Sasuke was working hard on his Ninjutsu training, prioritizing the Lightning Release and Fire Release techniques he excelled at, followed by Water Release techniques to counter Fire Release.
Time was tight and the task was heavy. He was doubling his training efforts, even using the rewards from this mission to buy soldier pills to keep going. Kano couldn't give him any pointers on his training; after all, she didn't have those badass eyeballs, only fancy decorative contacts—she couldn't understand how ocular jutsu were activated.
So, Kano headed over to Naruto's side to see how his training was progressing.
In an empty clearing where no one else was around, Killer Bee was teaching Naruto about Tailed Beasts, occasionally mixing in some personal interests by teaching Naruto how to rap.
"Don't go teaching my Naruto bad habits! If he starts ending every sentence with a rap every day, I'll chase you all the way back to the Hidden Cloud Village to scold you!"
Kano snatched Naruto away while he was happily listening to the rap, warning him not to learn that—if he really wanted to sing, she could teach him. Hearing that Kano would teach him personally, Naruto naturally agreed with a silly grin.
"How is the training to control the Tailed Beast going?"
"Not great. The Nine-Tailed won't talk to me, and as soon as I get near the cage, it tries to bite me."
"I'd like to see what the Nine-Tailed looks like too, is that okay?"
"Of course, no problem!"
Saying this, Naruto lifted his shirt to reveal his belly, starting to wonder how to let the Nine-Tailed out or let Kano in. Naruto realized he didn't know the first thing about sealing jutsu, so he scratched his head and pointed at his navel.
"The big fox is right inside my stomach. Do you want to try crawling in?"
"I can't get in! No matter how you think about it, that's impossible!"
If Naruto knew how to let Kano in, she would have entered long ago. She decided to ask Killer Bee instead.
"Do you know how to bring an outsider into a Tailed Beast's consciousness space? I want to go inside Naruto and see the Nine-Tailed."
"That's easy, just a fist bump will do."
Kano followed his lead and extended her fist, and Naruto bumped it.
There was absolutely no reaction.
"This is useless!"
"Let me show you. Naruto, fist bump me first." The two Jinchuriki fist-bumped first. Naruto blanked out for a moment, clearly entering the consciousness space. "konoha songstress, now fist bump me."
Kano fist-bumped Killer Bee as well and was momentarily dazed. She had entered the consciousness space too.
Before her was a pitch-black space. The first thing Kano saw wasn't the Nine-Tailed, but the Eight-Tails.
"It's huge!"
This was Kano's first reaction upon seeing a Tailed Beast.
"Is this young lady the konoha songstress? I really like the songs you sing too."
The Eight-Tails greeted Kano very kindly. Seeing such a cute child, it also tried its best to put on a friendly appearance, striving not to scare her.
"Thank you for your support, Gyuki."
Kano replied to the Eight-Tails very politely; it was just large and looked a bit strange, that was all. Since it didn't release any terrifying aura or harbor any ill will, Kano naturally wasn't afraid.
"Oh, you actually know my name. Did Bee tell you?"
"I never said a word, you idiot, you jerk!"
"My intelligence network is super powerful!"
"Hahahaha, you're quite something, little girl. Go over there. That boy and the Nine-Tailed are waiting for you over there."
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