Ichiraku Ramen.
Kushina shooed Obito away, letting Yugito take his seat. Then, Kushina started chatting with her about everything from the Big Bang onwards.
Kushina was naturally outgoing; she could strike up a conversation with anyone.
Once she started talking, there was no stopping her.
This was the first time Kushina had met someone like herself, and to her, it felt like seeing family.
Yugito hummed in agreement with Kushina's words. She was actually the cool and aloof type who didn't enjoy chatting much, but she couldn't refuse Kushina's enthusiasm.
Kushina was full of curiosity about Yugito's world: "Yugito, can you turn into a kitty?"
Yugito responded while eating her ramen, "I can. I've reached an understanding with Matatabi. I am a Perfect Jinchuriki, capable of Full Tailed Beast Transformation."
"Matatabi?!"
Kushina was puzzled.
Yugito explained, "That's the Two-Tails' name! By the way, Kushina, don't you know the Nine-Tails's name?"
Kushina was somewhat confused. "Aren't Tailed Beasts all just evil things? They have names too?"
Yugito shook her head. "No, Tailed Beasts are special; they have their own names."
Kushina was truly learning something new. "Then what is the Nine-Tails's name?"
"Sorry, Kushina, I don't know the Nine-Tails's name!"
Yugito didn't know, though the Konoha Anbu had previously heard the Seven-Tails mention the Nine-Tails's name.
However, they hadn't taken it to heart. To them, the Nine-Tails was a natural disaster, a calamity—why would it need a name?
Kushina was a bit disappointed.
But Yugito immediately added, "But I can ask Matatabi."
Yugito then communicated with the little glutton in her stomach: "Matatabi, what is the Nine-Tails's name?"
The Two-Tails said, "Kurama!"
"Kurama?!"
Kushina repeated the name, then used her chakra to tug at the seal within her body.
"Nine-Tails, is your name Kurama?!"
The slumbering Nine-Tails finally couldn't sit still, roaring fiercely at the sealing space, "Roar—Who? Who revealed my real name?!"
Kushina responded to the Nine-Tails with a smile, "Nine-Tails, so you really are called Kurama?"
The Nine-Tails roared at Kushina in anger, "Kushina, how do you know my name?"
Kushina made a face at the Nine-Tails. "Not telling you."
"Damn it—"
The Nine-Tails could only vent its rage helplessly.
Kakashi said from the side, "Kurama... that name sounds like it has Buddhist connotations!"
Kushina responded to the Nine-Tails again: "Kurama, who gave you this name? It doesn't feel like something an uneducated Tailed Beast like you would come up with on your own."
Obito touched his chin and analyzed, "It was probably given to the Nine-Tails by a high monk, hoping it could attain Buddhahood."
The Nine-Tails barked at Kushina in fury, "Kushina, who are you calling uneducated? I'm telling you, the Sage of Six Paths was the one who enlightened me, and the Sage of Six Paths gave me my name."
"Really?!"
Kushina was skeptical. "How could a sage like the Sage of Six Paths give a name to a bad fox like you? Stop flattering yourself!"
"Roar—"
The Nine-Tails let out a roar: "Kushina, you wretched human, just you wait. The first thing I'll do when I get out is bite you to death."
"Stinky fox, you can just stay locked in my stomach for the rest of your life!"
Seeing the defiant expression on Kushina's face, Yugito immediately knew that Kushina wasn't a Perfect Jinchuriki yet and hadn't reached an understanding with the Tailed Beast in her belly.
"Kushina, that won't do. The Nine-Tails is the strongest among the Nine Tailed Beasts; you must get along with it."
Kushina shook her head. "No way, the Nine-Tails doesn't pay any attention to me. Every time I enter the sealing space, it just hisses at me."
Yugito smiled. "The relationship between a Jinchuriki and a Tailed Beast is always like this at the start. Tailed Beasts are proud; it's normal for them to look down on their Jinchuriki."
"Initially, Matatabi looked down on me too, but I didn't give up. Every day after my training, I would set aside time to try and communicate with her."
"If once didn't work, I'd try a hundred times. If a hundred times didn't work, a thousand! Eventually, Matatabi got so annoyed with me that she started talking to me..."
Kushina listened intently as Yugito explained her past with the Two-Tails.
It wasn't that Kushina didn't want to control the Nine-Tails's power.
In the "Tale of Minato," Kushina had to live within special barriers for long periods to keep the Nine-Tails sealed.
One must realize that the Tailed Beast inside Kushina was the complete Nine-Tails, the strongest existence among the Nine Tailed Beasts.
Just restraining the Nine-Tails's chakra to keep it from lashing out already took everything Kushina had.
Dreaming of controlling the Nine-Tails's chakra for combat was simply impossible.
Kushina had once stepped outside the barrier, causing the seal to loosen and her to undergo Tailed Beast Transformation, nearly killing Minato.
Kushina didn't dare try to control the Nine-Tails's power; being able to serve as a proper cage for the Nine-Tails and keep it quiet was already a blessing.
As Yugito was speaking, a figure carrying a speaker walked into Ichiraku Ramen, bringing their own BGM and drawing everyone's attention.
It was a foreigner with dark brown skin wearing sunglasses.
While others relied on their presence for an entrance, he brought his own sound system, which played a thumping, low-pitched melody.
It sounded like some kind of rap accompaniment.
Yugito turned to look and held her head, feeling a headache coming on. "Bee-senpai, please stop drawing so much attention!"
Killer Bee, carrying his speaker, swayed and hopped over to Yugito. Kakashi and the other two, thinking it was some kind of monster, quickly moved to protect Kushina.
Killer Bee rapped to Yugito, "Yugito this is art I finally figured out why no one appreciated my rapping before~"
"Because~ there was no beat~"
"Bakayaro~ Konoyaro~"
Kushina looked curiously at the hopping, rhyming Killer Bee. "Are you the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer Bee?"
Killer Bee turned to look at Kushina, nodded, and adjusted his speaker to a tune that screamed 'all eyes on me'.
Then he danced a few steps while introducing himself: "Yo~ listen up~"
"I am Kumogakure's cool and powerful Tailed Beast partner, Killer Bee~ enemies get dizzy when they see me~ Eight-Tails by my side as I roam the world the strongest Jinchuriki is me~"
"Oh yeah~"
Killer Bee expected his performance to receive cheers, but there were no cheers, only shock.
The customers in Ichiraku Ramen were all scared away by Killer Bee's abstract dance moves.
Those who hadn't run saw everyone else leaving and were smart enough to slip away without even paying their bills.
Only Kushina and the Kakashi trio remained in the ramen shop.
Teuchi held a large soup ladle while Ayame held a kitchen knife; the two of them surrounded him from the back, eyeing Killer Bee warily.
"..."
The tune from Killer Bee's speaker suddenly changed to one that said—everyone thinks I'm a failure, and unfortunately, I'm living up to it.
...
Hidden Rain Village.
Yakushi Nono was working as a waitress at Ryou's table, pouring wine for everyone. She deliberately appeared by Ryou's side.
She didn't need to do anything; just being near Ryou was enough to draw his gaze.
Ryou couldn't even eat his food anymore. How could he eat with these two distractions?
He peeked at the girl Fortune had recruited, his eyes fixed on her black-stockinged legs.
Nonō approached as if to pour wine for Ryou, and a wave of fragrance hit his nose. Then, Nonō bent her waist very low.
Ryou could see the fair skin of her chest.
How could he endure this? He couldn't!
He had to make a move.