully and continued, "Do all Five Great Ninja Villages have Jinchūriki?"
Mei nodded with pride and replied, "Yes, and the Hidden Mist Village controls two tailed beasts."
Natasha was shocked by the power held by these ninja villages. Not only were they formidable on their own, but they also possessed weapons of mass destruction akin to nuclear deterrents.
She then gestured and asked, "How do these tailed beasts differ from the giant summoned beasts I've seen?"
Mei chuckled, "Summoned beasts don't have the tailed beasts' immortality."
"And unlike tailed beasts, summoned beasts cannot be sealed into a person's body," she added.
Mei then concluded, "This is all the intelligence we have regarding Naruto Uzumaki's transformation. I trust you now see the value of this information."
Natasha wasn't just convinced of its value; she was also struck by the sheer scale of the tailed beasts' threat—a deterrent even more terrifying than nuclear weapons.
"If a Jinchūriki dies on Earth, will the tailed beast reappear here, or in the ninja world?" Natasha asked.
Mei shook her head, "I don't know."
"No Jinchūriki has ever died on Earth, so it's unclear whether the tailed beast would manifest here or back in the ninja world," she admitted.
Natasha couldn't help but admire the ninja's precision. Mei didn't speculate on things she wasn't sure about.
Standing up, Natasha thanked her, "Thank you for sharing this. This intelligence exchange is indeed as valuable as you claimed."
"As for the commission payment for this mission, we'll arrange for its delivery as soon as possible."
Mei extended her hand with a smile, "Pleasure doing business with you."
"Likewise!" Natasha replied, shaking her hand.