While the spectacle of rage, pain, and accusations was still unfolding behind her, Artoria slowly turned toward Kurama.
The Nine-Tails watched her come closer step by step, and raw panic immediately shot through his entire body.
"But I didn't move!" he cried hastily. "Why are you coming over here now? Even my father could hardly defeat you, so just leave me alone!"
His voice trembled. Badly.
What does she want? Kurama thought, instinctively wanting to retreat even farther, though he already knew it was pointless.
Artoria stopped right in front of him.
Then she slowly raised a hand and placed a finger thoughtfully against her chin, as though she were seriously examining him.
"Do you want to be free?"
For a moment, Kurama did not understand what he had just heard.
Freedom.
The word hit him like a blow.
His eyes widened.
"Yes," he said immediately. "Yes, I want to be free again."
Artoria's gaze remained calm.
"Would you do anything for that?"
Then she put on the same innocent look she had picked up from Naruto over the past few days.
Kurama nodded so quickly that one might have thought his head would come off.
But the moment he had nodded, he suddenly went still.
His eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Wait...
I didn't really just say yes to that, did I?
Artoria's voice cut through his thoughts like a knife through silk.
"I don't find your current size particularly pleasing."
With a single small wave of her hand, his body changed.
One moment, he was still the mighty Nine-Tails.
The next, he was no bigger than a cat.
Kurama's eyes nearly bulged out of his head.
Before he could even properly grasp what had happened, Artoria effortlessly scooped him up into her arms.
"There," she said calmly. "Now you are my pet."
For a single heartbeat, silence reigned.
Then Kurama threw open his jaws.
"NOOOOOOO!"
As Artoria slowly approached the reunited family, little Kurama began writhing in her arms with all his strength.
A small, indignant voice burst out.
"You monster! Why did you give me a real female body? I'm a man!"
Artoria's expression turned cold instantly.
A killing aura rolled off her, promising only one thing:
Death.
Then she tilted her head slightly down toward him, and a sweet, almost gentle voice slipped into his ear.
"Did you truly believe I would allow a male pet beneath my blanket?"
Her lips curved almost imperceptibly.
"You really had far too much hope."
She stroked the top of his little head with one finger.
"And being a woman is a wonderful thing. In time, you'll adjust."
Kurama froze.
Then he shook himself with all his might.
"No," he squeaked indignantly. "Never!"
Minato, who was watching the Nine-Tails being used like a stuffed toy, felt just how lucky Naruto had to be to have such a protector.
"How is it possible that the Kyūbi has become so small?" Minato asked.
Artoria lifted Kurama out of her embrace and held the little cat-like figure out in front of Minato and Kushina.
"It's quite simple. I used my power to turn his chakra body into a real one. In the process, I made him smaller and adjusted him a little to suit my preferences."
Kurama, hearing that description, screamed in a female voice:
"Adjusted a little? You turned me into a female!"
Artoria only grinned and pulled Kurama back against her chest.
"And her name is Kurumi," Artoria said, gently stroking the little fox's ears.
Kurama roared:
"No! I am a mighty Nine-Tails, and my name is—"
Artoria cut him off dryly.
"Exactly. Your name is Kurumi."
She pressed him tighter against herself, and Kurama felt as though his bones were on the verge of breaking. He nodded hurriedly.
"Yes. Yes, my name is Kurumi. I am a vixen."
"Good. At least you can learn."
Kushina, who had been watching all this, could no longer hold back her laughter.
"We both want to thank you for taking our child under your protection," said Kushina, who still could not let go of Naruto.
"The only thing we can offer you is to give you our techniques so that you can teach them to Naruto later. And that is also our request: that he learn our techniques," Minato said.
Then Kushina hesitated for a moment. There was a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
"But I have one more question. Can your magic, the kind you used on the Nine-Tails, also provide us with bodies?"
Artoria looked at her in silence for a moment before answering.
"If your souls themselves were here, then it would be possible. But the two of you are only echoes of your chakra. Unfortunately, that is not enough. I'm sorry. But I am certain that I will meet your souls in the future. Then I will gladly do so."
Kushina's eyes immediately filled with tears.
"Kushina, you heard her," Minato said gently. "We still have another chance. It will just take some time."
"But I want to stay with my Naruto," she whispered. "Even if I can do nothing else… I want to see him grow up."
Artoria noticed that the bodies of the two parents had already begun to grow more transparent.
"I could anchor the rest of your chakra here securely, so Naruto can visit you whenever he wants. That is the only thing I can do for you at the moment."
She paused briefly.
"The decision is yours."
Kurama's voice rang out indignantly:
"Excuse me? Those two get to decide, and you just turn me into a vixen without even asking me once?!"
Kushina was the first to answer.
"Then please do that."
Minato nodded in agreement when he heard Kushina's decision.
Artoria raised her hand, and both of them immediately became more stable again.
"This will allow you to remain here for a few years. And you can even teach Naruto your techniques yourselves."
Naruto, still lying in Kushina's arms, began to cry softly. His voice was barely more than a whisper, and yet everyone could hear it.
"Thank you, Big Sister... Now I can always see my parents."
Artoria's gaze softened.
"Stay here a little longer. They can teach you how to return to this place again and again. I have to go back outside. Two old men simply refuse to listen."
Minato's voice turned ice-cold in an instant.
"Danzō and Hiruzen, correct?"
Artoria merely nodded.
And with that, she vanished from the seal, her new pet cradled easily in her arms.