Chapter 60: Male or Female?

Chapter 60: Male or Female?

The Summoning Jutsu's (Kuchiyose no Jutsu) blood contract was not particularly complicated, as explained by Orochimaru with his vast knowledge. The procedure had already been conveyed to Tonari the day before.

He bit his finger.

Strangely enough, despite being in the sealed space—a realm of spiritual manifestation—blood still flowed from the wound. Perhaps it was the same principle as feeling the physical texture of the Two-Tails' fur when petting it.

Tonari merged his chakra with the blood dripping from his finger, letting it fall onto the forehead of the mini-Two-Tails. He then traced a summoning seal mid-air, a technique he had learned from Orochimaru.

As long as the mini-Two-Tails didn't resist, the blood contract would form without any issues.

The drop of blood was slowly absorbed into the mini-Two-Tails, and the seal completed itself before vanishing into the creature's body. Tonari could feel a faint connection forming between them.

According to Orochimaru, once this connection was established, the blood contract was considered successful.

In theory, Tonari could now summon the Two-Tails using the summoning technique.

"Alright, that's done. Let's give it a try."

Reluctantly, he placed the mini-Two-Tails on the ground. But after a moment's thought, he picked it back up and carried it outside the cage—the seal's restrictive boundary on chakra flow.

This should improve the chances of success.

Sharing a glance with the true Two-Tails, Tonari's figure gradually faded from the sealed space.

Sitting in the shop he had recently purchased, Tonari opened his eyes and stretched his limbs. He rotated his wrists a few times, took a deep breath, and steadied himself.

Focusing on the faint connection he shared with the mini-Two-Tails, his hands moved into a series of rapid hand signs.

Tonari wasn't particularly fast yet, achieving only two or three hand signs per second. The faster he performed them, the harder it became to increase his speed.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

His right hand slammed down onto the ground. Black markings spread outward from his palm, forming intricate lines across the surface.

Poof!

A cloud of smoke erupted.

When the smoke cleared, a small, sleek black-and-blue cat sat calmly on the floor. Its two tails stood tall, their tips drooping slightly as they swayed lazily. The creature exuded a relaxed aura.

The summoned Two-Tails blinked, momentarily confused. It had mentally prepared itself for a struggle, but the summoning happened so effortlessly.

It glanced around, realizing it was in a dimly lit room. Taking a tentative step forward, the mini-Two-Tails experienced the world from a new perspective. For the first time, it was seeing things from the vantage of a small cat rather than its usual towering form.

But before it could explore further, it was scooped up by Tonari.

Unable to resist, Tonari gave the mini-Two-Tails a few affectionate pets. It didn't matter whether the Two-Tails protested or not.

"Hey, you little brat! Didn't you promise last time that if I cooperated, you wouldn't touch me like this?!" the mini-Two-Tails growled, finally wriggling free from Tonari's grasp.

Tonari shrugged off the complaint, holding the mini-Two-Tails tightly. "That was last time. This is now. My dear Little Tsundere, our ambitions should look to the future, the endless possibilities ahead of us!"

"The view ahead is blocked by a wall," the Two-Tails deadpanned.

Tonari: "..."

Clearing his throat, Tonari added, "By the way, Little Tsundere, if you don't want people to figure out your true identity, it'd be best to merge your tails into one. Otherwise, it's a dead giveaway."

The Two-Tails nodded slightly, acknowledging the logic. After all, as a bijū, it made sense to keep a low profile.

Wait a minute. I'm a bijū. An all-powerful bijū! Why should I keep a low profile?

Before it could voice its protest, it realized something. Tonari had lifted its tail and was tilting its backside up.

"What are you doing?!" the mini-Two-Tails barked, its voice filled with alarm.

"Oh, nothing much," Tonari replied casually, his face full of curiosity. "I've just always wondered—are you male or female? Just checking!"

Two-Tails: "..."

"That's it! I'm going to kill you, you insolent brat!" the mini-Two-Tails roared, its claws extending from its paws, gleaming dangerously in the dim light.

---

Half an hour later, Tonari emerged from his shop with a face full of scratches. His plans for managing the shop would have to wait, as he neither had the time nor energy to deal with it now. Moreover, he was now burdened with a ninety-million-ryō debt.

Who would've thought that, after coming to the ninja world, he'd become a mortgage slave?

Cradling the mini-Two-Tails in his arms, Tonari headed toward a nearby forest. School responsibilities could be left to his shadow clones, while he dedicated himself to training. As for the mini-Two-Tails, it would stay by his side, though under close watch. Even if it wanted to explore the world, it would have to do so within Tonari's supervision.

Still, Tonari could feel that their connection had deepened after performing the Partner Shadow Clone Jutsu. Though he wasn't yet a perfect jinchūriki, he was getting closer—perhaps 80-90% there. With consistent effort, perfection wasn't out of reach.

---

In the forest.

"Hey, Tonari, where'd you get that cat? It's gorgeous! Its breed seems unique," Minato commented upon seeing the mini-Two-Tails.

"Oh, it's my summoning beast!" Tonari explained proudly. "Remember how I told you I wanted to open a cat café in Konoha? This is the first member of my café."

Gently setting the mini-Two-Tails on a nearby tree, Tonari turned back to Minato. "Enough chit-chat. Minato, it's been a while since we sparred. Let's test our progress, shall we?"

Minato hesitated briefly, then smiled. "Sure."

Minato—Tool No. 2—was always up for being a sparring partner. It was the perfect way to measure their progress.

Flipping a kunai into his hand, Minato prepared for battle. Tonari unsheathed his short blade.

Their battles had evolved from pure taijutsu to a combination of ninja techniques, showcasing their overall abilities. Despite Tonari's improvements, he still found himself at a disadvantage.

"Watch out, Minato! Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Tonari called, forming hand seals and summoning two clones. The three charged toward Minato in unison.

Minato remained calm, experience guiding his actions. His hands formed a rapid sequence of seals.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

A powerful gust of concentrated wind blasted forward. One shadow clone dissipated immediately, but Tonari and the remaining clone pressed on.

---

The sparring match unfolded with a mix of jutsu, strategy, and physical prowess, each pushing the other to their limits.

Meanwhile, perched on a tree, the mini-Two-Tails watched the battle unfold, its eyes glinting with interest.

"Get him! Teach him a lesson!" it muttered, tail swishing with excitement.

---

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