Chapter 469: Worried Naruto
"Huh? Why are these tailed beasts so small? Compared to Kurama, they're all kinda cute… even Eight Tails got small too?"
Naruto gestured at the sizes of the other tailed beasts compared to the Nine-Tails, finding it fascinating.
"It's because only a portion of us has been stuffed into your body. Our size depends on how much chakra we have. Of course, we can also get bigger, but there's no point."
Shukaku jumped out, clearly annoyed that Naruto had recognized Eight-Tails but not him, and started explaining loudly.
"Ah, right. Pervy Sage did say before that tailed beasts are chakra entities. Chakra is their body, and their body is chakra. So being sealed inside a body isn't really that strange…"
Naruto muttered to himself for a while after hearing Shukaku's explanation, then finally remembered the real matter at hand.
"Everyone! Please help me protect the ninja world! Please lend me your bodies and chakra!"
Not knowing how else to phrase it, Naruto used what he thought was the most formal request possible, saying it directly while bowing at a ninety-degree angle.
Bodies…?
That must be a slip of the tongue, right?
The tailed beasts collectively took a step back.
"Ahem… we can of course lend you our power. But Naruto, you must agree to one condition."
Seeing everyone hesitate, Shukaku realized it was his time to step up. With a forward roll, he landed in front of Naruto.
"A condition? What condition?"
"Naruto, have you ever heard the story of the Six Paths Sage's two sons?"
"Uh… I think Shiromo-nii mentioned it to Sasuke before. Something about Indra and… Asura?"
Naruto tried hard to recall.
"Yes. Indra and Asura. The two sons of the Six Paths Sage. The conflict between the Uchiha and Senju, and the chaos of the current ninja world—all of it comes from the feud between these two brothers."
"According to that old Sage, Indra became too obsessed with power and ended up neglecting emotions between people and the strength that comes from bonds…"
"I get it!"
Naruto interrupted Shukaku mid-story and thumped his chest.
"Don't worry, Shukaku! I won't forget you guys! I'll definitely get along with all the tailed beasts! We'll build good relationships together! If there's anything fun or happy in the future, I'll definitely call you all!"
Naruto's promise cut Shukaku and the others completely off guard.
Get along…?
Share good fortune…?
No way!
Under the furious stares of the other tailed beasts, Shukaku hurriedly interrupted.
"Naruto, you misunderstood! That's not what I meant!"
"Huh? I misunderstood?"
"Yes! What I mean is—we can lend you our power, but you must keep your distance from us."
"I'm worried you'll become overly obsessed with or covet our power and end up psychologically leaning toward Indra's path."
"You can stay close to Kurama. We each already have our own jinchūriki. Your relationship with us must absolutely not exceed the bond we have with our respective jinchūriki."
"If it does, it means you've started coveting the power of other tailed beasts and want to take us for yourself."
Shukaku rambled on at high speed, making a huge detour before finally twisting the explanation into something acceptable.
"I think… that kinda makes sense."
Naruto looked a little dizzy from the explanation, but after thinking about it, he realized something.
These tailed beasts were actually agreeing to lend him their power so easily. Compared to Kurama, they were much easier to talk to.
That's a good thing.
"Thanks everyone! I'll go report this to Pervy Sage first, then we'll talk more later~"
Naruto waved and was about to leave the mental space.
"Wait!"
The Eight-Tails spoke up.
"Huh? What is it, Eight Tails?"
Naruto stopped and turned back in confusion.
"You're still missing the Four-Tails and Five-Tails in your body. When you have time, remember to get those two to also 'stuff in' a portion of themselves."
Eight-Tails reminded him.
The other tailed beasts quickly agreed as well.
For them, they had already learned the prophecy and formed a cooperative plan.
As for Four-Tails and Five-Tails, since they weren't here, there was nothing they could do about it.
Whether those two could escape Naruto's grasp would depend on their own luck.
Of course, for the sake of resisting fate and prophecy, at critical moments, Four-Tails and Five-Tails could also be used as bait.
That was the real reason Eight-Tails was so eager to bring them in.
"Ah? Uh… okay…"
Naruto's expression looked a little uncomfortable, but he still agreed, then immediately vanished and left the mental space.
"What happened, Naruto? Did the tailed beasts kick you out already?"
Jiraiya asked, surprised that Naruto came out so quickly, assuming he had failed.
"Nope! They're really easy to talk to. They all agreed to lend me their power."
Naruto shook his head.
"What?"
Jiraiya felt like his ears were broken.
Tailed beasts… easy to talk to?
Could those words even go together?
Even if Naruto had gained Kurama's acknowledgement, that didn't mean the others would be the same. And it definitely didn't mean Kurama was "easy to talk to."
The same logic applied to the other tailed beasts sealed inside Naruto.
Why would they be cooperative with him? What had Naruto done to them?
Jiraiya internally assumed the worst about them.
"Pervy Sage, the tailed beasts said I'm still missing the Four-Tails and Five-Tails. They told me to find a chance to stuff them in too, so I can gather all nine tailed beast powers."
Naruto said with a troubled expression.
"Four-Tails and Five-Tails? Those are both from Iwagakure… Naruto, don't worry. I've met the Four-Tails before, and as for the Five-Tails, we can get someone to contact them."
Jiraiya patted Naruto's shoulder to reassure him.
"It's not that, Pervy Sage. I'm not worried about that. I'm thinking about how you actually 'stuff' tailed beast power inside someone."
"When I was under genjutsu, Sasuke shouldn't have been able to undo the seal on my stomach, right?"
"And even if he did, Kurama should've been able to come out. But I didn't get any help from him at all. That means that's not how the other tailed beasts were sealed in."
"And… after I woke up, some parts of my body felt sore."
Naruto's voice gradually grew quieter.
Naruto simply lacked knowledge and didn't like studying, but his intelligence wasn't an issue.
Now that he had eliminated all wrong answers, whatever remained, even if it sounded ridiculous, had to be the truth.
Naruto had seen Orochimaru's strange techniques before, things like 'snake vomiting me, I vomit sword.'
Even though Orochimaru hadn't lost his hands, that didn't stop him from using such methods.
So Naruto was now seriously suspecting that these tailed beasts were either being inserted through his mouth… or something else.
While he was under genjutsu, it could be excused.
It was like being under anesthesia.
And if he didn't see it, he wouldn't be bothered by it.
He could just pretend it never happened.
But now he wasn't under genjutsu anymore, and he still had to personally go and let Four-Tails and Five-Tails in…
(End of this chapter)