Chapter 87: Sealing Techniques

Chapter 87: Sealing Techniques

Tonari visited Kushina's hospital room.

After a night of rest and the meticulous care of the medical team, Kushina had woken up. Her rapid recovery was partly thanks to the Uzumaki clan's remarkable physical resilience.

"Kushina, you're awake! Looks like you're doing well. You haven't had breakfast yet, right? I brought your favorite—Ichiraku Ramen," Tonari said with a smile, setting a small table and placing the still-warm ramen in front of her.

However, Kushina didn't seem as cheerful as Tonari had expected. Her expression was clouded, her face marked with unhappiness.

"What's wrong? Are you still not feeling well? No appetite?" Tonari asked.

Kushina slowly shook her head, her expression growing more complicated. "Tonari... Thank you."

Tonari blinked, then quickly understood. No matter how carefree and tough Kushina usually seemed, she was still a twelve-year-old girl. What happened last night must have left a lingering shadow in her heart.

"Did Minato come by? We haven't seen each other since we split up last night," Tonari asked, trying to steer the conversation to something more positive.

"He just left. He stayed here all night and waited for me to wake up. After comforting me for a bit, he left. I heard his team is starting a new mission today," Kushina replied.

Minato's team was led by a capable jonin who excelled at practical missions. This meant Minato and his teammates would have many opportunities to take on diverse and challenging assignments, accelerating their growth.

Based on last night's battle, Minato's abilities had clearly reached the level of a chunin. With a skilled jonin leading him and two genin teammates, their missions would provide valuable experience.

"Tonari, am I… too weak? Did I hold you and Minato back? If I were as strong as you two, I wouldn't have been captured so easily."

Kushina's eyes reddened, tears welling up.

She had asked Minato the same question earlier. His warm smile and gentle pat on her head had comforted her, soothing much of her pain. But seeing Tonari again, especially recalling how he had been covered in blood last night, made her emotions resurface.

Thunk!

Tonari stood up and delivered a solid flick to her forehead, causing the tears in her eyes to spill out.

"Kushina, you're not weak. Don't forget how you beat me up! You were just caught off guard—it wasn't your fault. The blame lies with Konoha's negligence. So, no need to feel guilty. We can even go demand compensation from the Third Hokage for emotional distress. That should keep us well-fed for a long time!"

Pfft!

Kushina burst into laughter.

"It seems Kushina didn't notice I just sneakily got her back for the beating," Tonari thought smugly, patting his chest in satisfaction.

The truth was, Kushina's sealing techniques made her a formidable opponent for someone like Tonari, who relied heavily on taijutsu. With her sealing jutsu, she could render him completely helpless.

Tonari wasn't exaggerating when he said her strength wasn't the issue. If the Cloud ninja hadn't ambushed her, Kushina would never have been captured so easily.

Not to mention, she had the Nine-Tails inside her. A fraction of its power would've been enough to crush her attackers.

"This forehead flick—just wait until I recover. Next time we train, you'd better watch out," Kushina said, wiping her tears and flashing her signature smile.

Tonari: Σ(⊙▽⊙")

"Ahaha…"

Her melodious laughter filled the room, while Tonari silently resolved to keep a low profile for a while. Without Minato around to hold her back, Kushina might beat him to the point where even Nara Shikimi wouldn't recognize him.

"All right, spill it. What's the real reason you're here?"

After their playful banter, Kushina got straight to the point.

Before Tonari could reply, Kushina added, "Don't deny it. You, spending money on ramen for someone else? From what I've seen, this is a first."

"Wha—I'm not that stingy, am I?" Tonari asked, genuinely puzzled.

Kushina's unfiltered expression said it all.

"Fine, fine. You're right. I do need your help with something," Tonari admitted.

"Really? With Orochimaru-sama as your teacher and Tsunade-sama as your squad leader, there's something you still need my help with?"

Tonari's expression grew serious.

"Well, here's the thing. I've been working on an experiment that's almost complete, but to make it perfect, I need a sealing technique. You know I'm not great at anything beyond taijutsu and some mediocre ninjutsu..."

"A sealing technique?"

It was the first time Tonari had mentioned sealing techniques to her. In their sparring sessions, Kushina often used a weaker version of the Adamantine Sealing Chains. Tonari never brought it up before, always enduring without comment.

When it came to sealing techniques, Kushina could confidently say she was among the top three in Konoha.

The Uzumaki clan's sealing arts were etched into her memory. Though she hadn't mastered all of them yet, her knowledge was extensive.

"What kind of conditions or requirements are we talking about? Tell me, and I'll see if I know anything that fits," Kushina offered.

Tonari explained the unique traits of the Cloud ninja's cells and the functionality he hoped to achieve.

After listening carefully, Kushina fell into deep thought.

It was like searching through a mental dictionary. Kushina had a vast repertoire of sealing techniques in her mind, and she needed to find the right combination to meet Tonari's needs.

After a long pause, she spoke.

"I'm not an expert yet—there are a lot of Uzumaki sealing techniques I haven't learned. But I can think of two seals that, combined, should meet your requirements.

The first is the Evil Sealing Method, which can seal chakra.

The second is the Universal Sealing Technique. This is the same technique used in storage scrolls to shrink items. It's versatile and won't interfere with the other seal."

"Although using two seals together is a bit cumbersome, it's the best solution I can offer for now," Kushina concluded.

"That's more than enough!" Tonari said, waving his hands eagerly.

Two practical sealing techniques at once? He couldn't have asked for more.

"Good. I'll write them down for you. But promise me you'll destroy the notes once you've learned them. Don't let anyone else see them," Kushina warned.

The Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques were a closely guarded secret. Kushina had been taught to never share them lightly.

"Got it! No problem!" Tonari promised.

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(Chapter End)

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