Yugito looked at Yuzuru and asked, "Lord Yuzuru, are we going to Valley of Clouds and Lightning?"
"No need. Right here is fine."
"Eh?!"
Yugito's eyes widened in disbelief.
As a jinchuriki, she knew exactly how destructive a Tailed Beast could be.
If the beast inside her lost control, the entire village could be wiped out.
Even Killer B, after becoming a perfect jinchuriki, spent most of his time inside the Valley of Clouds and Lightning.
And she was only just beginning to learn how to use the Tailed Beast's power. Training inside the village… if she lost control, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Worried, she asked, "Lord Yuzuru, wouldn't training here be dangerous? If I accidentally lose control…"
"It doesn't matter. I'll step in."
Seeing his confidence, Yugito, Samui, and Mabui all felt their hearts skip.
As expected of Lord Yuzuru—he wasn't only unfairly handsome…
As Yuzuru prepared to guide her, Samui asked, "Lord Yuzuru, should we step back?"
Yuzuru waved his hand. "That's up to you. Even if you stay here, it won't have any impact."
"Then we'll stay!"
Samui and Mabui answered instantly.
Opportunities to stay close to Lord Yuzuru were rare—they weren't about to walk away.
Besides, with him here, nothing would happen to them.
Once Samui and Mabui settled a short distance away, Yuzuru turned to Yugito.
"Yugito, let me see your seal."
She nodded, lifted her clothes with a shy motion, and exposed her stomach.
Yuzuru placed his hand gently against her skin. Chakra surged, and a complex sealing formula appeared across her lower abdomen.
"Lord Yuzuru, the seal looks… really complicated…"
"It's fine. I designed it myself."
Yugito froze. Then, amazed, she said, "That's incredible… You even study sealing arts?"
Yuzuru smiled. "It never hurts to have multiple skills. It's always good to master more things."
"I'll release some restrictions on the seal next. Keep your mind steady."
"I understand," she said nervously.
The moment his palm turned, warmth spread across her stomach.
Then unease—an emotion that rose from deep inside her.
And with it, chakra surged through her body in overwhelming waves.
"So this is the Tailed Beast's chakra…"
Yugito's mind blurred.
"Yugito!"
Yuzuru's voice snapped her awake.
Her pupils had turned into vertical slits, and a transparent coat of chakra wrapped around her body.
Suddenly, the chakra output spiked.
The chakra cloak flared and became blue fire.
"Lord Yuzuru, I can't—!"
Her voice cut off.
A massive blue cat demon erupted onto the training field.
"ROAR!"
The beast threw its head back, its enormous frame and murderous presence forcing Samui and Mabui to collapse onto the ground.
"T-That's the Tailed Beast sealed inside her?!"
"S-So terrifying…"
"Can Lord Yuzuru really handle that…?"
Matatabi lowered its head, licking its paw with a disturbingly human grin.
"Finally… I get to come out again. Who knows how long it's been…"
"Despicable humans. You'll pay for sealing me!"
It thrust its enormous head toward Yuzuru.
Its glowing eyes alone were larger than his entire body.
Seeing him, Matatabi sneered. "So you're the one who loosened the seal? Things are getting interesting."
Yuzuru's lips curved, and his Mangekyō Sharingan flared with overwhelming Dōjutsu Power.
"Oh? Really?"
Matatabi froze. Then—in shock—leapt back several dozen meters.
"Ma… Mangekyō Sharingan?!"
"Now," Yuzuru said calmly, "can we have a proper talk?"
"…"
Matatabi clearly hated every moment of this, but under the crushing pressure of Yuzuru's gaze, it slowly lowered itself onto the ground beside him.
Yuzuru stroked the giant cat's head. "Good girl."
This scene left Samui and Mabui completely dumbfounded.
They certainly believed Yuzuru could suppress the Tailed Beast's rampage, but they never imagined a scene like this.
In Samui and Mabui's expectations, when Yugito went berserk, Yuzuru would fight a great battle with the Tailed Beast, then suppress it with his immense strength.
But the reality was completely different from what they had imagined.
No fight. With just one look, the terrifying Tailed Beast immediately chose to surrender.
And it was being petted like a kitten...
Could it be that this was simply what it meant to be Lord Yuzuru?
While the two were spaced out, Yuzuru spoke to Matatabi.
"Matatabi, I'd like to discuss your future."
Matatabi blinked. "How do you know my name?"
"I know all of them—Shukaku, Isobu, Son Gokū, Kokuō, Saiken, Chōmei, Gyūki, and Kurama."
"I don't want to repeat myself every time I meet one of you, so I'll explain things at the right moment."
"For now, let's talk about you and the jinchuriki."
Matatabi softened. "What do you want me to do?"
It could feel the terrifying presence behind Yuzuru's eyes.
It knew it stood no chance.
Cooperating was the smartest—and least painful—option.
Pleased, Yuzuru said, "From now on, I'll remove the seal's suppressive layers on you. Even inside the jinchuriki, you'll be able to perceive everything outside."
"Also, you're free to negotiate with her and come out for fresh air whenever you want."
"How does that sound?"
Matatabi stared, stunned speechless.
The man in front of it clearly had enough power to crush it—yet he was giving it privileges?
When had humans ever been this kind?