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

The seemingly fiery tailed beast cloak exuded a chilling coldness; the fear from the depths of one's heart, before it could even arise, was completely devoured by boundless brutality.

Minato's reason was burning; a vertical beastly pupil erupted from his azure eyes, turning everything in his vision a blood-red hue.

At the same time, countless pitiful screams echoed in his mind, the wails of countless lives before being devoured by the Nine-Tails. Each scream struck his tender soul with precision, as if to tear his consciousness to shreds.
"Mmm."

Under the influence of the Nine-Tails' power, Minato's chakra cloak transformed into long fox ears, and whisker-like markings began to appear on his cheeks. His once-smooth teeth and nails also grew sharper and longer under the erosion of this power, gleaming with a chilling light that was exceptionally terrifying.

A few seconds later, the gentle water gate vanished completely, replaced by a beast that could only be described as savage. It lay on all fours, head raised to the sky.
"Roar!!!"

Was the medication too strong?

Watching Minato transform into a tiny, breathing Kurama, Kurama stroked its chin thoughtfully, its gaze drifting to the side.
"Roar!"

Kizaru's condition was similar to Minato's; his fragile will was no match for the onslaught of the tailed beast's chakra, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into another miniature Nine-Tails, frantically exhaling at the air.

"Little blondie!"

Kushina, still feeling intimidated by Minato's transformation into human form, forcefully stood up upon seeing Minato in his human form, Haki-Kyu, and clapped her hands together.
"Diamond Lockdown!"

The chains behind him moved at will, sweeping towards the rampaging Minato.

"Roar!"

However, Minato, despite being controlled by the power of the Tailed Beast, still maintained his fighting skills. Facing the golden chains that were wrapping around him, he suddenly exerted force with his limbs, leaping into the air and easily dodging the attack.
"Bah!"

The attack missed, and the golden chains struck the floor with a harsh scraping sound that made one frown.

"Roar!"

Minato moved like a ghost, instantly appearing in front of Kushina. His savage, crimson eyes met the girl's innocent gaze, and without warning, his sharp claws were already raised high.
Am I going to die?

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. As the claws drew ever closer, a look of regret crossed Kushina's face.
Just before the attack was about to tear the girl's head apart, Uchiha Gin, who was slumped in the teacher's chair, vanished instantly.

The next second, Minato's gleaming claws stopped less than a centimeter from her pupils.
"Silver Master. San San?"

Kushina, having survived the ordeal, turned her head and looked at Uchiha Gin, who was standing beside Minato and holding onto his attacking arm. Her tense nerves finally relaxed.

Having successfully saved the day, Uchiha Gin glanced at Minato, who was struggling under his command, for a moment, then glared fiercely at the guilty-looking Nine-Tails.
"They are still children, don't use adult doses."

This guy went too far, sharing so much of the Tailed Beast chakra. If it weren't for Minato's exceptional talent, his body would have been completely drained by this power.
"I didn't have much experience the first time, I'll definitely be more careful next time."

Yin Jiuwei shrank its neck in fear. It hadn't expected the human cub to be so fragile, unable to withstand even one ten-thousandth of its chakra.

With a nod and a bow, it hastily withdrew the chakra it had given to Minato and Kizaru.

"Pfft!"

Without the support of the Tailed Beast Cloak, the two children, drained of all their energy, rolled their eyes and collapsed to the ground instantly.

"Little blondie!"

Kushina rushed forward to check on Minato and found that he was severely exhausted, his pale face twitching uncontrollably, and his delicate brows tightly furrowed, as if he were experiencing unprecedented pain in his sleep.
"Silver Three Three!"

Seeing this, a helpless Kushina immediately thought of Uchiha Gin standing beside her, her large eyes filled with pleading.
Uchiha Gin crouched down to examine Minato and found that his mental strength was very weak, likely due to the negative emotions mixed in with the Nine-Tails' chakra. However, it wasn't a serious problem; having nightmares would be enough.
"It's okay, you'll be fine after a good night's sleep."

With Uchiha Gin's promise, Kushina finally breathed a sigh of relief, while Hyuga Kagami, who was in the same group as her, frowned, a faint fear etched on his expressionless face.

"Won't it be our turn next?"

To be honest, after witnessing the miserable state of Minato and Kizaru, he panicked a little.
Kushina might not have been able to see it, but through the Byakugan's perspective, Hyuga Kagami witnessed firsthand the terrifying state of a person after the power of the Tailed Beasts had attached itself to them.
Not only do their bodies become deformed, but their minds are also corrupted. Even the most resolute person is destined to degenerate into a beast-like being.

"Don't worry, I'm different from it."

Upon hearing this, Yang Jiuwei gave him what she thought was a warm smile, unaware that the smile would appear incredibly chilling and terrifying to the child.
"I'll only put in a tiny bit, just a tiny bit."

Hyuga Kagami and Kushina shook their heads repeatedly, their faces pale. Having already assumed the role of a strict teacher, the Nine-Tails (Yang Nine-Tails) paid no heed to its students' feelings. With a flick of its tail, two strands of tailed beast chakra entered their bodies.

"Roar!"

"Roar!"

The next moment, two more Haki-9s, panting heavily, appeared in the classroom.
However, the Yang Nine-Tails clearly learned from the Yin Nine-Tails' failure and adjusted the amount of chakra. Kushina and Hyuga Kagami were even able to maintain some of their rationality while wrapped in the Tailed Beast Cloak.

"So strong!"

Kushina licked her lips. This was the first time she'd ever experienced such overwhelming power; she felt as if she could tear the ground apart with a single punch.

"With this power, I know I can do it."

Hyuga Kagami clenched his fist, feeling the inexhaustible power within him. For the first time, longing appeared in his white eyes; breaking free from the shackles of his clan seemed to be just a thought away.
However, just as they were becoming hopelessly addicted to the allure of power, the negative energy carried by the tailed beast chakra began to take effect, subtly influencing their will.
When desires are amplified, good intentions will inevitably be distorted.
Kushina tilted her head, her eyes filled with a sickly intensity as she looked at Minato lying on the ground, a posture of eager anticipation on her face.

"Little blondie, once I break all four of your limbs, you'll never escape my grasp again. Hahaha~"

"Glory and tradition are nothing but excuses for enslavement. Watch me smash this cage, and the caged bird will be free!"

Hyuga Mirror seemed to be trapped in a self-woven illusion, murmuring softly as his white eyes were replaced by a wild, scarlet light.

"321!"

Just as the two were about to be consumed by their inflated desires, the Nine-Tails, having timed it perfectly, began its final countdown. As time reached zero, the tailed beast chakra on Kushina and Hyuga Kagami instantly dissipated.

"Puff~"

Like Minato and the others, the two, whose physical and mental strength had been drained by the tailed beast's chakra, collapsed to the ground, their small faces filled with struggle and pain as they fell into a coma.

"How well did I control the heat?"

Like presenting a treasure, Yang Jiuwei jumped in front of Uchiha Gin, who was listening in the background, and asked while rubbing her paws.

"It's barely passable. It would be perfect if it could be toned down a little more."

Gin Uchiha nodded in approval at their control over the Nine-Tails. Their group was clearly in much better shape than Minato's group, and they remained conscious for much longer, which was very beneficial for comprehending the essence of the Tailed Beast's power.
"Hum~"

Having earned Uchiha Gin's praise, Yang Kurama smugly raised an eyebrow at Yin Kurama, making the latter's teeth itch with envy.

About an hour later, Kushina, the strongest of the four children, was the first to wake up.
"Huh? Little blondie!"

Upon waking, she frantically searched for Minato, her face filled with terror. Only after confirming that his limbs were intact did she breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thankfully, it was just a nightmare."

In Kushina's nightmare, she personally tore off Minato's limbs, turning him into a living doll that belonged only to her, monopolizing his radiant smile.

"Ugh, my head."

As he was muttering to himself, Minato also woke up. Like Kushina, the moment he opened his eyes, he looked around for something. After discovering that Kushina's head hadn't been moved, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"What a vivid nightmare."

"Was it all a dream?"

When Hyuga Kagami woke up, he looked lost and dejected, clearly having done something extraordinary in his dream.
"Oh dear, what a terrifying dream!"

Kizaru was the last to wake up. He was wiping the sweat from his brow, his eyes filled with lingering fear.

As a genius who carries the hopes of the Shimura family, he was burdened with high expectations from a young age and forced to appear mature in front of outsiders, contrary to his innocent age.

But pretense is still pretense. Under the corrosive influence of the Nine-Tails' chakra, his mature facade was torn away, revealing his tender and fragile heart.

"Clap clap~"

Just as the four were reminiscing about their incredibly realistic dream, a rhythmic round of applause pulled them back to the classroom.

"So, what are your thoughts now?"

Under the questioning gazes of the four, Uchiha Gin lowered his hand and asked with a smile,

"Tell me your understanding of what the power of the tailed beasts actually is."

"This is terrifying~ The power of the tailed beasts is like a plague. Just a little bit of it can make people lose all consciousness."

Kizaru shook his head fearfully. Despite his mature appearance, he was actually the youngest of the four.

His weak mental fortitude was his biggest weakness; when faced with the negative emotions of the Tailed Beast's chakra, he succumbed to it in less than a second.
Ugh, I really want to quit, but my uncle will be furious if he finds out.
"Go and do extra training. I'm leaving it to you."

Gin Uchiha was not satisfied with Kizaru's answer, and turned to Kurama (the Nine-Tails) to give him a word of advice.
"Leave it to me!"

"The power of the tailed beasts is an extremely powerful force, powerful enough to change one's destiny."

Hyuga Kagami pondered for a moment, then slowly shared his initial understanding of the tailed beast's power.
"Do you need to tell me how strong I am?"

Everyone loves to hear nice words, and Yang Jiuwei immediately wagged her tail proudly.

"San San, please teach me how to control this power!"

Unexpectedly, faced with Hyuga Kagami's sincere request, Uchiha Gin not only didn't nod, but instead frowned in annoyance.

"Your understanding is too superficial; you need to practice more."

The power of the Tailed Beasts is undeniable, but Gin Uchiha hopes they can uncover the deeper core hidden beneath that power.

"It's an emotion. The power of the tailed beasts is less a power and more an extreme negative emotion."

Kushina, who had been controlled by the Nine-Tails' chakra, nodded solemnly.

"Those with weak willpower simply cannot control the power of the Tailed Beasts." "Indeed, becoming a knight who can control the power of the Tailed Beasts requires a will far beyond that of ordinary people."

Uchiha Gin nodded slightly. The chakra of the nine tailed beasts originated from the Ten-Tails, which was itself a brutal biological weapon created by the Otsutsuki clan.
The negative energy they carry is enough to pollute a planet, and the chakra of the tailed beasts is more or less tainted with this characteristic.
When it was Minato's turn to answer, this usually sunny and cheerful boy now wore a sorrowful expression, and his azure eyes, looking at Kurama, held a hint of sympathy he had never shown before.

"The tailed beast's chakra is crying."

"Huh?" *2
The two Nine-Tails, who were mocking each other, were stunned by what they heard, looking at the sorrowful Minato as if he were an idiot.
"I heard you, you're crying."

Minato nodded firmly. As he was consumed by the negative emotions of the Tailed Beast's chakra, amidst the boundless wailing, he heard a barely perceptible sob. That was the Kurama's most hidden, lonely side.
"You little brat, watch out or I'll sue you for defamation!"

Sensing the strange looks from those around them, the Nine-Tails jumped up and shouted in protest.
"Ignore them, tell me why the tailed beast power is causing the small pearls to fall~"

Uchiha Gin grabbed the two Nine-Tails by the scruff of their necks, ignoring their furious expressions, and looked at Minato with great interest.

"Power is an appearance, and tyranny is merely a disguise for self-protection after countless setbacks. Deep within the tailed beast chakra lies a yearning to be understood and recognized."

"."

As Minato's childish voice rang out, the raging Nine-Tails gradually quieted down, its two beastly eyes flashing with an inexplicable light.
This little devil
"The best answer for today has been found."

Minato was right. To truly master the power of a Tailed Beast, one shouldn't be filled with fear, nor should one become obsessed with it and lose oneself in the power. Nor should one rely on one's own unwavering will to tug at the tailed beast's defenses. Instead, one should exchange sincerity for sincerity, understand and accept the tailed beast from the bottom of one's heart, and treat it as an equal.
Only by being in perfect harmony with the Tailed Beast can one unleash its full power.

"Alright, that's all for today's lesson. The four of you should go back and review the lesson carefully. Each of you should write down six thousand words of your reflections and hand them in to Nine-Tail tomorrow."

Uchiha Gin glanced at the time on the wall. He'd almost finished the 33.333 ryo of work for the day; doing any more would make him a scab.

"Huh? I can't read."

The nine-tailed beasts, who were about to return to their card space, paused upon hearing this, raising their paws to point at their bewildered beast heads.

The old man of the Six Paths didn't teach them to read either!

That's right, all nine tailed beasts are illiterate.

He glanced at the two nine-tailed beasts with a hint of disdain. How can you be a tailed beast if you don't have any culture?
"Here's what we'll do: you two start by learning numbers and characters from them. I'll be checking your academic performance randomly from time to time."

After stroking his chin thoughtfully for a moment, Uchiha Gin tossed two Tailed Beast Cards to Kushina and Minato, assigning these two students, who had performed well that day, some after-school tasks.
"You two don't have any objections, right?"

Having said that, he turned to look at Kizaru and Hyuga Kagami.

No! No!

Having suffered greatly under the tailed beast's chakra, the two dared not have any objections. It was fine to have some contact during class; what kind of kind person would invite their teacher home after school?
After the four children left the Tailed Beast Knight Management Department's base with their backpacks, Uchiha Gin, who was about to leave, was stopped by Danzo, who had been waiting outside for a long time.

How did Huang and the other kids perform on the first day?

Danzo, who had only intended to inquire about his nephew's situation, hesitated for a moment and changed his approach.
"They're all doing well, each with their own insights. I believe that soon they'll be able to communicate normally with the Nine-Tails."

Uchiha Gin wasn't trying to fool Little Tuan Tuan, his big spender. In his eyes, the four children's performance today far exceeded that of ordinary people. If an ordinary person were to be tainted by the disordered tailed beast chakra, they would be lucky to become a mentally challenged person who could only babble "Aba aba."
Of course, there was also the reason why Kurama deliberately held back, but considering their age group, it was truly remarkable.

"That's good~ That's good~ If you have any other needs, please feel free to ask, and we will definitely meet them."

Upon hearing this, Danzo's face instantly brightened, becoming as happy as a parent hearing their child praised by a teacher.
"Really? Then could you provide a dessert corner in the classroom so I can replenish my sugar levels?"

"no problem!"

"I'm back~!"

Holding the Nine-Tailed Fox Card, Kushina kicked open her uncle's front door, tossed aside her cumbersome schoolbag, and loudly announced her return.
"Didn't you go to further your studies again? Why are you leaving get out of class so early?"

Milo, sporting a messy red hairstyle, poked her head out of the room, looking at her niece who was taking off her shoes in the entryway with a puzzled expression.

Do you think Grandpa Yin is as long-winded in class as you are, Uncle?

Kushina, having changed into slippers, rolled her eyes at Milo Uzumaki, then grabbed the Nine-Tailed Card and headed for her room.

"and many more!"

Just as she and her uncle passed each other, Mi Luo sensed a vortex of violent chakra. Her expression froze, her laziness vanished, replaced by deep solemnity.

What are you hiding in your arms?

"This is the homework assignment that Grandpa Yin left for me."

Looking at her wary uncle, Kushina blinked in confusion and showed the Nine-Tailed Fox card, which was shimmering with a subtle light, to Uzumaki Miro.

"Oh, this."

Milo Uzumaki's eyes widened as she recognized the Nine-Tailed Fox card as an authentic product at a glance.

"Human, shut your disgusting senses, or I'll swallow you whole!"

Sensing the licking sensation from Miro, the Nine-Tails manifested from its card space, transforming into a chibi-style Nine-Tails doll and standing atop Kushina's round head, looking at the impolite red-haired human with displeasure.

"what!"

"Uncle, you are being very rude. This is Yang Jiu San San."

Seeing her uncle's dumbfounded expression, Kushina pouted and introduced him in a serious tone.
"Nine-Tails? Three-Three?"

After a long pause to recover from the shock, Miro Uzumaki's face was filled with a strange expression upon hearing this title.
The only person who could come up with the idea of ​​having Kurama (the Nine-Tails) as a mentor is probably Gin Uchiha.

"I'm sorry, I'm Milo, Kushina's uncle. I'll be troubling you with my Kushina from now on."

Since Uchiha Gin had acted as a go-between, Uzumaki Miroku's guard instantly dropped, and he put on a sincere expression, bowing earnestly to the Nine-Tails of the Morning Sun.
"Your uncle is not bad. If he weren't a bit old, he could barely bear my strength."

Having received the respect he deserved, Yang Jiuwei smiled contentedly, his gaze sweeping over the vibrant body of Uzumaki Miro without leaving a trace, and he nodded in approval.
"I'm not talking to you anymore, Uncle, I'm going to work!"

Before Uzumaki Miro could continue with the usual adult pleasantries with Yang Jiuwei, the impatient Kushina waved him off, turned, and disappeared into her hut.

Kushina's room is decorated in a princess pink, a common color for young girls, with cute decorations everywhere.
"Yang Jiu San San, please continue to guide me in the future~"

Kushina placed the curious Nine-Tails, who was looking around her room, on the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down, striking a comical pose like a little teacher. She then solemnly took out paper and a pen and placed them in front of the Nine-Tails.

"You're not really going to teach me to read, are you? I have absolutely no need for that kind of human knowledge!"

Yang Jiuwei curled its lip in disdain. It was a noble tailed beast with an endless lifespan. Human civilization was nothing but a drop in the ocean in its eyes. Who knew when humanity might be wiped out? This knowledge would then become a burdensome memory.
"Oh? Why didn't you say that when Grandpa Gin was there?"

Looking at the arrogant Nine-Tails, Kushina narrowed her eyes, a wicked smile curving her lips.
"Is it a temporary loss of vocal cord function?"

"you!"

Mentioning Uchiha Gin made Kurama (the Nine-Tails) react as if a sore spot had been hit, his face filled with a conflicted expression.

"Actually, it's not that you can't learn a little bit."

"Hehe~ Let's start with the simplest numbers!"

Seeing the remarkable effect of invoking Uchiha Gin's name, she immediately revealed a childlike smile, and with a flourish of her pen, a large "一" (one) leaped onto the paper.

"This is one, the one with one tail."

"Is that idiot Shukaku one of us?"

Nine-Tailed Fox, who wasn't particularly interested in learning to read, perked up instantly upon hearing the words "one tail two". Looking at the simple character "one" on the paper, its eyes darted around, as if it had thought of something interesting.

"Fatty, teach me some more complex characters! I have a big use for you!"

"Don't call me Fatty, call me Kushina San-san!"

At school, I won't mind if you call me Fatty, but in my Kushina literacy class, don't you know what you should call me?
"Cuihua Sansan?"

Seeing Kushina's smug expression, Yang Jiuwei curled her lip and uttered a nickname known only to a select few.
"Uh, you can just call me Fatty."

Kushina, who hadn't even been arrogant for a minute, immediately backed down. Compared to Cuihua, the nickname "Fatty" seemed more acceptable.

"Um, what character do you want to learn?"

"Swear words, the dirtier the better."

"Huh? It's wrong to swear!"

Kushina frowned. She was a well-mannered child; swearing was too much.
"Don't worry, I won't use it to insult people."

Seeing that its raised hand in a vow didn't seem fake, Kushina had no choice but to reluctantly nod and impart the dirtiest words she knew to the enthusiastic Nine-Tails.

"Ok."

midnight,

In the Tailed Beasts chat room,

"You idiot Nine-Tails, what does this sign say about me?"

Shukaku looked at the Nine-Tailed Fox, which was holding up a sign with its own name and several unfamiliar characters, circling in front of it, its coin-like beast eyes filled with question marks.
The other tailed beasts that appeared also looked on with curiosity. Like Shukaku, they only knew their own names and couldn't understand any other human writing.
"Hmph~ Illiterate."

Nine-Tailed Fox smiled smugly, the seven large characters in her hand gleaming brightly in the dim light of the chat room.

[Shukaku is a lucky man] (End of this chapter)