Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha is not motivated.

"Next up, Minato Namikaze."

Having had his fill of petting the fox terrier, Uchiha Gin leisurely emerged from the small dark room, mysteriously giving Minato, who was approaching to undergo his trial, an OK sign.
"Dog Egg, I've already smoothed things over for you, so just take it easy."

"Uh?"

Completely bewildered, Minato blinked in confusion, but with the dark gate so close, he could only suppress his doubts and resolutely step into the unknown trial.

"Dangdang!"

With the heavy slam of the door closing behind him, Minato, sensing the two terrifying pressures, felt a chill run down his spine, and his palms involuntarily broke out in a fine sweat.
He cautiously glanced around, but apart from the two nine-tailed dolls on the table inside, he didn't find any other items.

Just as he frowned, wondering where the oppressive aura was coming from, the two decorative nine-tailed dolls suddenly spoke in human language.

"Is the yellow one this little brat?"

One of the chibi-style Nine-Tails, with its darker fur, looked Minato's golden head up and down with curious eyes, then revealed a hint of satisfaction after a moment.
"It's passable."

"May I ask who you are?"

After a brief moment of surprise, Minato mustered his courage and asked, his little mind racing.
Could these two nine-tailed foxes, which look like plush toys, be the terrifying demons that Elder Danzo spoke of?
"Kid, don't pry into other people's business."

Yin Jiuwei leaped onto Minato's head, settled into a comfortable position, and instead of answering his question, asked in a condescending tone,

"Tell me your name first."

Despite being afflicted by the Nine-Tailed Fox, Minato showed no sign of panic. Through careful observation and judgment, he boldly guessed that the two doll-like foxes were very likely the source of power for Konoha's Tailed Beast Riders, the legendary Nine-Tailed Fox, a calamity that brought ruin to the country.

"My name is Minato Namikaze. Please take care of me, Kurama-senpai."

So he composed himself and began to introduce himself very politely.

"Oh, you're quite clever. Unlike that stupid, smelly raccoon, I prefer dealing with intelligent humans."

Yin Jiuwei glanced down at Minato, who was serving as its temporary doghouse, and nodded solemnly.
"What are the contents of Senior Nine-Tailed Fox's trials?"

Seeing that the Nine-Tails above him had implicitly acknowledged his identity, Minato cautiously asked,
"Relax, Minato. This trial is just a simple interview. You don't need to be too nervous."

Reaching out to stroke Minato's resilient, golden hedgehog-like fur, the Yin Nine-Tails, increasingly fond of its dazzling new home, unusually spoke to soothe the nervous human cub, then turned to the Yang Nine-Tails on the table and said...

"This one's mine, the next one is yours."

"Whatever, they're all just kids anyway."

Yang Jiuwei shook its head dismissively, little did it know that this decision would be the beginning of its nightmare.
"interview?"

Minato looked completely bewildered. Was the legendary Nine-Tailed Knight's trial really this hasty?

"That's right, the interview is over now. You can go outside and wait for our message."

Reluctantly leaping down from above Minato's head, Yin Jiuwei landed back on the table, scratching its head with its paws and pointing its tail at the tightly closed door of the room.
"Alright, thank you very much, senior."

Since they had already said that, Minato couldn't linger any longer. However, his hesitant act of turning back every three steps as he left successfully piqued the curiosity of the two Nine-Tails.
"Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

"The red-haired girl who will be coming in later is my companion. She has a bad temper. Please, seniors, take pity on her because she is young and naive."

Minato hesitated for a moment, but out of concern for Kushina, he decided to take out insurance for the impulsive girl in advance.
"Hmph! Kid, instead of wasting your time on this, you should worry about yourself and cherish your last moments of freedom!"

The two Nine-Tails pursed their lips upon hearing this, with the Shadow Nine-Tails letting out a cold snort and impatiently flicking its paws, signaling Minato to get lost.

"Thank you for your help, seniors."

Knowing that continuing to bother him would only backfire, Minato bowed respectfully to Kurama, then turned and pushed open the door to leave.

"Hey blondie, you're so fast!"

The moment Minato stepped out of the shadows, a fair, round face filled with concern appeared before him.

Are there really demons inside?

Kushina looked Minato up and down and, finding no signs of injury, breathed a sigh of relief. She then curiously inquired about the situation inside the hut.
"Uh, it's inside."

"Kushina Uzumaki, go inside as soon as possible to undergo the final trial."

But before Minato could remind them, they heard the Root members urging them on. Kushina curled her lip, her face full of displeasure, and walked past Minato.

"Just don't act impulsively."

"what?"

Just before Kushina stepped through the gate, Minato's voice behind her startled her slightly, her large, watery eyes filled with bewilderment.
Because Uchiha Gin had just said something similar to her.

Clang!

As the gate closed, a worried-looking Minato walked over to Gin Uchiha, who was yawning.
"So, they didn't give us any trouble, did they?"

"Grandpa Yin, what exactly did you say to them?"

Tilting his head to look at Uchiha Gin, whose face was full of languor, and recalling what he had overheard before entering the room, Minato, who wasn't under the pressure of the Nine-Tails, asked in confusion, "..."

"I'm old friends with them, so we caught up and I recommended two outstanding talents to them."

Uchiha Gin reached out and ruffled Minato's spiky hair, replying with a smile in his eyes.
"what?"

"boom!"

However, before Minato could press further, a strange, noisy sound suddenly emanated from inside the small black house.
Just as everyone was wondering what was going on, a golden chain suddenly pierced through the door, but quickly retracted, leaving only a fist-sized hole in the door.

"Oh no! Kushina is in danger!"

Whether others recognized him or not was unknown, but how could Minato possibly forget the Adamantine Lock that had bound him?

"and many more."

Just as he pulled out his kunai, preparing to force his way into the dark hut, Uchiha Gin grabbed his shoulder first, his expression incredibly strange.
"Grandpa Silver?"

"Don't worry, it's just normal conversation."

Uchiha Gin shook his head slightly and said something that left Minato completely baffled.

"But?"

When he was interviewed by Nine-Tailed Fox, there was no such step.
"It's not unusual to perform a little talent during an interview."

"Uh"

Unlike Uchiha Gin, Danzo and the others, upon noticing the anomaly, immediately sprang into action. Several figures hidden in the shadows emerged one after another, quickly surrounding the clattering hut.
"Prepare the sealing formation."

Danzo's gaze turned cold. He had anticipated that the Nine-Tails might go berserk, so he had prepared the materials needed for the sealing formation in advance. Although it was somewhat rushed, it was more than enough to deal with the Nine-Tails' chakra clones.

"squeak~"

Just as the sealing formation was being set up at the base, the commotion inside the black hut gradually subsided, and the door with a hole opened.

"Kushina!"

Seeing Kushina emerge from the house covered in dust and dirt, Minato rushed forward anxiously to check if the girl was injured.

"You..."

To their surprise, they discovered that the golden chain extending from the other person's lower back was quite long, the finger-thick chain jiggling, with the other end connected directly to the inside of the house.
"Pah! How dare you, a mere stinking dog, point fingers at my perfect figure! Just wait until I leash you or not!"

Kushina wiped the dust from her round face. Despite her disheveled appearance, she was actually extremely excited. Spitting on the ground behind her, she clenched her small fists and said fiercely to Minato.

No, you wouldn't...

Minato, who had been concerned about Kushina's condition, paused upon hearing this. He guessed what was tied to the other end of the chain, and a strange expression, just like Uchiha Gin's, appeared on his face.
"Kushina Uzumaki! What have you done?"

At that moment, Danzo, his face grim, strode over. His gaze swept over the golden chains behind the girl, and his eye twitched slightly.
"Your eyes should be fine, right? I'm undergoing a trial, aren't I?"

Others might fear Danzo, an elder of Konoha, but Kushina, with her formidable backing, was not intimidated. She immediately raised her small face defiantly, her gaze unyielding.
"you!"

Danzo was, after all, a man of some standing, and to be retorted to by a little girl in public was naturally quite embarrassing.
"Ok?"

Just as he was about to use his status to reprimand Kushina, this rude junior, a woman's displeased snort exploded in his ear, followed by a terrifying aura surging towards him like a tsunami.

Danzo, clearly sensing that he was being targeted, turned pale, and the words that were stuck in his throat were forcibly swallowed back down.
He glanced at the red figure in the parents' waiting area out of the corner of his eye, and could only swallow his anger, thinking to himself that he couldn't afford to mess with the iron-fisted queen. A stiff smile forced onto his sinister face.
"Are you alright? I was just concerned about your safety, after all..."

He glanced up at the dark room, his expression complex, and continued,

“Terrible demons are imprisoned inside.”

"Woof~ Mmm."

inside the hut,
The two Nine-Tails, bound by the Vajra Sealing Tortoise Shell, were filled with humiliation. They never expected that a human cub would possess a Max-level anti-Tailed Beast Noble Phantasm.
The moment the two sides met, Kurama, who had originally intended to give Kushina, the handpicked host, a hard time, was bound tightly by Kurama's Adamantine Lock before she could even say a few words.
If the original body were present, these toy-like chains wouldn't be able to get close to them at all, but unfortunately, they are currently just chakra clones, their strength less than one ten-thousandth of the original body's.

Aside from being able to intimidate people with her power, her overall combat strength is probably only about equal to Parker's. "Phew~ the blond brat was right, this redhead really does have a bad temper. Seeing her reminds me of that terrifying woman who tore us apart back then."

After struggling for a long time to no avail, Yin Jiuwei simply gave up, staring blankly at the dark ceiling. Besides regret, her heart was filled with even greater fear of Uzumaki Mito.

"Sigh, you're lucky. With a partner like this, my days are going to be tough."

Yang Jiuwei lay on the ground, utterly despondent, letting the chains binding her slowly tighten. Her remaining chakra flowed down the chains to Kushina on the other end.
"It's all because you had a loose tongue and called her 'fat girl,' otherwise we wouldn't have been caught off guard and ended up with such a bad reputation."

"Stop talking! If word gets out that we look like this, how will we ever be able to face anyone in this industry again? Let's get out of here!"

Having realized his mistake, Yang Nine-Tails shook his head at his fellow sufferers, deliberately dissipating his remaining chakra and transforming into a streak of light that shot into the sky, with Yin Nine-Tails following closely behind.
The appearance of two slightly different colored streaks of light instantly attracted the attention of everyone outside.

Seeing the intertwined streams of light rushing towards him, Danzo frowned, reached behind him, and pulled out a high-tech card case. Before the puzzled crowd could see clearly, the streams of light had already disappeared into it.
"The trial is over. The results will be announced shortly."

Looking down at the two Tailed Beast cards that were shimmering with a subtle light, Danzo, clutching the card box, said something expressionlessly and turned to leave, leaving Kushina and Minato completely bewildered.

"what?"

Sensing the sudden interruption of the continuous chakra supply to the Adamantine Seal, Kushina belatedly realized that the foul-mouthed dog tied to the other end had disappeared.
"Hurry up and wipe it off."

Minato looked at Kushina, who looked like a little kitten, with heartache, then took out his handkerchief and handed it to her.

Thanks!

Kushina accepted the handkerchief without much thought and thanked it. Only when she inadvertently caught a whiff of the faint, refreshing scent emanating from the handkerchief while wiping herself did a belated blush creep onto the girl's cheeks.

"Hey hey hey~ You two seem to get along pretty well?"

Just as Kushina, looking utterly embarrassed and unsure how to face Minato, who was staring intently at her, Shimura Kizaru strode over with an air of nonchalance, observing the two of them with great interest.

"Who's on good terms with this blond-haired kid?"

Kushina seized the opportunity to throw the dirty handkerchief back, her once-clean face now filled with an unnatural expression.
"You've angered Lord Nine-Tails, so you probably won't have a chance to become a Tailed Beast Knight~"

Eight-year-old Kizaru wasn't particularly interested in matters of the heart. He simply shrugged and shook his head at Kushina with a regretful expression.

"Lord Nine-Tailed Fox, are you saying that foul-mouthed stinky dog ​​is Nine-Tailed Fox?"

Kushina blinked upon hearing this. Still reeling from Yang Jiuwei's label of "fat girl," she vaguely recalled that the two smelly dogs she had painstakingly tied up did indeed have many tails trailing behind them.

There are two.

Hinata Kagami, who had been silent all along, had also approached at some point. Looking at Kushina's white hair, a hint of envy flickered in his eyes.

The scene of Kushina confronting Danzo had a great impact on this law-abiding scion of a noble family. He wondered when he could be as fearless of power and as full of rebellious spirit as this girl.

"Danzo, what happened?"

On the other side, watching Danzo return with the Tailed Beast Cards, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had witnessed everything, frowned with a serious expression.
"The Nine-Tails clone responsible for selecting suitable candidates was killed by Kushina Uzumaki."

In front of the people present, Danzo took out the Yin-Yang Nine-Tailed Fox Card, which was shimmering faintly, from the card box and explained with a strange expression,

"Huh? I remember Kushina Uzumaki only graduated not long ago, right?"

Koharu Utatane raised an eyebrow in surprise. She had seen the small clone of the Nine-Tails before; its aura was not weak, enough to intimidate a weak-willed Chunin. Kushina, a Genin who had just received her headband, was actually able to do this.
"That was probably the Vajra Sealing Technique, a family secret technique of the Uzumaki clan. It is said that a master of this technique can easily suppress a rampaging tailed beast."

As the person in charge of the sealing team, Mitokado Homura naturally had some knowledge in this area. He pushed up his nose and gave everyone a serious explanation.
"I see, that's an enviable ability."

Akimichi Torifu nodded with a look of sudden realization, his large eyes filled with envy. The Uzumaki clan truly lived up to its reputation as a powerful family capable of establishing its own independent nation; their foundation was indeed profound.
"This is not the time to talk about these things. What do you suggest we do next?"

Staring blankly at the Tailed Beast Card in his hand, Danzo, who had initially been full of confidence in Kizaru, felt a surge of crisis.

"It's all your own doing that's unnecessary."

Koharu glared at Danzo's gloomy face. If he hadn't insisted on testing the Uzumaki clan's ability to suppress tailed beasts, the final outcome of the trial wouldn't have become so unpredictable.
"Who would have thought they were so useless?"

"Roar!"

An exasperated Danzo couldn't help but complain about the Nine-Tails in his hand, which earned him a roar that struck straight to the soul.

"Humans, don't think that just because we're sealed inside, we can't do anything to you."

The Nine-Tailed Fox's sinister voice rang in everyone's ears, and a violent aura instantly enveloped the entire area.

If we can't handle the red-haired woman, can't we handle your big ass?

"I apologize, I misspoke. I will prepare a fine roast chicken for you both as an apology later."

Danzo's face twitched as he was precisely targeted by the tailed beast's aura. Knowing that Kurama was telling the truth, he immediately softened his stance and offered Kurama a generous gift, barely managing to quell Kurama's anger.

"Humph~"

"Which candidate do you two prefer?"

Relieved that the Nine-Tails' terrifying pressure had receded like a tide, Danzo turned to ask the crucial question.
"Hmm, these humans, apart from the curly-haired one, are all passable. If I had to choose, it would be that grumpy fat girl."

"You mean anyone except Uchiha Gin is fine?"

Just as Kurama was about to utter Kushina's name, Danzo, sensing something was wrong, immediately interrupted.

"That's one way to put it."

The Nine-Tailed Fox inside the card space paused for a moment, then nodded slightly.

To be fair, the remaining four children are all very strong physically and talented, especially Kushina, who is exceptionally gifted.

If she grows up successfully, the power she unleashes as a Knight will certainly not be weaker than Senju Hishima's. Taking her out to meet other Tailed Beast Knights in the future will also give us face.
"In that case, how about making all four children the final candidates for the suitability of the ability?"

"what?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present, including the two Nine-Tails inside the card, looked completely dumbfounded.
"Hey! You guys, four people? Do you think we're a public bus?"

Especially the Nine-Tails, after realizing what had happened, her exasperated tone was filled with shame and anger.
"No, no, no, you misunderstand. These four children are not yet adults and are still a long way from the basic age for transformation. You two can spend this time getting to know each other and make a thorough comparison to keep your true preferred partner."

Danzo said this entirely as a delaying tactic to prevent the Nine-Tails from eliminating the Shimura clan's last hope.

Don't assume Kushina is doomed just because she fought the Nine-Tails head-on. Like humans, tailed beasts admire strength. Her ability to defeat the Nine-Tails' clone alone is enough to secure her position as a tailed beast rider.
Although Danzo had two Nine-Tails cards, he didn't dare gamble on which of the remaining children the other Nine-Tails would choose.
Since that's the case, why not muddy the waters a bit and decide on four candidates first? Anyway, the Tailed Beast Rider Management Department is under his control, and as for who will ultimately be left, we'll just have to see how he handles it.

"It doesn't matter."

As if seeing through Danzo's little scheme, the two Nine-Tails inside the Tailed Beast Card exchanged a glance and both revealed human-like, wicked smiles.

"As long as the roast chicken is served properly, we have no objections."

"Enough is enough!"

Danzo was overjoyed, finally securing Kizaru's spot.

The scene changes,
As lunchtime approached, the children waiting for their results sat together, enjoying the meal provided by the organizers.
"Snoring~ Snoring~ Is the food at the Tailed Beast Rider Management Department always this lavish?"

Kushina slurped up her favorite savory ramen, her eyes fixed on the dazzling array of food before her, secretly vowing to become a successful person who could eat lunch every single day at work.

"The Tailed Beast Rider Management Department's cafeteria is famous for its abundant food, ranking second among all departments in Konoha."

Sitting cross-legged, Uchiha Gin held a handful of fragrant and delicious pastries, and with a look of pure enjoyment, revealed this little-known secret.
The Tailed Beast Rider Management Department's cafeteria is actually the Root organization's cafeteria. It's hard to say how Danzo treats outsiders, but he's incredibly good to his subordinates.

"So who's number one?"

Minato, who was about to put a piece of saury into his mouth, paused. Hyuga Kagami and Shimura Kizaru, who were standing nearby with their heads covered and flashing wildly, also curiously looked up.
If such good food only ranks second, then what kind of amazing department is first?
"Hmph~ The first one is naturally the Konoha Prison where I worked for many years!"

Feeling the gazes of those around him, Uchiha Gin smiled and swallowed the pastry in his hand in one gulp. After wiping the frosting from the corner of his mouth, he unveiled the mystery of Konoha's top-ranked cafeteria.
"what?"

The children had expected the top spot to go to an important, core department like the Anbu or the Hokage Building, but to their surprise, the unassuming Konoha Prison won the crown.

"Grandpa Yin, how high are the entry requirements for prison? Do you think I have a chance?"

"As for Shuimen, he should have no problem being a qualified prison guard."

Seeing Minato's gleaming eyes, Uchiha Gin nodded in approval.
Being a jailer requires the ability to endure loneliness. Minato stayed in the stomach of the Grim Reaper for so many years without going crazy, and he was also able to train the Nine-Tailed Fox to be so obedient. Isn't that a perfect example of an innate jailer's divine body?

"Shu~"

Just then, Danzo, who had been gone for a long time, reappeared in an instant with a group of Root henchmen. Judging from their entourage, they were about to spout nonsense again.
Looking at the leftover food on the floor, Danzo's eye twitched slightly. These children's appetites were a bit excessive; he would have to get Hiruzen to allocate more funds.
"Ahem. After the trial judges' fair advice, Shimura Kizaru, Hyuga Kagami, Namikaze Minato, and Uzumaki Kushina were finally selected as the candidates for knights."

Clearing his throat twice to draw everyone's attention away from the food, Danzo opened the documents in his hand and slowly announced,
"Huh?" *4
Uchiha Gin wasn't surprised by the result. Although he wasn't on the list, he received two billion plus a lavish working meal. Could there be a more profitable daily wage in the world?

However, before Danzo could give the group a pre-job indoctrination, the belated Uchiha Setsuna learned of the unexpected outcome, and his eyes turned red with anger.

"Protest! I, Uchiha Setsuna, hereby protest! There are cunning villains pulling strings behind the scenes in this trial!"

Uchiha Gin: (°°) (End of Chapter)